Television

'24: Redemption' TV movie review: '24' searches for 'redemption' with prequel to season seven

HollywoodChicago.com — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:19:57 -0700

HollywoodChicago.com critic Brian Tallerico writes in his review of the upcoming “24: Redemption” TV movie:

“While ‘24’ has always been a program that requires an intense suspension of disbelief, ‘24: Redemption’ seems to need more than average. For a country that recently voted for change, ‘24: Redemption’ seems to be going in the right direction but may not have gone far enough to not look like a Bush-era relic.”

Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “24: Redemption” here.

FX Sets Return Dates For Nip/Tuck and Damages

BrianTT — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 12:39:39 -0700

We just got a press release from FX Networks about two hit shows.

FX SETS RETURN DATES FOR NIP/TUCK AND DAMAGES

Basic Cable’s #1 Scripted Drama in Adults 18-34 Nip/Tuck Continues Its Fifth Season on Tuesday, January 6 at 10 PM ET/PT

Emmy® and Golden Globe® Winning Damages Returns For Its Second Season on Wednesday, January 7 at 10 PM

LOS ANGELES, November 12, 2008 – FX announced the return dates of two of its award-winning dramas, Nip/Tuck and Damages. The continuation of the fifth season of Nip/Tuck begins on Tuesday, January 6 at 10 PM E/P for eight weeks, while the second season of Damages premieres on Wednesday, January 7 at 10 PM E/P with 13 new episodes.

Nip/Tuck revolves around the lives of Dr. Sean McNamara (Dylan Walsh) and Dr. Christian Troy (Julian McMahon), two plastic surgeons, close friends and business partners who run McNamara/Troy, an overwhelmingly successful plastic surgery practice.

Earlier this season, Sean and Christian departed Miami for Los Angeles seeking a fresh start for McNamara/Troy in a new city. As season five continues, Sean tries to re-build his life after surviving a brutal attack from Colleen Rose. McNamara/Troy faces an unexpected, serious medical crisis. Christian decides to settle down with one woman and Sean discovers a new love in a moment of extreme vulnerability.

Guest stars include Sharon Gless, Portia de Rossi, AnnaLynne McCord, Bradley Cooper, John Schneider, Jennifer Coolidge, Morgan Fairchild and Katee Sackoff.

Damages, fresh off its Emmy wins for Outstanding Lead Actress (Glenn Close) and Outstanding Supporting Actor (Željko Ivanek), follows the turbulent lives of Patty Hewes (Glenn Close), the nation’s most revered and reviled high-stakes litigator and her bright, ambitious young protégé Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne).

After her unprecedented victory over billionaire Arthur Frobisher (Ted Danson), Patty Hewes has the legal world at her feet. Just as she’s pondering her next move, Daniel Purcell (William Hurt), a man from Patty’s mysterious past, storms back into her life, catapulting Patty into a new legal challenge.

At the same time, Ellen is on a mission to take down Patty. She’s agreed to act as an informant for the FBI, assisting them in their criminal investigation of Patty and the firm. As Patty unravels the mystery surrounding Daniel Purcell, she must also negotiate the perilous minefield both inside and outside her office.

In addition to Academy Award® winner William Hurt, Academy Award winner Marcia Gay Harden and Timothy Olyphant join the cast of Damages for its second season.

Nip/Tuck was the #1 scripted drama series on basic cable among Adults 18-34 in 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007/2008 to-date. Season five averaged more Women 18-34, Men 18-34, and Men 18-49 viewers than its prior four seasons on a first-run basis with an average of 3.5 million total viewers and 2.7 million Adults 18-49 – a retention of 97% from season three. In a weekly four-telecast cume, the show averaged 6.9 million total viewers and 5.1 million Adults 18-49.

Nip/Tuck was created and is executive produced by Ryan Murphy. Michael M. Robin is executive producer. It is produced by The Shephard-Robin Company in association with Warner Bros. Television Productions Inc.

Damages was recently nominated for seven Emmy Awards, and helped make history by being one of the two first basic cable shows ever nominated for Outstanding Drama Series. Close garnered the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (a basic cable first); Željko Ivanek won for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (a basic cable first) and Ted Danson was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor. The show also earned the most Golden Globe Award nominations (4) of any show on television. Close won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a TV Series – Drama. The show received a nomination for Best TV Series – Drama and supporting stars Ted Danson and Rose Byrne were nominees.

