Summer 2014 TCA: Reelz's Living with the Jacksons

Now that Michael Jackson's death is five years behind us, the family is finally able to live outside of the "Jackson Bubble," and has invited cameras inside of their home for a six-episode limited series event, Living with the Jacksons, to premiere on Reelz this fall.

Reelz

The series focuses on Alejandra's family, which can be a little confusing... her children are Genevieve and Randy Jr. by Randy Jackson, and Jaafar and Jermajesty by Jermaine Jackson, plus Donte, who was originally adopted by Joe and Katherine Jackson. All were present at the panel today, and did not openly admit to having any issues with their cousins being their half-siblings, or an uncle acting as a father figure. They all live together, and collaboratively afford their house outside of the sheltered Jackson Family Estate, though they still get together with their cousins at least every weekend... and there are 29 family members in the generation!

Family has long been important to the Jackson clan, and Genevieve, Randy Jr., and Jaafar all have memories of playing with the Uncle Michael at the Neverland Ranch - riding the attractions, eating candy, and even tossing water balloons at one another. Alejandra recalls Michael as "tender and child-like," and his presence causing "the whole house [to] come alive," as "he was just such a wonderful person."

Although they find nothing unusual about their own family makeup, they do have a lot of trust issues of the outside world, due to growing up in a fishbowl of sorts. Randy Jr., 21 years old, sometimes introduces himself with a different surname to avoid having people judge him on his family history. Each member of the family hopes to make their own individual marks in the world, so tune in to find out more about their interests and what their lives are really like.

Watch Living with the Jacksons on Reelz beginning November 18th at 8pm ET/PT. Reelz can be found on 238 DirecTV, 299 DISH, 233 FiOS, and 799/1799 U-Verse, plus other carriers.

Summer 2014 TCA: Starz's The Chair

Starz is embarking upon a new type of competitive documentary series with The Chair, an original filmmaking experiment that was first announced in April. The idea is that two first-time feature filmmakers will receive the same screenplay (a coming-of-age story which was originally sold to MTV, who unfortunately closed their movie department), location (four weeks of shooting in Pittsburgh), and budget ($940,000 each, of which $600,000 is discretionary for the directors), and the series will document how each approaches the project, from creation to marketing to reception of a feature-length movie.

The movies are due August 1st, and both directors (Shane Dawson and Anna Martemucci, who had not met before today) report finishing sound and color at this point. There will be a limited theatrical release of the "R-rated or less" films (Dawson's Not Cool and Martemucci's Hollidaysburg) the first week of September before show premieres, and both will later air on Starz. Voting will be done across multiple platforms (beginning episode eight), and the audience determines who wins $250,000.

That's where things get tricky. Dawson's background is in YouTube comedy while Martemucci does independent films, as a writer, director, and filmmaker, so he has a significantly larger online following. On the other hand, Martemucci's formal education may trump his learn-as-you-go YouTube channels. Fortunately, both will receive mentorship from Zachary Quinto, Chris Moore, and Josh Shader (the script's original producer), so comparing how each approaches every step of the process should prove particularly interesting to anyone in a similar field.

Tune in for The Chair on Starz, where the first of ten episodes will air Saturday, September 6th, at 10pm ET/PT. Starz can be found DirecTV 527/528, DISH 350/351, FiOS 340/855, U-Verse 902/903, Xfinity 534, and on other carriers.

Summer 2014 TCA: MTV's Virgin Territory

Today's society has a preoccupation with sex. It's no surprise, and is becoming less and less taboo every year. Recently, there has been a focus on the public's interest in virgins specifically, with specials on couples waiting to kiss until marriage, middle-aged virgins, and reality dating shows following those wishing to abstain in an age where many are in bed at the conclusion of the third date. (remember Virgin Diaries on TLC in 2011?) Well, this docuseries will follow 15 young adults from different areas of the country who remain virgins for various reasons.

The young adults featured in the panel were 21-23 years of age, and, in the US, the average person loses their virginity at 17 years old, with 90% of 24-year-olds being sexually experienced. Now, MTV did not go by a set definition of "virgin" in casting this program, so we should see very different experiences depicted, as well as reasons for those circumstances. For instance, Dominique's faith factors into her decision to wait (young motherhood was another factor), and it was practically THE deciding factor for Lisa. On the other hand, Alec hasn't had sex because he hasn't been public with his sexuality, and is anxiously anticipating reaching the milestone.

