TV Tyrant

P. Diddy at Inside the Actors Studio

April 14th, 2010 | by | tv shows

Apr
14

Just a quick note to look out for P.Diddy on Inside the Actors Studio. At the taping last night, he was warm, funny, and a gentleman. That mother of his raised him right in a world where it ain’t easy. Aside from my embarrassing moment where I shook hands while he fist bumped (it creates a bizarre moment where it looks like I’m caressing his knuckles), the night went smooth as silk. My research was mostly on-target, so no dirty stares from Jim Lipton. :)

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Doctor Who’s Return

April 14th, 2010 | by | doctor who, tv shows

Apr
14

My fellow Americans,

You’re about to be re-introduced to a character as old as Kennedy Conspiracy theories, TV’s the Doctor of BBC’s Doctor Who. Throughout the nearly fifty year history of the science fiction show, Americans have had to wait as much as years for their fix of the quirky, other-worldly hero who travels around in a blue box.

Wait no more. Well, you can wait two weeks, but it’s hardly the formerly glacial pace. BBC America is rebroadcasting Britain’s Doctor Who only two weeks behind their Uncles from Across the Pond.

After a ground-breaking tenure by enthusiastic and ebullient David Tennant, we’re given a still-younger Doctor. In his mid twenties, the new Doctor, played by Northampton’s Matt Smith makes it rather hard to remember that the character once started as a geriatric who was called “Grandfather” by his co-star. But things change – he was so much older then; he’s younger than that now. I’m hip, and you all will be too, because the new Doctor is terrific.

Whereas David Tennant played the Doctor like mankind’s biggest fan, the new one has a more fluid relationship with our species. He constantly searches for trust in the eyes of his new companion, the adorable Karen Gillan, playing the spritely Amelia “Amy” Pond. He’s sensitive in a way the previous Doctor wasn’t – more touchy-feely.

The first episode, the Eleventh Hour, spent most of its time setting up the new companion and new character for the Doctor, but found time for a very solid little science fiction story, centering a chameleon like entity called a “multiform” who went by the name Prisoner Zero. Through a bit of time-jumping, we learned how annoying a Timelord can be, particularly one who consistently misses the target by ten or so years.

But we’re given an idea how romantic, in spite of or because of his unreliability, this itinerant traveler from the stars can be. He’s so romantic that his new companion jumps at the chance to travel with him, despite having a rather important appointment the next day, despite the fact that the Doctor has a habit of showing up years too late. Just what does Amy Pond want out of this alien?

The second episode, the Beast Below, shows a bit of new head writer Steven Moffat’s particular talent – his ability to give us the willies. And he’s used that talent to great effect when working under the last head writer, Russel T. Davies. From the gas-masked children asking if we’ve seen their mum to the statues that move when you’re not looking, Moffat has a real talent for subtle horror. His new creation, called, the “Smilers” are genuinely creepy, so watch out for them.

After seeing the first two episodes of the “new” new Doctor Who, I can honestly say that the show’s in safe hands, and that given quality writing like this, the show has at least another fifty years left in it. Doctor Who’s American Premiere is Saturday, April 17, at 8pm on BBC America.

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Quick note: another tyrant!

April 14th, 2010 | by | doctor who, site news

Apr
14

I love Doctor Who, but never have the time to write about it. I still have a few episodes of Torchwood’s first season I haven’t written up, pathetically enough.

So we have another new Tyrant here, Jeremy, who’ll start blogging shortly about the good Doctor. And just in time for the brand new Doctor’s season to begin here in the States!

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Lost: The one that made Amy cry

April 14th, 2010 | by | lost

Apr
14

I was always pissed off that Libby was killed. I really liked her character; thought she had a lot of depth. Nevermind that Hurley so totally deserved to have some love in his life, too.

But we’ve always had hints that Libby was more important to the overall storyline than her one-season stint implied.

She was in Hurley’s looney bin, though we never knew why. And Hurley never realized she was there, either. And she (or her doppelganger) gave Desmond the boat that got him to the island – we’ve never really found out what that was about.

But Libby is an important piece of the puzzle, which should have been obvious from our Desmond-centric (PENNNAAAHHH!) episode last week.

