SNEAK PEAK: Alex O’ Loughlin and Simon Baker in prison charged with murder – [CBS’] “Hawaii Five-O” and “The Mentalist” season premieres! And, ‘House’ is in the big house on FOX! [HBO’s] “True Blood” season finale (11 September) will finally reveal Sookie’s love choice! Sir Paul McCartney [producing? hosting? both?] a 9/11 benefit concert. FX’s firehouse (“Rescue Me”) is shutting down. The “Miracle Day” of ‘Torchwood’ is coming to a sacrificial end? And, the “Sons of Anarchy” are free.
PICKS OF THE WEEK: “Alphas” (SYF); “Ancient Aliens” (HIS); “Backdraft” (HBO); “Burn Notice” (USA); “Degrassi” (THN); “Dinosaur Revolution” (DSC); “Doctor Who” (BBC); “Eureka” (SYF); “Family Guy” (FOX); “Firebreather” (CAR); “Frontline” (PBS); “Futurama” (CMY); “General Hospital” (ABC); “Good Luck Charlie” (DIS); “Haven” (SYF); “History Detectives” (PBS); “Home Alone” (ENC); “Into The Universe” (DSC); “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia” (CMY); “Jurassic Park CSI” (NGO); “LA Ink” (TLC); “Law & Order: UK” (BBC); “Masterpiece Mystery” (PBS); “Necessary Roughness” (USA); “Nova” (PBS); “Phineas & Ferb” (DIS); “POV” (PBS); “Pretty Little Liars” (FAM); “Ray” (BET); “Rizzoli & Isles” (TNT); “Royal Pains” (USA); “Secret Life [o/t] American Teenager” (FAM); “Sophie’s Choice” (FLX); “Suits” (USA); “The Big C” (SHO); “The Closer” (TNT); “The Graham Norton Show” (BBC); “The Looney Tunes Show” (CAR); “The Lying Game” (FAM); “The Simpsons” (FOX); “Thundercats” (CAR); “True Blood” (HBO); “Voltron Force” (CAR); “Warehouse 13" (SYF); and, “Weeds” (SHO).
IN THE NEWS: Ray Romano and Patricia Heaton coming to [ABC’s] “The Middle” (21 September). With ‘Stefan’ missing and ‘Jeremy’ seeing the dead, a birthday celebration may be unlikely for ‘Elena’ ([CW’s] “The Vampire Diaries” 15 September). Paget Brewster returning to [CBS’] “Criminal Minds” (21 September)!! [NBC’s] “Law & Order: SVU” has a new team of detectives and a new executive producer (21 September). Leah Remini and Holly Robinson Peete let-go from [CBS’] “The Talk”, ‘guest-host’ replacements may be used to fill their spots until final replacements are determined. Additionally, Ms. Osbourne “will return with a reduced schedule”, meaning she’ll be featured in half as many shows.
EXCLUSIVES By William Keck: [CBS’] “NCIS” will hit the big 200 in 2012; however, though many past faces will be seen – Lauren Holly is “not likely” to return! [CBS’] “Hawaii Five-O” bringing us “ghost stories [...] spooky cemeteries [and] ancient human sacrifices” for Halloween! [AMC’s] “Mad Men” will replace Jared Gilmore (‘Bobby’) who will now be co-starring in [ABC’s] “Once Upon A Time”.
ROUSH REVIEW by Matt Roush: Would like to forget those “few weeks” wherein “Eric Northman pillow-talked [with Sookie]” {– I thought it was creepy, icky. He was much more appealing as a menace.} But, [FX’s] “Rescue Me” and [TNT’s] “The Closer”, along with [AMC’s] “Breaking Bad” are worth remembering! “Falling Skies” on TNT scored where {the NBC original and ABC resurrected} “V” failed. And, ABC-Family’s {FAM’s} “Switched At Birth” was among “[the] best and warmest [and even] compelling” programs of the summer television season.
DINO MIGHT by Megan Lehmann: ^FOX, Going Prehistoric With “Terra Nova”, an ambitious CGI-filled adventure from Steven Spielberg. [...] There’s an earsplitting boom and Stephen Lang [hit] the deck hard as the windows implode. [...] “That’s nothing,” said the buff 59-year-old actor, removing his earplugs and brushing sawdust from his hair. “You wouldn’t believe the stuff that happens around here.” [...] We’re deep in the Australian bush on the set of FOX’s new adventure series, “Terra Nova”. In the scene [being filmed] today, a meteor has just exploded in the atmosphere above the prehistoric colony presided over by ‘Commander Nathaniel Taylor’ (played by Lang). [The exploded meteor has knocked out power to the colony, creating] yet another obstacle for the [future] pilgrims grappling with the past.^
HELLO, ANGELS! by Damien Holbrook: ^Charlie’s girls are back! ABC’s new show, executive produced by Miles Millar and Al Gough, is filming in Miami (FL). Minka Kelly is ‘Eve’, an ex-convict. Annie Ilonzeh is ‘Kate’, a former police officer. Rachael Taylor is ‘Abby’, a disgraced socialite. Ramon Rodriguez will be featured as ‘Bosley’. Robert Wagner was originally hired as ‘Charlie’ but recently backed-out of the role. The show is set to premiere [albeit with a “temporary” ‘Charlie’] 22 September.
FAMILY PREVIEW by Megan Walsh-Boyle: “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” returning [on Cartoon Network] 16 September, featuring “some of the most ambitious battle sequences [ever staged]” – Katee Sackhoff is among those guest-starring this season! Debby Ryan will star in “Jessie”, “a Texas girl who [moved] to New York City to follow her dream [but became] a nanny to four kids.” (Disney Channel, 30 September). Don’t Miss – “Sesame Street” (PBS, 26 September); “Handy Manny” (DIS, 03 October); “Arthur” (PBS, 10 October); “The Secret Circle” ([CWB], 15 September); and, “Terra Nova” (FOX, 26 September).
DAYTIME [DRAMAS] by Michael Logan: Carol Burnett returning to [ABC’s] “All My Children”, 06 September – her fifth appearance as ‘Verla Grubbs’! Meredith Vieira is no longer part of “The Today Show” but she’s continuing her duties with “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire”, returning 26 September.
FAREWELL TO PINE VALLEY? by Michael Logan: ^As “All My Children” is ending it’s run on ABC, Susan Lucci is looking back on her reign as the [greatest star of daytime drama]. [...] Once upon a time {way back in 1970} the execs at “All My Children” were so uncertain about Susan Lucci’s ability to portray Erica Kane, she spent her first few weeks on probation. Would this inexperienced young actress with the ethnic look an big hair be able to compete with the blonde, blue-eyed heroines so popular [at the time]? Would the audience embrace ‘Erica’, a snobby, spoiled, self-adoring teenager with daddy issues [...]?^
HIGHLIGHTING ‘ERICA KANE’ by Michael Logan: ^1970s – Teenaged Erica wed Jeff (Charles Frank) Martin and had the first “legal” abortion on television. 1980s – Menaced by a grizzly, Erica’s shout frightened the beast away. 1990s – Introducing Sarah Michelle Gellar as Erica’s daughter, by rape, Kendall - a lolita who went after her mom’s husband! 2000s – Erica freaked when Bianca (Eden Riegel) was revealed to be homosexual! 2010s – Erica is terrorized by a look-alike and wooed by a Hollywood mogul.^
By Frank Jaymes
from TV Guide Magazine
29 August 2011
