It doesn’t take a cataclysmic event to flash forward to where this TV Addict will be tonight at 8PM. Planted firmly on our couch watching ABC’s FLASHFORWARD: a meticulously paced, mythology-laden series that has quietly emerged as one of our favourite new shows of the fall. And a big reason for that is the subject of our latest interview, Sonya Walger.
Not only does Walger’s Dr. Olivia Benford currently find herself caught in the center of a bizarre love triangle with current husband FBI Agent Mark Benford, and the mysterious Lloyd Simcoe with whom she very intimately shared her flash forward with. She was kind enough to take some time out of her busy schedule to talk to us about her character’s pivotal role in tonight’s episode.
Last week had your character receiving a very interesting text message alluding to the fact that your husband (played by Shakespeare in Love’s Joseph Fiennes) still has a drinking problem. Are we going to find out tonight who sent Olivia that text message? Sonya Walger: No, and I still don’t know who sent it.
Is it more of a challenge acting on a show when you really aren’t sure what’s in store for your character?
I really enjoy it. In truth, I thought it would be a much bigger challenge than it turned out to be. But it ends up being really interesting and keeps you very present because it’s all you’ve got to work with.
Actor John Cho is a man of few words. Particularly when it comes to talking about what his FLASHFORWARD character Demetri Noh may-or-may-not have seen during a two-minute, 17-second global blackout.
Oh, sure he has theories, “Very strong ones,” promises the actor. He’s just not about to share them with certain inquisitive members of the media. Something that frankly, we’re okay with. After-all, half the fun of the new hit ABC series is guessing what showrunners David Goyer (THE DARK KNIGHT) and Brannon Braga (24) have up their sleeve next. Which, coincidentally enough is exactly what attracted Cho to a gruelling regular series gig fresh off his most high-profile role to date as Lt. Hikaru Sulu in J.J. Abrams successful STAR TREK re-boot.
“I read the pilot and really was hooked by page five, FLASHFORWARD was such a special piece of writing,” explained Cho. “David Goyer was a person I had wanted to work with for a long time, and after meeting with producers David and Brannon, I just felt very secure in the hands of these storytellers.”
The GOOD WIFE
Now, stop us if you’ve heard this one before. A public figure gets caught in a very-public scandal and must defend himself while his mortified/humiliated wife graciously stands by his side. Of course, what you probably haven’t heard — after the cameras, nosey reporters and the invitations to guest co-host THE VIEW quiet down— is what happens next. Which is where the titular wife (played to pitch perfect perfection by ER vet Julianna Marguilies) comes in. Will Marguilies’ Alicia Florrick be able to navigate the complexities of work and family while husband Peter (Chris Noth) serves time in the crowbar salon? It certainly will be fun to watch, especially thanks to some of Mrs. Florrick’s new co-workers who include Matt Czuchry (GILMORE GIRLS), Josh Charles (SPORTS NIGHT) and the always entertaining Christine Baranski (CYBILL). THE GOOD WIFE premieres on Tuesday September 22nd at 10PM on CBS, GlobalTV in Canada
FLASHFORWARD
Why does the entire world black out for precisely two minutes and thirty-three seconds, leaving some (including stars Joseph Fiennes, John Cho, Sonya Walger among others) with glimpses into a perilous and possibly terrifying future event that will occur on April 19, 2010. Yeah… we have no idea. But what we do know is that thanks to a phenomenal pilot and a final scene that will have you wishing you could flash forward to next week’s episode, ABC execs can breath a deep sigh of relief, having officially found the next big series everybody will be talking about. FLASH FORWARD premieres on Thursday September 24th at 8PM on ABC
Question: For quite some time now you’ve been kind enough to provide your fellow TV Addicts with an incredibly useful calendar highlighting the month’s big TV events. Seriously, my cubicle at work is practically wallpapered with them and I really can’t thank you enough for your hard work. The only problem is that you totally dropped the ball when it came to August. Please explain yourself? — HookedonTVA
The TV Addict: Truthfully, the TV Addict was on strike. And by that I mean, if the networks aren’t going to bother to program quality television in August, I certainly am not going to take time away from my FREAKS AND GEEKS marathon busy schedule to help promote the return of MILLIONAIRE on ABC. Plus, between Comic Con, my much-deserved vacation and the Television Critics Association Press Tour, I simply ran out of time. That said — here in a nutshell is everything you need to know for August: MONK and PSYCH returned to USA on August 7, MAD MEN returns to AMC on August 16, PROJECT RUNWAY makes it’s Lifetime premiere on August 20, TOP CHEF returns to Bravo on August 19, while GREEK picks up exactly where it left off on ABC Family on August 31.
