Q&A: Jason Ritter And Blair Underwood Discuss The Television ‘Event’ Of The Season

For those television enthusiasts looking for the best way to fill the void left by the departures of Lost and 24, look no further than NBC’s upcoming thriller The Event, set to premiere this Monday night. After promising preliminary buzz and a virtually unavoidable marketing campaign, The Event is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated new shows of the fall season. Lead actors Blair Underwood and Jason Ritter talked to reporters earlier this week about the show’s inevitable comparisons to similarly-themed predecessors, and how they’re just as anxious as the audience is to find out what, exactly, the titular occurrence in question turns out to be.

“The event is something that … can potentially change the course of mankind as we know it,” declared Underwood, who plays U.S. President Elias Martinez. While the actors are certainly aware of secrets they are unable to divulge at this time, both Underwood and Ritter explained that the writers hold the true keys to the heart of The Event, and have had a specific narrative in mind from day one.

“They’ve thought through this world, the mythology of this world, these characters, and really kind of plotted out the first five years,” Underwood said, making sure to mention that the brains behind The Event are plenty aware of prior shows seeped in mystery becoming tangled in their own stratagems as the seasons pile up.

“By the second episode, a lot of the questions will be answered,” Underwood affirmed. “We want to keep the mystery, but not frustrate people,” he said. Ritter, who plays leading everyman Sean Walker, added with a chuckle, “I’m just in the dark so I’m trying to figure it out. But there is a specific event,” he confirmed. “You’re not going to [have to wait to] find out what that is in Season 3. They have a plan.”

Underwood explained how The Event’s focus on its handful of key characters makes for more intimate storytelling amidst a vast concept. “I think they’ve been very smart in looking at the landscape of other shows, serialized shows like this, and knowing it can be too big — especially with a show named The Event. And I think it’s very wise and clever to focus on the characters that are within this world,” he said.

Ritter expanded on this, reminiscing how reading the pilot script for the first time captured his attention and demanded immediate interest in working on the show. “I was fascinated by having to put all these puzzle pieces together,” he said, referring to the multiple plotlines introduced in the first episode, all designed to eventually intersect.

Now having filmed six episodes, Ritter explained how the series is already making considerable headway in both plot advancement and character development. “Seeing these characters … jump back and forth through time,” he began, “and have my character be in a completely different place emotionally in the space of 11 days was really intriguing to me … All the characters felt fully fleshed out and real and it felt like we were in the hands of the first chapter of a really great story.”

Like any great story, The Event hopes to capture a loyal audience who is both anxious for the next chapter to unfold and unable to shake the aftermath of the previous one in between installments. Given the trend of serialized programming intended to keep viewers interested from season to season, Ritter thinks The Event is a fortunately timed endeavor, able to both adhere to the current climate of primetime television and learn from its forerunners’ mistakes.

“I think in The Event you can enjoy an episode in and of itself … but there are more rewards for the people who watch week to week and that’s exciting to have this forward momentum and be telling a story that is moving quickly,” he said. “I think it’s an exciting show and I think that it’s one that certainly … hooked my imagination and it’s the kind of show that you watch and you’re thinking about throughout the week,” he continued. “A lot of the shows that [I’ve] watched I really enjoyed having something to chew on in the week between the episodes … The audiences have shown that they’re ready to go with a show and be taken on a fun ride.”

When asked if The Event will be more likely to follow the direction of political intrigue versus the science fiction aspects of the mysterious event itself, Underwood vehemently favored the former. However, he also attributed The Event’s likelihood of success to both genres. “To have a political thriller with science fiction undertones is something that obviously speaks to an audience,” he said.

Above all, Underwood continued, The Event is the kind of show anyone can find themselves hooked on due to its varied appeal. “You have a love story. You have action. You have sci-fi. You have political conspiracy theories going on,” he listed. “So, it’s a little bit of everything for everybody.”

Don’t miss the series premiere of The Event Monday, September 20 at 9 p.m. EST on NBC. To catch up on all the buzz, be sure to check out www.theeventiscoming.com.

For more interviews and television reviews, click here.

Photographs courtesy of NBC Universal, Joseph Viles, and Justin Lubin.

The Town Review: Toast of The Town

There was a time in the not-so-distant past when Ben Affleck had an arguably rough go of it during his rise to stardom in Hollywood. Negative comparison to his bromantic counterpart, Matt Damon, led to the latter becoming widely considered the more credible of the Oscar-winning Beantown duo. While Damon enjoyed critical and box-office success as thinking-man’s action hero Jason Bourne, Affleck made profitable but mindless schlock like Armageddon and Pearl Harbor. The fallout from his unfortunately willing participation in a widely publicized, tabloid fodder relationship that is single handedly responsible for such words as “Brangelina” in today’s popular lexicon didn’t help, either. To add insult to injury, Gigli polluted theaters in 2003, seemingly solidifying Affleck’s second-banana status.

Then, things began to change. The original Bennifer got an upgrade as Affleck married Daredevil co-star Jennifer Garner with little ado from the paparazzi. In 2006, Affleck displayed acting chops taken seriously for perhaps the first time, playing 1950s Adventures of Superman star George Reeves, in the little seen but well-received Hollywoodland. The next year, Affleck’s directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone, gave skeptics reason to believe he had the genuine skills to helm a competent film as the riveting thriller, centered on the frantic search for a missing child, opened to glowing reviews. This past weekend, Affleck marked his second time as auteur, and the first directing himself as an actor, in the character-driven heist caper The Town.