Though the topic might not be the easiest to watch, MTV maintains its stance that it's important to keep its younger audience informed about sex. After all, according to a January 2014 survey conducted of 18-24-year-olds on behalf of The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy:

• 86% "wish popular media like movies and TV shows portrayed virginity in a more realistic way" 

• 74% "wish popular media like movies and TV shows did a better job of exploring why people are virgins." 

• Only 69% of say it's socially acceptable for someone their age to be a virgin.

• Among young adults who have not yet had sex, 37% say they are waiting for marriage, 26% are waiting until they fall in love, and 20% say they haven't because of the risk of pregnancy.

Watch Virgin Territory premiering Wednesday, July 16th, at 11pm ET/PT... just after the new season of Teen Mom 2. MTV is found on DirecTV 331, DISH 160/1333, FiOS 210/710, U-Verse 502/1502, and other carriers.

Summer 2014 TCA: MTV's Happyland

I know some people would be happy working at a dream company in any capacity - my sister is one of those people. For many, Walt Disney World is that company, even though it's been said that many clinically depressed people work at "the happiest place on Earth." It's a strange juxtaposition, and something I admittedly don't have a lot of knowledge about, which is part of the draw to MTV's new dramedy, Happyland.

MTV

Elena works (as a princess) at one of the country's most popular theme parks, but her teenage daughter, Lucy, is cynical about manufactured happiness and wants to break outside the bubble. However, love gets in the way when the park's owner's son sweeps her off her feet... only to have her come crashing down (really, really hard!) as she begins to learn that Happyland should not be a book judged by its cover.

There's a big twist that may have some viewers running away (it's a taboo topic, really), but the EPs claim that they're playing with soap opera tropes, so twists may not last when something different happens. But, if you can get past that, there could be some interesting theme park stuff going on... after all, it was filmed partially at Magic Mountain, and one of the cast members, Cameron Moulene (who plays Will), actually worked at Universal Studios when he was sixteen (as a line manager on Shrek 4-D). On the flip side, Shane Harper (Ian) is terrified of rides, yet has to film on rollercoasters.

Watch for Happyland on MTV premiering Tuesday, September 30th at 11pm ET/PT. If it's been a while since you tuned into the once-huge music network, look for it on DirecTV 331, DISH 160/1333, FiOS 210/710, U-Verse 502/1502, and other carriers.

Summer 2014 TCA: HBO's Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways

Did you know Foo Fighters has been around for 20 years? I hadn't, until I realized that I saw them in concert 13 years ago, and they had been around for a while. At this point, the band has racked up eleven Grammys and sold 25M+ albums, so Dave Grohl really wanted to do something different with their upcoming eighth album (which will have more than eight songs), scheduled for a November release. Only Grohl was present at the panel, though current band members also include Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, and Pat Smear.

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

This resulted in an eight-part documentary premiering in October, where each hour-long installment will take place in a different American city and include a live recording of a different song. In doing so, Grohl is hoping to depict "the heart and soul of America's musical identity." The history and anthropology of each location (Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Seattle, Washington, DC) will be told by local legends such as Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood, and Trombone Shorty, and current musical currents will also be explored.

Here's what's most interesting about the project, though: although they already had the instrumentals, Grohl waited to write the lyrics for each city's song until the last day of each session so that he was able to be inspired by "the experiences, interviews for the HBO series, and other local personalities who became part of the process."

Watch for Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways to debut in October on HBO. 

Summer 2014 TCA: Cinemax's The Knick

After the obligatory HBO Executive Session, Cinemax paneled The Knick, which will debut in less than a month and run ten episodes on Friday nights. The title comes from the setting of the drama, Knickerbocker Hospital in Lower Manhattan. The series films in Brooklyn and Manhattan, as well as a soundstage, and a second season has already been ordered. 

