The article explores the portrayals of people with autism spectrum disorders in pop culture, from films like Dear John and Adam to television series like Grey's Anatomy, Parenthood, Community, and The Big Bang Theory.
I also talk to some of theses projects' creators--including Community creator Dan Harmon and Parenthood showrunner Jason Katims--about why they are--or aren't--labeling their characters as autistic.
Head to the comments section to be sure and let me know what your take is on this trend and whether it matters or not that these characters are labeled or whether it's the discussion of neurodiversity that their presence creates that's far more important.
Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.
The CW has given early renewals to five of its series, including freshman drama The Vampire Diaries, reality series America's Next Top Model, and Gossip Girl, Supernatural, and 90210. However, not on the list are One Tree Hill, which has even odds at renewing, the ratings-starved Melrose Place, and newbie Life Unexpected, which has struggled in the ratings. (Variety)
There's a bit of a caveat to that early Supernatural renewal. Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that creator/executive producer Eric Kripke will be stepping down as showrunner on the Warner Bros. Television-produced series, with executive producer Sera Gamble set to take over the reins next season. "Kripke will remain actively involved in the show — and not just in name only," writes Ausiello. "Although CW and Warner Bros. reps declined to comment, a Supernatural insider assures me that Kripke and his current co-showrunner, Robert Singer, will continue to function as hands-on executive producers." Kripke, meanwhile, is in the process of negotiating a new deal with the studio that will contain a "big development component." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
[Editor: Meanwhile, The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan spoke with Gamble via email about Season Six of Supernatural. "No, you will not be getting Apocalypse, The Squeaquel in Season 6 (that's hilarious)," Gamble wrote to Ryan. "We're climaxing that story this season. We've been working on the Season 6 storyline for quite some time, and we're very excited about it. We have lots of ideas, and are grateful for the chance to keep the show going. Please tell the fans that the writers say thank you! We so appreciate the support." You can read Ryan's full post about the situation here.]
Dinotopia, redux? FOX is said to be in discussions with Steven Spielberg and Peter Chernin about Terra Nova, a potential drama series about a family who travels back in time from 100 years in the future to prehistoric times, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Project, from 20th Century Fox Television, was written by Craig Silverstein and Kelly Marcel and would likely be ordered directly to series, given the expensive nature of the sets and SFX necessary to bring the prehistoric world to life. Should the project get the greenlight, Spielberg, Chernin, Silverstein, and Marcel would serve as executive producers, along with Katherine Pope, Justin Falvey, and Darryl Frank. (Variety)
[Editor: The Wrap's Josef Adalian, meanwhile, takes a look at why FOX shouldn't go ahead with the Terra Nova project by investigating Spielberg's less than stellar track record in the television series business. You can read his piece here.]
Poppy Montgomery (Without a Trace) and Marc Blucas (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) have been cast as the leads on ABC drama pilot True Blue. Project, from ABC Studios, revolves around a group of former best friends who went through the San Francisco Police Department together who now reunite to solve the murder of one of their members. Montgomery will play Katherine Miller, described as "the only female police captain in San Francisco, who was once married to another member of the team (Blucas), a detective." Pilot will be directed by Peter Horton. (Hollywood Reporter, Variety)
Taryn Manning (Sons of Anarchy) has been cast as a regular in CBS drama pilot Hawaii Five-O, a remake of the classic television series. Manning will play Mary Ann McGarrett, the younger sister of Detective Steve McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin), who is said to have a "checkered past." (Variety, Hollywood Reporter)
E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos is reporting that former Melrose Place cast member Colin Egglesfield will be guest starring on ABC's Brothers and Sisters in a storyline that is set in the past and which will offer younger incarnations of the Walkers. "Colin is now the frontrunner to fill the shoes of William Walker," writes Dos Santos. "As we previously reported, ex-original Beverly Hills, 90210 star Daniel Cosgrove was set to play Tom Skerritt's dearly departed dad, but once that didn't work out, Colin found himself employed once again." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)
Eugene Levy (Taking Woodstock) has been cast in CBS multi-camera comedy pilot Hitched, from writer/executive producers Josh Schwartz and Matt Miller (Chuck). Project, from Warner Bros. Television, revolves around a newlywed couple who are still learning about each other. Levy will play the husband's father, described as "a tracksuit-wearing four-times-divorced lothario." (Hollywood Reporter)
British production entity Working Title is entering the television business, launching Working Title Television, which will be a joint venture between the British indie and NBC Universal International and will be based in Los Angeles and London. Unit will be headed up by former NBC Universal Television executive Shelley McCrory; the first project from the venture is Cindy Chupack's NBC romantic comedy pilot Love Bites, with Marc Buckland (My Name is Earl) set to direct. (Variety)
Laurie Metcalf (Easy Money) has been cast in FOX multi-camera comedy pilot Strange Brew, from executive producers David Kohan and Max Mutchnik (Will & Grace) and Warner Bros. Television. Metcalf will play the matriarch of a family who runs a small brewery and has problems working and living together. (Hollywood Reporter)
In other pilot casting news: Nelson Franklin (The Office) has been cast as the lead in FOX comedy pilot Traffic Light, based on an Israeli scripted format about a group of friends who live together in a house; James Murray (Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire) has the cast of CBS drama pilot Chaos, about a team of rogue CIA operatives; and Joe Manganiello (One Tree Hill) has been cast as one of the leads in Craig Thomas and Carter Bays' CBS comedy pilot Livin' on a Prayer. (Hollywood Reporter)
FX has postponed single-camera comedy Louie, starring Louis C.K., to June, where it will be paired with drama Rescue Me. No exact launch date was given for either series but FX has indicated that Rescue Me will air at 10 pm ET/PT, followed by Louie at 11 pm. "Louie is a brilliantly funny and original series, and we are excited by the critical response to the show," said John Landgraf, President and General Manager, FX Networks, in a statement. "Even though it is a drama, Rescue Me has always been regarded as one of the funniest shows on television and it will provide an outstanding, compatible lead-in for Louie. We successfully used Rescue Me as a lead-in for the majority of the first season of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. We believe in Louie and want to provide it with the best possible platform for success." (via press release)
As part of the company-wide layoffs announced at Sony Pictures Television, Jeanie Bradley will be leaving the studio. Bradley had most recently been EVP of programming for the studio and had overseen current duties on such series as FX's Damages. (Variety)
Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.
