FOX

TV Review: ‘Fringe’ Deserves Attention on Crowded Thursday Nights

BrianTT — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:52:34 -0700

CHICAGO – “Fringe” is one of the best shows that people aren’t watching. The writing is strong, dare I say better than “Lost,” and the cast is even stronger. Like every show, “Fringe” has had some really great and not so great episodes, but overall the series is great, as proven by tonight’s strong installment entitled “August”.

Television Rating: 4.0/5.0

After producing solid ratings since its commercial-free premiere last year on Fox, the network made the choice, not a smart one, to move the series to Thursday night. Everyone knows that Thursday is the toughest night in television. All of the biggest shows are on that night: “CSI”, “Grey’s Anatomy”, “The Mentalist” and “FlashForward”. Ever since the series moved to its new night, it’s been hard to establish an audience, which isn’t too surprising. I can barely make up my mind since all my favorite shows are on Thursday night.

The Fringe team (L-R: Joshua Jackson, Jasika Nicole, John Noble and Anna Torv) uncovers details about the mysterious man known as The Observer in the FRINGE episode “August” airing Thursday, Nov. 19 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
Photo credit: Michael Courtney/FOX

On tonight’s “Fringe,” titled “August,” the Fringe crew learns that the mysterious observer (guest star Michael Cerveris) is back in Boston and has taken an innocent woman named Christine (Jennifer Missoni) hostage. Peter and Olivia are quick to jump to the conclusion that he’s out to hurt her, but in the end, it’s the exact opposite. In fact, this particular observer in question saved the girl from dying in a plane crash. So why did he save her? Well, you’ll have to tune in to find out.

The Fringe team uncovers details about the mysterious man known as The Observer (guest star Michael Cerveris) in the FRINGE episode “August” airing Thursday, Nov. 19 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
Photo credit: Michael Courtney/FOX

During tonight’s episode, viewers will get a more inside look at who the observers are and what they’re doing here. Notice how they like to eat Tabasco sauce in their food? This was also used in the WB series “Roswell” when Michael, Isabel and Max wanted to eat, they’d add Tabasco sauce to their food. Does this mean that the observers are aliens? Peter (Joshua Jackson) and Olivia (Anna Torv) learn that there’s more than one observer out there and they’re not here to hurt people.

An overall strength of the season has been the father-and-son banter between Peter and his somewhat crazy-yet-brilliant father Walter and the chemistry between Olivia and Peter is strong. While the events taking place in each episode are rather serious, you can always count on Walter (John Noble) to say or do something crazy to make the mood much lighter. Even though Walter and Peter have their issues from what happened with Peter was a child, they have a strong bond and it’s great seeing them reconnect as father and son.

The observer seeks the help of Walter when he stops an important event that was meant to take place. She was meant to die and the observer knows Walter can help. Bad news for the observer, Walter can’t help and he must not suffer the consequences of his actions; he has to die.

If dealing with the Observer isn’t enough, Walter has a weird craving for milkshakes and the Fringe lab must deal with his need to make so many different flavors of the shakes.

Will “Fringe” live to see another season? Man, I hope so. The writing is at it’s best and I really can’t wait to see where the series is going. Note to Fox, please take the series off the hardest night on television and put it back to Tuesday night. There’s no competition on Tuesday and I don’t have to choose between yet another favorite show of mine to watch.

‘Fringe’ airs on FOX on Thursday nights at 8pm CST. It stars Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, Lance Reddick, Blair Brown, and Kirk Acevedo. The show was created by J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci, & Alex Kurtzman.

By ANGIE RENTMEESTER
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com

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

BrianTT — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:09:15 -0700

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

TV Review: Beloved ‘Glee’ Returns With Stellar Episode

BrianTT — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:32:24 -0700

CHICAGO – We have written here several times about the genius of “Glee” (in May and again in September), but with the show having been off the air for a few weeks so the Yankees could win another World Series, we thought it was a good time to assess how the show has been progressing by taking an advanced look at tonight’s episode, the wonderful “Wheels”.

