In dieser Rubrik wird es, ähnlich wie im letzten Jahr, wieder meine Eindrücke zu den Serien geben, die ich in den letzten rund 12-15 Monaten gesehen habe. Meine Einschätzungen sind subjektiv, aber unumstößlich und können sich auch durchaus mal auf Serienstaffeln beziehen, die schon etwas älter sind. In alphabetischer Reihenfolge wird es hier nach und nach kurze Kommentare zu jeder dieser Serien geben.

Bisher besprochen:

Die “Misfits”
Being Erica
Better Off Ted
The Big Bang Theory
Breaking Bad
Burn Notice
Californication
Chuck
Crusoe
Damages
Dexter
Dollhouse
Drop Dead Diva

=========================================

Friday Night Lights

Mehrmals habe ich ja schon beschrieben, dass ich beruflich Gruppen von Reiseveranstaltern oder Reisebüromitarbeitern in die USA begleite, um ihnen “unsere” Regionen zu zeigen. Fester Bestandteil dieser Reisen ist auch immer ein Besuch in einer Shopping Mall – ohne geht einfach nicht. Da ich nicht jedes Mal mein ganzes Geld für Klamotten und Schuhe raushauen will, vertreibe ich mir die Zeit, die die Gruppe mit von Shop zu Shop rennen verbringt, in der Regel in den dortigen DVD-Läden (sofern es welche gibt – leider werden solche Läden in den US-Malls irgendwie seltener).  Schließlich habe ich meist Aufträge von Freunden, die es zu erfüllen gilt, sind DVDs, besonders Serien-Boxen meist in den USA wesentlich günstiger (und natürlich auch früher) zu erhalten als hier in Deutschland.
Vor allem wenn es mal wieder schöne Aktionen a la “Buy one, get one free” gibt, wie es zum Beispiel letztes Jahr in Miami der Fall war. “Unglücklicherweise” hatte ich allerdings eine ungerade Zahl an Bestellungen, so dass ich für die Ausschöpfung des B1G1F-Angebots noch eine weitere DVD mitnehmen konnte und mich damals spontan für die erste Staffel von Friday Night Lights entschied, eine Serie von der ich schon einiges Positives gehört hatte.

Die Box verstaubte dann ein knappes Jahr lang in meinem Regal, bis ich  in diesem Sommer auf einmal nichts mehr “zu gucken” hatte (abgesehen von den 6 Staffeln Sopranos, die hier noch drohend neben meinem TV-Gerät stehen *hüstel*), so dass ich mich dann mal dazu aufraffte, mit FNL zu beginnen.

Und etwa einen Monat später mit dem Ende von Staffel 3 aufhörte.

Sollte das als Argument noch nicht ausreichen, um Euch dazu zu bewegen, möglichst dringend, mit Friday Night Lights zu beginnen, dann gehe ich nun auch gerne noch etwas mehr ins Detail:
Hauptfigur der Serie ist Eric Taylor, der Headcoach des High School Football Teams einer Kleinstadt im ländlichen Texas namens Dillon, doch auch zahlreiche Mitglieder des Teams und Personen im Umfeld werden näher beleuchtet, so dass die Serie zwar eine starke Football-Lastigkeit hat, aber doch viel mehr ist: Ein äußerst intensives und absolut authentisch wirkendes Portrait des Lebens in einer amerikanischen Kleinstadt.
Die Authentizität und Intensität wird vor allem durch die spezielle Inszenierung erreicht, denn nicht nur handelt es sich bei vielen Jungschauspielern um Laien, sondern auch das Filmen der Szenen wird meist in einer Einstellung ohne Unterbrechungen vorgenommen und den Schauspielern dabei relativ freie Hand beim Improvisieren gegeben. Diese “Rauheit”, unterstützt durch eine teils dokumentarähnliche Kameraführung, die dennoch absolut hochwertig wirkt, vermittelt eine wirklich intensive Atmosphäre, die mich selbst ohne größere Cliffhanger wirklich fesselte und den bekannten und ebenso gehassten wie geliebten Sogeffekt bewirkte, der zum dauernden Wiedereinschalten führt.

Hinzu kommt, dass die Macher um Produzent Peter Berg, der schon 2004 für die Verfilmung des gleichnamigen Buchs verantwortlich war, ein perfektes Gefühl für das Storytelling und die Weiterentwicklung der Geschichte haben, und auch nicht vor durchaus harten Schnitten wie dem “Entfernen” zentraler Charaktere haben, um die Geschichte glaubwürdig zu halten. Und bei einer Geschichte mit vielen Protagonisten in ihrer High School Zeit ist ein solches Herauswachsen nun mal unumgänglich. Zudem werden auch bei den erwachsenen Hauptfiguren die Weiterentwicklungen bis zu einem gewissen Maße nicht außer Acht gelassen – vor allem natürlich im jüngsten Sprung von Staffel 3 zu 4 (der hier aber natürlich erstmal aussen vor gelassen werden soll).

Wie schon erwähnt, steht im Mittelpunkt von Friday Night Lights, Headcoach Eric Taylor, dessen Darstellung durch Kyle Chandler mich ein ums andere Mal schwer begeistert. Die Balance zwischen hartem Hund und sorgendem Familienvater (und diversen Nuancen dazwischen) ist wirklich hochgradig beeindruckend und ergänzt sich perfekt mit dem Spiel von Connie Britton, die seine Frau portraitiert (was sie übrigens auch schon im Kinofilm machte). Darüber hinaus sind es aber natürlich die zahlreichen Jungschauspieler, die hier Woche für Woche beeindruckende Leistungen hinlegen und die Serie eben erst zu dem ganz speziellen Erlebnis machen, dass sie ist.

Für einen Eindruck von der Stimmung, die die Serie transportiert, empfehle ich auf jeden Fall einen Blick auf die Opening Credits zu werfen, die trotz ihrer Konventionalität mit zu den besten gehören, die es in Sachen TV Serien momentan gibt. (Wobei das hier die von S04 sind und mit den Original-Credits nicht mehr ganz mithalten können)

Ausgestrahlt wird die Serie übrigens auf NBC, sowie seit Staffel 3 auch vorab im Bezahlsendern DirecTV, was dazu führte, dass die Finanzierung auf derart soliden Beinen steht, dass die Serie, aktuell gerade in Staffel 4 gestartet, schon für eine fünfte Season verlängert wurde.

Meine Wertung: 10 von 10 umfassenden Gabeln [für die ersten drei Staffeln]

Fringe

Nachdem die Tage von LOST gezählt sind, sind die amerikanischen TV-Sender logischerweise auf der Suche nach einem würdigen Nachfolger,  der bei den Fans für entsprechenden Buzz sorgen und den Bedarf für ordentliche Mystery decken kann. Und was läge näher als den Macher von Lost, JJ Abrams, für ein solche Substitut zu verpflichten? FOX versuchte dies 2008 mit der Serie Fringe, was allerdings leider nur so mittelgut gelang.
Als weltweit eine Reihe von unerklärlichen und physikalisch als schwer möglich erscheinenden Ereignissen auftritt, wird im FBI eine “Fringe Division” gegründet, die wissenschaftliche Hintergründe und die Zusammenhänge zwischen diesen Phänomenen erforschen soll. Federführend in dieser “Abteilung” ist FBI Agentin Olivia Dunham, die  gemeinsam mit dem Grenzwissenschaftler Walter Bishop und dessen Sohn Peter, hauptsächlich als “Übersetzer” und “Kindermädchen für seinen exzentrischen Vater tätig, sowie einer weiteren Agentin namens Astrid, versucht Licht in die Mysterien zu bringen.

