In these trying times, ARMY WIVES may be the perfect primetime soap for viewers looking to find a world where things make sense despite the fact that the one we live in often doesn’t. For the men and women who live on the active army base at fictional Fort Marshall, South Carolina, there are well-established rules in place and consequences must be paid by those who don’t abide by them.

It’s an oddly comforting place to be given the pervasive “anything-goes” culture that surrounds us.

This is a world where a nurse’s dalliance with a patient winds up costing the woman her job… not because she is married, but because she signed a Code Of Conduct contract and her behavior violated it. And when marital problems push a military man into the arms of a woman who is not his wife, he must think not only about the vows he took at his wedding but also the impact on his career in the army.

In the third season (the premiere episode of which debuted last night and can be seen again tonight at 9 p.m. ET on Lifetime), it’s clear that this is a show with one of the strongest moral compasses on the air. But don’t for one minute making the mistake of thinking that somehow detracts from the soapy drama at hand. If anything, it enhances it, because the characters here are at war with not only themselves but the powerful higher calling they — or their spouses — have signed on for by taking on a role in the military.

In the world of ARMY WIVES, even young love is influenced by forces greater than hormones. In the opening moments of the premiere, 16-year-old Emmalin Holden, daughter of Fort Marshall’s Brigadier General, has run off with her slightly-older beau. But their plan to tie the knot is quickly foiled by the double-threats imposed by her father and the young man’s budding army career. Needless to say, the heartbroken Emmalin — whose sister was killed last season following an explosion — will prove something of a handful for mom Claudia Joy (radiant series star Kim Delaney) in the weeks to come.

Unlike a certain group of DESPERATE wives, the women of Fort Marshall rarely find themselves going an episode without doing a little bonding. Their friendships are at the heart of the show and, like the codes of conduct which serve as an invisible character, those relationships are palpable and essential. Without them, the show would not work as well as it does, and most daytime soaps could learn a thing or two about storytelling from the writers who keep both the relationships and the storylines grounded in reality. ARMY WIVES is a guilt-free pleasure thanks to its enormous heart and genuine sense of community.

As one might expect from a show on Lifetime, ARMY WIVES can, on occasion, become overly sentimental and, every now and then, predictable. But in the hands of a stellar cast — I defy anyone to not fall in love with Sally Pressman’s Roxy — the show shines where others might fail. And given the lack of original, non-reality programming, this sudsy drama couldn’t come at a better time.

The latest original offering airing on Lifetime Movie Network this weekend is their first miniseries. “The Capture of the Green River Killer” tells the true story of the 20-year search for the most prolific serial killer in US history. The miniseries stars Tom Cavanaugh (“Ed”), as detective Dave Reichert, the man who persevered to bring an end to this extraordinary case. The story is told through the eyes of a runaway, named Helen (“Hel”) Remus, played so inspiringly well by Amy Davidson (perhaps most recognizable for her role on “8 Simple Rules”). Amy was kind enough to sit down and answer some questions for us about her role, her close ties to her “8 Simple Rules” family, and why this story needed to be told.

What about this mini-series for LMN drew you in? The other cast members, the writing, the network?
Amy Davidson: I would have to say the story for sure drew me in. It was one of those scripts that I couldn’t put down. And it was a long one! My character Hel was an absolute dream role for me. I had been wanting a role that would expand me as a person and as an actress. I’ve always wanted to do a lifetime movie. And here I booked LMN’s first miniseries. That was such a bonus!

What does a viewer need to know about your character, Hel, before watching the mini-series?
Hel asks the questions that I think we all want answers to. At least I know I want the answers. When we first meet her, she’s an innocent girl who just wants to be loved. And as the story progresses we see the toll life takes on her. She starts to go in a downward spiral and it’s just heartbreaking.

Was it difficult getting into the mind of this character? What kind of inspiration did you seek to be able to play it so well?
My biggest inspiration was the girls who were victims of the Green River Killer. I wanted to do them justice. Once I saw their faces on the internet, I knew my commitment would have to be 150%. Because this is such a gut-wrenching story for me, I was connected emotionally right away. I can only imagine what these souls went through. And that feeling is what carried me through.

Why should viewers tune in to watch this weekend – what’s your favorite thing about the mini-series??
This is a story that had to be heard! Prostitution is still happening! I just read that there is an estimated 600,000 children under the age of 16 who are working as prostitutes in the United States. We have to raise the awareness. This doesn’t just happen in the movies. My favorite aspect of our story is that it’s so honest. We don’t hold back. And that may be hard for some people to watch.

Like I said, we loved you on 8 SIMPLE RULES, where you had such great comedic timing – is it difficult switching between drama and comedy? Which do you prefer – comedy or drama?
I want my career to bounce back and forth from comedy to drama! I loved doing something so dramatic! And I love comedy! To me it keeps my career interesting. You won’t see me playing the same role over and over again!

Switching gears to 8 Simple Rules for a minute – do you keep in touch as a cast?
Kaley and I are extremely close… We are sisters now. Its a strange day when we don’t talk or text or email! Martin and I are close as well… That’s the beauty of a cast. You are linked for life. Katey is still a mother to me. If I need anything she is there. And then we have grandpa! We have lunch with Jim every 3 months or so… We go to his country club or Nate and Al’s. That’s a very important relationship in my life. I love that man!?

Why did you originally want to become an actress – was it a moment in time, or just a general feeling?
I remember being 5 years old and watching KIDS INCORPORATED and thinking I want to do that! Being so young, it was hard for me to articulate that to my parents. Plus I was dancing. But as I grew older I realized exactly what I wanted to do and that’s when my dream became my reality.

Who are you dying to work with? What actors and actresses are your favorites?
I just love Susan Sarandon! She is so elegant. So timeless! That’s the career I aspire to have! I would love to play mother and daughter someday

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? Whose career would you love to have?
In the next five years I see myself on another show. Maybe a drama? That would be fun! I also want do film. I love telling stories that make a difference. I love the drama! But I also want to do lighthearted comedies… I want to do it all! Again, I’d have to say Susan Sarandon. I want longevity. I want to be doing this until I’m 95!

What TV shows are you watching when you have downtime? What do you do to relax when you have downtime?
I love Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty and Greys! Loyal viewer… House is also a favorite. I have to admit that reality TV is a guilty pleasure… Love America’s Next Top Model! And Top Chef! And who doesn’t love Project Runway?? Oh – I’m also obsessed with the Girls Next Door

I read that you volunteer with “Children of the Night” – tell us a little bit about that?
Children of the Night is an organization that rescues kids from the streets and provides a home for them where they have a support system. Where they see the possibilities of a different life. Dr. Lois Lee is the founder and an extraordinary woman. She works hands on with these kids and truly makes a difference. While I was filming, there was something inside me that wanted to go further with the knowledge that I was receiving. I wanted to reach out. To be a part of something bigger than me. So when I got home, we contacted Children of the Night. Volunteering is so rewarding. I learn so much from these girls. And if my being there makes the slightest impact then I know I’m doing something right.??Set time aside to watch this very well made, well-acted, and chilling miniseries. Part one of “The Capture of the Green River Killer” airs on LMN, Sunday night at 8PM. The conclusion airs Monday night at 8.

I’ve been a TV Addict forever, watching hours of TV when my mom told me not to. One of my favorite characters ever to grace the small screen is Samantha Micelli from WHO’S THE BOSS?, played so wonderfully by Alyssa Milano. I recently had the great pleasure of catching up with Alyssa to talk about her new Lifetime movie airing this weekend.

