Set Course for America: Doctor Who Heads to the US for Season Six Arc

The Doctor is heading to America.

Season Six of Doctor Who will not only see the Doctor and Amy head to the States for an upcoming two-part episode to air in 2011 (which will be co-produced by BBC America), but the production itself will head across the pond to shoot scenes, marking the first time that the venerable sci-fi franchise has actually shot within the U.S.

Matt Smith and Karen Gillan will be joined by Artur Darvill's Rory and Alex Kingston's River Song as they head for the U.S. in mid-November to shoot scenes that will be set in the Utah desert and the Oval Office... and in the 1960s. Production on the non-US location-based scenes will get underway this month.

“The Doctor has visited every weird and wonderful planet you can imagine, so he was bound get round to America eventually!" said Doctor Who head writer/executive producer Steven Moffat. "And of course every Doctor Who fan will be jumping up and down and saying he’s been in America before. But not for real, not on location - and not with a story like this one! Oh, you wait!”

"Steven's scripts generally inspire us to go that extra mile - this time we're going that extra four thousand," said Piers Wenger, Head of Drama BBC Wales and executive producer. "Thanks to our friends at BBC America and to the continuing ambition of our lead writer and production team, the first two episodes of Matt Smith's second season as the Doctor are going global and look set to become Doctor Who's most action-packed and ambitious season opener yet".

Doctor Who returns this Christmas for a new one-off special before returning for its sixth season in spring 2011. The season, as previously reported, will be split into two segments, the first airing in the spring and the second in autumn 2011.

The full press release from BBC America can be found below.

DOCTOR WHO TO FILM IN THE U.S. FOR THE FIRST TIME
Upcoming season’s first two episodes to be set in the U.S.
The BBC announced today that season six of Doctor Who, which delivered record ratings for BBC AMERICA earlier this year, will open with a spectacular two-parter set in the U.S. and penned by ‘Who supremo’ Steven Moffat.

In the special two-parter co-produced with BBC AMERICA, key scenes will be filmed in Utah for a story set in the late ‘60s in which the Doctor, Amy and Rory find themselves on a secret summons that takes them on an adventure from the desert in Utah - right to the Oval Office itself.

Production on episodes one and two of the new season starts in Cardiff this month and Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill will then travel to America in mid November to shoot pivotal scenes. They will also be joined by Alex Kingston who reprises her role as River Song.

Showrunner and lead writer, Steven Moffat, said: “The Doctor has visited every weird and wonderful planet you can imagine, so he was bound get round to America eventually! And of course every Doctor Who fan will be jumping up and down and saying he’s been in America before. But not for real, not on location - and not with a story like this one! Oh, you wait!”

Piers Wenger, Head of Drama BBC Wales and Executive Producer, added: "Steven's scripts generally inspire us to go that extra mile - this time we're going that extra four thousand. Thanks to our friends at BBC AMERICA and to the continuing ambition of our lead writer and production team, the first two episodes of Matt Smith's second season as the Doctor are going global and look set to become Doctor Who's most action-packed and ambitious season opener yet".

The new season follows on from the Doctor Who Christmas special guest starring Katherine Jenkins and Michael Gambon which is due to premiere during the holiday season. Season six will start airing on BBC AMERICA in spring 2011 and has been split into two blocks, with the second block airing in autumn 2011. By splitting the series Moffat plans to give viewers one of the most exciting Doctor Who cliffhangers and plot twists ever, leaving them waiting, on the edge of their seats, until the autumn to find out what happens.

2010 has been a breakthrough year for the Doctor Who franchise across all platforms since BBC AMERICA became the official home of the series. The series reached the number one spot on the “Top TV Seasons” chart on iTunes and now Doctor Who: The Complete Fifth Season hits stores on Blu-ray and DVD on November 9.

Doctor Who was co-commissioned by Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama Commissioning for BBC One and Jay Hunt, Controller of BBC One and will be produced by Marcus Wilson (Life on Mars) and Sanne Wohlenberg (Margaret). Steven Moffat is Lead Writer and Executive Producer (Sherlock Holmes) with Piers Wenger, Head of Drama, BBC Wales and Beth Willis (Ashes to Ashes), also Executive Producing.

Filming is taking place in Cardiff until March 2011.

Chain of Events: Causality and Catastrophe on Fringe

"You're not from this world, Olivia. You're not her." - Peter

This week's haunting and lyrical episode of Fringe ("The Plateau"), written by Alison Schapker and Monica Owusu-Breen and directed by Brad Anderson, once again took place Over There, on the other side of the dimensional divide, where Olivia grappled with questions of self-identity as she attempted to determine whether she could trust her memories or the strange visions she was experiencing, echoes of a life forgotten.

Despite the fact that Walternate has been experimenting on our Olivia to make her believe implicitly that she is their Olivia Dunham, agent of Fringe Division, memories have a way of creeping back into the corners of our psyche. Are we defined by our actions or inactions? Or rather by those subtle reminders nagging us to wake up, those flashes of realization that point towards our true selves?

Olivia's journey towards self-realization is just beginning. The ghostly reminders of Peter and Walter Bishop, hovering on the periphery are the first signs that she's either still suffering from the psychotic break or that she isn't who she believes herself to be.

It's a tricky road, especially when our own memories can be turned against us. She believes herself to be Olivia Dunham because her memories, her experiences, position her to believe the lie. And the lie is deeper than just firing brain synapses. Her memories extend not just to the who, what, and where but to the emotions contained within those memories as well. She doesn't just remember Frank but she remembers loving Frank.

Which might be why her encounter with the ghostly Peter, with his phantom kiss and his plea to remember who she is, cuts her to the quick: Olivia both remembers her relationship with talented virologist Frank but she also remembers this kiss, this moment, with "the Secretary's son," a man she barely knew.

And Frank's departure to Texas to deal with the smallpox outbreak leaves her terrifyingly alone, the true ghost of the piece, haunting someone else's life. (Kudos to Anna Torv for again pulling off a virtuoso performance here, making Olivia Dunham tough as nails and tenderly, heartbreakingly vulnerable in a single episode.)

The others might have their suspicions of Olivia. Charlie definitely knows something is up: she might have been able to correct him about their Coney Island emesis incident, but she didn't know about the required codes for their mainframe system... and she failed to heed the warning signs that they were entering an area of comprised air quality in pursuit of their suspect.

Curiously, it's this variable, so unpredictable to Milo, that actually saves Olivia's life. Milo's gift--or his curse, depending on how you look at it--deals with the nature of causality, one of the underpinnings of our entire universe. A single action can have a ripple effect, spreading outwards, as it sets off a chain of events that results in a consequence. Able to quickly process each of these mini-effects to see to the ultimate result, Milo believes that Olivia will pause to grab oxygen, because she is trained to do so in these circumstances.

That micro-second pause positions her under the cinderblocks, so that she can be crushed when they topple over. But Olivia doesn't pause, because this Olivia Dunham doesn't know what the amber warning sign refers to. She also doesn't know how to use the oxygen canister that Charlie brings her, even though she had taken one out at the beginning of the episode.

While Charlie might not want to admit it, there's something clearly wrong with Olivia and he's already had a shadow of an idea that she's not who she says she is. The presence of a ballpoint pen at three crime scenes might be improbable, but the idea that Olivia could have exchanged places with her alternate reality doppelganger is impossible.

Right?

As for Walternate and Broyles, they know the true about Olivia and they want to use her to harvest her own gift: the ability to travel between the two worlds without suffering bodily harm. And while the Secretary might claim that it's crucial for their defense, his true mission has nothing to do with protecting their world and everything do to with conquering ours.

Next week on Fringe ("Do Shapeshifters Dream of Electric Sheep?"), a shapeshifter is called into action; Walter finds himself in a dangerous situation during an investigation at Massive Dynamic.

AOL Television's Skype Second Opinion: Community's "The Psychology of Letting Go"

What did you think of last night's episode of Community?

This week marked another go on AOL Television's Skype Second Opinions, where I connected via Skype to ramble on for a few minutes about this week's episode of Community ("The Psychology of Letting Go"), which included Shirley's best line ever, June Bauer (Betty White) discussing Inception with some African tribesmen, the return of John Oliver's Professor Duncan and his feud with Chang, Pierce's mother being inside a lava lamp, Annie and Britta wrestling in some crude oil, and more.

You can watch the video in full over here at AOL Television or right below.



Next week on Community ("Basic Rocket Science"), Dean Pelton asks the study group to clean and refurbish the Greendale flight simulator; after an accidental launch, Abed must navigate a safe return. (You can read my advance review of this episode here.)