Wie viele andere Serien, braucht auch Fringe zu Beginn der Debütstaffel ein paar Folgen, um sich selbst zu positionieren, einen gewissen “Groove” zu finden und dadurch den Zuschauer auch wirklich bei der Stange halten zu können. Mit der Zeit wird Fringe dann tatsächlich zu einer sehr soliden SF/Mystery-Serie, bei der es durchaus Spaß macht zuzuschauen und dran zu bleiben, allerdings bauen die Macher um Abrams leider immer mal wieder Folgen ein, die lediglich ein “Case of the week” sind, und wenig zur Mythologie der Serie beitragen. Dabei ist Fringe, meines Erachtens immer dann wirklich gut (zumindest in den späteren Folgen), wenn es auch um die Beleuchtung der Hintergründe geht und immer wieder dann, wenn mit “Massive Dynamic” der undurchschaubare Big Player im Hintergrund wieder seine Finger mit im Spiel zu haben scheint. Natürlich verstehe ich, dass JJ Abrams es bei Fringe explizit darauf angelegt hat, eine Mystery-Serie zu schaffen, die auch für den Gelegenheitszuschauer halbwegs nachvollziehbar bleibt – nur geraten meines Erachtens dadurch eben einige Episoden als komplett überflüssig, da sie kaum bis gar nichts zum Fortschreiten der Serie an sich beitragen, sondern rein um der Schaueffekte willen inszeniert zu sein scheinen. Und das gefällt mir persönlich dann eben nicht mehr gut, da die komplette Metaebene quasi wegfällt.

Achja, für das “Wissenschaft Prison” hat die Serie natürlich jetzt schon seinen Eintrag in den Geschichtsbüchern sicher. =)

Meine Wertung: 7 von 10 Gabeln [für Season 1]

26

While researching why Hollywood seems unable to conceive a single new movie idea, I found a reason to root for a Hancock sequel.  Since Peter Berg, director of the first Will Smith/Charlize Theron almost-good-but-ultimately-bad superhero movie), will be spending time on the follow-up, maybe he’ll spend less time on Battleship, the movie he’s agreed to make about the beloved paper-and-pen/board/electronic game.  Then again, even if Hancock 2, the devil we know, did somehow delay or abort Battleship (it won’t), it would be a Pyrrhic victory if a victory at all.

If you haven’t noticed, studios and producers are snapping up every single 70s and 80s cultural artifact and trying to get it made, or remade, into a movie.  This certainly isn’t new, but the scope and intensity of the recent rights-buying spree is.  Everything from Stretch Armstrong to Bazooka Joe to freaking Asteroids will become a film if all goes well (or poorly?).  Universal is vying for the lead in the conversion of old toys and games to the big screen: “’Battleship’ is the latest in Universal’s strong push toward branded entertainment films, and Hasbro has fast become an increasingly important cog in that campaign.”  In addition to the game of naval warfare, Universal (or the hipper “U” in the article) has also optioned a bunch of other table-based pastimes: Monopoly (this was already made as Wall Street and Glengarry Glen Ross, but since Ridley Scott is attached I’ll probably watch it), the aforementioned Stretch Armstrong, Clue (this was already a great movie, so why remake it?), Candyland (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory), Ouija (with Michael Bay involved it will contain explosions, somehow, and hotties in their early 20s, which it should anyway because it’s going to be a crappy horror movie).

Since there’s been no talk of Battleship: The Movie plot or characters yet (and the final product may effectively not contain them), we have only Berg’s description to contemplate: “a contemporary story of an international five-ship fleet engaged in a very dynamic, violent and intense battle.”  With no details about the opposing force, unless the enemy drops giant red plastic pegs onto ships containing large cylindrical holes, the only connection to the game will be that both have battleships in them.  This would be the same relationship that the game Operation has to, say, ER.  Otherwise, Battleship will be just another big-budget war movie only tangentially related to the game that “inspired” it.  However, Hasbro sells a zillion extra units to nostalgic thirty- and forty-somethings without having to spend R&D money on a new game, and Universal doesn’t have to come up with any new movie ideas.

Let’s hope Berg, son of a naval historian, can inject some of the squirm-inducing discomfort of Very Bad Things or over-the-top campiness of The Rundown.  This is rare for a war movie, though, so we’ll probably get The Kingdom at sea: surface treatment of an interesting subject, accompanied by loud, jerky, lengthy action sequences.  Because of Berg’s early track record, I might give this one the benefit of the doubt.  I fear, however, that Battleship will be sunk before it ever leaves the harbor.

HANCOCK

“There are heroes. There are superheroes. And then there’s HANCOCK”

No sabe quien es, no sabe de donde viene y no sabe que es lo que tiene que hacer. A Jonh Hancock todo el mundo lo conoce, pero… nadie lo quiere cerca pues antes de mejorar algo siempre debe destrozar el doble. La suma de todo esto lo hacen ser un alcoholico, mal viviente, sin respeto por nada ni por nadie. Pero, por primera vez en su vida alguien le tiende la mano, alguien se preocupa por el y alguien quiere ayudarlo a ser mejor. ¿Sera posible que una persona así pueda cambiar?

FICHA TECNICA

Director: Peter Berg

Protagonista: Will Smith | Charlize Theron

Fecha: 11 | Julio | 2008

Pais: Estados Unidos

Hancock Wallpaper

Debo confezarme fan de Will Smith, en especial por los ultimos trabajos que ha venido realizando y aunque Hancock no es de las mejores peliculas que ha hecho no puedo decir que haya sido un fiasco, incluso esta pelicula nos brinda una perspectiva diferente a lo que habia venido haciendo Marvel con su fiebre de sacar peliculas de superheroes terribles. Considero que la historia de esta pelicula es creible hasta cierto punto, la primera parte donde nos introducen al personaje la encuentro genial, un tipo odiado por todos, sin nada que perder y resignado a ganar. Aun apesar de todo sigue intentando hacer el bien. Incluso la parte donde lo trata de ayudar Ray va todo bien, pero cuando las mujeres meten las manos en la masa jeje… Me parece que la pelicula esta hecha con calma, bien pensada y ha contado con los actores precisos para sacar adelante al proyecto. Los efectos especiales no los dejo atras, calificandolos de buenos dentro de lo que cabe y personalmente me encanto la parte donde clava la camioneta de los asiaticos en el edificio. Para terminar esto les recomiendo ver esta pelicula para que sigan la trayectoria del talentosisimo Will y les aseguro que van a disfrutarla.

…   …   …   …   …

So last night I watched Kings Ransom on TSN.

Kings Ransom is a documentary by actor/ director Peter Berg about the trade that brought Wayne Gretzky to the LA Kings in 1988 that was made for ESPN and their 30 for 30 celebration for their 30th anniversary.

In the 21 years since this trade took place there have been a million pieces written about it, and there are even more opinions surrounding it. After watching the doc last night I got to thinking about what the trade means in the context of sports history and the NHL since that day in early August 1988. By the way, I was 6 when the trade went down and here I am today writing about it. That should tell you how big this thing was.

After the 1988 season the Edmonton Oilers had won their 4th Stanley Cup in 5 years. All of those as a result of a great team out together by owner Peter Pocklington and coach/ general manager Glen Sather. At the forefront of those teams was “The Great One”. Wayne Gretzky was their MVP, the leagues MVP and was on his way to changing the NHL history books forever.

Also after the 1988 season Peter Pocklington was feeling a financial pinch and decided that moving his biggest and bluest chip was the answer to his problems. Wayne Gretzky was sold (or traded if you want to be proper about it) to the LA Kings and their owner Bruce McNall. The price for the greatest player in NHL history? $15 million, 5 draft picks and 2 players.

