“Three Rivers” Done? Nothing Official But Alex O’Loughlin Has Been Here Before

I started to post this news last night, but I just didn’t have the heart to, and a small part of me still hoped it wouldn’t be true. Then, I kept reading conflicting stories: “Three Rivers pulled immediately from Sunday night lineup”; “Three Rivers to air in later time slot”; “Three Rivers to finish out season”; and similar news items.

While CBS has not officially announced a cancellation, and at this point, they are planning on airing all of the remaining episodes, the writing is definitely on the wall. I had a lot of hope for this show, but I have to be honest here, and say that I was really pulling more for Alex O’Loughlin than the show, itself. I’m not as sad and shocked about losing this show nearly as much as with Moonlight. After a couple of episodes of Three Rivers, I just couldn’t follow it anymore. I just lost interest. I got the message of organ donor awareness in the pilot episode. The fact that nothing changed to hold my interest is, I think, a common complaint among those I know who gave Three Rivers a try.

I feel really bad because I know that Alex threw is whole heart into this show, and really believed in it. To be fair, I think CBS did too. As I said before, there have been a few different stories floating around out there, beginning with THR’s from yesterday. But Alex’s own words nailed it down, even if CBS hasn’t given the official word.

A lot of you probably already know this, because you guys know what’s happening in my life before I do, but today I was informed that Three Rivers would soon draw to an end. (Continue reading.)

Some good did come out of this show, besides the awareness that donating organs is not a scary thing. Alex is an Ambassador and official spokesperson for Donate Life America. He will give 110% to this organization, just like he does with any acting job he does, and that can never be bad. I’m looking forward to Alex’s next acting project, and I hope we won’t have to wait too long.

Nice Girls Gift Guide: Vampire Edition

No matter how you celebrate the holidays or what traditions you follow, gift giving usually plays an essential role in the holiday season. We here at Nice Girls TV want to help you out by recommending some terrific items for your holiday shopping list.

Since television is always on our minds so too does it play a large role in our list of must-haves. However, this holiday wish-list will include a bit of a twist. The gifts will reflect a theme, one that seems to be the resounding theme of this year: Vampires.

Be it on television, at the multiplexes, on your local bookshelves or via online outlets, vampires seem to be IT this year. Pre-teens, teens and adults alike seem to clamor for anything vampire related and these gift suggestions are just a small sample of what you can find with a few clicks of your mouse.

So, with that theme in mind here are 25 suggestions for the holiday gift-giving season (in no particular order) for you to consider for members of your family, friends, co-workers or even for yourself – after all NiceGirls deserve some fun gifts too:

1. Sookie Stackhouse Novels by Charlaine Harris – There are currently 9 books in the Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire Mysteries series, which are the inspiration for the hit HBO series True Blood. Seven of those books can be purchased in a book set. You can learn more about author Charlaine Harris and the Sookie Stackhouse series of books on the author’s site.

2. The Vampire Diaries by L. J. Smith – This trilogy of books by L. J. Smith were written in 1991 with a 4th volume released in 1992. The series follows vampire brothers Stefan and Damon who fall in love with the same girl, teenager Elena. A new series, using the same name, is currently airing on the CW. You can learn more about the book series here.

NOTE: A new spin-off book trilogy entitled The Vampire Diaries: The Return, focusing on brother Damon started this year with the 2nd and 3rd installments expected in April 2010 and 2011 respectively.

3. Buffy The Vampire Slayer (the Series) – While the introduction to the Buffyverse was through the now cult-classic movie in 1992, it wasn’t until the series debuted on the WB in 1997 that audiences really learned about a teenage girl named Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) who was the latest in a long line of young women vampire slayers. The series also features a pre-How I Met Your Mother Alyson Hannigan, pre-Bones David Boreanaz, Seth Green, James Marsters and many, many more.

4. Angel – Buffy’s spin-off series centered on Angel, the vampire with a soul turned private investigator in Los Angeles, played by a pre-Bones David Boreanaz. The series lasted for 5 seasons.

