An Evening with the Cast and Crew of NCIS

The cast and crew of NCIS were honored at the 27th Annual Paley Festival held at the Saban Theatre on Monday March 1. The evening started with the Paley Center’s welcome video, followed by a short clip of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. from 1966, which starred David McCallum, who is, of course, the senior member of NCIS.

Immediately following that clip and just like the previous nights, Craig Hitchcock, Vice President and Executive Director of the Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles, greeted the audience and excitedly stated, “I just meet David McCallum back stage. He talked to me.”

Co-Executive Producer and Writer Gary Glasberg was then brought on stage to introduce the episode that was to be screened: “Mother’s Day”, guest starring Gena Rowlands, Rena Sofer, Leann Hunley and Adam Kaufman, which aired on CBS the following night.

Once the screening was complete, the night’s moderator – Kevin Frazier from Entertainment Tonight (ET) – came on stage and told the audience that he loves being the ET correspondent who reports on NCIS because he loves the food provided on set, he believes the cast are the best group of people and he likes it that the show’s set is far removed from Hollywood to give a break from all the craziness.

Then the crew and cast of the number one rated program on television were introduced, starting with Executive Producers Mark Horowitz, Chas. Floyd Johnson and the aforementioned Gary Glasberg. Then each cast member was brought out: Rocky Carroll, Brian Dietzen, David McCallum, Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo and Sean Murray. Much to the disappointment of the audience Pauley Perrette was not part of the panel, as she was in Paris for a photo shoot.

The group  settled in with some ripping on the unusual sweater that Michael was wearing, a good-natured head slap by Mark to Michael after making a boating reference toward his character Gibbs and platitudes to David’s longevity in the industry – with him stating, “I’m probably the luckiest person in this whole room; I truly mean that.” – the Q&A session went into full swing.

The cast and crew shared the following:

• The show does very well internationally with fans recognizing the cast immediately; yet here in the States when Michael states he works on NCIS some reactions are, “You work for a radio station?”;

• Sean hopes the novelist part of McGee comes back, but he couldn’t recall what McGee’s books were about to which Michael reminded him in great detail how McGee made up characters exactly like the NCIS team;

• Cote was surprised by the fan reaction to ‘Tiva’ (the pairing of her character Ziva and Michael’s character Tony) as “it was not something we ever planned” and that “as long as we keep that unfulfilled sexual tension” it will be better;

• If Brian had any say in the casting of the very attractive actress who starred as the “morgue girl” who agreed to go on a date with his character Jimmy in the episode that was screened – to which he said he didn’t, but that it is “nice to see Jimmy get back in the saddle”;

• The cast talked about all the great guest stars the show has featured over the years, including Hal Holbrooke, Ralph Waite, Charles Durning, recent guest star Gena Rowlands who wanted to be on the show because she watches it every day on USA and even High School Musical star Zac Efron, who Cote mentioned numerous times;

• Cote still gets lost in translation, much like her character Ziva, even though she came to “this country when she was 10”;

• Michael and Cote shared a silly game they frequently play where he states a city and she is suppose to name their sports team (despite her not knowing sports), but gets them wrong nearly every time such as the following conversation shows:

Michael: “Baltimore”
Cote: “Bats”
Michael: “Seattle”
Cote: “Sox”
Michael: “New Mexico”
Cote: “Nuggets”
Michael: “Miami:
Cote: (after a slight struggle) “Dolphins”

• This exchange prompts Chaz Johnson to announce that a board game for the show should be out this summer, which prompts Cote to ask if there are action figures included in the game, which leads her to joke about bobble heads of the cast being part of the game and that prompts her to shake her head back-and-forth like a bobble head and joke with Michael much to the enjoyment of the audience;

• Kevin joked with Sean about if his character McGee will ever stop being called “Probie” by Tony – to which he answered, “No, it’s a nickname, a term of endearment”;

• Michael shared his thoughts on the show’s longevity by stating at the end of Season 4 he thought “one more” (as in can we get one more season) and then at the end of Season 5 it was “we’re still alive”;

• Rocky then chimed in that he told Mark he would like to see the show “run longer than Gunsmoke”, joking that “I just got here”; but then with sincerity Rocky stated the cast is a “real family unit” and Cote whole-heartedly agreed saying, “we really are like a family, and sometimes we…” only to be interrupted by Michael saying (all in jest), “Shut up”.

Before the audience is invited to ask questions, Gary, Chaz and Mark Horowitz give credit to the writers who are in the audience and then each cast member states their favorite episode:

Sean – “Probie”
Cote – “Hiatus”
Michael – “Every show when it finishes I just think, that’s my favorite”
Mark – “Call of Silence”
David – “Heartland”
Brian – “Requiem
Rocky – “Faith”

Some of the better audience questions fielded by the cast and crew were:

• What’s the deal with CafPow (the drink that Abby – Pauley Perrette – always has)? – to which Mark Horowitz states that came from show creator Donald Bellisario, as he wanted Abby to drink “something that had a lot of caffeine similar to the Big Gulp”;

• Is Mark Harmon more comfortable with computers than Gibbs? – to which he answered, “ I can do email; I’m a little better”;

• What is David’s grand wish? – to which he stated, “I have a funny dream, and that is when I die and go to heaven, every single character I’ve ever played is waiting for me.”

With that being said, the night’s panel came to a close and the fans swarmed the stage for autographs, which the cast was more than happy to provide.

NCIS airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on CBS.

Lost Goes To PaleyFest For Final Season Clues, Celebration

On Saturday, February 27 the annual Paley Festival held its second night of panels saluting favorite television series, their cast and crew. This particular night was a big one as the Paley Fest was honoring the innovative ABC drama Lost.