The titular location is Charlestown, a square-mile neighborhood in (where else?) Boston, where blue-collar locals with proudly Irish heritage and a familial affinity for crime call home. In fact, as both the movie’s promotional posters and opening credits attest, Charlestown’s residents are among the largest population of bank robbers and armored-car thieves in America. Affleck stars as Doug MacRay, a second-generation hoodlum who blew his chance to play pro hockey in favor of a life on the wrong side of the tracks. He and his best friend, James “Jem” Coughlin (the excellent Jeremy Renner from The Hurt Locker), are half of a bank-thieving dream team quartet who launder the stolen cash through the flower shop front of the local godfather, Fergie (Pete Postlethwaite).

The movie kicks off with the first of three gripping heists as Doug, Jem and their two cronies execute an impressively calculated holdup of a Cambridge bank. Despite such forceful precautions as wearing menacing Halloween masks with nuns’ habits, nuking the surveillance tapes in the microwave, and pouring bleach over every possible trace of DNA, the plan is thrown awry as the manager, Claire (Rebecca Hall), trips the alarm with her foot and gets herself taken hostage at the maniacal whim of Jem as a result.

Although Claire is soon set free  — blindfolded, barefoot and blindsided — Jem is concerned when he notices her address on the driver’s license he pocketed as a nearby locale in a gentrifying area of Charlestown. Rather than have her “taken care of,” per Jem’s drastic suggestion, Doug offers to follow her and assess the possible threat to their operation. Once Doug makes his acquaintance with Claire at a staged meet-cute in the laundromat, however, his plan goes out the window as the two strike up genuine conversation and romantic chemistry.

The rest of the film focuses on Doug’s inner turmoil as he wrestles with his desire to emerge from the bottom-of-the-barrel life he was born into and his feelings of obligation to the perpetually troubled people he’s known his entire sheltered life. As his relationship with Claire deepens and his ability to withhold his true identity from her proves more difficult, the increasingly close FBI team (Mad Men’s Jon Hamm makes a welcome appearance as the lead G-man) on their tail, the haunting presence of a junkie ex-girlfriend who refuses to let go (an impressively un-Gossip Girl Blake Lively), and a bone-chilling threat from Fergie lead Doug to the inevitable “one last job.” Although predictable, the film’s use of this ubiquitous plot device in the third act deftly brings all the story elements to a head in a thrilling sequence at Fenway Park where the culmination of every decision Doug has made brings his risky lifestyle to a devastating, all-encompassing climax.

Affleck’s assured, purposeful tone as director is evident throughout the film, from the use of tight, low-angle shots to capture the urgency of a getaway car chase, to the multitude of sweeping vistas across Boston itself to establish the authenticity of the story’s surroundings. While The Town is marketed as a gritty crime saga, this aspect of the film is merely peripheral as the action provides an exciting backdrop for the real heart of the movie. What keeps The Town ticking is a sincere sense of human emotion among its intricately drawn characters, providing pathos that elicits a keen interest in their thoughts and behavior. A particularly heartbreaking, eye-opening scene involves Doug visiting his incarcerated father, serving a life sentence for an armed robbery-turned murder. Chris Cooper as the elder MacRay adds considerable depth to a family history merely alluded to prior to his precious few minutes on screen, bringing further understanding to Doug’s ongoing plight.

The Town is nothing short of a triumph for Affleck, whose directorial career shows promise to surpass his acting resume. Comparisons to Clint Eastwood have already begun circling due to their similar proclivities toward telling wrenching stories that serve as meditations on the human condition. Dennis Lehane’s acclaimed novel Mystic River would have served as a nice companion piece to Affleck’s adaptation of Gone Baby Gone – also a revered book by Lehane – if Eastwood hadn’t nabbed it first.

After circumventing a sophomore slump with a film boasting both personal and professional panache, Affleck’s gut-wrenching, heartstring-tugging The Town will likely solidify his place as a director capable of reliably helming movies that draw both profit and praise.

Project Runway Review: If Jackie Was a Tranny

This week the designers of Project Runway are getting “O” inspired – no, not Oprah – Jackie Kennedy Onassis (“Jackie O”) takes over the runway in picture form to serve as inspiration to the designers. And if you think it’s tough to dress a style icon, you’re completely right as the modern takes on a classic beauty goes terribly wrong and leaves a top tier designer clinging at the bottom heap.

Using Jackie O as inspiration, the designers are tasked with creating a sportswear look. As a second spin, the designers must create a piece of outerwear to go with their designs.

Christopher is perhaps the most excited by this challenge. Being a sportswear designer, he’s in his element and he knows exactly what he’s going to do: a fantastical evening dress that highlights the glamor of their muse. He manages it with this one-shouldered semi-Grecian gown and metallic silver belt. It is beautifully made and completely ruined under the outerwear challenge. For outerwear, Christopher ties this rawhide animal pelt on his model’s shoulders. There is no hint of design to this and it takes away from the beauty of his dress.

You would expect that Gretchen would be right on top when it comes to looking forward to this challenge because as it was revealed in episode 5, Sportswear is her thing. Whether it is or isn’t, Gretchen is pretty much out of the picture for this challenge. I am entirely grateful for this because it seems that every time Gretchen comes on screen this high-pitched noise sounds in my ear. I need to get that checked out.

Andy wasn’t feeling the idea of working with Jackie O because the classic American look doesn’t go with his Asian influenced design. But then he remembers that she was a fashion risk taker…it looks like there is going to be some risky moves today. He settles on a pair of heavily draped cargo pants that really wouldn’t be flattering on anyone as they look like a pair of saddlebags are stitched to her sides. Combine that with an UGLY black/white jacket and a top straight from the trash and it’s a horror.

Ivy confesses herself lost, she doesn’t know what she’s going to make but she knows it’s going to be the same black and white and lack of color that seems to penetrate all of her designs. Yawn. Ivy struggles with this challenge and spends all her time until the runway in catch-up mode. But her final design is okay; high-waisted black pants and a white asymmetrical top. It’s in the top three but that’s probably because the judges felt they needed a top three.

