DVD Review: Better Off Ted Season 1

Better Off Ted: The Complete First Season releases tomorrow on DVD! This critically-acclaimed series stars Jay Harrington (“Private Practice”), Portia DeRossi (“Ally McBeal”), and Andrea Anders (“Joey”). Entertainment Weekly calls this “the most original sitcom to come along in a while,” and after watching the series myself, I can definitely agree!



DVD Information:
Release Date: December 1, 2009
Episodes: 2-discs, 13 episodes
Run Time: 309 minutes

As head of research and development at Veridian Dynamics, good guy Ted Crisp (Harrington) leads a quirky team of the world’s smartest scientists on a mission to make the impossible possible. From cow-less meat to deadly pumpkins, no project is too bizarre, or too unethical, as long as it’s profitable. Working to appease his beautiful boss (DeRossi), Ted struggles occasionally with his conscience — and his attraction to a comely co-worker (Anders) — but it’s all in a day’s work when you’re Better Off Ted.



Better Off Ted is one of the best original comedy series to come around in a very long time. The writing is sharp, the casting was perfect, and it really can’t get any more quirky than this. It’s amusing, clever, and it will take you out of this world. All of the characters are odd as they say the darndest things and yet all of them are incredibly likable characters. There is so much positive energy, chemistry in this cast it is unfortunate that there are no bloopers on this DVD to look back on the incredible process of filming this show. There is steady character development, steady office romances, and the comedic timing is superb all throughout. Again, the writing is excellent. The series is told through Ted who talks directly into the camera to narrate what is going on or shares feelings/opinions on what is going on that helps move along the episode. This brings quite a comedic edge to the show since you never know when he will start talking to the camera, hence realizing what he feels is significant to share. There are so many memorable quotes and each episode is better than the next, it will be easy to consider this witty satire one of your favorite shows. While there are no special features on the DVD, it is definitely worth the buy to have the first season on hand to watch whenever you want. You’ll find something new to laugh at every time.

My Top 5 Episodes:
Racial Sensitivity
Get Happy
Jabberwocky
Through Rose Colored HAZMAT Suits
Win Some, Dose Some



Buy Better Off Ted: The Complete First Season tomorrow.

Thanks to Gossip Girl

The highlight of my TV week so far happened around 9:30pm tonight while watching Gossip Girl (The CW), specifically the Thanksgiving dinner scene. If you missed it, you missed the best Gossip Girl scene in the entire season so far and you definitely need to watch this episode when it is available on CWTV.

Anyway, I realized that I never shared my Gossip Girl photos that I took with my friends while we were hanging out in the city last month. Check them out. Yes, I spotted Blake Lively, Ed Westwick, and Leighton Meester!





P.S. In the episode seen tonight, the cast & crew shot at The Milan which is where we spotted Leighton!

25 Days of Christmas 2009

It's that time of year again!!! Below is the entire day-by-day programming schedule for ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas!

What will you be watching this year?

Click on image to make it bigger. (Thanks Daemon's TV.)

Broadway Will Dim Its Lights Tomorrow

Broadway Will Dim Its Lights Tomorrow at 8pm for One Minute
To Commemorate World AIDS Day

In addition to Broadway theaters, participating venues across the city include the Brooklyn Bridge, Lincoln Center, Madison Square Garden, the Chrysler Building, Radio City Music Hall, the Beacon Theatre and the Washington Square Park Memorial Arch.

A roster of notable guests, including United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and actress and UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador Naomi Watts, will kick off the global Light for Rights campaign in New York City on World AIDS Day—Tuesday, December 1, 2009—as lights on numerous landmarks all over the city will be turned off to remember those lost to AIDS and turned back on to emphasize human rights for those living with HIV/AIDS around the world.

The global initiative, organized by UNAIDS (the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS); amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research; Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS; and the World AIDS Campaign, will showcase the importance of fundamental human rights as citizens and organizations around the world fight AIDS.

The New York anchor event will begin at 6:00 p.m. in Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village, where the Secretary-General and Naomi Watts will be joined by Kenneth Cole, chairman, Kenneth Cole Productions and chairman of the board, amfAR; New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn; and 13-year-old Honduran AIDS activist Keren Dunaway-Gonzalez, who is living with HIV.

During the event, at 6:15 p.m., the lights on the Washington Square Park Memorial Arch will be turned off and then re-illuminated as the speakers talk about the importance of human rights when confronting the AIDS pandemic.

DVD Review: Dancing with the Stars: Dance Off The Pounds

Dancing with the Stars (ABC) ninth season recently aired and now it's time to get in shape like those on the small screen. You can dance off your Thanksgiving meal and get in shape before the tenth season begins!

"Dancing with the Stars: Dance Off the Pounds" and "Dancing with the Stars: Dance Body Tone" features three of the show’s professional dancers – Kym Johnson, Lacey Schwimmer and Dmitry Chaplin – demonstrating conditioning dance routines inspired by the show including Swing, Jive, Quickstep, Freestyle, Latin and Tango. It’s the most fun you’ll ever have losing weight and toning your body – without a partner!



Each season, audiences watch in amazement as stars shrink down and shape up on ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars.” Now you can share their weight-loss success and dance off the pounds with three different cardio dance routines—Swing, Jive and Quickstep—led by pro dancers Dmitry, Lacey and Kym. Each routine gets your body warmed up with the signature moves of the featured dances before progressively adding on to create complete, calorie-blasting workouts—so you can learn with ease and get dancer fit all at once. Join the fat-burning fun and dance your way to a superstar body!

Dancing with the Stars fans and those wanting to learn basic dance steps will enjoy this DVD. You'll be treated to three dances, Swing, Jive, and Quickstep which will be a fun challenge for beginners. It will definitely be a challenge since there is not much instruction. While you will learn dance vocabulary easily, this DVD would be much easier to follow if this were an instructional dance workout. Instead, the leader announces what step is about to be done, and then does it once or twice before adding that step to the overall dance number. There is not enough time in between announcing the next dance step and performing the dance step in the entire dance routine to correctly manage each basic step. While it might be hard to follow if you are not familiar with these dance steps already, it will make beginners break a sweat! It seems as though if you are already experienced in a steady work out, these 15 minute exercises are simple dance routines to have fun with as a DWTS fan.