5. Blood: The Last Vampire – This anime film premiered in theatres in Japan back in November of 2000 and then spawned a manga sequel in 2001. This popular story also has a video game and three Japanese “light novel” adaptations in print. A live-action film was released in May of this year. Both film versions are available at Amazon. You can learn the origins of this story here.

6. The Vampire Cookbook by Alicia Alex – No, I didn’t make this one up, but someone did. Alicia Alex wrote this vampire-themed recipe book that can be used for your next vampire party or Halloween bash. You can learn more about Alicia Alex on her site.

7. Underworld Trilogy – The action started in 2003 when Underworld debuted in theaters, starring Kate Beckinsale and Scott Speedman. The sequel Underworld: Evolution opened in 2006 and a prequel, starring Rhona Mitra, was released earlier this year.

8. The Lost Boys – This 1987 horror movie starred Kiefer Sutherland as the leader of a pack of vampires in Los Angeles who were being tracked down by two transplanted Arizona boys. This classic film also starred Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Jami Gertz and Jason Patric.

9. Dark Hunter Novels by Sherrilyn Kenyon – Sherrilyn is an extremely popular author and has a vast library of books, but one of the more popular is her Dark Hunter series. With 19 books in the series in publication, and more due to arrive on the bookshelves, fascinated readers will not lack for adventure. You can learn more about this series of books here.

10. The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice – This series of 11 books were written over the course of 27 years by prolific writer Anne Rice. Her first book in the series, Interview with the Vampire, was adapted into a film, which is widely seen as one of the top vampire-based movies in countless “top movie” lists. You can find her books in print in countless venues and you can learn more about them on the author’s site.

11. Dark Shadows (The Original Series) – No vampire gift list would be complete without this classic 1966 to 1971 series that introduced a generation to Barnabas Collins. There is a large collection of DVDs for the original series, anniversary special, continuations of the story and much more at Amazon.

12. Forever Knight (The Series) – What started out as a CBS made-for-TV movie starring Rick Springfield in 1989 turned into a six-year, 3-season TV series that still makes fans’ blood boil. The series starred Geraint Wyn Davies in the title role of Nick Knight, an 800-year old vampire working as a detective in Toronto.

13. Vampire Academy Books by Richelle Mead – The only young adult series written by Richelle Mead covers two races of vampires: the Moroi who are alive and wield elemental magic and the Strigoi who are undead and evil. There are currently four books in publication for this series with the next installment to be on bookshelves on May 18, 2010. Another new book will be available later in 2010. You can learn more about this series and the author on her site.

14. House of Night Book Series by P.C. and Kristin Cast – P.C. Cast and her daughter Kristin Cast are the authors of this fantasy/paranormal romance series about Zoey Redfire, a teenage fledging vampire who enters the House of Night to learn how grow and change into an adult vampire. There are six books in this series and you can learn more about them and the author here.

15. Twilight (The Movie) – Based on the popular novel by Stephanie Meyer, Twilight – the movie – became an international hit starring Robert Pattinson as Edward – a vampire – and Kristen Stewart as Bella – the human who falls in love with him. The rest of the books in the Twilight Saga are becoming movies with New Moon already out in theaters and the other two – Eclipse and Breaking Dawn – being readied for release in the next two years.

16. Bram Stoker’s Dracula (The Movie) – As directed by Francis Ford Coppola and released to theatres in 1992, this version of the legendary Dracula story was closely based on the classic novel and starred Gary Oldman in the title role. This movie is considered one of the most exuberant, extravagant films of the 1990s.

17. Vampire Babylon Book Series by Chris Marie Green – Chris Marie Green is a former school teacher turned full-time writer who has created a series of books about a stuntwoman who goes to Tinseltown to investigate the disappearance of her estranged father only to discover an underground coven of vampires. Learn more about the series here.

18. The Blood Books by Tanya Huff – This series of books that were used as the premise for the short-lived Lifetime series Blood Ties chronicles ex-homicide cop turned private detective Vicki Nelson, her former partner Mike and reclusive author and vampire Henry Fitzroy. There are two versions of the book series, featuring the original cover art and newer cover art with pictures of the actors who appeared in the series.