Now, this isn’t exactly like the sale of Babe Ruth the Yankees by the Red Sox in 1920. It’s not like Peter Pocklington pulled a Harry Frazee and used the cash to make some bad musicals or anything. And the Oilers even won 1 more Stanley Cup after Gretzky left so there was no “Curse of The Great One” like there was the “Curse of The Bambino”. But at the end of the day both moves boiled down to being the sales of the best player in their sports.

In the documentary Peter Berg asks Wayne Gretzky about winning Stanley Cups in Edmonton and how many more he thought there could have been. Gretzky thought about it for a minute and ended up giving an answer of 4. He left Edmonton with his name on the hallowed trophy 4 times and retired 11 seasons later with the same number of engravings.

The NHL has changed since that time. There were 21 teams in the league then and there are 30 now. Since 1988 franchises have been started or moved to Anaheim, Tampa Bay, San Jose, Atlanta, Dallas, Phoenix, Nashville and Sunrise, Florida. I really don’t think that any of these teams would be where they are today if it wasn’t for the move that took Gretzky to LA. In fact, I think that had Gretzky stayed in Canada whether it was with the Maple Leafs or Canadiens or even the Winnipeg Jets we would still have teams in Quebec City and Winnipeg and there may already be a second Toronto team and maybe Hamilton and Halifax would have NHL franchises as well.

Without Wayne Gretzky there wouldn’t have been the glitz and glamour campaign to bring hockey to the southern United States. Pockets of NHL fans would have been there still, but they wouldn’t be watching teams play in front of empty arenas on TV every night.

Peter Berg did a great job in getting interviews from Wayne and Janet Gretzky as well as Peter Pocklington, Glen Sather and Bruce McNall for the doc.

Sather stuck to his guns and said that he was “more than pissed off” by the trade and even told Gretzky that he would resign as general manager if he didn’t want to go so the trade would have had to have been stopped.

Pocklington says that it was a business decision and he would have kept Gretzky if a contract extension could have been reached, but he would have been underpaid.

McNall calls it the biggest thing that ever happened in his life.

There are a lot of people in Edmonton who felt the same way. Their favourite adopted son was taken from them. The City of Champions was rocked by the news, the hockey world was rocked by the news and the landscape of the NHL was changed forever.

Maybe not all for the bad, I mean there is probably no way that Alyssa Milano would have turned into such a big hockey fan if Gretzky hadn’t come to LA while she was making Who’s the Boss?.

In the end even Gretzky says that if he could change everything he’s not sure he would. There are a lot of things that could be very different if Peter Pocklington hadn’t called Bruce McNall. But you know what they say, ‘if ifs and buts were candies and nuts we’d all have a merry Christmas.” The only thing we do know is that Wayne Gretzky is the greatest player and icon in the history of hockey. And 21 years later Wayne Gretzky being traded is still one of the biggest things that has ever happened in professional sports.

August 9, 1988 is a day that will live in infamy for Canadians. It marks the day that Peter Pocklington sold Canada’s favourite son, Wayne Gretzky. It was a trade that literally shook the nation to its core. If hockey is a religion in Canada then Wayne is Jesus. To get a sense of the fanaticism surrounding hockey you have to realize that the government contemplated stepping in and blocking the trade. People sent death threats to Pocklington and he still hasn’t been forgiven 20 years later. Poor Edmonton, the city Wayne practically founded, has spiralled into a meth and hooker binge that it has yet to recover from (or so To Serve and Protect would have me believe).

Kings Ransom is a documentary by Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights) investigating the development and culmination of the biggest trade in sports history. It’s part of the ESPN series 30 for 30, which is a set of documentaries celebrating ESPN’s 30^th year. These aren’t necessarily the 30 biggest sports stories of the past 30 years, rather, they are 30 stories that 30 prominent directors were compelled to make. This gives an interesting view on diverse and often obscure subjects such as the USFL and the advent of Rotisserie baseball (excessively excited for that one…seriously).

Berg shows an incredibly balanced and insightful look into the mechanics of the Gretzky deal. There are interviews from all major players in the trade, including Gretzky, Pocklington, Bruce McNall, Glen Sather, Janet Gretzky, and Walter Gretzky. I wouldn’t suggest that Pocklington is redeemed with this documentary because it’s clear that this was a trade that needed to be consummated for all parties, but his reasoning is certainly understandable.

Seeing the intricate details of the deal was interesting since the modern sports world is business driven and almost all trades have a financial component. This trade just happened to have a very, very large financial component ($15 million dollars exactly).

Since the trade it’s become clear that this was the best thing for all parties involved. It was especially beneficial to the game, which Wayne acknowledges played a role in his decision. After Wayne’s move South the game has exploded from 21 teams to 30, many of which reside in the Southern U.S. Well, that hasn’t necessarily been as successful as initially hoped, but they’re trying. Actually, they’re failing terribly, but let’s save that topic. Pocklington escaped financial trouble and the Oilers even won a Stanley Cup without Gretzky in 1990. Although, I’m sure this only momentarily subsided the bitterness and hatred surrounding the deal.

One of the most interesting aspects of the documentary is when Berg asks Gretzky about his regrets about leaving Edmonton, probing him about additional Cups he may have won with the Oilers. It seems as if Gretzky never really wanted to leave Edmonton, but he knew that he didn’t have a real choice in the matter, he needed to do what was best for the game.

TSN is broadcasting the 30 for 30 documentaries, although it seems they are having trouble finding time slots to play them all. So, I don’t necessarily know when each air and whether they will receive repeat showings. These are truly interesting films made by people very passionate about the subjects. This is abundantly clear in Berg’s filmmaking. Recounting the trade made me feel sad and betrayed. Maybe it didn’t do much for Peter Pocklington because I still hate him.

  Ok so this isn’t really an Ode to buddy Garraty, but that would only be because I am not sure how to write an Ode.  However after last night’s episode featuring our favorite booster I felt he deserved some FNL love.   When I first began watching FNL I didn’t much like the loud, brash man who felt he had every right to bug Coach about anything and everything surrounding the Panthers.  I mean hell it was his fault Coach had that trouble back in Season 1 regarding whether or not the Panthers were going to have to forfeit a game because of illegally recruiting Ray “Voodoo” Tatum.  Between Buddy and Voodoo it was looking like Coach Taylor and the Panthers might not even get the chance to go to state.  Plus if it weren’t for his meddling Matt would never have had to go back to being second string.  Oh yeah to say I didn’t like him would be an understatement.  Loathed would be a much better word.  And let’s not forget that he cheated on his wife, tried to bribe the women he was sleeping with, and basically told his one time golden boy, Jason Street, that because he could no longer walk he wasn’t good enough for his precious little girl, Lyla.  Does any of this not scream dirtbag?  I didn’t think so.

Before the show even began to air I was predestined not to like Buddy and oh I could repeat the excuses I used in the beginning, but the truth of the matter is that I just didn’t understand guys like him.  Or hell anyone like him.  To me they were just trying to relive a time that was no longer relevant.  I thought that their life must have really sucked to be tied so closely to their past glory days.  I couldn’t even bring myself to be interested in my own high school football team so someone whose entire self worth is wrapped up in a game he longer plays was alien to me.   But then something strange began to happen, I began to like Buddy, no scratch that I began to love Buddy.  Perhaps it started when during the last couple of episodes of Season 1 we really got to see how much he had come to respect and like the coach.  Some where over the first season Buddy became more than just a cheating, lying dirtbag.  He became a friend. 

No longer could I imagine a team that didn’t have Buddy standing on the sidelines cheering the boys on.  And when I saw the new coach in Season 2 (according to Imdb he didn’t have an actual name) push Buddy off the field and regulated him to spectator my heart broke for the guy.  He had lost everything; his family, his friend, and now his team.  But our Buddy isn’t one to take things lying down and spent the next couple of weeks do anything he could to bring his friend and the rightful Panther coach back to the field.  In the 3rd season Buddy faced what was probably his biggest challenge and that was saying goodbye to Lyla.  But once again Buddy proved what a stand up guy he truly is.  He is a man that makes mistakes and rather than run from them he meets them head on. 