Just what will happen with bubble series like Chuck and Dollhouse? It looks like the fate of many of this year's bubble series, including those and such series as Cold Case, The Unit, My Name is Earl, Scrubs, Gary Unmarried, and Old Christine, will come down to the wire. "Negotiations continue on fan favorites Chuck and Dollhouse, with the shows facing cost-cutting requests from their respective networks, NBC and Fox, and their pickup odds seeming to shift from moment to moment," writes Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd. "Both could go down to the wire." (Hollywood Reporter)
FOX and NBC are close to locking their fall schedules and will do so by tomorrow. FOX is said to be considering ordering a sixth season of reality series So You Think You Can Dance to air this fall, immediately after the fifth season runs this summer. Other possibilities include overweight dating series The Fatchelor, which was originally expected to air this summer, or another cycle of Hell's Kitchen. Lie to Me, which was renewed for 13 episodes, is expected to launch in midseason rather than fall and the network has series like Glee, Fringe, Sons of Tucson, Human Target, House, Bones, Cleveland, and others to play around with. (Dollhouse is still said to be in contention as well.) NBC, meanwhile, is mulling splitting The Biggest Loser's two-hour weekly run into two one-hour installments and it's thought likely that the Peacock will bring back Medium, Law & Order, and--yes--Chuck, which appeared on some leaked potential schedules yesterday. (Variety)
ABC Studios is reportedly shopping dramedy Reaper to CW affiliate stations as a syndicated series for Sunday evenings (which are now under control of the affiliates rather than the netlet) or on cable. Several problems, however, make either scenario a bit of a longshot. For one, series co-star Tyler Labine is set to star in FOX comedy series Sons of Tucson next season (though there are discussions about whether he might be contractually obligated to return to Reaper) and Reaper creators Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters have been signed to an overall deal at rival studio 20th Century Fox Television. (Hollywood Reporter)
Entertainment Weekly has confirmed that Kristin Cavallari will replace Lauren Conrad on MTV's The Hills next season. She'll first appear in the May 31st season finale and will appear in ten episodes of The Hills next season, which kicks off in the fall. "I’m a completely different person than Lauren," said Cavallari about how the series will be different with her. "I have a lot more energy. I’m more outgoing. I’m a little more spontaneous. And she has a boyfriend so she’s not dating on the show. I’m very open to dating and finding a guy." (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)
Nikki Finke is reporting that FOX has passed on comedy pilots AbFab and Two Dollar Beer and drama pilot Eva Adams. (Deadline Hollywood Daily)
Meanwhile in other pilot-related news, ABC is said to be high on dramas Happy Town, Eastwick, and The Forgotten, while Empire State and Inside the Box remain in contention and V could bow as a midseason series as well as being high on comedies Cougar Town, The Middle, Romantically Challenged, and The Law. FOX is said to be strongly favoring comedy Brothers and wavering on drama Past Life. Melrose Place and Vampire Diaries are considered locks for the CW's fall schedule, with the last remaining spot going to either Privileged, Life Unexpected (formerly known as Light Years), or The Beautiful Life. CBS is said to be strong on Accidentally on Purpose and Waiting to Die as well as Happiness Isn't Everything, which could launch in midseason. On the drama side, it's the untitled NCIS spin-off, Three Rivers, and The Good Wife looking the most certain for series orders. (Hollywood Reporter)
Say goodbye to Remote Free TV. Yes, FOX has decided to put the initiative, which saw the network air fewer ads during series Fringe and Dollhouse at a higher premium, out to pasture. Next season Fringe will decrease its content time and typically run a more normal batch of commercials. (Wall Street Journal)
Doctor Who's David Tennant has been hired as the new host of PBS' Masterpiece Contemporary. His first appearance on the revamped anthology series will take place this fall. (Televisionary)
The CW has confirmed that Paulina Porizkova is no longer a judge on reality staple America's Next Top Model. Porizkova broke the news herself during an appearance on CBS' Late Late Show, in which she said that the network had fired her. "Do you know why I'm in Los Angeles?" she asked Ferguson. "... Because I'm looking for a job, because I was fired by America's Next Top Model -- on my birthday." The CW gave no explanation for her dismissal but Porizkova contends that it was a financial decision and that the series had to reduce its budget, dismissing any claims of friction between her and Tyra Banks. (Zap2it)
Los Angeles Times' Joe Flint takes a look at the scaleback facing this year's upfront presentations, with many networks scaling back on lavish parties and overt signs of excess. CBS has moved its post-upfront party from Tavern on the Green to the more sedate Terminal Five, William Morris Agency has cancelled its annual upfront shindig after 25 years, and ABC's party is at an undisclosed location and only open to media buyers. (Los Angeles Times) Nickelodeon has ordered an animated series from Dreamworks Animation based on the feature film Kung Fu Panda, following the success of the studio's The Penguins of Madagascar on the channel. The series, which is expected to launch in 2010, will follows the adventures of Po, the martial arts master panda. Just don't expect Jack Black to reprise his role as Po here (though he will in a feature-based Kung Fu Panda sequel to be released in 2011); sound-a-likes will be used in the animated series. (New York Times)
Susan Levison, the head of comedy development at FOX, is expected to announce her departure from the network soon. Following her departure, the department will be overseed by VPs of comedy development Suzanna Makkos and Marcus Wiley, who will serve as co-heads and report to Matt Cherniss. (Variety)
The Wire's Clarke Peters will appear in an upcoming storyline on BBC One drama Holby City, where he will play Derek Newman, the father of Donna Jackson (Jaye Jacobs), who is admitted to the hospital and learns that he has "cancer of the splenic flexure, pancreas and abdominal wall." It soon falls to Ric Griffin (Hugh Quarshie) to save his life. Peters' first appearance on Holby City is scheduled to air July 14th. (BBC)
Teri Weinberg has hired former NBC manager of comedy programming Rachel Israel to be her VP of programming at Weinberg's new production company Yellow Brick Road. The two have worked together since 2004, when they were both at Reveille, where Israel worked as an intern and Weinberg's assistant. (Variety)
Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.
Samantha Who?'s Jennifer Esposito has been cast in a multiple-episode story arc on USA's Burn Notice, where she will play Michelle Paxon, "a Miami PD detective who becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth about Michael." Esposito is expected to first turn up at the start of Season Three of Burn Notice, scheduled to debut in June. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
Chevy Chase, who'll be seen later this season on NBC's Chuck, has been cast as one of the leads in NBC's comedy pilot Community, where he will play a community college student who has been married five times, opposite Joel McHale. Pilot will be directed by Joe and Anthony Russo (Arrested Development). (Hollywood Reporter)
Richard Dreyfuss (Tin Man) and Jason Biggs (The Pleasure of Your Company) will star in CBS comedy pilot Happiness Isn't Everything, about adult siblings and their parents who are "overinvolved" in each other's lives. Dreyfuss will play the family patriarch while Biggs will play one of the sons, along with Ben Schwartz. Project, from Sony Pictures Television and CBS Paramount Network Television, is executive produced by Mitch Hurwitz. (Hollywood Reporter)
Pilot casting news: Beau Garrett (Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer) and Mike Vogel (Cloverfield) will star in ABC drama pilot Empire State; Sophie Winkleman (Peep Show) will play the titular character in NBC comedy pilot 100 Questions for Charlotte Payne; Matthew Lillard (Scooby Doo) and Janet Varney (Chocolate News) will play the leads in ABC's untitled Jeff Strauss comedy pilot; Paul Campbell (Battlestar Galactica) has landed the lead role in ABC's US remake of comedy No Heroics; Warren Christie (October Road) and Denzel Whitaker (All That) have joined the cast of CBS drama pilot House Rules; Tim Peper (Carpoolers), Stephanie Lemelin (Cavemen), and Baron Vaughn (Teachers) will star in ABC comedy pilot Canned; Lindsey Broad (Ghost Whisperer) has snagged the female lead on NBC drama pilot State of Romance; Jaime Lee Kirchner (Just Legal) will star in NBC medical drama pilot Mercy; Rachel Nichols (Alias) and Laz Alonso (One on One) have joined the cast of CBS' untitled U.S. Attorney drama pilot; Archie Panjabi (Life on Mars) will co-star in CBS' drama pilot The Good Wife; and Larry Joe Campbell (According to Jim) has been added to ABC comedy pilot The Law. (Hollywood Reporter)
Former pro football player Michael Strahan has been cast in FOX comedy pilot Brothers, where he will play a retired NFL player who returns to his hometown and reconnects with his wheelchair-bound brother (Daryl "Chill" Mitchell), injured after a car accident. Project, from Sony Pictures Television and Tantamount. is written by Don Reo and will be directed by Ted Wass. (Variety)
Spike has ordered twelve episodes of sports-themed comedy Blue Mountain State, about three freshmen who attend a football powerhouse state university and have to "adapt to college life while juggling football, women, classes and nonstop hazing." Series, from Lionsgate Television and Varsity Pictures, is set to launch this summer, along with Matt Walsh comedy Players, and stars Darin Brooks, Chris Romano, Sam Jones III, Ed Marinaro, Alan Ritchson, and Gabrielle Dennis. (Hollywood Reporter)
In a bizarre twist, auditions over the weekend for the next cycle of CW's America's Next Top Model turned into pandemonium, with six women receiving medical treatment and three people arrested on charges of inciting to riot and disorderly conduct. Reuters cited a report from a local radio station, which reported that "chaos erupted outside a midtown Manhattan hotel after a car belching smoke pulled up near the line of women late in the afternoon, leading to a cry of "fire" that sparked panic. Witnesses told the station the situation was compounded when a man leapt from a car and began grabbing women's purses." (Reuters)
NBC will once again meet with advertisers before the traditional upfront period at the end of May, scheduling meetings with advertisers on May 4th and 5th in New York, Chicago on May 7th, and Los Angeles on May 12th. The Peacock will not be offering another multi-media NBC Experience as it did in 2008 and is said to be looking at its plans for the actual upfront week, beginning May 18th. (Variety)
The Los Angeles Times looks at the current crop of midseason replacement series and stresses that, besides for highlights like FOX's Lie to Me, the networks have some major problems with this year's offerings both scripted (Castle, Dollhouse) and unscripted (Chopping Block, True Beauty). "Executives can talk all they want about time-shifting and competition and retention levels," writes Scott Collins, "but what the networks really need are hits." (Los Angeles Times)
Tandem Communications has teamed up with Stanley M. Brooks and Jim Head to produce two telepics based on novels of Patricia Cornwell's "At Risk" and "The Front" for Lifetime; move marks the first time that Cornwell's work will be adapted. Telepics will be written by John Pielmeier (Capture of the Green River Killer). (Variety)
The Los Angeles Times talks with Portia de Rossi, the star of ABC's new comedy series Better Off Ted, which launches on Wednesday, about Proposition 8, her new series, and those motherhood rumors. (Los Angeles Times)
Kimberley Nixon (Cranford) has denied reports that she will star in the fifth season of Doctor Who, saying that she hasn't even auditioned. "Absolutely nothing [is happening with Doctor Who]," Nixon told Metro. "They film in my home town so it would be good from a convenience point of view. I haven't heard anything - just what I've read in the papers. I haven't even auditioned." (Digital Spy)
Turner Classic Movies has ordered ten-hour documentary series Moguls and Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood, which will depict the lives of such early Hollywood figures as Darryl Zanuck, Carl Laemmle, Samuel Goldwyn, Louis B. Mayer, and the Warner brothers. Series, written and produced by Jon Wilkman, is scheduled to air next year. (Variety)
Yes, I'm talking about yet another cycle of the ubiquitous CW reality competition series America's Next Top Model, which kicks off its twelfth cycle tonight.