19. Moonlight (TV Series) – Much like the vampire series that aired before it, Moonlight focused on a vampire/private investigator named Mick St. John (Alex O’Loughlin) and internet reporter Beth Turner (Sophia Myles) who worked together to solve crime in Los Angeles. This series was only on CBS for one season, lasting 16 episodes, but garnered a loyal following.

20. Kindred the Embraced (TV Series) – This short-lived series only ran for 8 episodes back in 1996 on FOX but still has fans across the globe. The series focused on a police detective from San Francisco who discovers his city is home to groups of vampires called The Kindred. The late Mark Frankel starred alongside C. Thomas Howell and a then unknown Kelly Rutherford.

21. The Twilight Saga Book Series by Stephanie Meyer – As stated above, the Twilight movie was an international hit in the theaters, but the movie and the sequels to follow would not have been possible without the books for which they were based. Stephanie Meyer created Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn and, much like J.K. Rowling, made people read excessively.

22. Brotherhood of the Blood Book Series by Kathryn Smith – These vampire romance books chronicle the lives of six soldiers from the 1300’s who go into a Templar building searching for treasure, but come out vampires. The suicide of one of their own sets them all on a new journey. There are five books in the series and they can be purchased at Amazon. You can also learn more about these books and their author on her site.

23. Twilight Tonner Character Figures – For die-hard fans of the book series and the movies, Twilight Character Figures (aka Twilight Dolls) have been made in the likenesses of Kristen Stewart as Bella, Robert Pattinson as Edward, Cam Gigandet at James, Rachelle Lefevre as Victoria and Edi Gathegi as Laurent. These are officially licensed by Summit Entertainment and are meant for hard-core fans, as they are pricey. You can find out more at the Tonner site.

24. Vampire Vineyards – You can get vampire wine, vampire vodka, vampire energy drinks and vampire gear through the TI Beverage Group, Ltd. The vineyard most recently relocated to Paso Robles, California and has been in business since 1985. If you would like to find out more, please visit their site.

25. Twilight Limited Edition Official Complete Jewelry Set of the Cullen Family – This pricey collector’s set is for the true twi-hard fans and consists of the following jewelry pieces: Edward’s wristcuff; Alice’s choker; Rosalie’s necklace, Esme’s bracelet and Carlisle’s ring all in a display jewelry case with the Cullen Crest and a limited autographed post card by Peter Facinelli.

There you have it – 25 vampire-themed gift suggestions for the holiday season. Please keep in mind these are not the only options available online or in stores; merely suggestions to get you started. You’ve got 25 days, starting today, to get your holiday shopping finished so get going.  And Happy Holidays!

So Many Activities, So Little Time (and Money)

My weekly blogs for the last couple of weeks have been about the events, activities or movies I have attended or seen over those weeks; and this week’s blog isn’t much different. Living in Los Angeles affords the residents many special opportunities to participate in a wide variety of events like conventions, free movie screenings and Paley Center panels (just to name a few) as long as you are aware of the many events that take place in this huge metropolis, that is.

Fortunately, since moving here from the East Coast over 9 years ago, I’ve learned about many of the television related events that are held throughout the city of Los Angeles (and elsewhere) and have been even more fortunate to meet so many wonderfully diverse and fun people along the way.

Thanks to the short-lived CBS series Moonlight, which debuted on the network back in September of 2007, I meet a multitude of terrific ladies all of whom fell in love with the show much like I did. Despite the demise of the show, the Moonlight fans from the Los Angeles area – or to be more specific – those fans who live in Southern California – have remained friends and we continue to hold get togethers nearly every month.

One such get together was this past weekend, as a number of us attended the Paley Center for Media’s “Vampire Weekend,” which featured free screenings of past Paley events such as the True Blood Paley Fest event and the Moonlight Panel. Since all of us attending Saturday’s screenings were in attendance at the Paley’s salute to the show back in April of 2008 – and because of the headiness of the night – we wanted to relive all the wonderful moments and see the panel with fresh eyes.