Television Rating: 5.0/5.0

Since the stellar debut, “Glee” has mostly been a series of highs but there have been signs of (no pun intended given the name of tonight’s episode) a show that could be accused of spinning its wheels. Some episodes have been a little lighter than others and some of the characters have threatened to become a bit repetitive. “Glee” is at its best when the character-driven humor is unexpected and unpredictable and there were recurring jokes in October “Glee” episodes that started to feel a little stale.

Don’t get me wrong. “Glee” is still the best new show of the year, but I can’t believe that I was the only one wondering how the series would progress not just through this season but the next one. Where does “Glee” go from here and how will they keep it fresh?

Quinn (Dianna Agron, L) and Puck (Mark Salling, R) work at the Glee Club’s bake sale in the “Wheels” episode of GLEE airing Wednesday, Nov. 11 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
Photo credit: Carin Baer/FOX

Tonight’s episode, “Wheels,” displays how - by diversifying the focus of the show and providing depth to even the most supporting characters. The moments that stand out in the first arc of “Glee” episodes are the unexpected ones - Kurt (Chris Colfer) using “Single Ladies” on the football field, Rachel belting out a moving version of “Take a Bow,” the entirety of Kristen Chenoweth’s amazing guest turn on “The Rhodes Not Taken,” the best episode of the show to date.

Quinn (Dianna Agron) helps the Glee Club at a bake sale in the “Wheels” episode of GLEE airing Wednesday, Nov. 11 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
Photo credit: Carin Baer/FOX

Tonight, the focus surprisingly shifts to Artie (Kevin McHale), who learns that the school won’t pay for the handicapped bus to take him with the rest of the team to sectionals. His arc, featuring his first solo performance (“Dancing With Myself”) is the thematic backbone of an episode that focuses on what Murphy does best with “Glee,” satirizing the expectations inherent in traditional high school roles. Kurt and Rachel (Lea Michele) have a solo-off to see who will take “Defying Gravity” (from “Wicked”) for the show with Kurt’s dad (the great Mike O’Malley) pushing for equal rights for his son. And even Puck (Mark Salling) and Quinn (Dianna Agron) have character-building plotlines. Most surprisingly, a bit of depth is given to Jane Lynch’s fantastic turn as Sue Sylvester. If she hadn’t locked up an Emmy nod already, she has after this episode.

One of my concerns about “Glee” in October was that a few of the characters were starting to become their archetypes. In particular, Quinn always looked defeated and on the verge of tears. In “Wheels,” not only do we finally get to see her smile during a cleverly devised food fight but we learn that she may not be through with Puck, another character who may not be as heartless as you first expected. Salling does his best work of the series to date tonight.

As for the writing (this ep was written by Ryan Murphy, the show’s creator), “Wheels” is as tightly scripted as anything on TV so far this year. It flies by and still feels like nothing else on television. I’m stunned that a show can weave together musical performances of “Dancing With Myself,” “Defying Gravity,” and “Proud Mary” and still not feel forced.

So, where will “Glee” go from here? What happens AFTER sectionals? “Wheels” is evidence of a show that is willing to allow background singers to come forward and take their time in the spotlight. With that structure in place and with an ensemble as deep and talented as this one, the future of “Glee” looks bright.

‘Glee’ returns on FOX on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 8pm CST. It stars Matthew Morrison, Lea Michele, Jessalyn Gilsig, Jane Lynch, Jayma Mays, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, Chris Colfer, Jenna Ushkowitz, and Kevin McHale. It was created by Ryan Murphy.

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

DVD Review: Beautiful Series Set For ‘It’s Garry Shandling’s Show’

BrianTT — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:00:00 -0600

CHICAGO – A lot of classic TV comedies are often pointed to as being “ahead of their time”. The quirky, weird, and memorable “It’s Garry Shandling Show” wasn’t really ahead of its time because there’s nothing quite like it on the air. The groundbreaking cult classic is now available in a gorgeous 16-disc set from Shout Factory and it’s just what Shandling fans deserve.

DVD Rating: 4.5/5.0

Between his stint as the heir apparent to Johnny Carson (Shandling guest hosted “The Tonight Show” an incredible number of times) and the pioneering television he would do on one of the best sitcoms of all time, “The Larry Sanders Show,” there was “It’s Garry Shandling Show,” which ran for 72 episodes from 1986 to 1990. The program was the first ever broadcast on Showtime and would later be rerun and more widely seen on FOX.