This season seems to be especially high on high-impact casting: it seems as though each of the contestants this year seems to have some sort of life-changing experience, medical issue, or just plain "quirky" backstory that the producers are thrusting front and center.
In the first hour alone, we're introduced to an epileptic, a burns survivor, a girl so obsessed with blood that she's been craving a nosebleed all of her life, a street preacher, and a woman who spends two nights in a toilet stall in Manhattan's Port Authority so she can audition for the series... and, we're told, whose infant daughter died from an epileptic fit.
Overkill? Yep, it's all a little much and this type of casting threatens to turn Top Model into yet another iteration of host/executive producer Tyra Banks' eponymous talk show. There's something to be said for using a reality competition as a platform to educate and inform but here it seems that every cycle includes more and more in-your-face casting choices rather than, well, casting young women who might actually find success as a model.
As for the quality of the contestants, it's still too early to tell just which models we should be keeping an eye on. There are a few who are gifted with natural beauty, others with that blank canvas quality that the judges are so enamored of season after season... and then there's Sandra, a Kenyan beauty who should be able to compete on her jaw-dropping good looks and stunning poise but who seems determined to knock out her competition through subterfuge and manipulation.
Which, yes, has been a rather crucial element of Top Model since the very beginning. But there's definitely a feeling that we've seen all of this before on the series. The premiere episode is set at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas and casts the girls as ancient Greco-Roman goddesses, definitely a better fit than last cycle's disastrous faux-futuristic space lab setting. Along the way there are some touches that take the them a little far: the little Roman tunics, the gold laurel wreaths bestowed on the girls lucky enough to make it to the next round, and rather typically, the girls descending into a squabbling frenzy at the photo shoot that proves just how mortal--rather than divine--they truly are.
I've been on the fence about whether or not to watch this next cycle and the first episode doesn't allay those fears about predictability. Yes, Top Model is heading to a new location: Manhattan's Upper East Side (likely so that the network can do some cross-brand promotion with Gossip Girl) but I don't know that it's enough to reinvigorate a series that been showing some distinct signs of aging of late.
And in the modeling business, there's no worse thing than to be a model who doesn't quite realize she's the oldest one in the room.
Cycle 12 of America's Next Top Model premieres tonight at 8 pm ET/PT on the CW.
Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.
Dana Delany admitted that none of Wisteria Lane's residents feel exactly safe these days, following the announcement that Nicollette Sheridan will leave Desperate Housewives. "Everyone is vulnerable on Wisteria Lane -- any of us could go," said Delany. "Every single person in that cast feels like their days are numbered. I think [Marc Cherry] likes to keep people on their toes." An upcoming storyline will find Delany's Katherine in potential jeopardy. "It's good," said Delany of the upcoming plot, "because that sense of not knowing keeps the actors on their toes and it keeps the audience anticipating." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
Pilot helmer alert: The CW has given an official pilot order to Melrose Place, an update of the soap to be overseen by Darren Swimmer and Todd Slavkin (Smallville). Pilot, from CBS Paramount Network Television, will be directed by Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth, 24) and will focus on the residents of a trendy Los Angeles neighborhood. Elsewhere, Jeffrey Nachmanoff (Traitor) will direct FOX drama pilot Masterwork, from writer/executive producer Paul Scheuring (Prison Break).
And on the casting front, Zosia Mamet (The Unit) and Toni Trucks (Barbershop) have been cast in FOX comedy pilot Ab Fab as Eddie's daughter Saffron and her assistant; Diego Klattenhoff (Men in Trees) will co-star in NBC drama pilot Mercy; and Jason George (Eli Stone) and Sarah Drew (Everwood) have been cast in ABC drama pilot Inside the Box. (Hollywood Reporter)
Meanwhile, the recession has wrought some very noticeable changes this pilot season as the networks are funding more in-house production and are shooting more pilot presentations than full-out pilots. The networks, as seen by recent developments, also seem willing to cut and run from a project if the right combination of casting, director, and showrunner don't materialize. (Variety)
Tamara Feldman (Dirty Sexy Money) will appear in a four-episode story arc later this season on CW's Gossip Girl, where she will reprise her role as Manhattan socialite Poppy Lifton. (Variety)
Patrick Dempsey won't be leaving Grey's Anatomy, but Michael Ausiello has a scoop on McDreamy's status at Seattle Grace in an upcoming story arc on the ABC drama. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
Starz has renewed drama series Crash for a second season of thirteen episodes but the Lionsgate-produced drama will bring in a new creative team for the series, to be overseen by Ira Steven Behr (The 4400), who will serve as executive producer. He'll be joined on the series by James DeMonaco and Todd Harthan (The Kill Point) while creator/executive producer Glen Mazzara will serve as a consulting producer. "About half of the story lines in the first season will continue into Season 2," writes the Hollywood Reporter's Nellie Andreeva. "Roughly half of the cast, including star Dennis Hopper, will stay on." (Hollywood Reporter)
CW's America's Next Top Model is set to start casting its thirteenth cycle later this week with one noticeable change: for the first time in the series' history, applicants need to be 5'7" and under. "There have been top supermodels in the past that weren't as tall as the industry demands, like fashion icon Kate Moss," said series co-creator/host Tyra Banks. "So we are changing up Top Model for cycle 13 and making it a year for the shorter model!" Gee, something tells me these girls will be highly prized in the cutthroat modeling world and not just one of Tyra's latest "causes." (via press release)
Katelynn Pippy has been bumped to series regular on Lifetime's drama series Army Wives; she plays the daughter of Kim Delaney's Claudia. (Variety)
Fox Reality Channel has renewed docudrama The Academy for a third season, which will focus on firefighter recruits. The Academy: Orange County Fire is executive produced by Scott Sternberg. (Hollywood Reporter) Jennifer Aspen (Family Man) has been cast in FOX musical comedy series Glee, where she will play the role of Kendra. (Variety)
Following several weeks of speculation, Peter Chernin will leave News Corp after twenty years and will be "taking up the opportunity to start a new motion picture and television production venture with Fox," according to a memo issued by Rupert Murdoch which confirms that Chernin will not be renewing his contract. So what can Chernin's departure mean for the company? "There will be a streamlined management structure between our Los Angeles-based business units and the rest of the company," writes Murdoch. "Peter and I will be communicating more on this over the next few months. For the time being, of course, the talented executive team at the Fox Group will continue to report to Peter." (Los Angeles Times)
Meanwhile, Nikki Finke claims that former BSkyB executive James Murdoch, Rupert Murdoch's youngest son, may eventually replace Chernin, following a period in which News Corp division heads report directly to Rupert Murdoch. (Deadline Hollywood Daily)
SAG and AMPTP may need some intervention from a mediator in order to end the latest standoff between the guild and the studios. It's hoped the CAA head Richard Lovett will step in and mediate, as he did during the dispute between WGA and the majors last year. (Hollywood Reporter)
Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing. Hopefully everyone is recovered from Oscar weekend and perhaps some of you even made some quick cash from some Oscar pools.
