Covert Affairs

TV Review: USA Heats Up Summer with ‘White Collar,’ ‘Covert Affairs’

BrianTT — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 10:57:52 -0400

CHICAGO – Two of cable’s sexiest shows return tonight with the season premieres of USA’s “White Collar” and “Covert Affairs,” airing back-to-back at 8pm and 9pm CST, respectively. Whatever one can say critically about these inconsistent programs, it’s impossible to deny the fact that women swoon for Matt Bomer and men drool over Piper Perabo. It’s a two-hour block of beauty and sometimes that’s all you’re looking for after a long day of boring work.

Neither “White Collar” nor “Covert Affairs” are the smash hits that USA wishes they would become. They don’t get the numbers of some of the network’s biggest hits like “Burn Notice” and “Suits” and their recent numbers are going in the wrong direction in key demos. But they do get coverage. Matt Bomer ends up on the cover of TV Guide or EW every time the show returns it seems and Piper Perabo is one of the most beautiful women on TV. While the shows may not be breakthrough, they make for good faces for the network. But do they work creatively? Sometimes. I think both shows have moments and elements that elevate them above their peers but they just can’t seem to put them together into a consistently entertaining series. “White Collar” is the better of the two by far but the season premiere of “Covert” actually hints at a show that could be maturing in entertaining ways.

White Collar
Photo credit: USA

“White Collar”

Television Rating: 3.5/5.0

We say this a lot about USA shows and it turns out to not be true so I’ll add a qualifier — “White Collar” COULD BE at a turning point. Oftentimes, shows on this network get to the fork in the road where they could become more interesting, daring programs and they revert to familiarity. But something feels different in this season premiere in no small part due to the fact that Caffrey (Bomer) is no longer under government watch. At the end of last season, he jetted off with Mozzie (Willie Garson) in a moment that could have actually been the series finale. Where does “White Collar” go if it’s not in New York and if Caffrey isn’t under the G-man’s thumb?

Well, it turns out the government isn’t too happy with Neal and they want him back. Burke (DeKay) discovers that they’re going to track him down and so he tries to do so first to protect him. Meanwhile, Neal & Mozzie are living it up on a beautiful tropical island. Mekhi Phifer guest stars in a multiple episode arc.

The switch from high rises to sandy beaches does “White Collar” some good in that the season premiere has a different rhythm (and it helps to bring in a talented TV vet like Phifer). The thing about these shows is how quickly they can get overly familiar and stale. Mixing up the formula even a bit — like taking Neal and Mozzie to the other side of the world — can invigorate a cast and a crew of writers. The premiere is tight — well-written, well-directed, and beautiful to look at. I still think it’s missing some depth but there’s an energy here that’s been sometimes absent from the series. Let’s hope they can keep it up all season.

Covert Affairs
Photo credit: USA

“Covert Affairs”

Television Rating: 3.0/5.0

From con man to spy woman, Piper Perabo’s action spy drama makes a perfect counterpart to “White Collar” both in style and (lack of) substance. When “Covert Affairs” goes all out with its “beautiful people in beautiful places” concept it works. When it tries to get emotional or character-driven, the writing falters. I’m torn between wishing that they could figure out how to make these characters more engaging and just recommending that they stop trying. Just embrace the B-movie cheese factor and up the action, sex, and escapism. That might be the best path for “Covert Affairs.”

What’s the season premiere about? I can’t really say. It opens with a shocking explosion that can’t be spoiled. From there, I will say that Annie ends up in Marrakech on a mission that’s high on espionage and low on action. However, that’s not a complaint. There’s a nice, slow-burn rhythm here in the premiere as Annie plays sexual games with her target…or is he doing so with her? I liked the tonal consistency here, something that’s been missing in the past. It hints at a show that’s maturing and still willing to change to figure out its strengths. They’re willing to change the relationship between Augie (Christopher Gorham) and Annie or make major cast alterations to develop. Familiarity breeds failure in television nowadays. You have to stay fresh. Or at least hot.