Showtime had given Shandling and his co-writer Alan Zweibel the freedom to do whatever they wanted on the network and they decided to try and tear down the sitcom template. From it’s memorable theme song to Shandling’s constant breaking of the fourth wall, “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show” was more of a theatrical experience than a television one. It was surreal, experimental, and barely got the credit it deserved when it was on the air. Sure, it was also very inconsistent (especially in the early episodes), but it’s fascinating to now watch how the show developed over its four years on the air and how clearly it influenced the great TV that Shandling would make in the ’90s.

It’s Garry Shandling’s Show: The Complete Series was released on DVD on October 20th, 2009.
Photo credit: Shout Factory

Over the years, several major TV writers would come out of “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show” including people who went on to work on “Seinfeld” and “The Simpsons” and the show featured major guest stars, always playing themselves, including Tom Petty, Rob Reiner, Dan Aykroyd, Martin Mull, Gilda Radner, Carl Reiner, Chevy Chase, and more. Come to think of it, the neurotic sitcom star with celebrity guest stars playing themselves almost sounds like “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” one of the few shows that you probably could link back to this unique series in terms of influence.

Shout Factory has been putting together great TV sets for years with arguably the best box in the history of the form for “Freaks and Geeks” and a great recent release for “Thirtysomething”. They spare no expense with “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show,” providing hours of special features, organized as such:

Season 1
Outtakes
“Getting There” - The Road to the Show
“Television Parts” - Sketches - “Garry Dates Miss Maryland,” “Garry’s Car”

Commentaries
1.1: “The Day Garry Moved In” - Garry Shandling & Alan Zweibel
1.5: “The Graduate” - Garry Shandling & Alan Zweibel
1.8: “Grant’s Date” - Garry Shandling & Ed Solomon
1.10: “Fate” - Ed Solomon
1.14: “Dial L For Laundry” - Tom Gammill, Max Pross, Garry Shandling, & Alan Zweibel

Season 2
Outtakes
“Being There” - The Cast Remembers
Original Promos

Commentaries
2.2: “No Baby, No Show” - Shandling & Zweibel
2.4: “The Schumakers Go To Hollywood” - Gammill, Pross, & Solomon
2.10: “Mr. Sparks” - Gammill & Pross
2.17: “Mr. Smith Goes to Nam” - Zweibel

Season 3
Outtakes
“Still There” - The Writers and Crew Remember
“Show & Tell With Tom & Max”
“The Shandlines” - Backstage Newsletters

Commentaries
3.1: “Goin’ Places” - Gammill, Pross, Shandling, & Solomon
3.3: “What’s Happening to Me?” - Gammill, Pross, Shandling, & Zweibel
3.5: “The Natural” - Al Jean, Michael Reiss, & Shandling
3.12: “Garry Acts Like a Moron” - Jean & Reiss
3.17: “Garry Goes Golfing” - Jean, Reiss, & Shandling
3.19: “Worry Wart” - Gammill, Pross, Shandling, & Zweibel

Season 4
Outtakes
“Try to Remember” - A Conversation with Garry and Alan

Commentaries
4.7: “Firehose” - Jean & Reiss
4.15: “Family Man” - Zweibel
4.19: “Driving Miss Garry” - Jean & Reiss

The set also includes a booklet with essays about the show by the great Larry Gelbart and Judd Apatow, who lists the series as a major influence. Each episode looks great in its original full frame presentation and is accompanied by an adequate audio track.

‘It’s Garry Shandling’s Show: The Complete Series’ is released by Shout Factory and stars Garry Shandling. The show was released on DVD on October 20th, 2009. It is not rated. It runs roughly 31 hours.