It was interesting, to say the least, to see the playback of that night, but also a bit disappointing since the playback wasn’t quite as good as we had hoped; not because the panel was bad or anything like that; but more so because the quality of the recording wasn’t as good as it could have been. Regardless of the quality, it was a fun outing for all of us and it was nice to relive the night and remember what could have been.

Next up on the calendar of activities is the Third Annual Firefly/Serenity Convention, run by Creation Entertainment, that will be held this coming weekend (November 21 and 22) at the Marriott Hotel near the Los Angeles Airport.

The special guest stars for this weekend include the following:

Nathan Fillion – now the star of the ABC series Castle
Morena Baccarin – now the star of the ABC series V
Adam Baldwin – now the star of the NBC series Chuck
Alan Tudyk – a guest star in the ABC series V
Mark Sheppard – versatile actor who has appeared on Battlestar Galactica, Dollhouse, Warehouse 13, Bionic Woman, Burn Notice and much more
Yan and Rafael Feldman – who appeared in the Serenity movie as twins Mingo and Fanty

This will be another fun activity for my friends, including some from the Southern California Moonlight fans (otherwise known as the SoCal Freshies) to get together and have fun; and see these great stars in action. You can rest assured that Nathan and Alan will be at their funniest over the weekend, Morena will look amazingly beautiful, Yan and Rafael will regale us with stories from the set of Serenity and Adam will be at his dead-pan finest.

If you live in the area or will be visiting sunny California that weekend; and most important of all, if you are a Browncoat or a fan of any of these fine actors, try to hit up the LAX Marriott Hotel and join in the fun. You can learn more about the Third Annual Firefly/Serenity Convention at the following website: http://creationent.com/cal/serenity.htm.

Oh, and by the way, you can get your picture taken with any of these actors or get their autograph (as long as you don’t mind spending a little bit of green in order to get them). After all the holidays aren’t that far off and what fan wouldn’t love to have an autographed photo of these great folks.

I hope to see some of you there. You’ll know me by the screams of delight in the dealer room as I fawn over pictures of Moonlight, Legend of the Seeker, Chuck, Pushing Daisies and many, many more… What can I say; I’m a sucker for 8 x 10 photographs and am an avid collector of postcards and buttons. Now if I could just work that into my budget somehow….off to do some math to make it all work…

So many activities, so little time (or rather money)…

A NiceGirl at a Hollywood Movie Premiere

Last week I got together with some of my local friends (who are also fans of the defunct CBS series Moonlight) for a special event: the Hollywood premiere of the movie Whiteout, which co-stars Alex O’Loughlin (the former star of Moonlight). Oh yeah, Kate Beckinsale, Gabriel Macht and Tom Skerritt also star in the movie.

The premiere was held at Mann’s Village Theatre in Westwood, located near UCLA for those who are not local or familiar with the area. As organizer for this “get-together” I arrived early to scope out the area, find a good spot for our group to wait and keep an eye out for other spectators.

Eventually the rest of the group began to arrive, filtering in from Simi Valley, Chino, Orange and elsewhere. All the while the crew working on the elaborate set-up for the premiere continued to labor in the blazing sun and heat of a typical September afternoon here in (mostly) sunny California.

By the middle of the afternoon our group of 10 was fully assembled, our “spot” was all picked out behind the barricades and the waiting began in earnest. Since most of our group had never attended a Hollywood movie premiere before, we marveled at the set-up involved and enjoyed the time to chat (despite being under a rather grueling sun).

As the sun began to disappear behind the building located directly across the street from our position and more observers took their place along the street, the anticipation of the crowd became more palpable. We all watched in earnest for the first limousine to arrive and even though it felt like “forever” – the first car arrived, but seeing no familiar (i.e. celebrity) faces, we all realized they must be family members of the crew. The next car to arrive was a repeat of the first.

Our wait for a celebrity arrival was not long, however, as Tom Skerritt soon arrived, waving to the masses but steering clear of the autograph hounds and the fans who yelled his name. He quickly walked the all-white “red” carpet (appropriate for a movie set in Antarctica), making the paparazzi who littered the opposite sidewalk extremely happy. After countless flashbulbs and “catcalls” the next limousines arrived with yet more crew family members.