The evening’s event started with the Paley Fest’s video introduction followed by a short welcome speech by Craig Hitchcock, Vice President and Executive Director of the Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles. The night’s event was sponsored by TV Guide Magazine and Mr. Hitchcock introduced the magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, Debra Birnbaum, who did the honors of speaking briefly about the series Lost and bringing Executive Producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse to the stage.

The masterminds behind the show, since nearly its inception, were greeted by thunderous applause from the nearly 1,900-strong audience, to which Damon commented he is still not used to that sort of reception. Carlton, in turn, thanked many of the fans for braving the rain (which had been falling off and on for most of the day), as he learned many of them were tweeting about it on Twitter.

Before the cast and crew were brought on stage, Damon and Carlton asked for acknowledgment of the 400 people it takes to make the show, which was met with much applause. Damon then stated that they knew they couldn’t be there without providing the audience with a short clip of the show; and much emphasis was put on the word short.

After the short clip was run, Debra (from TV Guide Magazine) came back on stage to introduce the cast and crew, which included cast member Nestor Carbonell (Richard), writing team/producers Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, Damon and Carlton, writer/producer Elizabeth Sarnoff, director Jack Bender and cast members Zuleikha Robinson (Ilana), Michael Emerson (Ben Linus) and Terry O’Quinn (Locke) followed by panel moderator, comedian and actor Paul Scheer.

Paul first ran down some of the silly questions people had sent to his Twitter account, which included “Will we finally get a musical episode?”, “Why aren’t there any monkeys on the island?” and “Which house would the sorting hat from ‘Harry Potter’ put each character?”

After the laughter died down from these and several other silly questions, the real ‘grilling’ began. First of all, the crew was asked which episode they were currently writing with Carlton stating they are writing the finale right now and Damon mentioned that Liz, Adam and Eddie just submitted the penultimate episode. Eddie also joked that fans have told him most not to “screw it up” on the final episodes. Meanwhile, Damon and Carlton stated there are a lot of little questions they won’t have time to answer; however, they will answer what they can (beyond what has already been revealed in the final episodes thus far).

Throughout the panel, the cast and crew were asked the following:

• If they ever pitched any ideas for the show – to which Terry swiftly said “No”;
• Who among the actors on the show hit the hardest – to which Michael stated “the younger the actor, the more inflamed their performance, the more likely they are to hurt you.”
• If any of them had amorous fans – to which Damon and Carlton commented they were walking on the Disney lot, heard a car behind them and discovered the studio’s fire marshal inside who asked them, “What’s the smoke monster?”
• If the rumor of Disney changing Tom Sawyer’s island into a Lost island was true to which none of them confirmed but merely joked about their ideas of what the theme park ride would be like:
  Michael: “A wild ride on a VW bus with a distracted Hurley at the wheel.”
  Eddie: “A tunnel with flashbacks of an evil father.”
  Damon: “A dark room, (where you) spin them around, let them out (of the room) and punch them in the face, (telling them) you’ve just had the ‘Lost’ experience.”
• If any of the crew were responsible for any of the ‘water cooler’ moments – to which Damon stated Adam and Eddie were responsible for the idea of Hurley driving out of the jungle in the VW bus, which generated 9 other story ideas leading up to that scene.
• Damon and Carlton were asked, “What’s up with Walt?” – to which Carlton explained they would have kept Malcolm David Kelley on the show if it were possible for him not to age; however, they are “working on a way to bring Walt back before all things are said and done.”
• What was their favorite moments during filming of the show:
• Carlton: The raft launch combined with the music used to accompany the scene.
  Terry: The time they sit around between filming when (for example) Jorge sings “Are You Lonesome Tonight” and Naveen plays his guitar.
  Nestor: Finally finding out “who the hell I am.”
  Damon: How fans critiqued the CGI used in the scenes set in London (when Ben meet with Widmore in his apartment and Sun meet with Widmore along the Thames), which were actually filmed there.

There was then a round of quick fire questions to which the cast and crew simply had to answer yes, no or pass:

1. In the flash sideways, is Jack married to someone we know? – “Yes”
2. Was the bus that hit Juliet’s husband actually the smoke monster? – “No”
3. Was Jacob right that someone is coming to the island? – “Yes”
4. Will we learn about the connection between Libby and Hurley? – “Yes”
5. Will we learn why women can’t have babies on the island? – “Pass”
6. Will we ever get Vincent’s back story? – “No” (but we will see Vincent again)
7. What happens to Rose and Bernard? – “In which timeline” (asked Damon) to which he followed up with “We might see Bernard in a sideways”.

The audience was then invited to ask questions and some of the better ones included:

• Why there aren’t any outtakes on the DVD sets – to which the crew and cast explained that while they do make mistakes, they aren’t that funny and they don’t have time for a gag reel; Nestor also complimented Michael on always being prepared.
• Will there be anything left for Charlie fans in the remaining episodes – Yes
• Did Desmond move seats or disappear? – to which Carlton stated, “you will get the answer to that question very shortly in the show.”

And, to close off the night, Damon stated that the word “water” is what encapsulates the remaining episodes. With that the panel was brought to a close and then the audience quickly descended on the stage to get autographs. Thankfully, most of the cast and crew were obliging.

The final season of Lost airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on ABC.

Dawson’s Creek: A Look Back

Attending the special presentation “Dawson’s Creek: A Look Back” at the Paley Center on November 4, 2009 was a momentous occasion. It was not only to mark the release date of the collector’s set of the entire six seasons on DVD, but it was also a chance to celebrate one of the most renowned teenage dramas on the late WB Television Network. If you were a teenager or simply a viewer with good taste, you undoubtedly watched Dawson’s Creek when it debuted in January of 1998. It was much-hyped, critically-acclaimed and made a magnificent splash across the ratings board when it did, averaging 6.6 million viewers in its first season – and remains one of the all time highest rated shows on the WB.

