‘V’ Fall Finale: In Defense of Tyler

Posted on November 24, 2009 by Vlada

Tonight is the fall finale for ABC’s V. The episde, aptly titled “It’s Only the Beginning,” is the series’ best hour since the pilot. It further explores the moral ambiguities and grey areas that drew me to Scott Wolf’s Chad and Morena Baccarin’s Anna in the pilot. Elizabeth Mitchell continues to convey intelligence and strength with just a look as she, Father Jack, Ryan and Georgie form a makeshift family. The episode also spotlights two Fifth Column members to a disturbing end. Needless to say, there are quite a few revelations and cliffhangers in “It’s Only the Beginning.” Will it bring viewers back in March when the series returns? Only time will tell.

You probably didn’t notice that I failed to mention Tyler in the above paragraph. I’ve noticed that many critics and viewers are disinterested in the character. He’s not the most fascinating or fully developed character on V, but I don’t really get the hate. Maybe it’s because I like a little romantic intrigue in my shows. I like wondering what Lisa and Anna’s plan for him is and how he factors into it. I like his scenes with the two females. After watching Laura Vandervoort being painfully shoehorned into the role of Kara/Supergirl on Smallville, I feel like V really plays to her strengths. She has a nice mix of sweet innocence and sexual manipulation. I’m curious to see whether she will develop real feelings for Tyler or if she’s more like her mother, Anna. Speaking of Anna… She has some great scenes with Tyler in tonight’s episode that had me very intrigued about her plan.

If any character on V slows down the momentum for me, it’s Valerie, not Tyler. At least Tyler is tied to show’s central mysteries. Valerie just plays the supportive/oblivious girlfriend, although tonight’s episode does make some steps toward making her more of a player and less of a bystander.

V airs tonight at 8 p.m. on ABC.

Filed under: v, what to watch | Leave a Comment »

‘Late Night With Jimmy Fallon’ Celebrates Slapsgiving

Posted on November 24, 2009 by Vlada

Is Late Night With Jimmy Fallon the new home for ’90s television nostalgia? First, Late Night featured Zack Morris from Saved by the Bell. Now comes a clip of Neil Young performing the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song on last night’s show.

The night’s other guest was Gossip Girl star Blake Lively, who proved herself to be a charming and easygoing interview. She also participated in a tenuous Thanksgiving sketch with Fallon, keeping character the whole time. It gave me hope that she’ll be game for whatever the Saturday Night Live writers throw her way when she hosts the show on Dec. 5. Between this and the SNL Digital Short she did with James Franco, at least we know she can keep a straight face better than January Jones.

I also had to wonder if Fallon or his writers are How I Met Your Mother fans because that’s a whole lot of Slapsgiving.

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‘How I Met Your Mother’: Thankful for slaps

Posted on November 24, 2009 by Vlada

Photo Credit: Monty Brinton/CBS

“Slapsgiving 2: Return of the Slap” started off sweet by showing the true meaning of friendship: Driving to the port authority to pick up the perfect turkey your friend left behind in a taxicab. Marshall (Jason Segel) is so touched by Robin (Cobie Smulders) and Ted’s (Josh Radnor) gesture that he bequeaths to them the fourth slap against Barney (Neil Patrick Harris). There are some caveats, however. The slap has to be administered by sundown so as not to interfere with Lily’s dinner. Barney will be tied to a chair known as the slapping thrown. Ted and Robin must decide amongst themselves who will administer the slap.

Read the rest of my recap at the Los Angeles Times Show Tracker blog, where you also find my write-up about Amanda Peet guest starring on the show.

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Chuck Promos: ‘No More Mr. Nice Spy’

Posted on November 23, 2009 by Vlada

NBC has been airing a lot of promos for the return of Chuck, as it should be doing, but my favorite sneak peek of season 3 actually comes from an online video in which NBC stars talk about their first jobs.