It's set in 1900, when medicine is still tricky business. There are high mortality rates (Lower Manhattan tenement buildings have deplorable living conditions!), no antibiotics, and ground is constantly breaking with new methodologies (like x-rays). Clive Owen plays Dr. John W. Thackery, whose addiction to cocaine and opium are just as famous as his medical discoveries. Another hot topic the characters will interact with is racism, as Dr. Algernon Edwards (played by Andre Holland) is a gifted black doctor with a Harvard education, but he stands out amongst the otherwise all-white hospital staff. By the way, other members of the staff include a greedy administrator, a naive young nurse, and a nun with a past. Throw in some corruption via an ambulance driver and a health department inspector, and there's a wide variety of issues that may arise!

Andre Holland, Michael Angarano, Clive Owen, Louis Butelli, Eve Hewson, Eric Johnson

Speaking of which, early storylines include staff shake-ups, disease outbreaks, and experimental procedures. Fortunately, historical accuracy is being taken very seriously, with co-creators Jack Amiel and Michael Begler both speaking on working with a medical consultant and archivist to research the surgeries depicted, as well as the fact that they spent 4-5 months reading before outlining and writing the episodes. This really allowed them to gain a strong respect for technology of the time, and Amiel pointed out that "doctors were the new pioneers and the new heroes of America," which I think might just sum up why you should tune into this one.

Watch The Knick starting Friday, August 8th at 10pm ET/PT on Cinemax.

Summer 2014 TCA: TruTV's Friends of the People

Although Friends of the People was green-lit on TruTV back in March for a ten-episode season, it didn't catch my eye until this morning's presentation. On hand were seven talented members of the cast, including Kenny & Keith Lucas, recently seen as the twins on 22 Jump Street.

JEREMY FREEMAN

Perhaps the most intriguing fact about the group is that they brought the idea of working together to their manager, who made it happen and now they'll be paid to do what they're going to do anyway. Plus, the cast are also all writers and executive producers on the series.

Filmed in and around New York City, the idea is to have a different perspective for pop culture-based sketch comedy. They will have recurring characters that they play, similar to Saturday Night Live. And, yes, we know it's on your mind - there is a similarity to In Living Color, with several of the folks on this series part of the reboot (that never made it to air), and others influenced by the groundbreaking comedy as well.

We were treated to a clip that I found downright hilarious, but I don't want to give it away. In a nutshell, the cast acted as a writers' room for an 80s/90s family comedy during a bobbing first season, then reflected upon the extreme popularity of the break-out character. It was simple, but I had never thought about it that way, and I loved it. If that's any representation of the sketch comedy to be found, I think this show very well could be the next In Living Color or SNL. 

Watch for Friends of the People coming this fall - it premieres Tuesday, October 28th at 10:30pm on TruTV. If you haven't tuned into this network before, look for it on Comcast 65/841, DirecTV 246, DISH 242/9430, FiOS 183/683.

Summer 2014 TCA: WGN America's Manhattan

WGN America is a network that not everyone knows about (not every television provider carries it), and has only one original series to date: Salem. Today they presented their next original series, Manhattan, which takes place in the 1940s and premieres later this month. And, not only is it a period show, it's also set in a very specific place: Los Alamos, New Mexico, at the dawn of the age of the atomic bomb.

A town not even on the map is suddenly full of great minds filled with secrets and lies at every turn. Little by little, audiences will learn of the darkness behind the "nuclear family," as EP Thomas Schlamme noted that the approach to the series was more as if they "were making a 13-hour movie," without needing to front-load the viewer with cliffhangers. But, at the same time, the drama may certainly last longer, as creator Sam Shaw doesn't see the series necessarily wrapping up with the end of World War II because "it's a story about a birth of an era." Add in the fact that everything they've done so far they've made without the help of the US government (who undoubtedly would have specific source material for such a show), and I think there's some real possibilities ahead.

Although this "story of incredible ingenuity and aspiration and high-flown optimism" (Shaw) seems full of action, there will definitely be more sober moments in the program. For instance, antisemitism will be "very present" in the show, as "a lot of the characters are Jewish and are in some way being used by a country that didn't really trust them and have a place for them." Similarly, the effects of radiation were also hinted at being explored in the drama.

