Dollhouse

Book Review: ‘Joss Whedon: The Complete Companion,’ ‘Cabin in the Woods: Official Visual Companion’

BrianTT — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:49:33 -0400

CHICAGO – Yes, this critic adores Joss Whedon. What a surprise, right? With the upcoming release of his highly-anticipated take on “The Avengers” and the recent critical love for “The Cabin in the Woods” (which he co-wrote with Drew Goddard), there seems to be a recent reappreciation of the man who gave the world “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Angel,” “Firefly,” “Dollhouse,” and much more. I realize that I may be the fish in the barrel, but if you swim in similar waters I can’t imagine you being disappointed in the recently-released “Joss Whedon: The Complete Companion” and “Cabin in the Woods: The Official Visual Companion.” These are two of the most thoroughly entertaining, informative, and intellectually engaging film/TV books that will be released all year.

“Joss Whedon: The Complete Companion”

Joss Whedon: The Complete Companion
Photo credit: Titan Books

500 pages of essays on most TV writers might seem a bit extreme. It’s not in the case of Joss Whedon. The fact is that his programs, mostly “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” have been analyzed down to each individual line of dialogue. How Whedon has revolutionized the role of strong women on TV, how his shows address religious themes, how they handle homosexuality, and much more are highlighted in a series of essays in this stellar book. Like most essay collections, it can be a bit hit and miss but the former far outweighs the latter and some of these will make even fans of Whedon’s appreciate him a little more completely.

Right from the very beginning of the daunting tome, I adored “Why Cast a Spotlight on Joss Whedon?” by Robert Moore, a spectacular piece that breaks down why a cult of critical acclaim has grown around the man. It might seem simple to break it down into “He Likes What We Like,” “He Thinks We’re Smart,” and “He Respects Women,” but Moore brilliantly extrapolates on these ideas to show not only how important they are to Whedon’s work but how influential they were on the entire TV landscape. A solid case can be made that “Buffy” is the most influential show of the last twenty years. A stronger one after you read this book.

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” gets a large chunk of page space but it’s not alone. You’ll also find essays on “Angel” (example, “The Strength and Conviction to Lose So Relentlessly: Heroism in Angel”), “Firefly” & “Serenity” (example, “The Death of Utopia: Firefly and the Return to Human Realism in TV Sci-Fi”), “Comics” (example, “Tom Brokaw’s Coat: Joss Whedon, Astonishing X-Men and the Accessibility of History”), “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” (example, “The Night Billy Buddy Died: Dr. Horrible’s Tragicomic Inversion of Spider-Man”), “Dollhouse” (example, “Fantasy Is Their Business, But It Is Not Their Purpose: The Metaphor of Dollhouse”), and the Films (even as current as “Six Reasons Why Joss Whedon Is the Perfect Director for The Avengers”).

I’ve been lucky enough to read a large number of entertainment business-related books over the years. “Joss Whedon: The Complete Companion” is easily one of the most memorable and interesting. Then again, it was kind of made for me.

“The Cabin in the Woods: The Official Visual Companion”

The Cabin in the Woods: The Official Visual Companion
Photo credit: Titan Books

I’ve also seen a number of visual companions in my day. Most are a joke. They are a few official stills, some previously-published interviews, fact sheet material, a synopsis, and the shooting script. They’re usually about as exciting as a novelization. I am SO happy to report that this is not the case here. This is one of the best companion books I’ve ever seen. It has interviews, an uncut script, and some AMAZING concept art, including drawings for many of the creatures barely glimpsed in the final act. You’ll want to look through this just to see all the wonderful things you miss (there’s a still of the “betting white board” that allows you to see all of the potential nightmares in a way you wouldn’t until DVD). If you love the movie (as I do), you’ll love this one too. Buy ‘em both.

“Joss Whedon: The Complete Companion” and “The Cabin in the Woods: The Official Visual Companion” are both available in stores and online now from Titan Books.

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

TV News: ‘True Blood,’ ‘The Walking Dead,’ ‘The Vampire Diaries,’ ‘Dollhouse’ at C2E2

PatrickMcD — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 14:48:43 -0400

CHICAGO – The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, more popularly known as “C2E2,” took place last month, and featured TV series cast panels with “The Walking Dead,” “True Blood,” “The Vampire Diaries” and “Dollhouse.”

HollywoodChicago.com was there at those fan Q&A sessions, to record the highlights and have Joe Arce take photographs of all the stars who participated.

Laurie Holden and Jon Bernthal of “The Walking Dead”

The Walking Dead began life as a comic book series published by Image Comics, and was adapted for television by Frank Darabont (director of “The Shawshank Redemption” and “The Green Mile”) and premiered last Halloween on the AMC network. The series follows a group of survivors from a so-called “zombie apocalypse” who are escaping from the undead hordes, and from other survivors, in the midst of societal breakdown post that apocalyptic collapse.

Representing the series at C2E2 was Jon Bernthal (Shane Walsh) and Laurie Holden (Andrea).

Walking Live: Laurie Holden (left) & Jon Bernthal, C2E2, March 19th, 2011
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

Question: Laurie, what have you learned about the Zombie life by participating in that world through the series?

Laurie Holden: What I love about our show, which is different from other zombie shows or films, is that we’re really exploring the humanity of the zombies. These were people who were once people, who loved and had families, and just got sick. They’re not just evil monsters. It’s your wife, daughter, brother and it makes it so much more conflicting and complicated.