“White Collar” stars Matt Bomer, Tom DeKay, Willie Garson, and Tiffani Thiessen. “Covert Affairs” stars Piper Perabo, Christopher Gorham, Kari Matchett, Anne Dudek, Sendhil Ramamurthy, and Peter Gallagher. Both shows return to USA on July 10, 2012.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

DVD Review: Latest Seasons of USA Hits ‘Suits,’ ‘Covert Affairs’

BrianTT — Mon, 07 May 2012 13:52:23 -0400

CHICAGO – USA continues to lead the way in terms of cable ratings. While FX and TNT have their loyal audiences and critics adore HBO and AMC, it’s really USA that can boast the most remarkable claims in terms of breakthrough ratings. Some of their biggest hits regularly clobber network competition. Two of them just hit DVD — “Suits: Season One” and “Covert Affairs: Season Two.” Fans will be happy with both but I have a clear favorite.

My initial review of “Suits” is proof positive that sending one episode of a TV series can make me look like an idiot. I stand by that review of the premiere. It was inert. It was generic. However, the show QUICKLY broke out of that pattern, finding interesting characters within the cliches and, most importantly, writing remarkably adult dialogue and legal action. “Suits” doesn’t treat its audience like idiots, never pandering with silly courtroom antics and illustrating how more happens in the conference room than in front of a judge. The leads — Gabriel Macht and especially Patrick J. Adams — are quite good, Meghan Markle is one of the most beautiful people on TV, and the show has quietly become one of the network’s more interesting offerings. I look forward to its return this Summer.

I can’t yet say the same about “Covert Affairs.” While “Suits” developed adult characters and moved beyond cliche quickly after its premiere, I don’t think “Covert” has yet to do so. The writing seems thin and the characters aren’t engaging in the same way as the best on this character-driven network. The guys on “Psych,” the trio at the core of “Burn Notice,” even the pair on “Suits” — no one on “Covert Affairs” resonates as strongly.

Both DVD releases are solid with better-than-average transfers and strong special features. Most interestingly, “Suits” comes with an UltraViolet copy, which allows streaming on tablets, smart phones, and laptops. It’s something that’s been common for films for a few months now but less so for TV. Being able to stream full seasons of shows with one purchase is just another step in the direction of the future — one in which we’ll stream more than use actual discs.

Suits: Season One was released on DVD on May 1, 2012
Photo credit: Universal

“Suits: Season One”

DVD Rating: 4.0/5.0

Synopsis:
The new original series Suits delves into the fast-paced, high-stakes world of a top Manhattan corporate law firm where hotshot attorney Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht, Love and Other Drugs) makes a risky move by hiring the brilliant but unmotivated, Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams, Lost), as his new associate. The only problem is he doesn’t have an actual law degree. With his encyclopedic knowledge and uncanny knack of remembering things, Mike proves to be a legal prodigy despite the absence of bonafide legal credentials. Bound by their secret, the two are forced to keep up the charade as they become an irrepressible duo. The series also stars Meghan Markle (CSI Miami), Gina Torres (Gossip Girl), Sarah Rafferty (Brothers and Sisters) and Rick Hoffman (Samantha Who).

Special Features:
o Alternate Premiere Episode
o Deleted Scenes
o Gag Reel
o Commentaries

“Covert Affairs: Season Two”

DVD Rating: 2.5/5.0

Synopsis:
Runaway hit original series, Covert Affairs, stars Golden Globe-nominated Piper Perabo as Annie Walker, a young CIA operative whose exceptional linguistic skills and spot on instincts make her invaluable to the Agency. In season two, Annie’s personal and professional lives crash into one another, and the balance of her relationships are forever changed. The series also stars Christopher Gorham, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Anne Dudek, Kari Matchett and Peter Gallagher.