Kim led Swing which includes the leg-sculpting moves like the Susie Q, Heel-Toe Swivels and the Shimmy Shake. She was enthusiastic and motivational but her workout could have used more instruction. Lacey led Jive which is fast-paced including lively kicks and rocking the hips but for a Jive, Lacey could have been more animated. Dmitry led Quickstep who was the most enthusiastic, motivating, and instructional of the three dance professionals. However, his back up dancers did not seem to have practiced their timing enough which at times can be distracting. Kim, Lacey, and Dmitry lead the 5 minute Cool Down which helps stretch your muscles and relax at a steady pace.

Notes:
- There is no partner needed to work out with this DVD.

- It is comforting that all of the workouts are conducted on a set similar to the DWTS set however, you at home do not have that luxury so it is best to work out in an open space that does not have carpet.

Features:
- You can choose to workout with "instruction" or with "music only" which are great options as once you learn the routines, it is much more convenient to exercise with simply the music.

- You can build a "custom work" out by choosing which segments you want to do and the DVD will play them without interruption! This makes for quite the nice 50 minute uninterrupted work out!

This is a great start to dancing off those pounds, so make sure to pick it up in stores tomorrow!

Dancing with the Stars: Dance Off The Pounds will become available on December 1, 2009.

TV Week in Review

*Reviews May Contain Spoilers*

Heroes - Thanksgiving



Claire: I know that I should be thankful but I'm just not feeling it right now.

Who else enjoyed this episode? I know I did! HRG having Lauren over for Thanksgiving dinner was not cool at all. Although what I found to be more interesting was Claire's announcement that was thinking about dropping out of college. It was not expected but it was also not surprising. I can say the same for HRG inviting Gretchen over. That is what really led the adventure, which we should see in the next episode as the girls search for what the compass is pointing to. Although I don't see how this can lead to anything positive for Gretchen. Only time will tell. As for the Petrelli family...Angela trying to avoid telling what really happened to Nathan to "Nathan" and Peter on Thanksgiving was not cool either. Thankfully she gave in and told her sons the truth. It was scary when Sylar took full force and was in the process of killing Angela when "Nathan" fought back and escaped before Sylar could actually kill her. Yikes. Where is this headed? Will it be just Nathan or Sylar in the end? Lastly, Hiro's storyline was ridiculous! He should have known that the tattoo hero who's name escapes me was going to be all sneaky in the past! He's so smart but has been acting recklessly all season long, it's getting ridiculous. Samuel killing his brother was wrong on so many levels and I would not want to be involved with him in any way after seeing that. This episode was intriguing and humorous, so thanks writers for quite an entertaining episode!

V - It's Only the Beginning



Anna: What you've seen today Tyler is only the beginning.

This episode started out with a bang that made me shout, "oh snap!" Ryan shooting what looked like Erica and then cutting to 14 hours earlier...wow. What an introduction! Then Ryan tried to cover himself in the actual set up by shooting the visitor that was behind Erica, it wasn't actually Erica that he was aiming for in the first place. Although his little chit chat with the visitor led to Erica finding out that Ryan was a visitor which worried me very much! Although the two were both civil about continuing to work together since Ryan is a true traitor to the Vs, part of the fifth column. What's up with the injections put in the flu vaccines? Can't complain about not finding out enough because that was a lot to find out when the visitors were after them in the warehouse. As for Ryan and Erica's personal lives... Did Ryan's wife get pregnant before or after Ryan was turned into a V? If after, that makes for some interesting and sad conflict. As for Erica's home life...she is incredibly disconnected from her son. Tyler telling his therapist all of his business was fine before the visitors came but now that they are here, you can't trust anyone and it would be a shame if the therapist were a V. Although even worse, Ty brought his V uniform to therapy, enabling Anna and Lisa to eavesdrop on the conversation! Tyler meeting with Anna alone was not a good idea at all because even though this meeting was harmless, it is just setting up for more dangerous one on ones. Moving on, what's up with the healing centers? Are they healing the sick and also importing V genes? Lastly, in the end we see that there are many more V ships than what we may have thought and honestly, with that many ships...would it be easier for earth to just all turn into Vs? Hmm...what a dilemma. Looking forward to V's return in the new year!

Glee

Listen to the latest episode of Gleek Squad Podcast.

Ugly Betty - Level (7) With Me



Amanda: I'm not mad that you murdered her. I'm just mad that you murdered her before I had the chance to know her.

What an action packed, comedy filled, drama filled episode! I enjoyed every bit of it! Betty, Claire, Amanda and Matt joining forces to try to save Daniel from level 7 truly was heartbreaking because Daniel has gone so far deep into Bennett's levels of mourning with Natalie and the rest of the group that it became unhealthy. It seems that Daniel finally saying goodbye to Molly in level 7 was his closure and hopefully it is the end of his friendship with Natalie who is still holding on. As for those who aren't friends but decent towards each other...Amanda and Claire almost getting caught up by the level 7 crew was quite funny and it was hilarious when the two were in the therapy session to cover. Amanda and Claire are cordial and Amanda is taking the high road and keeping Claire's secret a secret. It will be interesting to see what happens if, when Claire meets her son. Looking forward to that episode. Anyway, Marc digging deeper into the Nico mystery was quite fun to see even though Wilhelmina was not the least bit pleased. Does he have a right to "snoop" is the question....hmm...well, there was no murder and Wilhelmina doesn't want to speak to her daughter again but is that the last of her daughter? Will Marc find out how everything played out or does it not matter now? On a side note, I love how the code to Wilhelmina's safe are her measurements. These writers are brilliant. This episode was very entertaining and it just makes me anticipate what else there is to see this season.