But it wasn’t until Wednesday’s episode that I actually found myself cheering for him.  Here was a man that could no longer stand by and watch Joe McCoy and Wade Aikmen destroy the team that he had loved all those years.  He could no longer stand by and watch as people he had always called friends turn into people he just couldn’t understand.  And when he stood in front of his fellow Boosters and declared “I’m not a Panther any more!” my heart leapt for the courage and strength that must have taken.  Well Mr. Garraty I too am not a Panther any more.  Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can’t Lose.

I’ve just watched Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel (which was great) so not sure but I may have gone through a time leak back to 1st April.

The news on the street, according to Latino Review, is that the film based on Hasbro’s boardgame, Battleship, to be directed by Peter Berg is going to be an international five-ship fleet engaged in a very dynamic, violent and intense battle with ALIENS!

I am assuming they are Aliens from the very seas of Earth as it would be a tad silly having and invading force travel the vastness of space to then land in the seas and duke it out with our ships…

Peter Berg decided to drop a remake of Dune to do this. Good decision or bad?

My brain is still trying to process that one so go and talk about it in the comments

Título: Hancock
Título original: Hancock
País: USA
Estreno en USA: 02/07/2008
Estreno en España: 18/07/2008
Productora: Columbia Pictures / Forward Pass / Overbrook Entertainment
Director: Peter Berg
Guión: Vy Vincent Ngo y Vince Gilligan
Reparto: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman, Daeg Faerch, Darrel Foster, Lauren Hill, Valerie Azlynn, Ron Fassler, Lily Mariye, Kate Clarke

Sinopsis:

Hay héroes… hay superhéroes… y luego está Hancock. Un gran poder conlleva una gran responsabilidad. Todo el mundo lo sabe. Todo el mundo, menos Hancock. Insatisfecho, atormentado, sarcástico e incomprendido, las acciones heroicas y bienintencionadas de Hancock cumplen su objetivo y salvan muchas vidas pero siempre provocan unos tremendos desaguisados. La población ya no puede más, y aunque está agradecida de tener a su héroe local, los buenos ciudadanos de Los Ángeles se preguntan qué es lo que han hecho para merecer a este tipo. Hancock no es alguien al que le importe lo que piense la gente, hasta el día en que salva la vida de Ray Embrey, alto ejecutivo de una empresa de relaciones públicas. Es entonces cuando el impopular superhéroe se da cuenta de que, al fin y al cabo, tiene un lado vulnerable.

Opinión:

¿Y si Superman tuviera una depresión de caballo que le hiciera empinar el codo de manera brutal? ¿Y si fuera una lacra social que mete la pata una y otra vez al tratar de ayudar? ¿Y si fuese mas temido y odiado que querido y respetado? Este es el brillante planteamiento inicial del film. El problema es que a los cuarenta minutos se acaba la película, y no sabiendo por donde tirar, alargan la cosa malamente, con una subtrama cuanto menos absurda.

¡Ballena va!

Pero si te quedas con el inicio del largometraje, te vas a encontrar comedia negra de la buena, con un Will Smith contenido y depresivo que evita hacer el payaso, pero que mete la pata una y otra vez para solaz nuestro. Todos sus intentos de rescate, con unos efectos especiales maravillosos, son la monda, y la inclusión de Jason Bateman refuerza esa comicidad.

¿Dioses o superheroes?

Pero luego a Berg le da por ponerse dramático e intenta explicar lo inexplicable. Esta pretensión de intentar hacer que su película sea algo mas que una simple comedia lo único que consigue es destrozar algo que iba muy bien. Pero quedaos con esa primera parte, donde todavía no han amariconado a Hancock y lo pasareis muy pero que muy bien.

Puntuación:

6 / 10

El director Peter Berg ha abandonado Dune, futura superproducción que, anunciada tiempo atrás, no ha terminado de arrancar. La nueva adaptación del clásico de Frank Herbert se queda por el momento sin cabecilla, aunque al parecer se ha comenzado la búsqueda de un nuevo realizador. Suenan por el momento dos nombres: Neill Blomkamp y Neil Marshall. Ambos entrarían en el perfil que se busca, un director que pueda sacar adelante el proyecto por unos de 175 millones de dólares, que rechace los anticuados efectos especiales de los 80 (que usó David Lynch en la primera adaptación cinematográfica del 1.984) y que tenga una pasión preexistente por la saga literaria y entusiasmo por el proyecto. El favorito es Marshall, aunque hay quien piensa que no sería capaz de manejar con éxito un presupuesto tan grande después de que su mayor éxito haya sido una obra modesta (aunque cautivadora) como The Descent. En contra de Blomkamp estaría su inexperiencia y el hecho de que ya esté preparando su próximo proyecto. Marshall por su parte ya ultima Centurion. Es de suponer que pronto tengamos noticias al respecto, si es que por fin la película logra salir adelante.

 Once again Peter Berg and Jason Katims prove why Friday Night Lights is perhaps the best show on television right now.  Season four brings us back to Dillon, Texas or better yet East Dillon and folks lets just say the Lions have a long way to go before they reach greatness.  Which can we all agree that there is nothing better than watching the underdog prevail?  For a minute there, just a minute mind you, I was worried that I might feel torn between my beloved Panthers and my newly beloved Lions.  But then I realized that it wasn’t the Panthers that I loved, it was the players, the people, and of course the coach.  They weren’t my Panthers any more.  They belonged to someone else and you know what?  They can have them.  Because if there is one thing tonight’s episode showed me and that was no matter what the Panthers were nothing without Coach Taylor. 

    What happened to sweet little JD?  Last season he was this delicate little boy who needed protecting from the big bad world.  he was shy and quiet and even a little submissive.  But boy how a year can change things, he seems to be channelling DW Moffett’s  arrogant smirk (whom I love to hate by the way).  Now he is arrogant, self assured, and apparently a dog considering he was hitting on Julie even though he knew she was dating Matt.  Speaking of Matt, it is looking like the decision to stay behind and not go to college isn’t working out so well (which as we all know will eventually pave the way for Zach Gilford’s eventual exit).  The poor guy just can’t seem to catch a break.  First he gives up art school to take care of his grandma, who sadly seems to be slipping even more, played to perfection by the lovely Louanne Stephens.  Then he is stuck going to Dillon Tech who apparently doesn’t like his, I wish I could draw as well, and delivering pizzas to ex-teammates.  I for one will be sad to see Zach Gilford leave but as with FNL by the time he does leave we will be ready and excited for the character to move on with life. 

  Ah the guy who used to be Tim Riggins is wandering just as aimlessly now as he was when he was in high school.  To be quite honest it never rang true for the character to go off to college for me at least.  He always seemed more of a home town guy.  Which is ok and not in the least bit tragic.  Because here is the thing about FNL, it’s an honest show and it takes the characters and leaves them in a place that rings true.  FNL doesn’t cater to flashy gimmicks to get people to watch it or big grandoise stories to keep them watching.  It simply goes on with life as it knows it.  When a special guest star comes on (like last nights Alicia Witt) they know that they are playing a character that is a real as any one you would meet in a small town.  After the inital “Hey isn’t that…?” you forget they are a big name and get down to the business that is life in Dillon.

