Caffeinated Clint
This Week : “Entourage”, “Supernatural”, “Top of the Trops”
THIS WEEK IN TV
New Every Wednesday
Welcome to the first ever ‘This Week in TV’ editorial here at Moviehole. The idea behind this new section is to point you towards or away from the best and worst set-top box offerings, and keep you up to date with what’s happening on the small screen in “the land down under”. Classically, in addition to reviews of the latest programs, you’ll get my usual tirade and a slab of either must-know or nauseatingly redundant TV programming news. We’ll also be checking in regularly with the stars of the stout box to talk telly. Join us every week, won’t ya? (It really is up to you – I realize the Sun is out and a dip in the beach might be more refreshing) – Clint Morris.
(And don’t forget, for more TV news and reviews, tune in to The Weeksly Late Edition every Friday Night).
IN REVIEW
Veronica Mars
TEN. Friday the 27th January 7:30 PM.
Episode : Drinking the Kool-Aid.
You’re still quite a few episodes away from finding out who killed Lily Kane (and no, I won’t be revealing the killer – not even for those backstage passes to meet with Susannah Hoffs), and I’m hearing, you might have to wait that little bit longer. A birdie has tweeted in my ear that Ten might actually be taking my gal “Mars” off-the-air in a couple of weeks, just a few eps shy of the big reveal. Get set for picketing, I say. Meantime, you can catch spunky Veronica befriending a boy who has found a new lease on life with a cult in this new episode. Make the most of it, while it’s still here.
Ocean’s Twelve
MOVIE ONE. Saturday the 28th January 8:30 PM
They say too many cooks spoil the broth, but what if each of the cooks all bought one distinctive special ingredient to the table, resulting in something that tastes even better than what it would’ve had just the one kitchen-hand been behind the ladle? That’s what you get with “Oceans Eleven” and the new sequel, “Oceans Twelve”, something that’s appetizing if only because each of the players brings something unique to proceedings.
A much rougher, almost Indy-looking film than the first, the European-set sequel sees our robber troupe getting back together – because they’re forced to. Bad-guy Benedict (Andy Garcia) has caught up with them, and now, he wants his moolah back. Solution? A new job, one that will earn them all quite a pretty penny, which in turn, they can hand over to the slimy Casino owner in exchange for their lives.
It’s amazing how ‘un-Hollywood’ this film actually looks and consequently comes across. If we didn’t know the stars, one could almost swear it was a European flick from the 70’s or 80’s, what with its perceptible grain, use of hand-held, freeze frames and archetypal freeze frames. Steven Soderbergh obviously wanted the sequel to look and feel different from its predecessor, and simply be changing the locale and giving the film this distinctive old-world look, he’s done that.
But as with the first film, it’s the all-star cast that keep you glued, not the locale, not the storyline. Clooney is his usual charming self (and even takes a couple of self-depreciating jabs at himself), Pitt is too, Damon gets some good laughs, Catherine-Zeta Jones hogs a fair bit of the film and no qualms here – she looks gorgeous, and Julia Roberts has a fantastic moment towards the film’s final half that is just too cool to spoil.
Entourage
ARENA. Sunday 29th January – 7:30 PM
Easily one of the most entertaining shows on Television at the moment, “Entourage” kicks off it’s second season tonight – and I tell ya, if you loved the first season, you’re going to Gary Coleman-esque nuts over this second batch of episodes. Having completed “Queen’s Boulevard”, movie star Vinnie Chase (Adrian Grenier) is now trying to decide what to do next. His agent Ari (the flippin’tastic Jeremy Piven) wants him to headline James Cameron’s “Spider-man”. A great couple of episodes. Bring some fresh panties – you’re surefire to wet the ones you’re wearing.
Everwood
NINE. Monday – Friday 10am
Yes, American readers – you read right, one of your best raters is buried here in Australia…at 10am in the morning. There’s not much worth setting the timer-record for in the daytime, but this series is an exception. Now halfway through the second season, the current episodes fix on Andy Brown’s new relationship with HIV-infected Marcia Cross, Ephram’s taboo affair with a spunky, older, college gal (Sarah Lancaster), and, um, more piano playing. And hopefully you’ve all recovered from Colin’s ill-timed demise by now.
Supernatural –
TEN. Monday 30th January 8:30 PM.