Special Features:
o Deleted Scenes
o Gag Reel
o Piper Perabo Comic-Con Intro
o Covert Affairs On Location

“Suits: Season One” and “Covert Affairs: Season Two” were released on DVD on May 1, 2012.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

TV Review: Piper Perabo Stars in USA’s Improved ‘Covert Affairs’

BrianTT — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:12:02 -0400

CHICAGO – In the mid-season premiere of “Covert Affairs,” Annie Walker (Piper Perabo) is learning what it’s like to be alone. The fact is that CIA Operatives don’t have many friends. It’s too dangerous for both sides of the relationship. How can you keep your friends and family around when you know they could get killed? And what do you when it’s your very family who you learn you can’t trust?

Television Rating: 3.5/5.0

At the end of the summer, “Covert Affairs” revealed to her sister (Annie Dudek) that she was a CIA operative and was forced out of her life. In the prologue of the first new episode of the Fall, Annie makes a mistake, allows a package to go missing, and gets injured. I can’t provide any details or critical assessment of this Rio-set sequence because it wasn’t filmed in time for critics. I hope it’s a lot of fun.

What I do know is that the aftermath of that unseen prologue impacts Annie’s position at the start of the mid-season. She feels ostracized at work, even if she’s tougher on herself than anyone there is on her. Being pushed out of her sister’s life has clearly left her a bit fragile and she’s realizing that she’s pretty much on her own. When a handsome chef falls into her life, it seems too good to be true. Of course, it is.

Covert Affairs
Photo credit: USA

The mid-season premiere of “Covert Affairs,” “The Wake-Up Bomb,” not only advances the overall arc of Annie’s forced solidarity but features a stand-alone plot about her getting close to a handsome chef whose brother has ties to the Basque separatist movement ETA. Annie uses her new, possibly-romantic relationship to further her professional one while her new potential beau realizes that his brother doesn’t seem to care too much about using his own blood as collateral damage. I still think the dialogue on the program could use some work but I found the plotting admirable in the way the case-of-the-week played into the overall themes that the writers have been working with about trust and the dangers of getting close to someone in a risky profession. As Auggie (Christopher Gorham) says, “On the bright side, at least your sibling is not trying to blow you up.” Even the arc with Jai (Sendhil Ramamurthy) plays into these overall themes of trust and the relationships that sometimes make a gray area of it.

Covert Affairs
Photo credit: USA

Excellent mystery-of-the-week programs find a way to provide an interesting stand-alone mystery while also tying it into and advancing the overall arc of the series. The writing here is stronger than “Covert Affairs” has been before even if some of the dialogue scenes, especially between Jai and his slimy father (Gregory Itzin), still don’t sound quite right. No one is really tuning into this USA hit for clever dialogue. The important thing is that the season premiere of “Covert Affairs” is well-paced, fun, clever action storytelling.

I still don’t quite buy many of the relationship dynamics or performances, but they’re getting better. Piper Perabo looks more comfortable in the action scenes and has always worked outside of them. Her sister relationship with Dudek feels genuine and Christopher Gorham and Kari Matchett are effective counterparts on the CIA half of the show. My biggest problem with the program now is one of the problems I had with “Heroes” — Sendhil Ramamurthy. He’s simply not a believable, in-the-moment actor. I will admit that he’s better here than in his worst moments on “Heroes,” so it’s worth noting that, like every element of this show, he seems to be improving.

USA has become the most successful network on cable through a very proven formula — find a strong central character and build a mystery/case-of-the-week around that character. At first, I didn’t feel like Annie Walker was a strong enough character to join the legends of the network like Michael Westen or Adrian Monk. She’s not yet there, but she’s well on her way.

“Covert Affairs” stars Piper Perabo, Christopher Gorham, Annie Dudek, Kari Matchett, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Gregory Itzin, and Peter Gallagher, It returns for its mid-season premiere on November 1st, 2011 at 9pm CST.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

On WGN Radio: HollywoodChicago.com’s Adam Fendelman on Summer TV Premieres

BrianTT — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 17:32:08 -0400

CHICAGO – HollywoodChicago.com publisher Adam Fendelman guests on Bill Moller’s WGN Radio on June 11, 2011 to discuss the 2011 premieres of “Covert Affairs,” “HawthoRNe,” “The Glades,” “Memphis Beat” and “White Collar”. Listen to the show now below!