In attendance for this special evening at the Paley Center were: James Van Der Beek (who played Dawson Leery), Meredith Monroe (who played Andie McPhee), Busy Philipps (who played Audrey Liddell), Kevin Williamson (creator and producer), and Paul Stupin (producer). Also making a surprise visit was Monica Keena (who played Abby Morgan).

To commemorate the DVD release, Marc Rashba, Sony Home Entertainment Vice President of Marketing, welcomed the audience and stated how glad he was that they were finally able to get all six seasons cleared for a box set release, which he credited to the passion of the fans who acted as the driving force behind it.

Then, after a quick introduction by the evening’s moderator, Will Keck of TV Guide, everyone was treated to a special screening of the pilot episode of Dawson’s Creek. It was the episode that started it all and launched the careers of several talented young actors: James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, Michelle Williams, Kerr Smith, Meredith Monroe and Busy Philipps.

Later during the Q&A, when asked about how difficult it was to find an actor to play the lead character Dawson, Kevin Williamson and Paul Stupin admitted that it had been a grueling process and that Dawson ended up being the very last part cast. In fact, it was two days before filming was supposed to start when they finally selected James Van Der Beek. It was a close call, but as the subsequent six seasons proved, it was worth waiting for the right actor to bring the show to life – particularly as Dawson’s Creek was credited with putting the WB network on the television map, similar as to what The Vampire Diaries is currently doing for the CW. (Though Kevin downplayed his role in creating both shows and the success they have brought to each network.)

Additionally, when asked how different it is now than it was in the late 1990’s creating a television show, Kevin remarked that the television landscape is much more fragmented and caters to niche audiences. Additionally, while Dawson’s Creek was considered scandalous at the time, in hindsight it now appears too innocent. It was really a show about romance, the sweaty palms and weak knees of teenage love. Kevin conceded that some of the dialogue he was able to get away with back then would never be permitted on today’s current television shows — such as the phrase “man meat” would be entirely too racy and taboo for today’s censors.

As for why there were so few parental figures on the show and those that were tended to be killed off, Kevin explained that it was due to budgetary constraints. They just did not have that kind of money for Dawson’s Creek and those tight constraints forced them to make tough choices. Busy was quick to chime-in “Death by Ice Cream Cone!” in reference to Dawson’s dad who was killed while eating an ice cream cone. James mentioned that when he first learned that his character’s father was going to be killed, his concern was (1) “Wow, what’s that going to do to this kid?” and (2) that he would never see John Wesley Shipp again, for once an actor was killed on the show that tended to be the last you saw of them because the show filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Also commenting on the various quick disappearances of characters from the show, Meredith noted that her character was shipped off to an institution, Busy’s character went to rehab, and even Monica’s character was drowned – thus Dawson’s Creek was a harsh show to be a recurring character on as one just never knew how long one would be sticking around. Despite their tenuous existence on the show, Busy, Meredith and Monica admitted that they were welcomed with open arms and had a wonderful time working on the show.

Recalling some of the things that stuck out in her mind during her time on the show, Busy shared that during one of her plane rides out to Wilmington she happened to be sitting next to both Linda Hamilton and Chad Michael Murray. While Linda was sweet, Busy was horrified to find herself associated with Chad as she did not like him at the time. On a positive note, she said that she had been very fortunate as the producers had wanted her for the show for a number of years and thus, when it actually came to be, the casting process was expedited for her. Thus, when she first arrived on the show, Katie was the first one to welcome her and greet her like an old friend. When asked if she remembered Katie ever talking about her future husband, Tom Cruise, at that time, Busy said she kind of did remember Katie talking about him like having a school girl crush and that Katie thought he was “the bee’s knees.”

As for Meredith Monroe, when asked to recall one of her favorite moments working on the show, she said that one of her favorite episodes was the slumber party episode (aka “The Breakfast Club” episode) and having the chance to work with Jason Behr. She also fondly recalled she had specifically requested from the wardrobe department a superhero costume that she wanted to wear because she thought they should just lighten up and have some fun. She was thereafter “Captain Fun” with a cape and rubber boots! She even once tried to pitch an episode where “we’re having fun!” but Paul Stupin had merely smiled at the time and said, “No. But I like your enthusiasm.”

When asked about Kerr Smith’s character, Jack McPhee, Kevin mentioned he wanted the audience to love the character first and then to the reveal the truth of whom he was so that the audience would still love him. Plus, it would be a good “oh, Joey’s free” kind of thing for Dawson. Thus, in his mind, it was the perfect way to make Joey available again — to have her boyfriend come out of the closet. That also became the turning point for the series as they then created the love triangle that would divide the fans for the rest of the series.

Kevin further revealed that, because he only worked on the 1st and 2nd seasons of Dawson’s Creek, he was grateful to be asked to return and write the series 2 hour finale. It was then that he had to decide who Joey would end up with once and for all. He admitted that he himself did not know when he began writing the finale. He just knew that he wanted it to be special. Also, the show was always supposed to be about a coming of age story with a twist and that convinced him that he needed to kill one of the characters off. For it had always been a story about life lessons and the last lesson for these characters was: what does one do when someone you care about and is part of your world dies? He wanted to see how the other characters would rally around and deal with grief – a truly heart-breaking grief.

Busy then shared that Michelle Williams had once told her something very insightful: Michelle’s character, Jen, had been the catalyst in the pilot for all these characters to change, so it was only fitting that in the end that Jen was the catalyst for all of them to move-on in their lives. Jen’s death was then to be the final catalyst for all of them. It was because of her death that they all ended up making the hard decisions that had to be made — and it was to be the final straw to find out who ended up with whom.