April spends most of her time criticizing the other designers of her own design – there is not much of interest.

Mondo lets the fabric speak to him and what calls out is this purple plaid tweed-like fabric. He later regrets this choice saying it’s what Jackie Kennedy would wear if she came back as a tranny. But it’s too late now to change, so it’s “make it work” time. Mondo makes a purple plaid skirt with a black and white striped top. It’s very Mondo. The vibrant colors scream his design and his smart tailoring make for a great design.

Michael D. hates everything about this challenge. He doesn’t like his fabric choice but he’s stuck with it. He doesn’t like sportswear so he doesn’t refuses to make sportswear. But he’s using sportswear fabric, does that count? No. Michael makes this heavily pleated skirt that is old-school Annie Oakley. Even hearing this from Tim, Michael decides to stick with his design.

Valerie might be the most confused designer of the bunch. Perhaps frustrated with being so often in the top and never snagging a win, she polls the designers on how she should proceed with her look. When Tim comes in, Valerie’s hopes are completely dashed. He finds her super skinny pants “vulgar.” This sends Ivy in a tailspin of design, the addition of the outerwear task further causes upset as Valerie’s top is already a jacket. So she will have two pieces of outwear, but instead of changing the jacket into a top, Valerie makes a vest to go over the jacket. The whole look appears heavy.

Michael C. can’t seem to settle on one design. He makes one dress and then switches it out in favor of another. A couple of the other designers trash on Michael C. because of this, but really they’re just upset that he can make two decent dresses before they can spit out one. His final dress is blue and leaves Michael to worry if it is too cocktail for sportswear.

The guest judge this week is January Jones (Mad Men). The judges love Mondo, Ivy, and Christopher’s designs. Michael called the dress subtle and sexy although all the judges agree that the jacket sucked. Heidi called it a “dirty old rug.” Heidi loves Mondo’s design saying even though it was loud, she could see their muse wearing it. Heidi thinks there is too much design in Ivy’s garment, it was overcomplicated but they did like her choice of color.

Nina confronted Valerie on using pleating and zippers in substitute for design. Michael D. had the judges stumped by his design which Michael Kors called “schizophrenic.” All of the judges agree that they did not see Jackie Kennedy in the design. Heidi tells Andy that she wanted to laugh at his design (oh, harsh) because the baggy pants are so far away from what Jackie Kennedy would wear. Andy takes a pretty hard beating on the runway as the judges don’t seem to like anything about it.

Staying true to self pays off big for Mondo this week, as Heidi calls him the “clear winner” of this challenge. And even though the judges hated everything about Andy’s design, Michael D schizophrenia was too much to tame and got him eliminated this week. Just when I finally learned his name!

Season 8, Episode 8: A Rough Day on the Runway (originally aired September 16, 2010)

For more on Project Runway, click here. You can follow Poptimal on Twitter @poptimal.

Thursdays at 9pm EST on Lifetime

Photographs courtesy of Lifetime.

A Not So ‘Grimm’ Fairytale For America’s Got Talent Winner

The fifth season finale of America’s Got Talent provided a diverse quartet of finalists who each brought their own devoted fan base to the voting lines. Tuesday night’s performance show in Hollywood saw each contestant give it their all for the chance to win the grand prize of $1 million and a coveted headlining show at Caesar’s Palace in the heart of the Las Vegas strip.

While three of the four remaining acts were varying types of singers, each provided a unique style and demeanor to their particular brand of musicality. Glitzy opera diva Prince Poppycock won over the judges and viewers alike throughout the season with his over-the-top glamour and campy joie de vivre, while the shy and soulful singer-songwriter Michael Grimm enjoyed a steady rise to the Talent finals after not making it past preliminary rounds last season. Pint-size prima donna Jackie Evancho’s truly prodigious soprano stunned anyone within earshot from her first audition for the show to her final performance of “Ave Maria.” To keep things interesting among the majority of vocal talent, unique black-light illusionists Fighting Gravity rounded out the finalists as the only non-musical act, who instead focused on stunning visuals and impressive physicality to earn their spot in the final four.

Tuesday night’s definitive performances narrowed the competition to a duel between Evancho and Grimm after judge Piers Morgan gave Poppycock a shocking and, according to fellow panelist Sharon Osbourne, “selfish” buzz of disapproval during his uncharacteristically serious rendition of “Nessun Dorma.” Morgan continued to defend his blatant disapproval after the show, calling Poppycock’s decision to tone down his trademark theatricality “self indulgent,” later adding, “You’ve gotta be flamboyant. It would be like Liberace coming out without the wig. What’s the point?” Poppycock retaliated with a statement of composed confidence regarding the surprising departure from his usual lighthearted revelry. “I’ve been celebrated on this show for never doing the same thing twice, and I honestly would get bored if I just became a one trick pony,” he said. “I honestly feel that viewers enjoy being touched emotionally as well as being roused by razzle, dazzle, and shazam.”

Despite an eye-popping visual feast that would likely be a hit in Vegas, Fighting Gravity made an unfortunate performance error that would have possibly gone unnoticed in many viewers’ households had Morgan, always the party pooper, not pointed it out during the telecast.

“It was very obvious,” Morgan declared in a later interview. “You saw a shadowy guy in black run across a red door.”

Despite their finale-night gaffe, Fighting Gravity showed no remorse and remained hopeful about their standing in the competition.

“We think America likes our act just ‘cause they can let their imagination go and enjoy the illusions,” said member Gregg Curtin, further adding his opinion on why their act should be considered superior to the three singers. “To learn a song and learn the lyrics is a little different than putting an act together from scratch, so we hope America knows that.”

Morgan agreed that Fighting Gravity has a successful future ahead of them regardless of the Talent voting results, but considered the mistake a surefire chink in their armor. “It won’t detract from them having a great career, but it might mean they don’t win,” he mused.