With my scene with Emma Bell, in the Andrea and Amy dynamic [survivor vs. zombie], none of us in the camp had ever seen anybody come back, nobody we loved. A lot of fans were really angry that Andrea put the camp at risk by sitting over Amy’s body, but when you love somebody with all your heart, it’s kind of a natural thing where you hope this time it will be different, and maybe when she opened her eyes I’d see her again.

I love how she played it, like a sick baby that I have to put down rather than a fright night. And all I had to do was look at her and that’s all I needed. Zombies are complicated as to what they evoke in all of us, because there is pity, fear and longing.

Question: Jon, how will the show continue to keep the tension and emotion without resorting to cheap zombie antics?

Jon Bernthal: Nothing will never happen without a reason, there will have to be a reason for it to happen. Zombies won’t just ‘show up.’ Somebody or something will have to bring the zombies on, which is the mark of the cool writing.

Sam Trammell, Kristin Bauer & Brit Morgan of “True Blood”

True Blood is another HBO original sensation, coming back for a fourth season this summer. The morality tale, about vampires, humans and other beings living (somewhat) harmoniously together, has been hugely popular for HBO and has legions of “true” followers.

Sam Trammell (Sam), Kristin Bauer (Pam) and one of the newer cast members, Brit Morgan (Debbie), represented the show.

True Love: Sam Trammell, Kristen Bauer (center) & Brit Morgan, C2E2, March 19th, 2011
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

Question: Brit, what were the circumstances of you joining ‘True Blood’?

Brit Morgan: I didn’t have anywhere the amount of credits it takes to book a show like True Blood, and it was a real shot in the dark. I was very excited about it, but most of me was saying I didn’t have a chance in hell. I just thought they’d want someone with more name recognition than me.

I knew Alan Ball was going to be in the audition room, and I was nervous. I just let it go. I messed up real bad, I stuttered through the first lines. But by some miracle, he got something from me. After my group was done, he immediately said he wanted to see me again. The second time around was much better, and three hard days later I found out that I got the part.

Question: Sam, what can True Blood watchers expect in Season Four?

Sam Trammell: What if we sat up here and just spoiled the whole fourth season? [cheers] I have a really fun season coming up, because we explore the mythology of the shapeshifters. We’ve seen the politics and societies of vampires, we’re now going to do this with the shapeshifting. We also explore the limits of that power, as to what you can shift into.

That’s great, and there is also a new woman I’m going to have a relationship with. [catcalls] Yes, it’s about time. [laughs] And that brings up this, if you work as a waitress at Merlottes and you date me you will die, basically. [laughs] Even if you wear the tee-shirt to the expo, it might be dangerous, so be careful.

Question: Kristin, how do you relate to the concept of vampires now that you’ve experienced True Blood?

Kristin Bauer: I really think vampires don’t have to worry about illness, dying, money, aging, all the things that occupy 90% of our thoughts as humans. This is the ultimate escapist personality, it’s a lot of fun. I actually think a lot about ‘would I do it?’ if I could become a vampire, and I never quite come up with the answer. At first, being a spiritual person, I believe it’s set up the way it should be set up, and then I’m like…it would be awesome. [laughs]

And then I realize if I were a vampire, I bet you my personality would end up being identical to Pam’s [her character on True Blood], which is kind of funny. She feels different than I am, but then I realize I don’t think we are that different, I’m just human. Right? I don’t know. [laughs]

Slideshow: 12-Image Gallery of Celebrity Participants at C2E2

PatrickMcD — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 17:38:06 -0400

CHICAGO – The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, nicknamed “C2E2,” took place from March 18th through the 20th. Cast panels from the upcoming movie “Thor,” as well as TV’s “The Walking Dead,” “True Blood,” “Dollhouse” and “The Vampire Diaries” met admirers and participated in Q&As.

The celebrity panels also were attended by HollywoodChicago.com, and photographer Joe Arce captured a full gallery of celebrity images from the event.

Click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through the slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All images © Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com.

CCEE1: Chris Hemsworth will star in the title role in “Thor,” coming this summer.
CCEE2: Another side of Chris Hemsworth
CCEE3: Eliza Dushku portrayed Echo in “Dollhouse”
CCEE4: Tahmoh Penikett of “Dollhouse” and “Battlestar Galactica”
CCEE5: Laurie Holden portrays Andrea in “The Walking Dead”
CCEE6: Jon Bernthal portrays Shane Walsh in “The Walking Dead”
CCEE7: Candice Accola portrays Caroline Forbes in “The Vampire Diaries”
CCEE8: Michael Trevino portrays Tyler Lockwood in “The Vampire Diaries”
CCEE9: Sam Trammell portrays Sam in “True Blood”
CCEE10: Kristen Bauer portrays Pam in “True Blood”
CCEE11: Brit Morgan portrays Debbie in “True Blood”
CCEE12: Comedian Patton Oswalt headlined a show at C2E2 on March 18th

Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo 3.0 will take place in the Spring of 2012.

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

DVD Round-Up: ‘The Mentalist,’ ‘Dollhouse,’ ‘Lost Boys: The Thirst’

BrianTT — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 07:57:38 -0400

CHICAGO – The DVD Round-Up is back to do some catch-up around the HollywoodChicago.com office of a few titles that either arrived a bit past their fresh-by date or we couldn’t find time to cover with full reviews. We still think you might want to know the details about these releases as you begin your holiday shopping, and so the DVD Round-Up returns. We hope you didn’t miss us too badly.