Introducing White Collar's Newest Cast Member, Natalie Morales

Natalie Morales is the newest series regular on the hit USA show, White Collar which Hollywood the Write Way has been following since before its series premiere. So it was only natural to sit down and interview her with my fellow bloggers who also have been following the show for as long as I have!



What about this particular role brought you to the show?
Honestly, I read the pilot and it was one of the best pilots I've ever read in my entire life, and I just thought that it was just something I really wanted to be a part of, and I got lucky that I got the role, you know. Everybody behind the project is so completely all about it, and it's really, really fun and refreshing to have a cast that really gets along, and everybody is great, and it's just like I couldn't be luckier, to be honest with you. It's really, really fun.

What is it about your character that you like the most?
I like her snarkiness the most. I like that she is sarcastic and funny. That's my favorite part about that character. Not only is she smart, but she can be silly, too. You know, she can have fun at work.

What were you doing when you found out that your role got extended?
I was on set, and my manager called me, and then I high fived everybody. It was great fun.

There was a female costar, an FBI agent, in the Pilot, Diane who then mysteriously disappears, and then you appear as Lauren Cruz. Do you happen to know the dynamics there?
Well, it's not the same role. It's a completely different role, and I actually don't know what exactly went on because that was before I sort of … I think I've heard Jeff Eastin, the executive producer, sort of explain that there was a scheduling conflict with the actress. I'm not entirely sure what happened, but I know that Lauren Cruz was always intended to be a completely different role from the Diana character.

Is there anything physical that you had to train for for your role on this show?
We've done a little bit of tactical training. We had a really cool guy that's a SWAT team member come in and sort of show us the ropes on what you would do busting into a house and the searching for people and all that kind of stuff, which is cool. I love that stuff. It's a little different holding a Glock than it is holding an alien zapper gun so it's a cool bit of training. I think I can pretty much just make up what I was doing with The Middleman guns, that actual procedure, the stuff like this that I needed to learn.

We know that Neal has a girlfriend and we know that he's very much into her and finding her, but your character and his character, you're getting quite chummy recently, so what's the deal there?
Yes, you picked up on something there. I think that Neal and Lauren definitely have some chemistry going on, and, you know, right now his head is all around Kate and what's happening with Kate, but I think that Lauren, despite the fact that it's someone that she should keep her eye on in not the "I like you" way, it's hard for her not to, you know?

So I think, not that what I just said made any kind of sense, I hope you understood that; the oddest way to phrase something ever. God, I can't believe this is being transcripted, but yes, I think that there is something there for sure, and I hope and believe that it will develop in the future.

Will Lauren always be suspicious because he's a conman?
I think so, but there's something attractive about that. As a woman, there's something attractive about what you can't have and what you know very little about, especially when you have chemistry with that and you get along with it, so I think that it's something intriguing for Lauren, and also for Neal, because they are so similar, yet come from completely different paths. You know?

What would you say is Cruz's fascination with Neal? What draws her to him?
There's something about how intelligent he is, which is completely on par with how intelligent she is. I don't think that Lauren finds a lot of guys who can keep up with her, you know? And Neal not only can keep up with her, but can sort of keep her guessing, and that's rare for her, I think. I mean she went to Quantico; she went to Cambridge; she's up there in her class. She's a smart girl so I think that's what's interesting, and also there's a little bit of a smooth bad boy thing that every girl likes, you know?

Where would you like to see your character go in terms of next season?
That's an interesting question. I don't know. I think we have some incredible minds writing the show, and I definitely leave it up to them to create my character. Sometimes they don't tell me everything in my character. For example, on the USA website it says that Lauren speaks eight languages, which I didn't know until I read that so that might be interesting and hopefully coming in another episode in the future. I think I'd like to see her relationship with Neal, and maybe some of Lauren's personal life and what she's really like. We don't really know a lot about her yet, where she comes from, who she is and what she does when she's not at work so I think that would be interesting to see.

What would be your ideal case, crime to solve?
I actually really love conspiracies and cons and stuff like that. I love really smart crime. If I was an FBI agent, this is exactly what kind of stuff I'd be doing. Although I don't know that the white collar division in real life is all that interesting. I don't know that they get that many murders. I do love, like, the whole forgeries and all that stuff, especially art stuff. I think that's so interesting, and I think I'd like to figure out bank robbers, maybe because I want to learn how to rob a bank.

Do you have a favorite scene from any of the first few episodes that we've seen so far?
One of my favorite scenes from the last episode is probably the scene in the file room with Neal.

Would you be interested in producing an episode?
I don't know that I'm -- yes, I mean I'd be interested in anything I'm going to do with the show. I'd love to direct some day. I don't know if that's in the future, but yes, definitely.

Are we going to see much more of the female relationships and interactions among each other, even though it's predominately mostly about the boys?
So far I've only had one scene with Tiffani in which I didn't have any actual lines with her, but we just say hi to each other and then leave so at this point they know each other. The two characters know each other, but I don't think that they hang out much because she's just one of Peter's coworkers. I’m not really a friend of Elizabeth's. I think that you'll probably see more interaction of each of us with the boys, but I don't know that it's that much with each other. We just are in different worlds, but who knows? Who knows what they'll write the next couple episodes. I have no idea.

How did your role on White Collar compare to your time with The Middleman?
Wendy was sort of a college-aged rebel artist who was sarcastic and funny, but yet rooted in this kind of pure love for the people around her; likely, seeing her mother and then her boyfriend, and even The Middleman, and I think it was a different character in essence, and I think Lauren is a little bit more mysterious. She's a little more guarded and I think she's more of an overachiever, whereas Wendy was just incredibly talented without knowing it. Lauren fought hard to get to where she is, and therefore is very guarded and very protective of what she has and who she is. I think that's the difference I see. I don't know the trend, like, to hold it. Maybe Lauren is just grown-up Wendy. I don't know. That's how I see it.