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Publisher
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Submit Your Comments For WGN Radio: ‘Covert Affairs,’ ‘HawthoRNe,’ ‘The Glades,’ ‘Memphis Beat,’ ‘White Collar’ TV Premieres

HollywoodChicago.com — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 20:05:46 -0400

CHICAGO – HollywoodChicago.com publisher Adam Fendelman will appear at 9:20 a.m. on Bill Moller’s program this Saturday, June 11, 2011 on WGN Radio 720 AM in Chicago. The duo will be discussing this year’s TV premieres of “Covert Affairs,” “HawthoRNe,” “The Glades,” “Memphis Beat” and “White Collar”. Which shows are winners and which are wieners? Tune in to find out!

A&E’s “The Glades” premiered on June 5, 2011 and airs on Sundays at 9 p.m. CST
USA’s “Covert Affairs” premiered on June 7, 2011 and airs on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. CST
USA’s “White Collar” premiered on June 7, 2011 and airs on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. CST
TNT’s “HawthoRNe” premieres on June 14, 2011 and airs on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. CST
TNT’s “Memphis Beat” premieres on June 14, 2011 and airs on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. CST

Which of these shows have you seen in previous seasons? Which are you excited about following again? Which do you love? Which do you hate? Chime in with your comments below!

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Publisher
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

TV Review: ‘Covert Affairs’ Puts the Team Back in the CIA

PatrickMcD — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:22:22 -0400

CHICAGO – In an era where America’s budget concerns are front and center, a TV series celebrating the awesomeness of the CIA seems a bit ill-timed. Piper Perabo portrays an undercover operative in the second season premiere of USA Network’s “Covert Affairs.”

TV Rating: 3.0/5.0

The series does score some points for intrigue, mostly through the character of Arthur Campbell (Peter Gallagher), who portrays the CIA Director of the National Clandestine Service. He’s in a bit of a legal pickle regarding his the division’s actions, and the whole agency is on pins and needles regarding it. In the foreground is Perabo’s Annie Walker, who is the centerpiece agent of the assignment du jour.

The second season opens with a flashback. Annie is romping on the beach, remembering a mission in Sri Lanka, where a former rogue operative Ben Mercer (Eion Bailey) is injured in a firefight trying to rescue an “asset” (CIA informant). Annie saved him, and their admiration for each other is growing deeper. Annie is with Ben as he recovers, but their idleness is broken by a team of gunmen shooting up the hospital.

Not Your Daddy’s CIA: Christopher Gorham (Auggie) and Piper Perabo (Annie) in ‘Covert Affairs’
Photo Credit: USA Network

Annie moves Ben back to Washington, D.C., and resumes her life as an undercover operative in the Domestic Protection Division (DPD), who lives with her clueless sister (Anne Dudek) in upper middle class heaven. Annie’s first case back is connecting with a Russian tennis star, who is also a CIA asset. She is aided by Auggie (Christopher Gorham), a ex-army veteran who was blinded in Iraq, and mentored by Joan Campbell (Kari Matchett), the director of the DPD. Campbell is married to Gallagher’s Arthur, and his internal troubles infiltrate their domestic life. Maybe Homeland Security can help?

There is a suspicion that the CIA helped fund this show (it is on the USA Network. Coincidence?) because all of the characters, even the blind guy, are just so gosh darn fabulous. There might even be, from the looks of it, an undercover hairdresser on staff. This is entirely distracting, including Annie’s undercover story that she is a acquisitions expert for the Smithsonian Institution. Luckily her sister lives the domestic goddess life of soccer practices and her gourmet kitchen, because she has yet to notice Annie’s sudden killer squints.