FOX drama Fringe will move its production from New York City, where it has shot its first season, to Vancouver, Canada, should the series be renewed for a second season. The decision, made by studio Warner Bros. Television, is said to have been made because of the likelihood that New York State's film/TV production tax incentive initiative funds, which have run out of coin, will not be replenished. "In this challenging and uncertain economic environment, we have made the very difficult decision to move," said Warner Bros. in a statement. "We did not come to this conclusion easily, but economic and practical imperatives dictated that this decision be made in a timely manner." (Entertainment Weekly)
In its second outing, FOX's Dollhouse fell fifteen percent in the ratings on Friday, placing second behind ABC's Supernanny, despite decreased competition from CBS. The second installment of Dollhouse, created by Joss Whedon, lured 4.2 million viewers overall and scored a 1.7/7 share among adults 18-49. This is a sharp contrast to lead-in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles which remained "roughly steady" with its numbers last week, only dropping one-tenth of a rating point. "Given it's a Friday night, neither Terminator or Dollhouse pop out as a jarringly low rating on the grid," writes James Hibberd. "But Fox's shows are relatively expensive scripted dramas that typically require higher numbers than a competitor's repeats or newsmagazines such as Dateline and 20/20, regardless of what night they're on." (Hollywood Reporter's Live Feed)
The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan talks to Jane Espenson, who wrote Friday's episode of Battlestar Galactica ("Deadlock"). "I believe that Saul really loves Caprica," said Espenson. "But not more than he loves Ellen. I don't even think Ellen *really* believes that. But it's clearly more than a casual relationship, and Cylon beliefs about pregnancy and love seem to confirm her fears. And remember that the "thousands of years" is said whimsically -- they didn't perceive it as nearly that long. (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)
CBS has given a pilot order to comedy pilot Ace in the Hole, starring Adam Carolla as a husband and father who supports his family by working as a driving instructor. Project, from CBS Paramount Network Television, BermanBraun, and Jackhole Prods., is written/executive produced by Carolla and Kevin Hench and executive produced by Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun, Jimmy Kimmel, Daniel Kellison, and Jamex Dixon. (Variety)
Pilot casting news: Jimmy Wolk (Front of the Class) to star in ABC's untitled Daniel Cerone drama pilot (formerly known as Brothers & Detectives), about a detective (Wolk) who uses his 11-year-old brother to solve crimes; Joel McHale (The Soup) to star in NBC comedy pilot Community, where he will play Jeff, a lawyer who returns to community college after his degree is found to be invalid; Jaime Ray Newman (Veronica Mars) to star in ABC drama pilot Eastwick, where she will play Kat, a good-natured nurse; Marc Blucas (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Liza Lapira (21) will star opposite Amy Smart in ABC drama pilot See Cate Run (formerly known as I, Claudia); Dean Winters (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) will star in ABC supernatural mystery drama Happy Town, Aimee Garcia (George Lopez) cast in NBC drama pilot Trauma; and Matthew Yang King (NUMB3RS) has been cast in CBS drama pilot Washington Field. (Hollywood Reporter)
CBS has announced that it has putting cast-contingent drama pilot Confessions of a Contractor, from executive producers Shawn Ryan, Richard Murphy, and Jeff Okin, on hold after they failed to find a suitable lead actor. Elsewhere, ABC has pushed director- and showrunner-contingent comedy pilot Funny in Farsi and cast-contingent comedy Planet Lucy into the next development cycle. (Variety, Hollywood Reporter)
John Sayles (Lone Star) will write HBO drama series Scar Tissue, based on the childhood of Antony Kiedis, following the future Red Hot Chili Peppers singer as he grows up in 1970s West Hollywood with his father, a drug dealer who hung out with rock stars on the Sunset Strip. Project is executive produced by Kiedis, Marc Abrams, and Michael Benson. (Variety)
Clay Aiken will appear on the April 8th episode of CW's America's Next Top Model, where he will serve as a guest judge. (Hollywood Reporter)
SAG rejected AMPTP's "last, best, and final offer" on Saturday, voting 73 percent to 27 percent to reject the offer. However, despite nearly 75 percent of the board vetoing AMPTP's offer, it's still not thought likely that SAG will issue a strike authorization vote, as it would require 75 percent approval rating in order to pass. Among the issues preventing SAG from signing: a new contract expiration of spring 2012 and the fact that the contract would go into effect upon ratification rather than retroactively. "The AMPTP's last-minute, surprise demand for a new term of agreement extending to 2012 is regressive and damaging and clearly signals the employers' unwillingness to agree to the deal they established with other entertainment unions," said SAG in a statement. "What management presented as a compromise is, in fact, an attempt to separate Screen Actors Guild from other industry unions. By attempting to extend our contract expiration one year beyond the other entertainment unions, the AMPTP intends to de-leverage our bargaining position from this point forward." (Hollywood Reporter)
Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing. While everyone is buzzing about the possible SAG strike, I hope you all tuned in to last night's episode of Chuck, the final piece of the three-part Jill storyline.
Life on Mars co-creator Ashley Pharoah has praised the US version of the series, calling it "marvelous." In New York to receive an International Emmy for best drama for the original UK version of Life on Mars, Pharoah was pleased that the producers had changed the mythology of the series for the US audience and that the studio had moved the action from LA (where it was based for David E. Kelley's original pilot) to gritty New York City. "They're changing the mythology, which I think is all right," said Pharoah. "It has to be different. Otherwise everyone just goes on YouTube and sees how it ends." (Hollywood Reporter)
Just how would a SAG strike affect a television industry still recovering from the crippling 100-day WGA strike? For one, only scripted primetime series would be affected (soaps and variety shows are covered by AFTRA) but it would completely derail the current season in the midst of the current economic crisis. Network executives are said to be currently looking at contingency plans but as of right now there is no plan to shorten or cancel series' two-week holiday hiatus in order to shoot additional episodes.
Most scripted series will have about 60-70 percent of their episodes shot before the break, with some having about five episodes in various stages of post. 24, According to Jim, and Rules of Engagement have already completed their full orders for the season. Meanwhile, freshman series 90210, Gary Unmarried, Better Off Ted, The Unusuals, and Harper's Island are covered by AFTRA rather than SAG and most scripted cable series are also covered by AFTRA. (Hollywood Reporter)
Ashton Kutcher's Katalyst is developing two scripted series for netlet the CW with CBS Paramount Network Television. Ensemble drama The Beautiful Life, will follow the lives of young models who live together in Manhattan and comes from former model-turned writer Adam Gaiudrone and executive producers Carol Barbee (Jericho), Karey Burke, and Jason Goldberg; offering up a look at the dark side of modeling, series could be a good companion for Top Model. Drama Chloe Gamble, based on novel "The One" by Ed Decter, will follow a Texas girl who moves to Hollywood with her mother and twin brother with dreams of stardom dancing in her head. Decter and John Strauss will write and executive produce the project, which is told from a vantage point in the future, where life didn't end up so well for Chloe. (Variety)
CW is said to be close to renewing America's Next Top Model for a thirteenth cycle to air next fall. (Hollywood Reporter)
FOX will give Spike Feresten an 11 pm slot for a six-week run of daily one-hour episodes beginning January 17th, intended to be a tryout to see whether Talkshow With Spike Feresten could fill the Saturday night void left open by MadTV's cancellation. (Broadcasting & Cable)
Michael Trucco (Battlestar Galactica) will guest star on CBS' The Big Bang Theory next month, where he'll play Leonard's motorcycle-driving partner on a project and "one of the youngest MacArthur Genius Grant winners ever." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
Speaking of Battlestar Galactica, Jamie Bamber has said that he would be too scared to replace David Tennant as the Eleventh Doctor on Doctor Who. "Those would be very big shoes to fill - if I'm going to be honest it would be very daunting to take on an icon like Doctor Who," said Bamber. "It's right at the core of British television and to take that on is a big challenge. I think it's a very enviable one for whoever gets it, but I'm not actively seeking it. I think I'm too scared to actually want it." (Digital Spy)
CBS is developing single-camera comedy Things a Man Should Never Do Past 30. Project, from executive producer/director Barry Sonnenfeld, the Tannenbaum Co., and Sony Pictures TV, is based on a book by Esquire contributing editor David Katz containing a list of 500 items that men shouldn't attempt after they hit 30, such as "google ex-girlfriends" or "high five in a business situation." Katz and A.J. Jacobs will write the script with supervision from Al Higgins (Malcolm in the Middle) and Sonnenfeld will direct the pilot. (Hollywood Reporter)
BBC have confirmed that Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures will return for a third season in 2009, with Russell T. Davies remaining on the series as executive producer. Elisabeth Sladen, Tom Knight, Daniel Anthony, and Anjli Mohindra are slated to return. (Digital Spy)
What a surprise: Reveille will produce the previously reported Tony Robbins unscripted project at NBC. (TV Week)
America's Next Top Model has never been a bastion of high-quality entertainment; there's always been a guilty pleasure aspect to watching the series, which pits a group of naive (and often aggressive) girls against one another as they live in a plush house (which never seems to have enough bedrooms) and compete for a Cover Girl cosmetics contract and an agency deal with Elite Model Management.