Channel Surfing: Sons of Anarchy and Haven Renewed, Walking Dead Novels, NCIS: LA, Modern Family, and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

FX has renewed motorcycle drama Sons of Anarchy for a fourth season. Series, which wraps up its third season on November 30th, is the most-watched series in the cable network's history. "Sons of Anarchy is the most popular show FX has ever had, and the No. 1 series in basic cable for our key demographic," said FX president/general manager John Landgraf. "It is also one of the best, most original series on television." (Variety)

Elsewhere, Syfy renewed freshman drama Haven for a second season, with thirteen episodes on tap for next summer. Production is slated to resume in the spring in Nova Scotia on the sophomore season. (Variety)

Robert Kirkman's zombie comic, "The Walking Dead," which is heading to the small screen later this month with AMC's television series of the same name, will also be transformed into a trilogy of original novels, the first of which will be released in 2011. Kirkman will provide the concept and outline for the novels, which will be written by Jay Bonansinga. (Deadline)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Raymond J. Barry (Lost) has been cast in what appears to be a recurring role on CBS' NCIS: LA, where he will play Branston Cole, an ex-secret agent who has crossed paths with Linda Hunt's Hetty. Barry's character is described as appearing "rail and blind from a stroke he suffered a while back, but he remains vigorous and sarcastic as he lives out the remainder of his days in a retirement home. A man with a long history and a deep well of secrets, he seems to still enjoy the game of espionage and manipulation, leading his handlers down questionable paths.” He'll make his first appearance in November. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck is reporting that Danny Trejo (Machete) will guest star on ABC's Modern Family, where he will play the school janitor in an upcoming episode. "The Modern Family episode finds Claire in charge of an upcoming school dance at the boys' school," writes Keck. "While all the other moms are afraid of Danny's menacing janitor, fearless Claire forms an unlikely bond with the guy." (TV Guide Magazine)

Ryan Seacrest is said to be in talks with CAA and AEG about launching a cable network. "The business venture is in very preliminary stages, but the network's concept is described as music, pop culture and lifestyle oriented," write The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd and Kim Masters. "Seacrest is likely to have some kind of on-air presence in the venture. Unlike Oprah Winfrey's upcoming OWN cable channel, however, Seacrest is expected to operate mainly as an influential partner rather than serve as the face and personality of the network. The channel won't be 'Seacrest TV, but will have its own brand. (Hollywood Reporter)

Rebecca Mader (Lost) is set to guest star on NBC's Law & Order: Los Angeles this season, where she will play a woman named Rebecca. "The fictional Rebecca’s lot in life is to get run over by a car, yet miraculously survive," writes Fancast's Matt Mitovich. (Fancast)

Tina Fey is set to return to Saturday Night Live with a primetime special that will celebrate the women of SNL. She'll be joined by Rachel Dratch, Amy Poehler, Nora Dunn, Ana Gasteyer, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Laraine Newman, Cheri Oteri, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Molly Shannon, and Kristen Wiig. Special is slated to air November 1st at 9 pm ET/PT. (Hollywood Reporter)

Chris D'Elia (Monk) has been cast in TBS' upcoming period comedy series Glory Daze, where he will play Stankowski, described as "as an older, oracle-style figure to the members of a college fraternity." (Variety)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that ABC has given a script order (plus penalty) to an untitled comedy which will star Wilmer Valderrrama (That '70s Show). Project, which hails from Murray and Judah Miller, will have "a musical component" and will be directed by Akiva Schaffer. (Deadline)

Ed Begley Jr. will turn up on Shonda Rhimes' midseason medical drama Off the Map, according to TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck, who reports that the St. Elsewhere veteran will play Hank, a dentist, in the season's fifth episode. (TV Guide Magazine)

Oxygen has renewed Tori and Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood for a sixth season and ordered a new Tori-centric reality project entitled Tori and Dean: Storibook Weddings, which will "focus on Spelling's party planning skills while McDermott focuses on the groom's issues leading up to the pair's nuptials." (Variety)

USA has renamed its upcoming legal drama Facing Kate, which will now be entitled Fairly Legal. News was announced via Twitter by USA executive Ted Linhart. (Twitter)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that Sony Pictures Television has signed a two-script deal with writer/actress Stephnie Weir, who wrote ABC comedy pilot Wright vs. Wrong. The first project under the new deal is an ABC comedy pilot that is set at a diner. (Deadline)

Stay tuned.

I Scream, You Scream: More Red-Hot Drama on Top Chef: Just Desserts

Just when I thought that things couldn't get any weirder on Bravo's Top Chef: Just Desserts...

Last night's episode of the sweets-themed Top Chef spinoff ("Lucent Dossier") featured not only one of the oddest sequences ever to air on a reality competition series but also one of the most head-scratching endings to a contestant's trajectory yet.

Which would have been more than enough to put this episode over the top, except that several of the remaining pastry chefs used this opportunity to have breakdowns of their own, with several contestants bursting into tears, expressing serious doubts about the competition, squaring off against teammates, eliminating themselves, and, well, suffering a major anxiety attack and being declared medically unfit to continue on the series.

Yes, all of this happened in a single episode that was intended to be about the theatricality and drama of the Lucent Dossier Experience... and the producers got some serious sparks flying and it wasn't from Zac's Black Forest in Burning cake.

I already wrote about Seth Caro's bizarro breakdown over some candy a few weeks back, but I'm just still reeling from last night's episode, which took the red-hot drama to a whole new level.

Forget about the ice cream and the flaming desserts and centerpieces, this episode might as well not featured the pastry chefs doing actual cooking as the tension contained within this installment wasn't from the competition element but rather from the internal struggles raging inside the contestants themselves. (Though I will say that I thought that Morgan's dessert looked absolutely gorgeous, an elegantly plated dessert that was at once elegant and whimsical.)

While the chefs dazzled and delighted the taste buds of the judges and the Lucent Dossier performers, the huge pink elephant in the room is once again Seth Caro.

I'll be upfront and say that Seth clearly has some major issues of his own that he needs to work through outside of the competition. The breakdown over the red-hots, the tantrum over grapefruit juice, the extremely random fury over missing paper cups, these are all signs of severe stress, if not mental anguish. Yes, there is a lot of pressure in this competition and you have the cameras on you at all times, which means that these already fragile personalities--each of whom seems to suffer from some form of perfectionism--are placed under additional scrutiny.

Not everyone can deal with stress or pressure in a productive or even rational manner. Considering that Seth started off so well in the first week and won the first Quickfire and Elimination Challenges, his fall from grace is even more staggering. But the red-hots incident revealed a brittle quality to his character, the ability to fall apart at the seams the second something didn't go his way, whether that was a sorbet that refused to set in time, the absence of grapefruit juice behind the bar at The Tar Pit, or paper cups that he admittedly threw away of his own volition.

Whereas someone else may have seen these obstacles and adapted, Seth found himself unable to do so, instead shutting down completely and then throwing the mother of all freak-outs, more than a little shocking considering the man is 33 years old and not an eight-year-old child.

Top Chef has long withheld the "sausage factory" view of what going into making the show, which is why we've never been privy to the stew room briefings with producers ahead of Quickfire Challenges, where the rules are revisited and questions raised. As soon as we followed the cheftestants back to that room, I knew that something unexpected and unprecedented was about to go down and, sure enough, Seth used this opportunity to accuse the producers of cheating, of unfair advantages, of all manner of things before he stormed off... and then fainted.

Paramedics were summoned, concerned looks exchanged, and head judge Johnny Iuzzini made an appearance to announce that Seth would not be returning to the competition.

I believed--wrongly, as it turns out--that this would be the end of the capital-d Drama this season. Not by a longshot.

Given Seth's unanticipated departure, the producers were left with a dilemma: the Elimination Challenge this week required three teams of three to complete and Seth's medical leave had left them one man down. With what seemed like no other options, producers opted to bring back ousted contestant Heather C.

Big mistake.

In her previous appearances, Heather C. also proved that she too was unable to cope with the heat of the kitchen, fumbling at every turn before getting eliminated just last week. Despite getting a second chance, Heather was once again flailling this week, between the meringue mess and the slew of questions dribbling out of her mouth. And she was destined to be eliminated again, two weeks in a row, for her dessert (black pepper pineapple with chocolate sherbet and meringue shards). That is, if Malika hadn't stepped in.

Here's where things got really strange. Malika interrupted guest judge Gail Gand as she praised her dessert--a saffron panna cotta with feuilletine crunch and candied ginger--to announce that she wanted to eliminate herself from the competition. The judges were stunned, particularly as it was clear that Malika was in no danger of being sent home and the judges were praising her rather than slating her at the time.

Yet she wanted out. I don't blame Malika for missing her kids and not being able to cope with being away from them, but I do take offense to the fact that she took away a spot in the competition from someone who may have fought harder than her, who may have wanted to win more fiercely, and who may have just wanted to be there instead of elsewhere.

So Malika, wiping away a tear, told the judges of her decision... and they respected it and bid her farewell, the second time in one episode that a contestant was removed not for cooking a shoddy dessert but for other reasons outside of the competition itself.