The second season of any television show is where elements of character and story get more savory, and Covert Affairs does have its share of possibilities. Ben Mercer is a here today, gone tomorrow spy, and obviously Annie wants to break that secret. Kari Matchett’s Joan Campbell, despite her penchant for wearing cocktail dresses to work, does have a certain air about her that says she knows too much, and what she knows is dangerous. And although the blind guy is superfluous, Christopher Gorham turns on the charm and keeps him lucid.

Most Popular Couple, CIA Yearbook: Kari Matchett (Joan) and Peter Gallagher (Arthur) in ‘Covert Affairs’
Photo Credit: USA Network

It’s hard to buy Piper Perabo as a spook, especially when she clicks her 4-inch heels on the shiny floors of CIA headquarters. The Case of the Russian Tennis Player is shoehorned in among all the back story, and doesn’t work in context of everything else going on. This series is a fantasy world government agency, but most viewers buy that when relaxing in front of the tube, does anybody really care about line item budgets when Piper is in a bikini?

This show could make you wonder, where does the CIA rank in the new Homeland Security structure? What is the agency’s greatest secret? And where does Joan Campbell get those stylish cocktail dresses? Now we’re talking Covert Affairs.

”Covert Affairs” starts its second season Tuesday, June 7th at 10pm EST/9pm CST on USA Network. Check local listings for channel location. Featuring Piper Perabo, Christopher Gorham, Kari Matchett, Anne Dudek and Peter Gallagher. Created by Dutch Oven and Universal Cable Productions.

By PATRICK McDONALD
Senior Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
pat@hollywoodchicago.com

DVD Review: USA Hit Shows ‘Covert Affairs,’ ‘Royal Pains’ Make Perfect Summer Escapism

BrianTT — Fri, 20 May 2011 16:28:18 -0400

CHICAGO – USA has a proven formula for success and they show no sign of slowing down in that department, adding new hits like “Covert Affairs” and “Fairly Legal” to a line-up of proven successes like “Burn Notice” and “Psych.” The first season of the very hit-and-miss “Affairs” and the second season of the more-consistent “Royal Pains” recently hit DVD from Universal and they’re both sets designed for fans of the network.

DVD Rating: 4.0/5.0

I’m still not sold on “Covert Affairs.” I’m curious to see if the show can develop into something more interesting in its soon-to-debut second season and the cast is certainly strong enough to do so, but the show is too inconsistent and doesn’t stand up to comparisons to the best of USA (“Monk,” “Burn Notice,” “Royal Pains,” “White Collar”). Piper Perabo is not always a convincing lead, but the supporting cast often picks up her slack as Peter Gallagher, Eriq La Salle, Anna Chlumsky, and Christopher Gorham all do strong work.

Royal Pains: Season Two was released on DVD on May 17, 2011
Photo credit: Universal Home Video

The DVD set for the first season of “Covert Affairs” includes all eleven episodes spread out over three standard discs, each with their own slim case. Cast & Crew Commentaries appear on the pilot, 7th episode (“Communication Breakdown”), and season finale (“When the Levee Breaks”). Other interesting supplemental material include deleted scenes, a gag reel, “Welcome to the Farm,” “Blind Insight,” “Set Tour,” and a PSA called “Celebrate the ADA.”

Covert Affairs: Season One was released on DVD on May 17, 2011
Photo credit: Universal Home Video

I’m a much bigger fan of “Royal Pains,” one of the most consistently entertaining summer diversions on television. There are episodes of this show that I absolutely adore. Not only does it take place in a beautiful setting, but the writing and acting are much better than they’ve been given credit for being. The core cast, especially Mark Feuerstein and Reshma Shetty, are spectacular. It’s just a fun program and if you haven’t seen both seasons, you’re missing some of the most well-done escapism on television.

Once again, Universal treats fans right with a similar amount of supplemental material to “Covert Affairs.” The second season of “Royal Pains” was split in two, so there’s 18 episodes here, spread out over four discs in two slim cases. Deleted scenes, commentaries, and featurettes called “Guest Starring” and “Location, Location, Location” fill out the set.

