Category Archives: TV

‘Dallas’ returns strong, builds to goodbye to JR

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larry_hagman_dallas_season two

It was, perhaps, inevitable. After battling cancer for years, Larry Hagman – beloved by a couple of generations of soap opera watchers as J.R. Ewing of “Dallas” – succumbed last November, after filming a few episodes of the second season of the “Dallas” revival on TNT.

TNT and producer Cynthia Cidre – the latter responsible for the topnotch return of the series last year – have said they’ll pay homage to not only Hagman but the famous “Who Shot J.R.” storyline from the show’s original run decades ago by killing off J.R. in an upcoming episode.

The passing of the Texas oil man and winking conniver and womanizer will have a big impact on the show. I’m not convinced we’ll see a third season, but that depends on how much viewers judge the series has lost because of Hagman’s passing.

In the meantime, let’s all raise a glass – even if imaginary – of bourbon and branch and enjoy Hagman as J.R. while we still have him. We can start Monday night, when the new season begins.

I’ve seen the first two hours and found them like the best of the first season: Enjoyable soapy goings-on with misunderstandings, back stabbings and intrigue aplenty.

As Bobby, his son Christopher and J.R.’s son John Ross jump-start Ewing Energies, all the characters have some good scenes. John Ross picks up the bride to be at a bachelorette party and beds her to blackmail her father, uttering the immortal phrase, “Love is for pussies.”

Christopher’s bride, Rebecca – revealed last season to be the daughter of longtime Ewing rival Cliff Barnes – returns and a custody battle will soon be brewing over the twin babies she’s carrying.

Bobby continues to investigate the circumstances behind the kidnapping, 20 years earlier, of wife Anne’s child.

And Sue Ellen’s political fortunes very nearly drive her to drink again.

Dallas / EP201

I really, really want this new “Dallas” to succeed, but they might have a tough row to hoe without Hagman. If the producers focus on snappy lines and meaty stories for Josh Henderson as John Ross, they might create a truly worthy follow-up.

It’ll be hard to top Hagman’s character or his delivery, though. Example: A line in the second half of the premiere when J.R. turns to a Barnes family henchman and asks, “How does it feel to be a poodle?”

J.R., we’re going to miss you.

Last thoughts on ‘Last Resort’

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last-resort-series-finale-controlled-flight-into-terrain

“Last Resort,” the good series with an awful name that evoked images of a “Weekend with Bernie”-style 1980s comedy, started off strong. The amazing Andre Braugher led a very good cast in the story of the Colorado, a U.S. Navy nuclear sub that goes renegade after its captain, Marcus Chaplin (Braugher) refuses to nuke Pakistan. The U.S. government reacts badly, to say the least, and makes the Colorado a target and Chaplin is named public enemy number one.

It turns out that something is rotten in Washington, and Chaplin, executive officer Sam (Scott Speedman) and crew hole up on an Indian Ocean island. They’re quickly isolated by a U.S. blockade, set upon by mutineers led by the chief of boat (Robert Patrick, we love you) alternately battle and canoodle with islanders and dally with the Chinese, who offer aid to score points on the global stage.

But after a strong start, the show seemed to grow more and more complicated and shed viewers who probably couldn’t keep up. I watched every episode and I found myself lost at times among all the characters and double-crosses and triple-crosses.

The 13th and what turned out to be final episode, “Controlled Flight Into Terrain,” had been written before producer Shawn Ryan found out the show had been canceled. Ryan took the time to retool the episode, however, jamming in resolutions for the characters and the central plot of the series and bringing the plot to a close.

In a single hour, we saw the resolution of the mutiny, the return of an old enemy from the crew, the climax of the Washington intrigue that served as the backdrop for the show and a homecoming for some of the members of the crew of the Colorado.

“Last Resort” probably bit off more than it could chew, not unlike “Lost” before it. But I can’t fault Ryan and the show for being too ambitious. Viewers didn’t turn out, however. So the boat was permanently beached.

TV crush: Darleen Carr

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darleen carr

You couldn’t watch TV in the 1970s without having a little crush on Darleen Carr.

