Jennie Garth’s Garden Party Makes Veggies Fun
January 21, 2010 by Melissa
Filed under Lead Story, Web Series
Having trouble convincing your family (or yourself) to eat your veggies? Garden Party, a charming new webseries from NBC Universal Digital Studio and the makers of Hidden Valley® Ranch dressing, wants to help families incorporate vegetables into their diets.
Hosted by Jennie Garth, Garden Party celebrates a new vegetable each month as she meets with farmers, chefs, moms and kids to find new and exciting ways to get families to love their veggies. From planting cucumbers at home, to visiting a kid’s cooking school, to taking a tour of a family farm, Jennie infuses her personality and experience as a mom into the series to make the information come alive. Jennie shares her own experience and tips with rich interactive elements including a “Cook and Tell” cookbook, a “What’s For Dinner” meal planner and an opportunity for moms to tell their veggie stories. Here’s a sneak peek:
TheWB.com: Christmas on “Mars”
December 18, 2009 by BethAnne
Filed under News, Shows By Network, Web Series
Oh, how I miss Veronica Mars. I don’t think I’ll ever stop saying that once in a while. I know there are many who feel as I do, that the series could have been so much more than it was allowed to be. However, thanks to theWB.com, we can relive those episodes with our favorite, snarktastic, teen sleuth. How about a Veronica Mars Christmas?
Veronica Mars Ep. 110 “An Echolls Family Christmas”
Need More “Friends” for the Holidays?
December 16, 2009 by BethAnne
Filed under News, Shows By Network, Web Series
TheWB.com can help. Today’s suggestion? Friends Ep. 310 “The One Where Rachel Quits”. Rachel makes a rash decision after Gunther tells her she needs to be retrained. Phoebe tries to help Joey when he gets a job selling Christmas trees. And Ross accidentally breaks a girl’s leg and tries to make it up to her. Check it out!
Catch “Friends” Holiday Episodes on theWB.com
December 15, 2009 by BethAnne
Filed under News, Shows By Network, Web Series
Courteney Cox as Monica and David Schwimmer as Ross, wearing the “Holiday Armadillo” costume, star in “Friends.” ©2009 Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.
Remember the Holiday Armadillo or when Chandler spends Christmas Eve in Tulsa, working? Now you can watch all those holiday episodes on theWB.com right now!
Friends Ep. 209 “The One With Phoebe’s Dad”
Friends Ep. 910 “The One With Christmas in Tulsa”
TheWB.com Announces “The 14 Days of “Chrismukkah”
December 14, 2009 by BethAnne
Filed under Shows By Network, Web Series
TheWB.com spreads holiday cheer with holiday episodes from some of our favorite television shows.
Beginning December 14 and continuing through December 28, TheWB.com is celebrating “Chrismukkah” with generous offering of holiday-themed episodes from classic favorites, including “The O.C.,” “Friends” and “Gilmore Girls,” among others.
On “The O.C.,” Seth (Adam Brody) excitedly introduces a skeptical Ryan (Ben McKenzie) to Chrismukkah, a Cohen family tradition that resulted from Kirsten (Kelly Rowan) being Christian and Sandy (Peter Gallagher) being Jewish. TheWB.com visitors can celebrate with all four Chrismukkah episodes.
“Friends” spreads the holiday cheer with an offering of eight episodes, including fan-favorite “Holiday Armadillo,” where we find Ross (David Schwimmer) wearing an outrageous costume as he describes Chanukah’s “festival of lights.”
“Gilmore Girls” fans can enjoy three holiday episodes, including the final installment from season seven when Rory (Alexis Bledel) and Lorelai (Lauren Graham) reunite post-Christmas to celebrate the holidays together.
Fans of “Veronica Mars” can relive the Echolls’ annual Christmas party from season one.
On “One Tree Hill,” Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) receives an unlikely holiday visitor who makes a shocking reappearance.
And on “Smallville,” Clark (Tom Welling) is asked to use his powers to deliver Christmas presents to needy kids.
This additional holiday-themed programming adds to TheWB.com’s healthy collection of new and classic content available on the site. Visitors can also create customized show playlists, and send episodes and clips to their friends and networks using the site’s easy “share” tab.
New Web Series: In Gayle We Trust
September 29, 2009 by BethAnne
Filed under Lead Story, NBC, News, Web Series
If you aren’t enjoying this wonderful little jewel, you should be. In fact, I invite you to jump in now! You don’t need to have seen the show from the pilot episode to get into it. You will be as delighted as I have been.