Love is the key, sorta, somehow. And she and Hurley were, indeed, soulmates. They were in love. And her kiss brought Hurley’s memories flooding back. And made me cry. Don’t tell me it didn’t make you cry, too, because if you say you didn’t, you’re lying. Or you have no soul. Your choice.

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Supernatural: One big problem!

April 13th, 2010 | by | supernatural, tv shows

Apr
13

As much as I love my shows, and end up obsessing over them, it does always annoy me when they shove in a minor character that we haven’t seen for years, and expect us to remember everything about them by a quick ‘previously’ snippet. You know, unless it’s someone I love, like Ash. Or The Trickster.

So anyway…

I have tried writing this post in my head a bajillion times, and I keep getting all hung up with the details. I keep trying to recap the damn thing, when all I want to do is talk about Dean. Please bear with me while I try and work through this.

I get it, Dean has put everything into his family. He feels like Sam has betrayed him, that Bobby can’t help the same way he used to be able to for physical and emotional reasons. Let’s not even get into Daddy Winchester. Even Dean’s latest man crush, Castiel, probably didn’t do Dean any favors by showing up LOADED. BTW, LoadedCastiel was awesome. Misha Collins has done such a great job with that character. So everyone is gone, Dean finds out that he has the Hand of God – or whatever – after killing the Lying Liar Who Lies (and I think I was just as surprized as Dean was, actually), and he runs off to give himself up to Michael? I mean, that’s where we’re going with this, right?

Sam made a comment like “Wow, so that’s what it’s like to have back up.” after their fight at the farmhouse with the townspeople. To me this was a very telling moment between those pretty Winchester boys. For all of Dean’s bellowing about how they had to fight Lucifer, no matter what, Sam seems to be the one who is willing to change their M.O. While Sam was marveling at the thought of having an actual army to fight the demons, Dean was shutting down in his misery and alone-ness and self pity. Just when Sam seems to really be getting the idea to truly be on board for the fight, Dean is at his end. Why can’t these two ever be on the same page at the same time? It’s all so sad, my friends.

So Dean takes off, in some kind of last ditch craziness, and shows up at the door of the woman who gave birth to the NotDean kiddo we met a few seasons ago (or was it last season? I can’t remember, show!). Apparently setting himself up a potential happy and normal life if he lives through housing Michael and dealing with, no doubt, the shenanigans of Zachariah. Not to mention Lucifer. OMG, we are headed right for it people! Sam v. Dean in the showdown of the ages.

Awful if you love these beauteous boys named Winchester, but compelling. I just hope Kripke can pull it off.

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24: Well, that sucks.

April 13th, 2010 | by | 24, jack bauer, tv shows

Apr
13

Yes, terrible, awful things happened tonight on 24. If you haven’t seen it yet, be advised that this post is FULL OF SPOILERS!! STOP NOW IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN IT YET!.

The Happily Ever After we all wanted...

Another heart-breaker people! I haven’t been that upset over someone’s death on 24 since Tony. But you know what? Thank god 24 has some balls once again. I was happy to have Tony back last season, for my own selfish hormonal reasons, but they just hacked at his character. The writers keep a beloved character around too long, and they degrade exponentially. The only exception being Jack and Chloe, in my opinion. Remember how awesome Nina Meyers was, until she wasn’t? Martha Logan was great, until she really, crazily wasn’t. I would rather Renee go out in a way that gives me the vengeful, driven Jack that I love.

Does Jack deserve that kind of heartache? No one does, really, but this show is based on despair. I spent season one hoping that Jack would prevail, only to be devastated by watching his wife, the mother of his child, die in his arms. Wouldn’t a happy ending be an affront to that premise? Besides, who says romantic love is the only happy ending? Jack finally has a good relationship with his daughter Kim, and an adorable grand daughter, Teri’s namesake, to bring him joy. Why isn’t that enough, at least for now?

I admit my gooey heart was rooting for a happy Jack and Renee ending, but I give the writers mad props for being brave again. Offing Hassan last week, and wrenching Jack’s heart this week, gives me some serious drama and revenge to look forward to, and that excites me.

Plus, the extra added bonus of Chloe finally, finally! getting to run CTU, as it should be.