The movie, called WISEGAL, is the true story of Patty Montanari, a widowed mother, trying to make ends meet, who in doing so, joins the mafia. Alyssa portrays the title character with strength and vulnerability. James Caan and Jason Gedrick costar in a movie that fits the mold of a Lifetime film – the kind that gets you all teary-eyed – but goes above and beyond that to make you really think about what you would do for your family.

I love the movie. Lifetime has been doing some really great stuff lately.
Alyssa Milano: Yeah, it’s definitely, it’s interesting. It’s an interesting combination. It’s definitely a movie that Lifetime audiences will enjoy because the crux of it is a single mother trying to make ends meet.

What made you want to play Patty?
There were a lot of elements. When I first read the script, before we started production, I just felt like I had a really good grasp on who she was. And what motivated her to make the choices that she makes. And also, I think it shows the mafia in a way that we’ve never seen before, through the eyes of a woman. What that enabled us to do was to really show a side that where it cares about family and about being accepted in a family and about feeling protected and taken care of. And I think that because Patty never had those things, it was very attractive to her.

Is it hard playing a real person, or a true story?
Sometimes, it can be. In this case, it wasn’t hard, because right after I read the script, I felt like I had a really good grasp on who she was. I didn’t talk to her, at all, I still haven’t talked to her, about how I was going to portray it or how I portrayed it because I didn’t want anything to get in the way of my take on who she was. But her son was on the set, blown away by how accurately I was playing the character without having met her.

That has to be validating, to know that you’re playing what he expected of the character.
It’s a great, great feeling. I did one scene with James Caan, the scene where I actually ask him to get out, and after we cut, her son’s eyes were filled with tears. I just thought “oh god, thank you.”

What’s it like working with James Caan?
He’s such a great guy. And so not intimidating like you think he would be. He was joking around when the cameras weren’t rolling. It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen because he was doing like these magic tricks, and getting everybody to laugh. And as soon as the cameras started rolling, he was this intimidating, scary person.

Why should viewers tune in?
I think what the movie is really about is a mother doing whatever she has to do to make a better life for her sons. And that’s sort of the foundation of everything and why she makes the choice that she makes. People kind of lead her to the wrong choice but at the time, she was very loved and didn’t know what else to do. As far as why people should tune in, it’s just a good movie. It’s entertaining, the acting’s great. I’m really proud of it.

Switching gears a little bit, having the opportunity to talk about My Name is Earl. Are you in for the rest of the season?
I don’t know exactly. There’s been a discussion about me doing the full back nine. I don’t think anything has been notified yet.

I was talking with someone today about the fact that I was going to talk to you, and we talked about how you can switch between this dramatic role where you’d do anything for your kids and broad comedy. It just shows your talent, and it’s really nice.
Oh thank you so much. I think that’s the best thing about being an actor for me, getting to do all those things.

Is there one that you prefer, drama to comedy?
That’s a really good question. I don’t know if I ever thought of that. I think comedy is a lot more challenging; it’s a lot easier to play a dramatic character, to find that something that people are going to be able to relate to, and that’s what it’s all about. The audience remembers something that makes you relatable so you feel for that character. With comedy, people’s senses of humor are so different, I think to do comedy, and do it well is a very tricky thing. I do think that the writing for My Name Is Earl is so genius that you could put any hack on that show and they’d do well haha.

What are some of your favorite TV shows?
I love Dexter. I love Top Chef. I can’t wait for it to come back. I love Friday Night Lights. [editor’s note, that’s awesome!] I think TV is in a great place right now. It’s definitely getting better and better. I think there is some of the most complete writing for women and female characters, they’re done in television production and not really film production.

You’ve spent a lot of time in long running series. Would you be willing to get involved in another show?
Oh absolutely!

Who haven’t you worked with that you would still like to?
I love Jennifer Jason-Leigh. I love Parker Posey. I love Christian Bale.

Besides Wisegal and My Name Is Earl, what else do you have coming up, if anything?
Nothing! I’m actively looking at pilots in the very limited pilot season that is about to begin. Lots of work for my clothing line which is extremely exciting.

I saw that it had expanded, and I thought that was really cool!?Yeah, it’s cool right? It’s so nice when a plan comes together.

Are you going to be doing stuff with Major League Baseball like you did last year?
Yes, I’ll be doing more stuff for them this year.

Who are your favorite teams?
The Dodgers. My favorite hockey team is the Kings. I like the Clippers in basketball. And I like USC college. Football, the Giants.

Check out Lifetime’s latest original movie, Wisegal, airing Saturday March 15 at 8PM.

Lifetime is good to me. They recently sent over a preview copy of their latest inspirational movie called RACING FOR TIME. It’s inspired by the true story of a male prison guard who pulls together a track program for tough and violent female offenders at a juvenile facility. Charles S. Dutton (Emmy award winning actor and director) is fabulous, both as an actor and a director, in the main role. He is joined on screen by Elizabeth Pena and an up and coming young actress named Yaya Da Costa (some of you might recognize her from America’s Next Top Model). I had an opportunity to chat with her for a bit about working with “Roc” (Charles S. Dutton), why she wanted to be an actress, and who she admires.

Great film, I think it’s really in the vein of what Lifetime tries to do. It’s inspirational.
YaYa: I’m glad you watched it! It was controversial at first, but it is inspirational.

You’re right, it is controversial, but I think people will understand it, and you’re great in this.
Thank you!

Brings me to the first question – what made you interested in this role?
I just thought it was a great role. Any role, honestly for a young actor, is work, so that’s always good. It’s great to be excited when you’re going into an audition about the prospect of playing someone. Different from yourself. It makes it more. I just the different code of behavior and the different thought process that you use. My first instinct as a person in conflict resolution is to find the right words. But Vanessa’s is physical confrontation, so that was fun to explore.

For people that are going to watch, just give a little background on the character and the story of the “bad girl” you play, named Vanessa.
Vanessa is 17. She’s still young, she’s still growing. I don’t know that she’s necessarily destined to be a bad girl, but she’s gotten herself into a lot of trouble. This is not her first time in [the detention center]. This time is different. It’s the longest time she’s been in there. It’s also not her fault. She’s taking, stupidly, heat for her boyfriend. Her time there this time is even harder to accept because it’s compounded with that. Because she thought she was being faithful in the sense of protecting each other. Actually Celeste, the counselor, asks her a really great question at one point in the movie, ya know, would he do this for you? And I think she realizes what the answer is, which also gives her the fuel to grow and make something of her life. Instead of being stuck with a silly boy who maybe buys her stuff but doesn’t really care about her.

How was it working with Charles Dutton?
Excellent. He is so much fun; he is so great to learn from. Watch, act, and direct at the same time. Also, this is my first time being directed by an actor and there’s a different kind of language and intensity and excitement and he knows what he wants. It was great. I learned a lot.

He seems like the kind of actor that by just watching, you could get so much from him.
Oh my goodness, yes. Definitely. He has so much experience in theatre also. It’s great to see someone carry that over to film. Not everyone can, by the way. Some actors can’t do both. He’s an example of someone who does both well. It’s just great to watch that.

Did you always want to be an actress, or is it something that came up because of America’s Next Top Model (I don’t mean to make it sound like you had more opportunity because of the show)?
That’s a perfectly normal question. It’s so ironic actually. I’ve been acting on and off since I was 11, doing educational films. My very first acting coach I did plays with back in junior high school would send me out on these auditions. I came from a very educational background.