Damages was created by Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler and Daniel Zelman who also serve as executive producers, writers and showrunners. The series is produced by KZK Productions, FX Productions and Sony Pictures Television.

FX is the flagship general entertainment basic cable network from the Fox Networks Group. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in more than 94 million homes. The diverse schedule includes a growing roster of critically acclaimed and award-winning original series; an established film library with box-office hits from 20th Century Fox and other studios; and an impressive roster of acquired hit series. For more information about FX, visit our web site at www.FXnetworks.com.

Exclusive HollywoodChicago.com portrait: 'The Apprentice' star Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth

HollywoodChicago.com — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:42:26 -0700

“The Apprentice” star Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth posed for HollywoodChicago.com on Oct. 22, 2008 before beginning her two-day Chicago book tour to promote “The Bitch Switch” at Borders in downtown Chicago. See our exclusive Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth portrait here!

HollywoodChicago.com portrait: Chelsea Handler in Chicago for new book 'Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea'

HollywoodChicago.com — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:31:41 -0700

Actress Chelsea Handler strikes a pose for the HollywoodChicago.com lens at a Borders in Chicago before a book signing on Oct. 26, 2008 for her best seller “Are You There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea”.

Handler also performed a benefit for the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation on Oct. 25, 2008 at the House of Blues in Chicago. See our exclusive portraits of Handler here!

Exclusive portrait: Martha Stewart at The Book Stall for new book 'Martha Stewart's Cooking School'

HollywoodChicago.com — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:30:26 -0700

Cooking and design star Martha Stewart strikes a pose on Oct. 30, 2008 for the HollywoodChicago.com lens at The Book Stall in Winnetka, Ill. to promote her new book “Martha Stewart’s Cooking School: Lessons and Recipes for the Home Cook”. See our exclusive Martha Stewart portrait here!

Exclusive Chicago portrait: Maureen McCormick, who played Marcia Brady in 'The Brady Bunch'

HollywoodChicago.com — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 12:43:02 -0700

Maureen McCormick (who played Marcia Brady on TV’s “The Brady Bunch”) posed for the HollywoodChicago.com camera in Chicago on Oct. 16, 2008.

McCormick was in town at a Borders book signing for her new book “Here’s the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice”. See our exclusive Maureen McCormick portrait here!

Food Network TV star Giada De Laurentiis in Chicago: exclusive HollywoodChicago.com portrait before book signing

HollywoodChicago.com — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 11:43:02 -0700

Food Network television star Giada De Laurentiis recently posed for the HollywoodChicago.com lens in Chicago. This exclusive photograph was shot before her two-day Chicago book signing for “Giada’s Kitchen” on Oct. 7 and 8, 2008. This portrait is the only shot she agreed to pose for during this trip. See the Giada De Laurentiis portrait here!

'Life on Mars' premieres on Oct. 9, 2008; will show Thursdays on ABC at 10 p.m. after 'Grey's Anatomy'

HollywoodChicago.com — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:41:10 -0700

This just in from BuddyTV:

After a lot of shake-ups, the US version of the original British series Life on Mars will debut tonight on ABC at 10pm. If time travel is your thing, it comes right after Grey’s Anatomy on Thursdays.

Life on Mars is about a detective who finds himself stuck in the early 1970s and thus has to go about his modern professional life absent the help of thirty or so years of technology and forensic science.

The series had a rough transfer to a US network after the first pilot by Ally McBeal’s David Kelley was scraped and the whole thing had to be redone from scratch. ABC has announced that it now has ABC drama October Road producers Josh Appelbaum, Andre Namec, Scott Rosenberg at the helm.

Read the full story here.

HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 25 admit-two VIP passes to see first episode of new 'The Closer' before it hits TV!

HollywoodChicago.com — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 23:36:39 -0700

In this unique HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: TV, 25 admit-two VIP passes will be given away to an exclusive Chicago screening party kicking off season four of the hit TNT television show “The Closer,” which stars Golden Globe winner Kyra Sedgwick. Click here to RSVP now!

Interview: 'My Boys' stars Michael Bunin, Kyle Howard, Reid Scott on second season of hit TBS TV show

HollywoodChicago.com — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 01:12:51 -0700

HollywoodChicago.com critic Patrick McDonald has interviewed stars Michael Bunin, Kyle Howard and Reid Scott of the set-in-Chicago hit TBS television show “My Boys”. Read the full interview here!