In the end, Kevin said he believes that Dawson and Joey did end up together because they are soul mates – and a soul mate does not necessarily mean a person’s romantic love. With soul mates, it is a love that will last forever and goes beyond all romantic love. He said, “Ultimately the way I see it, she did end up with Dawson. It was just a story of love and friendship.”

James also chimed in that he thought it was the most truthful way to end the series and that they could not see any other way to end it. When asked if any of them want to re-visit their characters from Dawson’s Creek, Kevin firmly stated, “We’ve closed the door. Let it all be a memory. This is a very nostalgic coming of age story. Let it be nostalgic now and let us all think back like ‘Aw, I liked that show.’” Paul also added that in his mind the show always felt like it had a bittersweet quality, as though an older person was reflecting back on their life where everything was magnified to the extreme and with sophisticated dialogue. Thus, they had already gone back and revisited these characters.

As to the question, where would their characters be now? Meredith said Andie would be running an empire because she was so type-A and driven. Busy said that she feels like she is playing Audrey, just older, on Cougar Town. And James said Dawson probably went on to create a show about teenage vampires. And with that humorously appropriate comment, it was a fitting end for a nostalgic night.

It was with great fondness and smiles all around as everyone said goodnight. Dawson’s Creek will be embraced in our hearts and remembered forever.

Sanctuary at Comic Con

Comic Con was months ago, but we decided to hang on to this report until closer to Sanctuary’s premiere so the information would be fresh in our minds.

What started out as a small internet project two years ago with only a small booth at Comic Con has become a full-fledged hit, filling a panel room full of over 2000 fans; and breaking records for the SyFy Channel as the only internet project to get a second season.

I am talking about the innovative series Sanctuary that stars Stargate SG1 alum Amanda Tapping as Dr. Helen Magnus, a 157-year-old protector (and in some instances, captor) of ‘abnormals’ and Robin Dunne as Dr. Will Zimmerman, a brilliant forensic psychiatrist who works with Dr. Magnus. Along for the ride at the Comic Con panel with Ms. Tapping and Mr. Dunne were Executive Producers Martin Wood and Damian Kindler and guest moderator Michael Logan from TV Guide.

As the cast and crew took their seats, the audience was treated to a clip of old and new scenes from the show and were told that almost all of Season 2 is complete except for the extensive CGI work for which the show has become famous. In the words of Mr. Wood, the “CGI still has a long way to go to be done” in time for the October 9 return of the series. He also stated that, “if you liked what you saw in the first season, you have no idea what’s coming next”, including seeing inside the other Sanctuaries throughout the globe.

One of the greatest things about the show to Mr. Dunne is that “they push the envelope” and aren’t afraid to “be outside the box”. He and Ms. Tapping spoke at length about one particular upcoming episode entitled “Next Tuesday” where they filmed a difficult helicopter scene and spent an inordinate amount of time in grungy water. “There were no stunt people, it was all Amanda and Robin,” recounted both Mr. Kindler and Mr. Wood.

It was shared that the second half of the season premiere was filmed in Japan rather than using the elaborate green screen technique that has become a staple of the series and both stars recounted a harrowing stunt scene in which Ms. Tapping was actually racing a car with Mr. Dunne in the passenger seat. He quipped that he was “terrified of Amanda’s driving” and the reactions you see him display in the episode were “very real”. The Executive Producers also gave credit to the Emmy nomination that was received by the show’s visual effects department, explaining that it takes 60 artists 29 weeks to work on all the effects for the show.

Ms. Tapping was also excited about getting to direct an episode; this one entitled ‘Veritas’. She described the episode as being when Magnus “loses her marbles” and she raved about Mr. Dunne’s performance in that episode. Mr. Wood and Mr. Kindler also spoke about a post-apocalyptic episode that will prominently feature “Will in a very different light and see the Sanctuary ‘all messed up’.”

And when asked about injuries sustained in the making the show, Mr. Dunne joked “do you have 4 hours?” and Ms. Tapping quipped that she should never do her own stunts, but that’s precisely what she “has done over the past 13 years”.

A new character will be introduced in Season 2 – Kate Freelander, who is a freelance operative who, as the Executive Producers explain, is a “lost soul who would never admit it”. She is street-wise who speaks from the gut and is a “cool cowboy character” who will be introduced in the season opening two-parter.

Guest stars this new season will include Michael Shanks (Stargate SG1), Chris Gauthier and Erica Cerra (both from Eureka) and Callum Blue (Dead Like Me).

You can learn more about Sanctuary, its cast, watch full episodes and even see the Comic Con trailer on the Sanctuary website. And, mark your calendar for the season premiere on October 9 at 10 p.m.

Smallville at Comic Con

The journey into the Comic Con panel for Smallville was not an easy one. It started out with my friends and I getting in line to enter the convention center at 7 AM. We then worked our way upstairs to the line that was formed outside the entrance hall to the ballroom for which the panel would be held.

When that line was finally allowed down the entrance hall, we were ushered into yet another line that wound its way down several hallways then outside to a tented area, where we stood waiting for roughly 2 hours before the line eventually moved into the ballroom.

Once we were all seated, the excitement slowly started to boil to the top; and once Jeph Loeb, former Supervising Producer and Writer on Smallville, took the stage, you could cut the anticipation with a knife. The thrust of the excitement was mainly due to the first-time ever appearance by star Tom Welling. The other cast members in attendance included Justin Hartley (Oliver Queen), Erica Durance (Lois Lane), Allison Mack (Chloe Sullivan), Cassidy Freeman (Tess Mercer) and new cast member Callum Blue (Zod). Executive Producers Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson finished off the panel table.