  Poor Coach and Tami, if it isn’t one thing it is another.  Tami is stuck as the prinicpal of West Dillon while her husband is across town coaching at the horribly under funded East Dillon and although she knows that the redistricting is a wildly unpopular desicion she has to grit her teeth and do the responsible thing.  Which apparently seems to be sticking it to Joe McCoy and the new coach (forgot his name, sorry) in a small but definite act of revenge.  Ok it may just be me but I believe only Connie Britton can make the phrase “Flip the coin” sound unbelievably sexy.  Eric sure as hell agreed.  Didn’t you just want to take Eric in a hug and tell him everything was going to be all right?  He sure has an uphill battle to fight this season and if it were any one else I may have been worried, but since it is him I’m not.  I know the East Dillon Lions may not reach the glory that the Panthers know this season, but I have a feeling that one day Lions football will be just as big as it’s more loved brother school.

Moments that deserve special mention:

Landry asking his teammate if he needs a toy to keep his attention.  Classic Landry.

Matt & Landry throwing the football and reminding us so subtly that even though they have come so far at the heart of it all they are still the same friends they were back in Season 4.

Julie calling JD a jerk.

Tim & Billy Riggins fighting as real brothers do.  All Billy wanted was a better life for his brother and instead he has to sit by and watch all his hard work get thrown away.

Any scene with Kyle, Connie, & Aimee.  Yes real families to act that way.

Buddy Garraty, Buddy Garraty, Buddy Garraty.  Need I say more?

So there you have it.  Friday Night Lights is back and I for one couldn’t be happier.  Now I just have to find an East Dillon Lions T-shirt.

'DUNE' (DAVID LYNCH Version) Movie Poster circa 1984

Read more HERE.

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Peter Berg has left the new adaptation of Dune, according to CHUD.

It turns out Berg has lots of things on the go at the moment and Dune has suffered because of it.

Apparantly, Neil Marshall (The Descent) and Neill Blomkamp (District 9) have both been contacted but I cannot see either of them doing it and to be honest I don’t think Dune will be made any time soon.

Maybe Peter Jackson should have a crack at Dune? Who would you want to see direct a Dune film not that Peter Berg has left the project?

  On Wednesday October 28th Direct TV will begin airing Season 4 of Friday Night Lights.  Those of you who have to wait for NBC to get off their respective asses and wait til next year to watch.  I am so sorry for you guys because I for one will be spending every Wednesday night with East Dillon.  OMG did I just say East Dillon?  Whoa that was weird.  For all of you who have not watched this gem of a show your are missing one of the best acted, directed, produced, and written shows, ever.  And no I am not jsut saying that because I am a fan of the show.  I am saying it because it’s true.  Don’t believe me?  Watch it, go ahead I’ll wait for you to see I am right. 

Ok so I won’t wait, but I’m still right.  The usual reaction I get when people find out that I wath FNL is one of shock because it seems the general public has the impression that it is just another high school football show.  To that I say has there ever been another high school football show?  Yes I know that back in the 90s Ben Affleck starred in a little known show on NBC called Against The Grain but even that wasn’t a high school football show.  So I really would like to know what show these people are referring too and where was I when it was on.  In fact the only football show I remember was on HBO called 1st & 10 and that was definitly not a high school show. 

Now some of you may remember a movie by the same name that was directed by Peter Berg and this show would be a continuation of that movie without actually being that movie.  Instead of Billy Bob Thornton (who did a wonderful job in that role by the way) as the lead character we have the horribly underrated Kyle Chandler as Eric Taylor.  And reprising her role as the coaches wife (albeit with a different name) Connie Britton brings a realism that is just not seen on television or hell even movies any more.  Now most shows that feature a high school delegate the adults to background cameo roles that show up only when a lesson needs to be learned, but FNL wouldn’t be the same without Eric and Tammy Taylor.  They are in essence the heart and soul of the show.  When they hurt, we hurt.  When they are frustrated, we are just as frustrated.  Their joys are ours and well you get the point.  Here is a couple that the audience can relate to on more than just a will they or won’t they scenario.  They argue, they fight, and they love better than any couple I have seen. 

   Now like any show that features high school kids FNL has its own cast of diamonds in the making.  Seriously did anyone see Taylor Kitsch coming?  Or could have possibly guessed that Adrianne Palicki would turn, along with the awe-inspiring Jesse Plemmons, a story that had all the possibilty of going horribly wrong into one of the most touching storylines ever.  And who’s heart didn’t break when the perpetual underdog Matt Saracan (played with such heart by Zach Gilford) finally brokedown and yelled at his coach for all the disappointment he had had to endure from the people who were supposed to love him.  Now I will be honest that Aimee Teegarden’s character Julie Taylor irritated the hell out of me, but that was more because I remember being just as selfish and juvenile as she was at fifteen.  FNL also has a way of introducing new characters in such a way that you don’t feel as if they are replacing our old favorites, but instead they are folded into the show so quietly that after a while you feel as though they have been there all along.  That isn’t to say that when a character leaves you feel as though they were never there in the first place, but instead you feel as though that character has just moved on with life as if it were the normalist thing in the world.  And in truth that is exactly the way it is in real life.  People come and go from our lives but for the time that they are there they were important and they meant something. 

  When the lights finally do go out on FNL (and trust me that will be a sad day) Peter Berg,Jason Katims, and yes even NBC can sit back and be proud that even though it was a show that was loved by few it was loved and deserved more than it received.  And although we fans of the show will be sad to see it end atleast we will be able to believe that in some part of the world life in Dillon, Texas goes on and our beloved coach is telling a new crop of football players “Clear Eyes Full Hearts Cant Lose.”

Qual a razão para viver? Qual a razão para morrer? Qual a razão para lutar? Qual a razão para resistir? Essas são as principais questões a serem indagadas em Leões e Cordeiros. O filme mostra diferentes situações e visões sobre a guerra no Afeganistão. Desde o topo (o governo) à população pobre que como sempre, mais sofre as conseqüências de algo que eles (o povo) não têm controle.

Inspirados por um professor idealista, que os estimula a fazer algo importante na vida, dois universitários decidem alistar-se no Exército e lutar no Afeganistão. Enquanto isso, em Washington, um senador candidato à presidência dos EUA está a contar uma história bombástica a uma jornalista que pode determinar para sempre os destinos dos dois universitários.

Titulo Original: Lions Of Lambs

Lançado em: 2009

Direção: Robert Redford

Duração: 1 h e 30min.

ESPN debuted its 30 for 30 documentaries project with Peter Berg’s Kings Ransom, the story of the Wayne Gretzky trade. I’m a history nut. I love documentaries. This project excited me. I wasn’t overwhelmed by this first effort, nor was I underwhelmed. I was…whelmed. I found it a bit nebulous.

Continued at The Big Lead

The angle of NBC this year is reinvention. With the introduction of Jay Leno, the network is trying to change the landscape but this path sometimes peppered with obstacles. Kinks still need to be worked out as the process continues.

Exec Sessions – NBC President Angela Bromstad With the impact of Jay’s moving to 10pm, Conan’s beginnings on “The Tonight Show” and the letting go of “Medium”, the tension in the room was palpable as the focus of the progression of the network continued. Talk first turned to “Heroes” and the specificity of Brian Fuller’s quick hire and then his departure. Bromstad indicates that Fuller was simply brought in to put the series back on track. When that was done, he turned his focus back to development which is their deal with him anyway.

Exec Ben Silverman’s departure Bromstad said was always part of “his” plan which drew some unintentional laughter which she seemed annoyingly puzzled at by saying that he wasn’t planning on being there for a long time anyway. In regards to Leno, she kept pushing off her perception but says that she hopes for a 5 cumulative rating which by structure is a little misleading. She confirmed that they be producing 6 “Weekend Update” specials this year and also admits that this fall with be the true test of Conan’s staying power as “The Tonight Show” host. There seems to be a little bit of tension in the transition as evidenced by an earlier marketing ploy dubbing him the new “King Of Late Night” which they agree was a little premature. They seem much more reserved now in terms of outlook.

