Harry Potter fans, check out the commercial for the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park. I want to go there. The park is set to open in Spring, in Orlando, Florida. My one complaint: the ad is clearly targeted towards children. Adults want to go too!
The ad aired during the Super Bowl yesterday. Video courtesy of Harry Potter Park Ad – Redlasso.com. I found the video via Small Screen Scoop.
Pictured: Nina Dobrev as Katherine, Kelly Hu as Pearl. Photo: Quantrell Colbert/The CW. Sidenote: It was painful choosing between all the beautiful promotional photos and episode stills, but I finally decided to open the recap with this gem.
Read on for my detailed recap & review of The Vampire Diaries 1×13, aired February 4th, 2010:
I have made it abundantly clear how excited I was for this flashback extravaganza, and it did not disappoint. The flashbacks were illuminating, and left me wanting more. For every question that was answered, more questions were uncovered for the viewers to ponder. I love a show that fosters theories, and this has definitely become one. Also, a big strength of The Vampire Diaries has become its guest stars. The show has really done a great job of incorporating minor characters into the story, and giving them depth and weight. This episode was no exception, and guest actors Kelly Hu (Pearl), Malese Jow (Anna), and James Remar (Giuseppe Salvatore) were really given a chance to shine. Additionally, our main actors—Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder, and Paul Wesley—were able to play heretofore unseen range. This is especially true for Nina, as the flashbacks allow her to play a character so completely different from Elena. Katherine is really a joy to watch on screen. She is pretty much the vampire version of Scarlett O’Hara, and I love it. For Ian, the flashback scenes allowed him to portray Damon’s humanity, and we really get to see how vulnerable and in love he was. My sympathy for the Damon of the present increased, as his scenes were juxtaposed to his past heartbreak. We also saw the early steps in his eventual corruption, as Katherine lovingly trains him as her protégée. It felt very much like the flashbacks in Angel, when we saw Darla taking Angelus under her wing, and showing him what it meant to be a vampire. The episode also allowed Paul to run the gamut of emotions, with scenes of Stefan as the devoted son, the infatuated lover, the weak and terrified victim, and someone who will stop at nothing (and I mean nothing) to protect the woman he loves (who is so NOT Katherine). Also, for once, something is Stefan’s fault, not Damon’s. Yes, we finally learned what tore the brothers apart so many years ago, and it was Stefan’s betrayal. Although, it is a bit more complex than one person’s fault, and I will get into that later. My only complaint about the episode is the lack of Caroline and Matt, but with all the costume prOn you can’t blame me if I didn’t find that too much of a hardship for one week. But enough babbling, on to the recap. read more…
Photo Credit: ABC/ Mario Perez.
Early this morning, I posted Part I of my live blog for last night’s Lost premiere. If you missed it, you can read that here: LOST: “LA X, Part I”. Otherwise, read on for my live blog, edited with comments, for the second half of the Lost season six premiere, aired February 2nd, 2010:
- It is now daylight on the island, and Hurley and company get ready to transport Sayid to the temple, while Sawyer plans to stay behind to bury Juliet. Kate asks him if he wants her help, and Sawyer replies: “Help Sayid.” But he does ask Miles to hang back, which reminds me that they are close, as Miles worked as LaFleur’s deputy. Ah, I kind of miss the 70s. Kate says that they will leave a trail, so that Sawyer can follow them. Sawyer: “I ain’t following no one, Kate.” Classic Sawyer. He glares at Jack, and carries Juliet’s body off to be buried.
- Back at LAX, Jack is paged, and goes to find an agent. Unknown airline employee: “Mr Shephard, I am very sorry, but there seems to be a mixup…” It turns out that his dad’s coffin was never put on the plane. Unknown airline employee is deeply sorry, but they don’t know when it will arrive, because they don’t know where it is. Um, wow. Also, good to know that in this alternate timeline Christian Shephard still died. I wonder if the circumstances were different though. Hopefully, we shall see.
