On this morning’s edition of THE EARLY SHOW, MURPHY BROWN star Candice Bergen revealed that Heather Locklear was in fact the network’s first choice to play the show’s titular character.
This Thursday, WILL & GRACE alum Megan Mullally will drop by PARKS AND RECREATION to play the ex-wife of Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), who according to the Pawnee politico himself may-or-may-note-have been “programmed by someone from the future to destroy all happiness.” More surprising still, Mullally is Offerman’s wife in real life.
Now pay attention, because this one’s a doozy: Teri Hatcher’s fictional small-screen son MJ played by Mason Vale Cotton on DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES is the real-life brother of Rachel Griffiths fictional TV son Cooper Whedon played by Maxwell Perry Cotton on BROTHERS & SISTERS. Got that?
First off, I’d be remiss if I didn’t congratulate you on your new job as BROTHERS & SISTERS showrunner. That said, there’s been an awful lot of speculation about the change of leadership and I’m hoping you can set the record straight. David Marshall Grant: The holy grail of writing is the chance to develop your own show and move forward and after three years of Allison [Schapker], Monica [Breen] and I writing, collaborating and slogging through it, Allison and Monica wanted the opportunity to develop other things aside from this show. BROTHERS & SISTERS is insanely demanding, and something we can’t really do without them. So there was a discussion about how we could make a transition so that they could do more of what they wanted to to — be writers — but leave the actually responsibility of showrunning to somebody else. So I ended up slowly taking the reigns over from them and the transition has been pretty smooth.
And Allison, since you’re on the line, I imagine it was an amicable transition? Allison Schapker: It’s been very smooth by Hollywood standards. And actually, I’m on the line because I wanted to talk about the “Wig Party” which was the final episode Monica and I oversaw as showrunners. David wrote it and it really speaks to the transition and is an episode we’re really proud of. Monica and I love the show, loved working as showrunners and David’s right, it was incredibly demanding but very satisfying. But we had a long run of it and I’m excited about taking the next step forward. David has been with the show from the beginning, he is a superstar and we’re so excited to pass the baton over to him. He’s going to great things with BROTHERS & SISTES and the fact that we still get to work with him and everyone we love on the show while at the same time do some other things is great.
When it comes to our favorite fictional serial killer, suspension of disbelief is pretty much par for the course. Which is why we’ve gladly put aside our question as to how on earth Dexter Morgan’s employer, the Miami PD has yet to clue into his extra-curricular activities in lieu of a far bigger mystery: Just how on earth does a blood splatter analyst afford to support a wife and three kids in a spacious suburban alcove, plus an oceanfront condo and a boat on his public servant salary?
In the world of STARGATE UNIVERSE, mankind is capable of harnessing the power of a Stargate to travel millions of miles away, transport themselves to-and-from ships at will, and protect themselves with state of the art weaponry. Yet David Blue’s Eli Wallace is still using an iPhone.
Be it father William or brother Tommy, the Walker family hasn’t exactly had the most stellar track record when it comes to family members working in the family business. Yet Uncle Saul and Holly waited all of three-minutes to hand over the financials and entrust the future of Ojai Foods to very-sketchy illegitimate step-son Ryan.
Last week the five major broadcast networks outlined their new fall schedules and previewed clips of new series for advertisers at their annual Upfront presentations. After taking a look at these clips myself, I’ve compiled a list, divided into what’s most promising, what’s roughly in the middle, and what looks horrible. These aren’t reviews per se, they’re just immediate reactions to very brief footage – I’ll reevaluate after I’ve screened the pilots later this summer. First up, least promising of the bunch… Alex O’Loughlin fans, please don’t hurt us.?
100 QUESTIONS (NBC)
Buzz was that NBC was high on this comedy before its Upfront presentation and that it was being touted as “the next FRIENDS.” Highly doubtful, and I’m pretty sure the laugh track was the only thing laughing during the dreadfully unfunny trailer.
BROTHERS (FOX)
Starring former New York Giant Michael Strahan…plays former NFL player Mike Trainor, who returns home to help his brother’s struggling restaurant business. CCH Pounder from The Shield and Carl Weathers also star as their parents. Strahan does fine, but what would really be great is if the whole thing didn’t feel so strained and dated.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING: THE SIMPSONS (8PM FOX, Global in Canada)
Considering THE SIMPSONS is going on twenty years, we’re certainly not about to begrudge them the occasional “Help we’re running out of ideas here!” episode, with tonight’s trip to the manicurist for Marge and Lisa sparking flights of fancy about Queen Elizabeth, Snow White, and Lady MacBeth.