And yet throughout the many cycles of this reality competition, host/executive producer Tyra Banks has managed to make the series a platform for her talk show host persona, one which embraces the differences in people (i.e., Heather) while also holding up some of the very same stereotypes she wants to shatter (telling a plus-size model that she's too thin). I do have to give her credit for being a shrewd producer and for celebrating diversity among the model wannabe population.
This cycle of Top Model has made headlines because of its inclusion of the series' first transsexual contestants, Isis, who appeared on-camera last season during a challenge in which the girls were tasked with posing with formerly homeless youth as one of their earlier photo shoots. I was surprised by how centered Isis is and how she doesn't make a huge issue of her pre-op status during the first round of competition this season. While the other girls aren't exactly supportive of her (save for a few open-minded competitors), Isis definitely rises to the occasion and turns in a stunning photograph even as the other girls are mocking her relentlessly during her shoot.
It's moments like those that show how much good Top Model can do and proves that there is still a lot of vibrance to this format, even after eleven cycles. (Yes, eleven!)
Sadly, however, it's the fact that one of the models (Nikeysha) actually flashes the judges and the setup of the requisite "boot camp" premiere episode that undermines whatever positive qualities the two-hour premiere of Top Model (which airs tomorrow night on the CW) may have had. I'm not sure which producer came up with the awful idea of giving their boot camp/mass elimination a futuristic, mad-scientist vibe, but it was truly terrifying to watch the cheesy special effects, wooden "acting," and OTT touches that followed.
It was bad enough to have the screen crackle with "electricity," but the teleporting effect whenever--ahem--Alpha Jay, Beta Jay, and Tyrabot entered/left the set was laughably bad. I get the need to keep these things fresh and interesting, but this was a new low, even for Top Model and I couldn't help but feel that the entire first hour was jumping the shark a little. (I'm not sure why the vibe was all futuristic and much was made about the show moving forward... and then the group photo shoot is a hippy-inspired love-in. Curious.)
As for the models, they are definitely a motley bunch. I'm already loving 21-year-old hostess/go-go dancer Sheena who brings a Kimora Lee Simmons vibe to the proceedings; she's tough but open-minded and one of the few girls who actually welcomes Isis' participation in the competition. She's one of the those people you think you'd normally hate but her very frankness, coupled with her joie de vivre, make her irresistible. I'm also intrigued by kickboxing 19-year-old student McKey, who is already making some enemies after she struggles to keep up with her training whilst also participating in the competition; I think she's a quirky maverick and am very curious to see how they make her over. And I really am rooting for Isis, even though I can't help but think that the producers are trying to make more of a statement by including her but aren't really willing to bestow the Top Model crown on her head in the end.
Meanwhile, Heather has new competition in the awkward category in the form of 19-year-old French student Marjorie from Marseilles, whose hyper-animated body language, quixotic speech patterns, and general nervousness make Asperger's Syndrome sufferer Heather seem positively super-confident and connected by comparison. I think Marjorie's nerves will definitely get the better of her before long, as she can't seem to keep still long enough to even have a conversation with the judges without seeming like she's going to pass out from the strain.
Clark already annoys the hell of me, but she's clearly being set up as this season's major villain. And 19-year-old Hannah, who hails from Fairbanks, Alaska, stuns me with her naivete and close-mindedness. Yes, she's been sheltered and grew up in a house without running water or heat but... have you not watched the series before, H?
There's perhaps an element of going through the motions with all of this. Sure, Nigel Barker, Paulina Porizkova, and Jay Manuel still steal the show but Tyra is beginning to grate on my nerves with her showboating and the girls seem more and more amateurish as a whole. All in all, it's a rather shaky start to the eleventh cycle of Top Model and I can't help but think that the wrinkles are starting to show in this aging model's face.
Cycle Eleven of America's Next Top Model launches tomorrow night at 8 pm ET/PT on the CW.
Much has been made of the decision by the producers of CW's America's Next Top Model to include a transsexual among the mix of girls vying for the top prize on the next cycle of the reality competition series.
The CW announced earlier this week that Isis, a 22-year-old former office assistant from Maryland, would be among the pack of wannabe models competing for that Cover Girl contract this fall.
Isis, who was born as a male, would be the first transsexual contestant to make it on the series, though previously another transsexual named Claudia Charriez had made it to the semi-final rounds, though she was disqualified because of her status as a transsexual.
Take a look at this clip of Claudia discussing her brush with Top Model on the first season of The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency [via fourfour]:
Which brings us to today. It seems as though the producers have changed their tune from when Claudia auditioned originally for Top Model, given that they are now allowing Isis to compete in the Cycle 11, set to launch on September 3rd.
However, Isis isn't exactly a stranger to the series.
In fact, she appeared on-camera last season on Top Model (shown at left), participating in the challenge in last cycle's second episode, in which the girls posed with former homeless youths. Isis is identified by name on-screen and describes herself as a "fashion designer."
Isis was also a major player in the photo shoot that followed, in which the girls were tasked with posing as homeless youth, with women who were formerly homeless playing high-class socialites.
You can watch the photo shoot portion of this episode below, with Isis easily upstaging the far more amateurish Atalya:
Clearly, Isis was discovered by the producers during this challenge and rightly so. After all, she was one of the girls who managed to upstage the series' competitors with her modeling abilities (shown again, at left). So why aren't the producers of Top Model coming out and saying that she actually participated on the series before her casting in Cycle 11?
Given the fact that she did appear on screen for a significant amount of time, I'd wager that Top Model will have to deal in-show with Isis' participation, but then again, remember the controversy with Saleisha having worked with Tyra before being cast on Top Model?
I am very happy about the outcome of last night's season finale of America's Next Top Model ("And the Winner is..."), especially going into the final round with three really strong competitors in Whitney, Fatima, and Anya. These girls were strong models, took consistently great photographs, and each represented a different facet of beauty in a compelling, different way.
I thought they all did much better with the English-language Cover Girl commercial than most of the other girls from previous cycles of the series, who always had problems memorizing the copy, looking pretty and happy, and just being generally convincing in front of the camera. I thought Whitney looked great and totally did the signature Cover Girl smile with poise and perfection. Anya actually did a better job than I thought she would, given her strange pidgin accent (which always sounds more Eastern European to me than Hawaiian) and the copy was a series of hard-to-say tongue-twisters. (I still can't name the actual product after watching them perform several takes of the commercial.)
I thought Whitney's Cover Girl photograph was easily the best of the bunch. She looked so 1960s vintage (and oddly, somewhat like former Top Model judge Twiggy) that it was spooky. Her positioning and body language were spot on and she looked flawlessly gorgeous and, well, vulnerable in the photo. It was not just a glamour shot but hinted at something deeper and fragile about her in a compelling and intriguing way.
I was a little shocked that Fatima was sent home. I do agree with Tyra (there's a sentence that I never thought I'd write) that she needs to do some soul-searching and figure out who she is TODAY and try to find strength in what happened to her and put it in her past. She does seem like she is searching for some semblance of identity throughout this competition and, while she is hands-down probably the most gorgeous-looking girl on this series, I don't think she brought enough to the table to award her the top prize.
Very impressed that the producers were able to wrangle a Versace fashion show for finalists Whitney and Anya though I was secretly hoping that Donatella would show up along the way. I did think that Whitney looked much more natural on the runway. She looked like a MODEL and, while I felt that her hip and arm-swinging in the first outfit was a little much (bordering on over the top, in fact), she pulled it back on her second time down the runway, creating a luminous, memorable walk that made her shine out from among the other models. Anya was a little lost on the runway and not at her strongest at all; she seemed to deflate on the catwalk and the tightness of her second dress did nothing to help her faltering walk.
I felt like the judges' decision really was down to the wire and they had a really hard time deciding between Whitney and Anya. Both really do represent two totally different ideals of beauty and I know that Tyra and Co. do like to make an impact with their decision. While it would be easy to just crown Whitney the winner for being the very first plus-size winner of Top Model, I was thrilled that she actually DID end up winning this season and she earned her prize 100 percent. Her Cover Girl shot has got to be one of the most amazing and inspiring photographs on the series (just compare it to Saleisha or Jaslene's pics) and I am glad that the All-American beauty managed to walk away with the top spot despite several competitors thinking she would be the one to get cut week after week. (Take that, Dominique!)