With the difference in the comedic style and the more subtle wit of White Collar, was it harder for you to get into that than The Middleman or did it play to your strengths do you think?
I think The Middleman being more of a comedy was sort of a little bit easier for me because it's more of what I'm used to doing, and also The Middleman was sort of this crazy world so anything that I did could be explained. In this there are procedures for things. There are ways that FBI agents do things; there are ways that they say things, you know? So there are a lot more of a controlled aspect to the Lauren character and to White Collar than there was to The Middleman so in that aspect it was a little bit easier for me to get into Wendy than it was for Lauren, but yeah, I agree with you and thank you for the compliments.

Will any of your Middleman costars might be making a guest appearance on White Collar, or do you know of any special guests you're going to on?
Oh, gosh. Wouldn't that be great? I don't know of any upcoming guests, and I don't know if any of them are going to be on the show. I'd love it, though. They're all fantastic actors.

You have made the transition from California to New York. Has there been any changes that have occurred with your lifestyle? Because the two cities are somewhat different.
Yes, they are. Well, it's cold here now, and I don't particularly love the cold being from Miami. I don't really have a lot of winter clothes so I ended up just putting on a bunch of things that don't match and looking a little bit homeless, but I'm sort of getting adjusted to it. I like living here because there's always something to do in New York City, and it's such an exciting place to live, especially at this point in my life so it's fun to live here. I haven't moved here; I'm just living here while we're doing the show.

In the little free time that you have what do you do?
I mostly just sit around and play guitar, I think.

Are you self taught?
Yes. I'm not very good. I just like to play it a lot.

White Collar airs Fridays at 10/9c on USA.

Introducing: Men of a Certain Age

Men of a Certain Age is a new drama coming December 7th on TNT, starring Ray Romano, Scott Bakula, and Andre Braugher. This is an amazing addition to TNT and wanted to make sure that you all see clips and learn more about the show before its premiere.



The series explores the unique bonds of male friendship among three men experiencing the changes and challenges of mid-life. They have been best friends since college but now, in their 40s, are navigating through the second act of their lives. Joe (Romano) is a friendly, slightly neurotic, recently separated father of two who had dreams of being a professional golfer. Now he owns and runs a party store. Terry (Bakula) is a laid-back, handsome actor who seems to breeze through life (and women). Lately, he’s spending more time working as a temp than as an actor. And Owen (Braugher) is an overstressed husband and father of three who endures constant criticism from his father, for whom he works as a car salesman.

See preview clips here and Behind the Scenes clips here.

Men of a Certain Age premieres Monday, December 7 at 10/9c on TNT.

Happy Thanksgiving!

As you are watching the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC right now and preparing for your family and friends feast tonight, I wanted to share with you a treat from NBC...

NBC gave us bloggers a private tour of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade Balloons after the balloons were inflated last night! Below are photos!

Also, shout out to Jenn from Pink Raygun who I met last night!

Treat for The Rolling Stones Fans

I just got word that a contest is being offered by The Rolling Stones and their label, ABKCO and as this is the season of giving, I must share this treat with you all!



Fans can enter to win the new Rolling Stones box set Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!, a Gretsch drum kit, and more. Click here for all of the details!!!

Click here to purchase the box set on Amazon!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Catching Up With Arden Myrin

You're most familiar with Arden Myrin from MAD TV and Chelsea Lately and here today, Arden talks about all of that and more! Below, Arden talks about the new Chelsea Handler pilot, her past work, her art, writing, and so much more!



Who has been your favorite celebrity or what has been your favorite celebrity scandal to talk about on Chelsea Lately?
I like the people that are acting for it themselves. Lindsay Lohan's father set himself up for our round table (laughs). Also, we were going to do something about Ashlee Simpson getting cut from Melrose Place and I was excited about that.

What shows would you like to create skits for on Chelsea Lately?
I'm obsessed with the new format of The Insider where it's a debate format. Chelsea and some of the round table regulars, including me shot a pilot for E! that might be coming on after Chelsea Lately... It makes fun of those shows. It feels like they are political shows but really it's just Jon Gosselin. So I was excited to get the chance to do a parody of that. Also, I wouldn't mind doing a parody of Glee because it would be so much fun to burst into song.

I noticed you post a lot on your blog about your friends in theatre but what about you?
I've done some straight theatre in NY but I've never done a musical. I would love to, I would love to play Adelaide in Guys & Dolls. That would be awesome.

On MAD TV, what was your favorite role to play?
I actually enjoyed loved the improv went they sent me to cover red carpets. Those were my favorite. They kind of scared me the most since it wasn't scripted but I found that I like seeing what I can get people into. You can get away with more and it's spontaneous.

You have also appeared in the hit movies, What Women Want, Bubble Boy, Christmas with the Kranks, and Evan Almighty. Which film was your favorite experience?
Working with Woody Allen was amazing, especially since it was my first movie. The Lucky Ones was a lovely experience. Working with Rachel McAdams was wonderful.

Did you keep a journal in high school/college?
I wrote plays in high school. My brother used to read my journal so I didn't keep one until later on. But I would write and direct plays in high school.

What has been a once in a lifetime experience for you?
I was an intern at Conan O' Brien and I got to be on Conan twice so to go from making coffees and being the copy girl to being a guest...it was just such a dream come true. Getting to work with Woody Allen was amazing. This past Spring I got to shoot in between Harrison Ford and Diane Keaton all day. It was insane. You just have these insane moments.

Have you ever had your own art show?
My friend has a gallery in LA and she has offered but I never have. My Grandfather was an artist but I just draw for fun. I think I would like to do that one day, I would also like to publish a children's book. I am excited to see Tim Burton's Exhibit in NY soon.

How often do you go back home to Rhode Island?
About 3 times a year, for about a week or so. I love being home! I'm going there for Thanksgiving.

What are the pros and cons of living in LA vs. living in NY?
When I dreamt as a little kid, I always pictured my life in NY. I love the theatre, I love the seasons, and I like that it is more balanced here...where you are not as defined by what you do. I love watching people in the subway. I love walking around. I feel more social here. LA, I didn't really like the sunshine...when I moved there for a job, I didn't know my way around. Once I found my way around and made friends, that was good but I still feel isolated there. I love that there are so many talented people there and I do like hiking but if I had to pick one, it would be NY. I love LA, it did win me over but NY is my home.