Oh I know, I could tell by reading your bio – it’s like, oh wow, you’re so smart!
I mean please, I still only have an undergrad. I don’t mean only because obviously, school is not for everyone. I just always loved school, and I did plays at the same time. And just growing up, I knew that I was going to be studying academics and doing art on the side. It was just something to do after school, and during the summer. I actually auditioned and got into La Guardia Professional Performing Arts School, which is like THE school to go to if you’re from NY and you want to do anything, any performing arts. All my friends who didn’t get in were so furious of me when I didn’t go. I just thought, others schools have acting programs, it was always on the side. Finally, when I finished school, I was so excited to be able focus, and spend as much time and energy as possible on this craft that I’ve always loved so much. I was 11 and I played a 104 year old woman, I was like, oh this is great, you get to play a completely different person, I love it. Things have changed since then, every opportunity for different reasons. It’s hard to really know what’s related and what’s not. I believe everything in the world is connected so you can’t knock one experience.

[About America’s Next Top Model] At the same time, it was always crazy for me. It’s happened a couple of times. On the set of Take the Lead, on the set of Honeydripper, after everything is said and done, afterwards, the director would come up to me and say “someone over there just said you were on a television show.” At first it was shocking to me that they didn’t know. You kind of feel it’s a big sign on your forehead, like I was on TV, but I realized it’s not. It’s surprising. Reality TV is just this massive monster that’s taking over television. On one hand, it’s fun to watch, but really for people in the business writers, directors, producers. It makes their job more difficult because there’s less air time for their shows and movies and art. When I realized, oh of course they didn’t know about it. People in the business don’t take that seriously. I don’t bring it up unless someone asks. And then it’s like, oh that was 4 years ago, that was fun. When someone who has hired you to a job reminds you, I mean, granted, not to knock anything, it was a wonderful experience and I learned a lot and things I didn’t think I was going to learn. At the same time, it doesn’t have anything to do with the path I’m on now. I mean, when I’m modeling, yeah, it’s fun to talk about, but acting-world, it’s just not necessarily related. I feel really lucky to get opportunities where people hire me and say “oh she can act,” like they really didn’t know.

It’s probably nice to feel that you were hired for your talent. I’m sure it’s validating.
It’s validating. It’s like, “I know I had a good audition, but I mean, I really had a good audition and it doesn’t have to do with anything else.” And that just feels really good because I’m taking classes all the time and working hard. Honestly, no matter what you’ve done, even though people on the street might want to talk about it, people in the business don’t want to talk about it. It’s nice to have your hard work pay off, and know that it’s the work it’s like, everyone, singers, are all getting in movies so it’s kind of like, makes our job even harder.

Where do you see your career going in the next five or ten years?
It’s hard to say. Honestly, I don’t know. I’ve just been focusing on the craft. It’s really interesting, because when I see things that I’ve done, I always have self criticism, and I’m never satisfied with anything. Occasionally in class, I’ll have a cold reading of a monologue and I’m like, yeah that felt good! Generally, I’m constantly trying to make it better. I feel that I’m growing; my goal is just to be in 5 years, 5 years more mature as an actor and just have the hard work pay off. I can be prepared for any opportunities that come up. I can’t really say I’ll do this, and this. You never know what the universe has in store for you. I can definitely put it out there. I’m also a little superstitious in terms of like saying things out loud. I’ll just kind of pray on them, and keep doing my work. You’ll see if it materializes, and we’ll be talking again next year!

Who are some of your favorite actors or actresses?
Oh my goodness…So many. Right now, I’ll just pick one male and one female to keep it short ha. I just revisited a project of Jeffrey Wright’s. I’d seen him off Broadway, too, and like he was in a bunch of movies. He’s not someone that you see all the time on camera. But when you see him, he makes such an impact and I love his process. I would have to say Meryl Streep. It’s so interesting. I’m at the stage in my career where I’m like, how do you chose your roles? It’s like, you don’t chose anything, you audition and hopefully you get stuff haha. There are only a select few that can answer that question – for me on one hand I want to work and do everything. At the same time you look at someone with a career like Meryl Streep whose longevity is just so strong and apparent. And she’s going to be working for her ever. She’s chosen her roles carefully. She’s always done everything that I’ve seen with integrity. Obviously, she’s trained. I have a lot of respect for the trained actor, even though my training is so sporadic, sometimes I take classes here and there. That is an example of a woman for me who has beaten the odds, who has surpassed certain constraints on society of what beauty is or who should play certain roles. She just does everything and she does it well. I’m sure she’s at the point where she’s turned down roles. She seems to stand by something or for something. I just love that. Right now, I’m still young, and I need to work, but it’s nice to look up to someone like that because she shows that it’s possible. Aim to be successful but hold on to values. There are people out there working, making money, who have great houses, and they’re not living in a little hole like me in Manhattan in a crazy neighborhood, but at the same time, it’s like, are those roles taking you to a good place, are you going to let your kids see that movie? Not only is she an amazing actress, just watching her as a career woman.

What are some TV shows that you watch when you get some downtime?
I am really the worst person to ask this question. I don’t watch TV a lot ha. It’s bad because I need to. There are a lot of shows that I do like but I don’t get to see a lot. There’s one, this started up again. It’s kind of taking the place of Friends in a way, but maybe it’s not as popular because it’s about lesbians…do you know that show The L Word?

I love that show!
Yeah, I feel like it’s so well written, so well shot. Hopefully we’re at a place where you can say that and people don’t get all homophobic. It’s actually a really good show. I’m glad that we’ve come to a place in this country that a show like that can be popular and can be so good. I know plenty of people, men, women, homosexuals, married couples that all say oh yeah, that’s a great show. What else? I don’t want to sound like I’m boring. Some old shows are interesting to watch. But usually on a Saturday when I get up in the morning, I watch CNN. Amy Goodman’s Democracy Now haha. I really love the news [laughing]. I love being informed, especially because I can’t travel these days. I like watching world news.

What do you do for fun when you’re not shooting?
I think my acting classes are fun. Even though it’s work. I’m so lucky that I can say work is fun. I take dance classes. I crochet, I write a lot. I love creating things. I alter my clothes in my closet a lot, change them up into different things. Making cheap thinks look expensive. I’m not gonna tell you how haha! I hang out with friends, at each others’ houses. I don’t really go out at night. New York is kind of crazy. I have so many older friends and they’re all married with kids. It makes sense. It’s like, maybe we’ll have brunch one day.

Just to get back to the movie to sum up the call – what’s a reason someone should tune into see the movie?
People should tune in because I feel like it’s a story that hasn’t been told before. I feel like it’s uplifting like you said, but in a way that is kind of surprising. It’s not your typical Lifetime movie at all. I think it pulls you in, it also gives an opportunity to see the humanity in people. Even if you don’t know anybody in real life like these girls, I mean there are prisons all over the country. Too many if you ask me. You can see a little bit of their stories and why they’re there. Stuff happens and their lives. When given the right the tools or attention, some people just need a pat on the back and we take for granted that some of us had parents who told us that we were great. It gives us hope that things can change and get better. There are people have spent in prison and gone on to be the most amazing lawyers, or even actors, that we know. There are amazing actors that we know who are just like wow (editor’s note: Charles S. Dutton is an ex-convict who doesn’t shy away from talking about his past). Learning not to judge each other. It’s a good discussion on race, just get people talking. The country is not necessarily as advanced as we think. Everyone says there are no racists, everything’s great, but pay a little bit more attention and you’re like, ooh okay, we have a long way to go. Especially in an institution like prison because it’s all people have to hang on to and have to like stick together, center their lives around whatever they have in common. It’s good to explore a conversation about those things. It’s also fun to watch! You want the girls to get together and win. I think it pulls you in, and you get to rooting and you get inspired and start to run! Go for a jog after wards haha! It’s a good lesson. Lifetime is the women’s channel, typically, but I think everyone can enjoy it. The boys get to see a bunch of cute girls run around. The older women get to agree with the lessons in there.

The half hour flew by – Yaya was great to talk to and I really think her career is poised to take off! Tune into RACING FOR TIME, which premieres Saturday February 16 at 9PM!