“Covert Affairs: Season One”

Synopsis:
Meet Annie Walker (Piper Perabo, Coyote Ugly): smart, stunning and the CIA’s newest field operative in one of their most secretive branches. Suddenly summoned by headquarters for active duty one month before training is over, she’s quickly thrown into a shadowy world full of cons, killers and international crime rings. What she doesn’t know is there’s something - or someone - from her past that her bosses want badly enough to put her in harm’s way. She just has to survive long enough to find out why. From the producer of the Bourne films comes the action-packed first season of the smash-hit espionage series, with co-stars Christopher Gorham (Ugly Betty) and Sendhil Ramamurthy (Heroes), and guest stars Peter Gallagher (The O.C.), Eriq La Salle (ER), Lauren Holly (NCIS), Liane Balaban (Last Chance Harvey) and Anna Chlumsky (My Girl). Critics are praising it as “the best new drama series of the season” (Francine Brokaw, suite101.com).

“Royal Pains: Season Two”

Synopsis:
Spend your summer with Dr. Hank Lawson (Mark Feuerstein): where the tides are high, bank account balances are higher and the patients are just high maintenance. Because of his strong convictions and straight-shooting style, the “concierge doctor’s” practice is growing…and with the return of his estranged father (special guest star Henry Winkler), so is his family. With puzzling cases involving a faithful cop with an STD, a winemaker with a troubled palate and a reality show where all the contestants are stricken ill, Hank needs his own innovative talents and the support of his fast-talking brother Evan (Paulo Costanzo) more than ever.

“Covert Affairs: Season One” stars Piper Perabo, Christopher Gorham, Kari Machett, Peter Gallagher, Anne Dudek, Clarke Peters, and Emmanuelle Vaugier. It was created by Matt Corman and Chris Ord. The DVD was released on May 17th, 2011.

“Royal Pains: Season Two” stars Mark Feuerstein, Paulo Costanzo, Jill Flint, Reshma Shetty, Campbell Scott, and Henry Winkler. The DVD was released on May 17th, 2011.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

TV Review: USA’s New ‘Fairly Legal’ Works Due to Charming Lead

BrianTT — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 12:29:39 -0500

CHICAGO – The second wacky legal show debut of the week (after NBC’s awful “Harry’s Law”) is the fairly good “Fairly Legal,” a show that works largely due to the incredible charm of its lead, Sarah Shahi (“Life”). Continuing the formula that has turned the USA network into one of the biggest TV success stories of the last decade, “Fairly Legal” is what critics like to call “promising.” It’s far-from-great but could get there with some work.

Television Rating: 3.5/5.0

The USA formula is simple — beautiful people playing quirky characters. Jeffrey Donovan (“Burn Notice”), Piper Perabo (“Covert Affairs”), Mary McCormack (“In Plain Sight”), Matthew Bomer (“White Collar”) — Sarah Shahi fits perfectly in the network’s line-up of genetically-blessed lead characters and she brings the same charisma and likability that she did to the sadly-underrated “Life.” She’s great and the main reason to check out “Fairly Legal.”

Sarah Shahi in Fairly Legal
Photo credit: USA

Shahi plays Kate Reed, a litigator who left the world of injustice behind to become a mediator. She works at the company founded by her father, who has recently passed at the beginning of the premiere. The company is now being run by her stepmother Lauren (Virginia Williams), a woman with a different worldview than Kate. She also butts heads (and other body parts) with her ex-husband/lawyer (Michael Trucco) while relying on her supportive assistant Leonardo (Baron Vaughn).

Fairly Legal
Photo credit: USA

The first episode features introductions to all these relationships along with a couple of cases for Sarah to mediate. It opens with a very-clever scene in which Sarah mediates a store robbery to a successful end for all sides. She can find a way to make everyone happy no matter the situation. In the premiere, she tries to come to terms with her stepmother’s management of the company while also mediating a couple of cases, including an unusual one involving a mysterious car accident.