What are your upcoming projects?
Morning Glory is the film with Harrison Ford and Diane Keaton. I also did a movie with Jenna Fischer and Chris O'Donnell called A Little Help. I just shot an episode of Party Down (Starz) that will air in the Spring. Hopefully this Pilot that we did for Chelsea Handler will get picked up too!

So what is the title of the Pilot and what is your involvement?
I am the host of the show and it is called Hollywood Today Tonight. It has the same head writers as Chelsea Lately. Brad Wollack wrote it, Heather McDonald, Ross Matthews, and other regular round table guests appear as well.

For more Arden Myrin, check out her blog.

First Promos for Chuck

The first two official promos for Chuck's Season 3 premiere episode have arrived! Chuck returns Sunday, January 10 at 9/8c with a two-hour premiere!






Catch-up on full episodes now at NBC. Fan Chuck on Facebook and follow Chuck on Twitter!

Contest: The Jacksons Prize Pack

Enter to WIN a Prize Pack From "The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty" On A&E Which Premieres Sunday, December 13, 2009 at 9/8c.

A&E presents “The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty,” a new real-life series that will chronicle the personal and professional lives of Jackie, Jermaine, Tito and Marlon as they prepare for a Jackson Five reunion, while also coming to terms with Michael’s tragic loss. The series premieres Sunday, December 13 with back-to-back one-hour episodes beginning at 9:00pm ET/PT. The series will then move to its regularly scheduled time, Sunday’s at 10:00pm ET/PT beginning December 20 on A&E.



Behind the headlines lies a captivating family, whose lives have been unwillingly played out before cameras for decades. After 40 years in the business together, Jackie, Jermaine, Tito and Marlon, have sold more than 250 million albums worldwide. Now, the brothers allow unprecedented access into their world as they record new material and rehearse for the 40th anniversary celebration of The Jackson Five. “The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty” will chronicle the brothers’ relationships with each other, their parents and their children, while also balancing the demands of their professional commitments and celebrity. The series will also document the brothers’ coming to terms with Michael’s tragic loss and how to properly honor his legacy.

Check out a clip from “The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty.”



Enter to win a prize pack from “The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty” which includes:

o 3-CD pack including: Jackson 5: “I Want You Back! Unreleased Masters”, Jackson 5 “Love Songs” and The Jacksons “Destiny”

o The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty t-shirt and bag

How To Win:
Comment below, send a tweet to @melodysimpson, OR email win@hollywoodthewriteway.com with a list of your top 5 Michael Jackson songs. Be sure to include your name and email if you comment below and full name and address if you send an email.

A winner will be chosen at random.

Rules:
You are allowed only one entry per person.
This contest is open to residents 14 years or older of the United States only.

Deadline:
The winner will be notified on Wednesday, December 2, 2009 so your submissions must be in by Tuesday, December 1, 2009.

Visit the official site to learn more for information and exclusive content from the series.

A&E Presents "The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty" Premiere Party Sweepstakes

A&E brings you an exclusive opportunity to win a trip to Los Angeles and meet the Jackson family at “The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty” Premiere Party! By entering the sweepstakes which is currently running through December 1st, fans will have a chance to mingle on the red carpet with the first family of music.

Click here for details and to enter.



“The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty” is a new real-life series that will chronicle the personal and professional lives of Jackie, Jermaine, Tito and Marlon as they prepare for a Jackson Five reunion, while also coming to terms with Michael’s tragic loss.

The series premieres Sunday, December 13 with back-to-back one-hour episodes beginning at 9:00pm ET/PT. The series will then move to its regularly scheduled time, Sunday’s at 10:00pm ET/PT beginning December 20 on A&E.

DVD Review: Four Christmases

My favorite holiday film of 2008, Four Christmases releases on Blu-ray & DVD today!




Release Date: November 24, 2009
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 88 minutes

Every Christmas happily unmarried Brad and Kate escape divorced parents and exasperating relatives by getting on a plane. This year the airport shuts down and the couple is forced to celebrate four family Christmases in one hectic, hilarious day. Can Brad and Kate?s relationship survive Four Christmases?

Four Christmases is a very much enjoyable holiday film that is definitely worth the watch at any time of the year. This is not only a holiday film but a romantic comedy played out between the fabulous Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn and the incredible star studded supporting cast. This is quite an impressive cast and the chemistry among them all reads just like a real family. I found that while this film is guaranteed to make you laugh on multiple occasions, it just might seem more comedic to those that can relate to the circumstances in the film and/or the characters in the film. It is also important to mention that there is a nice balance of comedy and moving the story along, however at 88 minutes, the film could definitely have been longer. Four Christmases definitely brings the funny so if you are in need for a laugh, pick this up this holiday season.

Special Features:
There are no special features on the DVD which is an incredible letdown. As many fans of the film, myself included, have been anticipating the release of this DVD since the film hit theaters, it is disappointing to not have any special features and get a behind the scenes look at how this incredibly entertaining film came together. Fans who buy the DVD do get to use the DVD as a digital copy, so that is something to be grateful for. There are special features on the Blu-ray, so if you have a Blu-ray that will be quite the treat for you!



Get Four Christmases on Blu-ray, DVD, On Demand & Digital Download today.

Introducing: Christine Solomon

Christine Solomon is an established Canadian Egyptian actress who just recently promoted her latest film, Heliopolis at the Toronto International Film Festival and VIFF. Canadians can see her next in the film, “Fakers” in 2010. She is making her mark across the world, so get to know Christine below before she takes the US by storm.



Photo Credit: Kim Doucet

Can you talk about the pros and cons of living in Canada and Egypt?
The biggest advantage of living in Egypt is the weather. It felt great waking up every morning to a beautiful sunny day. I still miss it!