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

TV Review: ‘The Simpsons’ Scares Up Few Laughs With ‘Treehouse of Horror’

BrianTT — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:11:40 -0600

CHICAGO – Even the most diehard fans of “The Simpsons,” a group of which I would proudly call myself a member, would admit that the last few seasons of the show have been disappointing at best and, at times, downright bad (especially the current season we’re in, which has produced fewer laughs than anything on FOX Sunday nights). The annual “Treehouse of Horror” episode has usually been a reliable standby, a bright spot even in weak seasons. If “Treehouse of Horror XX” is the bright spot of this season, it’s going to be the worst in the history of the show.

Television Rating: 1.5/5.0

For years, starting around season twelve (and that may be generous), “Simpsons” fans like myself used to fall back on a crutch that went something like “Even sub-par “The Simpsons” is better than most TV.” Sure, we knew that the writing wasn’t nearly as clever or consistent as it used to be, but the show still had laugh-out-loud moments and was certainly more entertaining than most horrible sitcoms on the broadcast TV schedule. Even that flimsy defense of the show has started to ring false and this year’s “Treehouse of Horror” is a perfect example of why the show is starting to resemble an athlete way past his prime but still suiting up every week. We all hope for one more comeback. This season’s “Treehouse” is not that comeback.

In the 20th anniversary of THE SIMPSONS annual “Treehouse of Horror” Halloween special, Lisa strikes a deal with Bart to seek revenge on their teachers in a series of homages to classic Hitchcock, in “Treehouse of Horror XX” airing Sunday, Oct. 18 (8:00-8:30 PM ET/ PT) on FOX.
Photo credit: FOX

The structure is the same as its always been - three scary stories, mostly inspired or satirizing something familiar. This time it’s Hitchcock, “28 Days Later,” and, well, the musical. Oooh, scary. Each chapter in this year’s “Treehouse” is less interesting than the one that precedes it and the show only occasionally shows brief glimpses of the dark sense of humor that used to make these episodes so unexpectedly hilarious.

In the 20th anniversary of THE SIMPSONS annual “Treehouse of Horror” Halloween special, Krusty’s latest fast food sandwich transforms Springfield into engraged zombies in “Treehouse of Horror XX” airing Sunday, Oct. 18 (8:00-8:30 PM ET/ PT) on FOX.
Photo credit: FOX

Some of the best moments of the prime of “The Simpsons” took place in “Treehouse of Horror” including an amazing “Nightmare on Elm Street” spoof, the first time Homer was ever seen in more than two dimensions, and a personal favorite, a time-travelling toaster. There’s not an idea, scene, or joke in this year’s “Treehouse of Horror” that you’ll remember by the time you’re done watching “The Cleveland Show,” much less the next day at school or work.

The first segment is called “Dial M For Murder (Or Press # to Return to the Main Menu)” and features Bart and Lisa in a plot inspired by Hitchcock’s “Strangers on a Train”. After arguments with their teachers, the two Simpson kids decide to pull a “criss cross,” where they’ll help enact revenge on each other’s enemy. Lisa thinks that just means pulling a “ding-dong-ditch”. Bart cuts off Ms. Hoover’s head. References to “North by Northwest,” “Vertigo,” and more make this a fun segment for Hitch fans, but this is ground that the writers of “The Simpsons” have covered before and less haphazardly.

Act one of “Treehouse of Horror XX” is a classic compared to the other two forgettable chapters. One would think that a segment inspired by “28 Days Later,” in which Bart becomes the chosen one after it’s discovered that he’s immune to the zombie-making disease that has taken over Springfield (after the introduction of the new Krusty Burger, ‘Burger Squared,’ gives everyone something like Mad Cow Disease), would be memorable, but it’s surprisingly light on jokes or clever moments.

Finally, the last segment of this year’s “ToH” is a pseudo-musical in which most of the supporting characters, including the requisite cameo by Kang and Kodos, watch a twisted, “Sweeney Todd”-esque love triangle between Moe, Homer, and Marge, complete with stage mistakes and unusual songs. Moe accidentally seriously injures Homer and, partially using Homer’s blood to brew his beer, woos Marge. It’s a weird segment, even by “ToH” standards, and really not funny.

It’s another disappointing episode of one of my favorite shows of all time. Like all fans, I still hold out hope that there’s another great series of episodes or even a great season left in “The Simpsons”. But that hope diminishes with every episode as lackluster as “Treehouse of Horror XX”. The ending of this year’s “Treehouse of Horror” features a classic character having fallen asleep. Don’t be surprised if someone you’re watching the show with hasn’t done the same.