Pittsburgh native Evancho all but blew the studio doors off their hinges as her performance of “Ave Maria” garnered such thunderous applause one might have thought a small earthquake had just rumbled underneath the streets of Hollywood. The precocious 10-year-old demonstrated remarkable poise in a situation that would rattle the nerves of many seasoned singers, but nonetheless expressed relief at her imminent chance to be a regular kid again – until the America’s Got Talent tour kicks off in October, that is.

“After the show’s over, I think that I’m gonna go home and just relax for a little bit after a whole bunch of stress and nerves,” she admitted. “I’m most looking forward to being able to go to school, being able to see my pets and being able to sleep!”

Despite an understandable desire to return to normalcy, Evancho has her fifth-grade sights set far beyond the playground. “My ultimate dream would have to be to be a professional classical crossover singer and to have a career out of it,” she declared.

Bluesy crooner Michael Grimm brought the audience to its feet with a smashing performance of “When A Man Loves A Woman,” further securing his likelihood to face the widely considered shoo-in Evancho for the crown. His touching backstory involving his grandparents losing their home in Hurricane Katrina and his plans to use the prize money to build them a new house has garnered a legion of fans who admire his selflessness, in addition to his musical talent.

When asked if he had ever considered what he would purchase for himself if he were to win the $1 million grand prize, Grimm said with unblinking conviction the notion hadn’t even crossed his mind. “I would probably just keep maybe 50 to 100 grand of it and the rest of it will go to charity and people who need it,” he said.

Judge Howie Mandel declared Grimm his favorite to win, and referenced Osbourne’s admittance that husband Ozzy had a bet riding on Grimm’s victory. “I predict,” he announced after Grimm’s powerhouse performance, “tomorrow night at this time, Ozzy Osbourne is $100 richer.”

Morgan agreed that Grimm had delivered his best performance yet, but gave the edge to Evancho. “I think that if it’s based on raw talent, which I think this show should be at this stage, then Jackie Evancho, to me, is the standout performer,” he said, before making a point to add, “I’ve gotta say, Michael Grimm was fantastic tonight.”

Osbourne was a bit more mysterious while giving her opinion, saying, “I think that two of them were absolutely million dollar, perfection performances,” but refused to pick a winner, declaring it simply too close to call. “I can’t call it, I really can’t,” she said, shaking her head. “They’re neck and neck.”

While the judges unanimously expressed confident opinions that either Evancho or Grimm would be crowned the fifth winner of America’s Got Talent after Tuesday night’s performances, host Nick Cannon chose to cheer for the underdog.

“I’m rooting for Fighting Gravity,” he declared. “I’d like to see something other than singing take it.” Cannon added, however, he is more than happy with his objective on-air position as host. “I don’t like critiquing. I’m glad that’s not my job!” he laughed.

Wednesday night’s results initially provided little surprise as Prince Poppycock and Fighting Gravity were named the fourth and third runners-up, respectively, leaving expected final two Evancho and Grimm. Entertaining performances from all four acts with celebrity guests provided levity in a suspenseful situation the contestants would have surely found excruciating otherwise. Prince Poppycock showcased a rousing performance of “Last Dance” with disco icon Donna Summer that evoked his trademark tongue-in-cheek fun that reminded the audience – and the judges – why he belonged in the finals in the first place. Michael Grimm and Jewel sang a lovely duet of “Me and Bobby McGee,” while Evancho met her vocal match with soprano star Sarah Brightman. Fighting Gravity provided a flawless accompaniment to Lionel Richie’s live rendition of the appropriate “Dancing on the Ceiling.”

In the final minutes of the show, Cannon let an agonizing amount of time lapse between his statement of “the winner is,” and the actual announcement of the name. When Michael Grimm was finally pronounced the victor, the stunned audience had to be reminded to applaud, and a collective “Wow!” echoed through the walls of the press room. Many thought Evancho had all but sealed the deal with her seemingly unbeatable combination of unprecedented talent and youth, but several offered reasoned theories regarding Grimm’s upset.

“I think the outcome is right,” said Osbourne. “Michael has never had a break in his life. He’s 30-years-old, he knows what this means, he understands how huge this is … that money means so much to Michael … he gets it. I just think that it was appropriate that he won … Everybody loves an underdog, and when you see somebody that’s been knocking on doors for years and years and has got turned away at every knock … you want them to go for it.”

Grimm’s onstage partner Jewel agreed, saying, “I’m very happy for Michael … I personally probably would have voted for [him] just because … he’s 30 and this is his time.”

Morgan expressed genuine surprise at Jackie’s second place finish, but displayed support and confidence in Grimm’s potential and future. “Yeah, a big shock tonight, but Michael Grimm’s a great singer,” he acknowledged. “I’m very proud of him … he’s a very humble, sincere, genuine guy, great voice. No shame losing to him – he’s great.”

Mandel seemed to be the least surprised as he recalled how he’d considered Grimm the frontrunner for some time. “Not [a shock] for me, I called it right from the beginning,” he said. “So, I’m thrilled.”

Evancho didn’t show a sliver of disappointment as she enthusiastically expressed excitement for her colleague. “I feel very happy that I haven’t won, because I knew that Michael was going to win,” she said, adding, “He really did deserve it.”

Grimm himself was nearly at a loss for words after his victory, but lit up when reminded of his opportunity to provide for his family the way he’d always hoped due to the cash prize. “I can’t wait to get down there and start looking for a piece of property so we can start building that house for them,” he said with a big smile.

Season 5, Episode 30 and 31: Finale: Winner Revealed

Photos courtesy Erin Biglow for Poptimal.com

It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Review: Still Wonderfully Offensive

For five blessed seasons now, the twisted and hilarious cast of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has treated us to a wide variety of hilariously offensive hi-jinks unlike anything else on television and the sixth season premiere episode that aired this week promises no less than the same. The aptly titled “Mac Fights Gay Marriage” starts this new season on a very high note and as usual doesn’t pull any punches when confronting a touchy social issue.