Episode : Dead in the Water
I’m fairly certain – if only because it’s been getting encore after encore – that this “X-Files” dupe will stick around for a while (and hopefully not yield to a preposterous timeslot like “One Tree Hill” and 9’s “Everwood”). With only half-a-season or so having aired in the states though, I think they might have to take a break at some stage though – if only because they’ve run out of eps. One of the better offerings of TEN this Summer, the series teams WB vets Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles as two brothers that hit the road in search of the supernatural….and their missing father. This week’s episode isn’t as gripping as the ones that preceded it (or the ones that follow it) but it’s still worth a twitter. This time, our Ghostbusters discover the spirit of an irate little boy is causing havoc in a small town lake. As they do.
5 TO WATCH
1. “Smallville” (Thursday 26th January, 8:30 PM, Ten). Still a few years behind the rest of the world, but it’s getting into some captivating territory now.
2. “Rescue Me” (Monday 30th January, 9:30 PM, Fox8). Monday nights are a ripper on Fox 8…. “The Contender”, then, “Rescue Me”, then “The Wire”.
3. “Spin City” – Australia Day Marathon (Thursday 26th January, All Day, FOX Classics). Michael J.Fox classic screens all flippin’ day!
4. “The A to Z of 007” (Weeknights, 8:30PM – Movie Greats). All the classic Bond movies, one each night. We were sent the review disc for the delicious golden oldie “Goldfinger”.
5. “Love My Way : Series One” (Thursday 26th January, All Day, W). Before Season 2 starts – and I tell ya, Season 2 is a ripper – refresh yourselves with the first batch.
TV BUZZ
Top of the Trops
Once again, MOVIE EXTRA will be the television home for the Sony Tropfest finalist films, but this time, it’s going to be even better…Throughout February and March, MOVIE EXTRA will exclusively screen all 2005/2006 finalist films on TOP OF THE TROPS, with at least one short film per evening on weeknights. Also, on 1 March, MOVIE JUICE presenter Renee Brack and comedian Gary Eck will co-host a two-hour SONY TROPFEST 2006 special, showcasing all 2006 finalist films. Sony Tropfest is the biggest short-film festival in the world, with the 2006 finalist films being judged by some of the industry’s finest on Sunday, 26 February. Viewers can see TOP OF THE TROPS and the SONY TROPFEST 2006 special exclusively on MOVIE EXTRA at the following times:
-Top Of The Trops 2005
At least one 2005 finalist film each weeknight
@ 8:30pm from 1 February
– Sony Tropfest 2006
Two-hour special hosted by Renee Brack & Gary Eck
8.30pm on 1 March
(at least one short film per evening)
– Top Of The Trops 2006
At least one 2006 finalist film each weeknight
@ 8:30pm from 2 March
Superman’s no-show on Fox8
I’ve had several queries asking why “Smallville” didn’t premiere, as originally planned, last Tuesday night on Fox8. Unfortunately, the programme guide was printed quite a few moons back, and things have since changed – including the premiere date for Clark’s boy-time adventures. The rumour is, “Smallville” may premiere mid-year, to coincide with the release of “Superman Returns” at theatres.
The “Kitchen” is open on 7
Moviehole’s Adam Weeks has been raving about “Kitchen Confidential” since it premiered in the states. Though it’s now as dead as a thrice run-over desert rat, Channel 7 has announced it’ll be airing all the shows episodes, daily, in February. The bad news is….it’ll air at 2:30 pm weekdays…so us worky-types will have to set a reminder for the black box.
Triple doses of “Love My Way”
FOXTEL announced today the introduction of a new “multi-play” programming strategy for the premiere of the highly-anticipated second series of the award winning drama series LOVE MY WAY on the W. Channel. The initiative, based on a similar format which was pioneered by US premium cable networks including HBO and Showtime, provides multiple viewing opportunities of key programming for viewers. The acclaimed series, that won the Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Drama, along with five AFI Awards last year, will now screen in several primetime slots across the week on the W Channel, giving viewers several opportunities to watch their favourite show prime time:
Sunday nights at 8.30pm
Monday nights s at 8.30pm
Tuesday nights at 7.30pm
Wednesday nights at 10.00pm
And Saturday afternoons at 3.00pm
Starring Claudia Karvan, one of Australia’s most popular and established actors, the first series of LOVE MY WAY won both critical and viewer acclaim, establishing it as one of the most outstanding television dramas made in this country.
Is “Friends” returning?