“The Mentalist: The Complete Second Season” was released on DVD on September 21st, 2010.

“Dollhouse: The Complete Season 2” and “Lost Boys: The Thirst” were released on DVD on October 12th, 2010.

“The Mentalist: The Complete Second Season”

Photo credit: Warner Bros.

Synopsis: “California Bureau of investigation consultant Patrick Jane (Simone Baker in his Emmy-nominated role) has a blatant lack of protocol but is self-assured and driven. The former “psychic” uses his talent for seeing the clues everyone else misses to solve the most baffling crimes. But there’s more than crime that makes this season a must-see: Lisbon and Cho reveal hints about their troubled pasts. Violence fells one CBI boss, and the new boss seems more interested in authority than teamwork. And as the Van Pelt-Rigsby relationship heats up, is threatened to cool down their careers. Match wits with the 23-Episode, 5-Disc Season Two of the hit series that balances nimble humor with dark thrills.”

“The Mentalist” stars Simon Baker, Robin Tunney, Owain Yeoman, Tim Kang, and Amanda Righetti. It was created by Bruno Heller. It is not rated and runs 985 minutes. The show is presented in matted widescreen and accompanied by an English Dolby Digital 5.1 track.

Special Features:
o “Mentalism: A Subliminal Art”
o “The Art Of The Mentalist With Chris Long
o “Lost Evidence”

“Dollhouse: The Complete Season 2”

Photo credit: Fox

Synopsis: “From creative mastermind Joss Whedon (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) comes the stunning final season of this sexy thriller that that will reveal all the secrets and complete your collection! As Dollhouse continues to provide its elite clientele with “actives” - human beings imprinted with the personas of whomever the client wants them to be - its mind-altering technology spins dangerously out of control. Now, an unlikely alliance must attempt to destroy the sinister corporation behind the facade. And, as the lovely, lethal active Echo (Eliza Dushku) struggles with the memories of her past, she must unlock the deadly secret that will ultimately determine the fate of all mankind.”

“Dollhouse” stars Eliza Dushku, Olivia Williams, Tahmoh Penikett, Fran Kranz, Dichen Lachman, Harry Lennix, and Enver Gjokaj. It was created by Joss Whedon. It is not rated and runs 645 minutes. The show is presented in 1.78:1 widescreen and accompanied by an English Dolby Digital 5.1 track.

Special Features:
o “Defining Moments”
o “Looking Back”
o Commentaries on Select Episodes
o Deleted Scens and Outtakes

“Lost Boys: The Thirst”

Photo credit: Warner Bros.

Synopsis: “As the lost boys and girls of San Cazador prepare to party under the Blood Moon, an alpha vampire conspires to turn these unsuspecting ravers into an army of undead. The only thing that stands between him and the annihilation of the entire human race is the infamous vampire fighting Frog Brothers. Armed with double-barrel holy water balloon launchers and multi-arrow crossbows, Edgar (Corey Feldman) and Alan Frog (Jamison Newlander) join forces to kick some blood-sucker butt in this latest high-energy, action packed adventure in the Lost Boys franchise. ”

“Lost Boys: The Thirst” stars Corey Feldman, Tanit Phoenix, and Jamison Newlander. It was written by Hans Rodionoff & Evan Charnov and directed by Dario Piana. It is rated R and runs 81 minutes. The film is presented in 1.85:1 widescreen and accompanied by an English Dolby Digital 5.1 track.

Special Features:
o Charisma Carpenter Hosts “The Art of Seduction: Vampire Love”

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

TV News: Cancellation Axe Falls on ‘Dollhouse,’ ‘Eastwick,’ ‘Hank’

BrianTT — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:09:15 -0500

CHICAGO – Blogs everywhere are reporting that FOX has canceled “Dollhouse” and that ABC has canceled “Eastwick” and “Hank”. “Dollhouse” starred Eliza Dushku with “Eastwick” and “Hank” being headlined by Rebecca Romijn-Stamos and Kelsey Grammer, respectively. The series join “Trauma” and “The Beautiful Life” as early fatalities of the new season.

Eliza Dushku in Dollhouse.
Photo credit: FOX

After the surprise second season announcement, FOX officially decided to cancel the Joss Whedon series “Dollhouse”. The series will end once the current 13-episode order is complete. It’s not surprising to hear that “Dollhouse” has been canceled since the show’s ratings have been a big disappoint since the show first premiered.

Thanks to the show’s popular fanbase and decent DVR numbers, the show made it to a second season. The second season ratings, however, have sunk to a new low and the network was forced to end the series.

ABC has decided to cancel two of their Wednesday night shows. First is the Kelsey Grammer comedy series “Hank” and the TV remake drama “Eastwick”. “Eastwick” will continue to air until the already-produced episodes air. As of now, it’s unknown if “Hank” will continue to air episodes since it’s been replaced with specials and other fill-ins for the foreseeable future.

What shows are next? It appears that ABC’s “The Middle”, CBS’s “Three Rivers”, NBC’s “Mercy”, and ABC’s “The Forgotten” are in danger of being canceled next.

By ANGIE RENTMEESTER
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com

FOX November Highlights: ‘The Wanda Sykes Show’ Premiere; New Episodes of ‘House,’ ‘Fringe,’ More

BrianTT — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:52:25 -0400

CHICAGO – FOX recently sent over the details on their post-baseball coverage including the series premiere of “The Wanda Sykes Show,” the special “Family Guy Presents: Seth & Alex’s Almost Live Comedy Show,” a week-long “The Simpsons”-themed on-air scavenger hunt November 9th through the 15th, and synopsis information for the hit shows they have planned for the sweeps period including “House,” “Glee,” “Bones,” “Fringe,” and “Lie to Me”.