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24: I’m pissed off

April 12th, 2010 | by | 24

Apr
12

OK, look. One of the things that was great about 24, once upon a time, was its willingness to kill off important people. I can appreciate and respect that about a show.

OH, BY THE WAY, THERE ARE SPOILERS HERE, SO DON’T FRAKKIN’ READ IF YOU DON’T WANNA KNOW.

But it’s been some years since 24 was that fearless. And last season’s return of Zombie Tony, only to make him bad, good, bad, good and then just psycho again, that really ticked me off. Better to have given him a silent clock originally and kept him dead.

But tonight’s death of Renee really pissed me off. No two ways about it.

This is, as we know, the last season. Jack deserves a wee bit of happiness, and Renee and Chloe were the only two others worth anything on the show this season. Hastings had redeemed himself, but still, he was a shrimper.

I’m so ticked off right now, I know I’m not expressing it well. In some ways, tonight’s episode was awesome. It showed a fearlessness rarely seen in network television. But Renee was NOT the person to kill off.

Renee was the finest character to join 24 in years.

RIP, Renee Walker. Jack’s gonna make sure your death wasn’t in vain, and that’s the only good thing that could come of this. Jack’s gotta rack up a body count, and that’s never a bad thing. You know, for those of us safe on our sofas, watching.

I only wish that the silent clock were subterfuge this time around.

(P.S.: Chloe in charge of CTU? Frak yeah!)

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I love Bones and Medium. Yeah, I said it.

April 11th, 2010 | by | tv shows

Apr
11

To admit liking these shows, well, it kinda blows my cover. I take pride in being a big fan of action adventure  and sci fi shows. The cool shows, like Battlestar and Lost and boy shows like 24 and Human Target. A procedural bores me to tears (CSI or Law & Order? Ugh). I find shows about suburban families inconsequential (Desperate Housewives or Parenthood? Stab me in the eye with a fork, please). But somehow, these two shows have won my heart, and I have my last roommate to thank for it (thanks Joanne!).

Medium: A family who lives in suburban Phoenix, the mother is a psychic who works for the DA’s office, the father is an engineer, and they have three girls, all with some psychic ability. But this is the sneaky part: the family is sweet and functional. Jake is one of the awesomest TV husbands ever created on television. Smart and caring, and supportive of all the cuckoo stuff that goes on around his psychic wife. Every week I wonder, “Where can I find a man like that?” The kids are endearing, but not sickeningly so, and Allison is mild mannered but determined in helping find all manner of murders lurking about Arizona. Plus, there’s lots and lots of gross and disgusting crime scenes to enjoy. I find the murder of the week fun to try and figure out, and the writers do a good job of using twisty turns and red herrings to keep you on your toes. But really, in the end, I just love the family dynamic and the sly smartness and wit that is conveyed to us each week.

NBC cancelled the show last year, but since CBS owned it, they took it on and have paired it with a show I’ve never seen, The Ghost Whisperer. Seems like a good pair to me, but I hear the ratings are so-so for CBS, and the show is on the bubble. Of course it is, now that I find myself a full-blown fan.

Bones: I’m gonna be honest here, I only gave this show a chance because I am a big Buffy fan, and if Angel (David Boreanaz) was on the show, maybe it was worth checking out, because he is exceedingly gorgeous. Add in a badge and a gun? I really don’t need much more than that. Hee. But like Medium, the characters won me over. Smart and funny, the lab is full of quirky characters, and the main characters, Booth and Bones, have that crazy chemistry that we all want in our TV couples, and a fun will-they-or-won’t-they vibe that so far hasn’t been drudgery. Also, lots and lots of disgusting and gory crime scenes. Totally revolting corpses and pieces. I just love that stuff. Also like Medium, the writers never really take things too seriously, which can be a very difficult task when you write about death and gore and murder all the time.

I don’t really need to pimp this show. They just aired their 100th episode on Fox, and I hear the ratings are better than ever, so YAY for me!

Some of my favorite shows on the air right now were shows I scoffed at when they started. Medium, Bones, Supernatural, Gilmore Girls,  Buffy, BSG, etc. So now I do my best to try out everything that has even a sliver of interest to me. Most of the time, I am disappointed, but I always try to remember, sometimes what may seem like yet another tedious version of something you’ve seen over and over, may just turn out to be one of your favorites.