But, back in the stew room, things were heating up for Heather H., despite the fact that her team had actually won the challenge, though the singular win went to Morgan for his mango panna cotta with acai gels. Lashing out at him, Heather accused him of not being a team player. It all seemed to come out of nowhere, though Heather was acting moody after the Elimination Challenge as she passive-aggressively cleaned up the station and refused to talk to Morgan.

But Heather, let it be clear, volunteered to do the show piece. On her own. By herself. That was her decision to make and no one forced her to do that. Yes, she still made a great dessert and the judges raved about her chai-infused triple chocolate mousse torte. But she was the one who opted to make a dessert and do the huge show piece without the help of her teammates. Her ego was bruised because she wasn't singled out for the solo win by the judges and she felt that she had carried the heaviest burden on the team.

Guess what? The judges aren't judging on onus. They're judging on what's on the plate and Morgan's dessert was more accomplished and more in keeping with the theme of the Lucent Dossier Experience. Which is why he won.

Heather, so previously level-headed and calm, exploded at Morgan. And in that moment, she became no more likable than Seth himself.

One can only hope that this dessert-themed show gets back to the desserts soon and leaves the petulance where it belongs: in the past, rather than in the kitchen.

Next week on Top Chef: Just Desserts ("Edible Fashion"), the remaining pastry chefs have to create fashionable desserts to please the head judges Gail Simmons and Johnny Iuzzini.

Top Chef: Just Desserts Preview: The Notorious Souffle



Top Chef: Just Desserts Preview: A Dessert Fashion Event

Channel Surfing: Full Season for Raising Hope, Outlaw Arrested, Mary-Lynn Rajskub to Modern Family, The Office Has Glee, and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.

While the focus so far this season has been on early cancellations, FOX yesterday announced the first full season pickup for this woeful fall season, granting comedy Raising Hope a 22-episode order. News comes a week after the network axed drama Lone Star after just two episodes. "With Raising Hope, Greg Garcia captures a smart take on the working-class family with a great mix of wild comedy and a big dose of heart," said Fox Entertainment president Kevin Reilly. "The show is running like a Swiss clock, and we're very happy with how well audiences have responded so far -- so we're confident it will build an even bigger audience throughout the season." Meanwhile, the fate of timeslot lead-out Running Wilde is still very much up in the air. (Variety)

The news wasn't so good for the crew of NBC's struggling freshman drama Outlaw, as the production grinded to a halt after three low-rated installments, during which ratings tumbled from an initial 10.7 million to just 5 million. NBC still has five completed episodes of Outlaw on the shelf that are still scheduled to air and will make a final decision on the ultimate fate of the legal drama in the next few weeks. Which means that Outlaw hasn't been cancelled. Or at least not yet, anyway. (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider, TVGuide.com)

Damn it, Chloe! TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck is reporting that former 24 star Mary-Lynn Rajskub is heading to ABC's Modern Family, where she will guest star as "the old high school girlfriend of then closeted Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson)" on an upcoming episode of the hit ABC family comedy. (TV Guide Magazine)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that an upcoming episode of NBC's The Office will feature a plot revolving around the employees of the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin getting together to watch an episode of Glee. "According to an Office source, no Glee actors will actually appear in the episode," writes Ausiello. "Which means that no, Dwight will not get pantsed by Puck. (Curses!)" (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Aaron Douglas (Battlestar Galactica) is set to guest star on an upcoming episode of Syfy's Eureka, which returns to the lineup early in 2011. "Got a very cool email today from an old BSG friend, now EP on Eureka," wrote Douglas on Twitter. "He asked me to come play. So, Chief does Eureka, tomorrow. Hells Yeah!" (via Digital Spy)

NBC has given a script order to comedy Party People from executive producer Ben Silverman. Yes, that Ben Silverman. The project, written by David Bickel (who will also executive produce), revolves around "entertainers who work at children's parties," and has been described as "a modern-day Taxi, only with with the under-employed grown-ups dealing with kids birthdays instead of shuttling passengers." (Hollywood Reporter)

UK viewers will get a chance to see Starz's upcoming period drama Camelot, following a deal between GK-tv and UK broadcaster Channel 4. The series, which stars Joseph Fiennes, Eva Green, and Jamie Campbell Bowers, is set to launch on C4 in fall 2011. (Hollywood Reporter)

With ABC having yanked drama My Generation from its Thursday night lineup, the Alphabet has to figure out just what to do with the 8 pm real estate, which it will fill at least for the next few weeks with repeats of Grey's Anatomy. Entertainment Weekly's Lynette Rice suggests that the network should fill the timeslot with a reality franchise, a thought that I adhere to and had actually been wondering if they would follow through with, as it would be apt counter-programming against the dramas and comedies in the timeslot. "ABC also developed two additional comedies that are waiting in the wings – Mr. Sunshine starring Matthew Perry and Happy Endings from former ABC exec Jamie Tarses — but it seems far more likely the network will take advantage of the fact that no one’s airing a reality show in the timeslot and program its new unscripted show Secret Millionaire, instead," wrote Rice. "The program, which is based on a U.K. format and first premiered on Fox in 2008 and attracted more than 10 million viewers, follows Richie Riches who agree to leave their lavish lifestyles to go undercover in impoverished neighborhoods." Meanwhile, ABC may have to decide what to do with Wednesdays at 10 pm, should it axe the struggling legal drama The Whole Truth, though it's thought that the timeslot would go to Dana Delany's Body of Proof. (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

Lifetime has ordered twelve episodes of docuseries Brighton Beach, which follows a group of Russian-Americans living near beachside Coney Island in Brooklyn. Project, from executive producers Banks Tarver and Ken Druckerman, is expected to launch in 2011. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

The Right Stuff: An Advance Review of Next Week's Space-Fueled Community

Holy Apollo 13 homages! You do not want to miss next week's Community.

Yes, there's still this week's Pierce-centric episode to look forward to, but it was with a certain impish glee that I sat down to watch next week's hysterical and out-there episode of Community ("Basic Rocket Science"), written by Andy Bobrow and directed by Anthony Russo, in which the gang blasts off into to outer space. Well, sort of, anyway.

In true Community style, the gang unwittingly recreates some of the most famous moments from Apollo 13 without actually leaving the earth's atmosphere. It's a masterful and bizarre installment revolving around Greendale's space (simulation) race with their bitter rivals, City College, which is planning to announce its own flight simulator.

Lest Greendale be turned into a parking lot for the rapidly expanding City College, Dean Pelton (Jim Rash, here at his finest) launches a scheme of his own, one involving an old and seriously battered Winnebago, some childhood memories for the Greendale gang, and some gut-busting Kentucky Fried Chicken product integration. (Think "Eleven Herbs and Space" and a HAL-like computer mentor courtesy of Atari.)

I don't want to spoil too much of this deliciously madcap episode, which flies by at light speed, but I will say that the situation that befalls the Greendale study group is a dire one as they lose control of the flight simulator (let's say that it accidentally launches) and are taken on a dangerous journey while facing some internal conflict among the group members.

Will Troy prove that he has what it takes to be the leader? Will Pierce murder Troy? Will the claustrophobic conditions do them all in? And just why is everyone angry at Annie (Alison Brie)? I'm not telling, but I will say that Annie has a distinct agenda of her own and the mission--getting back to Greendale safely--will have repercussions on Greendale itself... while bringing the group back together.

This wouldn't be a true Apollo 13 homage without some ground control drama and Jim Rash's Dean Pelton and Danny Pudi's Abed (here subbing for Ken Mattingly) man things back at the college campus. Yes, just like in Apollo 13, someone gets left behind and the man who was supposed to be on that rocket flight--and knows the system inside out--is stuck on the ground... and it's up to Abed to get everyone back safely, while aboard the Kentucky Fried Chicken Eleven Herbs and Space Bus, all hell is breaking out.

What follows is a worthy successor to last season's "Contemporary American Poultry," a pop culture-laden thrill ride that cleverly leverages a particular film to comedic effect, recasting Greendale's inhabitants as participants in a larger read of the zeitgeist. The episode itself is filled with nice touches: the slo-mo group walk, Dean Pelton's map ("those aren't thumbs"), Abed's cigar-chomping, the intercom system, the power-rerouting suggestion by Ben Chang (Ken Jeong), the intense college rivalry with City College, a hero's welcome at the press conference, and, yes, even those Kentucky Fried Chicken references.

My only complaint? This winning episode was so swiftly paced that it felt extremely short. If ever there was a candidate for an episode super-sizing, it was this one, as "Basic Rocket Science" could have done with an elongated format. Personally, I was hooked on the story and gladly would have stuck around for another 20-odd minutes. But maybe that's the key to Community's success: its inherent weirdness leaves the viewer wanting more each week.

Ultimately, you'll want to wave your own butt flag by the time the credits roll.