By: Amrie Cunningham [My Take on TV]

You know me. You know that I’ve been championing the high quality of Side Order of Life since before it started on Lifetime. I feel a connection to the show since I got to talk to the creator Margaret Nagle. She gave me insight into what would happen as the season went on, and it was so exciting to see that played out. I watch the show every week, sometimes twice, with my roommates. I got the privilege of talking to four members of the cast over the past two weeks, and as if I needed another reason to be addicted to this show, they got me wanting me to see the final three episodes more than anything!

When someone asks me why I watch the show, the cast chemistry is almost always my first response. The characters interact as if the actors have known each other for years. Talking to Marisa Coughlan (Jenny), Chris Gartin (Rick), Diana-Maria Riva (Vivy), and Ashley Williams (Becca) has made me want to go work on the show so I can spend time with them! I asked them about the interaction and here is what they had to say:

“I think that like, somehow, we are all so like our characters…we don’t all spend a lot of time in scenes together, but off camera, it is even better, and we can’t wait to get more of that on camera. We all really get along great. A lot of the things the characters are going through on the show…are so similar to our conversations that they are so similar to our dialogue sometimes, we laugh about it!” says Chris. Adds Diana, “You know, no joke, it is ridiculous how well we came together. I mean, we are this tight knit little family that could not have blended better and there is so much trust between us that, we will literally turn to each other and say ‘I’m blocked with this, what do I do, where should I push?’ We will turn to each other for advice on our own work, which really is a sign of a lot of faith and trust in each other and respect for each other. That, to me, is a glorious group to be with.” As if you need more reason to love them, Marisa says, “It’s kind of ridiculous haha, I work the most with Rick (Chris Gartin) and Vivy (Diana). I couldn’t be much more in love with them and Jason, too. I just lately don’t have the pleasure of working with him as much! It’s just one of the things they really did well, and it was just sheer happenstance. It was serendipity I guess, because we really do have an amazing natural affinity for each other. It’s a very fun set to work on, which I can’t say for all sets ha! It’s a fantastic time.” As for Ashley, who came in later than the “core four” as I call them, she has nothing but love. “They have been the most awesome cast to work with and they have all been so friendly from the beginning and they were really close because they had just finished shooting the pilot when I came in. They sort of bonded, and then I was this guest. But they have been so cool to me, it has been really fun!”

Ashley and I also spent a little more time talking about how much she enjoys what she’s doing. “It’s been really fun. Jobs like this just don’t come around for people like me. You know, I’ve sort of been piecing together a career over the past three years or so, of different recurring guest spots and you know, Movies of the Week, and stuff, which have all been really much better suited to my personality than you know, doing something like Marisa is doing right now. I don’t know if I could handle the amount of work that she has right now. She is doing such an amazing job and she is really like throwing herself into it. But it is like seventeen hours a day, and I feel so lucky to be able to be a part of this show and being able to give it the focus and the energy that I can give it, which isn’t near what Marisa can do. I feel very lucky to be a part of it.”

As a viewer, it’s always interesting to hear why someone may have taken a role, or what in a character the actor loved enough to take it. Marisa says, “To be honest, she is closer to me than anybody else I’ve ever played. I very much identify with her in terms of, especially in the pilot, where she was in her life. And kind of the weird stage of figuring out who you are. I guess in theory, you’re already supposed to know, but really, none of us do, haha. Kind of taking risks, making changes, and going against the grain. And going against maybe what society or your parents or the world at large tells you. And you know, I can identify. I’m an actor, I’m from Minnesota, so it was a given that I would pack it up and move out here, and in personal relationships, the fact that there was a similar type of process that develops on paper, but I don’t know if it’s right and I guess I identified with her in a million ways, and I kind of felt like the world at large would, too, because we kind of all go through that phase of shedding the layers of everything that has been projected on us and trying to figure out effectively who we really are.”

Chris’ take is along the same lines – “[Rick is] very close to me in many ways and yet we are in totally different places in our lives. He [is] the editor of a magazine and he has a real sort of stable job and career, whereas I obviously don’t, having that indulgent life of an actor. I have two kids now, and I’m sort of focused on that. He is more focused on more career and a lot of superficial sort of ideals. I think he has found himself at a crossroads where he is kind of achieving all of his superficial goals and finding himself sort of empty and now is trying to find some substance in his life. So, I call him a narcissist with a heart of gold. He’s a good guy, but he is just like so many of us are, wrapped up in a sort of narcissistic life and habits.” Ashley says, “The first time I read the script Becca was in, it said under her character description that she has always wanted to be Jenny. And there was something about that that appealed to me, because I could relate to it, I think, envying someone who is prettier than you, and more successful than you, and has the guy that you’ve always loved. That’s something that we can all relate to. And I don’t know, I kind of just felt like the character came to me very easily because I sort of get that!” Diana is a little more literal about it. “Well, first of all, they offered it to me haha…but it probably was one of the most delicious roles I have ever played, because the challenge of playing a woman, a cancer survivor is great, it’s a grand challenge. It’s a huge responsibility so artistically, that’s the biggest challenge I have ever been given and it’s to go along the journey. To go on those ups and downs and to take on the character of the fighter is a delicious challenge. There was no hesitation is saying yes to that.”
The question actually continued with Diana as we talked about how relatable her character is, even to someone who doesn’t suffer from cancer. “I think there is lots of, whether you’re a cancer survivor or not, there are a lot of areas and a lot of colors that people can pick and choose to relate to, whether it is in the area of love, in the area of being driven with her work, in the area of her friendships and all of that. So it’s nice that the show does a good job of showing her whole life, not just her cancer life. Most of the cancer survivors I have talked to say that we have our life to live, not just our cancer life, so that’s always good to see.”

I asked the lot of them what’s coming up for their characters. For Jenny, says Marisa, “Oh, a lot! The cell phone man remains alive throughout the rest of the season and will be in next season. There are a lot of twists and turns, is all I can say. My character has a lot of misleads and a lot of, well, some disappointments, and situations where I think I’ve found him, and I haven’t, but it’s really interesting and really well-written, and it’s a lot of fun to play. You’ll see. It gets juicier by the episode.” For Vivy, says Diana, “There will be some good questions and answers directly addressed. We’ll see what’s going to happen between Vivy and Rick. And then if something is going to happen. Is she going by way of the Latin connection with Eduardo or is she going to finally open her heart and mind up to this man who has been carrying a torch for her for who knows how long.” As for Rick? “All of the relationships sort of play out to a somewhat fulfilling degree. Obviously, there are a lot of places they can still go, like Jenny and I, who knows down the road. (It’s funny – I asked Marisa who she thinks Jenny’s soul mate is, and she said Rick!) But right now, it’s Vivy and Rick. And that’s play out right until the very end. I don’t want to ruin it.” When I talked to Margaret in July, she teased of a wedding in the finale. Chris added to that idea, saying “Two people are getting married in the last episode. That’s all I can say. I can tell you that, but I’m not going to give you any more information on it ha!” We’ve already seen Becca and Ian get engaged (when I talked to Ashley, she was so excited about that! “He proposes to me! And there might be a wedding”, she teased). She went on to let me know that she had done a scene with Cell Phone Man! “It was very cool and very exciting. He is very handsome!”