Mac’s (Rob McElhenney) quest against gay marriage begins when he runs into his old tranny fling, Carmen (Brittany Daniel) at the gym. Carmen just happens to be an extremely attractive former male who is now married to an extremely large black gentleman. You may remember him from those Miller High Life commercials where in a very high-pitched voice he asks, “Is that a portrait of the dog?!”

Mac sees this particular union as troubling (he’s actually just jealous) and begins a ranting campaign against gay marriage by making up bible verses. And when he actually confronts the happy couple with his rage they basically just turn it back on him and suggest he’s gay for having sex with Carmen when she still had a dick. Fair argument if you ask me!

The arguments against gay marriage seem to have the opposite effect though on Charlie (Charlie Day) and Frank (Danny DeVito) who after a hilarious session of trying to crack each other’s backs decide to share health insurance by seeking a domestic partnership. Despite the massive amounts of paperwork and Frank’s concern of having “to be the woman” in the relationship, they decide to give it a shot. They even ask Carmen for advice by posing probing questions to her like, “Did they really sell your dick to China?” You can imagine how well that went.

And then there is Dennis (Glenn Howerton) who is affected by all this talk of marriage by reflecting on what could have been with his junior high sweetheart, Maureen Ponderosa.  But rather than just live in the memories he tracks her down and arranges a nice meal together at Subway. And being the good friend that he is he asks Maureen to bring her brother, Bill, along for Dee (Kaitlin Olson) who used to find Bill so hot that she would gag. Well, Bill has now put on about 100 lbs so Dee bails from eating fresh and leaves Dennis with Maureen who is still cute (in a way) despite wearing a sweatshirt with a cat airbrushed on it.

We don’t really get to see the date unfold but we assume it goes well because lo and behold in the next scene they’re married! And so she can move in, Dennis evicts Mac from their apartment, which is really not a big deal since he doesn’t own anything.

Maureen is clearly a freak with her cat sweatshirts, dead tooth, and love of fish sticks (her whispering “I bought some” will haunt me for days), but my favorite description of her comes from Frank who says, “She smells like she was nibbling on little pieces of shit.” What else do you need to know?

The title of next week’s episode is “Dennis Gets A Divorce” so you can probably imagine how long this marriage will last but it was definitely a welcome addition to a very funny episode. It’s Always Sunny may not be my favorite television comedy of all time but damn it, when they’re funny, they’re REALLY funny and I’m happy to see that the gang still hasn’t lost their touch. Here’s to another great season ahead!

Season 6, Episode 1: Mac Fights Gay Marriage (originally aired September 16, 2010)

For more on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, click here.

Thursdays at 10pm on FX

Photographs courtesy of FX and IMDbPro

The Vampire Diaries Review: Back for Another Season of Hot Bods and Biting

It was a long, long summer since we last left the troubled residents of Mystic Falls in The Vampire Diaries’ explosive first season finale, but the series is now back for another season of sexy vampires, high body counts, and lots and lots of biting. And to say that the cast and crew hit the ground running would be putting it lightly with two new episodes setting the stage for a lot of shit to go down.

You might remember from the closing moments of last season’s finale that the Salvatore brothers’ long lost love, Katherine had returned to Mystic Falls to wreak havoc on both the brothers and anyone else who gets in her way. She quickly gets evil Uncle John to leave town and because she looks just like our heroine, Elena (Nina Dobrev), there is no end to the trouble she can cause. Damon (Ian Somerhalder) is sadly under the impression that she has returned to be with him but when he asks her she coldly admits that Stefan (Paul Wesley) is the only one she’s ever actually loved. Ouch!

Damon, who is typically tough as nails, would maybe be able to get over this rejection pretty quickly but the fact that he’s been waiting around for this chick for 150 years and was also recently denied affection by her doppelganger, Elena, means that things are going to get ugly. Almost instantly he tries to kill Elena’s brother, Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen), just for kicks but he is protected by one of those handy magic rings. But trust me when I say we haven’t seen the last of Damon’s rage.

By far the most exciting and amusing aspect of the new season so far is the direction that the once boring and pointless character, Caroline (Candice Accola) is being taken. After being seriously injured in the season finale, Caroline is given a quick recovery thanks to a dose of Damon’s vampire blood, which has the gift of healing. Normally, this would mean nothing but good things for Caroline but evil Katherine takes it a final step and smothers the girl to death with a pillow. This would usually be the end of the story but instead, with Damon’s blood in her she becomes a vampire too!

I personally think that seeing someone new deal with these powers for the first time is fascinating so it was kind of a joy watching her taste her first blood, realize that the light hurts her, and learning how she can control people’s action and memory. She doesn’t keep it a secret long though and opinions vary on what to do with her. Damon thinks she should be killed, Elena is just plain distraught, and Stefan thinks she can be calmed and taught to be a nice vampire like him. Luckily, his plan wins out for the time being so it’ll be interesting to see how that turns out especially when her already traumatized boyfriend, Matt (Zach Roerig) learns the truth.

And then of course we have the Lockwoods. Last season we pretty much came to hate Mayor Lockwood and his angry son Tyler (Michael Trevino) but the mayor is now kaput and his younger and much cuter brother, Mason (Taylor Kinney) has come to town for the funeral. I long suspected last season that the raging Tyler would be a werewolf and sure enough this appears to be exactly the case as his uncle showed off some of his own wolfy strength and glowing eyes. Damon is suspicious of the family but can’t put his finger on what they are exactly so clearly, he’s never seen Twilight or True Blood where werewolves apparently now go hand in hand with vampires likes peas and carrots. It’ll be kind of a shame to see Tyler’s lovely physique covered in fur but I’ll take what I can get I suppose.