Fortunately, Shaw also added that "it is set in a world that is really carefully researched and we make painstaking efforts to be as faithful to history and science as we possibly can be," so history buffs need not be fearful of desecration to an important American story.

Watch for Manhattan to premiere on WGN America (ch 33/775 for Xfinity folks) on Sunday, July 27th at 9pm ET. 

Summer 2014 TCA: Going Deep with David Rees

National Geographic Channels always brings the best of the best of their programming to the summer tour, and today was no different. Eight presentations in under three hours results in various reactions in this crowd, but NatGeo pulled through. One of their features begins next week, and it's definitely different.

National Geographic Channels/Joey L

Going Deep with David Rees is an interesting title for the series, as each episode will "navigate the whys, hows, and what-ifs of everyday experiences," which certainly doesn't seem to lend itself to a deep program. However, it does have a strangely captivating angle anyway, with David teaching viewers everything from tying symmetrical shoelace knots to freezing the perfect ice cube for beverages to how to light a match. It may seem simplistic and eye-roll-inducing, but Rees demonstrated a methodology behind folding and flying a paper airplane. It involved deep creases using a popsicle stick as if it was a bone. If that doesn't convince you that there are different perspectives on how to do everything, I don't know what would. I struggled to follow along, so I can only imagine how baffled I may be as to how swatting a fly is supposed to work. 

Rees has a bit of an odd sense of humor (just take a look at the quote in his photo above), but his list of accolades includes comedian, writer, entrepreneur, and DJ, so one might expect him to be a bit eclectic. I mean, he has a best-selling 200-page book called How to Sharpen Pencils, complete with illustrations. I'm curious as to the topic of his next published work.

Tune in to NGC Monday, July 14th at 10pm, and prepare to feel idiotic about how you have been doing things your whole life!

Summer 2014 TCA: Young Marvels

The Summer Press Tour is now underway, and we've had some NatGeo WILD and Nielsen information so far, but the first specific program being promoted comes from Ovation, and premieres next week. Young Marvels follows eight prodigies in different areas of the arts. Not only will the program showcase their amazing talents, but it will also look at how they balance their duties to school, family, and friends.

I was eleven when I began playing the violin. I played regularly (1-2 hours/day) for seven years, until I went to college. At one point in high school I requested information from Oberlin with the intention of majoring in music performance, and it was only through playing the violin in a pit orchestra that I realized my true passion was in theatre. But, I was never as good as Charlie, who played a short snippet of a cello piece for the journalists.

Charlie, age 12, began playing the cello at 4, and it was an instrument his father chose for him. His older brother plays the violin, and his younger brother plays the piano. The older two boys study at Juilliard, and their father and grandfather are also accomplished musicians. He first realized he was distinctly talents in this area when he was eight, as his emotions began coming out in his playing and he was making strides in technique. One particular to thing to watch for in Charlie's story is the fact that he's both Charles, the serious cellist, and Charlie, the class clown.

Mae Ya, also 12, is a soul singer. She studies at Chicago's Merit School of Music, and had a very different path to music than Charlie. Mae Ya began playing the piano, and when she asked her mother for voice lessons at age 7, her mother was hesitant, having not heard her daughter sing much at home. A year later she began her vocal coaching, and a year after that she was singing for crowds. Her voice is strong and powerful, and the young lady mentioned that she's always sounded like a grown woman, though her voice was much softer just a few years ago. She hopes to become famous and sing for millions of people.

Other featured marvels include an opera singer, a modern dancer, a male ballet dancer, a ballroom dancer, a polgot (8 languages!), and a pianist/organist. I know I'll be checking out the series, and am willing to bet it'll be well worth it - check it out on Ovation premiering July 16th at 10 ET/7 PT.

TCA Summer 2013: Sunday

Sunday began with Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, which I had completely forgotten was still around. And, apparently, Meredith Vieira has been hosting it for a decade already. Well, now Cedric the Entertainer is going to pick up the hosting responsibilities, and you can read my highlights on that panel here.