The show’s synopsis is, nestled somewhere in the middle of America, Maple Grove is populated with a host of colorful characters, and they all turn to one person for insurance needs, counseling and much much more. Though an insurance agent by trade, Gayle Evans has become the default cure-all for the small town, as her pleasant disposition and sound advice has made her a go-to resource in the lives of her clients. From a newlywed couple seeking weekly marital advice, to a over-confident plumber trying to protect his coveted identity, to a traveling hypnotist needing liability coverage, Gayle’s clientele range from sympathetic to pathetic to outright bizarre. In Gayle We Trust, a 10-part comedy series from NBCU Digital Studio is written and directed by multiple Emmy-winner Brent Forrester (The Office, The Simpsons, King of the Hill).
This web series premiered on Sept. 15, and is enjoying a surge in popularity. In addition to the episodes, NBC Universal will be creating deep interactive experiences at www.InGayleWeTrust.com that will allow viewers to immerse themselves in online gaming and interactive maps tied directly to the series content.
Care to sample?
Come on and join the fun as In Gayle We Trust!
The Lake: Summer By the Water
August 18, 2009 by Rueben
Filed under Lead Story, Web Series
The WB.com introduced a new web series called The Lake on August 10, featuring four (4) separate installments of the series running roughly 10 minutes each. The series is executive produced by Peter Aronson (former Disney executive), Jordan Levin (former WB CEO), Michael Petok (the Bernie Mac Show), Jason Priestley (yes, the actor from Beverly Hills, 90210) – who also serves as the director of the web series – and Meredith Lavender and Marcie Ulin (Defying Gravity), who are also the writers of the series.
New episodes "The Lake" premiere Mondays on theWB.com
Set in the fictional town of Lake Eleanor, the show focuses on six teenagers and their parents as they spend the summer along the lake, dealing with typical teen issues such as romance, popularity, family troubles and much more.
In the debut episode, entitled “Summer Begins”, viewers are introduced to the cast of characters, including:
- Olivia (newcomer Heather Ann Davis), a 17-year-old who comes to Lake Eleanor to visit her Aunt Leslie (Elisa Donovan, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and Clueless). Olivia seems to have an unhappy secret as she tells her aunt, “I just want to be normal again, at least for three months.”;
- Mom, Sondra (Amy Stewart, Raising the Bar) and son, Ryan (newcomer Drew Van Acker) – are back at the lake sans father and husband Steve, who seems to be missing in action;
- Newlyweds Dennis (Mark Totty, Joan of Arcadia) and Claire (Mim Drew, Huff) who have brought their children – Alexis (Samantha Cope, Drake & Josh), Claire’s daughter – and Drew (Devin Crittenden, Disaster Movie) and Madison (newcomer Erica Dasher) – Dennis’ kids – together into a not-too-happy mixed family; and
- The local Riley family: Dad Jack (Robb Derringer), son Luke (newcomer Nick Thurston) and daughter Shelby (newcomer Meredith Dilg), who has a secret that is keeping her away from the Lake for the summer.
“Summer Solstice,” the second episode, focuses on Olivia getting a job at the Yacht Club where Ryan works as a lifeguard. Olivia and Ryan met in the debut episode with Olivia falling hard for him only to discover in this episode that he has been dating Alexis for the past three years.
Drew, the awkward teen who is trying so hard to be cool this summer, is hung up on Olivia, but he soon realizes that she only has eyes for Ryan despite his relationship status. His sister Madison is friends with Luke, the local boy who just doesn’t meet up to the standards of her “wicked” step-sister Alexis, all the while avoiding the fact they both like each other despite having been friends since they were kids.
After the six teens spend the day at the Lake, Alexis learns from Ryan that his dad won’t ever be coming to the Lake again, as he is having an affair with his secretary and his mom wants to keep their family troubles secret.
In the third installment, “Summer Sparks” we learn that Alexis believes that “tonight’s the night” for she and Ryan to have sex, but her special night gets interrupted when the kids decide, after having a night of underage drinking at the Yacht Club, to break into the kitchen to make s’mores (of all things).
They are nearly able to get out of the kitchen without being caught until Ryan decides to scare Alexis and knocks over cooking utensils, which signals to the security guard on duty that trouble was afoot. Instead of allowing all six of the kids to be caught, Luke takes the blame.