What did you think? Were you happy that Whitney won this cycle or would you have rather had the prize go to Anya, "busted nose" and all? Talk back here.
What's On Tonight
8 pm: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation(CBS); My Name is Earl (NBC); Smallville(CW); Ugly Betty (ABC); Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? (FOX)
9 pm: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS); The Office (NBC); Supernatural (CW); Grey's Anatomy (ABC); Don't Forget the Lyrics (FOX)
10 pm: Without a Trace (CBS); ER (NBC); Lost(ABC)
What I'll Be Watching
8 pm: Ugly Betty.
On tonight's episode ("The Kids Are Alright"), Betty tries to avoid her growing attraction to Gio and volunteers to chaperone Justin's school dance only to discover that Gio (???) has made the same commitment (um, why?); Hilda tries to get Coach Diaz to notice her; Amanda signs on to do a reality television show with her dad, Gene Simmons; Wilhelmina makes her return to Mode.
9 pm: The Office.
On tonight's season finale ("Goodbye, Toby"), Toby makes preparations to leave Dunder-Mifflin, which makes Michael positively gleeful, leading to a celebratory party sort of in Toby's honor; Angela refuses to plan said fete, leading Michael to turn to Phyllis to take over the party planning committee.
10 pm: Lost.
The highlight of my television-viewing week is here. On tonight's episode ("There's No Place Like Home"), it's Part One of the three-hour season finale as the war between the castaways and Widmore's mercenary team escalates and the Oceanic Six fly back to the "real" world.
I cannot even tell you how happy I am this morning after watching last night's episode of Top Model ("Ready for My Close-Up"). The competition was down to the final four girls and, while I was sad to see Kat go last week, I was (mostly) happy with the remaining models. That is, with the notable exception of Dominique.
Over the past season, Dominique has transformed herself into an unlikeable, overly-confident, agressive candyholic who thrives on conflict and pushing people's buttons. I think she photographs extremely old and, while she has shown some signs of improvement, her photos--even when the judges praise them--seem extremely lackluster and flat. Her appearances at judging are comical... and terrifying. Just take a look at last week's, er, Flashdance-inspired ensemble to see what I mean. She just doesn't look like a model, not even for a second. Her revamped hairstyle make her look like a soccer mom and her clothing selections make her seem not so much ghetto fabulous as just, well, ghetto.
Not helping matters is the fact that she has a tendency to photograph extremely mannish. She looks like a drag queen. Hell, even Paulina had to admit that she looked like a tranny this week. This is not the face of Cover Girl Cosmetics. Hell, this is not the face for any national ad campaign, whether print or television-based. She is scareeeeey.
She didn't help her cause during the photography challenge with her dazed expression and lack of focus. She didn't have the terms or knowledge to direct Paulina in any meaningful or creative way and, if you don't understand what's going on behind the camera, you really don't have a chance of using the camera to your advantage.
The second the producers loaded the bottom two with Fatima and Dominique, I knew it was finally curtains for the drag queen. Standing side-by-side, there was no way that the judges could send Fatima home. Just look at her: she's visually stunning, rail-thin, and absolutely gorgeous, even if she needs to still push herself a little more and listen when given direction. Dominique on the other hand just looked crazy, like a transvestite had stepped right out of a Brooklyn nightclub and strayed into the judging panel.
In the end, the judges opted to send Dominique packing and I couldn't be more pleased. Throughout this competition, I've been AMAZED by how many times she squeaked by when far superior girls were sent home. But there was no way she was getting anywhere near that Cover Girl English-language commercial. So, buh bye, Dominique.
And then there were three... I am actually really happy with the final three girls. Anya, Whitney, and Fatima each bring something unique and different to the mix and I quite like all three of them separately. Each has their strengths and their weaknesses and it will be interesting to see, with the competition whittled down to the very end, which of them will really step up to the challenge at hand. I can't wait to find out.
Next week on the season finale of Top Model ("And the Winner is..."), Cycle Nine winner Saleisha Stowers flies into Rome to spend some time with the contestants during their Cover Girl commercial and print ad shoot; one of the girls fails to deliver the goods and is sent packing, while the final two face of on the runway in a once-in-a-lifetime fashion event.
What's On Tonight
8 pm: Survivor: Micronesia--Fans vs. Favorites (CBS); My Name is Earl/Scrubs (NBC); Smallville(CW); Ugly Betty (ABC); Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? (FOX)
9 pm: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS); The Office/30 Rock(NBC); Supernatural (CW); Grey's Anatomy (ABC); Don't Forget the Lyrics (FOX)
10 pm: Without a Trace (CBS); ER (NBC); Lost(ABC)
What I'll Be Watching
8 pm: Ugly Betty.
On tonight's episode ("Betty's Baby Bump"), Betty tries to take the moral high road by throwing a baby shower for rival Charlie; Daniel comes apart at the seams following his breakup with Renee; Christina learns who fathered the baby she is carrying for Wilhelmina.
9 pm: The Office.
Yes, it's been really sub-par this season, but I'll keep watching just in case it suddenly improves. On tonight's episode ("Job Fair"), Jim hits the golf course to try to land a major client, with Andy and Kevin in tow; Michael mans a booth at a local job fair at Pam's alma mater in the hopes of hiring a summer intern.
9:30 pm: 30 Rock.
On tonight's season finale of 30 Rock ("Cooter"), Jack begins his new life as a Homeland Security adviser in Washington but when the job doesn't quite meet his expectations, he turns to former flame C.C. (Edie Falco) and a government staffer (Matthew Broderick) for help in getting fired; meanwhile, Liz tries to adjust to life at TGS without Jack and must deal with a pregnancy scare. Sniffle. I can't believe Season Two is over already!
10 pm: Lost.
The highlight of my television-viewing week is here. On tonight's episode ("Cabin Fever"), Locke discovers the location of Jacob's cabin and comes face to face with a Dharma Initiative staffer who claims to have been dead for the last twelve years; life aboard the Kahana becomes fraught with peril; danger closes in on the castaways from every corner of the island.
Fans of freshman drama Gossip Girl can rest a little easier: the series will be returning for a second season of Manhattan-based intrigue and innuendo next season. (Maybe the mysterious Gossip Girl herself had some dirt on Dawn Ostroff?)
Gossip Girl was one of six series that received early renewal orders today from netlet The CW, according to a press release issued by the network.
Other CW series getting the thumbs up for the 2008-09 season include America's Next Top Model, One Tree Hill, Smallville, Supernatural, and Everybody Hates Chris.
All six series will return for the fall season, while the lack of a mention for freshman comedy Aliens in America does not bode well for that series. Also missing from the renewal list: Reaper.
Confession: I came to Top Model pretty late in the game, despite some people (ahem, you know who you are!) telling me that I had to tune in for several seasons (sorry, cycles). I'm glad that I did end up succumbing to its twisted spell; the series is pretty darn addictive, if only for its unintentional humor, surreal photo shoots, and the high drama and (sometimes) high fashion of its abrasive contestants.
So I was overjoyed to take a sneak peek over the holiday weekend at the tenth cycle's first two episodes and look at some of the drastic changes in store for the CW-based reality series. It's definitely hard for a series like Top Model to sustain the same energy and drive of earlier seasons, but so far this season proves to have a new spark, perhaps due to the series moving production from Los Angeles to that fashion epicenter, Manhattan.
The first hour, which airs on Wednesday evening, is the typical casting special we've come to know and love from previous cycles. This year's theme is slightly overdone but pretty darn fun: model prep school. (Hey, at least it's not the model boot camp again.) Miss Jay and Mr. Jay handle the tutorials as they coach the 35 girls in all things model-y, from critiquing their runway walk and bearing to dressing them up in schoolgirls' uniforms for a photo shoot for their "senior class picture." This being Top Model, a wide swath of them is cut from pack in this first installment, so don't get too attached to some of the girls.
So what worked in these first two episodes? Let's take a look.
I Heart New York. Call me crazy, but I really do think one of the best things for the series was to shift it from LA to NYC. For one, it gives the reality statesman a new patina of both newfound respectability and some much-needed grit. What better place for their new homebase than the heart of American fashion? And right away, the effect is felt: a Times Square runway show for designers Mark Badgley and James Mischka of Badgley Mischka pushes the girls in their very first challenge as finalists. Some are incredibly confident, others completely clueless. But it's clear from the open segments in Manhattan, that the pressure is on for these model wannabes.