Community airs Thursday evenings at 8 pm ET/PT on NBC.

Talk Back: Which New Fall Series Are You Still Watching?

Sigh.

Personally, I think this batch of new series is pretty much a wash so far. Given the cancellations already of both FOX's Lone Star and ABC's My Generation, the clock is already ticking for more than a few other freshman series. (My money's on either The Whole Truth or Outlaw to be the next to fall.)

But, just out of (morbid) curiosity, I'm wondering which new fall series you're still watching and which you've already consigned to the dust heap of memory (or at least deleted your TiVo season pass).

Still hooked on The Event? Curious about Undercovers? Already passed on Running Wilde or Raising Hope? What are your thoughts on Hawaii Five-O, Mike and Molly, Chase, No Ordinary Family, Blue Bloods, The Defenders, Bleep My Dad Says, Nikita, and Hellcats?

Is there anything you've given a reprieve to or a complete pass? (And, yes, feel free to include new cable series like HBO's Boardwalk Empire or FX's Terriers, the only two new fall series that I've really taken a shine to.)

Talk back here.

Channel Surfing: Ron Moore Gets Wild, Criminal Minds Shakeup, Punk'd Returns with Justin Bieber, Big Love, Dirk Gently, and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

Hold on to your (ten-gallon) hats: Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Battlestar Galactica's Ronald D. Moore is said to be developing a remake of The Wild, Wild West, which ran for four seasons in the mid-1960s and starred Robert Conrad and Ross Martin. Project is still in the very early stages, which means not only is there no network attached but Moore has yet to take the project out to networks. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Chris Mundy has left CBS' midseason Criminal Minds spinoff, Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior and will be replaced by Ed Bernero, who will now oversee both the flagship and spinoff series as showrunner, though he'll lean a little more heavily on Simon Mirren and Erica Messer, who will gain some oversight on Criminal Minds. Mundy's departure from the series was said to be due to the studio deciding that "the spin-off needed more direction from Bernero, who helped turn Criminal Minds into a solid hit for CBS," according to Variety's Michael Schneider. (Variety)

Vulture's Josef Adalian is reporting that MTV is resurrected hidden camera prank show Punk'd, but is close to signing a deal to replace Ashton Kutcher with baby-faced pop idol Justin Bieber as the host. (Kutcher will remain the series' executive producer.) "If Kutcher's past history with Punk'd is any indication, Bieber will likely appear in a few early episodes as a participant in the pranks, then gradually revert to mostly introducing segments," writes Adalian. (Vulture)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Robert Patrick (Terminator) has been cast in a multiple-episode story arc on HBO's Big Love, which returns for its fifth season early next year. Patrick is set to play Bud Mayberry, described as "the leader of polygamist fringe group." The casting of Robert Patrick comes after producers have also secured the services of ex-24 co-star Gregory Itzin, who will play the Republican Leader of the Utah State Senate. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Stephen Mangan (Green Wing) has been cast as the title character in BBC Four's adaptation of Douglas Adams' "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency," where he will star opposite Darren Boyd, Helen Baxendale, and Howard Overman. Here's how Auntie is positioning the series: "Anti-hero Dirk Gently operates his eponymous detective agency based on the fundamental interconnectedness of all things. Perpetually broke, hopelessly chaotic and utterly infuriating, most people suspect Dirk is nothing more than a cheap conman. And they might be right – but nevertheless his methods, though unusual, do often produce surprising results. When Dirk sets out to solve an apparently simple and harmless disappearance of a cat from an old lady's house, he unwittingly uncovers a double murder which, in turn, leads to a host of even more extraordinary events." Project is expected to air either at the end of the year or in early 2011. (BBC)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Drea de Matteo has been cast in a potentially recurring role on FOX's Running Wilde, where she will play Didi, the step-mother of Will Arnett's Steve Wilde. "Didi comes to the Wilde estate on behalf of Steve’s never-before-seen dad to rein in his monetary expenditures—on the same day Steve decides to fund Emmy’s (Keri Russell) nonprofit organization," writes Ausiello, who notes that de Matteo's episode is slated to air next month. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Was anyone still clamoring for a television version of Hitch? Well, you're getting one. FOX has given a script commitment plus penalty to an one-hour version of Will Smith's date doctor that will be written by Pete Chiarelli and executive producers Smith and James Lassiter. (Deadline)

Morgan Fairchild is set to make a return to NBC's Chuck, where she will reprise her role as Honey Woodcomb, the mother of Ryan McPartlin's Devon, as Ellie's pregnancy develops. "Mom does come back," McPartlin said on a press call. "It's funny, because Mom and Ellie have to learn how to deal with their new roles that each one is going to play as a mother and a grandmother. So that creates a bit of fun drama." Fairchild will make an appearance in the October 25th episode of Chuck, which also features Robert Englund and Linda Hamilton. (Zap2It)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that Scott Cohen (Gilmore Girls) has been cast opposite Callie Thorne in USA's drama pilot Necessary Roughness, where he will play "a 'fixer' for a football franchise who works closely with Danielle" (Thorne). Elswhere, Sara Rue (Less Than Perfect) has joined the cast of CBS' Rules of Engagement as surrogate Brenda, while Joan Collins (yes, THAT Joan Collins) will appear in a November sweeps episode as the mother of David Spade's character. (Deadline)

Aquaman (Alan Ritchson) will make his return to the CW's Smallville later this season, and he's bringing a wife in the form of Mera, played by Elena Satine (Melrose Place), according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. The duo are set to turn up in the final season's ninth episode, which is directed by series lead Tom Welling. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

No Tough Trade for Epix, after all. The pay cabler has pulled the plug on its Nashville-set drama project, Tough Trade, the high-profile Lionsgate TV pilot that starred Sam Shepard, Trace Adkins, Cary Elwes, Lucas Black, and Joey Lauren Adams. "It was a combination of running out of time and dealing with distractions, and at some point we had to make a decision whether it works or it doesn't," said Epix CEO Mark Greenberg. "At the end of day, it just didn’t work." Project, from executive producers Jenji Kohan, Sean and Bryan Furst, and director Gavin Hood, may be retooled as a mini-series, while Epix maintains that it is not getting out of the original series game. (Deadline)

Krista Allen (What About Brian) is seto to guest star on an upcoming episode of the CW's Life Unexpected, where she will play "a sizzling-hot multimillionaire named—wait for it—Candy who is being courted by Emma as a client," according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello, and who will fall for Baze. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

In other Life Unexpected news, Kris Polaha has taken to E! Online's Watch with Kristin to interview with the series' Austin Basis (Math). (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that HBO is developing a single-camera comedy pilot based on Clint McCown's novel "The Member-Guest," that will be written by Steve Pink and executive produced by Kevin Bacon, who could also star in the project. Project revolves around "a burned-out golf pro of a 9-hole course who just wants one more shot at the tour" but whose "comeback is constantly sidelined as he deals with the needs of the members of the Middle-American country club who are grappling with dashed dreams of their own." (Deadline)

ABC has given a script order (plus penalty) to Awkward Family Photos, a comedy from Moses Port and David Guarascio based on the website of the same name. Elsewhere, NBC ordered family comedy script Man of the House from writer Adam Sztykiel and FOX ordered a script for cop drama Chameleon from Tom Fontana. (Variety, Deadline)

Hmmm, is FOX playing favorites with its freshman comedies? FOX is airing two back-to-back episodes of comedy Raising Hope on October 26th, that will air immediately following Glee's massively hyped Rocky Horror Picture Show homage episode. (Futon Critic)

E! has ordered ten episodes of Kourtney and Kim Take New York, which is slated to launch in January on the cabler. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

When the Lights Go Out: Friday Night Lights Season Five Promo

Yes, it's Clear Eyes, Full Hearts time...

DirecTV has unveiled its first promo trailer for the fifth and final season of Friday Night Lights, which kicks off at the end of the month on the 101 Network (and will likely air next summer on NBC).

Set to The Black Keys' "When the Lights Go Out," the trailer is light on story but heavy on atmosphere as it depicts the cast of characters--including Kyle Chandler's Eric Taylor, Connie Britton's Tami, Jurnee Smollett's Jess Merriweather, Aimee Teegarden's Julie, Michael B. Jordan's Vince Howard, Madison Burge's Becky Sproles, and Matt Lauria's Luke Cafferty--getting dressed and assembling so that they can walk en masse to some kick-ass beats.

The full promo for Season Five of Friday Night Lights can be viewed below as well as the episode description for the season opener.



Episode 501 ("Expectations"): Coach Taylor tempers high expectations for East Dillon’s impending season as Tami becomes frustrated in her new job. Meanwhile, Vince and Luke work to recruit a new player for the Lions’ squad and Dillon bids farewell to two alumni as they prepare to leave for college.

The fifth and final season of Friday Night Lights premieres on October 27th at 9 pm ET/PT on DirecTV's The 101 Network.