The plot of the premiere feels a little bloated to pull it to an extended running time for the first episode. We get a lot of shots of Kate staring off into the distance and it feels like the pilot could have been tighter at a typical 44-minute length. Most of the best USA shows (“Royal Pains,” “Burn Notice”) are also some of the most well-paced on television. “Fairly Legal” doesn’t have that rhythm quite yet although it could develop it.

While Shahi is easily the best thing about the show, Williams, Trucco, and Vaughn are certainly not bad. They could develop into interesting supporting characters, something the program is going to need to work. “Burn Notice” is nothing without Sam and Fiona. “Royal Pains” needs a little Boris every now and then. “White Collar” doesn’t work without Mozzie. As much as the network has built their success around fascinating, gorgeous leads, the best programs are distinguished by their supporting casts and that’s another element that feels a bit underdeveloped in the premiere of “Fairly Legal.”

Ultimately, the pilot of “Fairly Legal” passes the only test that it needs to: I’ll watch it again next week. The most important element of a program like this one, especially on USA, is in place in Sarah Shahi’s performance. Only time will tell if the program around her can rise to her level.

‘Fairly Legal,’ which airs on USA, stars Sarah Shahi, Michael Trucco, Virginia Williams, and Baron Vaughn. The show premieres on January 20th, 2011 at 9PM CST.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Prize Pack For USA Network’s ‘Covert Affairs’ With Piper Perabo

HollywoodChicago.com — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 20:02:20 -0400

CHICAGO – In our latest edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: TV, we have one prize pack up for grabs for USA Network’s “Covert Affairs” with Piper Perabo from the producer of “The Bourne Identity,” “The Bourne Supremacy” and “The Bourne Ultimatum”!

The show also features Peter Gallagher, Christopher Gorham, Anne Dudek, Kari Matchett, Adelaide Humphreys, Avigail Humphreys, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Ennis Esmer and Evan Sabba from creators Matt Corman and Chris Ord. Read our “Covert Affairs” review here. “Covert Affairs” premiered on July 13, 2010 at 9 p.m. CST and airs on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. CST on USA Network.

To win your free “Covert Affairs” prize pack courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just refer a few friends to our Hookup mailing in this secure, Web-based submission form. That’s it! Directions to enter this Hookup and immediately win can be found beneath the graphic below.

USA Network’s “Covert Affairs” with Piper Perabo.
Image credit: USA Network

USA Network has your Tuesdays covered with the best-looking night on television with the new hit series “Covert Affairs” at 9 p.m. CST. “Covert Affairs” stars Piper Perabo, Christopher Gorham, Peter Gallagher, Kari Matchett, Anne Dudek and Sendhil Ramamurthy. Visit the official “Covert Affairs” Web site for games, photos and weekly prizes. Visit USA Network’s “Character Arcade” to play games, challenge friends and for more chances to win prizes!

The prize pack offered by HollywoodChicago.com for USA Network’s “Covert Affairs” with Piper Perabo.
Image credit: USA Network

This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada. This “Covert Affairs” prize pack is valued at $150. One winner will win a “Covert Affairs” prize pack complete with:

Tumi maps set
Hard-cover spy book
“Covert Affairs” hat
“Covert Affairs” T-shirt

An Aug. 3, 2010 episode promo for “Covert Affairs” can be viewed now below.

To secure your free prize pack, you must be logged into your HollywoodChicago.com Web site account. If you don’t yet have one, you can quickly register here. Having a free Web site account with a valid e-mail address is required to win this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup.

Next, simply refer a few friends to the HollywoodChicago.com mailing. You must submit your referrals using this confidential, Web-based submission form. Please do not submit your referrals in this Hookup. Your entry will be invalid if you only submit here and don’t submit into our Web-based form. Please only submit your referrals using this secure submission form.

You must include your first and last name, e-mail address, physical mailing address and friend referrals in your submission. Your personal information will not be sold or shared, will be kept strictly confidential and is only for awarding winning entries. The e-mail address referrals of your friends will not be sold or shared elsewhere. They will be added to our mailing list only.