In the clip below, Chuck’s Zachary Levi and Yvonne Strahovski and Community’s Alison Brie and Chevy Chase share memories of their first jobs. Levi recalls his job at a car wash, from which he almost got fired for singing Rose Royce’s “Car Wash.”

“I was such a schmuck. Not a lot has changed,” he jokes.

The video also features some behind the scenes footage and clips from Chuck’s upcoming new season, including guest star Brandon Routh and Sarah kicking butt in a nurse’s outfit, which leads Captain Awesome to proclaim, “That is some woman, bro.”

Have I mentioned that I love Captain Awesome? Like a lot?

NBC’s on-air promos for the show can be found behind the cut.

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‘Chuck’ Back to Save the Day on Jan. 10

Posted on November 19, 2009 by Vlada

It’s been a busy news day for television lovers. First, ABC announced the premiere date for Lost’s sixth and final season (Tuesday, Feb. 2 at 9 p.m. for those who care). Then came news that Oprah will end her syndicated talk show in September 2011.

But the news I’m excited about? Chuck finally has an official return date! The third season will kickoff Sunday, Jan. 10 at 8 p.m. with a two-hour premiere. The series will then move to its regular timeslot Mondays at 8 p.m. on Jan. 11.

Chuck was originally set to return in March 2010 after the Olympics, but NBC’s recent pickup of six more episodes, bringing its total to 19 episodes, fueled speculation that the show might return sooner.

“Josh [Schwartz] and Chris [Fedak] and the writing team are doing a great job this season, and we think the loyal fan base for this show will be happy to see it back on the NBC schedule,” Angela Bromstad, president of primetime entertainment for NBC and Universal Media Studios, said in a statement.

Chuck made great use of name guest stars in its first two seasons, and its upcoming season will be no different. Among those mentioned in NBC’s announcement: Brandon Routh (Superman Returns), Robert Patrick (Terminator 2: Judgment Day), Kristin Kreuk (Smallville), Armand Assante (Judge Dredd), Steve Austin (WWE Smackdown!) and Vinnie Jones (Snatch).

Check out a special message from star Zachary Levi in the season three preview below. The full press release from NBC, which also includes details about a two-hour Heroes event on Jan. 4 (is anyone still watching and genuinely liking it?), can be found behind the cut.

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Stacy Keibler guest stars in ‘How I Met Your Mother’s’ 100th episode

Posted on November 19, 2009 by Vlada

“How I Met Your Mother” has added another guest star to its 100th-episode roster.

WWE wrestler and actress Stacy Keibler will appear in the milestone episode, “Girls vs. Suits,” CBS confirmed. Keibler will play a hot bartender and conquest for Neil Patrick Harris’ Barney. Harris shared details about the storyline with IGN.

“Barney needs to nail the hot bartender that works at MacLaren’s,” Harris told the site. “Oddly, he’s never banged a hot bartender before. He has a lot of conquests, but never a hot bartender.”

Read the rest of my post at the Los Angeles Times Show Tracker blog.

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WB Wednesday: Remembering ‘Young Americans’

Posted on November 18, 2009 by Vlada

A while ago, a friend brought up the show Young Americans and it all started to rush back to me.

It’s been almost ten years since the WB series premiered in the summer of 2000, but thanks to its prolific cast, I couldn’t stop thinking about the show these past couple of months. Every time I turned on the TV, there they were.

Ian Somerhalder is biting up a storm on the CW’s Vampire Diaries. Katherine Moennig is saving lives on CBS’ Three Rivers. Matt Czuchry is also on the eye network, playing a lawyer on The Good Wife. Even Mark Famiglietti has been haunting me recently with a guest spot on ABC’s FlashForward and the rebroadcast of the short-lived ABC series Eyes on DirecTV. Kate Bosworth, of course, is a movie star, some would say. The only cast member who seems to be languishing in unemployment is Rodney Scott, whose Will was the jumping off point for the series.

