And don't forget to tune in to BBC America an hour before the start of Torchwood: Children of Earth for Torchwood: Inside the Hub, a preview at the mini-series and profiles of Torchwood's main characters... and stick around after the Torchwood: Children of Earth credits have rolled for a fifteen-minute behind-the-scenes look at the mini.
Torchwood: Children of Earth begins tonight at 9 pm ET/PT on BBC America.
This week's episode of True Blood ("Never Let Me Go"), written by Nancy Oliver and directed by John Dahl, featured not one but two rather huge occurrences of serendipity for two residents of Bon Temps, leading this jaded viewer to wonder if not everything is as it appears.
Adding to my suspicion are the machinations of the truly evil Maryann, who seems hellbent on keeping Tara to herself. This week, Maryann ratcheted up her plans to keep Tara under her thumb by moving herself and her retinue into Sookie's house and engaging in some nefarious behavior that gives new meaning to the term "mind games."
All this plus, Jason and the reverend's wife, Lafayette returning to Merlotte's, Sookie and Bill's search for Godric, revelations about Eric's past, Sam and Daphne, and Barry the Bellhop.
So what are you waiting for? Pour yourself an ice cold Tru Blood, grab a complimentary Danish, and let's discuss "Never Let Me Go."
When I mentioned the plethora of coincidences earlier, several things came to mind vis-a-vis this week's installment of True Blood. For one thing, we witnessed two characters--each with very different abilities of their own--come face to face with someone else who shared their secret gifts. For Sookie, it was the opportunity to meet Barry the Bellhop, a hotel employee terrified of his own telepathy who is unable to control his power and who is beyond freaked out that Sookie has outed him, as it were.
Meanwhile, Sam Merlotte discovers that not only does new waitress Daphne know about his shape-shifting abilities, she too is a shifter, as she ably demonstrates in the woods, transforming into a fawn before his eyes.
So it is providence that brought these unlikely duos together or something far more calculated? I can't shake the feeling that both these meetings spell trouble for our protagonists. After all, as I said in last week's write-up, Daphne did turn up in Bon Temps at the same time as Maryann and those nasty scars on her back match the maenad claw marks on Sookie's.
So are Maryann and Daphne in cahoots as it were? Or are their appearances in Bon Temps and interest in Sam Merlotte absolute coincidence? I'm leaning towards the former. After all, Sam knows about Maryann's abilities and true nature but if he's too distracted by Daphne to do anything about it, Maryann has swept one opponent off the board. And we can't forget about Maryann's attack of Sookie in the woods a few episodes back. What better way to remain under the radar than to remove the nosy telepath from the battlefield?
As for Tara, she's found herself between a rock and a hard place. Maryann has made it absolutely clear that she is there for Tara completely and unconditionally while everyone else around her--exacerbated by Maryann herself--seems to be at Tara's throat. The spell she cast outside Merlotte's was absolutely effective at driving a wedge between Tara and her friends but it paled in comparison for the mind games back at Sookie's house as Maryann made herself over to resemble Adele Stackhouse. Everything about Maryann, from her hair and clothes to her posture at the table reading a book, screamed out Adele; her intention was to lure Tara in, remind her of the safe haven of the Stackhouse's family home, offering comfort, succor, and nostalgia. Insidious and genius, really.
As for Sookie, I'm very worried about her plan to go undercover inside the Fellowship of the Sun and I have a feeling that we haven't seen the last of Barry the Bellhop by a longshot. It was great to see how much Sookie has grown over the past season and a half and how much more control she has over her ability now than she did when the series began. Barry, on the other hand, is spinning out of control and is absolutely ashamed of and terrified by his ability. What concerns me is that someone knew Sookie was coming to Dallas, someone tried to have her kidnapped at the airport, and now there's a telepath working in the very same vampire hotel where Sookie, Bill, Jessica, and Eric are holed up. Again, way too coincidental for me...
Loved the telephone call between Jessica and Hoyt, who might just be the very cutest couple on television ever, as Hoyt told Jessica all about his comic book while she sat in a lonely hotel room in Dallas, the two innocents joined together by their voices and longing. Sweet and well-written, it was filled with the promise and potential of young love uncomplicated by the fact that one of them is dead.
And we finally learned just why Godric's disappearance was so important to Eric as we witness a flashback to when Viking Eric Northman was turned by the wild teenage vampire Godric after a worthy battle. It's clear that Eric not only respects his maker but is deeply concerned about how a 2000-year-old vamp could be taken by the humans so easily. He's also deeply pissed off by the behavior of Godric's lieutenants Stan (Eureka's Ed Quinn) and Isabelle (The Dresden Files' Valerie Cruz). Loved the way that Isabelle asked Sookie how her human/vampire relationship was going and Stan's attitude towards Texan vengeance.
Lafayette returned to Merlotte's to ask for his job back, though he displayed none of the vim or vigor of his previous self. While Sam gave him his job back, it's clear that the bond of trust between them has been broken even as Lafayette refuses to tell Sam where he's been this whole time. The look of absolute sorrow and shame on Nelsan Ellis' face when he asks Sam for his job back was heartbreaking. I'm hoping the Emmy nominating committee is paying attention for next year...
Meanwhile, Jason got the full bath treatment from Sarah Newlin, who--sparked on by her husband's complete lack of trust and faith in her--made a move on Jason Stackhouse as he took a bath. I'm not sure what Sarah's deal is; she seems to be a true believer in the Fellowship of the Sun's message but it's also clear there's some major friction between her and Steve lurking beneath the surface. Does she view Jason as a plaything or a kindred spirit? Regardless, something tells me Reverend Steve is going to be none too pleased when he finds out about their little tryst.
And just what is Bill's maker doing wandering the halls of the hotel in Dallas? I'm seeing some bad, bad things yet to come...
What did you think of this week's episode? What does Maryann want? Where is Godric? What happened to Barry the Bellhop? And just what is going to happen next? Discuss.
Next week on True Blood ("Hard-Hearted Hannah"), Sookie and Isabel’s human boyfriend Hugo set out on a dangerous mission to locate Godric; Bill is shocked when a vampire from his past resurfaces in Dallas; Daphne tries to get Sam to get comfortable in his own skin(s); Hoyt continues to woo Jessica; Andy interrogates Lafayette about his disappearance; Tara and Eggs take a detour while on a road trip.
Looking to sneak a little bite at Sunday night's episode of True Blood ("Never Let Me Go")?
You're in luck as I've got two blood-stained clips below from "Never Let Me Go" to tide you over until the main course on Sunday evening.
Here's the official description for the episode from HBO:
"In Dallas, Sookie connects with one of her own, then joins Bill and Eric for a strategic summit at the lair of the missing vampire, Godric (Allan Hyde), attended by his lieutenants, Stan (Ed Quinn) and Isabel (Valerie Cruz). Meanwhile, Jason shows his mettle at a Light of Day boot camp, and is rewarded for his hard work with a gift from Sarah (Anna Camp). Rebuffed by Tara in her relocation efforts, Maryann decides to cast her spell on the staff of Merlotteʼs, softening Tara up towards her new “family.” Eric shares a little-known secret about his past with Bill, and Sookie makes a decision that might solve the Godric mystery – or get her killed."
Pour yourself a nice icy Tru Blood and check out the sneak peek clips below.
True Blood: "Never Let Me Go" Sneak Peek #1
True Blood: "Never Let Me Go" Sneak Peek #2
True Blood airs Sunday night at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO.
It's easy to sympathize with the characters in BBC America's newest drama series Being Human. Each of them in their own way wants to fit in, to embrace society's definition of normal, and live a life that's bounded by the same pleasures and principles that you or I do.
But there's a catch.
The three lead characters in Being Human, created by Toby Whithouse (Torchwood, Doctor Who), are actually a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost. Which makes their quest to understand their own fragile hold on humanity and fit in with mainstream society all the more fraught with peril.
On its simplest level, Being Human is about the relationship between three very different twenty-something roommates: there's polyglot hospital porter George (Russell Tovey) who transforms into a savage werewolf when the moon is full, hospital cleaner Mitchell (Aidan Turner) whose vampiric tendencies leave him hungering for blood even as he attempts to peacefully co-exist with humans, and ghostly Annie (Lenora Crichlow), a woman who died in the home that George and Mitchell now inhabit and who clings desperately to the life she lost.
But there's an unexpected depth, humor, and charm to Being Human as each of our characters stumbles towards adulthood in their own way. Despite being turned during World War I, Mitchell remains trapped in a state of arrested development, a devilish womanizer who wants so desperately to fit in somewhere but is hellbent on denying his allegiance to his vampiric brethren or falling in line with the demands of their leader in Bristol, Herrick (Jason Watkins). George might transform into a beast once a month but he's a nervous, squeaking git every time he gets around a woman and, despite his vast intelligence, works as a hospital porter, content to remain invisble, on the periphery because of his curse. And poor ghostly Annie is so desperate to experience the physicality of life that she makes an endless supply of tea and hot chocolate despite not being able drink it herself.
In the UK, Being Human launched with a pilot episode in 2008 that featured a different cast (other than Russell Tovey) and which filled in some of the blanks in the character's backstories. While it's not essential viewing for those of you in the States coming to the series fresh, I do wish that BBC America had run the pilot episode before launching the series as it does clarify certain plot points in the first episode.
In the pilot, for example, we see George and Mitchell move into Annie's home and duo meet their ghostly roommate for the first time. Likewise, the usage of the disused hospital basement room which George uses for his transformations is introduced as is the fact that Annie can materialize outside of the house and appear to "normal" people. Mitchell also turns his co-worker Lauren (played by Annabel Scholey in the series) into a vampire after sleeping with her, an important plot point that sets up their antagonistic relationship in the series.
Which isn't to say that you can't just dive into Being Human's first episode and enjoy it, because you can. The premiere episodes does a great job at summing up the events of the pilot in a nice shorthand but there are some key facts that are missing. However, this shouldn't diminish your appreciation of what promises to be an intriguing and compelling exploration of humanity that blends together the angst of This Life with the supernatural goings-on of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Subsequent episodes (I had the opportunity to screen the first three episodes of Season One in advance) further explore the tenuous hold each of our three leads has on their own humanity and in their own self-identification. Just how do these three supernatural beings see themselves and their world? Should they be hiding in the dark or are they meant to walk out into the light?
The second episode explores George's relationship with his lycanthropic nature when he meets another of his kind who teaches him how to deal with his secret and embrace the beast within. Yet, said visitor is hiding a dark secret that could change how George handles his double nature. The third episode focuses on Annie, the truth behind her death, and her relationship with a Smiths-loving 1980s ghost named Gilbert (Alex Price).
Yet lurking beneath these self-contained episodic plots lies Mitchell's story and the promise of a coming war between the vampires and the humans. Just based on the first three installments, I'm not sure yet where this is going but it's safe to say that the clouds are gathering on the horizon and the battle lines are being drawn, even if the humans are painfully unaware of what's to come.