FAMILY GUY (9PM FOX, Global in Canada)
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for FAMILY GUY, which in only their eighth season, really has no excuse for tonight’s Stephen King inspired tale. That said, since Seth MacFarlane and Co. are skewering three of our all-time favorite movies — Stand By Me, Misery and The Shawshank Redemption — we’re gonna go ahead and give them a pass on this one.
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (9PM ABC, CTV in Canada)
The word on Wisteria Lane is “Deception,” with tonight’s installment having Bree lying to Orson, Katherine lying to Mike, Susan and Jackson lying to the authorities and Tom lying about his age.
BROTHERS & SISTERS (10PM ABC, Global in Canada)
Swine Flu be damned! Or at least that is what Nora Walker must be thinking when she heads down to Mexico to knock some sense into Tommy in tonight’s BROTHERS & SISTERS third season finale.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING: THE SIMPSONS (8PM FOX, Global in Canada)
Proving those pesky Simpsons have all the luck, Marge gets hooked on a sauna she FINDS in her basement. Whereas the last discovery we found in our basement was a leaky one that ended up costing us a whole lotta D’oh!
FAMILY GUY (8PM FOX, Global in Canada)
Further evidence that actual talent is not a prerequisite for providing a guest voice on the Seth MacFarlane laugher comes Wentworth Miller and Chace Crawford who lend their voice to tonight’s episode playing high school students (Further cementing our theory is next week’s special guest star Lauren Conrad.)
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (9PM ABC, CTV in Canada)
ZZZZZzzzz…. sorry, what’s that? Last week’s tribute to Edie is finally over? Phew.
BROTHERS & SISTERS (10PM ABC, Global in Canada)
Growing tired of waiting for Tommy’s return, Julia takes a long hard look at her future. Which we’re just gonna go ahead and say, doesn’t look good. I mean just ask Joe (John Pyper-Ferguson) how he’s doing following his divorce from Sara.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING: THE SIMPSONS (8PM FOX, GlobalTV in Canada)
Continuing FOX’s penchant for celebrating holidays late (see: Halloween in November), tonight’s adventure has the Simpsons traveling to Ireland five days after St. Patrick’s Day. Cue obligatory Homer Simpson epitaph, “D’oh!”
KINGS (8PM NBC, CityTV in Canada)
Remember friends, if this show gets cancelled and replaced with a third hour of CELEBRITY APPRENTICE, you only have yourself to blame. We’re just sayin’
BIG LOVE (9PM HBO)
In what is sure to be a BIG season finale, expect BIG surprises (courtesy of an unexpected visitor for Nicki), BIG potential cast changes (when Sarah reveals her future plans *cough*cough*movie career*cough) and a BIG cliffhanger (which may-or-may-not have to do with Bill’s plot to vanquish Roman and the Greenes once and for all.)
AMERICAN DAD (9:30PM FOX, GlobalTV in Canada)
Steve and his friends sabotage a stuck-up kid’s bar mitzvah (as this TV Addict’s inner-thirteen-year-old Jewboy cheers!)
BROTHERS & SISTERS (10PM ABC, GlobalTV in Canada)
Justin is suspicious of Ryan’s interest in Rebecca. Ditto.
THE SIMPSONS (8PM FOX, GlobalTV in Canada)
After twenty seasons have THE SIMPSONS finally run out of ideas? Tune into tonight’s episode spoofing The Da Vinci Code, National Treasure and Ratatouille and decide for yourself.
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (9PM ABC, CTV in Canada)
Desperate housewives take a back seat to desperate writers with tonight’s shameless sweeps stunt episode involving a teacher (Swoosie Kurtz) getting the wrong idea when Susan tried to impress her.
BROTHERS & SISTERS (10PM ABC, GlobalTV in Canada)
Forgetting that they have access to copious amounts of alcohol, Kevin and Justin decide to take Tommy on a much needed vacation to clear his head about his monumental legal problems. Again, isn’t that what alcohol is for? We’re just sayin’
BIG LOVE (9PM HBO, 10PM HBO Canada)
As if we’re not going to tune into the Endowment Ceremony that has the Mormon’s up in arms!.
Due to my very own aforementioned family drama, this TV Addict didn’t have the opportunity to catch last night’s Walker family drama on BROTHERS & SISTERS. Which is why I thought I’d open things by asking, sans spoilers, did last night’s two hour movie event live up to the hype?