Important dates to mark in the FOX November 2009 Sweeps period include November 7th, when “The Wanda Sykes Show” debuts. The next night, on November 8th, which is an entire night devoted to the comedy of Seth MacFarlane, including the original variety show special “Family Guy Presents: Seth & Alex’s Almost Live Comedy Show,” and all-new episodes of “Family Guy,” “American Dad,” and “The Cleveland Show”. The rest of that week pays “homarge” to twenty years of “The Simpsons” with tributes and clues in all of FOX’s primetime programming.

The Wanda Sykes Show.
Photo credit: FOX

Want to know what’s going to happen on your favorite FOX shows in November? New episode synopsis information below with shows in alphabetical order. Enjoy.

American Dad
Photo credit: FOX

“American Dad”

November 8th - “Man in the Moonbounce”
Steve (Scott Grimes) must become the “man of the house” when Stan (Seth MacFarlane) relives his childhood.

November 15th - “Shallow Vows”
Upset that Francine (Wendy Schaal) has let herself go, Stan takes drastic measures when she asks him to renew their wedding vows.

November 22nd - “My Morning Straightjacket”
After attending a concert with Hayley (Rachael MacFarlane), Stan becomes obsessed with her music in an all-new episode that features guest voices by Zach Galifianakis and members of My Morning Jacket, including Carl Broemel, Two-Tone Tommy, Bo Koster, Patrick Hallahan and Jim James.

Bones
Photo credit: FOX

“Bones”

November 5th - “The Tough Man in the Tender Chicken”
Brennan (Emily Deschanel) and Booth (David Boreanaz) investigate the remains of a victim who they believe was half-man/half-chicken.

November 12th - “The Dwarf in the Dirt”
Stephen Fry returns as Dr. Gordon Wyatt. Booth, still suffering some lingering effects from his brain surgery, has to get re-certified for FBI marksmanship, but is not the accurate shot he was before going under the knife. He and Brennan investigate the death of a little person who was a former wrestling star.

November 19th - “The Foot in the Foreclosure”
Booth’s grandfather (guest star Ralph Waite) comes to live with him and tags along as Brennan and Booth investigate human remains that were found by a real estate agent while showing a property to prospective buyers.

Brothers
Photo credit: FOX

“Brothers”

October 30th - “Mike’s Comeback”
Mike (Michael Strahan) is given a second chance to play for the NFL, and it seems like his strained financial situation may finally be coming to an end. But when making the team is contingent on passing a physical in only two weeks time, Mike must turn to Coach (Carl Weathers) and Chill (Daryl Chill Mitchell) to get him back into shape. Meanwhile, Adele (CCH Pounder) meddles with a student’s (guest star Dustin Ingram) decision to play professional baseball.

November 6th - “Week in Chair”
Chill wagers that his brother can’t spend one week in a wheelchair. Mike takes what he considers an easy bet and makes some surprising discoveries over the course of seven days.

November 13th - “Snoop Returns”
With the help of Cousin Kenny’s (guest star Snoop Dogg) legal aid, Coach’s brother Maurice (guest star Fred Williamson) is released from jail and arrives at the Trainors’ home to spend some time with the family. Despite Adele’s initial skepticism, the “new” Maurice turns out to be quite a stand-up guy. Meanwhile, Mike makes a play for Kathleen (guest star Ryan Michelle Bathe), a new waitress at Trainor’s, and Jimmy Johnson (guest-starring as himself) stops by the restaurant to talk football.

November 20th - TBA
Mike and Chill’s sibling rivalry and close living arrangements gets them involved in another awkward situation. Meanwhile, Adele and Coach continue to do whatever it takes to keep their family intact and Mike in Houston in an all-new episode.

The Cleveland Show
Photo credit: FOX

“The Cleveland Show”

November 8th - “Cleveland Jr. Cherry Bomb”
Cleveland (Mike Henry) has “the talk” with Roberta (Reagan Gomez-Preston), which scares Cleveland Jr. (Kevin Michael Richardson) into taking a vow of chastity. Meanwhile, Rallo (Henry) becomes a church greeter in an all-new episode that also features guest voices by Jason Sudeikis, Arianna Huffington and Jamie Kennedy.

November 15th - “Ladies’ Night”
Cleveland is upset when he finds out that Donna (Sanaa Lathan) is still attending a single mothers’ support group in an all-new episode that also features guest voices by Will Forte, Jason Sudeikis and Arianna Huffington.

November 22nd - “The One About Friends”
Cleveland is concerned that Cleveland Jr. has no friends, so he invites Ernie (guest voice Glenn Howerton), his neighbor Lester’s (Kevin Michael Richardson) son, over to their house. A neglected Ernie becomes too attached to the family, forcing Cleveland to call child services to have him taken back home. When the plan backfires, Cleveland helps Lester get his son back in an encore episode.

November 22nd (2nd episode) - “A Brown Thanksgiving”
In a Thanksgiving episode that features guest voices by Craig Robinson, Daryl Hall and John Oates, Cleveland celebrates his first Thanksgiving with his new family and discovers a surprising secret about Donna’s Auntie Momma (guest voice Kym Whitley).