Question: GMMR has got me totally hooked on GREEK. Got any spoilers? — Cappietastic
The TV Addict: Are you sitting down? Because I’m about to drop an honest-to-goodness GREEK game-changer on you. A spoiler so big, it may-or-may-not rock Greek row forever. Ready for it? When the hit ABC Family series returns from hiatus on August 31 [Please take a moment to ensure that there are no spill-able liquids within your computer's proximity!] expect to see hear a proposal from a series regular.
Question: Loved your sneak peek at FRINGE’s second season premiere, but found myself wondering as to why it was completely William Bell free? — TheOtherSider
The TV Addict: Unfortunately, there is a very good reason that my little tease was completely William Bell free —because that’s exactly what the episode was. Leonard Nimoy was MIA. That said, FRINGE executive producer Jeff Pinkner did confirm at last week’s TCA panel for the show that Nimoy has already filmed one episode for season two and “is welcome back as much as he wants.”
1:00PM: Just how enjoyable is the FLASHFORWARD pilot? I’m freezing cold, exhausted and hungry, yet still loving it.
1:01PM: Good News: Executive Producer David S. Goyer promises that “by the end of the first season, most of the questions raised in the pilot, including the one you see at the very end will be answered.” Bad News: The overarching mystery surrounding the cause of the blackout won’t come out until the end of the series, which Goyer hopes will last three seasons to really do the show justice.
1:05PM: On the lessons learned from LOST, Goyer shares that, “LOST taught me that you can do a show with a large ensemble cast and tell a big cinematic story.” Tell that to the creators of THE NINE, INVASION, SURFACE, JERICHO, KIDNAPPED etc…
1:08PM: Executive Producer Marc Guggenheim teases that while the first season will tell the story of April 29, 2010…. April 29 isn’t necessarily the season finale.
1:10PM: Star Dominic Monaghan claims that while there are obviously similarities between FLASHFORWARD and LOST, “I don’t think we’re necessarily dealing with the same deeply rooted mythology.” Begging the question… has Monaghan seen the premiere?
You’ve read his take on the most promising fall shows and least promising ones. Now, in what we promise is our final look back at the Network’s UpFront offerings comes our very own Ken Tucker in-training Aleks Chan, with a look at the shows that fall somewhere in-between.
ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE (CBS)
After the horridly ill-conceived COURTING ALEX, Jenna Elfman returns to the small screen as Billie, a San Francisco film critic who hooks up with a younger guy and – surprise – gets pregnant. Pregnancy as a premise hasn’t always worked, and the clips don’t really provide much hope that AOP will be any different, but Elfman is one deft comedienne, so if anything, it’ll be tolerable.
EASTWICK (ABC)
Also known as Charmed Lipstick Housewives and the City. Based on the John Updike novel about three women (Lindsay Price, Rebecca Romijn, and Jamie Ray Newman) who are imbued with magical powers, it looks as tawdry and superfluous as I remember CHARMED ever was – not that there’s anything wrong with that.
THE DEEP END According to the official ABC description: Sterling Law is one of L.A.’s most prestigious law firms. Each year it recruits four new young lawyers from the finest law schools worldwide. It will nurture, guide and shape these recruits into the best damned lawyers they can possibly be — or else.
According to this TV Addict: It’s GREY’S ANATOMY meets L.A. LAW. Which is something we’d usually be far more critical of, except for the fact that these lawyers include JACK & BOBBY’S Matt Long! VERONICA MARS’ Tina Majorino! TITANIC’s Billy Zane! And Broadway’s Norbert Leo Butz! (TV Addict note: Gratuitous use of exclamation marks denotes our off-the-charts level of excitement for this series)
The GOOD WIFE
FLASHFORWARD
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