My only complaint about Being Human is that I do wish that some of the storylines--particularly Annie's in Episode Three--had been stretched out a bit more. Part of that is due to the strength of Alex Price's winning performance as Gilbert, who I wished had stuck around in the series for longer than a single episode. Longer, more serialized storylines would have provided a stronger hook to the following installment, but that's a minor quibble for a series that's as enjoyable and unique as Being Human.
All in all, Being Human is a fun and cheeky look at the things that go bump in the night, their innate humanity, and the universal need to belong to something bigger than ourselves. They might bite, turn to wolves, and walk through walls, but the characters we meet within these innovative series are just as human as we are, foibles and all.
Being Human - First Seven Minutes
Being Human - "This Is What I Am"
Being Human - Mitchell's Prequel (Web Exclusive)
Being Human - Annie's Prequel (Web Exclusive)
Being Human - George's Prequel (Web Exclusive)
Being Human premieres Saturday, July 25th at 9 pm ET/PT on BBC America.
All eyes might be on the Primetime Emmy Award nominations that were released in the wee hours of the morning today (including one for Top Chef) but that doesn't mean I've forgotten about last night's episode of Top Chef Masters ("Miniaturize Me").
On this week's installment, the four newest master chefs--Michael Chiarello, Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson, Nils Noren, and Rick Moonen--faced off in one of the toughest challenges displayed on the culinary series to date: preparing a three course meal for one hundred foodie guests at a cocktail party.
But before that Herculean task, there was the Quickfire Challenge, which this week offered a flashback to Season One of Top Chef and featured guest judges Jeff Lewis, Jenni Pulos, and Ryan Brown of Bravo's Flipping Out. But no Zoila? What's up with that?
So how did this week's batch of master chefs perform under pressure in the kitchen? Let's discuss.
Quickfire Challenge: the masters this week had to recreate junk food into a fine dining experience. Personally, I love challenges like this because they really test the chefs and keep them on their toes; forcing them to reinvent junk food and elevate to a new form is a perfect way of testing their adaptability, imagination, and execution. Forcing master chefs to do this only increases the risk and the possible results.
Michael Chiarello chose fish sticks and offered up a winning dish of swordfish meatballs with fisherman's sauce and a Calabrian chili mayonnaise. I'm not a fan of swordfish but that looked incredible. Elegant but simple and an innovative reinterpretation of fish sticks. Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson was super-ambitious and created a tomato prosciutto stufado with pork kielbasa sausage but said sausage didn't look entirely cooked through, leaving guest judges Jeff Lewis, Jenni Pulos, and Ryan Brown more than a little miffed about the prospect of eating semi-cooked sausage.
Nils Noren picked fried shrimp and created a gorgeous and elegant dish of poached shrimp with pickled tomatoes, creamed corn, croutons, and lobster stock reduction. Not quite fried, which was a complaint of the guest judges but I give him credit for really elevating this to the next level and producing a dish that belonged in a fine dining establishment but had a link to that seaside treat.
Rick Moonen chose a corn dog and opted to make a deep-fried seafood hotdog... but didn't budget his time well at all and managed not to plate any of his dishes. Sad. I felt quite bad for Moonen, as it put him at a severe disadvantage going into the Elimination Challenge.
This week's Elimination Challenge was, I really think, the toughest one that they've given any of the chefs to handle on their own. Preparing a three-course meal of hors d'oeuvres on your own is a snap and should be for these chefs. Preparing a three-course meal for one hundred diners and plating 300 individual dishes? Not quite so easy, especially as these guys are used to have many, many hands helping them in the kitchen and assisting with prep, plating, and all the little details that go into producing fine dining.
The results of their efforts were somewhat mixed, with some dishes soaring and others crashing and burning. Mackinnon-Patterson offered a fritta esotica, fried pineapple wrapped in speck and deep fried. Interesting concept--rather like a Hawaiian pizza on a toothpick--but the judges did not take to this dish at all, citing the fact that the deep fat frying reduced the pineapple to little more than mush, eliminating both its inherent sweetness and its consistency. Next up was his main course of grilled beef short ribs with fresh horseradish and romaine hearts with anchovy-parmesan vinaigrette. Some issues with the seasoning on the short ribs but the dish was well executed and Gael Greene said he should have chucked out the fritta esotica and served up the romaine hearts as a starter instead. I was concerned about Mackinnon-Patterson's dessert: a strawberry frangipane with a yogurt semi-freddo and white chocolate dust. I get that pears aren't in season but I'm not sure I would have paired strawberries with frangipane and then there was the odd comment made by James Oseland that the strawberries themselves had a strange meat-like flavor. Ick.
For Chiarello, his first course was a shaved Brussels sprouts and asparagus salad with a whole citrus vinaigrette and Marcona almonds that I wanted to reach through the television to taste. I love Brussels sprouts and I thought shaving the sprouts and the asparagus was such an interesting technique and would have resulted in such a fantastic textural element. (Tom Colicchio's Craftbar here in LA does Brussels sprout "chips" that are crisp and salted leaves of goodness.) Next up: his "pissed off" prawns with arborio rice flower, chili, and garlic oil. Main complaint: too oily though the prawns were cooked perfectly. For dessert, Chiarello artfully constructed a dish layering balsamic-marinated strawberries with basil and goat milk gelato and chocolate creme fraiche. Creative, gorgeous, and risky as all hell. But it paid off magically.
Moonen's first dish was an opakapaka and barramundi ceviche with yuzu vinaigrette, avocado, and grapefruit that wowed diners and judges alike. His main course was a brandade of scallop and shrimp with a fennel and frisee salad with truffle vinaigrette; it eliminated the judges' memory that he scored zero stars in the Quickfire. (Well done, Rick.) For dessert, a preserved lemon panna cotta with candied ginger, gingersnaps, macadamia, toasted coconut, and pineapple... for which Moonen made one hundred individual servings by hand. When the judges said they were impressed, they meant it. It was madness but showed Moonen's grit and determination.
Noren served up a starter of diced scallop atop a smoked potato cream, with pressure-cooked apple, curry oil, mustard seeds, and chives. It looked absolutely gorgeous and was hands-down the most elegant and forward-thinking dish of the evening; perfect presentation for a cocktail party and just a symphony of textures and flavors. His next course was a slow-cooked salmon atop a marinated Napa cabbage, with chorizo, broccoli puree, fennel, and Madeira reduction sauce. Stunning and inventive (he seemed to create a new cooking technique on the fly for the salmon) and extremely memorable. For dessert, Noren offered a chocolate and goat cheese ganache with smoked lapsang souchong whipped cream and a Cara Cara orange gel.
Ultimately, there could be only one winner here and I can't say that I was surprised that the judges and the dinner awarded the most stars to Chiarello. He really managed to pull off the winning combination of presentation, vision, and flavor. I'm thrilled he's moving on to the champion round and very curious to see how he competes against the already impressive assembly of master chefs. Only one more round of prelims before the champions take the stage!
What did you think of this week's episode and the chefs' performances? Would you have awarded Chiarello the top spot? Which dishes looked the best and the worst to you? Discuss.
Next week on Top Chef Masters ("Trick In A Box"), the four new master chefs--Art Smith, Jonathan Waxman, Roy Yamaguchi, and Michael Cimarusti--are tasked with showing off their skills in a grocery store; later, they're presented with a mystery box holding the ingredients for the Elimination Challenge.
You had the chance to read my advance review of TNT's Dark Blue yesterday, but now that the first episode has aired, I'm curious to hear what you thought about the series.
Did you dig the dark blue palette and almost oppressive visual darkness of the series? Were you intrigued by Dylan McDermott's maverick undercover cop Carter Shaw? Or did you think he was upstaged by Logan Marshall-Green's surprisingly magnetic performance as Dean Bendis? Did you buy into the gritty world of undercover cops in the City of Angels? Or did you think it was a never-ending slew of cliche after cliche?
And, most importantly, would you tune in again next week to watch another episode?
Talk back here.
Next week on Dark Blue ("Guns, Strippers and Wives"), Ty tracks down a gun trafficker and nearly blows his cover by seeing his wife on her birthday; Carter has difficulty raising $100,000 to save himself and Ty.
Throughout her storied career and tenure at BBC Wales, executive producer Julie Gardner has had her hand in the development of several of the United Kingdom's most hallowed drama series, from Doctor Who and Torchwood to Life on Mars.
Recently relocated to Los Angeles to take up a position at BBC Worldwide Productions, where she was reunited with BBC drama commissioner Jane Tranter, Gardner is about to bring her own inimitable style and story sense across the pond.
I caught up with Gardner yesterday to talk about Torchwood: Children of Earth, which airs next week on BBC America (you can read my advance review here), Doctor Who's Matt Smith, and her new scripted development position here in LA.
(FYI, Part One of our Q&A contains minor spoilers for Children of Earth; Part Two will follow after Torchwood: Children of Earth finishes its run on BBC America.)
Televisionary: Given the strength of the ratings in the UK last week during Torchwood: Children of Earth's run it definitely seems like a bona fide hit. Can you tell us what the thinking was behind the decision to structure this season as a five-episode story arc rather than a traditional thirteen and then strip them across five nights?
Julie Gardner: The thinking was an editorial one. We have started our life in the UK on BBC Three, the second series then moved to BBC Two, and at the end of that one we knew we were going to have the chance to move to BBC One. The discussion between Russell, myself, and the then drama commissioner Jane Tranter was really about how to create an event out of Torchwood by moving to BBC One and how to really look at how to bring in a new audience while hopefully rewarding the audience that we had had on the previous two years.
Alongside all of those conversations, Russell had always wanted to do a big serial arc story and so rather than doing the balance of stories of the week with a tiny serial arc, he was quite interested in one big storyline. At the BBC, they had transmitted--or were about to transmit--Criminal Justice across a week and a previous title, Five Days, had also had a similar kind of event slot. It felt like a very good fit to take a week out of the schedule and attempt to tell a really big political thriller, if you like, with sci-fi content.
Televisionary: Does the success of this scheduling strategy make you more inclined toward taking risks with future nontraditional formats?
Gardner: Yes, I think the joy and exciting thing about Torchwood is in some respects it's a show that year on year changes its shape because we've moved across three channels across three years, because we've experimented with how dark we are, how mainstream we are, how much story arc versus how much story of the week, I think it's a title that, by its history, can change itself. And I think that makes it very exciting and very fresh.
Televisionary: You used the work "experiment" and one of the things that I found remarkable about Torchwood: Children of Earth is that it manages to conflate several genres--sci-fi, political thriller, social drama--into one series. How would you describe Torchwood: Children of Earth as a whole and what specific issues did you and Russell set out to capture with the storyline?
Gardner: Ah, it's hard to boil it down into one thing but I think maybe the topline headline I would offer is that it's a first contact story told in a very real way. So it's not a first contact story told in an action-adventure, straightforward way. It's an examination of what are the potential real consequences of this if that first contact is also a threat. I think for Russell, it's also looking at a world where we are always watching the news and seeing terrible things that happen and looking at, well, what could take the world to that point.