Dollhouse
Photo credit: FOX

“Dollhouse

October 30th - “The Public Eye (Part 1 of 2)”
When Senator Perrin (guest star Alexis Denisof) makes his stand against the Rossum Corporation, Echo (Eliza Dushku) attempts to stop his exposé. Adelle (Olivia Williams) and Topher (Fran Kranz) travel to the Washington , DC , Dollhouse where they meet its genius programmer, Bennett Halverson (Summer Glau), a woman with a mysterious past connection to Echo.

November 6th - “The Left Hand (Part 2 of 2)”
Echo and Bennett have a shocking reunion as Adelle goes head-to-head with the ruthless leader of the Washington , DC , Dollhouse (guest star Ray Wise). Topher sees double when he must involve Victor (Enver Gjokaj) in his espionage. Perrin finds a surprising witness to testify against the Rossum Corporation, but find he may be living in a house of cards.

November 13th - “Meet Jane Doe”
After attempting to stop Perrin from exposing the Dollhouse, Echo finds herself in the world-at-large as she struggles to control her multiple memory downloads. Topher discovers the dangers of science that will have devastating effects on the future, while Adelle engages in a power struggle with Harding (guest star Keith Carradine).

November 20th - “A Love Supreme”
When Echo’s past romantic engagements are found murdered, the Dollhouse fears that Alpha (Alan Tudyk) has returned to seek his revenge. Adelle grows suspicious of Ballard (Tahmoh Penikett) who hopes to find allies in Boyd (Harry Lennix) and Topher, and the Actives turn against their handlers, leaving one member of the house permanently mind-wiped.

Family Guy
Photo credit: FOX

“Family Guy”

November 8th - “Brian’s Got a Brand New Bag”
When Brian (Seth MacFarlane) snags an older woman (guest voice Aimee Garcia), he becomes the laughingstock of the family, but things go from bad to worse when she breaks her hip and Brian has to be her errand-boy.

November 8th (2nd episode) - “Hannah Banana”
Stewie (Seth MacFarlane) attends a concert of a teen superstar and discovers a surprising secret about the singer. Meanwhile back at home, Chris (Seth Green) tries to prove to the family that the Evil Monkey is real.

November 15th - “Quagmire’s Baby”
Father doesn’t know best when Quagmire (Seth MacFarlane) assumes responsibility for a baby Peter (MacFarlane) finds who looks just like him. Meanwhile, Stewie clones himself in an all-new episode that also features a guest voice by Brittany Snow.

November 22nd - “Jerome is the New Black”
NBA Champion Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics guest-voices when Peter and the guys interview potential friends to fill the vacancy left by Cleveland . However, things don’t look so good for Garnett when it’s discovered that Quagmire hates him.

Fringe
Photo credit: FOX

“Fringe”

November 5th - “Earthling”
Emmy Award winner Jon Cassar (24) directs as the Fringe Division takes on a puzzling investigation of victims who inexplicably disintegrate into ash. The shadowy case casts light on Special Agent Phillip Broyles’ (Lance Reddick) past and leads the team to the possibility of foreign fringe science.

November 12th - “Of Human Action”
When a kidnapping rapidly escalates into a hostage situation in New York , local authorities close in on the suspects only to discover that an unknowable force has mind-blowing consequences. The investigation intensifies and the mystery and threat deepen to unimaginable proportions when the Fringe Division identifies a link between the kidnapping and Massive Dynamic.

November 19th - “August”
A peculiar abduction occurs in Boston , leading the Fringe team to uncover details of the mysterious man known as The Observer. While the bizarre case takes center stage, Walter (John Noble), Peter (Joshua Jackson) and Astrid (Jasika Nicole) hit the lab to analyze unusual evidence and deal with Walter’s insatiable appetite for milkshakes.

Glee
Photo credit: FOX

“Glee”

November 11th - “Wheels”
Will encourages the Glee Club to support Artie (Kevin McHale), and asks each of them to perform in a wheelchair. Meanwhile, Kurt (Chris Colfer) and Rachel (Lea Michele) compete for a big solo.

November 18th - “Ballad”
Mr. Schuester has the Glee Club split up into pairs to sing their favorite ballad, but when one kid gets sick, he’s forced to step in and winds up in a sticky situation. Meanwhile, Finn (Cory Monteith) has dinner with Quinn’s parents (guest stars Gregg Henry and Charlotte Ross).

November 25th - “Hairography”
Eve guest-stars as a rival glee club’s instructor in another all-new episode. The Glee Club checks out their hair-raising competition, and Kurt gives Rachel a makeover.

House
Photo credit: FOX

“House”

November 9th - “Known Unknowns”
After a wild night out, a teenage girl (guest star Anna Attanasio) is brought to Princeton Plainsboro with severely swollen appendages. The team must work to diagnose the young girl, who is less than honest about what happened the night she fell ill. As her condition worsens, she becomes unable to distinguish fact from fiction. Meanwhile, Cuddy, Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard) and House spend a weekend away from the hospital to attend a medical conference, but things don’t go as planned when House’s private investigator, Lucas (guest star Michael Weston), returns.

November 16th - “Teamwork”
After House’s medical license is reinstated, he reclaims his role as Head of Diagnostics in time to treat Hank Hardwick (guest star Troy Garity), an adult film star admitted to Princeton Plainsboro for pulsating eye pain. Meanwhile, Cuddy is reminded that Princeton Plainsboro is not conducive to healthy personal relationships.