The biggest question I like to ask actors is what they would say to a new person, approaching their show for the first time. Says Ashley, “You know what? I think what is great about Lifetime is that it is really likeable, comfortable. It’s TV that makes you feel relieved about your life. It’s television that is like really comforting to watch. Even though the show is based on a character with cancer, I feel like it’s a really feel-good show. There is a lot to like. You know, warm chocolate chip cookies and mugs of coffee and girls being there for each other and friendship. Marisa echoes that sentiment, saying, “I think it makes you laugh and cry almost every episode. I think it’s a really hard thing to find on TV, the whole dramedy. It’s often attempted but rarely achieved, and I think Margaret has just kind of nailed it. I mean, I feel like the feedback from most of our fans is that they laugh and they cry every episode and it never gets to be so depressing that you want to turn it off, but it is never light and airy without there being a poignant scene with heart.” Diana says “Because there is nothing else like it on television. And I’m dead serious about that. The whole mysticism is a new way. A fresh thing that is on right now. The combination between soap, heavily dramatic, heavily comedic, going either direction, and totally refreshing. The cancer line itself, even though it is not a show about cancer, the whole cancer character is like nothing you’ve seen on TV? When is the last time you saw a character in a role with cancer? People have gotten cancer and they are out by the next season. But this is one who came into it with cancer. So the good thing is that she has a real life, being played to the core, and you know, and we have the love parts, the sex parts. You get a lot of everything in this show. And to all the guys out there, I’m telling you, you don’t have to check your balls at the door watching this show. There is enough testosterone in it for you!” Chris tells me “Because it’s better than ever really, right now. I think we are finding the tone and the relationships, and they are starting to hear our voices, and it’s all just kind of coming together, and I think the last episodes are really better than the beginning, and it wasn’t bad to begin with. It’s just getting better and better. And there is more Rick in the last episodes, quite frankly, so it is more fun for me.”

My personal favorite episode of the show is the episode that dealt with always being in love with your first love. As someone who completely believes in the science the show presented, I asked the gang what their favorite episodes to shoot were. Chris says “Any episode that Vivy and I have a lot of stuff. The first love episode was pretty fun. In first love, where Margo (Jenny’s mom) and I have a flirtatious stage. She kisses me and it was fun. It was a funny episode to shoot. And then there was some heavy stuff as well. What’s fun is going back and forth between light humorous drama and then some poignant kind of heavy stuff that is more emotional. It’s an actor’s dream to be able to jump back and forth to kind of go through all of that.” Marisa adds, “[Mine’s] probably the first love episode. On set we read that script and everyone was just a twitter with what they could relate to. Their first love, and I mean, I had weird dreams about my first love for weeks. I just thought it was kind of a universal thing that we all could relate to. I have a feeling, in the end, [the season finale] will be my favorite!”

Ashley offers a different take. “There was one where I was like crying my eyes out with Vivy. It was during a dinner party. I put on this wedding dress. It was a fantasy of Jenny’s and I just sort of love being a part of her imagination. I don’t know, it was really just a fun one. It was really prop heavy for me, but that was a fun one and the scenes with Jason Priestley that I’ve had have been really fun. When he proposes to me I just got to be in my pajamas all day, eating ice cream. Which was kind of amazing. That’s been my favorite episode so far, where you can eat ice cream all day with Jason Priestley.”

As for Diana? She can’t make up her mind. “Honestly, I could tell you what my favorite on is, and then the next week airs, and it’s like ‘that one was my favorite’ ha, because with every episode, we just get a marriage between the writers, the actors, and the directors and the wardrobe, and the hair. It gets stronger and stronger and more settled and more groomed and we become a stronger show. So last week, I was watching episode 10, and I called everyone, texting everyone with ‘Oh my God, this is fantastic’ or whatever, then all of a sudden, I watch episode 11 and I texted everyone again “Oh my God, this is so great, this is so fantastic.” So it’s just that I see the rest of our show is better. It’s impossible to say which one is my favorite since I think they are all good.

I then took the conversations in a different direction. I asked everyone what they were working on in their downtime from the show. Diana says she has a “couple irons in the fire with some features, but nothing has been confirmed so I can’t comment on that, but I am actively working with a writing partner named John Mertz on a one-woman play, I hope to get some time, you know, depending on what our shooting schedule would be for a second season, hopefully before that. (I asked everyone about Season 2. So far no word, but our fingers are crossed!). Chris is refreshingly candid about his hiatus plans. “Just now, we are starting to be able to audition or go for an audition, but I don’t have time, so I haven’t been able to go on any auditions since the series started. I’m planning right now, to go and get another job as soon as we wrap, but no offers or anything like that, so I have to audition for everything but I have time to do that. After we wrap, I’m right back to pounding the pavement!” Marisa has fascinating plans. “I did a few movies between the pilot and the beginning of production so those will be coming in the next several months, and then I don’t know what I’m going to do on hiatus. I’m trying to figure that out right now. I’m traveling for a bit because I can’t even bear the though of going straight into something else, so I’m going to see my family in Minnesota for now, but I’ll probably do something between now and next season!” Ashley is taking a break. “I got nothing. I gave up auditioning, ha. And this is sort of it. This cycle is actually kind of the best thing I could have ever hoped for, you know doing a job for a couple of months, that’s recurring and trying something I’ve never done before. And then, I’ll be unemployed for a little while. And then hopefully, I’ll get something else. I kind of like it. It makes me feel like I’m really like a freelance kind of person. I’m just kind of digging it right now.”

After some back and forth with me on feeling free, and enjoying that, Ashley went on, saying, “It’s like there are lots of jobs out there, and people say no to me all the time. I can turn down jobs and then, if it’s a recurring job like this, I can leave if I get another job, you know what I mean? I kind of like the unpredictability. But I’ve learned that being an actress is all about how you deal with the hiatus and as productive as you can be in that time. As productive as I can get in that time, the better I am when I do work, so that sort of has been I think where the learning curve has been the most steep. It has been my being off times, because there are a lot of them, haha.” I told her I appreciate her candor for the downside of being an actress. “Yeah, it’s not like it’s the most sane career to dive into! I don’t really know what I was thinking. But I feel like I am sort of pulling it off right now, which is a relief. Talk to me in a week when this job ends. I don’t know what I’m going to do!”

You know how you always have dreams of your favorite actors acting with their favorite actors (is that only me dreaming about that?)? I asked them who, present, past, dead, alive, they’d want to work with, if they had ever gotten an opportunity. Marisa chose my favorite people on the planet, really. “I love Christopher Guest. The whole crew of those people. I would be absolutely overjoyed to be a part of one of their movies or to work with any of them. I love Catherine O’Hara, she is so funny. I mean, the theme of wacky comedians. My greatest sort of love is to do outlandish comedy. That would give me a good chance to do that.” Ashley shared every actress’ dream of working “with Meryl Streep. She is quite a force. I’d love to work with some amazing comedians. Some amazing role. I mean, like Diane Keaton characters are the most I look up to and emulate. Yeah, I would say Diane Keaton right now, today.” Chris went in a different direction, saying, “Gene Wilder. I could say Brando, but that’s boring.” Diana offers up “Shirley Maclaine because she makes me laugh so hard, and I want to make people laugh as hard as she makes people laugh. Barry Pepper, because he splits a hair like nobody’s business when it comes to delivering a character. And Clint Eastwood because I want to be challenged by his directing. I hear he is like one take, and he’s out. And I would just love be in one of his movies if I could. It would be awesome.”