Mind you that was a very brief rundown of the latest goings-on. I haven’t even scratched the surface of other things such as the witch, Bonnie’s (Katerina Graham) hatred of vampires and bitter Jeremy’s intent on revenge but there will be many weeks ahead to discuss these issues in detail in what will surely be a season of many twists and turns.

Aesthetically the show has changed very little. The lighting is still too dark, the music is pure CW, and the cast is about as attractive as they come. And believe it or not – some of them even have acting chops! So let’s get settled in for a rousing second season and check back here every week for my recap and thoughts on where the show is headed. I promise not to bite…hard.

Season 2, Episodes 1 and 2: The Return and Brave New World (Originally aired on September 9 and 16, 2010)

For more on The Vampire Diaries, click here.

Thursdays at 8/7c on The CW

Photographs courtesy of The CW, Art Streiber, Quantrell Colbert, and Annette Brown.

Top Chef Review: It Ends With a Thud

If last season I wondered if Michael Voltaggio was the right Voltaggio to win Top Chef, it at least felt satisfying that the best two contestants were at the very top. It was an exciting finale to see which brother would claim the prize. Unfortunately this time around season seven ended in the same vein as it began, a big EH. It wasn’t a very satisfying win simply because the victor didn’t really shine the entire season.

The episode was certainly full of drama and both expected and unexpected twists, beginning with the chefs being called back to judges’ table. There they are paired up with a former Top Chef winner; Ed with Ilan Hall, Angelo and Hung Huynh, and Kevin with his buddy Michael Voltaggio. There is another twist as Tom informs the chefs that Eric Ripert and he will be buying their ingredients for them in the morning. They are to cook the best four-course meal of their lives including a dessert course.

This the first time all three contestants will have the exact same ingredients and a mandatory dessert dish. This is a genius move because the judges will be able to really see the creativity of each contestant to work with the materials they have. A well-rounded chef should also be able to make a fantastic dessert.

The first course had to feature vegetables; second course had to show the red mullet as the main ingredient; a whole duck had to be the star of the third course and the mandatory fourth course dessert.

The Top Chef hopefuls relax with the past winners back at the hotel. Angelo clocks out early to go to sleep, buddy’s not feeling too well. The morning comes and a doctor is called in because he’s really sick. Tom decides that Hung will communicate with Angelo via phone to get instructions on ingredients to buy and what/how to prep for the following day.

Hung is a prep machine and Angelo is ridiculously lucky that he got the only Asian winner of Top Chef with the finals being in Singapore. He spends the whole day in bed with the doctor checking in on him. Next day comes though and he’s pronounced well enough to cook. Incidentally, shouldn’t the judges be worried about catching Angelo’s sickness because he’s in such close contact with the food he’s cooking? Just a thought.

Here are their menus:

Angelo

First Course: Grilled Royale Mushrooms with Fresh Noodles, Pork Belly Char Siu Bao, and Watermelon Tea

Second Course: Asian-style Bouillabaisse over Sautéed Rouget and Poached Cuttlefish

Third Course: Duck and Foie Gras with Marshmallow and Tart Cherry Shooter

Fourth Course: “Thai Jewel” – Coconut Milk and Shaved Ice with Exotic Fruits

Ed

First Course: Chilled Summer Corn Velouté

Second Course: Bacon-Wrapped Slipper Lobster and Char-grilled Cuttlefish

Third Course: Duo of Duck: Roasted Breast and Stuffed Neck

Fourth Course: Sticky Toffee Date Cake

Kevin

First Course: Eggplant, Zucchini and Roasted Pepper Terrine

Second Course: Pan-seared Rouget with Cuttlefish “Noodles”

Third Course: Roasted Duck with Duck Dumplings

Fourth Course: “Singapore Sling 2010″ with Coconut Panna Cotta

The regular panel of judges (Tom, Padma, Eric, and Gail) as well as guests KF Seetoh, David Chang, and Susan Feniger enjoyed most of the food brought out and once again it seemed like they would be nitpicking through the dishes to determine who won.

In the end Kevin is crowned the new Top Chef. It seemed like Ed’s reluctance to create a creative dessert dish did him in (not to mention it was really Ilan’s entire concoction), while Angelo’s dishes were good but needed a little bit more work to be outstanding. Kevin won because he executed well and his dessert was good. Does that qualify him to win the competition? I guess so!

Did his win feel satisfying? Not really. I actually would have preferred Ed or Angelo because they were at least more consistently winning challenges. Kevin, the underdog of the competition, was an unexpected choice. Season seven though comes full circle as it ends with an unimpressive thud. I’m just glad it’s over.

Season 7, Episode 14: Finale Pt. 2 (original air date Sept. 15, 2010)

For more on Top Chef, click here. You can follow Poptimal on Twitter @poptimal.

Wednesdays at 10/9C, Bravo

Photographs courtesy of Bravo and Joan Leong.

Chase: Interview with Kelli Giddish and Cole Hauser

In preparation for the premiere of NBC’s Chase, today I had the chance to interview with Kelli Giddish (All My Children) and Cole Hauser (The Family That Preys) about their new series set to debut Monday, September 20.

Okay, first things first. I feel it is only fair to tell you that I absolutely LOVED Kelli Giddish on All My Children. As JR’s mother, Di, she humanized him and for that I will always be grateful. And as for Cole Hauser, yeah, The Family That Preys is one of only 2 Tyler Perry Films that I even bothered to watch. And Hauser’s performance as William Cartwright was dynamic. He was a bad, bad boy, but darn if he wasn’t charming about it.

I go into this to say that these two rock in my book! And having their star wattage collide into this show is very exciting for me. But I’m done with the gushing and let’s get on to Chase.