Awkward Engagements: The Danger of Air Vents on Chuck

I hate to say anything negative about NBC's Chuck, but I was really let down by this week's installment, which seemed more than a little bit muddled and bursting at the seams with guest stars.

But it was the awkwardness of the ending of this week's episode ("Chuck Versus the Cubic Z"), written by Nicholas Wootton and directed by Norman Buckley, that rubbed me the wrong way as it was so clearly manufactured, rather than organic.

On this week's episode of Chuck, the gang had to contend with the return of both Hugo Panzer (Steve Austen) and Heather Chandler (Nicole Richie) and internal issues of the romantic kind as Sarah was still feeling ill at ease about the speed with which her relationship with Chuck was developing. (Hell, she just finally unpacked that suitcase before questions of marriage and child-rearing came up.)

I'll say upfront that I've been enjoying Chuck and Sarah as a couple this year and it's only natural that they would be confronted with these issues as they are two consenting adults in a romantic relationship. It's only a matter of time before the M-word manifested itself, but I do wish that the proposal--whether accidental or not--had developed from something emotional, rather than a cubic zirconium engagement ring plummeting through the vents.

Did it push the relationship? Absolutely. The look of terror on Sarah's face (or was it just surprise) said more about her fears and her identity as a spy than any amount of tete-a-tetes could have produced, but it also forced these issues to a head in a real tight timeframe, given that the two haven't been living together for all that long and have only really had a few weeks to themselves since Sarah returned to Burbank.

Sure, Chuck didn't intend to propose; he just happened to end up in that awkward kneeling position after stumbling to pick up whatever fell out of the vent. But his intentions towards Sarah are clear, after all. Even if he didn't mean to propose, I do believe he may have gone through with it, if only to test the waters. Sarah's reaction might have lasting implications about the future of their relationship. Or they might have more to do with her own conflicting feelings about marriage and putting down roots. She is, after all, the daughter of a con man whose sense of home and hearth is extremely skewed. Could settling down be what she wants, after all?

But I do wish that these issues had been explored in a more convincing setting, rather than the result of Morgan losing Big Mike's engagement ring, which he intends to give to Morgan's mother. (Whose name, I believe, is Bologna?)

Which was the trouble with the episode as a whole. I was excited about the return of Hugo and Heather and was hoping that they would be vicious adversaries for Team Bartowski but because the writers brought them back together, neither of them carried much weight and the episode was largely Chuck, Sarah, and Heather crawling around the ventilation system, one of my least favorite espionage tropes ever.

I'm also not sure that I bought the juxtaposition of the game release with the prisoner transfer fiasco and the fact that coincidentally both prisoners happened to have past encounters with Chuck and Sarah, yet didn't realize they'd be ending up at Castle. While there's always a certain amount of willing suspension of disbelief going on with series like Chuck, it was such a perfect storm of coincidences that it took me out of the story. (The Buy More story in particular seemed to fall especially flat.)

"Chuck Versus the Cubic Z" certainly wasn't my least favorite episode to date but it also wasn't my favorite, perhaps because I expected so much from it and it didn't quite deliver the full Chuck experience that I was craving. But I'm curious to hear what you thought of the episode? Did you love? Like? Loathe? Head to the comments section to discuss.

Next week on Chuck ("Chuck Versus the Coup d'Etat"), Chuck and Sarah try to become better communicators as they join Ellie and Awesome on a trip to Costa Gravas; a forbidden romance may put Morgan at odds with John Casey.

Heading Off-World: An Advance Review of Season 1.5 of Caprica

I was planning to write a lengthy review of the first two episodes of the back half of Caprica's first season, which returns to Syfy tonight after a considerable hiatus (one that was unexpectedly truncated), but AOL Television's Maureen Ryan did all of the heavy lifting yesterday and pretty much summed up everything I was going to say.

I've found Caprica so far to be maddeningly frustrating, a series of false starts, lackluster characters, and thwarted intrigue. (I wrote about my feelings about the first half of the season here.)

The two episodes provided to press for review ("Unvanquished" and "Retribution") haven't alleviated any fears I may have had about the series after its fantastic and thought-provoking pilot.

Two episodes back and I'm already restless, already losing interest in the plights of these characters, who remain unsympathetic and icy. (I will say, however, that the second episode was significantly better than "Unvanquished," and would point you to Ryan's pitch-perfect description of the goings-on on Gemenon. Shudder.)

Battlestar Galatica dealt with similar issues of religion, race, assimilation, and identity, but it was set against a backdrop of survival, where the stakes were enormous as the war between the humans and Cylons could lead to extinction. It's hard to recreate that dynamic here when the strife is limited to humanity at large and a small sect of monotheists who like to train teenagers to take on suicide missions in the name of their god.

But it would be one thing if there were something--or someone, rather--to grasp on to, but Caprica's characters are the embodiment of quicksilver: they're slippery and toxic. None of the central characters--whether that be Eric Stoltz's brooding genius Daniel Graystone, Paula Malcomson's brittle Amanda, Polly Walker's duplicitous Sister Clarice, Sasha Roiz's silent gangster Sam, Magda Apanowicz's sullen teen Lacy, and Esai Morales' dead-eyed lawyer--remain all that compelling and the production seems to treat them largely as sleepwalkers, making their way through a shifting landscape of images, flashbacks, dreams, and ominous portents. A psychic mishmash that dulls the senses rather than intrigue them.

Which is a problem with Caprica itself. There's less of a concrete narrative building towards a centralized arc than there is a series of disconnected incidents that hover over each other awkwardly. The one common thread linking these disparate elements together--that would be Alessandra Torresani's Zoe--is barely glimpsed at all in the first two installments, though her avatar does make one very memorable appearance. (Personally, I've not been a fan of Torresani since the beginning and while her absence is felt somewhat in terms of the overarching plot, there's considerably less hystrionics going on without her.)

As mentioned by Ryan, the first episode's travel to Gemenon, such a crucial destination for the first half of the season, descends into silliness as the STO-backed church becomes a larger influence on the series and we meet a slew of new characters. One in particular made me howl with laughter as the actress playing this key role was just so shockingly awful.

I'm not quite sure how to fix Caprica, other than suggest that the writers pick up the pace and bring the Cylon Centurions into the mix sooner rather than later, tighten the overarching plot, ramp up the tension, and add some subtle layering to the characters to bring the viewers at least a few sympathetic characters to latch on to. As it stands, Caprica isn't a place that I want to visit any longer.

Caprica returns tonight at 10 pm ET/PT on Syfy.

Channel Surfing: Starz to Recast Spartacus, Warehouse 13 Renewed, Mad Men's John Slattery to 30 Rock, Glee, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

It was only a matter of time, really. Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello (who is soon to depart the magazine/website) is reporting that Starz has begun the search for a replacement for Spartacus' Andy Whitfield, who was forced to drop out of the production due to a recurrence of cancer. "According to the just-released casting notice, producers are searching for a Caucasian male in his mid to late 30s to play the 'smart, intense, passionate' title role," writes Ausiello. "Interested parties must have an authentic British accent and be prepared to sign a three-year contract." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd is reporting that Syfy has renewed Warehouse 13 for a third season, with 13 episodes on tap for next season. Additionally, Jack Kenny will remain aboard the series as the showrunner and has signed a development deal with the cable network. "Jack Kenny's superlative leadership and the incredible talent of his cast and crew delivered an outstanding second season of Warehouse 13," said Syfy's Mark Stern. "We're excited to see this successful series return next year and to developing our next hit with Jack." (Hollywood Reporter)

More 30 Rock/Mad Men crossover goodness. Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Mad Men's John Slattery will guest star in an upcoming episode of NBC's 30 Rock, where he will play "a candidate running for congress." Slattery is expected to appear in this season's seventh episode. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

TVGuide.com's Denise Martin has an interview with Glee co-creators Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan and Cory Monteith about tonight's spirituality-themed episode ("Grilled Cheesus"), in which the glee kids tackle the hot-button issue of religion. "I wish there had been something to launch conversations about feelings and emotions in my household when I was younger," Murphy told Martin about the potential of Glee to start conversations. "When the show is at its best, that is what I think we're doing." (TVGuide.com)

Elsewhere, Entertainment Weekly's Tim Stack has a brief chat with Murphy as well about tonight's episode. “I love when people see Jesus in bird droppings on the windows and then there are lines out the door and that seems to happen so often now,” said Murphy. “To me, it just shows everybody in our society, particularly young people, are just desperate to believe in something.” (Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch)

ABC is eyeing another scripted summer series, this time an untitled female-centric spy drama from writer Greg Poirier, director Steve Shill, and executive producers Grant Scharbo and Gina Matthews (The Gates) that is described as "Taken meets The Bourne Identity). (Deadline)