Girls, Girls, Girls. I really like this new crop of fourteen girls, even though there are some (cough, Marvita, cough) that I could have done without. But Top Model insists on letting previous semi-finalists come back again for another shot, so this cycle we've landed ourselves another second chancer in the form of abrasive Marvita who lacks the humility of Jaslene (who was herself overlooked prior to her winning run on ANTM). Completely confused by awkward punk artist Lauren who is so completely ill-at-ease in her body, in heels, and in high fashion, but if Tyra & Co. do manage to craft a model out of her, I will be beyond impressed. Amis already irritates me to no end and Hawaiian surfer girl Anya wouldn't bother me so much if she just stopped talking. As for baby doll Kimberly and her constant whining about how she thinks spending money on expensive clothes is wasteful? What on earth did you think the modeling/fashion business was all about?
On the plus side, I am totally intrigued by Somalian-born genital mutilation-survivor Fatima; she is a dead ringer for Iman and I can't wait to see what they do with her hair. The girl is gorgeous and has the perfect face for modeling; she's clearly the one to beat. I think Dominique is reminiscent of Journeyman's Moon Bloodgood, but the judges insist on telling her that she looks like a drag queen. Cornell graduate Katarzyna is another one to watch; her polished Polish looks make her a virtual lookalike for supermodel Paulina Porizvoka.
Speaking of which...
PAULINA! Top Model's newest judge first turns up at Elite Model Management as part of their "teach" in the second week. There she offers critiques of the models' looks and offers suggestions on what to avoid and what to play up as the move forward in the competition. And before you know it, the former face of Estée Lauder turns up at judging panel in a gorgeous purple gown and takes her place of honor at the table.
I'll be blunt: I don't miss Twiggy one bit. While the "fashion icon and living legend" was fun at first (and softened the judging table after the departure of catty Janice), she quickly began to get on my nerves in recent seasons as she seemed to "love" anything and everything that the girls did and often picked her favorites from the bottom of the pile. In her first appearance, Paulina appears gentle but critical and, unlike Twiggy, more of a realist about the girls and their abilities.
Me, I've always loved Paulina and can't wait to see how she interacts with the girls and the other judges. In her first outing, she proves a worthy opponent to Nigel Barker himself, so you've got to give the woman credit for not being afraid to shake things up.
In the end, Top Model is back with a new look, new locale, and new judge Paulina Porizvoka. Me, I couldn't be happier.
America's Next Top Model airs Wednesday evenings at 8 pm ET/PT on the CW.
What's On Tonight
8 pm: NCIS(CBS); Biggest Loser (NBC; 8-10 pm); Reaper (CW); Just for Laughs/Just for Laughs (ABC); American Idol (FOX; 8-10 pm)
9 pm: Big Brother 9 (CBS); One Tree Hill (CW); According to Jim/Carpoolers (ABC)
10 pm: Jericho (CBS); Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC); Boston Legal(ABC)
What I'll Be Watching
9 pm: Last Restaurant Standing on BBC America.
On the third episode of this addictive British import, the pressure is on for the remaining eight couples to make their restaurants as profitable as possible in their second week open by adding pricey cocktails and desserts. The pressure is on and it pushes some couples to their breaking points.
I swear, if Chantal won this season on America's Next Top Model, I was going to stop watching this series because I just could not take it seriously anymore.
Whew. Fortunately, Chantal didn't walk away with the top prize--the cover of Seventeen magazine and a $100K contract with Cover Girl Cosmetics (as Tyra reminds us each and every week)--but I was blown away by the fact that she was chosen first at the judging panel and guaranteed a place in the final two, a move which eliminated far stronger competitor Jenah, whom I believe could actually have a future in high-fashion modeling.
Rather than go into details about Top Model's season finale, which as usual featured yet another Cover Girl photo shoot and commercial, I wanted to talk about something else: the complete and utter disconnect between what the judges claim they are looking for and what they actually end up awarding the top prize based upon. Throughout this entire competition, the judges continually harraung the girls for not being high-fashion enough... or, in the case of eventual winner Saleisha, that she was too "commercial."
Which would be fine if the top prize was a photo spread in Vogue or Harper's Bazaar instead of Seventeen, which to me screams "commercial" at the top of its lungs. Its models may as well be modeling the latest J. Crew collection in the pages of its own catalogue rather than, say, Alexander McQueen or Vivienne Westwood.
Color me confused. I get that Seventeen and Cover Girl are corporate sponsors of Top Model and considerations need to be taken in hand in order to sate their own desires, along with the producers and the judging panel, that the winning model needs to be Seventeen-appropriate but having Chantal stand there next to the far superior Saleisha (who worked that runway like a professional with several seasons under her belt) was a slap in the face to the ideals that this competition claims to enforce.
Will Saleisha do a great job? Definitely. She's polished, poised on the runway, has an absolutely engaging and winning personality and definitely has that Cover Girl look (though I was glad to see that they fixed her hair for the post-cycle photo shoot), but I do wish that she would have faced off in the final challenge against Jenah, whose pictures, walk, and overall package clearly outshine that of Chantal, who--let's face it--is "cute" but amateurish and nothing special. To see Saleisha and Jenah go head to head for the top prize would have injected some much needed drama into the proceedings; Jenah takes some of the most amazing photographs ever seen on this series to date and has a confidence and edge that screams high-fashion.
To me, it was a foregone conclusion that Saleisha would win from the very moment Tyra called Chantal's name. Coincidence? Or did they want a more dynamic, confident, and editorial girl to win this thing?
In the end, I am happy that Saleisha won the top prize; she definitely deserves it and I do think she could have a future as a model as long as she tones down some of the shoulder movement on the catwalk and continues to use her sensational face. I do feel bad that the judges pushed Jenah to the point of tears (and, thanks Chantal, for saying that she couldn't be a role model for your little sisters) and then cut her from the competition even though her pictures are so sensational.
As for Chantal, I laughed my butt off when she tripped that guy on the stilts during the runway show. So at least she added that bit of amusement to the proceedings...
With Heather out of the running, I'm really not too sure who to root for on America's Next Top Model, which wraps its ninth season (ahem, cycle) tonight after a runway showdown between the final two girls in Beijing.
While the final three girls are certainly beautiful in their own rights, I have to say that I am amazed (shocked, even) that Chantal is still there. Yes, she's cute and bubbly and screams Seventeen magazine, but I don't really think of her as top model material, even if that's print modeling. Chantal's pictures, to me, just come across as pretty flat (or even flatly pretty) but there's nothing original or striking about her. She's the equivalent of a blonde paper doll: pretty but ultimately blandly one-dimensional.
Saleisha seems to be the one with the most raw talent but, while she's the most confident on the runway, her pictures don't seem to capture the intensity and skill that she possesses. Also, I don't care what you call the Clara Bow wannabe hair they gave her, it makes her look more like Tootie from The Facts of Life than any silent film star. Still, Saleisha gave a stunning photograph last week on the Great Wall that made me think that she could pull the assignment of a lifetime off, if she manages to work on her photos and tone down her severity on the runway.
I really did like Jenah for the first few episodes but her attitude of late has been terrible and she's been plagued by waves of self-doubt, homesickness, and, well, bitchiness. (Was anyone else reminded of Caridee's bullfighting arena gaffe when Jenah started "joking" with Nigel?) Still, she has this ethereal, otherworldly quality that photographs amazingly well and she pulled off the runway walk last week with amazing, dramatic effect. Jenah needs to rein in the sarcasm, calm down, and live more in the moment... and she might just walk away with the top prize if she can convince Tyra and the other judges that she really does want to win this and does want to eat, dream, breathe this lifestyle.
Who are you rooting for? And who do you think will ultimately be crowned the winner this season on Top Model?
A day later and I am still bummed that Heather was booted from America's Next Top Model.
I was really hoping that Asperger's Syndrome-sufferer Heather would at least make it to the final two. I mean who else gets voted the Cover Girl Model of the Week every single week she's been on the reality competition series?
I do think that Heather takes some of the very best photos we've seen this season on Top Model... when she doesn't second guess herself. The dragon photo shoot this week presented its own complications, what with having to stand out amid the color and chaos going on around, but Heather managed to do just that even as she kept slipping out of masterful poses. Despite her inability to hold her own glorious poses this week, she has this amazing ability to be captured by the camera as though she is living in the moment. No overly forced "model" poses, no slutty movements. Instead, each of her photos offers an intense gaze, a slickly high fashion look, and a stunning face that screams out for model representation.
Like a good mannequin, she takes direction easily, even if her awkward runway walk needs massive work. I ultimately think that, with some more instruction and a little bit of help, she could be a very successful print model. I do understand that the lack of eye contact for which Heather was called out this week by the Chinese guest judge is a symptom of her condition and I think it can be worked around more by focusing on print rather than runway.