- Back on the island, Hurley and company find the hole in the wall, where Montand lost his arm. They enter, and then proceed down a dark hallway. Kate finds someone’s bag, in which she locates matches, and she lights a torch. How convenient. Also, they find the remains of armless Frenchman, Montand. Hurley: “This is going to be awesome.” Oh Hurley, you have no idea. They all have to watch their step at a certain point, as there is a narrow crossing. It is all very Indiana Jones. Kate goes ahead, and Jack loses sight of her and gets worried. Did she disappear? All of a sudden Hurley is gone too. Jack is running around looking for everybody, and can’t find them. Someone attacks him, and he is dragged by what appears to be Others, dressed as pirates/ Turkish merchants/ hippies. He is dragged outside, and we see that Jin and Kate and Hurley have also been captured by the Others. When they look up, they see the temple. read more…
Pictured, left to right: Zuleikha Robinson as Ilana, Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert, Emilie de Ravin as Claire, Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Terry O'Quinn as Locke, Matthew Fox as Jack, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Michael Emerson as Ben, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Ken Leung as Miles and Jeff Fahey as Frank Lapidus. Photo Credit: Bob D'Amico/ ABC.
Read on for my live blog, edited with comments, for the first hour of Lost’s season 6 premiere, aired February 2nd, 2010:
Previously on Lost: we learned that Jacob does actually exist (or, ahem, did actually exist) and that white-shirt Jacob has a black-shirt nemesis. Also, Jacob went around touching all the Losties, and somehow maneuvered them all onto the island. Back on the mainland, Ben killed Locke, but Locke apparently rose from the dead when his body returned to the island. However, then we learned that reborn Locke was not really Locke at all, but Fake Locke, or Flocke. Also, it seemed extremely likely that Flocke was really Jacob’s black-shirt nemesis. Flocke tricked Ben into killing Jacob. RIP, Jacob. Meanwhile, Faraday convinced Jack to blow up a hydrogen bomb in an attempt to stop the plane from ever crashing, and hopefully bring all the passengers of Oceanic flight #815 safely to LAX. Jack somehow convinced Kate, Sawyer, Juliet, Miles, Hurley, and Sayid to go along with this plan. Yeah, it made no sense to me either. Sayid got shot, and Juliet died horribly. Also, Juliet set off the bomb, and the screen went white. Then we had to wait eight months to find out what the hell happened. After this two hour season six premiere, I’m still not quite sure. But it sure is fun trying to figure it out. On to the live-blog. read more…
Check out the awesome new promo teasing the upcoming season of Lost. It aired last night, during Desperate Housewives. Don’t forget: the sixth and final season premieres tomorrow, Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 at 9/8c on ABC. There’s an hour long series recap beforehand, at 8/7c, if you’re into that kind of thing. I think I’ll watch “The Incident” instead. Enjoy!
Video courtesy of docarztandfriends’ YouTube channel.
Melissa of The Televixen has posted her latest podcast on her site. She was kind enough to invite me on as a guest, and I had a such a blast talking about The Vampire Diaries with Melissa, Connie (@conallen on Twitter) from Blast Magazine, and Vee (@tvdnews on Twitter), co-runner of Vampire-Diaries.net. All of these ladies are awesome chicks–so awesome that if they were on The Vampire Diaries then Damon would be sure to kill them too. 
So, check out the link below to listen to us talk about the first post-hiatus episode, “Bloodlines.” Be warned that there are some spoilers for future episodes too, but only in the context of casting news.
TVD Podcast – Let’s Kill All the Awesome Chicks.
P.S. I have listened to the first thirty minutes, and if you took a shot every time that I say “um, you know,” then you would be wasted. I have become a variation on a How I Met Your Mother joke. Sigh. I will try to work on that for next time.
Update: Here is a link to download the podcast on iTunes: The Televixen Podcast on iTunes.
Photo Credit: Fox.
Read on for my take on the series finale of Dollhouse, “Epitaph Two: The Return,” aired January 29th, 2010.