The big difference between Canada and Egypt is the economy. In Canada our wages fluctuate according to the market. However in Egypt when the market goes up, the salary stays the same. This is a major concern which explains why there really isn’t much middle-class in Egypt.

Another major difference is that in North America we live in a fast paced world. Things take time in Egypt. In my latest Egyptian film, Heliopolis, the director Ahmad Abdalla demonstrate this issue.

How many languages do you speak and are you interested in learning any others? Which is your first language and when did you learn the other languages that you can speak?
I am fluent in Arabic, French and English. I am at the moment learning Hindi. I believe Arabic was the first language I was introduced to when I was a baby. As I grew older, French and English followed. Once my family immigrated to Canada, when I was seven, I neglected my Arabic which explains why I can’t read and write in Arabic.

What about Egyptian culture would you like to share with those not familiar with this culture?
I wasn’t familiar with the Egyptian culture too much until I lived there. Since my family and I were living in Canada, my parents wanted me to embrace the Canadian culture.

Family values are very important to Egyptians so as respecting your elders. Egyptians from Egypt loves to compliment and loves to be complimented. If you get invited for dinner and you get too full after you finished your meal (which most probably you will do!), make sure to leave a small amount of food on your plate when you have finished eating. Otherwise they will keep filling it up for you!

Are you interested in appearing on Broadway and if so, what would be your dream Broadway role?
There are so many roles I would love to play, but I have always had a desire to play Velma Kelly in Chicago.

What attracted you to the film, Heliopolis?
It is an honest story and not to mention superbly written! The film’s central message is that everyone is striving to get to their goals, but nothing happens. It is like, “Welcome to Cairo” in a sense, about how things take time, and how slow things take in the city.

The film’s mission is to help raise awareness amongst Egyptian society and how they can all take action and ultimately make a difference if they want a change to happen.

What was the audition process like?
I wasn't asked to audition for the film. The director asked to meet with me and hoped I would get on board. After reading just a few pages of the script, I immediately called the director, Ahmad Abdalla and told him that I would be delighted to work with him on his project. The script was simply too good to pass up.

What was your favorite part about being part of the film, Heliopolis?
There were so many wonderful moments but if I have to narrow them down it would be working with such an open minded director like Ahmad Abdallla and...that I got to play a gothic character that was never before seen in an Egyptian film. It was a great privilege!

What did you learn from the director of Heliopolis, Ahmad Abdalla while filming?
Ahmad Abdalla is a passionate director and a great person to work with. He made the entire experience for everyone so easy going, enjoyable and most importantly stress free. I have learned quite a few things from Ahmad but most importantly Ahmad taught me a lot about Heliopolis and the history of Heliopolis.

Explain your character in the upcoming TV movie, Fakers and compare and contrast the character with yourself.
I play a better seen exotic dancer who upsets a counterfeiting operation plotted by Andrew Francis (The L Word, X-Men Evolution) and Greyston Holt (Durham County). All I can say is...she is nothing like me.

How did you get involved in supporting Breast Cancer Foundation and Make Poverty History?
I was first introduced to Make Poverty History by a friend. He was wearing a white band on his wrist. When I had asked him what it stood for, he told me about the organization. Ever since that day, I have been a true supporter and encourage others to sign up. I felt the need to spread the word and raise awareness. I made T-shirts with the slogan “Join Make Poverty History” and gave it to all my friends to wear. Donating and participating in some events is also part of the involvement.

In regards to The Breast Cancer Foundation, breast cancer runs in my family. Therefore it became inevitable for me to support such a charity. To me, it's all about lending a hand when it's needed.

When can actors expect your acting career consultancy boutique, Muze to open and where would it be based?
Muze will be based in Montreal however anyone can have access to our services through the official site coming soon. Due to all the film festivals that I have been attending to promote Heliopolis, the opening has been delayed. Muze will hopefully open next year.

You talk about your love for Bollywood on your blog, how did you get into Bollywood and how has it made an impact on you?
I was introduced to Bollywood movies at a very early age by my parents. As everyone knows, Hindi cinema is big in Egypt and Amitabh Bachchan enjoys an iconic presence there. It was therefore natural for me to be introduced to Bollywood through my parents, who themselves are big fans of Mr. Bachchan. I still remember my first Bollywood film – it was “Mard” starring Amitabh Bachchan in an action role. I believe I watched this film over ten zillion times during my early childhood years and can clearly remember each and every scene in the film! I’ve always felt a strong connection to India and can’t wait to visit...and hopefully work with Amitabh Bachchan!

Are you interested in writing, producing, or directing?
I want to do everything! After all, I am an Aquarius so I tend to be very unpredictable and can’t stand one place for too long before my need for change and adventure takes over.


What do you think is the most important quality to have as an actress?
The ability to listen. This differentiates a good actor from a bad one.

The Last Song Trailer

Last month I reviewed The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks and today I am happy to share the trailer for the film adaptation!

What do you think?

TV Week in Review

*Reviews May Contain Spoilers*

Desperate Housewives - The Coffee Cup



Mike: Don't you get it, there was nothing else to the relationship. You and I have everything.

This episode started off not as comedic as the usual openers. It was still quite funny when Angie told Julie that she knew she slept with her husband. I wasn't thrilled with Angie for helping Bree sneak Karl out but once she explained that she was really helping shield Orson from that pain of finding out like that, I understood her completely. Angie comes plain as day and yet she is so complex and hard to read. That is more than I can say for newer characters in past seasons. As for a housewife down the street...Lynette wearing her husband's clothes to hide her pregnancy was quite desperate. Thankfully she gave up holding in the secret and told Carlos she was pregnant. He reacted just as calmly as I thought he would. While the promotion was expected, it wasn't still expected after finding out that she was pregnant so that was a pleasant surprise. Although based on the promo for next week, it looks like Lynette could be heading to Florida or getting a new job. Anyway, what was not at all a surprise was Gabby disrupting Carlos at work about Juanita's school. That conversation could have surely waited until he got home. Yes, Gabby has nothing better to do apparently, but that does not mean she needs to harass her husband at work. Ugh. Anyway, last but certainly not the least...Susan trying to make herself equal with Katherine's sex record was definitely understandable but once Mike explained the type of relationship those two had, Susan felt more at ease, which was good. Based on the promo for next week, it looks like Mike has finally had enough with Katherine and I think that will be one of the most exciting moments of the season!