It’s been a very long time since the series aired and it’s never been released on DVD, so it’s all very fuzzy in my mind. But I do remember this:
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‘The Office’ Giveaway: Subtle Sexuality Prize Pack

Posted on November 18, 2009 by Vlada

Subtle Sexuality is taking the world of Scranton by storm! Don’t know what I’m talking about?

Between filling paper orders and solving murders in the workplace, The Office’s Kelly Kapoor and Erin Hannon found time to team up with Andy ‘Nard Dog’ Bernard and Ryan ‘Mr. Understood’ Howard to form Subtle Sexuality. The group’s first single and music video, “Male Prima Donna,” takes its inspiration from “Rihanna, Katy Perry, J.Hud, and all the Kardashians.” Check it out below and head to SubtleSexuality.com for pictures, merchandise and more.

Did you miss their concert at DB’s Video Karaoke or Erin’s apartment? Staying In has the next best thing: A chance to win a Subtle Sexuality prize pack.

The prize pack includes:

1 Subtle Sexuality “World Tour” T-shirt

1 Subtle Sexuality CD

To enter the contest:

1.) Submit a comment below answering the following question: What should be the title of Subtle Sexuality’s next single?

2.) Your comment must be submitted by Wednesday, Nov. 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Please note: Comments must be approved before they appear on the site, so don’t freak out if you don’t see your comment right away.

3.) Only one entry per person.

4.) You must be 18 years of age or older and a U.S. resident.

5.) A winner will be chosen at random Nov. 26 and contacted by email for their mailing address.

Awesome post-Thanksgiving present, yes?

Filed under: contests & giveaways, the office | 45 Comments »

‘Skins’ Season 4 Trailer Puts ‘Gossip Girl’ to Shame

Posted on November 16, 2009 by Vlada

Remember how the Parents Television Council was getting all riled up over the Gossip Girl threesome, which turned out to be a tame boresome? Well, obviously the PTC has never seen the British series Skins. Their promo campaign one year, right, centered around what amounts to an orgy.

The fourth season of the raunchy, naked and recreational drug-using series is slated to premiere on the UK’s E4 on Jan. 21. BBC America hasn’t announced a premiere date yet for those of us in the states, but a new trailer gives us a taste of what’s to come. It involves sex, alcohol, violence and lesbianism. Take that, Gossip Girl.

Are you looking forward to the new season? Or did the new cast of characters turn you off? Mostly, I’m just excited that my favorite pairing from last season, Emily and Naomi, appears to be very prominent.

Thanks to YouTube user SkinsBrazil for uploading the video. You can also check out their beautiful fan-made trailer featuring clips from the upcoming season here.

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‘How I Met Your Mother’: Going to the smoon

Posted on November 16, 2009 by Vlada

Photo Credit: Karen Neal/Fox

After a somewhat disappointing and heavy breakup episode last week, “How I Met Your Mother” went back to basics for “The Playbook.” It was a fun, mostly stand-alone episode showcasing Barney’s (Neil Patrick Harris) womanizer ways. The episode did have much in the way of plot advancement. It was mostly a series of edited together vignettes, but the show is always funniest when it’s presenting a set of rules for dating or life – Lemon Law, anyone? – made up by Barney.

Rebounding from their breakup last week, Robin (Cobie Smulders) throws herself into work, while Barney throws himself into “every woman in New York City,” including miltswancas (Mothers I’d Like to Sleep With and Never Call Again). I found it a little odd and hurtful that Barney reverted back to his old ways so quickly and intensely even though he and Robin had just broken up. I don’t expect him to be a monk, but he was flaunting it right in front of her. Robin seemed to be constantly getting up and leaving.

Read the rest of my episode recap at the Los Angeles Times Show Tracker blog.

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‘Vampire Diaries’ Takes a Bite Out of the Holidays

Posted on November 16, 2009 by Vlada

The Vampire Diaries is the CW’s highest rated new show, but the network thinks there may be some viewers who haven’t bitten into the series yet.

The Vampire Diaries will take over the CW’s whole schedule with a weeklong marathon Dec. 14-18. All ten episodes of the series will air across five days, with two episodes airing each night in the order they were originally broadcast.