Also in this episode we learn that Drew is a musical prodigy, playing cello at Juilliard. And that newlyweds Claire and Dennis have only been together for six months.
The final of the four episodes, “Summer Secrets,” shows that Luke has been grounded by his dad for the breaking and entering at the Yacht Club; that Leslie is the only one at the Lake who knows about Shelby’s secret other than her family; and that Alexis’s mom learns she wanted to have sex with Ryan and is, obviously, very upset.
During this installment, viewers also learn that Shelby, whose mother left the family when she was 13, got pregnant and decided to move away from Lake Eleanor to stay with extended family until the baby is born at which time she will give the baby away. Shelby and her dad have a strained relationship because of this unplanned pregnancy, but Leslie, who went with Jack and Luke to visit Shelby, gave him a pep-talk about working things out with her.
This show can be considered a cross between the series Falcon Beach that aired on the ABC Family Channel and the syndicated soap Monarch Cove. The Lake is on par with most teen angst series in terms of story archs; however, unlike several series on TV right now the acting is not wooden but rather believable and the writing is somewhat simplistic and sophomoric but is rounded out by likeable characters and realistic portrayals.
The next four installments are available now, and the final four will be posted next Monday, August 24. Log in and check it out for yourself.
Are You Still in CTRL?
August 12, 2009 by BethAnne
Filed under Lead Story, NBC, News, Web Series
Have you been following this hilarious new online comedy series? If not, you should be! Everyone needs a little CTRL.
Episode 7 CTRL X
Episode 8 CTRL ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
So, who’s already watching this with me? Tell us what you think!
Taking CTRL: New Web Series Wonders If You’d ‘Undo’
July 14, 2009 by Melissa
Filed under Lead Story, Web Series
Have you ever wished you could undo something you just did? Or maybe go back a few more steps and undo several things? Office drone Stuart (Tony Hale) gets that chance in the new web series CTRL, based on the Sundance award-winning short film CTRL-Z, from NBC Universal.
Steve Howey as Ben, Tony Hale as Stuart, Emily Coligado as Elizabeth / copyright NBCUniversal
CTRL is the story of a mistreated office worker suddenly discovers that his keyboard has the ability to manipulate the reality of his office. NBC sent me the first three webisodes to review, and I have to admit, I put it off for a few days because I didn’t think I was going to like it. How often does a “based on a … ” web series actually end up worth watching? And one headlining Tony Hale, no less. As it turns out, these small doses of Tony Hale are just right. I’m familiar with his work on Arrested Development and Chuck, but Stuart is a new character for him. An accessible, watchable, dare I say endearing, character. In the first three webisodes, we see Stuart go from meek, maltreated office worker to bold (Ctrl B!), take charge fellow, and back again. See, while Stuart has the ability to undo the past and embolden himself, he also has a fatal human flaw: the inability to leave things alone. When he finally has a perfect moment with the girl of his dreams (Emy Coligado as Elizabeth), he ruins it by wanting to go back and do it again. On the other hand, he is able to redo the chance at a clever retort to his overbearing boss (Reba’s Steve Howey as Ben) until he gets it right.
Written and directed by award-winning Canadian filmmaker Rob Kirbyson, CTRL is worth a look and will probably grab you from the first episode. Me, I’ll be watching to see what happens when Stuart tries the CTRL V command. How is he going to explain all the extra Stuarts wandering around the office?
The first of ten episodes of CTRL launches today across multiple platforms, including NBC.com, Hulu.com, USANetwork.com, Video On Demand on Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Charter, and via several mobile and gaming devices.
NGTV Guide: Weekend, May 9-10
May 9, 2009 by Melissa
Filed under TV Guide, Web Series
Happy Mother’s Day! If you’re still looking for the perfect gift for Mom, check out our handy gift guide for ideas.
Web Series
Childrens’ Hospital – theWB.com
This web series just won the Webby for Best Comedy: Long Form or Series. Starring Rob Corddry, Nate Corddry, Megan Mulally, Lake Bell, Erin Hayes and many other funny people, Childrens’ Hospital follows the lives, loves and laughs of a hospital staff.
Sunday, May 10
In Plain Sight – USA 10/9c
“Rubble With A Cause” – When a witness is trapped in a building collapse, he’s left vulnerable to a sniper nearby. Because snipers generally hang out around tall buildings.