They haven’t been “there for” us for a couple of years now, but that gaping hole that was left by the demise of TV’s “Friends” is about to plugged up again. Everyone’s favourite bunch of Villagers – Ross, Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey and Chandler – are reuniting for a series of one-hour episodes. In a secret meeting before Christmas, the stars of the show all agreed to front up for four one-hour specials. The only one that was apparently a little reluctant was Jennifer Aniston, who seemingly has the best – though canoodling with ageing Kevin Costner wouldn’t be that much of a climb, surely? – film career of late (not that it means much). The four episodes are apparently going to air sometime this year. Meantime, NBC is apparently looking to retool the show’s struggling spin-off “Joey”. The new idea involves re-teaming star Matt LeBlanc with two of his “Friends” co-stars – Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer. The show is called “It’s a Guy Thing”.
While that idea sounds rather far-fetched – especially because Perry’s character, Chandler, is happily married to Monica, and Courteney Cox is apparently not involved in the show at all – there might be something to this. Just a couple of months ago, Perry knocked back a rather juicy offer to headline Aaron Sorkin’s highly anticipated new series “Studio 7 on the Sunset Strip”. Perry is also believed to have knocked back an offer to become a regular on “The West Wing”. Having said that, here’s some salt……take the grain and do what you will.
It’s the end of “The West Wing”
As mentioned earlier this week, Aunty’s hottest new acquisition has bitten the dust. It hasn’t been a good couple of months for “The West Wing”. First, the show loses one of its original players, the wonderful John Spencer, and now, the network has given the show its marching orders. Apparently – and getting this out of the way first, because it’s the first thing many are going to scream at the monitor – the decision to end the series was made before Spencer’s untimely death. NBC entertainment president Kevin Reilly officially announced the show would end Sunday, May 14, with an hour-long retrospective from 7 to 8 p.m., followed by the last episode at 8. The episode should air in about 2019 in Australia.
QUESTION CORNER
Send your TV questions to Clint@moviehole.net
Clint,
FOX8 have been advertising “Tru Calling”. When does that start?
Janice
Janice,
Please say hello to Tony for me (Um, yeah, Sopranos humour attempt there). “Tru Calling” briefly featured in Fox8’s ads over the Xmas/New Year period, and though it is set to air sometime this year, the gang at Fox8 have yet to find it on their schedules.
Clint,
Since “Joan of Arcadia” got shoved from Channel 9, do you think Foxtel will pick it up?
Ben
Ben,
If only Channel 9 would relinquish the rights.
Clint….what up? If you can, slide them (“Smallville” Producers) this little nugget. There’s nothing that says they can’t turn this into a Superman show in a couple of years. This series gave young Clark some balls, I know they could make a kick ass show for the hero himself. Hell, it’ll give us some more Erica Durance at best. Later bro, your site rules.
Todd “Clint Follower” Smith
Ah, thought someone was following me…
Consider your snazzy-razzy image posted – consider it ‘possibly’ seen by the powers-that-be.
Hi Clint,
We are in development for Season 2 of “Firefly” (FFS2). This is not just another fan
attempt at relighting the show. Our company is using official channels to license the property from
20th Century Fox, produce the show, and sell to cable operators. I would appreciate any help you can offer in rallying fans to the official site: www.FireflySeason2.com and have them signup. The demographic data collected there is vital in our presentations to potential buyers and advertisers.
Not all of this is public info yet, so please be prudent when posting or releasing information. As our lawyers clear items for release, our PR firm will issue official press releases, and we will post those on the site as well.
Thank you for your assistance.
-Ace Underhill
Cine Support Intl.
Ace,
Just one question : Can I play Inara’s blouse?
Hey Clint,
Fox8 use to screen “Chicago Hope” in the daytime, but they took it off at the end of Season 5. There is actually one more season to go – Season 6 – and it never came on. Do you know if or when it might?
Mandy Fan
Mandy Fan,
I’ll make a couple of calls, compose a couple of emails, and do the chicken dance.
Clint,
That “Project Runaway” show any good?
Bess
Bess,
That’s a question for the show’s creator, superfoxy Heidi Klum. Klum responds : “Project Runway focuses on the creativity of the contestants – it’s definitely about talent and fashion. Each week, the designers are given challenges to design an outfit, with limited funds and sometimes only hours to work. It’s very interesting to see what they create”.
THIS TIME….TEN YEARS AGO IN TV
“Lois and Clark : The New Adventures of Superman” was in its third season in January of 1996. Exactly ten years ago, the episode ‘Tempus Anyone? bought back superfoe (?) H.G Wells and his time machine. (Idea well was starting to get a bit dry by the sounds of it). By the end of this year, the ratings for “Lois and Clark” will have dropped dramatically, and within months, producers would roll in a Shark for the leads to Jump.
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Credits : This issue with thanks to Arena TV, Showtime, The Movie Network, Channel 9, Channel 7 who provided materials and pretzels.