Based in Texas, Chase is a police drama that follows a fugitive-apprehension team of US Marshals. Each week the show will introduce a different fugitive desperate to escape the law, and showcase the team as they search to track him down. It sounds sort of like Dog the Bounty Hunter, with better writing and no mullets. (At least I hope there are no mullets.)

The group is headed by Deputy Marshal Annie Frost (Giddish) who, it turns out, has a criminal history of her own. “She has a lot of soul to her, but she’s also hugely related to her job,” Giddish says. “Her father’s still an outstanding fugitive so she goes out there every day in order to prove she’s not a criminal herself.”  Working together with Jimmy Godfrey (Hauser) for the past five years, the two have an impressive record to attest to that.

When asked what drew them to this show, Hauser speaks of the uniqueness of his character, Godfrey. A US Marshal with “old-school values,” Hauser was intrigued by this character who is unlike any other he has ever played before. Kelli was also drawn in by her character. She describes Annie Frost as a “kick-butt” character and revels in the opportunities that playing such a strong character has afforded her. Not to mention that this series is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, producer of CSI, Cold Case and The Amazing Race. As far as backing goes, that seems like a pretty good team to be on.

And speaking of team, the group of Marshals is rounded out by Amaury Nolasco, Rose Rollins, Jesse Metcalfe, and Sierra Palmer. Hauser and Giddish have nothing but good things to say about their fellow cast members.  “We’ve got a great team behind us,” Hauser says. “We have a great chemistry. We spend 14-16 hours a day together, sometimes 6 days a week. So we all kind of come together as a team; we watch each other’s back in the show and the chemistry is fantastic.”

It sounds like a dynamite combination, and I am really excited about it. But just in case you’re not there yet, let’s go over it again. There’s Jerry Bruckheimer, Kelli Giddish, Cole Hauser, Texas, US Marshals, police drama, action, old-school heroes, daddy issues, a great team with amazing chemistry and absolutely no mullets (hopefully, though in no way a guarantee). It’s all so great I can’t even process this except to say BRING IT ON!!!

Chase premieres on NBC Monday, September 20, at 10/9c.

For more television reviews, click here.

Photographs courtesy of NBC Universal, Vivian Zink and Brian Bowen Smith.

Gossip Girl Review: The B*tch Is Back. For a Minute.

“Ugh. Please don’t talk about her Geor-gina.” – Best quote ever from Vanessa (Jessica Szohr).

Mixed feelings accompanied my excitement over the return of Gossip Girl last night. I worried the writers wouldn’t be able to keep the Chuck/Blair storyline interesting and begin to annoy viewers with an incessant will-they-won’t-they madness. I felt elation over the disappearance of Jenny Humphrey (Taylor Momsen), concern over the return of Georgina (Michelle Trachtenberg).

Writers, I am impressed. Especially after the filthy mess you made of the last half of the third season.

Oh, Dan Humphrey (Penn Badgley). Poor Lonely Boy, what have you gotten yourself into now? For those who missed last season’s finale (in which I threw a pillow at my brand new, very nice television set), Georgina Sparks showed up about ready to pop out a baby she claimed belonged to Dan. Now, the little tyke has made his entrance into the world and his “parents” are living together in Brooklyn. Vanessa is the first to stumble on this nugget of information, and immediately forgives Dan for spending the night with Serena while they were dating. Of course she does. She’s Vanessa. Boring, but tried and true. It turns out they haven’t procured a paternity test and Dan refused to sign the birth certificate until he gets one. It’s a smart move, considering that Georgina is a lying, conniving…well, liar. Plus she’s crazy. Eventually she gets tired of waiting and springs the baby news on Lily (Kelly Rutherford) and Rufus (Matthew Settle), who also insist Dan get a paternity test. Georgina pulls one out of her bag – already completed. Now, Dan turns dumb again. He calls the doctor – Georgina’s doctor – to confirm the results and then SIGNS THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE. It’s unclear at this juncture whether or not baby Milo is actually Dan’s son, but now he is, at least legally. At the end of the episode Georgina leaves Dan and the baby asleep. I get the distinct impression she’s not coming back.

Meanwhile, Blair (Leighton Meester) and Serena (Blake Lively) are running amok around Paris – at least Serena is. She has slept with an indeterminate number of waiters, bartenders, and other common folk while Blair hasn’t mustered the courage to step out from underneath her “Chuck cloud.” What’s more, Serena has been accepted to Columbia but is keeping the information from Blair, who she suspects isn’t going to be happy about sharing the limelight once again. Life seems to take a turn for the better when a handsome guy asks Blair on a date as she studies her favorite painting – and she overhears a conversation leading her to believe he’s part of the royal family of Monaco. Serena ends up getting invited along as well but nothing can dampen Blair’s spirits at the prospect of finally meeting her Prince Charming. Er, except finding out he’s actually the prince’s driver and Serena’s date is the actual royal. Blair makes a total ass of herself on the date, and loses her mind completely when she receives a phone call from her mother and learns about Serena’s plans for the fall. It culminates in a perfect, old school, Blair moment in which she shoves Serena in a fountain and goes back to the date alone. As fate would have it, Blair’s date was the actual prince all along – he had been testing her interest in him versus his title. She failed. Poor Blair. She and Serena make up and decide being at Columbia together won’t be so bad. Blair has a nice emotional moment where she admits that she’s not over Chuck (Ed Westwick) and worries she might never be. Once again we get this really interesting arc in her character; the one where she’s only the best version of herself when Chuck – by all accounts a bad influence – is by her side. I love their characters. Though their storyline is often clichéd, Chuck and Blair have a unique dynamic that makes this relationship interesting to watch.