So, Dollhouse has ended. I have loved this little show for almost two years, and will remember it with a lot of fondness and very little regret. I had only just begun blogging, and had no real idea what I was doing (not that I do now), when I first read the news that Joss Whedon was in talks to create a new show for Fox, starring Eliza Dushku. I was over the moon at this news, and I remember my excitement when the show was finally given a premiere date: Friday, February 13th, 2009. Yes, Dollhouse premiered on Friday the 13th, perhaps not the best of signs. It marked the first time that I watched a Whedon show live, as I had fallen in love with Firefly, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Angel all after the shows had been long off the air. The live-viewing experience was not exactly what I dreamed though. The critical buzz was negative, and even the Whedon fans were extremely divided over the show. The ratings were also abysmal. I loved it from day one, however, and was determined to shut out all the negative energy, and enjoy this new piece of art. And I did. A lot. There were a few moments in early season two in which the show let me down, and angered me, but overall it has been one of the most rewarding television viewing experiences of my life. Yes, I know that I am corny, but you know you love that about me, so shut up. I tried to blog about each episode, though I missed a few here and there due to grad school and scheduling constraints. It has been a mind-bending journey, throughout which I laughed, cried, screamed, and occasionally rolled my eyes. These characters have grown and changed as much as, or more than, any on television. Just compare Topher when we first met him, to the Topher at the end of “Epitaph Two.” Or Adelle. Or Echo. Dramatic character arcs all around, indeed. So, Dollhouse has ended. Here are my thoughts on the final episode, and the show as a whole. For this landmark episode, I am eschewing my usual recap format for something a bit more spontaneous, but it is sure to be spoiler filled for the entire series, so be warned. read more…
Photo Credit: Guy D'Alema/The CW.
Read on for my recap & review of The Vampire Diaries 2×12, aired January 28th, 2010:
Well, this week we had not one, not two, but three vampire reveals. Is everyone in Mystic Falls a vamp? Well, everyone in town is at least connected to the supernatural in some way, it seems. This latest episode was such a treat for me, for a number of reasons. First of all, it marked the return of Matt and Caroline, and they got to have a few scenes together, including a very sweet kiss. Also, just after complaining about the lack of focus on the girls’ friendship, this episode came along to assuage my fears. Elena, Bonnie, and Caroline are as tight as ever, and Elena even gave Caroline a “lesbian friend necklace” full of vervain to prove it. Hallelujah! Caroline has some vervain protection FINALLY! I can breathe a sigh of relief, and stop my ranting. Now, Caroline, don’t take that necklace off, ever, because I don’t want to see Damon pushing you around anymore. Agreed? Honestly, if nothing else happened in this episode besides Caroline getting her vervain necklace, I would have been satisfied. Thankfully, however, the writers weren’t stingy with the awesomeness. Elena also got her Buffy on, and totally staked a vamp with pencils. Even though Elena’s efforts didn’t kill the vamp, I may have cheered. And if all that wasn’t enough, Alaric proved how awesome he is, again. Staying cool in the face of a suspicious Damon? Priceless. Also, the Salvatore brothers working together was quite a treat, though Stefan revealed himself to be a sneaky liar in the end. Bonus: lots of references to Katherine to whet my appetite for next week’s flashback extravaganza. All in all, not too shabby. This is what an episode of The Vampire Diaries should be. On to the recap. read more…
So, Dollhouse ended last night. I’m not gonna lie–there were tears on my end. However, if you have yet to watch the series finale, it isn’t over for you, yet. I have posted last night’s episode of Dollhouse below, episode 2×13, via Hulu.com. You can also watch the video for free on FOX on Demand. Alternatively, you can purchase the episodes through Amazon Video on Demand: “Epitaph 2: The Return”. Or on iTunes: Dollhouse Season 2 in SD or Dollhouse Season 2 in HD. Enjoy!
The flashbacks are coming! The flashbacks are coming! Yep, next week we get to see The Vampire Diaries cast in all their Gone with the Wind glory. We’re going back to 1864! It’s Katherine time! Yes, I know that I need to calm down, but I can’t help myself. Did I mention the flashbacks? Check out the videos below for a trailer, a video preview, featuring executive producers Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, and a short clip from the episode. Spoilers ahead, obviously.
Videos courtesy of CW Television’s YouTube channel.
Videos courtesy of CW Television’s YouTube channel.