‘The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror XX,’ which airs on FOX, features voice work by Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Yeardley Smith, Nancy Cartwright, Harry Shearer, and Hank Azaria. It airs on October 18th, 2009 at 7PM CST.

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

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

BrianTT — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:52:25 -0600

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 — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:02:55 -0600

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

TV Review: ‘Bones’ Returns to Start Fifth Season With Disappointing Episode

BrianTT — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:04:07 -0600

CHICAGO – If you’re like a lot of “Bones” fans you were disappointed and angry about the bait-and-switch in place during the season four finale, which promised to feature the inevitable hook-up between Brennan (Emily Deschanel) and Booth (David Boreanaz) but turned out to be nothing more than a dream episode. Sadly, the bitter taste left by the finale continues into the start of season five with the worst premiere episode the often-excellent program has provided to date.

Television Rating: 2.5/5.0

Clearly addressing viewer concerns about the finale of last season, one that ended with Booth waking from his coma-induced alternate reality to not even recognize Bones, the season premiere of “Bones” spends a lot of time trying to justify that awkward ending to a hit-and-miss season. If you missed it, Booth was in a coma that included a dream state where he loved Brennan.

TJ Thyne, Michaela Conlin, David Boreanaz, Emily Deschanel, John Francis Daley and Tamara Taylor. The fifth season of BONES premieres Thursday, Sept. 17 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
Photo credit: ©2009 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Brian Bowen Smith/FOX

As season five begins, Booth is trying to come to terms with the feelings still lingering in his head and heart. Sweets (the great John Francis Daley) is concerned that Booth’s current love for Bones is merely a side effect of the coma. He experienced positive feelings in his alternate universe and those feelings will dissipate the further he gets from his dream state. And, of course, Cam (Tamara Taylor) is concerned that if the tough cop breaks down the defense of the hardened doctor and breaks her heart than she will simply never heal.

Brennan (Emily Deschanel, L) listens as psychic Avalon Harmonia (guest star Cyndi Lauper, R) gives her information about a case in the BONES season premiere episode “Harbingers in the Fountain” airing Thursday, Sept. 17 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
Photo credit: ©2009 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Greg Gayne/FOX

Believe it or not, there’s a mystery to the season five premiere as well, although the writers clearly saw it as an afterthought. The first case since the coma involves Angela’s (Michaela Conlin) psychic, Avalon Harmonia (Cyndi Lauper), a woman who alerts the crew to a mass grave of bodies underneath a fountain. One of the bodies happens to be Avalon’s sister. How did she know they were there? And how did they end up there in the first place?

Writing a mystery that plays with the prospect of supernatural powers as a backdrop to the concept that Booth’s alternate world coma experience is now affecting his real-world one was a good idea but the execution of this week’s mystery on “Bones” is embarrassingly bad. Perhaps the writers were too torn by telling so many stories in one, but the final act of the mystery of Avalon’s sister features one of the most ridiculous action sequences in the history of the show. Without giving anything away, Bones would have figured out the killer more quickly and not locked herself in with him or her.

And yet, moments after the head-shaking subsides, there’s a quiet, scared moment between Bones and Booth that reminds one of what works about the show - the chemistry between these two excellent, charismatic leads. Deschanel and Boreanaz have turned what could have been two-dimensional, stereotypical characters into fully-realized people who audiences have grown to love.

Brennan (Emily Deschanel, L) and Booth (David Boreanaz, R) search for evidence after a psychic provides them with valuable information in the BONES season premiere episode “Harbingers in the Fountain” airing Thursday, Sept. 17 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
Photo credit: ©2009 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Richard Foreman/FOX

The cast of “Bones” is too talented to dismiss the show after a relatively mediocre fourth season and rocky start to the fifth but there’s reason to worry. The team behind “Bones” need to get back to what works about the show - great characters, clever mysteries, and strong dialogue. Don’t waste time on psychic visions or tedious conversations about the heart vs. the head. The show’s characters - the passion of Booth and the clinical analysis of Brennan - represent that debate in every one of their interactions. We don’t need to see Cam, Sweets, and Cyndi Lauper talking about it.