We then segued into where their careers would take them in 5 to 10 years. Ashley says, “Okay, completely honestly? I want to have kids! Hahaha. I want to be a mom. I really love what I have got going on right now, and I would love to keep going the way that I am and sort of be there with my children on my days off, instead of just going hiking with my dog. So I think ultimately, the job for me would be to go back to a soap opera, something that is steady work, if not too much pressure. Not too many hours on the set. I would love to work three or four days a week, and would be able to have my children on set with me. I think that is where I am heading right now. If I can pull it off that would be a childhood dream come true. Either that or I would just love to retire and be a mom and like, you know, start a school or something!” Chris hopes to “branch out a little more, and you know, get some writing and directing and not just staying totally focused on acting and you know, more movies and just working more regularly. Just working as much as possible. Less downtime.” Marisa says, “One thing I’ve learned on this is that I have a real love for the creative side of this and the working side of it. I think on this show, I’d love to have the opportunity to have a little bit more hands on. As any of them can attest to you, I’m hands on as it is, more so than they probably wish I was. I’m very involved in like everything from the music; I mean I love being extremely creatively involved in all sides. It’s been a great learning curve for me. I now have a great understanding of how much I have an affinity for that stuff from this show, being there all day, every day. I have developed some ideas in the past. We developed a pilot that didn’t go. I probably can continue on that path and create a vehicle for myself that I could create.” Diana says she would “love to have an opportunity to play roles like this, where an audience can walk away, remembering it for a good period of years. I would love to play something really guttural, like a Braveheart. Like a sword slinging, I don’t know what, period piece. On horseback. Just a good guttural piece like that. And really, I just would love to keep working hahaha.”
I’m one of those curious fans that wonder if my favorites are watching my other favorites on TV. I asked them all what they watch in their downtime. Marisa seems to love comedies as much as I do! “3o Rock, The Office, Curb Your Enthusiasm, anything funny. That’s about it, really. I watch Grey’s Anatomy, but I don’t watch any of the other like kind of shows, like Heroes. I hear good things about them, but I never watch them”

Ashley has a long list (she’s like me in that way. We laughed about how our TV favorite lists could go on for days!). I love Damages. I couldn’t wait until 10:00 last night. (this interview took place last week). Every Tuesday night, I’m puttering around waiting for 10:00 to come around to watch Damages. So I think that is my favorite show right now. Um, I have watched the premiere of Tell Me You Love Me. I try to watch every premiere of every show and sort of like check it out. Just give it a shot. I mean, of course, I love Grey’s Anatomy, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I’ve been watching that. Curb Your Enthusiasm. I love reality shows. I love Top Chef. I love Project Runway. I totally watch The Hills. I totally watched My Life on the D list, like those kinds of shows, I find them awesome!”

Diana says “I have small children, so my bedtime is kind of early, so I don’t get to watch too much, but I am a fan of Grey’s Anatomy. And Two and a Half Men. I would say that for drama and comedy shows, I love those two very much.” Chris had a lot to say on the subject. “I don’t watch a lot of dramatic television. I’m very into HD, so I only watch HD channels, and my favorite thing right now is the documentary called Shark Man. I watch sports and documentaries mainly. A dramatic show, I would say Sopranos is too cliché. House is a great show. [Chris is in an episode of House – Finding Judas. Really good stuff]. And Curb Your Enthusiasm I love. What’s that show on HBO now, the Eagle? (I helped him out with Flight of the Conchords). Yeah, I think that’s hilarious. And sometimes Showtime. Showtime has some good stuff. I can’t tell the difference between HBO and Showtime anymore. (I said I think that was Showtime’s plan). They are actually doing it.”

He and I talked for a bit more about what sports he likes, both to watch, and play. I have to say I’m a Knicks fan. I offered up that I’m a Philly sports fan, which is the worst and most loyal thing to be. His response? “Oh…really? It’s such a sad state of affairs right now. Well, I can relate. I’m going to try to watch football, and get into the Giants and Tennis. It’s mainly tennis and basketball is the two things I spend most of my time doing. Roger Federer is really the only guy worth watching. No matter who he is playing, he is fun to watch.

Ashley and I also got some time to discuss how she feels about doing drama versus comedy and her state of mind on her life as an actress. “I think it depends. I definitely feel way more at home in drama, but I keep on getting these jobs on like funny shows. Honestly, I’m really not that funny (she is, believe me. She had me laughing the whole time were on the phone!) I try to sort of figure it out. Figure out the timing of it. Honestly, I’m not that good at it. But I feel most at home doing drama. That may be a cop out because I’m just scared to do comedy.” I went all fan-girl on her and told her I loved her in everything I’ve seen her in. Laughing, she said “I’m 28 and I’ve sort of put together this career right now, which is not what I thought it would be. When Good Morning Miami premiered, they though it would be a huge hit, and I think people thought that I would be a star and it’s sad when that show started, and I didn’t feel like I could carry that show. I didn’t understand it, I just didn’t get it. I had a lot of trouble with that job. When the show got cancelled, I quit acting for a year, and I sort of took some time to figure out what I want to do and what kind of actress I wanted to be and stuff. Ever since I decided to come back, I’ve been working consistently since, doing these weird characters that I don’t like totally like, like they are not totally likeable. Well, Becca’s kind of a loser, ha. She’s like a dork, she is kind of annoying, but there is something about that that is really like fascinating for me to play! I don’t know what it is. When I got out here, and I got Good Morning Miami, I think I thought I was going to be a leading lady, famous person, haha, and I just didn’t feel right once I got there. I didn’t like it, I didn’t like the pressure. I was scared a lot of the time. I was terrible at watching myself. I’m terrible at going to awards shows and red carpet. I’m terrible at it, it’s not me. So I think what is happening right now feels right, and I feel so much more at home this way.” I congratulated her on taking her time, thinking it out, and showing that she does have the comedic timing she doesn’t think she has – “yeah, well, I think I had time to think it out because my show got cancelled! Haha!”

Seriously guys, I cannot express enough to you how great this show is and how AWESOME these four people were to interact with. Yes, it’s on Lifetime, but “this ain’t your mama’s lifetime,” as Diana pointed out. Check out the final three episodes (one this week, against, gasp, the Season Premiere of Desperate Housewives and two next week). Tune in to see Cell Phone Man revealed (spoiler phobes, beware. The voice on the end of the line belongs to Steven Webber, late of Studio 60). Tell Lifetime how much you love it, and join me in hoping for a second season to continue following these great characters!

By: Amrie Cunningham [My Take on TV]

I am a TV Addict who watches the Disney channel, and I’m not afraid to admit it. I actually consider myself one of the biggest fans of the charming star Kay Panabaker. Memorable for roles on Phil of the Future and movies like Life is Ruff and Read it and Weep; you may also remember her from the gone-too-soon classic Summerland, now airing on The N. She also has a recurring role on CSI as Katherine’s precocious daughter (not to be confused with the other Panabaker, Kay’s sister, the equally fabulous Danielle, who plays Stark’s daughter Julie on one of my guilty pleasures, Shark on CBS).

Kay is starring in the enjoyable new Lifetime Original Movie appropriately named “Custody” airing September 8 (with two fabulous men fighting over her, I don’t know how she does it! Sure, they’re fighting for custody of her character, but it’s Rob Morrow and James Denton, you cannot go wrong there!). I had the absolute privilege of speaking with her recently about great set relationships, the importance of staying in school, and oh yeah, a charming young kid you might know, named Zac Efron!

Why did you pick this movie [in which Kay’s character finds out at the age of 13 that the man who raised her as his own after her mother died (Rob Morrow) isn’t her biological father and that her mom’s ex-boyfriend (James Denton) is back in her life to get to know his daughter and get full custody]? What about it spoke to you?
Kay Panabaker: When I first heard Lifetime, my sister has done two movies and she’s always, it’s always been the woman who’s been beaten or abused or is going through a hard time. This one, the lead was two guys and a little girl and the story was just so touching to me, it was just the idea that your whole world gets torn apart and you still return to the one that saw you through the horrible times….I thought it was a sweet story. At the time, Rob Morrow wasn’t attached, and James Denton was, so I thought, hey this could be fun! I’ve got a couple of friends that work on the show [Desperate Housewives], one of the hairdressers. I thought, that’s a good thing, so that could be fun. And it was. It was an absolutely fantastic time.