If this Thursday’s episode, which is the last original episode until January, has a cliffhanger on par with some of their previous episodes, fans are going to need more than a marathon to make it through the holidays.

Any newbies out there who will be tuning into the marathon to see what all the fuss about it? I do think there may be potential new viewers out there who wrote off the series as a Twilight ripoff. I was skeptical myself, but my friend and I were recently talking about how The Vampire Diaries has turned out to be the most pleasant surprise of this TV season.

There are many new shows I like, but I had a feeling whether based on casting, the creative talent involved or premise that I was going to like them. Then there are shows that I was excited about when I saw the pilot, but have let me down in subsequent episodes.

The Vampire Diaries has been a different story. I went into it thinking it wasn’t for me and that I’d had my fill of vampires. But week after week, the show has managed to throw out my expectations and surprise me. My friend agreed with me, but I still felt the need to list my evidence to her:

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CW’s ‘Life UneXpected’ to Share Mondays Starting Jan. 18 (Updated)

Posted on November 11, 2009 by Vlada

Life UneXpected

Updated 11/11/09: I’ve added some new promotional pictures for Life UneXpected behind the cut.

The CW’s new drama Life UneXpected will premiere Monday, Jan. 18 at 9 p.m., the CW officially announced today.

The WB-esque show, which I’ve raved quite a bit about already, will timeshare Mondays nights with Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill. The idea is to have all new original episodes on Monday nights from mid-January through May.

Life UneXpected will take over Gossip Girl’s timeslot until March 8. On that date, Gossip Girl will return with new episodes and Life UneXpected will shift to 8 p.m. for the remainder of its 13-episode run. One Tree Hill will return on April 19 to finish out its season.

So in review:

January 18 – March 1

8:00-9:00 pm – One Tree Hill
9:00-10:00 pm – Life UneXpected

March 8 – April 12

8:00-9:00 pm – Life UneXpected
9:00-10:00 pm – Gossip Girl

April 19 – Season Finales

8:00-9:00 pm – One Tree Hill
9:00-10:00 pm – Gossip Girl

Life UneXpected stars Britt Robertson as Lux, a teenage girl searching for her biological parents (Shiri Appleby and Kristoffer Polaha) after being bounced around in the foster care system for fifteen years. Kerr Smith plays Appleby’s morning radio show co-host and fiancé. Click here to read more about the series and check out video previews.

Some new photos from the series can be found behind the cut.
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‘Friday Night Lights’ Actors on the Big Screen

Posted on November 10, 2009 by Vlada

DareI don’t often post about movies here, but I thought it was worth making an exception for some much loved Friday Night Lights actors.

This Friday, Nov. 13, brings the limited release of two new films featuring Connie Britton, Adrianne Palicki and Zach Gilford. If you’re in Los Angeles, you even have the chance to see one of those actors in person.

Women In Trouble, written and directed by Sebastian Gutierrez, is a series of vignette-like stories following ten different women during one day. It stars a bevy of familiar TV faces, including Britton, Palicki, Carla Gugino (Out of Sight), Marley Shelton (The Eleventh Hour), Cameron Richardson (Harper’s Island), Garcelle Beauvais (Eyes), Emmanuelle Chriqui (Entourage), Sarah Clarke (24) and Simon Baker (The Mentalist), in addition to current indie favorite Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Josh Brolin.

The Arclight Theater in Hollywood will host Q&As following the 7:30 p.m. shows this Friday, Nov. 13, and Saturday, Nov. 14. Gutierrez and Shelton will be on hand Friday, while Gugino and Baker will join Gutierrez on Saturday.

Also opening this Friday in LA and New York is Gilford’s new film. He stars alongside Emmy Rossum, Ashley Springer, Ana Gasteyer, Alan Cumming and Sandra Bernhard in director Adam Salky’s Dare. The film centers around three high school teenagers who form a complicated relationship.