Before the cast and crew took the stage, however, an exclusive Comic Con only Season 9 sneak peek was aired. As the last scene faded in the clip, the audience went – in a word – crazy! Each cast member and the Executive Producers were then introduced with Mr. Welling being the last to take the stage. The applause grew louder as each took the stage and reached a deafening roar for Mr. Welling.

Once the cheers subsided, attention was given to the writers who were in the audience with Mr. Loeb asking them to stand and get the credit they deserved. Shortly after that Mr. Welling made mention he was told 6000 people were in the room (and while that may have been the amount of people trying to get into the room that particular ballroom can only accommodate about 2000 people, but the large number certainly made the cast and crew very pleased).

The audience was then told that Mr. Welling is now a producer on the show and he enjoys the new title very much. Mr. Loeb then asked if the actors could give some insight into where each of their characters are at in terms of development this new season with Ms. Durance stating that Lois is “very smitten with the red, blue blur” and that it will be a “spicy and great season”. Ms. Mack added that Chloe is the Watchtower now and “I love being in control”. And, new cast member Mr. Blue stated, he is “having such fun playing an evil character.” The Executive Producers also informed that the cast is now a few episodes into the new season (as was confirmed by numerous clips from the exclusive footage).

A very long line had formed for the question and answer session, including audience members dressed as Batman and Superman as well as some very eager and excited fans. Among the things learned during the Q&A included:

• Ms. Souders stating they’re “gunning for Season 10”;

• Mr. Peterson confirming they do read the blogs and that Lex may not necessarily be dead (which received quite a positive response from the audience);

• Ms. Mack stating that she would be directing another episode again as will Mr. Welling;

• Where the “flight and cape” issue is concerned, the audience was simply told to “check out the season premiere” (which got the crowd all revved up again);

• Mr. Peterson stating that he would bring it up to the powers that be about a score soundtrack, as one has not been released (the other albums released for the show have been music featured in the show not the instrumental music);

• Geoff Johns, a former writer on the show, came up on stage to confirm that he will be writing another Justice League episode; and the Executive Producers stating they have two more seasons worth of stories to tell;

• Mr. Hartley revealed that his character Oliver will “hit rock bottom over the course of the first 8 episodes”;

• Ms. Souders stating that they have the “hardest working cast and crew, who are very dedicated”;

• Ms. Freeman explained that she is “way different” from her character Tess, but that she “loves playing her once she is in character”; she also stated that she admires Tess’s “strength and inability not to do what her heart asks her to do”;

• Mr. Blue admitted that he listens to hard core music because his “character is so intense” and he is “looking forward to getting into his skin”;

• The Executive Producers refuted the rumors that should the show return for another season beyond the upcoming 9th season, that the shows name would NOT be changed to Metropolis; and,

• Some hints at upcoming storylines were briefly discussed with a Green Arrow sidekick story possibly being explored; confirming that Brian Austin Green would be appearing as Metallo and that the return of Toyman and Roulette would be happening, but the Executive Producers would not elaborate on any other details.

Smallville will be moving to Friday nights on the CW with the premiere scheduled for 8 PM on September 25. In the meantime, if you would like to get show information, learn about the music featured on the show, visit the photo page or even see a video of Mr. Welling at Comic Con (and much, much more), visit: http://cwtv.com/shows/smallville.

What I’m Excited About for Fall TV

Tonight is the start of the new fall season with the debut of Melrose Place on the CW and the returns of 90210 on the CW and Sons of Anarchy on FX. While none of these shows are of interest to me, there are a number of new and returning shows that I am eager to see over the next few months.

Starting with the new shows, I look forward to the debut of Glee on FOX tomorrow night (Sept. 9 at 9 PM). Even though I’ve seen the debut episode twice and got to see the 2nd episode at Comic Con, I cannot wait for this unique musicomedy (musical/comedy) to air. And, I really hope that the viewing audience will tune in and enjoy the silliness (and the terrific musical numbers).

The series premiere of The Vampire Diaries on the CW will air at 9 PM on Thursday (Sept. 10) – based on the books by L.J. Smith – is another new series I have been anticipating. I had the chance to see the debut episode at Comic Con and really enjoyed what I saw. Yes, it is reminiscent of Twilight (which was published AFTER The Vampire Diaries books); features vampires which, for now, seems to be the hot “theme” of the past year or so, and had many images that reminded me of scenes from Roswell and Smallville; but I still enjoyed it. I would like to see this show succeed and garner an audience at least close to that of True Blood (if not better).

Not quite two weeks later on Tuesday, Sept. 22, the spin-off series NCIS: Los Angeles will air (CBS at 9 PM) following its namesake series. While I started out as a JAG fan and followed by being a loyal fan of its spin-off series NCIS (because I really enjoyed the stories and the cast), I want to believe this new show will also perform well, but I am slightly uncertain if the viewing audience and the loyal followers of NCIS will become attached to the cast.

The following night, Wednesday, Sept. 23, the debut of Eastwick on ABC at 10 PM will air. This was another new show that I was able to see at Comic Con and while I had my doubts about the cast (I couldn’t buy Paul Gross as the “heavy” or really see the pairing of the three ‘witches’ – Rebecca Romijn, Jaime Ray Newman and Lindsey Price) and the storyline, I was pleasantly surprised at how convincing Paul Gross was as Darryl Van Horn and how likeable the leading ladies are in their roles. This show may not win over the audience right away, but I believe that it will work on the hearts of viewers and slowly but surely become the guilty pleasure of the fall.