Carr, born in 1950, came from an acting family. Her older sister, Charmian, played the oldest girl in “The Sound of Music.”

Darleen Carr herself had musical talent, contributing her voice not only to “The Sound of Music” and “The Jungle Book” but releasing an album of music in 1988.

Although Carr appeared in movies and guest starred on many TV shows in the 1970s and 1980s, she was best known for a couple of parts.

darleen carr long

She was a young temptress in the very strange Clint Eastwood Western “The Beguiled,” a 1971 classic.

She played Henry Fonda’s daughter in “The Smith Family,” an odd 1971 TV series that was a mix of family comedy and police drama starring the veteran film actor.

And she played, Jeannie, Karl Malden’s daughter on “The Streets of San Francisco,” that ’70s Quinn Martin production that co-starred Michael Douglas.

When Malden’s Mike Stone wasn’t worried about the latest killer to stalk the city by the bay, he was worried that his adorable daughter was dating a guy who wasn’t good enough for her.

And who can blame him? Carr was one of TV’s classic sweethearts.

According to the Interwebs, Carr is married to Jameson Parker, the now 65-year-old (!) former co-star of “Simon and Simon.”

In the 1990s, Carr kept busy doing voice acting for animated shows and video games.

Superman’s ‘S’ shield through the decades

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Superman Shield-Poster

Here’s a cool graphic, from Steve Younis and the people at the Superman Homepage, recalling the dozens of variations on Superman’s “S” shield over the decades.

From the original one, interpreted by Superman’s creators Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, as a kind of crest, to later movie and TV versions to more sophisticated interpretations of recent years, there’s a lot of Super here.

The … different version from this summer’s “Man of Steel” movie is here too.

‘Alphas’ omega: SyFy cancels show

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alphas cast

“Alphas,” a nicely written and serious-minded “real world” take on “X-Men,” is no more.

The show has been canceled by The Channel Formerly Known as Sci-Fi, according to news reports. It will not return for a third season.

“Alphas” was an intelligent and well-written show about a scientist (the Professor X type, played by David Straithairn), who works with the government to assemble a group of people with mutant powers, including Bill, a cop with super strength (played with nice gruffness by Malik Yoba), a young autistic man, Gary (played to perfection by Ryan Cartwright) who can read read electronic signals in the air, Nina (the seductive Laura Mennell), who has the ability to emotionally “push” people and bend them to their will, and others.

Each episode played on a number of levels: The Alphas would investigate crimes or acts of terrorism committed by other Alphas, including some who belonged to a renegade group led by a seemingly immortal Magneto-type charismatic leader. They also reached out to other Alphas, including some played by fan favorites like Summer Glau (“Firefly”) and Sean Astin (“Lord of the Rings”).

The show also built in clever and absorbing character stories, including Gary’s socialization and Nina’s fall from grace and tragic backstory.

To nobody’s surprise, TV can be an ultimately heartbreaking place to discover favorite science fiction and fantasy storylines and characters. It’s always been the case, but the last few years have seen brutal ends – and misguided handling when they were airing – of some really good shows.

It goes without saying that there’s little remaining on SyFy I’ll watch. The channel has increasingly concentrated on “reality” shows and competitions and, inexplicably, wrestling.

We’ll miss “Alphas.”

‘Arrow’ has real geek appeal

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arrow cast in green

If you were like me, you got pretty frustrated during the early seasons of “Smallville.”

For what it was, the series about Clark Kent’s early years – before he became Superman – was mildly entertaining. But developments seemed to move at a glacial pace. It seemed like it took forever for Clark to develop familiar super powers like X-ray vision and super-hearing. And I think he flew only at the very end of the 10th and final season, true to the producers’ mantra of “no tights, no flights.”

But the CW series “Arrow,” about the formative years of Superman’s fellow DC hero Green Arrow, has already explored a lot of the character’s mythology – and that of DC comics – in the first nine episodes and is likely to explore more when it returns this Wednesday.

arrow huntress

In just a few episodes, the show introduced not only Oliver Queen/Green Arrow and his immediate circle, including possible future Black Canary Dinah Laurel Lance but also bad guys like Deathstroke, the Dark Archer and the Royal Flush Gang. Batman family member Huntress – seen above – also appeared in a couple of episodes.