Then the big moment arrived, a large Escalade pulled up to the white carpet and out stepped the man of the hour: Alex O’Loughlin (at least to our group and some other small groups of fans as well as the pre-requisite, or so it would seem, autograph hounds). He quickly moved over to the first throng of spectators, vigorously signing photo after photo and speaking briefly to the fans.

It seemed like a long time before he was able to work his way down to where our group had gathered, but thanks to his studio “handler” (the person who is responsible for each celebrity, making sure they get to each “appointed” spot in the premiere area on time) he was standing in front of us, signing our photos, chatting with us and making our afternoon of standing in the sun worthwhile.

He finished with the last member of our group and a few other people in the crowd before being whisked over to the white carpet, walking the gauntlet of paparazzi, interviewers and such. Our group kept a close watch on his progress down the white carpet while star Gabriel Macht arrived and briefly signed some autographs.

It was quite awhile before star Kate Beckinsale arrived, looking extremely glamorous alongside her director husband Len Wiseman. She was mobbed, of course, by fans and autograph hounds as she came over to the spectator area but she never made it down to our spot in the crowd. And despite waiting around for nearly another hour (after she, too, ran the gauntlet of press, paparazzi, etc.) and a promise from one of her “people” that she would come back over to the spectator area, the son of one of the members of our group was unable to get her autograph (though we tried valiantly on his behave).

Despite that set-back, we were all excited to have had a special moment or two with Alex and we relived the moments, fleeting though they were, while having dinner at Jerry’s Famous Deli. This was a unique experience for all of us; one that I will wait to repeat for awhile, as it was a long, tiring day; but well worth it all to have our “time” with Alex. It was very nice to spend time with my friends too.

If you ever get the chance to take in a movie premiere should you ever visit Los Angeles, I recommend that you do so, as it’s well worth the wait.

Lasting Friendships Through Televison

Where did your most treasured friendship form? In elementary school? At summer camp? In college? For me, my longest running friendship was formed in elementary school during the first week of first grade. My best friend for over 35 years now still lives in my small hometown near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with her husband and 2 children. We don’t see each other that much because of the distance, but we do keep in touch when, and as often, as we can. My second-most longest running friendship was also formed in elementary school, but found its common ground in the latter part of high school. That best friend is also still in my hometown area with her husband and daughter. We keep in contact with each other as often as our busy schedules permit.

To help fill the void of those long-distance, long-standing friendships, I have television – and my addiction to that square box with pretty pictures on it – to thank. Over the years of my couch-potato-ism (is that even a word?), I have found myself falling in love with shows (dare I say slightly obsessed) and finding a “home away from home” (of sorts) via fan message boards and forums. These forums can be found all over the internet for every TV show under the sun.

My first foray into fan message boards was prior to my 3000-mile move away from home in the year 2000. There was a short-lived TV series called Prey, which aired on ABC and was owned by Warner Bros., starring then relative unknown actress Debra Messing (Will & Grace), and actors Adam Storke (Stephen King’s The Stand), Vincent Ventresca (The Invisible Man), Larry Drake (LA Law) and Frankie Faison (The Wire).

This show was on during the mid-season of 1998, airing opposite NBC’s juggernaut Friends as well as the 1998 Olympics. Needless to say, during that time any series that debuted during mid-season was simply a “throw-away” show (in the eyes of the networks); one that garnered little to no publicity and was relatively overlooked by the powers that be.

Prey had a sci-fi element to it, featuring a storyline about bioanthropologist Sloan Parker (Messing), who discovered an advanced form of human beings living amongst us. They were stronger and smarter than us and they were set on annihilating us. Tom Daniels (Adam Storke) was one of the 1.6 “generation” (Sloan discovered their DNA was 1.6% different from that of humans), and was originally tasked with killing Sloan because she learned of their existence. However, he could not perform his mission, and eventually fell in love with Sloan, working with her and the team from Whitney University (where the bulk of the characters worked) to bring the 1.6’ers down.