Heroes - Brother's Keeper



Matt: Oh uh...when you came in the room, I was already dead. You don't remember seeing anyone else in that room. You took me to the morgue and that's all you remember. Oh and uh do me a favor, take off all your clothes.

This episode was somewhat disappointing. The story lines did not further along much at all. Really, it was slow and boring. Come on, yall can do so much better. "Nathan" finding his body with Peter was a good and bad thing since it was getting Nathan/Sylar closer to figuring everything out. With Sylar now in Nathan's body (possibly, it seems so though) and Peter following him...where will Sylar lead Peter? How will Matt catch up to them? What will Matt do if he does catch up to them? It was quite funny when Tracy froze Claire on accident. It wasn't funny when her foot came off, I thought that wasn't so easy to put together...notice it wasn't shown how Claire put that back together. Tracy and Claire bonding was nice to see for a moment but not as an entire storyline for an episode. Mohinder's story line is a waste of my time. Is Samuel trying to recruit Tracy? That would be fine because really, where else does she have to go?

One Tree Hill - You Are a Runner, and I Am My Father's Son



Julian: I love you, that's all that matters.

Nathan firing Clay was a smart move because Clay was distracted by Quinn. Even though Quinn is right in saying that Clay held Nathan at such a high degree, Clay was more distracted than he was dedicated at the time. Not sure what I think about Clay being fired from his job altogether. Yikes. Not the best time to be fired in this economy. Although Dan attacking Clay was completely unnecessary. Agents come and go, Dan should make himself involved in Nathan's career. What a douche. Thankfully, Clay put Dan in his place at the bar. Anyway...I was hoping that somebody would figure out that Millie took Alex's coke. It was perfect that it was Alex who figured it out first and confronted her. Next up, Mouth caught her in the act and it's hard to say if I want him to break up with her or not. Brooke's mom calling the cops on Millie being a drunk driver was very much needed, so I am so glad this happened. Brooke not helping Millie when Millie got locked up was right because Millie needs to think about what she has done and feel the consequence. It will be interesting to see how everything comes together. Will Nathan take Clay back? Will Clay and Quinn last? What will it take for Millie to come to her senses? Will Brooke & Julian find out that Brooke can indeed have children? There are so many more questions and I cannot wait to see everything play out. This just might be one of my favorite episodes of the season.

Gossip Girl - The Last Days of Disco Stick



Serena: You loved me.
Nate: Of course I did.

Tonight wasn't the best night of Monday night television. While this episode moved along steadily, it wasn't exciting. The entire episode revolved around the aftermath of the threesome and Nathan distracting Serena so she wouldn't hook up with Tripp. Since Tripp and Serena hooked up in the end anyway...well, let's just say Serena better get what she deserves for messing with a married man. Tripp better too. Is it bad to want Serena and Nate back together after all of this time? I wouldn't want it to feel like high school again but, I believe Nate could put her in her place so she's not so wild and grows up. Anyway, it seems as though Olivia, Dan, and Vanessa made up in the end, but will Olivia still go film the witch movie? Chuck looking after Little J was sweet, smart, and responsible. Go Chuck. Lady Gaga's appearance would have been better if her lip syncing had been better. There isn't much to say since this episode lacked body. It fell flat for me and I'm just tired of so many characteristics of all of the characters and choices they make...not sure what to think.

90210 - To Thine Own Self Be True



Annie: What's your problem?
Dixon: Nothing, I just don't want to have dinner with your weirdo boyfriend.
Annie: Yeah well at least he's not some 40 year old psycho.
Dixon: At least Sasha wasn't a drug dealer.
Annie: Jasper is not a drug dealer.
Dixon: Well that's what Navid told me.


This was such a great episode! My favorite scene hands down was when Dixon dismissed himself from joining dinner with the family and Jasper. The delivery of the lines between the kids and the expressions on the parents' faces, it was all so perfect! As if Annie having Jasper over for dinner wasn't odd enough (we knowing the history the parents don't). I was so glad that the parents told Annie that she shouldn't see Jasper because he is "possibly" a dealer and now that the parents mention it, she definitely is not herself around him. Based on the conversation the love birds had afterwords, it seemed like setup for a Lifetime/Romeo & Juliet ending. Please don't go that typical route. Jasper pushing Navid down the stairs was awful on so many levels and he better be okay! Ad was wrong for telling Navid that she never loved him when she went to defend herself about not doing drugs. Will Navid's injury help her come to her sense? She is in deep now, not being honest with Naomi and not caring once Naomi caught her...she's in deep. Hopefully what just happened to Navid can scare her straight. As for Silver & Kelly...Silver and Kelly at the hospital was hard to see since Kelly didn't go in to say goodbye to her mother at first. Then when Kelly finally was ready to go in, she was given a scare when the nurse was cleaning out her room. Thankfully, Kelly got to say goodbye and told her mother she forgave her. There's nothing like carrying around that unforgiveness for years, so Kelly is a much better person for doing what she did. Someone who in my eyes can never be the better person...Jen. she was right for coming clean to Mr. Matthews about certain things in her past relationships but still, that one note about her sleeping with Liam needs to come out. Dixon trying to give ideas to Liam about sharing the truth about Jen was funny since the idea was good but just a little too harsh. But then again, after what Jen did to Liam and after lying and using Naomi, harsh is needed. Speaking of Naomi...getting caught kissing another guy other than the Dean's son by the Dean ruined her plans of wooing the Dean to get into the right college of her choice. She also got dumped too! That was definitely not in her plans. Can't say I expected her to go and be honest about everything, so that was good! This episode packed so much and it was probably one of my favorite episodes of the season.