But the show’s casting also holds a lot of appeal to geeks, with actors from some favorite TV shows and movies playing characters on “Arrow.”

They include John Barrowman, Captain Jack from “Torchwood,” as Malcolm Merlyn, Kelly Hu from “X-Men” as China White, Jamey Sheridan from “The Stand,” in flashbacks as Oliver’s father and Tahmoh Penikett of “Battlestar Galactica.”

“Arrow’ has captured my attention and held it with its serious nods to comic book lore.

Justified 4th season premiere: ‘Hole in the Wall’

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Justified Hole in the Wall Timothy-Olyphant-and-Patton-Oswalt-in-JUSTIFIED-Episode-4.01-Hole-in-the-Wall

I’m hard pressed to name a series that I enjoy more than Graham Yost’s “Justified.”

The series, which returned for a fourth season on FX, recounts the adventures of Raylan Givens, a U.S. marshal assigned to mid-Kentucky, the place of his birth and his longtime home. As he deals with all manner of fugitives, thieves and drug dealers, Givens (Timothy Olyphant) is forced to acknowledge not only with his criminal father, Arlo (Raymond J. Barry), but his longtime frenemy, Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins).

The show is badass, funny and full of backwoods low-life characters for Raylan to wryly bring to justice.

Because the show is based on the works of writer Elmore Leonard, there are plenty of oddball characters on both sides of the law.

As the show returned tonight, with the episode “Hole in the Wall,” Raylan finds himself trying to make a little money on the side – he and ex-wife Winona are expecting a baby – by working for an attractive bail bondswoman.

justified hole in the wall boyd crowder

Meanwhile, Boyd has been running the drug business in Harlan, Kentucky, and is dismayed to find that his OxyContin sales have dropped significantly. One of his dealers tells him it’s because so many local residents have been redeemed through the works of a traveling evangelist.

And meanwhile, we’re introduced to Constable Bob, played by comedian and writer Patton Oswalt, who meets up with Raylan when petty thieves break into Arlo’s house. Raylan has hired Bob to keep an eye on the place while Arlo is in jail for attempted murder.

And meanwhile meanwhile, Ava Crowder (Joelle Carter), Raylan’s sometime girlfriend, is still running the local whorehouse and continues to be as badass as Raylan and Boyd.

Constable Bob comes in handy when Raylan’s car gets stolen, and an old buddy of Boyd’s, played by Ron Eldard, shows up unexpectedly.

“Justified” is so quick, so funny and so brutal. It’s unlike anything else on TV right now.

After three good to great seasons with memorable bad guys, “Justified” seems to be playing the long game this season, introducing some winning characters, bringing back others and peppering clues to a 30-year-old mystery throughout the witty, sharp stories. I’ll be watching.

Looking ahead to ‘Dallas’ returning … and J.R.

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Dallas / EP201

Like most dedicated “Dallas” fans, I was saddened to hear about the passing, in late November, of Larry Hagman. I really enjoyed the first season of the revival of the show on TNT and I’m looking forward to the Jan. 28 return of the show.

But will “Dallas” survive and maintain its good ratings without Hagman as J.R. Ewing, the man we love to hate?

Production on about a half-dozen of the second season’s 15 episodes was completed before Hagman passed away. TNT and producer Cynthia Cidre have announced Hagman’s death – and the passing of J.R. – will be marked in the eighth episode, set to air March 11. They’re reportedly bringing back other Ewing family members, including brother Gary, played by Ted Shackleford, and his wife Val, played by Joan Van Ark.

I’ve seen the first two episodes of the second season and I can tell you they’re on a level, quality-wise, with the first season.

And Hagman has a wonderful presence in each.

I’ll post fuller previews of each episode before they air. And I’ll be hoping that the show can carry on without its beloved bad guy.

My favorite TV shows of 2012

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sherlock and irene adler

Summing-up articles: It’s what writers do at the end of the year.

I’ve enjoyed sharing my thoughts on movies, TV and books in 2012, the first full year of this blog, and have enjoyed getting feedback from readers. The blog had almost 100,000 page views in 2012 so obviously a few people are checking it out.