Gilford and Salky will participate in a Q&A after the 7:45 p.m. screening at the Laemmle Sunset 5 theater this Friday. Salky will also do a Q&A after the 7:45 p.m. show on Saturday.

Check out trailers for both films behind the cut. And don’t forget, the Paley Center is hosting a Parks and Recreation panel this Saturday, as well. It’s going to be a busy night.

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Filed under: around town, friday night lights, movie interlude | Leave a Comment »

‘How I Met Your Mother’: It started with a tape

Posted on November 9, 2009 by Vlada
How I Met Your Mother

Photo Credit: Monty Brinton/CBS

Things got off to an auspiciously good start for Ted (Josh Radnor) when he became the heir of Barney’s (Neil Patrick Harris) porn collection. Lily (Alyson Hannigan) marveled at the titles, such as “Horny Coed Surprise Party 23,” before trying to steal one for her and Marshall (Jason Segal). Any readers also fans of the British comedy series “Coupling”? If you are, then you know why I want to rewatch “Inferno” now.

Ted “attempted” to throw away the tapes, but one magically landed in the VCR player, pressing the play button all on its own. Unfortunately for Ted, Barney has taped a message over “Archisexture.” If Ted is watching the message, it means one of two things: Barney is dead, in which case he wants Ted to take his body to the Hamptons to re-create the classic “Weekend at Bernie’s,” or he’s in a committed relationship, in which case, “Get me out!” he begs.

Check out the rest of my recap of “The Rough Patch” at the Los Angeles Times Show Tracker blog.

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Waxing Nostalgic About ‘Dawson’s Creek’ at Paley Center

Posted on November 8, 2009 by Vlada
dawsons7

Busy Philipps, Meredith Monroe, Kevin Williamson and James Van Der Beek look back on their time at "Dawson's Creek."

Last week, I attended Dawson’s Creek: A Look Back at the Paley Center. The event was held in honor of the complete series DVD release on Nov. 10.

The night started off with a screening of the pilot, which held up remarkably well. Sure, a few music cues and lines were cheesy, but for the most part, it was still emotional, funny and clever. The actors were charming and fresh-faced in all their youthful glory. I even got a little nostalgic for adorable, baby-faced Katie Holmes as the sharp-tongued Joey. And Joshua Jackson was no less charming back then.

The Futon Critic has a fantastic recap up of the panel that followed, featuring creator Kevin Williamson, producer Paul Stupin and stars James Van Der Beek (Dawson), Meredith Monroe (Andie) and Busy Philipps (Audrey). Monica Keena (Abby) also participated in the panel, sort of, from her seat in the audience.

The highlight of the night, as you’ve probably already read, was Busy calling one-time Creeker Chad Michael Murray a douche.

The other highlight came when James mused on kissing The Vampire Diaries star Ian Somerhalder in The Rules of Attraction. Apparently, James’ only male kiss was a good experience.

“If you have to kiss a guy, kiss Ian. He’s pretty,” he said. Kevin recalled that Ian told him James was a good kisser.

A few things not mentioned in The Futon Critic’s recap, as well as pictures:

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‘Being Erica’ Star Finds ‘Life UneXpected’ on the CW

Posted on November 6, 2009 by Vlada
Erin Karpluk

If you come around these blog parts occasionally, then you may already know that I’m a very big fan of the Canadian series Being Erica, which airs on SoapNet in the U.S.

You may also know that I am very much looking forward to the CW’s charming midseason show Life UneXpected (aka LUX), starring Shiri Appleby, Kerr Smith, Britt Robertson and Kristoffer Polaha. I’ve already seen the premiere (check out a preview here) and had the opportunity to hear creator Liz Tigelaar speak about the series. It’s one of my favorite new offerings this TV season.

Well, my two loves are combining. Mike’s Bloggity Blog recently had lunch with Being Erica star Erin Karpluk, who revealed that she’s filming a role for Life UneXpected, while awaiting word on a third season of Being Erica.