I think, for me personally, what I love about Children of Earth is how we look at the characters, all with families of their own. I think that's quite a departure from previous years. So we're looking at Ianto with his sister and his nephews and nieces; we're looking at Gwen, pregnant; we're looking at Captain Jack and his family situation. And in a five-part serial that has children at risk and a threat transmitting through children, it becomes a mix of very big global stakes with a very personal flavor and consequence.
Televisionary: Children of Earth features an incredible array of supporting cast members. How did you assemble such an amazing cast?
Gardner: They were fantastic, weren't they? It's two things, really. It's a tribute to the quality of the writing because people were reading script and really wanted to do them. It's also our great casting director, Andy Pryor. Andy works across Doctor Who, Torchwood, and The Sarah Jane Adventures. He's worked with me on so many titles and he is extraordinary at his job. So I think it was a combination of a really good casting director and script and a director, Euros Lyn, who's absolutely fantastic with actors.
Televisionary: Were you at all surprised by how charismatic and magnetic newcomer Cush Jumbo, who plays Lois Habiba, was in Children of Earth?
Gardner: No, she's gorgeous, isn't she? I'm not surprised, I'm jealous.
Televisionary: Given that you're now over here in Los Angeles with BBC Worldwide Productions--
Gardner: Hurray!
Televisionary: We're very happy to have you over here in LA.
Gardner: Thank you very much. The weather is considerably better. (Laughs)
Televisionary: I'm wondering, how likely is it that Torchwood will continue after the five-part transmission of Children of Earth?
Gardner: Um, we're having conversations now. We don't have any firm decision. We don't quite know what we're going to do next. But we're thinking about what could be the next editorial offering, so all I can say at this moment is: hold this space.
Televisionary: Doctor Who is itself undergoing some transformations of its own this year. Two words: Matt Smith.
Gardner: Hurray! (Laughs) Matt is marvelous, absolutely marvelous. I can take no credit for his casting. As you well know, I finish on Doctor Who at the end of David Tennant's years and at the end of Russell's. I know Matt's work from the UK and I think he's an exceptional actor.
I think from Christopher Eccleston to David Tennant and now Matt Smith, the thing in common is that they are three great, versatile, talented actors so I am very excited to see what he brings to the role.
Televisionary: Speaking of which, you recently relocated to work for BBC Worldwide America here in LA. What does your new position entail and what does it mean for sci-fi programming?
Gardner: I'm working for BBC Worldwide Productions, which is the commercial arm of the BBC. It's the division that has made Dancing with the Stars, so it has had some success in reality formats. I'm here to look at scripted and I'm here to look at new ideas for American networks and cable companies and to also look at reformats of UK titles. It's a privilege to be here, it's a really exciting time for me. I love American TV.
What it means for sci-fi, I don't know yet. I'm five weeks in and the thing I'm concentrating most on is the word "merge" on the freeway.
Come back next week after Torchwood: Children of Earth concludes its run on BBC America to find out what else Gardner had to say about Torchwood: Children of Earth in a spoiler-laden Q&A in which she discusses the end of the five-episode event and specific plot points along the way.
Torchwood: Children of Earth launches Monday, July 20th at 9 pm ET/PT on BBC America.
I was going to write an entire review for TNT's new undercover cop drama Dark Blue, which launches tonight at 10 pm ET/PT, but I just couldn't muster up any enthusiasm for what manages to be an oppressively dreary and hopelessly formulaic take on undercover cops operating in the seediest of seedy underbellies in Los Angeles.
Created by Doug Jung (Big Love), directed by Danny Cannon (CSI), and executive produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, Dark Blue stars Dylan McDermott (Big Shots), Omari Hardwick (Saved), Logan Marshall-Green (Traveler), and Nicki Aycox (Supernatural) as members of a special undercover police task force committed to ridding Los Angeles of violent criminal scum.
McDermott is the team's haunted linchpin Carter Shaw, a relentlessly determined cop who is prone to wearing aviator sunglasses and making pronouncements like, "This better be good; I haven’t seen 7 a.m. since 1992," just to show how doggedly put off he is by his bumbling supervisors who can't manage to rein in Shaw's maverick methods, even when they may have led to an undercover cop turning to the dark side.
And what a dark side it is. I had to wait until nightfall to watch the series as each and every scene seems to be overflowing with darkness as the cinematographer seems to have fallen in love with the sepulchral blue tones of bruises and oxidized blood. Which might be fitting, given the grittiness of the Dark Blue's plot but it doesn't make for very interesting viewing when every scene looks exactly the same as the one before.
The one interesting element of Dark Blue is what a wild card actor Logan Marshall-Green has become. As deep undercover officer Dean Bendis, Marshall-Green is virtually unrecognizable and he gives the underwhelming and cliched pilot episode its few moments of frisson as we see a cop treading that thin line between being undercover and actually crossing over to criminality. His on-screen presence adds a much needed energy to the proceedings and he quickly outshines McDermott, who seems lusterless and tired here.
All in all, Dark Blue covers some of the same gritty territory as A&E's short-lived undercover cop series The Beast, which starred Patrick Swayze. For a network that promises that they know drama, TNT certainly didn't bring their A-game here with Dark Blue and one can only hope that their next drama series effort results in something more original and less derivative.
When Torchwood started out, it was a darker and more adult version of the long-running British sci-fi series Doctor Who geared towards the post-watershed hour. It was violent, sexy, and provocative.
Two seasons later, Torchwood has established itself in its own right and made an indelible impression on its devoted audience, who gravitate towards its morally compromised characters, bleak storylines, and the lack of happy endings. Season Two ended with the death of two of the Torchwood team's members and, as the five-episode event Torchwood: Children of Earth begins, the team is still reeling from their deaths in their own ways.
Death has always been a part of Torchwood. It's a seductively dark series where everyone is painfully mortal. That is, except for the immortal Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman), who is fitfully unable to throw off his mortal coil, despite no lack of risk or danger. For Jack, death is a quotidian part of life, like the passing of the seasons. Even so, the loss of Tosh and Owen is like losing a limb for Jack and his Torchwood associates Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles) and Ianto Jones (Gareth David-Lloyd). The Hub, the team's Cardiff base of operations, is eerily silent, a monument to their lost comrades and to their enduring work. Which would be hard enough if the team weren't about to face their greatest challenge yet in Torchwood: Children of Earth, written by Russell T. Davies, John Fay, and James Moran and directed by Euros Lyn.
I had the opportunity to watch all five episodes of the gripping Torchwood: Children of Earth, which air Stateside on BBC America next Monday through Friday evenings, and was enthralled by a plot that's as heartbreaking as it is thought-provoking.
Spoiler-phobes, no worries. Because Torchwood: Children of Earth is a thriller in the very best sense of the word, I'm not going to go into too much detail here about the plot or give away any spoilers, it's really best enjoyed when you're truly in the dark about what's going to happen next.
So what's the basic set-up of Torchwood: Children of Earth? Jack, Gwen, and Ianto are still processing the aforementioned deaths of Tosh and Owen while they continue to go about their top-secret business of guarding the Rift and keeping Earth safe from extraterrestrial threats by any means necessary. (Wondering what happened to Freema Agyeman's Martha Jones, whom Jack wanted to leave UNIT and join the team in Doctor Who's "Journey's End"? We're told she's on her honeymoon but just who she married is a mystery for another day.)
At its weakest point, something happens that shakes Torchwood to its very core and may destroy the team altogether: the imminent arrival of an alien race, which appears to be speaking through every child on the planet. Just what do these aliens want? Why have they come to Earth and announced their presence in such a fashion? And how does it connect to a previous incursion on British soil by the so-called "456" in 1965? Can Torchwood stop them in time? And what secrets are several characters hiding?
The cast for Torchwood: Children of Earth is top-notch. Barrowman, Myles, and David-Lloyd anchor the five episode thriller with aplomb. Barrowman turns in the performance of his career to date, taking Captain Jack Harkness to some very dark, scary places and forcing Jack to deal with some unpleasant skeletons in his closet.
Myles in particular is sensational and it's fascinating to compare her strong and confident performance here with her first appearance on the series and see just how much Gwen has grown as a character while still providing the team's heart and soul. Of all of Torchwood's members, Gwen has managed to do something that the others have not: made both halves of her life complete. By bringing her husband Rhys (Kai Owen) into the circle of trust, she appears to be the only Torchwood member capable of having something resembling a normal life. Likewise, it's nice to see Owen's Rhys play a much bigger role here than in Torchwood itself; for a change, Rhys isn't a liability for Gwen but proves himself a valuable and capable member of the team and Owen ably demonstrates just why this powerful, sexy, and brainy woman would choose to spend her life with Rhys.
For Ianto, on the other hand, it's not so easy. He's dating--sort of--Captain Jack though it's clear that it's not all sunshine and roses in their relationship. For one thing, Ianto wants more than Jack is seemingly able to give and he's keenly aware of the fact that he will grow old and die while Jack will live on, young and handsome. Similarly, he can't bring himself to tell anyone the truth, keeping both the professional and personal sides of his life in the dark. He still hasn't told his sister Rhiannon (Katy Wix) the truth about his career or his sexuality... and hasn't actually told Torchwood anything about his past. David-Lloyd makes Ianto's situation painfully real and sympathetic, rendering suited coffee boy Ianto a tragic figure caught between duty and love.
The supporting cast assembled for Torchwood: Children of Earth is equally talented. Special kudos go out to Peter Capaldi's Machiavellian civil servant John Frobisher, a man whose duty is to protect the United Kingdom and its secrets and who proves himself early on only too willing to cross a number of moral boundaries to do so. Likewise, newcomer Cush Jumbo (Harley Street), who plays junior PA Lois Habiba is a real find; she manages to fit seemlessly into the plot and stand out among some of Britain's most talented actors. (Something tells me that we'll be seeing more of the deftly charismatic Jumbo in years to come.) Paul Copley turns in a jaw-dropping performance as Clement McDonald, one that's light years away from a previous turn as a cuckolded husband in BBC's seminal drama The Lakes. Lucy Cohu (Meadowlands) is fantastic as the enigmatic Alice Carter, who has a surprising link to Captain Jack; Liz May Brice is coolly menacing as ruthless MI-5 enforcer Agent Johnson; and Nicholas Farrell is terrifying as the self-serving Prime Minister Brian Green. (Hmmm, Gordon Brown and Brian Green. Coincidence?)
While Torchwood: Children of Earth functions on a surface level as a rip-roaring political thriller crossed with an alien invasion drama, it's actually a canny exploration of society today, asking tough questions about the worth of the individual. Captain Jack speaks about making hard choices and it holds true for each and every character in the five-episode third season, giving the event a weightiness and merit all its own.