Ultimately, I’m critical because I used to love “Bones” and I want to do so again. Let’s move on from the mistake of promising a Booth-Brennan hook-up and get away from the soap opera material for awhile. Write some dark, fascinating mysteries and allow these actors to bring the humanity to the surface without forcing it there. “Bones” may not need to be brought back from the dead quite yet, but there’s reason to worry that no psychic or dream state could possibly answer.

The fifth season of ‘Bones’ premieres on FOX on Thursday, September 17th, 2009 at 7pm CST. It stars Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, John Francis Daley, Tamara Taylor, Michaela Conlin, and TJ Thyne. It was created by Hart Hanson.

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

TV Review: The Best New Show of the Year is ‘Glee’

BrianTT — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:10:46 -0600

CHICAGO – Ryan Murphy’s brilliant “Glee” is not only the best new show of the year, it’s off to one of the best starts for any series in the last several fall seasons. Much closer to Alexander Payne’s “Election” than Disney’s “High School Musical,” this is a clever blend of satire, pop tunes, laugh-out-loud comedy, and rich, interesting characters that you simply shouldn’t miss.

Television Rating: 5.0/5.0

Since I first reviewed “Glee,” I was worried about two things. One, is the show too quirky and unusual for TV? Could it suffer the same fate as other critically acclaimed shows that never found an audience like “Pushing Daisies” and “Veronica Mars”?

Two, would the quality of the premiere that was so good that Fox aired it four months early maintain itself? The jury is still out on the former but I’ve seen two more episodes (tonight’s “Showmance” and the fourth episode, “Preggers”) and can confirm that the quality of the show definitely does not falter.

The members of McKinley High’s Glee Club learn a new song and dance to perform in front of the school in “Showmance,” the series premiere episode of GLEE airing Wednesday, Sept. 9 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. Pictured L-R: Amber Riley, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz, Lea Michele and Cory Monteith.
Photo credit: Carin Baer/FOX

The first new episode, “Showmance,” airs tonight on Fox and sets several plotlines in motion that will clearly be a better part of the first season of the show. One of the many great things about the first new episode of the debut season of “Glee” is that it makes clear that music will not merely be one part of the show, but often serve as a commentary on the characters and plotlines instead of just being filler.

Rachel (Lea Michele, L) and Finn (Cory Monteith, R) take direction on a new song and dance routine in “Showmance,” the series premiere episode of GLEE airing Wednesday, Sept. 9 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
Photo credit: Carin Baer/FOX

For example, one of the driving plotlines of the first season of “Glee” will be the relationship between glee club manager Will (Matthew Morrison) and his crazy wife Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig) and the very clever writers of the show use the gang performing “Gold Digger” as not just a musical number but a commentary on Will’s home life. At the same time, a love triangle forms between Rachel (Lea Michelle), Finn (Cory Monteith), and his cheerleader girlfriend Quinn (Dianna Agron) and the episode ends with an amazing, passionate version of “Take a Bow” that makes the emotions feel more genuine than standard TV dialogue ever could.

That’s the amazing thing about “Glee”. It is definitely a satire of high school life but the writers and their incredibly talented cast find a way to make it emotionally resonant at the same time. A lot of credit for the latter should go to the best ensemble for any new show this year. Scene-stealer Jane Lynch is going to get a lot of credit but Michelle, Gilsig, and Jayma Mays are doing excellent work as well.

Yes, a lot of the characters at Carmel High fall into cliche and stereotype and I could see that turning off a few viewers, but cliche is an essential element to satire and if the dialogue is clever enough, which it truly is in “Glee,” that doesn’t matter. The writers of “Glee” are bringing the cliches of the high school TV show genre to the surface so they can be both satirized and made three-dimensional by exposing their untruths.

There have been plenty of shows that started strong and then fell from the peak of their first few episodes. “Glee” shows no signs of doing that. And even if it does, the first three hours that I have seen will stand among the best of 2009.