What’s it like working with Rob and James, to start, but with the whole cast in general?
We got along really well. I’ve now babysat for Rob’s kids and Jamie’s daughter. Working with them was a lot of fun. A lot of the stuff that I do, I work with kids, or I work with some adults and it’s in a kid atmosphere and people tend to take me for, I look 12 or 13 and they think “oh she’s a cute little kid, she won’t understand what we’re talking about” so I just sort of hang out with my mom and we do our thing. They really treated me like an adult. To watch Rob and Jamie work is so fascinating because they both have such different methods. Rob is very much the thinker. He went over the fight scene between him and Jamie for like an hour the night before. He’s really thinking about it and when you look at him when he’s acting, I just get so caught up in it. He just does the littlest things, and from what I saw, I started making some of his facial expressions back at him. Jamie, he and I are birds of a feather. We fly by the seat of our pants. What’s really nice with him is that most of the scenes that we had together, it was just the two of us in the scene, so he and I really got to bond. We had such a fantastic time. And I have to say that he is the next Paul Newman. He’s so sweet, and he’s so good. He gives up so much of his time to charity. He’s in the Band from TV (Hugh Laurie, Greg Grunberg, Bonnie Somerville, Bob the Bachelor). They do these performances and it’s all for charity. I absolutely adore them, I think that they’re absolutely fantastic. They’re wonderful men, they’re wonderful human beings. Basically, the best part about this script is the relationships. And we have these big dinner scenes. In one of them, the entire cast got to talking about beads, and we were having this conversation and Nadia, the director, yelled action, not very loudly, but just loud enough so we should have heard her but we didn’t because we were talking so loudly. Everybody was jumping over each other….it was just so much fun.

What else do you have coming up besides Custody?
I did a small part, like one scene, in the new Allison Eastwood movie called Ralston Times, and I actually just got a letter that my scene was cut. I’m kind of upset, because it was not what I am. It was a runaway and she wore goth clothes and heavy eyeliner, and it was so much fun. I’ve got a couple different episodes of different shows coming up. The Suite Life of Zach and Cody…October 9 is a Boston Legal episode. I’ve got an episode of Weeds coming. It was so much fun, I played a good little Christian girl. I did a movie last summer called Moondance Alexander, about a girl and her horse, with Lori Laughlin from Summerland. I think I’m supposed to do some traveling for press and stuff. That should be out soon.

Do you miss working with Lori, and everyone from SUMMERLAND?
That show in particular was just so great. The crew was fantastic, and the cast and the crew got along so well, and we all saw each other so much more often than we saw our actual families. We spent 18 hour days working. We all had so much fun. We were so upset [when it was canceled]. We had so much fun. We got to go to the beach. My mom and I would go get breakfast. We’d walk down to the beach, sit down, and as the sun was coming up behind us, we could watch dolphins swim by. I mean, it was such a nice job. Like “I get paid to do this?” And I absolutely adored it. I still keep in touch with cast. I hang out with Lori’s girls. I don’t have to babysit them. I go over and hang out with her girls.

You were canoodling with Zac Efron before it was the hot thing to do! You’re a lucky girl.
It’s the weirdest thing. When we knew him, he was like 16, and he had a gap between his teeth, and he had this surfer persona, it was the cutest thing and now he’s like Mr. Hearththrob and it’s like “Wait, what happened to the cute little boy that I was kissing”. My mom and I were laughing because I always work with the “hot guys” before they become hot. Then they go on, and it’s always like “oh yeah Kay Panabaker worked with them”. Zac and Jesse. I adore Jesse [McCartney]. We have a radio station out here called KIIS FM, and Wednesday is Hump Day and one of the DJs goes out and humps things. One of the DJs decided to go out and hump celebrities. They were going to this club, to try and hump Ryan Cabrera and Jesse McCartney, and I was like “Oh no, Jesse’s not going to know about this” and so I actually sent him a text message…he and I had a conversation….I thought it was the funniest thing. My mom is looking at me like “you shouldn’t tell this story” but I thought it was cute.

So you’re entering what, your Junior or Senior year of college [there are various reports online....and she’s only 17]?
Senior year. I’m hoping to graduate in March and my birthday isn’t until May, so I’ll actually graduate before I’m 18.

And I was 18 when I started college so that is just awesome. Danielle did the same thing, right – she was very young when she started high school and college.
Yeah, she just graduated in June at 19.

You were valedictorian in high school, too [at the age of 13].
Mmhmm, and I think Danielle was too. She didn’t get to go to her graduation because she was filming or something.

What do you like to do when you have some downtime?
I usually hang out with my friends. It’s hard because a lot of people that I hang out with are in the business and they’re either older or they’re younger than I am. I don’t like teenagers. People my age tend to be really stupid. I’m just waiting for them to grow up and then I’ll hang out with them. I just went to the San Diego Zoo with a friend of mine and my parents and we did this Spend the Night, which is on the ground, hard and not very comfortable…I said let’s go again, ha! I read, I’m such a bookworm, I’m totally a nerd. I also make necklaces and jewelry which is a lot of fun for me.

What would you do if you weren’t going to act anymore?
I actually want to be a teacher. That’s my back up plan. That’s what I’m going to school for. I absolutely love history, so I’m a history major. Acting, I enjoy it, and I’d love to do it as long as possible but it’s one of those things where I could never work again because people decide that they don’t want to hire somebody who’s 18 and looks younger. I guess teaching. I enjoy animals, I enjoy kids. Anything in that realm.

What do you watch on TV when you get the chance?
My mom and I have shows that we watch religiously. We watch Entourage, just because it’s so true to Hollywood. We watch 24. Friday Night Lights. It’s so upsetting, because you’re like, oh no, it’s going to get cancelled, nobody watches it. It’s the best. And it’s great. I love that show. Matt Saracen. Need I say more. [um no, Kay, that’s pretty much how we all feel].

Tell me about working with Kiefer [on the dark comedy film Dead Heat].
I worked with him right before 24 went to series. It was my first job off the warm up track. He was an absolute sweetheart to me. He treated me like a professional, he would give me good ideas. He was the nicest, sweetest guy and at the end of it, I’m the worst at goodbyes, like if I’m on a set, and it’s about to be goodbye, because it just goes to hysterical sobs. He gave me his phone number, and said call me any time, I adore you.

What about Phil of the Future [my personal favorite Disney show]?
I watch some of those episodes now [because] I couldn’t really watch them when they first came on, but now it’s been a few years…I watch them, and I look at myself and go “how did I have that much energy?” I realize it was because I was just eating a lot of sugar.

What is one thing you would want readers to know about you or to remember as we see more of you in the future?
I really enjoy acting and the fact that education is so important. There are so many kids in the business, out of the business that don’t go all the way. Our society is to the point where you need to have a college education in order to do anything. My mom was saying in her time, having a high school education was good enough for anything, and now it’s not. So people really need to stick with their education. I know it’s long and I know that I’m advanced, so I’m getting it done…you’ll have the rest of your life to goof around…you’ll be wiser.

That’s an excellent note to leave on, isn’t it? I love Kay, I’ll watch anything she’s in – can’t wait to see her in the future. Enjoy Custody on Lifetime, Saturday 9/8!

Why is SURVIVOR heading to China? Have they learned nothing? Past seasons have proven that when the show leaves the beach, viewers tend to abandon ship. I could be wrong, but I think the producers are putting a whole lot more stock into the fact that – as the commercials love to remind us – “for the first time ever” an American television show is filming in the shadow of an ancient mountain… I’m sorry, how long was I asleep? Yes, I’ll tune in on September 20th… but if there aren’t a few interesting folks making the journey, don’t expect me to stick around. And by “interesting” I don’t mean nasty. That’s a casting mistake BIG BROTHER made this season, and if I get even the vaguest hint that the new survivors will prove as unlikable a bunch as their house-bound brethren, I’ll be flipping channels quicker than you can say “the tribe has spoken.”