Sacrifice is a major thematic component of Torchwood: Children of Earth and its influence snakes its way insidiously throughout the plot. In a crisis, such as the one that looms on the horizon in Torchwood: Children of Earth, which of us has value? Which ones of us are expendable? And who decides which moral lines in the sand we can--and should--cross when faced with unspeakable terror? Does the good of the many outweigh the good of the few and what would any of us do when faced with a decision that could have consequences for the fate of the human race?
Likewise, Torchwood: Children of Earth feels painfully contemporary, effortlessly capturing our primal human need for information and the proliferation of social media. In an age where no one can stop any signal, Torchwood: Children of Earth presciently captures the unease of the recent Iran elections and shows us a world where everything is recorded in one way or another. The pervasive use of various recordings throughout--and I won't reveal what or who is being recorded or why--not only drive the plot but also make us question the essential truth of what we're seeing with our own eyes. Is what we're told by our governments and media outlets true? Is there such a thing as off the record? Will the truth, like murder, always out?
Torchwood: Children of Earth could have coasted by on an alien invasion story and been entertaining popcorn television but, by skillfully layering in some meaty philosophical debate and social themes that affect all of us today, it transformed itself into one of the year's most important and controversial pieces of television making and proved once and for all that it need not hide in Doctor Who's shadow.
Torchwood: Children of Earth Trailer:
Torchwood: Children of Earth First Seven Minutes of Day One:
The five-night Torchwood: Children of Earth event begins Monday, July 20th at 9 pm ET/PT on BBC America and BBC America HD.
Could it be that our girl Sookie Stackhouse isn't quite as unique as she believed?
Last night's sensational episode of True Blood ("Shake and Fingerpop"), written by Alan Ball and directed by Michael Lehmann, offered up a rather tantalizing discovery: someone else shares Sookie's telepathic abilities. That Sookie should learn this fact and come face-to-face (and, well, mind-to-mind) with telepathic bellhop Barry in Dallas while there to investigate the disappearance of vampire Godric and getting ambushed at the airport seems rather coincidental, making me wonder if the Church of the Fellowship of the Sun have a pet telepath of their own.
Meanwhile, there were some rather intriguing developments between Lafayette and one-time jailor Eric, some hints about Eric's past involving Godric, and a nice twist in the relationship between baby vamp Jessica and Hoyt Fortenberry.
So what are you waiting for? Pop open a fresh Tru Blood, order up some room service, and let's discuss "Shake and Fingerpop."
I watched last night's episode well over a month ago but I've been rewatching the episodes as they air on HBO and have to say that "Shake and Fingerpop" was a worthy successor to the previous episode, "Scratches." Marking the second season writing debut of series creator Alan Ball, the episode took Sookie, Bill, Jessica, and Eric out of Bon Temps and deposited them in Dallas, where the big city was just as dangerous as everyone made it out to be.
No sooner do the trio arrive in Dallas (after a flight on--ha!--Anubis Air) than they are attacked by their chauffeur (Breaking Bad's Dean Norris), who was under firm instructions to kidnap the human (though he was unaware, I might add, that Sookie would be a woman) and kill the vampires. Loved that Bill let Jessica have a go glamouring said chauffeur (and that the results were so unexpectedly hilarious and juvenile).
Something major is brewing in Dallas and the Church of the Fellowship of the Sun is clearly behind both the attack on our troika and the disappearance of powerful vampire Godric. Just what the relationship truly is between Eric and Godric remains to be seen but there's clearly a hell of a lot of history and respect on Eric's part, not to mention outright reverence for Godric. (Bill, meanwhile, feels no such respect for Eric Northman; witness the petulance he displays by ordering the $45 Tru Blood just to waste Eric's money.) So what has Eric so scared? It's the notion that if these humans could nab Godric, any of them are vulnerable to attack. The stakes, so to speak, just got raised...
But let's not jump ahead. Before leaving for Dallas, there was that showdown between Bill and Jessica at the old Compton place after Bill discovered her on the couch with Hoyt. I have to say that I'm head over heels in love with this coupling, as unanticipated and unpredictable as any real-life romantic liaison. The innocence of their relationship is totally refreshing, even as Jessica lashes out at Bill for kicking Hoyt out, saying that she wasn't going to hurt him.
Given Jessica's power and strength, it's easy to forget that she's an awkward teenager, inexperienced in the ways of love and hungry in more ways than one. That she realizes that her amorous feelings cause her fang out (and bounds up the stairs giggling) is a humorous and touching discovery that speaks volumes about Jessica's contradictory nature. I can't wait to see where the relationship between these two is heading but I have to say that these two are perfectly matched for one another and Deborah Ann Woll (read my exclusive interview with her here) and Jim Parrack once again turn in sublime performances here.
Elsewhere, Lafayette received a surprise visit from Eric himself. I'm not sure what Eric's game is and whether he experienced (A) guilt at imprisoning Lafayette in the fashion that he did, (B) a surprising interest in Lafayette after Sookie exclaimed that he was important to her, as Eric suggests, or (C) something more sinister. Now that Lafayette has drank from Eric, there's a bond between them, an invisible thread which Eric can flick upon when necessary. Could Lafayette find himself in Eric's employ or forced to return the favor? Hmmm...
Loved Jason's slow-motion daydream about Sarah Newlin during the barbeque and her totally inappropriate lingerie-clad appearance in his bedroom... and its juxtaposition with Steve Newlin and Jason's gun-toting vampire "hunting" expedition in the woods. Just what will happen between this threesome looks to be very interesting indeed. The Newlins clearly have plans for Jason Stackhouse but it's hard to decipher just what they truly want from him, whether that be him as a sexual plaything or a hardened warrior.
Maryann's plans for Tara hit a snag when the latter announced her intentions to move in with Sookie but Maryann is nothing if not resourceful and she played on Tara's loneliness on her birthday to throw one hell of a party at Sookie's house, one at which she was able to harness the collective revelry of the party-goers into sheer power, transforming her hands into those of her maenad form... and displaying in no uncertain terms that it was likely she who attacked Sookie in the woods and killed Miss Jeanette. (Or so it would seem, anyway.)
And loved the fact that Lettie Mae turned up at Merlotte's to give Sam a present for Tara... only to have Maryann toss the gift in the bushes. Ha ha. Can't have Tara reforming any bonds with her estranged mother, now can we? Not if her plan to have Tara for herself is going to come to fruition.
I have to say that one of the most vile moments of the series to date came at the party when the guests turn so rowdy and so transfixed by the atmosphere of depravity that they begin to stuff their faces with whatever is at hand, whether it be food or dirt. (Ick.) And it's that atmosphere that pushes Tara and Eggs into bed together as they rather heatedly consummate their relationship for the first time.
Something tells me that Bon Temps will never be the same again... Was that genuine sparkage we saw between Arlene and Terry Bellefleur? And just how does Daphne know Sam's shapeshifting secret? Could it be that she and Maryann are more similar than we thought and that their arrivals in Bon Temps at around the same time are far from being a coincidence?
All I know is that I'm completely intrigued. "Shake and Fingerpop" definitely started off more slowly than previous installments but its slow burn pacing paid off remarkably. The truly shocking revelation about Barry the Bellhop was a hell of an episode close-out after an installment that displayed some nice minor details--the request for a bed at the hotel, Sookie telling Bill that her telepathy is improved through touch, the Tru Blood childishness, Sookie checking out the vampire porn, Jessica ordering in some room service of her own--that fleshed out the world of True Blood while also offering some major twists of its own. Sunday can't come quickly enough...
What did you think of this week's episode? What is Maryann's master plan? Who is Daphne and was she sent to keep Sam occupied? What happened to Godric? What do the Newlins want with Jason? Why did Eric let Lafayette feed off of him? And just what will happen next? Discuss.
Next week on True Blood ("Never Let Me Go"), Sookie connects with one of her own in Dallas, then joins Bill and Eric for a strategic summit at the lair of the missing vampire Godric and meets his lieutenants, Stan and Isabel; Jason is rewarded for his hard work with a gift from Sarah; Maryann decides to cast her spell on the staff of Merlotte’s; Eric shares a secret about his past with Bill; Sookie makes a decision that could solve the mystery of the missing Godric or get her killed.
Throughout its run, Eureka, which returns tonight to Syfy with the first of its back ten episodes of Season Three, has more or less offered a safe haven on television: a rather cozy yarn about a quirky town of scientists whose inventions often improve--as much as threaten--the lives of the populace of this idyllic berg.
That very relaxed, homey feel that so many of Eureka's fans gravitate towards often results in a decided lack of tension in the plots. And, you know what, that's okay. Not every series needs to be as mercilessly bleak as, say, The Shield. There's a place for a more homespun series that offers a winsome charm and snugness like Eureka.
Season 3.5 of Eureka picks up right where we last saw Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson) and the other assorted denizens of Eureka, with Jack cast out of his role as town sheriff, Jack's star-crossed would-be lover Allison (Salli Richardson-Whitfield) pregnant with her dead husband's child, and a surprised Henry (Joe Morton) taking over as mayor of Eureka.
I had the opportunity last week to watch the first two episodes of Season 3.5 or Eureka ("Welcome Back Carter" and "Your Face or Mine") and was struck by the way that the series continues to go its own way, refusing to conform to expectations about serialized plotting or losing its inherent optimism and aw-chucks allure.
This is a series that really shouldn't work and yet it does, even when it introduces some blatantly obvious solutions to the procedural mystery of the week (always involving some random scientist) or puts its lead through a physical and mental test of endurance that's jettisons him from the overarching plot. Even when Carter's not on screen, Colin Ferguson's presence is felt, an after-effect of his overwhelming charisma. Hell, even the introduction of a new sheriff in town--Men in Trees' Ty Olsson as robotic Sheriff Andy--does nothing to diminish Ferguson's hold on the viewers.
I have to say that I loved Olsson's turn as Andy here. He gives the robotic small town cop the appeal of a grinning copper straight out of Mayberry, only more impervious to destruction. That his first case would coincide with Carter's decision to leave for Eureka for good is the icing on the cake. Just when Carter thinks he's out... Despite being stripped of his clearance, Carter and Jo (Erica Cerra), who quits her gig when she's passed over for promotion in favor of a robot in a box, investigate the cause of the strange gravity wells popping up all over Eureka, a fact that Sheriff Andy doesn't seem too bothered about. (I do have to say that I was surprised by the reveal of the just who is behind the mystery.)
And Cerra herself gets a chance to shine when she holds down the season's second episode ("Your Face or Mine"), which is directed with skill by Ferguson himself. The Jo-centric episode features DNA-modification, virtual karaoke, a torch song from a smoking-hot Cerra, and some rather unexpected twists involving both Zane (Niall Matter) and Fargo (Neil Grayston).
All in all, Eureka isn't groundbreaking television but it does offer something that's definitely lacking in an era of gritty drama: an opportunity to escape to a happy, simpler time where small towns weren't filled with seedy underbellies of depravity and crime and where robots patrol the streets, fighting crime with a warm smile and a firm handshake. Or something like that, anyway.