ABC Family has cancelled freshman drama series Huge and will not be ordering the back ten episodes of the first season. "First and foremost, we want to thank everyone who embraced Huge and supported it," said co-creator/executive producer Winnie Holzman. "While it's disappointing not to be able to go forward with the characters we love so much and had so many plans for, we're deeply grateful for this opportunity. Our goal was and is to create television of depth and complexity that inspires people to think and feel. We believe we accomplished that with Huge and can't wait to do it again." (Variety)

Lone Star may have tanked but the pilot director--Marc Webb--who also directed (500) Days of Summer, has already scored a new project at FOX: a single-camera workplace comedy entitled Battleground, which has a script order at the network. (Deadline)

The New York Times' Dave Itzkoff talks with the cast and crew of FOX's comedy Running Wilde, which is struggling to find an audience this season. "If we stay kind of where we are or even grow a little bit, we’re in good shape,” co-creator Mitch Hurwitz said of the series' chances. “If we continue to drop, anything can happen.” (New York Times)

Deadline's Tim Adler is reporting that Steve Coogan's Alan Partridge could be returning to television once more as Baby Cow will recut its series of Fosters-branded internet shorts as a new television series. "Until now Coogan’s cringingly-embarrassing TV chat show host and disc jockey has always aired on the BBC," writes Adler. "The new 6-part series could be sold to Channel 4 or digital comedy channel Dave, Baby Cow boss Henry Normal tells me." (Deadline)

TVGuide.com's Robyn Ross is reporting that Matthew Lawrence will guest-star alongside brother Joey on an upcoming episode of ABC Family comedy Melissa & Joey, slated to air November 2nd. (TVGuide.com)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that ABC is close to signing a deal to develop a US adaptation of Spanish series Aqui no hay quien viva (Or: I Hate This Place) from executive producers Ben Silverman and Sofia Vergara, with writer Craig Doyle attached to write the script. (Deadline)

Stay tuned.

Soft Secrets and Hard Truths: The Crumbling of the Chinese Wall on Mad Men

"Why is it whenever anything good happens, something bad has to happen?" - Peggy Olson

Peggy's question, coming on the heels of news that Lucky Strike has pulled out of the agency, might as well be about the series itself, which does take a particular joy in tormenting its characters just as they've achieved some semblance of happiness. It's a question about causality that's deeply rooted in her Catholic upbringing. Because Peggy is happy in her personal life, after tumbling into bed with Abe, does it mean that her work life has to fall into chaos as a result?

This week's stunning episode of Mad Men ("Chinese Wall"), written by Erin Levy and directed by Phil Abraham, seeks to examine the fallout from the Lucky Strike bombshell, a major blast that could signal the end for Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce just as the fledgling agency finally got its wings. That the news would be delivered by an acquaintance of Ken Cosgrove rather than by Roger Sterling himself points to just how deep a state of denial Roger is in at the moment, unable to admit that he failed to keep his sole client happy and jeopardized the entire agency.

But, in keeping with Peggy Olson's pondering about the inner workings of the universe at large, all things--even our 1960s ad agency microcosm--tend towards entropy. That inexorable end looms large here as Don Draper attempts to rally the troops and send them into battle but there are certain wars, as everyone learned at the time, that can't be won.

The whiff of desperation swirling around the halls of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce might signal the beginning of the end for this experiment. Don's decision last week--to kill the NAA account lest the truth about his identity be found out--have startling repercussions here in the light of the news that Lucky Strike, the agency's largest client is consolidating its brands over at BBDO. David, after all, can't always slay Goliath and the advertising industry is likely littered with the corpses of other independent, boutique agencies that weren't able to rise to the top.

The agency's dire straits and its potential death is neatly juxtaposed with the birth of Pete and Trudy's baby, a daughter for Pete, a legitimate child to replace the one he bore with Peggy. Life goes on, the cycle keeps on turning. Even in death, there's life.

Which might be why, though he chafes at the suggestion, that Pete might consider jumping ship and heading to CGC as his father-in-law Tom pushes him to do. Don's outburst at Pete at the emergency agency meeting shows that there are definitely sore spots there, particularly as the one thing holding Pete back is that he's a partner at SCDP, has a major ownership stake. But Ted Chaough is playing hard ball. He knows that he's got Don over a barrel and, while his efforts might be to "hobble" Don as Pete suggests, he's making serious overtures to Pete Campbell, offers that include a full partnership and his name on the door.

Will Pete's ambition win out over loyalty? That's the real question here. And with Pete go the accounts that he brought into the agency in the first place. While everyone is looking to Roger to fix the situation with Lee Garner Jr. and to Don to guide them somehow, it's Pete who actually wields the power to save them or sink them. What's terrifying is that no one seems aware of how much his decision could ultimately cost them.

The atmosphere at the agency is thick with concern. Is it, as Stan believes, the last days of Rome? Are people clinging to anything in these desperate times? Peggy's relationship with Abe is anything but desperate, a chance to see Peggy carefree and happy, the salt water in her wavy hair a reminder of just how young she is, the opening scene with its clowns-in-a-tiny-car scene a portrait of a very different America than the one at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, a drug-fueled youthquake about to erupt. Here, Peggy isn't a powerful copywriter but rather another girl at the beach and, while she chafes against getting on Abe's lap in the car, his gentle brushing of sand off her arm positions her in a very different role than we've seen Peggy in before: confident, in control, in touch with her sexuality.

Stan's attempt to seduce Peggy, however, remind her of how easily she can be put in her place. Turning him down again, Peggy is allowed to go to a hugely critical Playtex pitch with red lipstick smeared all over her teeth. An opportunity to humiliate her in front of the clients. Fortunately, the client in question seems sensitive to her plight and attempts to gently inform her about her mishap (which Peggy comically misreads)... and the account isn't lost due to Stan's minor revenge plot. (In fact, Peggy's pitch about softness and sensuality wins them the approval of the Playtex executives.)

Roger, meanwhile, engaged in some kabuki theater in an effort to save face with the rest of the SCDP partners, faking a call to Lee Garner, Jr. in which he railed at the Lucky Strike owner for blindsiding him with this news... and then went so far as to fake a trip down to Raleigh in an effort to convince Lee to change his mind.

While Roger's scheming was shocking, it was also utterly depressing, the lengths that this man will go through to save face, the vanity that is shattered when his promised thirty days fail to bear fruit. The lengths he goes to, the shadow puppets and sleight-of-hand, reveal a man at odds with himself, a man so deeply sunk into denial that he can't come clean to anyone about his failure.

Except, that is, to Joan Harris.

Throughout his life, Joan has remained emblematic of what's been missing from his life, the one thing he prized so dearly but couldn't leave his wife to embrace fully. The one who got away. The one, he thought, that he had gotten back again.

Joan's horror, upon learning that Roger knew about Lee and was calling her from a Manhattan hotel, was the falling of the scales from the eyes, the first time she saw with clarity again of what Roger truly was and what he would always be: a scared little man clinging to the last vestiges of his vanity and ego. In one fell swoop, he had not only endangered her marriage to Greg but also her job as well.

I'm not entirely sure what he expected Joan to do with the information, the equivalent of a smack across the face. It may have woken Joan out of her reverie and brought her back to reality, may have crumbled any semblance of a wall between them but it also broadened the distance between them to an insurmountable chasm.

When Cooper lashes out at Roger, telling him that Lucky Strike never took Roger seriously because he never took himself seriously, the same applies to Joan Harris' perception of Roger as well. He never took her seriously either. He claimed to love her but he left Mona not for Joan but for the silly Jane. His inscription to her in the first copy of his autobiography, "Sterling's Gold," is "to my loving wife." But nowhere does he indicate that he actually loves her in return. She might be proud of him but the same can't be said for Roger.

Despite the book's title, everything Roger touches doesn't turn to gold, after all, but to excrement.

Don, meanwhile, attempts to do whatever he can to save the agency, trying to placate their current clients and attend a funeral to drum up new business. But he's reduced to smashing his beloved Clio Award when Glo-Coat follows in Lucky Strike's footsteps and pulls their business. Everything Don has built has the potential to crumble around him.

Which might be why he demands that Faye break her "Chinese Wall" and share privileged information with him about her other clients, insisting that she help him save the agency. Faye is shocked that Don would ask her to break her moral code and betray her own ethics to save him. She would never ask him to do that for her. The two argue and Faye storms out of his office, a new complication to their relationship, considering that Don had just only recently told Faye about his real identity, a major breach in the shield around his heart.

But rather than work off his frustration, Don falls prey to his new assistant Megan's cunning. She fixes the Clio Award that he threw across the room and launches a campaign to win Don over, appealing to his vanity (teach me!), his male ego ("I just want you right now"), and his logic ("I'm not going to run out of her crying tomorrow"). While everyone may have looked at Megan as a posh mannequin, the former receptionist not only has brains but ambition and drive. She doesn't just want to be Peggy Olson, she wants to be Don Draper. She's educated (she studied literature) and is an artist. She wants it all. (As opposed to Allison, she doesn't appear to be after Don's heart, just his ability to advance her career.)