One of the most anticipated new shows of the fall will air on ABC on Thursday, Sept. 24: FlashForward (at 8 PM). A worldwide event takes place with everyone in the world blacking out for 2 minutes and 17 seconds with nearly everyone having visions of their life 6 months in the future. Being touted as the new Lost, FlashForward could, indeed, be just that. Only the first two acts of the series were debuted at Comic Con, but if the audience reaction from that panel is any indication of how the show will be received, then this is the show to watch.

Jumping over to cable, Stargate Universe will debt on Syfy on October 2 at 9 PM; and while this new series is not like its predecessors SG1 or Atlantis, it will reveal a new, darker side to the well-known storyline and world of the Stargates. I, for one, am really looking forward to it. I was unable to attend the presentation for the series at Comic Con so my anticipation level is at an all-time high, especially the more I read about the show and the more clips I see.

Sticking with cable for one other new show on cable, White Collar will debut on the USA Network on Oct. 23 at 10 PM. It stars Matthew Bomer (Chuck) and Tim DeKay in roles that are tailor-made for both of them. This ‘to catch a thief’-inspired series is sure to please audiences who have come to expect nothing but thrilling series from this network. It will also be entertaining to see Tiffany Thiessen in a respectable role where she can show that she is more than just a pretty face.

Lastly, the remake of the 80’s mini-series (and short-lived TV show) V will debut on ABC at 8 PM on November 3. While I was a fan of the mini-series, looking back on it now it seems pretty cheesy; but from what I know of the debut this newly-minted version is going to be cutting edge, thrilling and engaging. The terrific cast doesn’t hurt either.

SIDEBAR: While I want to be excited about the debut of the medical drama Three Rivers (CBS at 9 PM on October 4) – mainly because it stars a personal favorite of mine, Alex O’Loughlin – I am doubtful about the longevity of this series for a number of reasons: the timeslot competition, the fact the pilot was recast and completely reshot (which is an exact repeat of Alex’s former show Moonlight) and all the negative reviews that I have read. I will tune in for a few episodes, but if it doesn’t catch my attention and hold it, I will have to bid the show adieu.

As for the returning shows this fall, I am anxiously awaiting Supernatural (The CW, Sept. 10 at 9 PM), Bones (FOX, Sept. 17 at 8 PM), Heroes (NBC Sept. 21 at 8 PM), Castle (ABC, Sept. 21 at 10 PM), NCIS (CBS, Sept. 22 at 8 PM), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, Sept. 24 at 9 PM), Dollhouse (FOX, Sept. 25 at 8 PM), Smallville (The CW, Sept. 25 at 8 PM), Brothers & Sisters (ABC, Sept. 27 at 10 PM), Sanctuary (Syfy, Oct. 9 at 10 PM) and Legend of the Seeker (Syndication, Nov. 7).

SIDEBAR: Of course, I am anxious for the returns of Chuck and 24 and the final season of Lost; but we all have to wait for those in 2010.

What new shows are you looking forward to and which returning shows are your favorites? Please share them with us.

Heroes at Comic Con

As silence filled the room and the intensity of the audiences’ excitement for the Heroes panel at Comic Con built to a resounding crescendo, Blaire Butler, a host for the G4 program Attack of the Show, who was the moderator for this panel, approached the podium, making the grand announcement of the cast members in attendance.

First on stage was series creator Tim Kring, followed by original cast members Jack Coleman, Masi Oka, Hayden Panettiere, Adrian Pasdar, Zachary Quinto and Milo Ventimiglia as well as new cast members Robert Knepper, Dawn Olivieri, Ray Park and Madeline Zima.

After the audience calmed down enough for the moderator to speak, the cast and Mr. Kring stood, giving the audience a standing ovation for its continued support of the show. This was followed by Mr. Kring’s explanation of the “theme” behind the new Volume 5 of the show known as Redemption. The “new wrinkle” in the show is a family of people – a traveling carnival – who powers have been “hiding in plain sight”.

With that introduction, a teaser trailer of clips for the first three episodes, which Mr. Kring explained have been filmed thus far, is shown to an exuberant audience. The roar once the clip was aired was deafening and proved that the once nearly-vilified series is back to Season 1 excellent form.

The first question posed to each cast member is what is in store for each of them this new season. Mr. Coleman explained that Noah is setting up a new company while his marriage and world are falling apart around him. He stated that, “he’s an island trying to find solid ground.”

Mr. Oka then stated that Hiro is still having the nose bleeds and alludes to Hiro’s illness possibly being “terminal”. He stated that, “he realizes his true destiny and goes back to Yamagata and starts a business with Ando.” It was also stated that Hiro’s powers are out of control and he is “trying to fix the mistakes of his past”.

Ms. Panettiere explained that Claire is now a college freshman, getting the “taste of a normal life and making friends, meeting interesting people like her roommate” (played by Madeline Zima). However, Claire is like “a fish out of water in college.”

Mr. Pasdar is a bit more restrained with his explanation of Nathan’s life now, as he and Sylar (Zachary Quinto) are sharing a body, allowing for a “Jekyll and Hyde-type thing” with events that will be happening mid-season described as “interesting.” Mr. Quinto then stated that Sylar will “exist in two places; inside Matt’s head and in Nathan’s body”.

Mr. Ventimiglia explained that Peter is back to being a paramedic and that there will be more humor in his life, but he will “still fight when needed.”

The new cast members were then asked to explain their characters:

Mr. Knepper then explained his character is a “carnie” named Samuel, who inadvertently ends up as the leader after the unexpected death of his brother. His plan is to lure the “heroes” into a schemed that would not be alluded to. His power is earth moving.