Eureka kicks off Season 3.5 tonight at 9 pm ET/PT on Syfy.
I can't tell you how excited I was that Top Chef Masters finally returned to the airwaves last night after a far-too long two week hiatus.
The series has become a highlight in my telly-viewing week and last night's episode of Top Chef Masters ("Magic Chefs") was no exception as the four latest master chefs--Anita Lo, John Besh, Mark Peel, and Douglas Rodriguez--has to prepare a dinner for actor Neil Patrick Harris and his friends at Los Angeles' famed Magic Castle using the four elements of stage magic: surprise, illusion, spectacle, and mystery.
I was a guest at the Magic Castle, a private club for professional magicians, about two weeks ago and fell in love with the quirky charms of the place, a former mansion turned clubhouse and multi-staged venue where magic reigns supreme. It was only fitting then that our master chefs should have this unique location to use as a backdrop for their most magical meal yet.
So how did the cheftestants do? Let's discuss.
Before the magic-themed dinner, the masters had to fight their way through the Quickfire Challenge, a repeat of a favorite Top Chef challenge in which the chefs have to prepare a perfectly cooked egg with one hand tied behind their back.
The challenge, which recalls both Georges Auguste Escoffier and the more humbling aspects of this culinary competition series, really did put these chefs through their paces. I was surprised to see just how many of them really did underestimate the challenge at hand and didn't really consider timing or plating in advance. An egg is a delicate thing at the best of times and the thin line between a perfectly cooked oeuf and an overcooked one is transparent at best.
I have to say that I was majorly impressed with Mark Peel for attempting to make fresh pasta in such a brief time span as this... much less with one hand tied behind his back, a real Herculean feat if there was one. His dish was a truly ambitious one then: fresh duck egg pasta with an egg and olive oil cream sauce. I feel it would have been a hell of a lot more successful if he managed to get the olive oil in there and had more of a contrast with the fresh herbs. But still impressive.
Less impressive with John Besh, who completely underwhelmed with a slow-cooked egg in a miniature crock pot... that wasn't actually cooked. Besh, whom many pegged as a major player in this competition, scored only half a star for his single egg serving that was still uncooked on one side and lacked any components. Sad, really.
Douglas Rodriguez, on the other hand, prepared perfectly cooked scrambled eggs with ham and an open-faced corn cake that showcased precision, thoughtfulness, and an understanding of the task at hand. But it was chef Anita Lo who wowed the judges with her artful preparation of soft scrambled eggs and shiitake mushrooms with truffle oil and oyster sauce served in the eggshell. Just a dazzling display of ingenuity, playfulness, and art, really, and no surprise at all that Lo walked away with the top spot. That she constructed this amazing dish with one hand is what truly inspires. Well done, Anita!
As for the Elimination Challenge, the chefs would have to create dishes that embodied one element of magic, whether it be illusion, mystery, spectacle, or surprise, and serve it at the Magic Castle to guest judge Neil Patrick Harris and a collection of actors and magicians. Given that Harris is reputed to be a major fan of magic, I expected to see more enthusiasm from the How I Met Your Mother actor but he seemed rather low-key and quiet throughout the proceedings, which struck me as odd.
First up: Mark Peel's Mystery, which was a thai snapper en papillote served with garlic mashed potatoes and leeks. Heightening the mystery of what was in the parcel, Peel also offered up a ceramic spoon of scallion oil and Oassi sake. This dish could have easily backfired if the fish were overcooked (no way to check it without tearing into the pouch, after all, and Peel had let them sit before they went out into the dining room) but the result was a lovely surprise: perfectly cooked fish with gorgeous leeks and creamy mash, heightened by the slightly bitter flavor of the scallion oil.
John Besh's Surprise went a little askew though he did have the forethought to remember his surroundings and play up the theatricality of the setting, crafting a little magic of his own with a fresh horseradish and creme fraiche sorbet that he attempted to solidify using liquid nitrogen. This was a real gambit as it's hard to pull off a liquid nitrogen tableside serving. The Bazaar at the SLS Hotel here in LA does liquid nitrogen-frozen cocktails and it is hard work and time-consuming. Besh should have kept whisking for another five minutes at least to give the sorbet some body and solidity. As for the rest of the dish, he offered up three miniature servings: salmon tartare with a frozen cauliflower blini, salmon roe with the aforementioned sorbet and dill fronds, tempura-fried lobster wrapped in smoked salmon with micro-greens. The judges loathed the frozen blini, with James Oseland complaining that it gave him brain freeze. Ouch. The lobster, however, was perfectly cooked and the most successful of the three offerings.
Douglas Rodriguez's Spectacle tried to bring the pomp and circumstance one might expect from the magic but didn't quite hit the mark with his sterno-flamed coconut shells which did offer some spectacle but also some danger to eating his course. It was also a little too ambitious, to boot, with four preparations of duck on a single plate: there was an oyster ceviche with duck broth, empanada with foie gras and figs, a seared duck breast with butternut squash puree, and a duck soup with young coconut. Way too much going on on the plate, an overabundance of ingredients, and some confusion.
Finally, Anita Lo's Illusion, a crackling sand-based seascape that held up a braise daikon with kombu caviar that resembled a perfect scallop... but actually contained a steak tartare in its pearly depths. The addition of a shellfish stock in a small bowl added some salt and flavor to the tartare when poured over the top. Once again, I thought Lo did an incredible job of going beyond the brief to really wow in terms of presentation and flavor and she absolutely nailed the "illusion" part of the challenge. It was such a dead ringer for a scallop yet conceals such a different story on the interior that I would have been amazed if she didn't walk away with a spot in the champions round.
Sure enough, the judges felt the same way about Lo's Illusion, a perfectly crafted dish that captured the requisite magic and transformed a lowly daikon into a centerpiece of illusory power. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next...
What did you think of this week's episodes? Were the judges fair to give John Besh such low scores? Did you think Anita Lo deserved the top prize? What did you think of the chefs' performances? And was Neil Patrick Harris uncharacteristically quiet? Discuss.
Next week on Top Chef Masters ("Miniaturize Me"), four new master chefs--Michael Chiarello, Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson, Nils Noren, and Rick Moonen--are tasked with reinventing junk-food classics and then later, they create three-course mini-meals for 100 guests. Plus, Flipping Out's Jeff Lewis and Jenni Pulos guest star.
What did you think of the partnership between Eddie McClintock and Joanne Kelly's mismatched Secret Service agents Pete Lattimer and Myka Bering? Was it more Philadelphia Story than X-Files? Were you intrigued by the sci fi-lite plot that had these two becoming custodians for a repository of powerful objects with seemingly supernatural abilities? Or were you turned off by the glacial pacing? Are you enamored with Saul Rubinek's manic Artie? Did you find the concept refreshing or repetitive?
And, most importantly, will you tune in again next week to watch?
Talk back here.
Next week on Warehouse 13 ("Resonance"), Pete (Eddie McClintock) and Myka (Joanne Kelly) must team up with an FBI agent (guest star Tricia Helfter) in order to stop a team of bank robbers who have an unusual weapon: a LP record of an unreleased pop song written by a music genius that causes instant bliss in those who hear it, allowing the thieves to take what they want. Back at the Warehouse, Artie (Saul Rubinek) pinpoints the breach and heads to Washington.
Viewers of HBO's Southern Gothic vampire drama True Blood were likely shocked last week when teenage vampire Jessica Hamby nearly walked away with the series when she sauntered languidly into Merlotte's in search of something to crave her hunger, both physically and emotionally.
Set to the haunting strain of Marcy Playground's "Sex and Candy," the scene not only brought Jessica to the forefront of the talented ensemble cast but memorably established the flame-haired actress who plays her, Brooklyn-born newcomer Deborah Ann Woll, as a major force to be reckoned with in the acting community.
I had the chance to catch up with the incandescent Deborah Ann Woll yesterday, where we talked about what's in store for mischievous teenage vampire Jessica Hamby, her character's star-crossed romance with Jim Parrack's Hoyt Fortenberry, and what's coming up for Jessica on Season Two of True Blood.
So get your fangs ready, pour yourself a bottle of B-negative Tru Blood, and let's chat with True Blood's Deborah Ann Woll.
Televisionary: How would you describe Jessica as a character? And has your perception of her changed at all during the course of shooting Season Two?
Deborah Ann Woll: Well, my feeling about Jessica is that she is a profoundly lonely person. Having lived your life in a family where you were not allowed to express yourself or feel real, that must be a very lonely life. And then to be in a lonely life where you can't be with your family, you can't be with the people you knew, and things are happening to you that you don't understand, I think her story is really about finding love and somebody to spend her time with.
Televisionary: How did you get involved with True Blood? Had you read any of Charlaine Harris' novels before you joined the cast?
Woll: I hadn't, no. I actually just came to work last season. They were casting the role of Jessica for just a two or three episode arc and then they decided they wanted to take the character someplace else, so I got to stick around the second season as a regular, which is a dream come true. But I haven't read the books before, I didn't know anything about it when I first got cast.
Televisionary: When you shot that first scene in Season One where Bill actually kills Jessica, did you have any indication at all that this would become a series regular gig?
Woll: Oh, not at all. I had no idea. When we shot the second to last episode and that last episode [of Season One], they probably could have just dropped me. (Laughs) I guess they could have after that second episode I shot, but after that last [one] it was nice to hear I would at least come back in some small way. But it was a huge surprise--and a pleasant one at that--that I was going to get to be a larger part of the story.
Televisionary: What was the audition process like for the series? You've done a bunch of guest starring roles (such as on Life, ER, CSI, My Name is Earl, and The Mentalist) prior to this but was it a grueling process getting cast on True Blood?
Woll: (Laughs) No, this was no different because this was how I came on. I went straight to the directors, the writers, and the producers to see my work. Had the one audition, did the two scenes--the tribunal scene and the cussing scene from Episode Eleven of last season, which is just a lot of fun, rolling around on the floor and I remember I was eating my tears. (Laughs) It was odd in the scene that True Blood is a unique show but beyond that it was the normal audition, casting, shooting process.
Televisionary: What is like then having your first series regular gig be on a series like True Blood that has such a passionate audience?
Woll: I have nothing to compare it to. It's certainly surreal but I am very proud. It's really an honor for the first character that I've been really able to carry through many episodes to work with people who are so experienced and collaborative and have such great ideas themselves. This show wouldn't get put up if it weren't for every single member of the cast, crew, and production. I have a feeling that I'm a little bit spoiled (laughs) as I move onto other projects I might find a job not quite fulfilling as this one is in terms of the people you work with.
Televisionary: What was your first inkling then, when reading those first few scripts for Season Two, that Jessica had transformed into a hugely pivotal character?
Woll: Well, it always surprises me, every single script we get, what we're doing this week, because it is so wild and varied and the great thing about this particular role is that because of the impulse control and the background of the character, she really can do anything. So I would say that I was very surprised and certainly after that second episode when we go to Jessica's house and see her family, it started to dawn on me that this is some really interesting stuff and this character is really original.