And, though he knows that he shouldn't (especially after everything that happened with Allison), Don does fall on the couch with Megan. Everyone one of his senses is screaming at him to stop but he can't help himself. Don's fatal flaw has always been in his pants and his inability to put a stop to Megan's very obvious advances might just signal the end of his relationship with Faye, with a strong and sensitive woman who knows him, flaws and all.

Which might be why Don was so surprised to see Faye outside his apartment later that night. But rather than scrawling a break-up message on that envelope, she's there to tell him that she broke her code of ethics for him: that she got him a meeting with Heinz because she "wanted" to.

And then he ends up back on the couch, this time with Faye. But rather than fall into easy sex with her, she just wants to sit with him, resting her head on his chest, a picture of false domesticity. The weight of his betrayal rests heavily on Don in that moment, feeling Faye breathe peacefully, knowing that she saved the man she loved from potential ruin. While he screwed his secretary because she offered herself to him.

Depressing all around, considering how hard she tried to keep that Chinese Wall between them. But some walls were always meant to fall down, some confidences to be broken. And some hard truths, one supposes, will eventually come out.

Next week on Mad Men ("Blowing Smoke"), in the midst of a crisis, Don runs into an old friend.

Taxi Rides of Doom: Teams Head to Ghana on The Amazing Race

I'm actually kind of sad about the outcome of this week's episode of The Amazing Race ("A Kiss Saves the Day"), which took the teams from England to Ghana, where they had to hawk sunglasses in a crowded market, assemble television antenna hookups, and deliver unwieldy coffins through the streets.

All while attempting to stay alive during the series' most dangerous taxi rides ever.

I have to say that this season of The Amazing Race is definitely clicking with me for a number of reasons. There's a fast-paced quality to the challenges and the episodes themselves (to the point where last night's installment only seemed about a half-hour long) and the casting this season is top-notch. I'm waiting to see if a villain emerges from among the remaining teams, who so far have all played nicely with each other.

Personally, I'm rooting for Brook and Claire (particularly after the latter took a watermelon to the face and kept on running), Ivy Leaguers/a cappella singers Connor and Jonathan, and doctors Kat and Nat (who came from nearly last place to the middle of the pack, thanks to a mentally unstable taxi driver). I also like father/son team Michael and Kevin and think that the tattooed Nick and Vicki might just be the dumbest team on the race yet, which makes for some amusement, after all.

I loved seeing Brook plying her trade in the market and quickly selling a bunch of sunglasses to put their team in an early lead. While these two might drive me crazy if I had to spend too much time with them in real life, I'm loving them on the show this season. They're passionate, dynamic, and full of energy and I'm hoping they stick around for quite some time to come.

But I am a little depressed that we won't get to see the fascinating relationship between Andie and Jenna play out. One of the most intriguing teams to date, their dynamic--birth mother and daughter given up for adoption--was extremely interesting to watch unfold, as it represented a real change for The Amazing Race.

Related by blood, they were strangers to one another but were finding commonalities as they raced together. Little things--like having frizzy hair and having to straighten it--took on huge significance as they connected for the first time and found similarities, things that bonded them on a genetic level, even as their emotional bond deepened over the course of the first two legs.

While they ended up dead last in this week's installment (and they were focusing on them quite a lot with the editing), I was hoping that Andie and Jenna would stick around and we'd be able to see their relationship blossom into something, as each was given this rare opportunity to spend time with the other.

Alas, it was not to be, particularly as they were just so far behind the other teams and thanks to some daredevil taxi drivers, the other teams just ahead of them made up significant time when their cabbies invented a third lane of traffic. (Eeek.)

Out of curiosity: which teams are you rooting for? And which are you ready to see the back of? Head to the comments section to discuss.

Next week on The Amazing Race ("In Phil We Trust"), the race continues in Ghana, where some teams are stumped by a deceptively simple quiz.

Channel Surfing: ABC Axes My Generation, David E. Kelley to Tackle Wonder Woman, Spartacus, Lara Flynn Boyle, and More

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.

And another one bites the dust. The axe has fallen on Noah Hawley's drama My Generation, which was cancelled by ABC after just two episodes. Production has come to a screeching halt on the series, which debuted to more than 5 million viewers in its initial airing and then plummeted a staggering 31 percent for the second episode. ABC has yet to announce a replacement for My Generation, which had the Thursday evening at 8 pm ET/PT timeslot. News comes on the heels of FOX's decision to can Lone Star after two airings, while all eyes are on ABC's Whole Truth and NBC's Outlaw, which mark the two most likely targets for cancellation, should ratings not improve. (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

Better fire up that invisible plane: The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd and Borys Kit are reporting that Warner Bros. Television is said to be developing a modern-day take on DC Comics' Wonder Woman for television rather than film this time around. (Joss Whedon had attempted to write a Wonder Woman feature film script back in 2005 and Deborah Joy LeVine attempted to launch a small screen version in 1998. Of course, Lynda Carter very famously played Diana Prince in the 1975-79 television series.) But the interesting news is who Warners has pacted with to write and executive produce the potential series: Ally McBeal creator David E. Kelley. [Editor: While I applaud the effort of Warner Bros. Television to return this icon to the small screen, I can't help but scratch my head about the decision to go with Kelley, who is based at the studio. Odd.] (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

Pay cabler Starz is said to be considering "all options" when looking at the future of its brand-defining series Spartacus after series lead Andy Whitfield had to bow out due to his battle with cancer. While Starz president/CEO Chris Albrecht said that "hopefully" Spartacus will return, there is no certainty that the series will return for its planned second season, though there is the possibility of recasting Whitfield's role. "If not, we'll have something else in the fourth quarter," Albrecht told The Hollywood Reporter. (Hollywood Reporter)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that E! has ordered a pilot presentation for an untitled docuseries focusing on actress Lara Flynn Boyle, best known for her roles on ABC's The Practice and Twin Peaks. The potential project would, according to Andreeva, "follow the Practice alumna as she splits her time between her life in Texas and her marriage to real estate investor Donald Ray Thomas II and her Hollywood-centric lifestyle in Bel Air." (Deadline)

Now this I'd like to see: one name that's being bandied around as a potential entertainment president for NBC is former Showtime topper Robert Greenblatt, who stepped down from the pay cabler earlier this year. Rumors are flying that Greenblatt is being groomed for an oversight role at the network after the merger with Comcast goes through. "It's spectacular," said Paradigm TV agent Debbee Klein said about Comcast possibly considering Greenblatt for the role. "They haven't had an executive of his stature since Grant Tinker and Brandon Tartikoff. The writing community would make NBC a must-stop destination if he's at the helm... He's not just a guy who does one thing well. He's patient and has a very keen sense of material. He knows how to work with writers without stepping on their voice. Very few executives have that ability, such as [CBS entertainment president] Nina Tassler." Hmmm... (Hollywood Reporter)

E! Online's Jennifer Arrow has a series of first-look videos from this week's Grey's Anatomy/Private Practice crossover. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

ABC is developing an untitled comedy vehicle for Damon Wayans (My Wife and Kids) that will reteam him with Don Reo. (Variety)

Elsewhere, Lifetime has ordered a pilot for an untitled drama about the female head of a university hospital psych department. Project, from writer/executive producer Michael Sardo and executive producer Gerard Bocaccio, "revolves around a woman who moves to Philadelphia to work as chief of staff in the psychiatry department alongside her sister and a diverse staff." (Variety)

TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck has details about Amber Tamblyn's character on FOX's House, where she has signed on to a multiple-episode story arc as medical student Martha M. Masters. (TV Guide Magazine)

FOX has ordered pilot presentations for three Sony Pictures Television-produced animated comedies, including So Cal, Swell, and Sunflower Ponds. Talent involved includes Josh Faure-Brac, Doug Robinson, Kevin Ceil, Andy Riley, Anthony and Joe Russo, Reed Agnre, Eli Jorne, and Jamie Tarses. (Variety)

UK satcaster Sky has acquired UK rights to TV Land comedy Hot in Cleveland, which stars Jane Leeves and Betty White. (Broadcast)

Stay tuned.

Faceless Killers: Wallander Returns to Masterpiece Mystery

Every now and then a series comes along that features the perfect actor, the perfect character, the perfect scripts, and the perfect setting.

Right now, that series is none other than PBS/BBC's haunting and existential mystery drama Wallander, which returns for its second season on Sunday as part of PBS' Masterpiece Mystery (check your local listings). The series stars Kenneth Branagh as Ystad detective Kurt Wallander, a man gripped by his own concerns as he investigates the grisly and brutal crimes inflicted on the inhabitants of his Swedish port town. (For more on Branagh's take on the character, you can read my interview with him over at The Daily Beast.)