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Lost: PENNNAAAHHHHHH!

April 7th, 2010 | by | lost

Apr
07

Let me start off by saying that if Team Darlton does NOT end Lost with Desmond and Penny together, I will riot. I will grab a folding chair and smash it through something and encourage everyone around me to do the same.

Just sayin’.

I’ve said that from the start of this season, particularly after seeing Des on the plane next to Jack and no Penny in sight and Penny being on Flash Forward and all. But last night gave me hope that Lindelof & Cuse may have recognized that they could wrap up the show in almost any way they want, but DON’T FRAK WITH DESMOND AND PENNY.

So what more could a girl have possibly wanted than last night’s episode? I didn’t think it would be possible for this show to get better, but it did. As the Bad Robot sig came on the screen, I put my hand to my chest and said, simply, “That was SO good.”

And because this episode was about Desmond, everything began bleeding together and I don’t even have to separate the off-island and on-island action.

An interesting thing I noticed last night, though, was that although I knew – just knew – that Desmond’s boss would be Widmore, Widmore’s wife would be Eloise and their son would be Faraday, it didn’t spoil a thing for me. One of the things I’ve always loved about Lost is that I’ve been almost incapable of guessing who someone was before they showed the person. They’re just that good.

But given that it was Desmond, it made perfect sense that he’d be working for Widmore. And Eloise and Daniel were, after all, his actual wife and son, so those were not much of a stretch.

So what did we learn last night? So very much.

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Supernatural: How to kick a man when he’s down, Kripke style

April 6th, 2010 | by | supernatural

Apr
06

I dare any Supernatural fan to have walked away from this week’s episode without their heart torn out of their chest. “Oh”, Kripke said, “you’d like to see Heaven would you? Well, let’s have a stroll then, shall we?”

After last week’s zombie fest – a perfectly gory and horrifying, if apocalypse light episode – I was ready for some movement on the continuing story of the Winchesters v. Lucifer. But after ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ is it actually Winchesters v. God? Will it ultimately be Dean/Michael v. Sam/Lucifer? Or are we still just plain old Good v. Evil? Like my other deep thinkin’ show, Lost, this one has blurred the lines of good and evil, sometimes to a frustrating end. If you grew up being taught that you were either a good person or a bad one, it is quite disconcerting when you find out that the world is actually a big vat of grey. Each step we take with the Winchesters their world grows more grey and bleak.

Not to mention that Kripke loves to torture us, right along with our Beautiful Brothers Winchester. Even when they were slogging through, fighting their familial demons along with the demon-y demons, we were given Castiel to help sheppard them, and to give us, the viewers, some semblance of hope. But now, even Castiel’s unyielding faith is being slowly pounded out of him. Our boys step daddy, Bobby, has been knee-capped and taken out of the fight, and his heart broken yet again. Honestly, how much more can we take? Watching Dean get his heart broken again and again, while in Heaven of all places, was rough. It in turn became almost unbearable when he tossed the amulet necklace that was arguably the one last connection he had that proved the love he so desperately wanted from his brother. How sad is it that while Dean has spent his life protecting, nurturing and raising Sam, only to find out that Sam’s happiest memories involved anything but his own family. At least Dean had Metallicar up there with him, because he certainly didn’t get any relief or joy.

I gotta say, I am enjoying the hell outta these episodes. Nothing like angsty existential drama with a dash of absurdism to keep me entertained. Egotistical Angels and gleeful Demons? I am in. Happy to see Ash and Pam again, and the whole concept of Kripke’s Heaven, everyone’s own little cell of heaven, but connected to each  other, spanning out from The Garden. The idea that even in your own heaven, an Angel can come and ruin your day appeals to me, especially if the Angel is as deliciously horrible as Zachariah. Speaking of Zach, how many of you out there think this version of Heaven may just be another trick? He obviously manipulated the scene where he was hitting on Mary, so who’s to say that the whole thing wasn’t a fevered version of the ‘real’ thing. In the end, though, that doesn’t really matter. Dean is heart broken, Sam is guilty, Castiel is dejected, Bobby is helpless, God is missing and I just want my boys to be happy again.

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