November 23rd - “Ignorance is Bliss”
On the eve of Thanksgiving, House and the team take on the case of James Sidas (guest star Esteban Powell), an exceptionally brilliant physicist and author who traded his successful career for a job as a courier. For the ailing patient, intelligence is a miserable burden that has prompted depression and addiction, and this, coupled with a myriad of strange symptoms, nearly stumps the team. Meanwhile the doctors at Princeton Plainboro wrestle with strained personal relationships.

Lie To Me
Photo credit: FOX

“Lie To Me”

November 9th - “Fold Equity”
Lightman, Foster (Kelli Williams) and Reynolds (Mekhi Phifer) go to Las Vegas to help locate a missing finalist in the World Series of Poker. Lightman uses his skills to reach beyond the other finalists’ poker faces to figure out which one knows about the disappearance. Meanwhile, Loker (Brendan Hines) and Torres (Monica Raymund) analyze Loker’s new relationship and as a result get closer to each other.

November 16th - “Lack of Candor”
Lightman and his team investigate the murder of a government-protected witness, which unearths dangerous secrets about Reynolds’ past. Ultimately, Lightman puts himself at risk trying to save Reynolds’ career – and life.

November 23rd - “Black Friday”
A troubled teenager (guest star Daniel Ross) believes he was abducted as a baby, and the Lightman Group helps him uncover the secrets of his past. Meanwhile, Loker investigates the origin of a deadly stampede that occurred at an electronics megastore on the day after Thanksgiving.

The Simpsons
Photo credit: FOX

“The Simpsons”

November 15th - “The Devil Wears Nada”
In an effort to raise money for charity, Marge and the “Philanthro-Chicks” decide to pose for a calendar. At the photo studio, Marge is a bit reluctant to reveal any skin, but the photographer (Hank Azaria) loosens her up with wine and before long, Marge and her pin-up poses are the talk of Springfield .

November 22nd - “Pranks and Greens”
Fed up with Bart’s constant pranks, Principal Skinner (Harry Shearer) tells him there is a former Springfield Elementary student who is hailed as the best prankster ever, even better than Bart. When Bart finally tracks down Andy Hamilton (guest voice Jonah Hill), a 19-year-old who hasn’t grown out of his pranking days, they become fast friends.

‘Til Death
Photo credit: FOX

“‘Til Death”

October 30th - “Joy’s Out of Work”
When Joy (Joely Fisher) loses her job at the travel agency, she must use her best assets to find work elsewhere. Meanwhile, Eddie (Brad Garrett) takes Doug (Timm Sharp) to his favorite restaurant.

November 6th - “Hi Def TV”
Even though he and Joy are having money trouble, Eddie goes out and buys a high-definition TV without Joy’s consent. At first, Joy is very upset but then realizes that it has benefits for her too. Meanwhile, Doug is beginning to suspect that he is living on a sitcom.

November 13th - “Independent Action”
When Eddie attends their annual baseball game date without Joy, they realize that they can have separate lives, but at what cost? Meanwhile, Ally (Lindsey Broad) and Doug try to save a tree but end up causing a tree disease epidemic in the neighborhood.

November 20th - “The Break-Up”
When their friends (guest stars Susan Yeagley and Kevin Nealon) have a fight and break up, Eddie and Joy step in to try and restore the peace, but it ends up backfiring on them. Meanwhile, Ally sends Doug to a shrink (guest star Mayim Bialik) to cure his mysterious illness.

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

TV Review: ‘Dollhouse’ Continues to Frustrate With Season-Two Premiere

BrianTT — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 01:02:55 -0400

CHICAGO – For its entire first season, “Dollhouse” fluctuated wildly in tone and style, never quite figuring itself out as a weekly series and remaining inconsistent in terms of quality. Every time it threatened to finally click together an awful episode or dumb plot twist would derail it and fans would be left shaking their heads. Even though many things have changed for season two, the frustration remains the same.

Television Rating: 2.5/5.0

Perhaps it’s ironic that a show about people who can take on any persona has yet to really develop one of its own. The surprise renewal has reportedly reinvigorated creator Joss Whedon and his team, as they have made clear that season two of “Dollhouse” will shake things up and head in a new direction. Despite a strong guest appearance from Jamie Bamber (“Battlestar Galactica”) and the arrival of the great Alexis Denisof (“Angel”) as a supporting cast regular, “Dollhouse” continues to fall just short of being a show that actually works.

Dollhouse
Photo credit: FOX/Frank Ockenfels

There was reason for hope. “Dollhouse” ended strongly…twice. The aired season finale,”Omega,” really shook things up and the unaired, futuristic episode, “Epitaph One,” that could only be found on the DVD or Blu-Ray hinted at a darker season to come. Where would a show that basically blew itself up before a surprise renewal go in round two?

Dollhouse
Photo credit: FOX/Isabella Vosmikova

“I thought I’d seen it all. But this engagement? Honestly, this one’s sick,” says Boyd. The pre-credit tease for the return of “Dollhouse” features Echo getting married to an international criminal (Bamber). Honestly? This one’s dull. Despite an unusual client that I won’t spoil here and a fun turn by Bamber, the actual case of the week is a snooze.

It’s partially because it’s undeveloped because the focus isn’t really on the engagement but the chaos that reigns at the Dollhouse. At the end of last season, Echo (Eliza Dushku) was imprinted with multiple personalities and the effects of that will clearly linger into season two. Answering the need for viewers to have a heroine with at least a little bit of consistency from week to week, Whedon hints that Echo will actually develop a personality beyond the flavor of the week.