Immediately following was the panel for Trophy Wife, which I was not looking forward to. I originally boiled down the series to "a girl who falls for a twice-divorced man with three bratty kids. She wants to win over the kids and avoid the exes, but it's going to be harder than she thinks." After the panel, I must say that I was a little more taken with the series than before. Apparently the title is supposed to be ironic, and even upon reading the script, Malin Akerman "thought it was so brilliant" and "the complete opposite of a trophy wife." However, the title may come into play as the Kate character encounters various people who view her as such. Plus, Kate is not really replacing the previous "wives" in this situation (Jackie and Diane) completely anyway, as she sometimes teams up with either of the women toward a common enemy (like a teacher). That said, it still may not be the best pilot, as EP Lee Eisenberg pointed out that introducing eight characters in 21 minutes is "very tricky," though the final scene has Kate admit to Bradley that she has no idea what she's doing, and that is an honest moment that may resonate with viewers.

Next was the Executive Session with Paul Lee, which I'll bullet-point for you here, as I thought that most of the questions either didn't receive great answers or weren't the most interesting inquiries.

• Last time Lee spoke at TCA, he talked about the female demographic and its importance to the ABC network. Lee shared that ABC is the Number One women's 18-49 network, and lots of the his "have incredibly empowered women in them." But, shows like S.H.I.E.L.D. and Goldbergs are "constructed to be four-quadrant shows" so women aren't the only focus. He also called ABC "the most upscale network" and mentioned that "we focus on empowered women. We are men-inclusive. We are family-inclusive. And we are highly co-viewed." The journalists in the room mused over the term "co-viewed" a bit, as it's not exactly a familiar word. 
• It would later be discussed further, but when asked about Rebel Wilson's American accent on Super Fun Night, Lee explained that it was Wilson's "choice" to do that, but he thinks that she's "going to be fantastic at it" and is "actually extremely good at it." He also added that "she's so funny and she brings such a presence to everything she does, and she has an in-built fan base who are already very engaged with that show." 
• Regarding Suburgatory, which got renewed yet is not on the fall schedule, Lee has "a little inkling in our mind where that show is going to go back" and that the third season will "bring the show back to all the sort of fish-out-of-water stories that it was originally intended to be." This made me happy, as loyal readers know how much I became disappointed in that series. Still, if I had to guess, I think Suburgatory isn't on the schedule yet because ABC doesn't put a lot of faith in Back in the Game, which is a Wednesday night comedy we'll get to later today... 

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland was next, and I was really looking forward to hearing about that series, as I'm not a big fan of the original, yet was surprised that ABC chose to feature it at Comic-Con over the new drama. I'll be writing more about this one at a later date, so stay tuned.

Following that was Super Fun Night, which still looks horrific. And, after a lunch screening of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., we had the garbage that is Betrayal. Everyone in the room tweeted about the many similar series that exist on ABC already, including Revenge, Mistresses, and Scandal. I'll be looking at that one in more detail just before the drama is set to premiere.

Two of the ABC series I'm most looking forward to followed, The Goldbergs, which is the family comedy set in the 80s, and Lucky 7, which has seven Queens residents splitting lottery winnings. ABC handed out scratch-offs to accompany that one, with critics winning massages, gas cards, or a junk food gift basket. I have lots to say about these two series and their panels, and will likely cover one over in my Examiner column tomorrow.

Before the much-anticipated Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. panel (where everyone really wanted to hear from Joss Whedon, not just because he's shiny but also because he wasn't going to be at the cocktail reception following), we had Back in the Game, which I initially touted as a Bad News Bears-type series, and the panel really solidified that perspective. It actually made me feel worse for anyone wanting to tune in. I mean, look at these tidbits:

• There are coaches on the show to help the actors if they need it, but "they're actually really athletic," according to EP Mark Cullen. Plus, they need horrible kids to be on the horrible team, so it works out. Maggie Lawson, however, played softball growing up and is good enough that she doesn't need a "stunt thrower."
• Cullen also noted that even though the kids "have two good coaches," the team will "get somewhat better, but they're never going to be good." He later added that "they're not going to win a game all year," making them worse than Charlie Brown's team. So the gimmick to watch this show over others is a kids' baseball team, but it's a horrid at the sport?
• I'm glad that someone asked how the series plans to last more than four years with a Little League team as the backdrop for the comedy,

That's it for Saturday, ABC, and TCA, actually. PBS has the end days of the summer tour, and although we may do some retweets, no major articles are planned for their presentations.