Televisionary: There's a scene in the third episode ("Scratches"), where Jessica enters Merlotte's for the first time--set to the tune of Marcy Playground's "Sex and Candy"--that was a character-defining moment for Jessica and announced that she was moving to the forefront of the series. What was it like filming that scene and did the writers or producers prepare you at all for what ended up being such a key role in Jessica's arc so far?
Woll: I don't think we had any idea. (Laughs) That's kind of what happens with art, a bunch of people just get together and suddenly something happens and it works. It works because Jim Parrack is such a good actor and such a good person and is just a delight to work with. It works because Raelle Tucker, who wrote that episode, really gave us an opportunity and has some amazing things to say about humanity. It works because Scott Winant, the director, is a visionary [and because Pat Dempsey who lit it knows what she's doing.] They really made us look spectacular. So it's all these little bits and pieces that come together without you knowing what it's going to do.
But I do remember, I was real nervous about it because it was still early on and I was worried about impressing my bosses and everything like that. And I do remember they took us in for that scene and there's a sign above the bar, right across from the door, that says, "Under 21, Not Allowed." And I just look at that and said, "Hmm. I'm seventeen." And I immediately knew where I was in that moment, which was sort of forbidden and sort of risky but exciting in the same way, something I had never done before, that I'd never been in a bar, that I'd never gone hunting for food or a man. Whatever it was, this was a new experience and I had no idea what I was going to do but I was sure as hell going to try to do something.
Televisionary: How much of that forbidden aspect to do you relate to?
Woll: I definitely like a little bit of darkness, a little edge. I get a little bored when things are maybe too simple or too... expected. The best characters and the best stories are the ones that surprise you. And I really like that with this character Jessica, every single arc you learn something new and she reacts and responds in a way that nobody predicted. You might say, oh, I know when that happens, that's exactly what Jessica going to be like and then you watch and she doesn't do that, she does something else. I think that really makes it fun and a little dangerous because you can't predict or control her.
Televisionary: In a series like True Blood that really amps up the unexpected, Jessica is the most unpredictable element in the mix. One of the more surprising twists this season has been her relationship with Hoyt. Did Alan or the writers tell you about Jessica and Hoyt going into Season Two?
Woll: Jim and I kind of guessed in the same way that a lot of fans had, when he had that line in an episode of the first season about looking for a nice vampire girl his age. So Jim and I had some sort of inkling about maybe this is somewhere they are going to go with it. But we didn't really meet officially and have a conversation until we shot Episode Three ["Scratches"], so I think within five minutes of officially meeting Jim Parrack, we were making out. (Laughs) But he's just such a sweet person that it couldn't have been easier.
We didn't really know for sure but we weren't surprised either, it seemed like a real natural flow. It's such an interesting pairing and one that could either totally bomb and not work at all or it could be a real gem. And hopefully it's gone in the latter direction.
Televisionary: So far this season, we've seen Jessica interact with the darker elements of the series, the vampire community, we've seen her now show up at Merlotte's and spend time with Hoyt. Are there any actors in True Blood with whom you haven't shot a scene at this point that you'd love to work with?
Woll: Oh, boy, so many. I'm the naughty vampire child teenager (laughs), so they keep me locked up for most of this season, I don't get to go very many places. (Laughs) So I haven't gotten to work with many people at all. I'd love to work with Ryan [Kwanten] more; I think he's so funny. That character [Jason Stackhouse], he does it so well; he's just... delightfully dim in a really endearing way. (Laughs) Who else? Goodness, Rutina [Wesley], Nelsan [Ellis]; I don't to work with too many people in Bon Temps, it's mostly the vampires and Sookie and now Jim. But we'll see. Maybe next season--if I survive--maybe I will get to hang out with a couple of other people.
Televisionary: Obviously, you're not going to give that away. We know the series is coming back for another season, so can you tell us in any way if you would be part of the cast for a third go-around?
Woll: I hope so... (Laughs) I certainly hope so. I know with every single script I get, I go, oh goodness, is this the one where I perish? I started looking out for wooden stakes all over the place. (Laughs) But some very dramatic things happen towards the end of the season that put a lot of people in danger and in harm's way. You'll just have to wait and see who makes it.
Televisionary: Can you give us any hints then about what's in store for Jessica later this season? Just a little tease?
Woll: A teaser? Hmmm, I would say that if you took any girl's life, the traumas that she goes through, and then heightened them by about fifty percent, you might to begin to guess at what is going to happen for Jessica this season.
Televisionary: What's been your favorite scene to shoot so far on the series?
Woll: My favorite scene to shoot, a couple of scenes coming up in Episode Seven ["Release Me"]. I mean, Episode Three ["Scratches"] scenes, I loved. We knew walking away from that, even if we didn't know going into it, we knew walking away from that that we had something pretty special and I really loved working on [Episode] Three. There are some scenes in Episode Seven that I really love. Jim and I have been rehearsing together a little bit outside of shooting and that really helped and I think that [Episode] Seven has benefited from that. And [Episodes] Eight and Nine are very interesting too.
Televisionary: If the writers could do anything to Jessica, no matter how crazy, where would you like to see them take her as a character?
Woll: Oh, boy. Hmmm. I don't even know. I mean Jessica has done some pretty terrible things, certainly, and had some pretty terrible things done to her but I think we could lead into her exploring this more violent vampire side. It started out as being sort of an irritating or uncontrollable experience that's now moving into a new experiences for both humans and vampires. I think it would be interesting to see some real violence.
I think Jessica still has a lot of anger and hate in her from her previous life. It would be interesting to see some of that come out and be dealt with in a less subtle way, find a way to explore that more outwardly. To see some of that past resentment and anger, at the way she was treated by her father and turned and given this turn of events by Bill and then having to sort of live what's not an ideal life--an un-life--in his house and seeing how that is dealt with among her new family and friends.
Televisionary: In speaking with you, it's pretty obvious that you're not from the South. You're from Brooklyn, correct?
Woll: Yep, I am.
Televisionary: Did you work at all with a dialect coach to get Jessica's accent?
Woll: I didn't. It was very, very hard for me in the beginning because, coming out as a guest star, I had no time to prepare any kind of an accent, so I very quickly had to listen to a lot of people talk. I got a little dialect CD but that doesn't help me so much; I like listening to real people talk. I did the best I could the first season but obviously when you're having an emotional moment--or any kind of a moment--you want to be thinking about what's going on and not the way you sound. So I think I went in and out a little bit. But this season has felt much better. During the hiatus, I was able to work more on my own and every night, I'd read my science fiction book aloud to myself in a Southern accent and it just became more natural for me and this season just felt much better.
Televisionary: That's funny, because I feel that you actually nail the accent more convincingly than a lot of the other non-Southern actors.
Woll: Thank you! I do feel better about it this season, I put a lot of work into it over the hiatus and I appreciate hearing that. I was telling someone else that part of the trouble I had in the beginning was that I used to have a little bit of a Brooklyn accent or at least a New York accent. I got rid of that many years ago because I wanted to act and it limits you a little bit if you sound like Marisa Tomei all the time. Interestingly enough, that and the Southern accent are kind of similar. You have to drop your r's in some of the same places. When I would slip out of the Southern, I would actually go into Brooklyn, which is really wrong. (Laughs) But now I finally established the difference there so it's not quite so weird if I slip a little bit.
Televisionary: True Blood must keep you rather busy, but do you ever have time to watch anything else on television?
Woll: (Laughs) Um, sure. I'm a real big nerd so I'm a big Animal Planet and Sci Fi Channel kind of person. My favorite TV show of all time is Mystery Science Theatre. I have every single episode that you can get that's available, either through commercially released stuff or fan sites. So I literally watch an episode of Mystery Science Theatre every single night of my life before I go to sleep. It's literally my favorite thing.
Televisionary: Given that you've has started out fairly recently, are there any actors whose careers you'd must like to emulate? Do you want to stay in television or branch out into film or theatre?
Woll: I started in theatre, film is what is relatively new to me. I did theatre for about ten years, not in any huge professional capacity but educationally and in small theatres. I would love to go back into theatre and do more of that. I would love to branch into film. I'd love to do all kinds of acting work, I'm not picky when it comes to that. All of it is an extreme interesting experience. I like women who are character actors but can still play leading women, can still be a romantic lead.
I love old-fashioned movies, so [Greta] Garbo is a hero of mine so I think she's lovely. When you watch her in a time period where things are over the top, she's very beautiful, and subtle and reserved but still very strong. A lot of actors or actresses, you might not know their names but they are kind of in everything and you certainly recognize their faces but they play different roles in everything. Allison Janey would be one as well, I think she's great. Really genuine actors where that is their role, they just want to work the rest of their lives and it doesn't matter if it kills them. Or hopefully that is what kills you in the end: working too hard.
Better that, one would imagine, then being killed by a vampire. One thing is for sure: after seeing Deborah Ann Woll's star-making turn on True Blood as Jessica Hamby, she won't be lacking for work for a long time to come.
True Blood airs Sunday evenings at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO.
Tomorrow Sci Fi will morph into Syfy, dropping its generic name in favor of a unique term that can be trademarked globally as the channel rolls out its brand to territories around the world.
The metamorphosis of the channel--at least in terms of its name--will coincide with the launch of dramedy series Warehouse 13, which stars Joanne Kelley (Vanished), Eddie McClintock (Bones), and Saul Rubinek (Frasier).
Warehouse 13, executive produced by Jack Kenny and David Simkins, isn't your conventional sci-fi series, but rather a sci-fi-tinged screwball dramedy about two very mismatched Secret Service agents who are forced to work together after they are transferred to a mysterious South Dakota warehouse.
Said warehouse houses all manner of dangerous artifacts and powerful items that are best kept under lock and key. Overseen by punctilious caretaker Artie Nielsen (Rubinek), the Warehouse contains an arsenal of arcane objects that could wreak chaos in the wrong hands. It's his job--and now that of Agents Pete Lattimer (McClintock) and Myka Bering (Kelly)--to safeguard these objects, investigate cases involving possible use of relics, and bring them back to the Warehouse for safekeeping.
McClintock and Kelly are well cast as diametrically opposed Secret Service agents in the style of The X-Files' Mulder and Scully or indeed any of the screwball romantic leads of any George Cukor or Howard Hawks films. McClintock's Pete Lattimer is a guy's guy who tends to shoot first and ask questions later; he's guided by an intuition that approaches something vaguely resembling precognition or clairvoyance. He can seemingly anticipate trouble before it strikes and his investigations tend to go on gut instinct rather than brainy analysis.
His new partner, Myka Bering (Kelly), is his polar opposite. Still reeling from a scandal-inducing battle in Denver that left one agent dead (with whom, shall we say, Myka was intimate) and Myka dealing with the political and emotional fallout, Myka is all icy cold logic, as tightly wound as a clock spring. Her strength and weakness are often one and the same: precise analysis that precludes any navel-gazing.