‘Glee’ premieres on FOX on Wednesday, September 9th, 2009 at 8pm CST. It stars Matthew Morrison, Lea Michele, Jessalyn Gilsig, Jane Lynch, Jayma Mays, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, Chris Colfer, Jenna Ushkowitz, and Kevin McHale. It was created by Ryan Murphy.

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

TV on Blu-Ray Round Up: ‘Lie to Me,’ ‘Sons of Anarchy,’ ‘Life After People’

BrianTT — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 08:44:58 -0600

CHICAGO – There have been some very cool TV on Blu-Ray releases lately that we wanted to make sure you, our loyal readers, knew about, including “Life After People,” “Lie to Me,” and “Sons of Anarchy”.

One of the best home entertainment developments of 2009 has been the emergence of more television on Blu-Ray. Take for example this edition of the Blu-Ray Round-Up, which features a History Channel program, a FOX drama, and an action-driven FX series about to start its second season.

All three releases are part of a new wave of TV on Blu-Ray and whatever may be said about the quality of the actual programs, it’s encouraging to see more studios taking chances on HD releases. Let’s hope they all do soon.

Synopsis, cast information, technical details, and special features information follows. Pick up one. Support the movement.

“Sons of Anarchy: Season One” was released on August 18th, 2009.

“Lie to Me: Season One” was released on August 25th, 2009.

“Life After People” will be released on September 1st, 2009.

“Sons of Anarchy: Season One”

Photo credit: Fox

Synopsis: “From an executive producer of “The Shield” comes a gripping drama that takes you into the ruthless underworld of outlaw bikers. The Sons of Anarchy live, ride and die for brotherhood. But as the club’s leader (Ron Perlman) and his wife (Katey Sagal) steer them in an increasingly lawless direction, her son Jax (Charlie Hunnam) is torn between loyalty and the legacy in this adrenaline-charged first season.”

“Sons of Anarchy: Season One” stars Charlie Hunnam, Ron Perlman, Katey Sagal, Theo Rossi, Maggie Siff, Johnny Lewis, Tommy Flanagan, and Kim Coates. It was created by Kurt Sutter. It is presented in High Definition 1080p with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio and includes an English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track. The 13-episode season runs 594 minutes.

Special features include audio commentary on selected episodes, “The Making of Sons of Anarchy: Season 1,” “Casting Sons of Anarchy,” “The Ink,” “The Bikes,” deleted scenes, and “Anarchy on the Set”.

“Lie to Me: Season One”

Photo credit: Fox

Synopsis: “In this powerful and engaging new drama from Imagine Television, the producers of 24, Tim Roth stars as Dr. Cal Lightman, a deception expert whose uncanny ability to read facial expressions and body language makes him a virtual human polygraph. Joined by psychologist Dr. Gillian Foster, Lightman tackles compelling cases of sabotage, scandal and murder, always uncovering the one thing that matters most - the truth.”

“Lie to Me: Season One” stars Tim Roth, Kelli Williams, Brendan Hines, and Monica Raymund. It was created by Samuel Baum. It is presented in High Definition 1080p with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio and includes an English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track. The 13-episode season runs 572 minutes.

Special features include deleted scenes and an exclusive featurette called “The Truth About Lies”.

“Life After People”

Photo credit: BBC/WB

Synopsis: “If humans were to suddenly disappear, what would happen to our planet - the structures we’ve built, the everyday items we take for granted, domesticated and wild animals, plants, trees? What would become of the things that define our species and leave our mark on this Earth?

Visit the ghostly villages surrounding Chernobyl (abandoned by humans after the 1986 nuclear disaster), travel to remote islands off the coast of Maine to search for abandoned towns that have vanished from view in only a few decades, then head beneath the streets of New York to see how subway tunnels may become watery canals.

HISTORY takes you on an amazing visual journey in Life After People, a thought-provoking adventure that combines movie-quality visual effects with insights from experts in the fields of engineering, botany, ecology, biology, geology, climatology, and archaeology to demonstrate how the very landscape of our plant will change in our absence.”

“Life After People” is presented in High Definition with its original 1.33:1 aspect ratio and includes only an English 2.0 Stereo track. It runs 94 minutes

Special features include additional scenes.

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