Ms. Olivieri stated that her character, Lydia, is a mystery, but did explain that she is an empath with tattoos that appear all over her body that move and change as circumstances move and change. Her character has an unusual bond with Samuel.

Mr. Park will be seen as Edgar, a man who likes to play with knives and has unbelievable speed and skill with these weapons. He is sent out in the “world” by Samuel on a special mission.

Ms. Zima will be Claire’s college friend, Gretchen Berg, who is the first real friend Claire has had since high school in Texas. During the teaser clip there was a shared kiss between Claire and Gretchen shown and, of course, that set off the audience, but when a question was posed about romantic entanglements for the two, the cast and Mr. Kring were rather mum on any details.

Some highlights for the upcoming season and more that were discussed during the question and answer session at the end of the panel included:

• Mr. Coleman was excited about the clip show in the teaser that depicted Noah being trapped in a car filling up with water;

• Mr. Oka’s excitement about working with Mr. Knepper;

• Ms. Panettiere looking forward to going back to more “heartfelt stuff” within the episodes;

• Mr. Pasdar was excited about working with Swoozie Kurtz, who will be back as Angela’s old friend Millie and was looking forward to the “new powers” Nathan would be experiencing;

• Mr. Quinto stated he got to work a lot with Greg Grunberg (who was unable to attend the panel because his son’s Bar Mitzvah was being held), got to work with a baby and climbed out of a grace, which was shown in the teaser clip;

• Mr. Ventimiglia explained he spent time in Iraq and joked he was holding a 50 caliber machine gun; then he stated it was great working with Mr. Park, Mr. Knepper and Mr. Coleman for very specific scenes, some of which were featured in the clip;

• Mr. Knepper talked about filming a scene in “Central Park” with a green screen when suddenly coyotes started howling and it was hard for the cast on set at the time to keep a straight face because obviously they were filming in Los Angeles;

• Ms. Olivieri joked about looking forward to “stirring up trouble” this season;

• Mr. Park explained that he is a “fanboy” and stated he “can’t believe I’m working on the show” and getting “to do all the things he wanted to do”;

• Ms. Zima said she enjoyed “working with Hayden” since that is who she spends most of her scenes with;

• When asked the worst injury received on set, Ms. Panettiere stated it had to be the “crispy cream burn” from the house fire;

• Mr. Quinto was asked who would win: Sylar or Spock. He answered succinctly that Spock would win hands down, as “Leonard would drop me in 30 seconds”; and

• Mr. Kring explained this season would be more evenly split between characters and only three main storylines will be the focus of the season.

At the close of the panel a sneak peek scene between Edgar (Ray Park), Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) and Noah (Jack Coleman) was shown where Peter and Noah learn about Edgar’s power, which Peter is able to mimic, of course; and the crowd went wild.

To see Heroes return to its former glory, please tune in to NBC on September 21. Until then you can learn more about Heroes Volume 5: Redemption as well as past seasons by visiting NBC.com.

Human Target at Comic Con

The panel for Human Target during Comic Con was primarily focused on the airing of the pilot episode, which introduced the characters Christopher Chance (Mark Valley) who is a unique private contractor/security guard hired to protect people in essence becoming a human target in their place. His business partner, Winston (Chi McBride), who was formerly involved in law enforcement and hired gun Guerrero (Jackie Earle Haley) round out the rest of the cast.

Without giving away too much away about the pilot, Chance is shown taking down a bomb-wielding bank hostage taker in the opening scene and the rest of the episode focuses on his becoming the human target for the designer of the Los Angeles Monorail line (played excellently by Battlestar Galactica star Tricia Helfer), who seems to have a price on her head.

Once the pilot finished airing, the cast (Valley, McBride and Haley) were introduced to the stage by panel moderator, Rich Sands from TV Guide, followed by Executive Producers Brad Kern and Peter Johnson, Series Creator and Executive Producer John Steinberg and Creator of the Characters in Human Target Len Wein.

During the short question and answer session, the audience learned that Mr. Steinberg’s reason for bringing the characters to the screen was because he “wanted to put an action hero on TV”, but that has proven to be hard, as it is “hard to make it real, look real.” It’s easy to put down the action in written word, but can prove to be difficult to translate into real life action.

Mr. Wein stated that he created the characters in 1972 and Chance was the very first character he ever pitched, but he sat on the story for 5 years before it got published.

The audience also learned the following:

• The character of Christopher Chance is darker than any character that Mr. Valley has played before;
• Mr. McBride believes that his character of Winston is the yin to Chance’s yang;
• Mr. Haley stated that he thinks Guerrero is an “interesting, fun character” and it “seemed like a really cool job”. He liked reading the scripts and is looking forward to “spending a lot of time with one character”;
• Mr. Valley explained Ms. Helfer insisted on doing her own stunts in the pilot so, of course “so I had to do my own stunts too”;
• Mr. McBride also stated that he enjoyed watching shows similar to Human Target, like the ones done by Stephen J. Cannell in the 1980’s and explained that Winston will be different from that of his role as Emerson in the now-defunct Pushing Daisies;
• A special cameo is made in the pilot (for which I do not want to spoil for the readers), but Mr. Steinberg stated he wrote this particular actor a “fan letter” about being in the show and the actor agreed much to Mr. Steinberg’s (and the rest of the cast and crew’s) delight;
• The show is filmed in Vancouver and the storylines will be focused on one set piece each week with an action film-type scene included in each episode.

To learn more about Human Target, which should debut during mid-season on FOX, you can visit the official website.

Flash Forward at Comic Con

The Flash Forward Comic Con panel started with Entertainment Weekly writer Jeff Johnson acting as the moderator, introducing Executive Producers Marc Guggenheim (Eli Stone), David S. Goyer (The Dark Knight) and Brannon Braga (Enterprise) to the stage. They, in turn, provided the audience with the first “public glimpse” of the series, which will debut on ABC on September 24 at 8 p.m.