Intuition, meet rationality.
These two mismatched partners are in fact perfectly matched in every sense of the word. There's a nice spark between McClintock's Pete and Kelly's Myka that sets them up neatly as the ideal sparring partners. But for now, their relationship is strictly professional and they fall into a pattern of wary trust with one another.
The wild card in their midst is, of course, Rubinek's manic Artie, the keeper of secrets who knows the Warehouse like the back of his hand yet still must answer to a mysterious group of overseers, embodied in the pilot episode by Mrs. Frederic (The Shield's CCH Pounder), a woman who seems to move like a wisp of smoke.
The result is something akin to a lighter version of FOX's Fringe, a series that deals with scientific advances and crimes stemming from the use of some rather strange (and often creepy) artifacts of its own, and also recalls the network's own limited series The Lost Room, which also dealt with the collection of arcane objects.
Warehouse 13 takes a more comedic tack, employing some screwball humor and fast-paced banter. It's a warmer series, in every sense of the word, and doesn't have the same bleak worldview or intensely overarching yet strangely localized mythology that Fringe does. (Although, it's worth noting that Warehouse 13 does have a mythology of its own, which will be parceled out over time, and its concept allows the team to travel to various locations each week.) And yet one can't help but want a little more oomph in the plotting, a little of Fringe's wow factor, and a sense of wonderment that's only tangentially touched upon in the opener.
Frustratingly, Warehouse 13's two-hour pilot, directed by Burn Notice's Jace Alexander, often drags at times (sometimes frustratingly so) and the initial case that Myka and Pete find themselves investigating is both confusing and unoriginal. Had it unfolded over the course of a normal-length episode, the effect may not have been the same but a far too long two-hour opener drags out the action past the breaking point.
However, there is the potential for an intriguing series to be found here. The series' subsequent episode--which runs a more typical forty-odd minutes--picks up the pace and softens Myka a little as well. She's not unlikeable in the pilot but she's also got a hell of a lot of jagged edges to her and the series's second episode ("Resonance"), which also features Battlestar Galactica's Tricia Helfer, goes a long way to establishing Myka as a more sympathetic and multi-layered character.
That second episode also helps the series find its footing a bit more easily. It's easy to see the sticky fingerprints of multiple writers (including Brent Mote, Jane Espenson, and David Simkins) all over the pilot episode but the second installment shows the series channeling its own distinctive voice and tone, balancing scientific elements, crime-solving, and inter-character dynamics with equal weight as well as jettisoning the somewhat sluggish pace that characterized the series opener and introducing a mystery element that will likely be solved in subsequent episodes.
I hope that the series' writers explore the unnamed town that sits nearby the Warehouse, an unincorporated settlement that's as creepily off-putting as it is semi-deserted. We're introduced to local boarding house owner Leena (Genelle Williams), a woman seemingly gifted with the ability to read people's auras, in the pilot and I'm hoping that later episodes give Pete and Myka the chance to get to know some of the other locals as well.
Ultimately, Warehouse 13 feels very much like a work in progress, a barely stitched together Houdini's wallet that could in time find its magic but right now seems to need some stronger thread. I'm buoyed by the fact that the second installment is a significantly more enjoyable outing than the first and I'm hoping that the series can bring forth the wow factor that's lost somewhere in the warehouse's vast panoply of shelves.
Warehouse 13 launches with a two-hour pilot tomorrow night at 9 pm ET/PT on Syfy.
"And then there she was/Like double cherry pie..."
I had the opportunity to watch the first four episodes of Season Two of True Blood a few weeks back but I've been rewatching the episodes as they're airing on HBO so that I don't forget any of the plot twists.
I don't know about you but I thought that last night's episode of True Blood ("Scratches"), written by Raelle Tucker and directed by Scott Winant, was the best of the season so far.
It's a good thing I did tune in again as it contained one of my favorite scenes of the first four episodes, the sultry entrance of Jessica (the intoxicating Deborah Ann Woll) at Merlotte's to the delicious tune of Marcy Playground's "Sex and Candy," one of the most seductive and memorable sequences to unfold on the series to date.
Woll's Jessica is a sight to behold. Other actresses may have made her little more than a spoiled brat turned nocturnal killer, but Woll infuses her with equal parts churlish spite and intoxicating innocence, making Jessica one of the most compelling and unpredictable characters on the series.
That Jessica is so quickly drawn to the sweet sincerity of Hoyt Fortenberry (Jim Parrack) is just the icing on the cake. Jessica is a creature of extremes. Freed from the cloistered morality of family life and from, well, the mortal coil as a whole, she's experiencing sensations she's never felt before. Did she go to Merlotte's to feed? Perhaps. More likely, she did it because there was no one--no parents, not her maker Bill--to tell her not to. The petulant pounding on the sitting room piano becomes a full-blown act of rebellion: a girl in a yellow dress walking into a bar looking for something.
Is it trouble she's after? She won't find it with Hoyt. She's initially drawn to the throbbing vein in his neck but something else takes over: the teenage girl inside of her who's never even been kissed. Thrust into the vampiric demimond, she's running before she can walk. And then there's Hoyt. He's just looking for a nice girl and he's attracted to her smile. So much so that he can't help but walk over to her and sit down at her booth.
And, after watching them meet cute at Merlotte's and then move on to some heavy petting at Bill's house, something tells me we're seeing the beginning of a full-out vampire/human Romeo and Juliet-style love story that's different from that of Bill and Sookie. Could Jessica's rebellion be to follow in Bill's footsteps and fall in love with a human? Or is there nothing but heartbreak ahead for Jessica? Bill's anger at her (he does throw her across the room) after discovering her with Hoyt speaks volumes about their relationship. Is Jessica his rebellious daughter that needs to be controlled? Can he keep her from harming the residents of Bon Temps? Or does he need to let her make her own decisions and mistakes?
Bill and Sookie have problems of their own, of course. Not least of which is the thing that attacks Sookie in the woods and rips open her back. Just what is this thing? Was it stalking Sookie or was it just a case of Sookie being in the wrong place at the wrong time? Hmmm... As for what this bull-headed creature is, it not only mortally wounds Sookie but also poisons her with a paralytic drug (rather like that of a Komodo dragon) that will enable the creature to track her down and wait to strike.
Those gashes of course look rather like those on Daphne's back in fact. And Daphne did arrive on the scene very unexpectedly, showing an interest in Sam Merlotte that goes beyond that of the professional. As we saw in last night's episode, she follows him to the lake and then prepares to jump into the water (right after Sam's transformation from dog back into naked man). So are we meant to believe that Daphne was also a victim of this creature? And, if so, is she marked for death or has she escaped its clutches? Or is she in its thrall?
As for what the creature is, I think we only need to look at that sculpture in Maryann's house, which rather resembles the horns of the creature in the woods. Maryann has a marked interest in Tara, an interest that is threatened by Sookie and her influence over her friend. Could it be that Maryann is removing the competition? Hmmm...
And what is up with the disappearing pig? Tara saw it by the side of the road before her car accident and Andy Bellefleur saw it in the doll's house at Maryann's Bacchanalia before it vanished seconds later. So what is the pig? And how is it connected to Maryann's abilities? Is it a sort of viral attack, making the viewer more susceptible to her powers? Or something else altogether?
I was equally enthralled and grossed out by the scene in which the diminutive Doctor Ludwig (Marcia de Rousse) treated Sookie's condition and pulled out the nail from her back. Utterly, utterly disgusting, no? But it showed some real physical stakes here for Sookie and further developed the underworld that are characters live in. That there is a human doctor who treats vampires and others is an intriguing concept that further pushes the world of True Blood into new directions.
I figured that Sookie would owe Eric for his hospitality and, you know, saving her life and all. Still, didn't think that Sookie would stand up to Eric after reading Ginger's mind and learning that poor Lafayette was chained up in the basement. (I love that Sookie didn't flinch when Eric came at her all fanged out.) Nor that she would demand five thousand dollars (which Bill then doubles) and Bill as her traveling companion if she goes to Dallas for Eric, along with Lafayette's release. This girl has tenacity and grit, something Eric seems to admire "in a breather."
As for Lafayette, he wants to try and forget that his imprisonment ever happened, something that's easier said than done. The look of horror and dawning realization that passes across his face as he enters his home after his ordeal is heartbreaking. It's as though a shadow has been cast over Lafayette and I wonder if he'll be able to truly recover from what he's experienced the past few weeks. Certainly, it will make him think twice about getting involved with vampires again...
And then there's Jason, whose inner conflict about his beliefs is severely tested by the Fellowship of the Sun and the Newlins. After coming clean about what happened to Eddie and Amy, Jason wants to leave, believing that God doesn't have a purpose for him after all, but he's stopped by Sarah (Anna Camp), who reveals that she too once sided with the vampires, even marching for their equal rights. Very interesting... I can't help but feel the sexual tension between Jason and the Newlins, particularly in that dinner scene, and wonder just what they have in mind for Jason Stackhouse.
All in all, a fantastic installment that allowed the supporting characters some major growth as their individual plotlines flourished. I can't wait to see just what Alan Ball and Co. have up their sleeves for Jessica, Tara, Sam, Daphne, Lafayette, and Maryann, not to mention a riveting plot with Sookie, Bill, Eric, and what is going on in Dallas. Looks like there's a storm brewing on the horizon, folks...
In two weeks on True Blood ("Shake and Fingerpop"), Bill, Sookie, and Jessica reluctantly head to Dallas to carry out Eric’s vampire-reconnaissance mission but encounter a surprise at the airport; Jason is annointed by the Newlins for a higher calling; Maryann throws Tara a birthday party at Sookie’s house; Sam postpones his departure and connects with Daphne; Lafayette finds himself drawn back into Eric’s orbit.
Did you buy Thomas Jane as a sad sack high school basketball coach and fallen golden boy forced to rely on his, er, sizable endowment in order to make ends meet? Did you think that he and Tanya (Jane Adams) would have fallen into bed and into business together as quickly as they did? Do you think their Happiness Consultant idea has any chance of survival in these tough economic times? Did you wonder whether Ray and Jessica (Anne Heche) were ever happy together?
And, most importantly, will you be tune in again to watch another episode?
"There are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy, and the tired." - F. Scott Fitzgerald, "The Great Gatsby"
With the economy tanking and pink slips becoming an ubiquitous confetti in cities across America, it's no surprise that many creators are mining the potential death of the American dream for dramatic potential.
Throughout his career, writer/executive producer Dmitry Lipkin has succeeded at showing the dark side of that dream. In his short-lived (albeit much missed) FX series The Riches, Lipkin used a family of Travelers, the ultimate modern society outsiders, as a means for exploring just what materialism and suburban trappings meant to the psychic landscape.