As for the infamous Paul Ballard (Tahmoh Penikett), he surprisingly took a job offer from the Dollhouse at the end of season one and is actually working with Echo and the rest of the gang. Penikett was a great nemesis for the Dollhouse. And he may still be. Whether or not Paul is working from within to bring down the organization he despises is not quite clear but he remains one of the better elements of the show.

What about the rest of the cast? Boyd (Harry Lennix), Sierra (Dichen Lachman), and Adelle (Olivia Williams) are largely put to the side for the premiere but Topher (Fran Kranz) and Whiskey (Amy Acker) get an amazing and ill-conceived amount of screen time.

Dollhouse
Photo credit: FOX/Isabella Vosmikova

Acker is a great actress but she has multiple scenes in the premiere where she comes to terms with the recently-discovered fact that she’s a Doll and the melodramatic dialogue simply doesn’t work.

Those scenes between Whiskey and Topher hint at a more somber “Dollhouse” than season one. Even during the engagement, a singer-songwriter, solo guitarist sings plaintively on the soundtrack as Echo essentially prostitutes herself. Was anyone longing for more drama in “Dollhouse”? Don’t they realize that the show excels with twists and turns, when the focus is on action over dialogue?

The problem with emphasizing drama on “Dollhouse” is that it forces the viewer to take elements of the show seriously, including its arguable misogyny. If it’s escapism, that’s one thing. But if Whedon wants us to take the emotion of Whiskey seriously, then we must also factor in the fact that this is yet another episode of “Dollhouse” where a woman not completely in control of her own actions sleeps with a stranger. And that’s just the tip of it. Echo runs into action scenes showing more bra than shirt and gets the crap beat out of her repeatedly in a later scene. When does a show go from being a comment on misogyny to just being one that’s anti-women?

Dollhouse
Photo credit: FOX/Isabella Vosmikova

I know, I know. How could a show from the creator of one of the strongest heroines of the last twenty years (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) be misogynistic? I think Whedon is trying to comment on the use of women in society but he’s lost sight of the commentary. It’s just another element that feels unfocused.

I know I keep saying it, but there’s still hope for “Dollhouse”. The cast is very talented and Whedon is still one of the best TV creators of the last twenty years. But the show needs to settle on a tone. Stop trying to have it both ways. If you’re going to make Echo a serious heroine, teach her how to button her shirt. If you’re going to be more drama than sci-fi action, give us consistent characters to care about.

At the start of season two, it’s still unclear what show you’re going to get from week-to-week with “Dollhouse”. Whedon can’t even pick a genre. The aired season finale was action, the unaired one was science fiction, and now the premiere is more drama than anything else. It’s nice to see a show that tries to break the mold, but “Dollhouse” needs to develop one of its own at the same time if it’s ever going to truly succeed.

‘Dollhouse,’ which airs on FOX, stars Eliza Dushku, Dichen Lachman, Enver Gjokaj, Fran Kranz, Harry Lennix, Olivia Williams, Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, and Tahmoh Penikett, and was created by Joss Whedon. The season two premiere airs on Friday, September 25th, 2009 at 8PM CST.

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

Summer Glau Joins Cast of Joss Whedon’s ‘Dollhouse’ With Eliza Dushku

BrianTT — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:21:51 -0400

CHICAGO – Summer Glau (“Firefly,” “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”) is reuniting with Joss Whedon for the second season of “Dollhouse” this fall as she joins the cast in a recurring role. The actress previously worked with Whedon on the TV series “Firefly”. During this year’s ComicCon, Whedon expressed intense interest in having Glau join the series.

Summer Glau in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
Photo credit: Fox

Dollverse first broke the news that Glau will appear in a multi-episode arc later this season. Glau will play Bennett: a Dollhouse employee who shares a past with Echo (Eliza Dushku).

The exact specifics on when Glau will first appear haven’t been formalized, but according to Dollverse and Spoiler TV, it will be episode five, which airs in October.

Glau was recently on Fox’s “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” which only lasted two seasons. The series was cancelled in May 2009 after a large decrease in ratings.

According to Live Feed, Glau isn’t the only addition to the “Dollhouse” cast. Whedon has a few familiar faces that will be visiting the show this season. Expect to see Jamie Bamber (“Battlestar Galactica”) as a charismatic businessman who is Echo’s new husband. Michael Hogan (“Battlestar Galactica”) comes to Dollhouse wanting to stop a family member’s killing spree. Alexis Denisof (“Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” “Angel”) is a U.S. senator leading a witch hunt and trying to track down the underground organization. Keith Carradine (“Dexter”) is an enemy of Dollhouse leader Adelle.

By ANGIE RENTMEESTER
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com

FOX Announces Fall 2009 Premiere Dates Including ‘Dollhouse,’ ‘Fringe,’ ‘House’

BrianTT — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:58:14 -0400

CHICAGO – FOX announced their fall premiere dates this morning and the network should start off with a skip in its step with “So You Think You Can Dance” and “Glee” kicking off the season on Wednesday, September 9th. The network is debuting only two other new primetime shows - the comedy “Brothers” starts on Friday, September 25th and “The Cleveland Show” starts on Sunday, September 27th.

The Cleveland Show.
Photo credit: Fox

Three days later, the old standbys of the network, “COPS” and “America’s Most Wanted” return to anchor Saturday nights yet again on September 12th.

Arguably the best night of television on the network returns on Thursday, September 17th with the fifth season premiere of “Bones” followed by the second season premiere of “Fringe”.