V - A Bright New Day



Lisa: I thought this would be better than your mom seeing me in my uniform.

It just hit me that the title card for V is in blood. Nothing positive can come from that. So clearly the visitors are like the Antichrist in a sense. They come in peace but have a completely selfish and negative agenda. That might be a strong judgment cal but it can be agreed upon to extent. Anyway, Erica trying to protect the visitors who were threatened with a bomb threat, that was interesting to say the least. I don’t like seeing her in the position of fighting for the visitors. It’s a catch 22 since her job is great to know what’s really going on but it’s not safe for her because she could be an easy target to find once she decides to make her dislike for the visitors known to the public. When the visitors took the guy who was a threat away from Erica after she caught him, I thought that she would just feel guilt, not snoop around. She found out something quite fascinating! All of the visitors have cameras in their outfits! Yikes! The main V practicing offering her condolences to the wife of the man that was caught...wow. Do the visitors have any real emotions? Dale's mission to kill Erica is troubling so it will be interesting to see how Erica takes him down. On a humorous note, it was quite funny to see Tyler get caught by his mom at home with the visitor, Laura but Erica doesn't know she's the visitor since they stripped down out of the v uniforms. Funny stuff. Great scene. Now what's up with Laura calling the main V, Anna “mother” - is that her real mom or do all the lower vs call Anna “mother”...this episode got better as the time passed and once it came to the end, I felt like I didn't get enough! Looking forward to next week.

Melrose Place - Cahuenga



Ella: Okay look, Riley promised me that she wouldn't say anything.
Amanda: And you trusted her. I guess your friend is not such a good friend after all.


This was a monumental episode since Heather Locklear returned! Amanda's back and she wasted no time being boss. Ella passed Amanda's "test" which was a good thing, right? If Ella did decide to truly leave her job, it would be quite entertaining, rewarding, and challenging for Ella to start her own PR firm. Amanda calling Riley's school and having the school fire her was ridiculously low. Why did Amanda need to do that? What will Riley do for a job? Will Ella tell Riley the truth and whether or not she does, what will she do to get past this? On a more uplifting note, David and Lauren together is the cutest thing ever. They seem to be doing well. If Michael really did kill Sydney, I want David to be able to help prove this and give Michael the punishment he deserves. David also deserves to have a relationship with his brother. Lastly, Violet and Auggie are not worth blogging about, since their story lines fall flat. Overall, this was a good episode but next week looks much better.

Glee

Listen to the latest episode of Gleek Squad Podcast.

Flash Forward - Believe



Demetri: Wow, it's even worse hearing it a second time.

This episode really did not do anything for me. Bryce's flash forward while thrilling and life saving for him was cute but seemed so simple for what I had imagined. Although learning a language isn't simple and it seems like love which is very complex, so I guess my high hopes were still met. I don't know, still figuring his story out but it's really not all that attention grabbing. Anyway, I was highly upset when that woman was being dismissive and then hesitant to help Demetri make the call to figure out who the anonymous person was who tipped Demetri off about his murder. Eventually she gave in but by the end of the episode, we got no closer to figuring out who this person was. Nobody really got anywhere in this episode, therefore it was not very enjoyable. Hopefully next week will be different.

Vampire Diaries - The Turning Point



Liz: Broadcast journalism?
Caroline: Yes, why are you looking at me like that?
Liz: You don't even read paper.

This episode opening up where last week led off was a good start although with Logan on the loose, that only meant trouble. Thankfully by the end of the episode he was staked. Damon asked him numerous times who turned him and Logan would not answer but whoever it is, I have a feeling it is who went after Elena in the last episode. What a terrible car wreck she got into! Hopefully Stefan will find her before whoever that person is after her hurts her in any way. At least the two of the got to show their love for each other if you catch my drift before this danger hit the fan. Between Logan and whoever turned him, we know who has been doing the bulk of the killing around town. How's Caroline doing? Since Elena's aunt knows about Logan turning, will she warn Elena and Elena's brother about what is out there? There are so many questions this episode brings and it's quite a wait to find out all of the answers so this episode was very well written and I cannot wait for more!

The Office - Shareholder Meeting



Pam: I forgot I have to support him no matter what....close one.

The office getting excited over the limo the company sent for Michael and a few employees to come to the convention was quite funny. Michael was joined by Dwight, Andy, and Oscar. Michael trying to get Oscar to help him blindly was a terrible idea, so thankfully they got out of the meeting quick. Back at the office, it's unfortunate that everyone doesn't respect Jim who probably does more work than Michael. Yeah, I said it. What's up with Ryan spreading rumors about Jim's authority anyway? If he wants to get back to how successful he was, bad mouthing Jim is not the way to do it. If he wants to leave Dunder Mifflin taking the high road even, that is not the way to do it. Yes, it is upsetting to know the company you work for will be folding but go out with a positive bang. Not a negative one! This episode was a train wreck and I wish I had laughed more but it was tough watching Michael try to help but do more damage and it was hard to watch Jim not be taken seriously when he deserved to be. Please let next week's episode actually be entertaining because this was a fail.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - The D.E.N.N.I.S. System



Dee: Okay, alright. I know what's going on. I, I'm on to you guy. You bring me out here to some landfill in the middle of nowhere, you blindfold me so that I have no idea where I am...I'm gonna depend on you to get home!

Dennis explaining his system for winning over the heart of a girl while we saw it play out was hilarious. Sweet Dee on her date trying to avoid the Dennis system provided for the most entertaining (sub)storyline of this episode! Seeing Dee fall down a hill and tell the soldier boy toy that she wouldn't give him the satisfaction was the biggest laugh out loud moment of the episode. No one handled the Dennis system the way that Dennis had in mind, so seeing him try to fix everyone's issues was so he could have the satisfaction was quite entertaining. Overall though, this episode could have been much funnier had it gone other directions and it would have been hilarious to see how Artemis reacted to the Dennis system! Ah well. Looking forward to next week.