In Hung, the new HBO series Lipkin co-created with Colette Burstein, the subject of the American dream looms large. This time, the focus is on Ray Drecker (Thomas Jane), a down-on-his-luck Michigan basketball coach/high school history teacher whose life is literally falling down around him. Besides for a thankless, underpaid job at his high school alma mater (where he returned after an injury sidelined his pro sports career) , Ray has got a shrew of an ex-wife to deal with (Anne Heche), two sullen teenagers (Charlie Saxton and Sianoa Smit-McPhee), and his lakeside family home catches fire in the middle of the night, leaving the family more or less homeless.
I had the opportunity last week to watch the first four episodes of Hung (the first of which is directed by Alexander Payne) and was struck by the spiral of despair that Ray finds himself in as he circles the drain, a situation that accompanies the realization that his life hasn't amounted to its full potential. It's a path that leads him to first to a self-help seminar overseen by the oily Floyd Gerber (Seinfeld's Steve Hytner) and later into the bed of local poet Tanya Skagle (Jane Adams), a frizzy-haired free spirit with a dream of launching Lyric Bread, a line of baked goods with works of poetry baked right in.
That these two aren't compatible romantically is a given. Ray is a fallen golden boy with an ego as big as his, well, physical endowment; Tanya is a strong-willed modern woman in touch with her sexuality whose dreams remain squarely out of reach. Her idea for Lyric Bread is so cerebral and just plain out of touch with reality but that hasn't stopped Tanya from dreaming big. Just as The Riches found humor and pathos in the workplace setting, here too does Hung, setting daydreamer Tanya as a legal office temp, a drone copyproofing endless contracts in a neverending routine of drudgery.
That these two would decide to form a partnership and set up shop as a prostitute and a pimp is one of the main plot points of Hung's pilot episode, though it takes a while for the duo to come to this conclusion, as obvious as it is to the rest of us. Which is one of the problems with Hung as a whole: the plot twists are so conspicuous that they can be seen a mile down the road.
It's clear from the very start that Ray will have to use his member as his most marketable "tool," and when he shocks the seminar's attendees by stating this fact, I cheered for the painful awkwardness of the situation. But that's the problem: the ensuing scene unfolds strictly within Ray's imagination and not reality, where he spins a yarn about being a vintage car enthusiast. And yet I couldn't help but wonder why Lipkin and Co. didn't go all out and actually have that conversation unfold rather than play it out in Ray's mind. I wanted to see his classmates' reactions, their looks of shock and horror and perhaps amusement. I wanted Ray for once to be honest.
This misstep is one of the series' downfalls. I kept hoping for some pathos-laden humor to rear its head, but Hung plays it safe in more ways than one. Ray is presented as little more than a sad-sack to the point that it's hard to root for him when everything he does (whether setting up a tent in the backyard to urinating in the lake) drags him further down. His journey should be hilarious (in a trainwreck sort of way) but it's often presented extremely matter-of-factly.
Likewise, one can't help but believe, given the series' title and its placement on pay cable, that Hung is going to be extremely provocative but it's actually quite a chaste program as a whole. Given Ray's physical, uh, dimensions and his new line of work, one could imagine that this could push the envelope, even for HBO but the result is fairly tame, even by basic cable standards.
I couldn't help but picture Aaron Eckhart in Thomas Jane's role and wondered just what he would be able to do with this picture of wounded masculinity. Still, Jane brings a quiet power to Ray that's at odds with his bruised and battered ego, a lived-in quality that shows the signs of too many battles with ex-wife Jessica (Heche) and too much worry stemming from his maladjusted kids. As Tanya, Adams gives the poet-turned-temp the wide-eyed glimmer of hope that eternal optimists have even at the worst of times, turning Tanya from a human punching bag (witness her relationship with Rebecca Creskoff's insane Lenore) into the living, breathing embodiment of thwarted potential, making her a kindred spirit with Ray.
Still, despite a slow start and a defined lack of humor, Hung does show some major improvements by the third or fourth episode, where Jane's Ray and Adams' Tanya share some emotional--rather than physical--intimacy (witness Tanya's handling of a missing wallet) and Ray finally embraces his new prozzie gig, seeing the value of Tanya's viral marketing, its female-friendly positioning as Happiness Consultants, and the service he's providing to some sex-starved women. The turning point comes a little too soon as Ray finally fulfills his contract with an older married woman (The Riches' divine Margo Martindale); he's a little too slick, a little too smooth considering his apprehension (and possible psychosomatic reaction to meeting his client in the flesh).
That said, there's still a sweetness to the moment where Ray realizes that these women--average housewives that they are--may be just as disenchanted as he is. Despite having wealth and privilege, they are just as discontented with how their lives turned out as Ray is and perhaps he is giving them more than just sex. Perhaps he's giving them a dream.
Hung premieres Sunday evening at 10 pm ET/PT on HBO.
Was it just me or was last night's episode of Top Chef Masters ("Offal Tasty") the series' very best yet?
In every sense, last night's installment was the closest we've gotten to approximating the tension, drama, and conflict that's evident in every single minute of Top Chef itself. Helping matters in this direction was the flawless casting in this episode, which saw four vastly different master chefs--Frontera Grill's Rick Bayless, Cindy Pawlcyn of Mustards Grill, Pikayo's Wilo Benet, and Ludo Bites' Ludovic Lefebvre--tangle in the kitchen.
The clash of larger-than-life personalities added a spark that was somewhat missing from last week's Lost-themed episode, which was a more somber affair. Here, there was the arrogance of Rick Bayless, the fanatical passion of Ludovic Lefebvre, the quiet precision of Wilo Benet, and the humility of the graceful Cindy Pawlcyn. In order words: amazing casting that added a fire to the competition.
I'll admit that I was rooting for Cindy Pawlcyn to win. I'm a huge fan of Cindy's cooking and a frequent visitor to her restaurant Mustards in Napa Valley. (In fact, I was just there last week for the restaurant's 26th birthday.) She's known for big flavors, fantastic ingredients, and food so good you have to restrain yourself from licking the plate.
Quickfire Challenge. I loved that last night's Quickfire had the master chefs preparing color-based dishes... which were then judged by some food stylists and photographers, people who know not only how food should taste but also how it should appear, presentation-wise. Color-based cooking is no easy feat. Most dishes succeed because they offer a combination of flavors, textures, and colors. An all-red dish then doesn't excite so much as it steamrolls you with crimson. Still, I have to say that I thought the chefs did extremely well under the severe time constraints, though Ludo seemed to be cracking under the pressure just a little bit.
Cindy offered up a sunshine-hued dish of sweet corn and cheese grits topped with a yellow vegetable curry and fried corn tortillas that offered a study in textures and flavors. Ludo's dish--steak tartare with watermelon, red onion, and red beet gazpacho--was ruined not by the lack of the tomatoes but rather by the late addition of that ghastly blood-colored gazpacho over the tartare; the effect looked like a duck had been ex-sanguinated over the dish. Wilo accidentally left the ring mold on his smoked salmon tartare with coconut milk, brunoise of carrots, and tomato paste, but the diners seemed to love it once they removed the silver ring. Rick Bayless' verdant roasted vegetables, mole verde with tomatillos, green chilies, and pumpkin seeds were hands down the favorite dish of the judges, offering a subtlety and panache that seemed to be lacking in the other dishes.
While Wilo walked away with the top spot (despite the ring mold fiasco), it's no surprise that Bayless did as well as he did. However, green might have been the easiest color to work with, offering Bayless a slew of vegetables to choose from and an association with crispness and freshness. Far more difficult were some of the other colors to work with, but still a pretty impressive display of skills and techniques all around.
Elimination Challenge. If the chefs thought they could rest on their laurels from the Quickfire, they were dead wrong as the elimination challenge, I thought, was one of the toughest on the series so far. The four chefs would draw knives to determine their offal-based proteins, which would then be transformed into street food which the chefs would sell to tourists at Universal City. Ouch.
I consider myself a major foodie but the thought of offal often turns my stomach. (No pun intended.) That said, I would have eaten any of the remarkable dishes that these talented chefs turned out in this episode. Offal is a tough sell for most diners, let alone tourists at Universal City, so I think that all four of them did an incredible job masking some of the, uh, more forward flavors of the offal and creating dishes that satisfied and tantalized with equal measure.
Cindy cooked up a hot and spicy menudo with tripe and lime that the judges felt played it a bit too safe, offering an underseasoned soup that lacked the heat and passion of Pawlcyn's well-known dishes. (Damn.) Ludo was all over the place once again, delaying the serving of his dish due to the fact that he wanted it piping hot; he offered a pig's ear quesadilla with chorizo pinto bean puree, lime aioli, and smoked paprika. I thought Ludo did a damn fine job, considering that pig's ear is a tough ingredient, probably the toughest of the offal they had to work with this week. He smartly cooked the ear in a court-bouillion, though I'm not sure I would have combined said ear with the stringy cheese. Still, Ludo was very canny about the delivery system for the pig's ear, creating a dish that pleased the customers more than it did the judges, it seemed.
Rick drew the knife for tongue, an ingredient he was thoroughly familiar with, and created chorizo, bacon, and tongue tacos with tomatillo guacamole and pickled onions. The judges raved about the taco, declaring it a superb mouthful that gleefully combined flavors and textures and drew some acid from the guacamole and onions in order to cut through the fat. Wilo adapted the traditional tripleta into a beef heart, ham, and chicken tripleta in a pita pocket with a spicy mayonnaise sauce that won over the judges and he was extremely crafty about substituting the pita for the more traditional baguette; it offered a cup-like shape that held up well to the onslaught of ingredients.
I knew that Bayless would walk away the ultimate winner here, as much as I would have liked to have seen one of the other chefs make it onto the champion round instead. Still, both challenges played to Bayless' strengths and he was able to infuse both dishes with his trademark Mexican flavors and spice.
What did you think of this week's episode? Would you have eaten these dishes knowing that they contained what they did? Did you change your opinion about offal as a result? And who do you think should have won this week's elimination challenge? Discuss.
In two weeks on Top Chef Masters ("Magic Chefs"), the next four chefs find themselves manually challenged when they must cook an egg with one hand tied behind their backs; a magical-themed Elimination Challenge sees Neil Patrick Harris presiding as guest judge.
Were you charmed by Purefoy's billionaire playboy Teddy Rist? Or did you think his conversion from tycoon to altruistic philanthropist was far too easy and convenient? Were you captivated by the combination of action-adventure and inspirational drama? Or was it too earnest and trite for your liking? Did you cringe at the fact that the talented Michael Kenneth Williams (Omar himself!) was given precious little to do?
And, most importantly, will you tune in again next week?
Talk back here.
Next week on The Philanthropist ("Myanmar"), Teddy visits Myanmar after the Maidstone-Rist Company is outed by a human rights organization as having ties to businesses there; Teddy gets advice from Daw May Lin Wai, a revered Burmese democratic leader who has been under house arrest in the country for nearly two and meets a young girl in desperate need of help.
"We are coming."