Excited for the upcoming episode of Life Unexpected? I am! The third episode of the new show, to be aired Monday, February 1st, at 9/8c, is entitled “Rent Uncollected.” They really do seem to be going for a pattern with these names–”Home Inspected,” and now “Rent Uncollected.” How long can they keep that up? Check out the trailer, webclips, and short preview, featuring executive producer Liz Tigelaar, below. Enjoy!
Videos courtesy of CW Television’s YouTube channel.
Photo Credit: Disney/ SciFi Mafia.
It seems that Tim Burton may be taking on another Disney project, following Alice in Wonderland. SciFi Mafia reports:
“Tim Burton is being rumored to direct MALEFICENT, a remake of Sleeping Beauty for Disney. Maleficent is the villain that Disney created for Sleeping Beauty and went on to become the main villain in the “Kingdom Hearts” video games. The film will reportedly be the Sleeping Beauty story through Maleficent’s eyes.”
Check out the following link for the source, and further details: Tim Burton To Take On Disney’s Mistress Of All Evil – MALEFICENT | SciFi Mafia.
I love Disney villains, even more than I love Disney princesses (if you can believe that), and Maleficent is my absolute favorite. I am just thrilled at this upcoming project, and not just because of the Disney villain angle. Much of my work in real life involves proving that villainized women in ancient history were, in fact, the victims of biased writers. I can’t wait to see the story from Maleficent’s point of view. Next up, the Wicked Stepmother? I will at least be enjoying her story in book form, as I purchased a redemptive re-telling of Snow White over the holidays: Fairest of All, by Serena Valentino (2009). What do you think of a Maleficent movie? Please comment below.
The fabulous Gina Torres as Bree. Photo Credit: Guy D'Alema/The CW.
Read on for my recap and review of The Vampire Diaries 1×11, aired January 21st, 2010:
Warning: the recap you are about to read is a tad cranky. Proceed carefully, and with a sense of humor. The Vampire Diaries has really become the show where awesome chicks go to die. I am NOT a fan of this trend. I want my “hot chicks with superpowers,” and I want them to stop getting killed (or, alternatively, losing their powers due to fear). My first reaction after this episode was that I would like to see Alaric the Vampire Slayer stake Damon through his cold dead heart. Of course, upon further thought, that would not be a very good idea for the show (despite Damon’s devilish ways, he is entertaining), but it sure would be satisfying. Like, very satisfying. But I’m jumping ahead of myself. When we last left off, before the HELL-atus, Elena had slept with Stefan, but then she discovered that she looks exactly like Stefan’s ex, Katherine. Yes, that was awkward and alarming, and she ran off, leaving her vervain necklace behind her. Stefan tried to call Elena to explain, but she was too upset, and driving, and she hit a figure who was standing in the road. The car flipped over, and Elena was injured and stuck inside. She saw the figure she had hit get up and walk toward her, and then we had to wait a million years to find out what happened. So, on to the recap.
The mysterious figure approaches Elena’s car, and she is pinned inside and screams. But then, suddenly, the mysterious figure speeds away. So, does his super speed power make him a vamp? Or some other supernatural creature? As soon as the other guy (or rather masculine gal?) is gone, Damon approaches and is surprisingly sweet and helpful. He carries Elena out of the car. However, don’t let that sweetness fool you—he is dead to me (as in dead dead, at least for awhile). Elena murmurs, “I look like her,” and then passes out. He carries her off (to safety?). Cue the title card, though it looks slightly different, and no longer has the rose. Is this a brand new title card, or did I fail to pay close enough attention last year? read more…
Did you love the pilot for Life Unexpected? Of course you did. Are you anxious for more? Of course you are. Check out the videos below for a sneak peek at the upcoming episode of LUX, airing Monday, January 25th at 9/8c on the CW. Also, if you happened to miss the first episode, you can get it for free on iTunes, for a limited time: Download the LUX pilot for free. Alternatively, it is now available on the CW site, to stream: Watch the LUX pilot on CWTV. Enjoy!
Videos courtesy of CWTelevision’s YouTube channel.