Bromstad also speaks of the new series “Day One” which unlike “Heroes” tends to look at more narrow drama. However, any possibility of a second season will obviously hinge on its success in the first.

Another ambitious series: “Kings” (since canceled) was discussed as an experiment. Bromstad said it was an “amazingly big swing” and was “a great production”. However, in a crowded marketplace where you have to sell something, she says that it was ultimately not the right sell. She even admits that when they first developed it with Susan Lancaster, they thought it was a bit too highbrow.

In terms of the new series “Community”, it has been placed to premiere after “The Office” at 9pm which is why the “SNL Update” got the 8pm time slot. In response furthermore to “Southland” which is entering its sophomore season, Bromstad emphasized that the show needs to be more focused, especially on the cop angle of the story coming together.

“Medium” is another angle addressed (in that CBS picked it up after NBC declined to renew it). She says that they were thinking of picking it up until the very end. On an up note, she says that the new season of “Chuck”, which was saved despite lower ratings than expected, is on a great track creatively.

Community This new comedy follows a guy who basically scams his way into a job at a community college as teacher but finds out that he something to give to his students. Dan Harmon, the creator of the show, got the idea from actually going to a community college in Glendale when he was 32. He went to do it with his girlfriend at the time so they could do something together other than sex. His interaction with the different people there is what gave him the idea and jokes that it has the musings of something like “A Charlie Brown Christmas” He says that community colleges to him are funny but sardonically adds that he also thinks farts are funny.

Joel McHale, who stars as the would-be embodiment of Dan, says that he will continue to do “The Soup” on E! but warns jokingly that it will take a lot of uppers and downers to maintain his productivity. He admits that he can’t look at clips at that show the way he used to. He looks over at Chevy Chase (who makes his first venture into television here) and admits that the legendary comedian is “more god than man”.

Chevy, for his part, gives the advice back that “if you are going blind, then you are doing it right” which is a very sinister but subtle quip showing he still has it. He effuses in his Griswold way apologizing for the fact that he is a comedian. Seriously, he admits that right now films are not as good as TV. He, for one, never thought he would be in a situation comedy but the great writing hooked him. The reality he admits is that he doesn’t improvise a lot with his style of comedy. However, he also says, in good natured, ironic, self imposed ignorance on his part that he knows nothing about pop culture from 20 years ago until now.

Trauma By comparison, this view into the emergency response angles of the first response units comes off more “Die Hard” than “ER” simply by the aspect of its teaser footage. There seem to be too many explosions but not enough character traits. This however might only be sizzle and part of the initial pilot run to get viewers interested but, if they have to keep up that level of production value (especially with the bigger chopper explosion that ends the teaser), then the show might become quite expensive.

Exec producer Peter Berg says that the key with shows like this is always to up the ante. He makes the point that medical dramas will always be relevant, saying also that his personal experience on “Chicago Hope” as an actor was a great one. His fellow exec producer Dario Scardapane follows this up emphasizing Peter’s point that the legacy of a medical show lies in the characters. Some of the episodes will revolve around MCIs (which are Mass Casuality Incidents). Dario points to the fact that in the footage we saw, the pile up was such an event. The question he poses (which was my concern) is keeping up the production value which he hopes they can. This, however, is an obstacle from the start, ambitious but also a battle to be fought. The key is that with this show, you increase the pace because you are seeing the action 20 minutes before it hits the hospital doors. It is about working outside of the box although the specter of “ER” still looms large over many medical shows as to what can be done. How do you up the ante for the next generation of medical shows? Bigger is sometimes an option but that can quickly get out of control.

Dario mentions that they shut down the 280 Freeway for the pilot for five days, which is something you would do for a feature (and one that was most assuredly not cheap). The area explore with “Trauma” lies in the fact that “paramedicine” does what the doctors cannot. He says it takes a long time to get to this job but there is a burn out factor. People never step down but sometimes they are asked to leave because the pace and pressure become too much to handle.

Anastasia Griffith, who plays Nancy Carnahan, says that her character is the drug pusher of the clan. She went to medical school but she wants to work on the ground. She has a big heart and wants to connect to the individual which at times is very detrimental to her because it leaves her feeling very isolated in her personal life. She ends up self-medicating with sex.

Cliff Curtis, who plays Reuben Palchuck, angles to the endurance of a second archetype. His character, while being confidant, exudes a coldness in his personal life because he is serving an overall kind of ideology in the essence of service to humanity without judgment. The pilot, he says, serves a certain set up in that they go in like gangbusters on this certain event but a lot of the team dies which causes repercussions in the emotional and physical lives of the surviving members. Curtis says that the series is intense but if they can keep it grounded, it will be a great ride.

White Collar Building off a certain penchant in both “In Plain Sight” and “Breaking Bad” which made them so relevant, USA’s “White Collar” builds from two people who seem to have respect for each other and are more water than vinegar than they would like to relate despite some severe past incidents. It all comes down to an agenda. Like “48 Hrs”, one is a cop and one is a criminal who are working together towards a common goal. How it works is within a state of thought.

Jeff Eastin, the creator of the show, says ultimately the show is about these two guys and their interaction. Two aspects of the story hit him that were important as he was developing it. One, you don’t want one of the guys to look dumb and the other one smart. Tim DeKay’s character Peter Stokes, however, doesn’t want to show that his cards like that yet it shines through. These have to be guys you want to hang with. The key crux for them within the series is based in trust issues. Eastin also relates that when he talked to Tiffany Thiessen about her role as a wife, he told her to look at Abigail Adams (as the “John Adams” miniseries premiered to acclaim at the time they were developing this). Dihann Carroll also makes an appearance in half the episodes of season one as a recurring character called June who adds a delicious edge to the proceedings.

Matt Bomer, who plays Neal Caffrey, the erstwhile criminal serving a different agenda, says that his character is humanized by the fact that he comes from a quixotic place. Ultimately in the overall picture, he is searching for a girl Kate (a lost love) which dominates all his thoughts. The fact that the show is shot in NYC also gives the series, he believes, a distinct mood and tone, which is something that DeKay, who plays his nemesis Peter (who is on the right side of the law), echoes in sentiment citing a scene they shot with Dihann Caroll [on a roof] with the Empire State Building in the background. DeKay admits that Peter, even as a good guy loves a good con but he also likes to solve a good con which points to the fact that the character internally might enjoy working with this guy. But, as DeKay puts it regarding any criminal, “like any 4 year old, you have to hold their hand in the parking lot”.

Stargate Universe This telling attempts to reinvigorate the Stargate franchise by creating more of a “Star Trek” base with an almost “Lost In Space” theme. The selling point on a lot of this is bringing in Robert Carlyle who is mostly known as a film actor. More of these kinds of actors are entering this space because of the increasing production value and acceptance of television as an accepted form in terms of career path.

Robert Cooper, one of the exec producers who has shepherded “Stargate” through its many incarnations on TV, relates that he was a big fan of Joss Whedon’s “Firefly” which set the pace for the world of “Universe” in bringing in a visual style of say “The Shield” or “Friday Night Lights”. When conceiving this new series, they thought in paradox of terms to “SG1” and “Atlantis” in making it less referential. The angle that comes up quite new and fresh is the ability for some of the characters within this new structure to switch consciousness with people on Earth, which can be a “suspension of belief” deal breaker if it is not done right. The crux of the story of “Universe” is that there is not really good guys or bad guys, simply different agendas. Cooper also reveals that the forst episodes will examine different elements in terms of thematics like earth, wind, fire, etc.

Lou Diamond Phillips, who plays Colonel David Telford, says that when was approached, he saw that Robert Carlyle was attached to the property which raised the bar and Ming Na, whom he had known for years, was also involved as an actor. He says he always looks at new things as a life experience and thought this might be a different angle. He sees a series like “Stargate” as comfort food for the American public. Like any genre based show, it works within an unknown or, at least, partially alien setting. The angle with “Stargate” in his mind has iconic characters who are very real and relatable which negates the impact of the setting.