So, where is Chuck Bass, exactly? We feared (though not too seriously) that he might be dead after being shot in Prague at the tail end of last year’s season finale. An attorney finally alerts Lily to his disappearing act and she worries something has happened to him. She gets a call from someone stating Chuck’s body washed up in Paris. It can’t be Chuck, though, because Chuck was apparently rescued and nursed back to health by a hot, blond Austrian girl who promptly fell in love with him. It appears Chuck is trying to start a new life and erase the old one by faking his own death. I don’t imagine this will work, for two reasons. One, Serena will go to identify the body and realize it’s not him. Second, he and his Austrian chick are now in Paris. The previews for next week promise sparks will fly as he struggles to choose his new life over another chance with Blair. Happy sigh.

Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford) has been left brokenhearted in New York City while Serena gallivants off to Paris with Blair. To cope, he does what any sensible college student would do – drinks too much and sleeps around. Until he meets a girl (Katie Cassidy) at a restaurant (Juliet, how original), who he thinks might get his mind off Serena for good. When he runs into her later at a catered event, he ends up baring his poor, battered soul and asking her out for coffee.

Insert the most intriguing nugget of this week’s premiere. Juliet goes to meet Nate wearing designer clothes that she doesn’t own – evidenced by the fact she leaves the tags on but hidden – but that’s not her biggest secret. Pictures of Nate and Serena, along with newspaper clippings of “Manhattan’s Elite” adorn her walls. On her computer, the Gossip Girl site.

My original thought is simply that she’s going to take Jenny’s place as the social climbing, backstabbing liar, using and abusing Nate in his vulnerable state.

My second thought is this: could Juliet be Gossip Girl?

My vote is for the first option, but I’d love to hear what you think!

Season 4, Episode 1: Belles de Jour (originally aired September 13, 2010)

For more on Gossip Girl, click here.

Mondays at 9/8C, The CW

Photographs courtesy of The CW, Giovanni Rufino

Entourage Review: A Fallen Star

I know Hollywood likes a comeback, but Vince is really stacking the deck against himself.  What began as harmless, flaky behavior has escalated into a self-destructive, dangerous lifestyle.  Vince is going on epic benders and shirking his responsibilities.  In short, he’s behaving like an addict.  He fails to come home, forgets to make an appearance at Ari’s son’s baseball game, and isn’t answering his phone.  His jealousy about Sasha’s job causes a fight on the set of her movie, and they finally break up when she refuses to quit.  Vince has never been a jerk.  Despite his fame, talent, and good looks, he’s always carried himself like an approachable, humble guy.  Now he’s a grade A douchebag, demanding favors and reminding old friends about all that he’s done for them.  He looks like shit and is acting even worse.  While Eric and the gang try to track him down, Scott tells E that Vince showed up at his house in the wee hours of the morning looking for coke.  Drama decides that Vince needs an intervention, and everyone assembles at his house, even Sasha.  Now here’s where I have a problem.  Sasha isn’t too far off from needing re-hab herself; I don’t think she’s in a position to be judging Vince.  In fact, she’s the one who ushered in this new lifestyle, and now I’m supposed to believe that she’s as classy and concerned as someone like Sloan?  Nope, I’m not buying it.  I digress.  Of course when Vince arrives he responds with hostility to the intervention.  He downplays everything and is in serious denial.  He storms out and the intervention is a failure.  Meanwhile, his reputation as a druggie is gaining steam.

Ari has to be the most stressed out.  His marriage is crumbling and his star client is teetering on the edge.  He plans a lavish birthday party for his wife, hoping to make amends for his mortifying stunt with Amanda at the restaurant.  Mrs. Ari wants little to do with him, and he’s disappointed to find that she called in reinforcements in the form of her sister, who acts as an abrasive buffer between the two.  He bribes her sister to help him get her back to the house for the surprise party, but at the last minute she is a no-show.  Cristina Aguilera is even there to serenade her with her favorite song.  Ari was warned to cancel the party, that it was too soon and bad timing.  He proceeded anyway, and like most things lately – it blew up in his face.  His wife calls and says that she needs some space and distance from him.  I know that they love each other a great deal, but they have been having difficulty aligning their priorities for quite some time.  This was almost inevitable.

Turtle and Mark Cuban have managed to reach an agreement about financing for Avion, with Cuban agreeing to take a back seat and just provide the 5 million for another factory.  I would love for Turtle to finally become successfully independent and wealthy.  He is a good character and he looks great.  He doesn’t perpetually rock a fitted Yankees hat anymore, and he’s lost a lot of weight. Go Turtle, I see you!

To be honest, Entourage has run its course.  It pains me to say that, as it’s one of my favorite shows.  They have really taken Vince’s character everywhere.  From up-and-comer to “it” boy, with a comeback mixed in for good measure.  Now they are turning him into druggie and an asshole.  That’s not the Vince we know and love.  Stick him in re-hab and let him bounce back.  The episode ends with Vince crashing an Eminem party, making an ass of himself with an actress, and getting into a huge brawl.  Johnny has his back (as always), but Vince has now made his problem a very public issue.  While he was getting his ass kicked at the club, I actually wondered for a second if Vince was going to die.  He ends up in the hospital, his face a battered mess.  I suspect he will lose his role in Air-walker because of this.  They needed him to come in the next day to do some shoots, and his face is in no shape for that.  Plus, the police found a bag of coke on him at the hospital, so I suspect he’ll be in jail at least for a couple of hours.  Way to go Vince! I’m glad he will be put out of his misery after one more season.  This has been a disappointing season for me, and the addiction storyline had a natural progression but still seems forced.  Vince isn’t new to Hollywood, and he’s been down and out before.  Now he develops a drug problem?  It will be interesting to see how these conflicts are resolved in the next and final season.

Season 7, Episode 10: Lose Yourself (originally aired September 12, 2010)

For more Entourage, click here.

Sundays at 10:30pm ET/PT on HBO

Photographs courtesy of HBO and IMDbPro

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