The first two acts were aired and well-received by the audience. The basic premise of the series, loosely based on the Robert Sawyer novel of the same name, depicts a modern day Earth where everyone on the planet suffers a black out for 2 minutes and 17 seconds, seeing a specific moment in their lives: April 20, 2010 at 8 p.m. The aftermath of this massive black out is, as you can imagine, catastrophic: cars have collided, people have drowned, planes have fallen from the sky and destruction reverberates all over the world. Like everyone else, though, the audience in the panel room will have to wait until the series premiere to learn more about this inventive show.

In the meantime, it should be noted that it is because of Mr. Goyer’s wife that this project truly came to fruition, as she gave him the idea to develop the book into a series since they shared the same passion for the novel; but rather than have the series jump 21 years into the future (as is the time leap in the book), the series will merely see into the future 6 months. And, much like its predecessor, the soon-to-be-ending Lost, this series will feature one flash forward each episode; and will cover three countries in the first three episodes.

The cast that was on hand for the panel included Joseph Fiennes (Shakespeare in Love), John Cho (Star Trek), Courtney B. Vance (Law & Order: Criminal Intent) and newcomer Christine Woods. Since filming was actually taking place during Comic Con, the rest of the cast was otherwise occupied; and the audience learned that filming had been taking place for several weeks prior to the convention.

During the moderator-led question and answer session, much joking was placed at Mr. Fiennes feet since this will be his first appearance on American television in something other than frilly shirts and pantaloons. And Mr. Vance routinely ripped the Executive Producers about wanting to grow old on the show, stating “It’s going to be like Gunsmoke, running for 21 years”.

Unlike the aforementioned series Lost, though, the masterminds behind Flash Forward claim to know the end game, having had time to fully lay out the storylines and story archs for the show. They informed the audience they had the first half written out before the writers’ strike and the remainder completely once the strike came to an end. Mr. Goyer freely stated they “had a lot of time to plan it out.”

As a surprise to the audience, a spoiler reel was aired near the conclusion of the panel, which featured yet another surprise (of sorts): that of Dominic Monaghan’s involvement in the show and his appearance in the panel room. This brought the house down with the audience going crazy over the confirmation that Mr. Monaghan was indeed involved in the show. For those unaware, there had been rampant speculation that he was either returning to Lost for the final season or was to be involved in one of the new fall shows when he appeared in an ABC publicity commercial.

Another surprise was a recorded message from Flash Forward co-star Sonya Walger (Lost), who was unable to attend the convention due to the fact she was getting married. The clip was short but sweet in that costumed crew members (Spiderman, Batman and the like) were walking around in the background. Then as Ms. Walger completed her message, she stood up, removed her bathrobe to reveal she was wearing a Wonder Woman costume and asked for her “damn tiara” as she walked off the set. This, of course, set the entire panel room in raucous laughter and a mad flurry of activity as people attempted to get to the main table due to Mr. Monaghan’s appearance.

You can learn more about Flash Forward by visiting ABC.com.

Vampire Diaries at Comic Con

Just like the Human Target panel, the Vampire Diaries panel was mainly focused on the screening of the pilot episode of the CW series. Based on the L.J. Smith novels, this new drama will debut on September 10 at 8 p.m.

I’ll avoid giving too much of the plot away, here, so if you’re avoiding spoilers you should be safe. The basic premise of the show follows Elena (Nina Dobrev), a high school student, and her brother who lose their parents in a tragic car accident. When the new school season begins, she meets a mysterious new student, Stefan (Paul Wesley) who happens to be a centuries-old vampire; learns her best friend might be “psychic”; and an attack on a local girl has the town scared of what might be lurking in the dark. We also learn that Stefan has a brother, Damon (Ian Somerhalder), who is also a vampire.

The panel included Lynnette Rice from Entertainment Weekly, as the moderator, Kevin Williamson, Bob Levey and Julie Plec, the Executive Producers, and cast members Ian Somerhalder, Nina Dobrev and Paul Wesley.

As can be imagined, The Vampire Diaries is being compared to the highly successful Twilight book and movie franchise, but the cast and crew all agreed the two are completely different with Ms. Plec even joking  that “nobody sparkles” in the show.

It should also be noted that The Vampire Diaries series of books originally came out in 1991, while the Stephanie Meyer Twilight books were released throughout 2005 and 2008.

During the question and answer session at the end of the panel, the audience learned the following:

• Mr. Somerhalder had a horrible experience during his audition with the network, stating he “bombed”, but “Julie and Kevin wanted me” and he eventually won the role;
• Ms. Dobrev’s audition process was much easier, as she got the lead role simply based on a taped audition; she did not have to go through a network or studio audition;
• Mr. Williamson is a fan of True Blood and Ms. Plec is a fan of Twilight;
• The pilot episode was filmed in Vancouver, but the rest of the series will be filmed in Atlanta, Georgia;
• Mr. Williamson repeatedly kept saying no to this project, but eventually said yes; and they “will stick to the books where possible”;
• Ms. Plec was asked by an audience member about the possible history of her former series Kyle XY (which aired on the ABC Family Channel) to which she stated there is interest (not from the network) for a DVD movie to provide closure so “they’ll keep pushing”; and,
• Lastly, Ms. Plec stated they’re praying the show will “capture the over-burdened (vampire) market” as well as True Blood and Twilight both have.

To learn more about The Vampire Diaries the series, you can check out sneak peeks, details on the cast and more at the CW’s website. You can also learn more about the Vampire Diaries books at the official website.

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