I’m not going to rank my favorite TV shows – or the movies and books that will hopefully come in later blog entries – in order of preference. I’ll note, at times, those that I thought really stood out. But I didn’t see enough of any TV and movies and couldn’t come close to reading enough books to say conclusively these were the best of the best. They were just my favorites.

FYI you can probably find earlier reviews of most of these by clicking on the tags at the end.

Here are my favorite TV shows of the year:

“The Mindy Project” is maybe the biggest surprise (and one I haven’t written about yet). Mindy Kaling left “The Office” and struck out on her own with a smart and absurdly funny series that makes me think of “Community” in its mix of smart, funny and strange.

“Mad Men” struck some people as somehow deficient last season. I disagree. The tensions at home and in the office, the relationship between Don and Megan and the awful, horrible, sad end of Lane Pryce added up to a very good season.

Likewise, I’m sure some preferred the first or second season of “Justified” over the third, and I can’t totally disagree. But the third had so many wonderful moments and wild card characters like out-of-town drug dealer Quarles. And there’s no cooler lawman on TV than Tim Olyphant’s Raylan Givens.

“The Walking Dead” is only in the middle of its third season but has improved greatly over the second, farm-bound season. The prison, Woodbury, Michonne, the Governor and the return of Merle. How could you not like that?

“Parks and Recreation,” “Community” and “30 Rock” are my favorite comedies on TV right now. “Parks” is just so consistently funny and goofy, like the scene showing how people drink from the water fountains in Pawnee. “30 Rock” is about gone and “Community,” after losing its creator, could soon follow. But the bizarre “Liz Lemon as the Joker” episode of “30 Rock” and the meta chaos of “Community” will live on in my memory.

Last but definitely not least, we were treated to another three-episode season of “Sherlock” this year. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman are close to becoming my favorite portrayers of Holmes and Watson. And Lara Pulver as Irene Adler? Wow.

RIP Gerry Anderson, creator of ‘Thunderbirds’

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Thunderbirds

Although he was largely a cult figure in the United States, one of Britain’s top creators of imaginative children’s shows has died.

Gerry Anderson, creator of such fun and, frankly, offbeat shows in the 1960s and 1970s as “Thunderbirds,” “UFO” and “Space: 1999,” has died in his native England, He was 83.

Anderson might be an unfamiliar name to some in the U.S. but his work is instantly recognizable.

Look at the promotional photo above for his groundbreaking 1965 series “Thunderbirds.” Remember the odd but fascinating show about marionettes piloting rescue planes and space ships? The family of puppets who dropped down conveyor belts and into their ships just in time to jet off to handle some far-flung disaster.

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Gerry Anderson.

I can’t say too much about how much Gerry Anderson’s shows sparked my imagination as a child. I had toy versions of Thunderbird 2 and 3. I played with them over endless hours.

thunderbird 2

That’s Thunderbird 2.

Thunderbird 3

And that’s Thunderbird 3.

I’m not sure when I originally saw “Thunderbirds” – early in its U.S. syndication, I’m sure – but I remembered Anderson’s name and while I saw only random episodes of his other puppet series, like “Stingray,” I made sure to check out his later, live-action creations. More on those below.

So RIP Gerry Anderson. Your imaginative work was a big part of my childhood.

Random Gerry Anderson facts:

“Team America:” The goofy puppet movie from the “South Park” guys was inspired by Anderson’s work.

Derek Meddings. The designer of Anderson’s intricate miniature worlds went on to design the look of some of the grandest special effects from the James Bond movies.

gerry anderson ufo babe

“UFO.” In 1970, the first live-action Gerry Anderson series that I ever saw, “UFO,” aired around the world. About a government organization that battled an alien invasion, “UFO” was groovy in an “Austin Powers” kind of way, with British babes in wild purple wigs.

“Space: 1999” and the end of the world. “Space: 1999” was probably the best-known of Anderson’s live-action series, running for a couple of seasons beginning in 1975. Martin Landau and Barbara Bain starred in the series about what would happen if nuclear waste on the moon exploded and pushed the moon out of Earth’s orbit.

RIP Gerry Anderson.