The more e-mail addresses you submit, the better your chances of winning! Your assistance in helping us grow our mailing list brings you bigger and better giveaways. Your friends will receive a friendly e-mail from us notifying them of your referral before they begin receiving our non-annoying mailing, which isn’t sent too often. Our mailing adheres to all required CAN-SPAM Act laws and always provides an unsubscribe link. Please submit your referrals at the link below.

Submit the e-mail address referrals of your friends here!

This HollywoodChicago.com Hookup is simple: one lucky HollywoodChicago.com reader will be randomly selected as the prize pack winner for our “Covert Affairs” Hookup! The prize pack will be mailed to the winners at our expense. Good luck!

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief/Publisher
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

TV Review: ‘Psych’ Continues to Thrive on Star Chemistry

BrianTT — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 12:40:28 -0400

CHICAGO – USA has undeniably become the network of summer TV entertainment and they finish off their slate of debuting and returning shows with the season premiere of the fan-favorite “Psych.” Considering it’s one of the networks more reliable hits, it doesn’t take a mind reader to predict that not much has changed in the world of Shawn and Gus.

Television Rating: 3.0/5.0

The USA Network used to be content with one or two summer hits but they’re clearly moving in the direction where they’ll have a whole week of programming before long. With “Burn Notice,” “Royal Pains,” “White Collar,” and “Covert Affairs” all airing new episodes in July, the return of “Psych” almost seems like a statement from the network — forget one night a week; we want you to tune in EVERY night.

Psych
Photo credit: Alan Zenuk/USA

If you’re somehow completely unfamiliar with “Psych,” it follows a similar structure to all USA shows in that it’s a mystery-of-the-week show driven by its unique characters. The lead is a character not unlike Simon Baker’s on “The Mentalist” in that he has such strong powers of deduction that people think he’s psychic. He has a loyal friend who gets dragged along on his crime-solving adventures.

To be honest, I’m not a loyal, week-to-week “Psych” viewer. In my profession, I’ve seen over a dozen episodes, but it’s never been appointment television for me. It’s always seemed a bit too light on its feet, as if the writers are winking at the audience and letting them know just how clever they think they are.

Psych
Photo credit: Alan Zenuk/USA

Having said that, the main strength of “Psych” has always been in the chemistry between stars James Roday and Dule Hill and it’s something that’s improved with each season. Supporting stars Corbin Bernsen and Timothy Omundsen are entertaining players but the show lives and dies on what you think of Roday and Hill. I still wish that their dialogue more often sounded genuine and not so overly self-aware of its cleverness, but these two stars are consistently entertaining, particularly in the scenes that require them to volley crime scene information back and forth like a brainy C.S.I. team that hasn’t lost its sense of humor.

In the season premiere, Shawn and Gus are forced to find a missing girl while dealing with the fact that Shawn’s dad now has a role in the department that might hold our boys back from doing what they do best — “I got case-blocked by my own father.” The case draws them into the world of the Chinese Triads but it’s merely a way for the writers to give our heroes subjects on which to riff back and forth like a classic TV pair. You can almost picture the writer’s meeting — “What setting haven’t we sent the boys to yet? Martial arts!”

With above average production values that are now common to USA and entertaining leads, “Psych” continues to deliver exactly what audiences expect. I can see no reason why the readers who have expressed adoration for “Psych” in the past would possibly be disappointed by the season premiere. Once again, a mystery-of-the-week merely serves as the dance floor on which beloved USA characters can do what they do best. I still think there’s a way to make the action of “Psych” sound more like the real world, but summer escapism doesn’t often trade in realism and there’s no network that does escapism better this summer than USA.

‘Psych,’ which airs on USA, stars James Roday, Dule Hill, Corbin Bernsen, Timothy Omundson, Maggie Lawson, and Kirsten Nelson. The show returns on July 14th, 2010 at 9PM CST.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com