A CBS Television Studios spokesperson for LUX confirms that Karpluk will have a recurring role on the show. Her character, Alice, will be around for at least six episodes.

This is very good news for LUX because, as Being Erica fans know, Karpluk is a wonderful actress. Plus, with season two of Being Erica set to premiere on SoapNet Jan. 20 and LUX slated for midseason, it looks like we’ll be getting a double dose of Karpluk.

Are you happy about the casting news? Does this make you even more excited for Life UneXpected?

Filed under: being erica, life unexpected | Leave a Comment »

‘Supernatural’ Tops Itself With a Clever Episode Spoofing Popular Shows

Posted on November 4, 2009 by Vlada
SUPERNATURAL

"Seriously? Seriously?!" Sam and Dean get trapped in a medical soap with an uncanny resemblance to "Grey's Anatomy."

There’s often a certain negative stigma that comes with admitting that you watch a television show about two demon-hunting brothers called Supernatural on the CW network. You thought Buffy the Vampire Slayer had it hard? Please.

It’s a shame because Supernatural has accomplished a rare feat: It’s only gotten better and more ambitious with time. While many shows start to fizzle after their first couple of seasons or get lost in their own mythology, Supernatural has only gotten richer and more satisfying. With each season, the mythology has deepened in a way that seems completely pre-planned and non-convoluted. When last season’s major mythology backstory episode “In the Beginning” aired, I was floored. It tied in to events that happened all the way back in the pilot and, yet, it flowed like it was always meant to be.

But Supernatural is more than just mythology. It’s a show that likes to have fun and challenge itself. Like Medium, another one of my favorite shows, Supernatural likes to play with tone, format and its own existence in the pantheon of horror and television. If you need proof of its inventiveness, just check out last season’s “Monster Movie,” a black and white tribute to classic  movie monsters.

This Thursday brings yet another ambitious hour with “Changing Channels” (check out pictures from the episode here), which instantly became one of my favorite episodes of the show. Written by Jeremy Carver and directed by Charles Beeson, the episode finds Sam and Dean trapped in a series of different television shows when the Trickster returns. Like last season’s super-meta “The Monster at the End of the Book,” “Changing Channels” is a hilarious hour that also has major mythology revelations.

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WB Wednesday: My Favorite ‘Dawson’s’ Creek’ Episodes

Posted on November 4, 2009 by Vlada

Dawson's Creek

Tonight, I will be attending the Dawson’s Creek panel at the Paley Center. It’s also a Wednesday, which means it’s time for another edition of WB Wednesday. I thought it be fitting then to do a list of my top 10 favorite Dawson’s Creek episodes.

Some are great episodes overall. Some have moments or storylines that make the episode special or memorable to me. The list is heavy on episodes from the first couple of seasons because my interest in the show started to wane around season 5. I should probably also mention that I was never a hardcore Joey/Pacey fan, even though I thought Joshua Jackson played the hell out of that storyline during seasons 3 and 4.

Note: The season 1 episodes have two titles because they were all originally titled after movies. The titles were later changed, most likely for legal reasons.

“Pilot”

This list would be remiss without the episode that started it all, including an unhealthy obsession that lasted through middle school and part of high school. When this episode aired, there was nothing like it on TV at the time. It was a new experience to see highly articulate teens frankly discussing their sex lives, but what made the pilot special was nothing new: teenage angst and the classic story of pining.

“The Breakfast Club” / “Detention” (Season 1, episode 7)

A riff on the famous Brat Pack movie, the episode trapped our favorite foursome and Abby Morgan in detention on a Saturday. Our first taste of Abby’s devious ways led to a game of truth or dare that forced everyone to reveal their hidden fears and desires. Say what you will about Dawson and Joey in the later seasons, but that kiss in detention made me clutch my pillow at the time. And let’s not forget Pacey’s hilariously meta reference to the Mighty Ducks series, which Joshua Jackson co-starred in.