It was absolutely depressing to see Heather aimlessly wandering around the streets of Shanghai during the go-sees; without anyone to help her or point her in the right direction, Heather could only get it together to make it to one designer and still made it back to the agency over 40 minutes late. My heart absolutely broke watching her struggling to find her cab, knowing that she would likely be eliminated this week, yet she still turned out another absolutely stunning photograph.
Four girls remain and I have to say that none of them are as interesting, charismatic, or compelling as Heather and I wish her the very best of luck. Hopefully we'll see her again in a fashion editorial... or--dare I wish it--on an all-star edition of Top Model?
Next week on America's Next Top Model ("The Girls Go to the Great Wall"), the girls get a Chinese history lesson from J. Alexander and soon-to-be-gone Twiggy while they move into their new home in Beijing; later, they face a challenge in which they must transform some traditional Chinese garb into their own inimitable style, one girl gives another bad advice, and they participate in a warrior-themed photo shoot at the Great Wall.
What's On Tonight 8 pm: Ghost Whisperer (CBS); Deal or No Deal (NBC); Friday Night SmackDown (CW; 8-10 pm); Men in Trees (ABC); Next Great American Band (FOX)
9 pm: Moonlight (CBS); Friday Night Lights (NBC); Women's Murder Club (ABC); Don't Forget the Lyrics (FOX)
10 pm: NUMB3RS (CBS); Las Vegas (NBC); 20/20(ABC)
What I'll Be Watching
8-11 pm: BBC America.
If you happen to be staying in after a long work week, why not do it in true Anglophile style with back-to-back episodes of The Office, Coupling, Catherine Tate Show, and Mighty Boosh?
With only a few episodes remaining of this "cycle" of America's Next Top Model, prepare to say goodbye to one familiar face: living legend and fashion icon Twiggy will not be returning for Cycle 10.
What's the hubbub? Apparently, Twiggy won't be back due to "scheduling conflicts," which may be due in part to the reality competition's recent relocation to New York City.
Replacing Twiggy Lawson on the judging panel is supermodel/author Paulina Porizkova, who will join Tyra Banks, Jay Alexander, and Nigel Barker as the regular judges for Top Model's tenth installment. Porizkova, formerly the face of cosmetics giant Estee Lauder, recently appeared on ABC's Dancing with the Stars and released the novel "A Model Summer."
"The show and participants will benefit a great deal from [Porizkova's] vast modeling knowledge and expertise," said Top Model's executive producer Ken Mok. "Having an icon like Twiggy lend us her considerable expertise has elevated our show to a whole new level. We wish her well in her endeavors and hope to collaborate with her in future cycles of ANTM as well as other projects."
Twiggy herself joined the cast of the CW reality series in Cycle 5, replacing Janice Dickinson.
Why will Bianca not shut up about Heather already?
That's the question I kept asking myself while watching last night's episode of America's Next Top Model ("The Girls Who Crawl"), an episode that was filled with enough drama to last an entire season between Bianca's constant whining about Heather, Chantal's massive if misplaced ego, Sarah's weight worry, and Heather's medical scare. It also featured Tyra in a teach designed to get the girls to look sexy and learn to model in front of a moving camera instead of appearing "hootchie."
Bianca takes every opportunity, from the hot tub to the video shoot (where the girls film appearances in a new Enrique Iglesias music video) to the confessionals, to bad-mouth Heather. Her complaint: that Heather doesn't have to do anything in order to get a great picture and that the other girls are letting her off the hook too easily because of her "little disability." Ahem, a disability that just happens to be Asperger's Syndrome, a form of Autism. I thought that Bianca had calmed down in the last few weeks, especially after getting her locks shorn in the makeover episode, but she's proven that she's still the bitchy Queens girl she always was, a sad fact that proves you might be able change your exterior but you'll still be the same person inside. Sigh.
I feel that Heather is one of the most unique-looking girls that the series has ever had and that she takes incredible pictures and is always willing to take direction from Tyra, Jay, or the photographer; she also claims that modeling is more than just looking pretty but about conceptualizing how the finished picture will look. Does she have it in her to live a model's lifestyle? Unfortunately, I am not sure. I think she would be an amazing print model and has a totally original, slightly Gothic appearance that would work really well in editorial. But do I see her jetting around the world and working 18-hour days in high heels and then cementing contacts at after-hour parties? I'm not sure. But who says that that needs to be the route she takes? Personally, I hope she remains in the game until the very end because, at the end of the day, she does deliver amazing work.
So is Bianca just jealous of Heather's natural abilities? I actually thought that Bianca did TERRIBLY in the music video with her air kisses and posturing, so I was a little baffled by the fact that Tyra gave her praise for her performance.
Then again, I didn't think that Jenah did all that poorly and was absolutely certain that Chantal was going home last night, especially with the amount of time the editors spend focusing on her talking about how great of a model and actress she was. Was it just me or didn't the music video director tell her to be rocking out in that shot and Chantal just stood there looking blankly? It's very odd to me that she stayed in the competition whilst poor Sarah, who gets eviscerated every judging panel by Nigel and the others for her weight, was cut from the pack for being self-conscious about her body image.
Sigh. At least Heather is still at the top of the pack but the scenes for next week could tell a different story if Heather doesn't keep it together in face of a constant onslaught of insults from Bianca...
Next week on Top Model ("The Girl Who Starts to Lose Her Cool"), the girls become muses for student designers and then must discuss their custom-created dresses on the runway, Heather lashes back at Bianca, and the girls model in a photo shoot with a burning car.
What's On Tonight
8 pm: Survivor: China (CBS); My Name is Earl/30 Rock (NBC); Smallville(CW); Ugly Betty (ABC); Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? (FOX)
9 pm: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS); The Office/Scrubs (NBC); Supernatural (CW); Grey's Anatomy (ABC); Don't Forget the Lyrics (FOX)
10 pm: Without a Trace (CBS); ER (NBC); Big Shots (ABC)
What I'll Be Watching
8 pm: Ugly Betty.
On tonight's episode ("Nice Day for a Posh Wedding"): Wilhelmina worries about getting overshadowed at her own wedding by her celebrity maid of honor (Victoria Beckham, natch); Betty moves in with Henry; Ignacio is chuffed about finally becoming a U.S. citizen but will Betty be able to keep her end of her deal with Wilhelmina and not tell Daniel that she's sleeping with her bodyguard?
8:30 pm: 30 Rock.
Yay! A new episode of 30 Rock after a one-week hiatus. On tonight's episode ("Greenzo"), Jack--following a GE-wide green initiative--comes up with a green mascot for NBC named Greenzo (guest star David Schwimmer), who bares the brunt of Liz Lemon's ire during a press tour appearance; Kenneth plans his annual no-show house party but Tracy decides to spread some rumors so Kenneth's party is a success.
9 pm: The Office.
The disastrous one-hour installments of The Office are finally over so we can get back to the half-hour format we all know and love. On tonight's episode ("Survivor Man"), Michael goes into the woods for his own survival adventure when he's excluded from Ryan's mancation while Jim, left in charge of the office, attempts to transform the humble office birthday party, in this episode written by Steve Carell!
10 pm: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia on FX.
FX's hilariously subversive comedy It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia continues tonight. On tonight's episode ("Bums: Making a Mess All Over the City"), Mac and Dee become vigilantes to rid the neighborhood of some undesirables, while Frank and Dennis impersonate police officers.
Get out your Prada shoes and Marc Jacobs handbags. Gossip Girl is launching a little earlier than expected.
Realizing that schools and colleges would already be back in session (duh!) during the series' original launch (September 24th), the CW has bumped the premiere date for Gossip Girl up a week, to September 19th at 9 pm, directly behind the season premiere of America's Next Top Model.
Which, well, should have dawned on the programming execs in the first place. Considering the scads of buzz and promotion that the netlet has been rolling out for Gossip Girl, one would think that they'd, you know, want to launch the series ahead of the pack.
Therefore, the planned two-hour launch for ANTM will be cut down to an hour and Gossip Girl's launch won't have to go directly up against the premieres of Bionic Woman on NBC or Private Practice on ABC.
Probably a smart move on the part of CW, which hasn't proven itself to be the most savvy programmer. For once, the CW might actually have a bona fide mainstream (rather than cult) hit on their hands.
Over at The Daily Beast, you can find my latest piece, entitled "Hollywood Takes on Autism." 