Pictured: Kristoffer Polaha as Baze, Britt Robertson as Lux, Shiri Appleby as Cate. Photo Credit: Michael Courtney / The CW.
Read on for my recap and review of the pilot for Life Unexpected, aired January 18th, 2010:
The long-awaited premiere of Life Unexpected has finally aired, and I must say that it did not disappoint. Since I had such high expectations for the show, I did approach viewing it last night (on Monday) with some trepidation, for fear that it would not live up to the hype. But fear not, TV addicts, it is addiction-worthy! There have been a lot of comparisons of LUX (as the show shall hereafter be called, though not to be confused with its adorable main character, Lux) to Juno, and Gilmore Girls, and the classic WB. While somewhat reductionist, these comparisons do work, in a very broad sense. It has the family show appeal of classic WB shows such as Gilmore Girls and Everwood, as all three provide touching and honest looks at dysfunctional family relationships, but never get too over-bearing and sentimental. The offbeat humor and pop culture references also beg a comparison to Gilmore Girls, though the premise and setting are both very different. Occasionally, a character’s penchant for intellectual speech-making, full of self-reflection, reminds me of Dawson’s Creek. As for Juno, I guess it is the whole teen pregnancy thing, but other than that, the only similarity is the ability of the writers of both to provide some humor in approaching a challenging life experience—always a good thing in my book. But LUX is never too funny, and always retains its heart. And on the other hand, it doesn’t overload on the sentimental, and always retains its humor. These characters feel like real people, to whom I can relate. All this after one episode, you say? I’m thinking big, people. But enough comparisons, already! This gem of a show deserves to be looked at on its own merits, and that I will do. On to the recap. read more…
I just read this story, posted on Sci Fi Wire, and was completely moved. I highly recommend that you click on the link below and read, in Nichelle Nichols’ own words, why she decided to remain on Star Trek as Lt. Uhura.
Click here: The ‘true story’ of how Dr. King kept Uhura on Star Trek | SCI FI Wire.
P.S. A belated happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to you.
Photo Credit: The Ausiello Files.
Great news Glee fans, Neil Patrick Harris may (key word is “may”) be guest-starring on the Fox musical this season. And not only would he be guest-starring on Glee, but he would appear in the episode directed by Joss Whedon himself. A Dr. Horrible reunion! I can hardly contain my excitement! Michael Ausiello reports:
“Neil Patrick Harris is nearing a deal to appear in the May sweeps Glee episode that’s being helmed by his Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog director, Joss Whedon.”
via Exclusive: ‘Glee’ and Neil Patrick Harris to make beautiful music together | Ausiello | EW.com. The roadblock to this match made in heaven appears to be the competing networks: NPH is currently starring on a CBS comedy, while Glee is on Fox. Hopefully that impediment can be overcome, and quickly. Positive thoughts, people.
Matt Webb Mitovitch of Fancast News reports that British actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw has been cast as Samantha Bloom, the female lead in Undercovers, J.J. Abrams’ upcoming spy series for NBC. Previously cast, as Steven Bloom, is the extremely dreamy Boris Kodjoe. The two will play husband and wife CIA agents. That is one gorgeous couple. I’m very excited for another spy drama from the creator of Alias, though Abrams has promised that this show will be very different. Check out the link below for the sources and further info:
New J.J. Abrams Drama Finds Its Female Lead | Fancast News.
J.J. Abrams Spy Series Casts Male Lead: Soul Food’s Boris Kodjoe | Fancast News.
Check out the video below for a little preview of the upcoming series finale of Dollhouse, entitled “Epitaph Two: The Return.” As I previously posted, the finale has been postponed a week due to a telethon to benefit the crisis in Haiti, and will air January 29th, at 8/7c.
Video courtesy of mainyufd’s YouTube Channel.
I have posted last night’s episode of Dollhouse below, episode 2×12, via Hulu.com. You can also watch the video for free on FOX on Demand. Alternatively, you can purchase the episodes through Amazon Video on Demand: “Hollow Men”. Or on iTunes: Dollhouse Season 2 in SD or Dollhouse Season 2 in HD. Enjoy!