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Filed under: dawson's creek, wb wednesday | 4 Comments »

‘How I Met Your Mother’: The art of fighting

Posted on November 2, 2009 by Vlada
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER

Photo Credit: Ron P. Jaffe/Fox ©2009

One of this season’s strongest episodes, “Bagpipes,” was all about different types of couples and how they deal with conflict.

Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) thinks he and Robin (Cobie Smulders) are the best couple. They’ve had sex in 83 and a half beds (the half was a 19th century ottoman in an antique shop). They never fight, except about who’s more awesome, which is understandable. I’m in a deadlock over that one too. As Ted (Josh Radnor) calls it, they have new-relationship smugness of the honeymoon state condition. Except Robin and Barney are in a fight that won’t get started because whenever they feel they’re about to have one, they find a way to avoid the conflict. Barney leaves the room. Robin starts undressing. As far as avoidance tactics go, Robin’s seems more fun.

Check out the rest of my episode recap at the Los Angeles Times Show Tracker blog.

I also wrote a post last week for Show Tracker about JoAnna Garcia (Privileged, Gossip Girl) guest starring on the show. You can read more about that appearance here.

Filed under: how i met your mother, l.a. times show tracker | Leave a Comment »

New Showrunner David Marshall Grant Talks About His ‘Brothers & Sisters’

Posted on November 1, 2009 by Vlada

Brothers & Sisters

The Walker clan on ABC’s Brothers & Sisters is getting an injection of man power.

On screen, Sarah’s new French lover, played by Gilles Marini, is wooing the entire family.

Behind the scenes, David Marshall Grant is taking over as showrunner, replacing Alison Schapker and Monica Breen. Grant has been with Brothers & Sisters since day one, working his way up from writer to co-executive producer. Schapker and Breen will stay on as executive producers/writers on the series while they focus on developing other projects.

Grant and Schapker recently took some time out to talk to me about the regime change, the seemingly perfect Luc, what Ryan’s up to and Nora’s new, younger man. Yes, Nora Walker is about to become a cougar.

Brothers & Sisters is in its fourth season. It’s gone through a couple of different showrunners. How do you think the show has evolved over the seasons and the showrunners?

Alison Schapker: Obviously, the show has taken its turn with who is actually implementing the vision as showrunner. I think we all agree on the basic ingredients of the show. It’s more about how we ice the cake differently. It’s an incredibly satisfying job to have, but it’s also incredibly demanding. Monica and I were beginning to feel like we needed to find a creative outlet in some other projects, as well as work on Brothers & Sisters. Meanwhile, David, who has informed the vision of the show from the beginning, was clearly ready to step up and take the reins. It’s a been a very smooth and happy transition behind the scenes. Monica and I certainly could not imagine parting with the Walkers and writing for the show at the moment. I think what’s exciting about a new showrunner is not that the show is going to turn into something else, but more that someone’s unique, specific voice gets to set some of the bigger agendas and put their own touches on it.

David, are there any elements or characters that you’d like to bring to the forefront as showrunner?

Grant: I think we’re always interested in keeping characters alive. We have a lot of characters on this show. Mixing and matching them in different ways is a fun way of trying to keep them growing as people. We’re really interested in keeping Scotty and Kevin alive. Luke Macfarlane has done so well as Scotty. We’re looking to tell more stories about Scotty this season. We’re looking to explore stories about Saul this season. And always everybody else. The center of our show is these amazing women – Nora, Kitty and Sarah. We’re continually looking for more and exciting things for them.

Brothers & SistersThis season you introduced a new character that’s not a Walker, but has been a great addition, which is Luc. He’s really brought a great sense of levity and fun to the show. He seems like the perfect guy, but is really that perfect?

Grant: I think that nobody’s perfect, which is a good thing to remember. He certainly has brought enormous joy and levity to the Walkers and definitely Sarah. As we watch their relationship throughout this whole season, we’re going to learn a lot of things about him and a lot of things about Sarah. I think it’s going to be an incredible love story to watch.

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