Usually by this time of year, I’m frantically trying to figure out how I’m going to watch all the great new shows I’m excited to see. This year… not so much? Is it just me, or does the crop of fall programs being offered seem even more lackluster than usual? Have we just been spoiled by the great shows on cable? Help me out, here, folks, because I’m getting depressed. Convince me that at least a few of the new shows coming out are worth getting excited about!

The show is about Jenny McIntyre (Marisa Coughlin in a charming role), a 30 year old woman on the verge of the perfect marriage with the perfect man. That all changes when her best friend tells her that the cancer she thought she had beaten had returned, and was overtaking her brain. What follows is Jenny’s world slowly falling apart before her eyes, and she needs to find a way to make it all better again. She has a strong group of friends, who all have fabulous chemistry. Diana Maria Riva (Vivy, cancer-stricken friend), Jason Priestley (saintly fiancé of Jenny), and Chris Gartin (Rick, struck with love for Vivy) all mesh so well with each other. They really are fabulous. What I love most is the surprise element of the officially-titled Cell Phone Guy and what he represents for Jenny as she starts her new life.

Along with the luck of watching the pilot episode, I had the privilege of speaking with Margaret Nagle, creator, writer, and executive producer of the show, about what she thinks about her show, how she feels about her characters, and what she hopes we all get out of the material.

I asked Margaret where she got the idea for the show and how it ended up at Lifetime.

“I wrote a movie [Warm Springs, for which she got an Emmy nomination]. I had been doing other things. I wrote a spec script in my garage. I love the subject of Warm Springs. I gave the script to [Grey’s Anatomy executive producer] Mark Gordon. He said we’re going to make it, and it ended up nominated for a few Emmys. That week, Warner Brothers requested a blind script [basically, Margaret could write about whatever she wanted]. I had a meeting with Warner Brothers. That day, I checked my email. When I was a freshman at Northwestern, I was part of a very tight knit group. I got an email from a friend whose wife was dying from cancer. The email Jenny sends in the pilot is the email that I got. Rather than BCC us all, he put all our names on the list. Friends from New York, LA, the girl I wasn’t speaking to. 60 people whose lives were inner connected forever. Death brought us together.”

“I called my agent in the car and pitched the email. I said what if we backed it up 5 years, picked 4 random people. My agent said absolutely. I originally wrote it for ABC, but it was right around the time that Emily’s Reasons Why Not tanked so bad. They were freaking out about what they wanted. That killed the project at ABC. My agent said what about Lifetime. Suzanne Daniels totally came to the rescue. Unfortunately, my friend died shortly after that email.”

I asked Margaret to talk about the show – what good stuff we can expect, what we can expect to enjoy, and she had a lot to say. She believes in her show so strongly, and I’m inclined to agree!

“We seem to live extraordinarily perfect lives. I spent 2 years writing about the Lost Boys of Sudan for a movie. Mourning and experiencing the troubles of Sudan, you realize stuff is happening. We are responsible to one another, whether we acknowledge it or not. It’s time to grow a soul. The show is a birth of a soul. Jenny gets a call from the universe. She calls back. It’s not enough to deal with just the 20s. The 30s are much more indicative of character. We’re responsible for what we are going to do with our lives. Jenny is very beautiful, talented. Vivy is her conscience. She kicks her in the ass. She has to start her whole life over. Vivy lives with the cancer. It affects Ian, Rick, and Jenny’s life.”

“People of all ages love this show because it’s about friendship, love, life, cell phone guy, a relationship with a wrong number, and how Jenny will figure herself out. The first 13 are all about Jenny. It’s about people’s narcissism. She’s a narcissist who gets burned for it. I thought, let’s have her fall down a hole. Experience a journey that makes her grow. I wrote the first 13 as a movie, or a miniseries. There is a cliffhanger at the end. Ian becomes super important in the 13. We see what it’s like to see a guy get his heart broken. Rick believes if Vivy loves him, he’ll be complete. That story takes him through the entire 13. He’s not going to ease up. We’ll see Vivy go through chemo. [At one point], we meet Vivy’s other best friend Becca (How I Met Your Mother’s Ashley Williams). People get competitive. Becca comes down to play in the ‘Cancer Olympics. She wants Ian. We see the magazine experience some trouble, and we meet Jenny’s parents. Her mother is a wild woman. It’s a lot of fun stuff. Sex, messy, fun. Character driven. Jenny’s mom comes on to Rick. He goes to Ian. Ian says that she’s hit on him before, too!”

Margaret continued to talk about what we should get out of the show.

“Jenn’s dilemma is that she always wanted a life she want’s meant to have. She wanted to be this golden girl. Part of what we’re watching is her realizing that life. She has to live reality. She has to find the courage. The show is about love. The forms love can take. How we love our friends. I have friends. My friends are everything. They’re another kind of family. Friends are even more important than they’ve ever been.”

Margaret also gave a little insight into later episodes. Episode 2 [the second episode after the pilot], called “Whose Sperm Is It Anyway” deals with Rick and Ian wanting to be a good friend to Vivy, as they complete to see who will get to fertilize Vivy’s eggs. They have a “sperm off”, as Margaret puts it.

Margaret is incredibly involved in all aspects of the show. While we were on the phone, she got a call from the set. They wanted to know if she could come check out the tattoo that they put on Chris Gartin for the storyline of Rick getting a tattoo to support Vivy. She’s also sure to put aspects of her life into the show – the horrible bridesmaid dress? “My friend is so mad at me. The bridesmaid dress in the pilot is hers!”

This is the kind of show you should watch with your girlfriends, or your guy friends. One of Margaret’s favorite stories about the test groups comes from the feeling of having a group of friends to watch the show.

“In watching the test groups, they loved watching together. One of the test audiences went out to dinner together after watching! I sent it to my two roommates. They watched it over the phone together and spent 2 and half hours discussing it afterwards. The feedback has been enthusiastic and passionate.”

Margaret left me with two final thoughts – pay attention to the voice on the other end of Jenny’s phone conversations. You might find that it’s a voice you’ll recognize well! Margaret got a phone call saying “I have to play cell phone guy”. While she wouldn’t give away who it was, expect to see the actual person show up in season 2!

Her final thought is something that can definitely apply to our every day lives! “There is no third world. I believe there’s just one world. A world without World War II, Vietnam, huge problems. It’s a cushy time, we need to wake up. Time to wake up. We think our lives are safe. We have control. You really don’t. Life is right now. You better go for it. I waited years to write. I finally sat down to write, I overcame my fear. It totally changed my life. I did it. You better do it.”

Margaret is a real class act, having faith in a show that really has the potential to go places! I for one cannot wait for new episodes – I look forward to the next few weeks to see how it all plays out. Don’t miss the premiere episode on July 15 at 8PM on Lifetime!

In other news – a new Clark and Michael episode goes up live on Wednesday. I’ve had the incredible privilege of talking with Clark this week and I asked him to offer up a tease of what to expect in this week’s brand new ‘sode. He said:

“Well, without giving too much away: Clark has a gun. Michael reads the paper. We play some (more) golf. Guest starring “Greek” (that show I’m on….) and “Live Free or Die Hard”’s Jake McDorman and Chris Candy (son of comedy legend John Candy”

Please tune in!

Stayed tuned next week for some more insight into the mind of Lifetime writers, as well as some exciting stuff to look forward to as Discovery celebrates the 20th year of Shark Week!

Feedback is welcome!
mytakeontv@thetvaddict.com