The network’s most beloved Fall show, “House,” returns on Monday, September 21st with a two-hour premiere. Read our comprehensive review of the season-six 2009 “House” premiere here. The next week, September 28th, “House” will be its standard one-hour length and “Lie To Me” will premiere its second season.

The controversial “Dollhouse,” surprisingly renewed in favor of “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” will return on Friday, September 25th, following the one-hour premiere of “Brothers”. “Brothers” will shrink to its standard half-hour form the next week and “‘Til Death” will join the nightly lineup with its premiere on October 2nd.

The Sunday night lineup starts on September 27th with the series premiere of “The Cleveland Show” and season premieres of “The Simpsons,” “Family Guy,” and “American Dad”.

Finally, the late night effort of “The Wanda Sykes Show” will debut on Saturday, November 7th at 10pm CST.

Fox Fall 2009 Schedule
Wednesday, September 9th - “So You Think You Can Dance” & “Glee”
Saturday, September 12th - “COPS” & “America’s Most Wanted”
Thursday, September 17th - “Bones” & “Fringe”
Monday, September 21st - “House”
Friday, September 25th - “Brothers” & “Dollhouse”
Sunday, September 27th - “The Simpsons,” “The Cleveland Show,” “Family Guy,” & “American Dad”
Monday, September 28th - “Lie To Me”
Friday, October 2nd - “‘Til Death”
Saturday, November 7th - “The Wanda Sykes Show”

Read our full review of the season-two “Lie To Me” premiere!
Read our full review of the season-two “Dollhouse” premiere!
Read our full review of the season-six 2009 “House” premiere!
Read our full review of the season-two 2009 “Fringe” premiere!
Read our full review of the “Glee” premiere!
Read our full review of the season-five 2009 “Bones” premiere!

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

DVD Review: ‘Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog’ Phenomenon Comes to DVD

BrianTT — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:57:25 -0400

CHICAGO – I know I’m the last person with internet access to catch up with “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” but I am now officially one of the converted masses. Joss Whedon’s incredibly clever, award-winning internet phenomenon starring Neil Patrick Harris (“How I Met Your Mother”) and Nathan Fillion (“Firefly,” “Castle”) has now been widely released on DVD.

DVD Rating: 5.0/5.0

“The world is a mess and I just need to RULE it.” These are the sentiments of the most idealistic wannabe super-villain ever to apply for the Evil League of Evil, Dr. Horrible (Neil Patrick Harris), on his popular internet blog. The first act of the 3-act-42-minute “Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog” starts with the title character laying out his plan for world domination and then reading a bit of viewer email.

When a viewer asks for more information on the identity of this “her” the good doc always refers to, he breaks into the first of many songs in the piece, the lovely “My Freeze Ray,” which details his desire to build a freeze ray if just to take the time to build up the courage to speak to the cute Penny (Felicia Day) at the laundromat. By the end of the first act, Dr. Horrible will have had an actual conversation with the object of his unrequited love, made a move that caught the attention of the deadly Bad Horse, and accidentally pushed her into the arms of his nemesis, Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillion).

Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog was released on DVD on June 2nd, 2009.
Photo credit: New Video

“Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog” is simply fantastic. It’s Whedon at his best in that it both mocks conventions of an often predictable story like the super-villain origin tale and embraces them at the same time. As he did on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Firefly” (and a few episodes of the hit-and-miss “Dollhouse”), Whedon finds an amazing balance between being satirically tongue-in-cheek and completely, romantically earnest.

Some of the music is more genuine and moving than most big-budget theatrical musicals of the last few years. I’m humming these tunes way more than the ones from “Dreamgirls” and don’t get me started on “Mamma Mia!”

The songwriting and dialogue are not the only strength of “Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog”. Harris, Day, and Fillion are all spectacular. In particular, Harris finds a great balance between the evil doctor’s dark side and his blatant romanticism. He’s perfect.

Born during the writer’s strike in 2008 as a free internet miniseries, “Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog” premiered on iTunes as the #1 downloaded TV seasons for three weeks running and still resides in the Top 10 of all TV shows. The following soon became so big that stage versions were in production, action figures were created, and rumors of a feature length film follow-up have surfaced.

With so many people having already seen and adored “Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog,” why buy it on DVD? Well, call me old-fashioned, but I’ll always choose to watch something in widescreen on my TV over watching it on my laptop monitor. And the Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound track is the only way to hear “A Man’s Gotta Do”.

And then there are the special features, including one of the best audio commentary tracks of all time. The crew produced a normal commentary track but they also made an hysterical piece called “Commentary! The Musical,” which features 42 minutes of all new music where the cast and creators ignore the movie and sing about the writer’s strike and each other. It’s hilarious and if you haven’t heard it, you can’t call yourself a big “Horrible’s” fan until you do.

Other special features include behind-the-scenes featurettes, the top ten video applications submitted by fans who want to join the Evil League of Evil, and three Easter eggs (blooper reel, rehearsal footage, and up-close-and-personal interviews with the members of the ELE).

I’m clearly late to the bandwagon but the “Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog” is still just building up speed with a sequel in some form - probably internet, possibly TV or film - not just likely but inevitable. Jump on before this internet phenomenon becomes a household name.

‘Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog’ was released by New Video and stars Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion, Simon Helberg, and Felicia Day. It was written by Maurissa Tancharden, Jed Whedon, Joss Whedon, & Zack Whedon and directed by Joss Whedon. The film was released on June 2nd, 2009. It is not rated.

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