Robert Carlyle, who plays lead character Dr. Nicolas Rush, says that Robert and [co-creator] Brad [Wright] had contacted him around a year ago (September 2008). He was initially caught off guard by it and asked them if they, for sure, had the right guy. When he read the first script “Air” (which is the two hour pilot), he saw it as a challenge and it brought him to a place of enjoying science fiction more. He says that his character is a very dangerous man because, as an audience member, you are not sure what he actually is. He does some dodgy stuff which would probably make some of the other characters want to airlock him. The rub is that he is the one who knows how the technology works.

Alice This new miniseries from ScyFy comes almost in tandem with the feature version that Tim Burton is telling next spring. While that film is a more a telling of the traditional story, this version is more the neo-gothic portrayal using the urban city and casinos as a backdrop instead of the forest.

Nick Willing, who directed this fusion of worlds like his earlier “Tin Man”, said the key was to make the approach both funny and fresh but also with a strong visual flair. The base of the story is that the Mad Hatter is bringing over people from the real world to play at the Queen’s Casino in Wonderland. Like Pleasure Island, if you lose, the Queen gets to take your essence. The people of Wonderland can then drink it for a variety of intents including lust. The thought is that just as we have evolved in the modern world so has Wonderland. The question is what would it be like now as a real place but also how would it be relevant to us today?

Caterina Scorsone, who plays Alice, says that her reaction to the material in the way it was approached here was a bit more visceral. When you are growing up, in her words, you see the real world as not always logical. For her, the illogical here became part of the draw because the whimsy itself then isn’t as threatening. Beneath the surface though, for her, this “Alice” is a compelling love story even though right now it is heavily in the zeitgeist

Kathy Bates, who makes one of her first forays into the fantasy genre, plays the Queen Of Hearts which had always been a dream of hers. The key for her in terms of challenge was to have something psychologically compelling within the character but also to be able to perform without feeling that you have one leg tied to the floor. The key in understanding the Queen within the confines of this world is that she is fascinated by the ideals of feelings and emotions but is, in fact, terrified by her own.

Matt Frewer, who recently appeared in “Watchmen”, said he couldn’t turn down playing The White Knight who, according to the script, is “as crazy as a box of frogs”. The vision of the future as shown in this “Alice” is one where people are innoculated and tranquilized by gambling and the Queen Of Hearts’ nefarious ways. This, in many ways, he says, mirrors some of themes covered in “Max Headroom” in terms of turning large populations into blank canvasses.

Harry Dean Stanton, who plays the Caterpillar, describes this “Alice” as a well defined acid trip. This mirrors some of the production thought of legendary TV producer Robert Halmi who says that this world was mostly built because no locations like this exist. Hence most of it was against green screen in Vancouver. In the computer you can fly with flamingos over the Alps so it just becomes a question of vision.

Mercy This new medical series, which premieres September 23rd (8pm), follows the element of nurses in a less subversive way than say “Nurse Jackie”. Liz Heidens, the creator of the show, wanted to represent a real female friendship where the girls can be wild together. Nurses, as a rule, tend to pick up the pieces in the hospital but they also happen to be heroes and save lives, according to Heidens. For her, this felt like a way to depict real working women. They don’t have martinis in Manhattan…they drink beer in New Jersey. She also says that they will make sure to examine stories about people without health insurance. Her interest primarily lies more in characters that are wrong…and these women are still trying to figure out who they are. Women are usually played with kid gloves on TV and she wanted to change that.

Michelle Trachenberg, who plays Chloe, relates her decision in connecting to the show saying that once when she was in the hospital, the first person to hold her hand was male nurse who had a tattoo of a unicorn on his arm. He did her IV and made sure the ice pack was cold enough. That really made her feel safe. Chloe, for her, is an adult. The character went through nursing school and has the credentials. But, according to her, unlike her in real life, Chloe is shy and quiet. The challenge for her is in keeping it realistic. In her perspective, so many many women are scared by the situation they are in. Chloe looks to the other girls in the hospital (specifically Jamie and Taylor) to support her.

Taylor Schilling, who plays Veronica, says that in researching for this role, it became clear to her that nurses are the backbone of our hospital system. She was interested by this character in that Veronica had just returned from an uncontrolled environment (Iraq). It made her feel like a streetfighter. This world she has come back to is corporate and might feel a little contrived which makes this character almost like a bull in a china shop. In her mind, it is usually the most self protected people who are the most vulberable.

Jamie Lee Kirschner, who plays Sonya, says that her character is a hard worker who gets the job done. Playing the “brown” girl, for her, highlights that. Nurses, in her estimation, are the ones that deal with you freaking out. Her character is still searching for identity but maintaining her focus.

Lloyd Braun, one of the exec producers along with Gail Berman, believes that the big influx of medical shows is just coincidence. He relates that when he was at ABC, and they first were discussing Grey’s Anatomy, the thought was “not another medical show” since there were three other pilots vying for the slot. Every show was tonally different. Here he thought “Mercy” worked the same as well as did “Anatomy”. The key was connecting these people to this moment in time.

Exec Sessions – Rick Ludwin Before Jay Leno came out to discuss his new 10pm show, late night executive Ludwin discussed basic facts to optimize the time with Jay. His points initialized with the thought that 10pm is still prime time. Jay’s show will be on without fail for 52 weeks as a judging basis and that NBC won’t be putting it on a yardstick. Ludwin says that they did three separate studies which said that the audience would be looking forward to this kind of comedy as an alternative at 10pm, specifically in the fact that it leads into the late local news. He adds that music will be a factor in the new show but only twice a week. Comedy, of course, is the “X” factor. There will be “pretty actors” but Ludwin says that it will be more than just talk. In terms of relationships and parallels of booking with “The Tonight Show”, he says that there is a good working relationship. Ludwin stresses that this will be an “important show” but also also makes the point that they are not disappointed in Conan at all. The ratings, of course, is how they will keep score.

They will also be incorporating more advertising/product placement in Leno’s show with Lexus being the initial participant. He defends this thought saying this kind of interaction is in the DNA of television going back to the 50s. Ludwin, for his own part, says that he loves live commercials and would be shocked if the audience liked Jay and didn’t like these commercials.

The Jay Leno Show The big dog came into the house looking svelt, very rested and ready for anything. The first elements out of his mouth was, of course, his impressions on the news of the past months since he has been off the air. For example to the Michael Jackson death and the resignation of Sarah Palin, he says that they go “hand in hand” but that “the Palin thing cheered me up”.

Returning to TV like this was like training for him. For the new show, he got in shape. When he first started “The Tonight Show”, he said that everyone said they hated him (since he was taking over for the great Johnny Carson). For him, comedy is specific because it plays to a certain audience. Leno says he grew up in the era of Jack Benny, Johnny Carson and Bill Cosby. Politics are always in play as well as everything else across the board.

Leno talks about the physical representation of his new show. He finds the new set interesting and says that it is a lot bigger. He has a whole desk but he stresses that this new show will not be a talk or variety format. For example, he has spoken to Brian Williams about doing a segment about pieces that are not good enough for The Nightly News. DL Hughley, by contrast, will be reporting on politics. Rachel Harris (who was just in “The Hangover”) will also be doing some segments.

Leno also progressed into the sardonic considering all the controversy of the past two years which he could really never speak about before. He thinks that he hasn’t changed a whole lot. He is still married to the same woman and drives the same car. His nugget of advice relates to his acronym for “NBC”: Never Believe your Contract”.

He will also have some new cool segments which he could never have done on “The Tonight Show”. Leno relates that one of his favorite TV shows is “Top Gear”. As a result, he built a race track outside the studio. He had these fast electric cars built to race. He says Tom Cruise actually asked if he could get in early and practice.