Unfortunately, that show lasted only 13 episodes (and regrettably left the fans with a cliffhanger ending), but like many shows before and since, garnered a worldwide fan base that did everything in their power to convince the network to keep it on the air. Like so many fan campaigns, the Prey For Us community was not successful in bringing the show back, but thanks to the internet we all found each other and mor than 11 years later, our little group (though considerably smaller than during the show’s limited “heyday”) is still together.

It was because of my involvement with the fan movement for Prey that I finally made my monumental move to Los Angeles, rooming with a friend from within the Prey community for about 2 years. And, it was because of Prey that I came face-to-face with the realization that I was (and still am) a (proud) fan of sci-fi programming.

Since those heady days of Prey, I fell in love with the shows Roswell, Tarzan, The Invisible Man and Moonlight (among others). I’ve had the chance to meet many wonderful people through the online communities for these shows; friendships that have, as I said earlier, filled the void of my childhood friends being so far away.

So, here is a cheer to my fellow Preymates, Roswellians, Tarzanites, I-maniacs and Freshies. I am so thankful I had the chance to meet all of you through our common TV love and I am grateful that so many of you are still my friends despite these shows no longer being on the air. TV shows may come and go, but friends are forever.

NGTV Guide: Friday, May 15

Until Psych returns this summer, our Fridays are looking sparse again. At least Mick St. John is around (in reruns) to comfort us.

Moonlight – Sci Fi 9/8c
“Click” – Mick serves as bodyguard to a Hollywood starlet after she feels threatened by the paparazzi, and Beth wonders if her new boss is entirely ethical. (Hint: No.)

NGTV Guide: Friday, May 8

Can you believe we’ve already arrived at the Dollhouse season finale? Why, it seems like just 3 months ago that we were all keyed up to see the premiere.

Dollhouse – FOX 9/8c – SEASON FINALE
“Omega” – Alpha’s obsession with Echo grows more dangerous; Ballard’s Dollhouse investigation progresses; a Doll is deactivated; and another Doll’s surprising past is revealed. We’d better get a season two!

Moonlight – Sci Fi 9/8c
“Fated to Pretend” – Mick is mortal, but will he have to become a vampire again in order to save Beth? (Hint: yes.)

NGTV Guide: Friday, May 1

Happy May Day, Nice Girls (and Boys)! Here’s how we’re kicking off a new month of TV:

Dollhouse – FOX 9/8c
“Briar Rose” – Firefly alum Alan Tudyk guest stars in tonight’s episode as the man who designed the Dollhouse. Meanwhile, we finally see “the attic” when Adelle goes searching for some answers, and Echo helps a young girl with her painful past. Oh, and that Alpha guy is revealed.

Moonlight – Sci Fi 9/8c
“The Mortal Cure” – Did Wednesday’s Criminal Minds have you waxing nostalgic for a time when Alex O’Loughlin graced our screens every week? Catch him as Mick St. John on the show that made him a household name as his vampire self tries to find the “cure” that will return him to his mortal state.

NGTV Guide: Friday, April 24

Housekeeping Note: We haven’t been posting a guide on the weekend because, well, what was there to watch? But all that changes this week! Be sure to pop in tomorrow for our weekend guide. And now, back to your regularly scheduled Friday night guide:

Dollhouse – Fox 9/8c
“Haunted” – Someone close to Adelle dies under mysterious circumstances, so she has Echo imprinted with the woman’s memories to track down the killer. In other words, Eliza Dushku gets to play a 50-something woman who’s dead. Also, Ballard starts investigating Mellie and Topher gives Sierra a secret engagement.

Moonlight – Sci Fi 9/8c
“Love Lasts Forever” – In this heartbreaking episode, Beth’s boyfriend is targeted by a drug lord and Mick may be the only one who can save him.

NGTV Guide: Friday, April 17

Fox is airing two hours of Prison Break tonight, so we’ll have to wait another week for the next episode of Dollhouse. Until then, enjoy a little vampire redux.

Moonlight – Sci Fi 9/8c
“Sleeping Beauty” – Mick hunts for an assassin hired to kill Josef and learns a secret Josef kept from him for more than 40 years. Mick also discovers the hit was put out by a dying man with a personal vendetta against Josef.

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