But Wallander's purview isn't just finding the perpetrators of these crimes--which include, in the first installment, the brutal murder of an elderly farmer and his wife--but in examining both the damage that such crimes cause and the fractured psyche that carries them out in the first place. So strong is his repugnance to these crimes that he takes on culpability for them, simply for being a member of the human race, turning a magnifying glass on his own failings.

It's hard not to love Wallander, even as he shoulders an increasingly heavy burden. In "Faceless Killers," the season's first episode, a stray remark sparks an all-out race war in Ystad, even as he comes to terms with the fact that his daughter Linda (Jeany Spark) is dating a man of Syrian origin. Is Wallander racist? Or is he just taken aback by his daughter's ability to surprise him?

Even as he attempts to grapple with his inner conflict, he's presented with further pressure: the condition of his father (the great David Warner) is greatly deteriorating and a series of inexplicable behaviors point towards his Alzheimer's significantly worsening. Can Wallander be the son that his father expects him to be? The father than he daughter wants? The man that he himself wants and needs to be?

Those questions loom large over the action and the wind-swept Swedish landscape, captured in a haunting blue hue that perfectly matches the detective's own psychic malaise.

What follows is an extraordinary season of turmoil, murder, and self-reflection, not to mention some of the smartest and tautest mysteries to air on television. You'd be wise to make room in your schedule for Wallander; once it has caught you in its somber spell, it's impossible to let go.



Season Two of Wallander begins this Sunday on PBS' Masterpiece Mystery. Check your local listings for details.

Culture Clash: Brief Thoughts on IFC's The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret

I really wanted to like IFC's David Cross-led comedy The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, a co-production with Channel 4's More4 in the UK.

After all, the series was created by Cross and Shaun Pye (Extras) and stars Cross, Will Arnett, The Inbetweeners's Blake Harrison, and Sharon Horgan (Pulling). So I should really love it as I would seem to be the target audience for such a dark and depraved comedy of errors set against a backdrop of cultural differences between Americans and Brits.

But try though I might, there's something entirely off about Todd Margaret, at least in the three episodes that were submitted to the press for review. I couldn't shake off the feeling that this wasn't so much the story of an American adrift in England but rather an effort to smash together US and UK comedy styles. It doesn't quite gel, however. The effect feels a bit like a traditional US sitcom and a quirky UK one at the same time but also like neither.

Which isn't to say that there aren't a few laughs, because there are a few chuckles to be had here now and then.

Cross' titular character, salesman Todd Margaret, finds himself stranded abroad in an unfamiliar country when his new boss (Arnett) sends him to Blighty to hawk unsafe energy drinks to a new market. Upon arriving, this sad sack manages to blisteringly burn his hand, meet adorable cafe owner Alice (Horgan), have his luggage blown up, and then wet himself after his manipulative assistant Dave (Harrison) convinces him to drink several Thunder Muscle drinks. After which he wets himself and causes significant damage to the cafe.

The subsequent episodes--all of which begin with a courtroom scene in which a litany of charges against Todd are being read--continues the same themes as Todd tries to blend in (terribly), is played a fool by Dave again and again, and attempts to woo Alice, all while pretending (A) to be a local lad from Leeds, (B) have a dead father, and (C) know what he's doing at all.

The over-the-top situations that follow attempt to approximate some element of satire or farce but Todd Margaret is such a sad sack, so horrifically ill-at-ease with everyone around him (and himself), and so utterly clueless, that the air is taken out of the sails more than a little bit.

In other words, what this flabby comedy needs is some muscle.

The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret begins tonight at 10 pm ET/PT on IFC.

The Daily Beast: "Kenneth Branagh's Twists and Turns"

Kenneth Branagh has temporarily traded Shakespeare for serial killers in Masterpiece Mystery’s new Wallander installments and superheroes in his highly anticipated directing effort, Thor.

Over at The Daily Beast, you can check out my latest feature, "Kenneth Branagh's Twists and Turns," in which I talk to Branagh about Season Two of Wallander and its existential hero, directing Thor (and its connections to Shakespearean drama), and whether he'll play Sir Laurence Olivier in Simon Curtis' My Week with Marilyn.

Season Two of Wallander begins this Sunday on PBS' Masterpiece Mystery. Check your local listings for details.

High Drama: BBC Announces Dramas from Sam Mendes, Jane Campion, and Sir David Hare (Plus Sizzle Reel Video)

I've found myself extremely distracted this morning.

The cause: this gorgeous sizzle reel put together by BBC for their upcoming drama offerings, which include Accused, Aurelio Zen, Christopher and His Kind, The Crimson Petal and the White, Doctor Who Christmas Special, The First Men in the Moon, Hattie, Lip Service, The Nativity, Outcasts, The Shadow Line, Silk, Single Father, The Song of Lunch, South Riding, Toast, Upstairs Downstairs, When Harvey Met Bob, and Women in Love. (Whew.)

Look for cameos from Matt Smith, David Tennant, and Christopher Eccleston, which must be the first time the three most recent actors playing the Doctor have appeared in anything together. Even if it is just a sizzle reel.

You can view Auntie Beeb's slick and provocative reel below. Just be forewarned: you'll probably want to watch it again and again.



Meanwhile, the Beeb also announced upcoming dramas from Sam Mendes, Jane Campion, and Sir David Hare. The full press release from the BBC can be found below.

BBC Controller of Drama announces new commissions from three of world's leading creative talents: Sam Mendes, Jane Campion and Sir David Hare

To mark two years in post, BBC Controller of Drama, Ben Stephenson unveiled the new season of drama coming up on the BBC over the next six months across all four channels.

Speaking tonight at the event to the press, industry and artists, Ben Stephenson said: "Two years in this job has put the fire in my belly to stand up for British drama. I love the passion for drama in this country – opinionated writers and audiences who demand quality drama. The BBC should embrace all of these – we should be contradictory and a broad church in our ability to mix high art with the best of popular culture.

"The Song Of Lunch should rub shoulders with EastEnders, Sherlock with Shakespeare, Sir David Hare with Steven Moffat, Emma Thompson with Idris Elba… Tonight, I have some pretty incredible announcements and only BBC Drama could bring you this kind of quality and ambition.

"Epic film versions of four of Shakespeare's History plays from award-winning stage and film director Sam Mendes, by some of the best theatre directors in the country. A major new single play written and directed by playwright and screenwriter Sir David Hare. Finally, authored, original drama at its finest from Oscar-winning writer/director Jane Campion."

Shakespeare on BBC Two from Neal Street Productions

Ben Stephenson announced BBC Drama's commitment to Shakespeare with new screen versions of four of the History plays - Richard II, Henry IV part I and II, and Henry V from Neal Street Productions, with Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Revolutionary Road) and Pippa Harris (Starter For Ten, Stuart A Life Backwards) executive producing.

The producer will be Rupert Ryle-Hodges (Cranford), with Simon Russell Beale as associate producer. The directors include Sir Richard Eyre (Iris, Notes On A Scandal) and Rupert Goold (Enron, Macbeth).

Commissioned by Ben Stephenson and Controller, BBC Two, Janice Hadlow.

Executive producer Sam Mendes said: "I couldn't be more delighted to be making these Shakespeare films for the BBC. One of my earliest introductions to Shakespeare was watching the plays on TV, and it's terrific to have the opportunity to bring them to a new, wider audience."

He also added that: "Richard's production of 'King Lear' and Rupert's 'Macbeth' were two of the best Shakespeare productions I've ever seen, and it's an honour to have them on board."

Jane Campion's Top Of The Lake for BBC Two

Startling, atmospheric new multi-part drama series announced for BBC Two from Oscar-winning writer/director Jane Campion (The Piano, Sweetie, Portrait Of A Lady, In The Cut, Bright Star).

Top Of The Lake is authored, original drama at its finest, bringing to screen a unique landscape – remote, mountainous New Zealand – in a powerful and haunting story about our search for happiness in a paradise where honest work is hard to find.

A twelve-year-old girl stands chest deep in a frozen lake. She is five months pregnant, and she won't say who the father is, insisting it was 'no one'. Then she disappears. Robin Griffin, the investigating detective, will find this the case that tests her to her limits. In the search for Tui she will first have to find herself.

Directed by Jane Campion, and written by Jane Campion and Gerard Lee. It is a multi-part serial for BBC Two and will film in 2011, produced by Emile Sherman and Iain Canning of UK/Australian company See-Saw Films.

Commissioned by Ben Stephenson and Janice Hadlow, Controller, BBC Two.

Sir David Hare

English playwright and screenwriter returns to the BBC with a single play which he will also direct, through Christine Langan Creative Director of BBC Films. More details to be announced soon. His credits include Plenty (1985), Wetherby (1985), My Zinc Bed (2000) and The Permanent Way (2003).