For him, he thinks 10pm is the new 11:30. The kids in their 20s and 30s don’t stay up as late as they used to (in his perspective). Television, for him, now needs to be about immediacy. His example is that “The Today Show” got the airliner as it was landing in the Hudson. Does he expect to beat CSI? No. But he will catch them in the reruns.

Leno also slips that Kevin Eubanks came up with a new theme song. His Jay Show will start in as quickly as ten seconds. His quip is that it is “good food at sensible prices”. He comments on musical guests saying that it will get you a good studio audience but sometimes not a great TV audience. He will not have three guests. He will have one…maybe two, and then the racetrack. He also reminds everyone that, with “The Tonight Show” when he came in, it was number one and when he left it was number one. “The Jay Leno Show” in his estimation will have something for everyone.

He offers a peak at his competitors saying that there are good scripted dramas out there (he specifically highlights “Burn Notice”) but says also that he is very proud of his writers saying he has “the top five guys in the guild”.

When asked about his feeling about NBC and if he thinks he is coming into save them, he responds: “The networks are on their own. Screw them. There are things I like about it. There are things I don’t like about it”. He admits towards the end of his run, he was getting complacent at “The Tonight Show”. He adds that though, that if this new show goes down in flames, “we’ll be laughing all the way down”.

He unashamedly says that his confidence (exuded here) comes from the point now that he is rich. He doesn’t need to do this. He wants to. He also wants to make the point that there is no tension between Conan and him. He says that “when you play, this is how you play”. He admits that there will probably be booking wars between them. Jay then makes a General Motors reference saying that different engines make a difference. His point: “It is a game…and you play to win.”

He makes reference to David Letterman in terms of how he had a show on the same network and moved away. He says that one thing that kills people in Hollywood is bitterness. Leno says he “got it” when they wanted to take him off “The Tonight Show” when it was still number one and he admits that “there is only so much pie you can eat”. In all seriousness, he did say he had no desire to ever go to ABC because that, in effect, would create that “bitterness” which he says is so destructive.

NBC TCA Party With the Jay pinnacle ending the day, the party headed outside to the main garden area behind the Langham where the food smelled great and the open air concept truly encouraged interaction.

After proceeding to the Patron Bar, which held everything in account (especially the new coffee version), the life of the party spread out. Across the way there was a Dutch Bar set up with chocolate and golden lagers of exquisite taste. A compatriot of mine and I proceeded over to talk to Jay with the beer girl in tow before I was able to relate to them that, in fact, Jay does not drink. After conversing briefly with Hayden Pantierre (there to support “Heroes”), the day faded into night as a content looking Chevy Chase watched over the grounds with food in hand.

After failing to light up with Robert Carlyle near the beer bar, the late conversation proceeded with the creators of “Stargate Universe”, Brad and Robert, while a couple of the cast members and I did shots of whiskey. The relation of the reboot of this series stuck very clearly in my mind with the emphasis that in re-angling the franchise and making it seen through the eyes of a civilian gives it an almost mythic quality. Although I had not seen the pilot, the casting of Robert Carlyle was genius in that he (like Tim Roth) has so much to bring to this game if they let him go and roar through the screen. It has the possibility to transcend a genre and bridge certain gaps. This critic holds high hopes for the show as they disappear into the night, heading to Vancouver in the morning to begin shooting anew.

NBC as a network has been awash with controversy in the past year but also takes chances. In actuality, its cable siblings are doing some of the best work seen on television in years, specifically USA with “Burn Notice” especially but also with “Royal Pains”, “In Plain Sight” and now “White Collar” in the mix. There just seems to be a never-ending stream of good material from that specific net. Of course though, times change fast. ScyFy is also doing well with “Warehouse 13” opening to good numbers and “Caprica” on the way along with the aforementioned “Stargate: Universe”. NBC proper is the only one not entirely surefooted. While shows like “Chuck” and “Heroes” show the possibilities at times of good writing, the overemphasis on new medical shows and an erstwhile non-studio sitcom might have trouble gaining traction along with the loss of the 10pm hour.

The biggest gamble of course is “The Jay Leno Show” which has no guarantee to work despite good pedigree. It is the move that everyone is watching. It simply becomes a wait and see game.

Robert Pattinson

Al parecer, el protagonista de Crepúsculo no será Paul Atreides en la versión de “Dunas”  de Peter Berg , uno de los grandes clásicos de la ciencia ficción. El libro ya había sido llevado a la pantalla en 1984, y la cinta sigue siendo un clásico, por lo que existía cierto temor sobre la forma en que se estaría realizando el remake, lo cual aumentó de forma notable cuando corrió el rumor de de Robert Pattinson llevaría el papel principal. Afortunadamente, sabemos que el elenco aún no está elegido, y que el actor tiene ya compromisos sobre la saga antes mencionada, así que ya hay algo menos de que preocuparse.

From the Executive Producer of Friday Night Lights, Peter Berg brings the fast paced world of EMT’s to our living rooms.  Wait did I say fast paced?  Oops sorry what I meant to say was…well to be quite honest I have no idea what to say about Trauma other than I didn’t hate it.  But I didn’t like it either.  Each accident you could see coming from a mile away and when the trauma team arrived well let’s just say it was pretty lack luster.  There was no sense of urgency among the actors.  I felt that just about anybody could have been responding to the accident.  There was a detachment between the action and the actors.  It was as if someone was standing behind the camera and literally telling them what to do next.  Which is strange considering that this is not the first show of this type to air on NBC.  ER was practically revered for it’s accurate portrayal of medical terms and traumas.  Hell even Third Watch was spot on when it came to emergencies and the reactions of the actors.

  The premiere starts off with a group of EMT’s responding to an accident on the roof of a building (the first accident you see coming from the beginning).  The only bonus points I gave this scene is almost at the exact moment I was thinking it was ironic that they were shocking a guy with electricity to save his life after being shocked by electricity that was trying to end his life Kevin Rankin’s (Lost, Bionic Woman) character Tyler Briggs said almost the same thing.   That was pretty cool, but unless millions of people were thinking the same thing as I was than I am pretty sure I was the only one who thought that scene was cool.  Unfortunately we don’t learn much about Kevin’s character in this episode but I am a huge Kevin fan so I am hoping that changes.  His partner played Cameron Boone, played by Derek Luke (Madea Goes To Jail, Antwone Fisher) we learn later has family problems and seems to be a serial cheater for reasons we will soon learn about. 

  Anastasia Griffith plays the resident tortured soul (to be fair they all seem to play that role except Reuben, more on that later) Nancy Carnahan who likes to have sex with her partner in the back of her rig (thats what they call ambulances) and give dull performances.  Don’t worry about her sex partner because he doesn’t last longer than the first 10 minutes or so, but that seems to be the cause of most of her pain.  Though they do hint at some troubled family history that will probably come more into play later on.  She gets a new partner in the middle of the premier and as much as I would like to tell you about him I honestly can’t remember anything except he looked vaguely familiar. 

  Finally we get to the only two people in this entire episode that interested me in the slightest Aimee Garcia (George Lopez, CSI: Miami) and Cliff Curtis (soon to be seen in The Last Airbender).   Aimee plays Iraq Vet Marisa Benez who I guess flew helicopters when she in the Army an Cliff plays Reuben Palchuck a crazy Helicopter pilot who barely escaped a crah in midair and now believes he can’t die.  Sounds lame I know but he plays it with such intensity and fevor that you can’t help but to like him.  I am looking forward to seeing the two of them play off each other in future episodes if I continue to watch Trauma because the bottom line is that even though I am a fan of 3 of the actors on the show I am not sure if that is worth investing any time in it.