TCA Summer 2013: Thursday and Friday

Picking up where we left off, Thursday morning began with BBC America. The largest presentation for that network was, of course, Doctor Who, which is celebrating FIFTY YEARS on the air! The Doctor and his Companion were present, as well as the producer, so questions from the journalists varied widely, from "Why is Matt Smith leaving?" to "what's the casting process for the twelfth Doctor?" As someone who is largely ignorant of the Doctor Who phenomenon (I actually just learned what the Police Box was at Comic-Con!), I was unable to fully appreciate the session, but it did help that An Adventure in Space and Time immediately followed, as that is a show about the making of Doctor Who.

I was actually rather intrigued by the two other series that BBC America brought: Atlantis and Broadchurch. The former will run on Saturday nights this fall while the latter begins on August 7th. The former is period, of course, with an interesting take on mythological characters such as Medusa and Hercules. The latter is more of a mystery with a lot of trauma mixed in.

After that, the Discovery Networks had their presentations, which are always a mixed bag. There's something for everyone, but I don't know that there's someone who likes everything. TLC opened with their second season of Secret Princes, a series of which I was only barely aware existed. I was very intrigued at the Austin, TX location, which actually wasn't discussed much. Then, it was on to Velocity's Patrick Dempsey documentary miniseries about Racing LeMans. I covered Velocity's panel last Winter, but ultimately decided that it wasn't for me, so I did not have high hopes for the presentation. Next was a horrifying session with Investigation Discovery called Surviving Evil. I classify it as "horrifying" because it is literally reenacting scenes where someone was in a terrible situation but managed to survive. It was rough to see just the clips and hear some basic comments about the stories, so I can't imagine tuning in for a series like this! Similarly, The Unexplained Files (Science Channel) were not intriguing for me, either.

Next up was OWN, which disturbed journalists as well. Kym Whitley is the focus of the reality series, which actually is going to start its second season before too long. Whitley "inherited" a newborn when a mentee abandoned it at a hospital, so this series focuses on how Whitley and those close to her come together to raise the child. Not only do many take issue with the fact that children too young to understand should not be exploited, but the average maturity on this series is probably in the tweens. The Discovery Channel was last, promoting Man, Cheetah, Wild, the story of a guy who lived amongst cheetahs for a year. It has an audience, but I don't think it's very wide...

HBO took up the afternoon with a sizable executive session before moving on to projects about Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson (another fellow the TCA doesn't love). Comedy Hello Ladies was seen, plus films Seduced and Abandoned and Clear History. The latter brought Larry David, whom the critics tend to enjoy, though the product itself is a bit random.

The evening event was hosted by BBC America at the SoHo House. The ride over there wasn't too bad, though the directions to the actual event after you disembarked were a bit confusing. It was fun to take photos with a Dalek and Police Box, though! The food wasn't anything too special, though there were themed cupcakes. The most disappointing part of the night, however, was how difficult it was to interview the talent. I spoke with several people the next day and all but one shared my experience. I was able to get a good one-on-one, though, so look forward to some scoop about Atlantis.

Friday began with a breakfast with Sean Combs (Puff Daddy / P. Diddy), who was there to promote his new TV Channel, Revolt. I actually had done some research on the network and had two prepared questions but the timing of the session did not allow for questions and I didn't want to try the scrum. I intend to reach out to the network, though, as I think it's a promising project.

Next up were the Viacom networks. Although TVLand pulled out, NICK and MTV still presented. I was caught a little off-guard that NICK now has a Nick Mom programming block, and that Tia Mowry (-Hardrict) is starring in Instant Mom. I don't like the concept behind the series (Examiner link), but I think I'll give the screener a try anyway, as the kids seemed pretty cute and well-written. MTV had Generation Cryo, which features a family of half-siblings in search of their sperm donor, and Nurses, about traveling nurses. Neither really spoke to me.

Starz did not bring Black Sails, like many had anticipated, but they did have The White Queen, which seemed to have varying degrees of approval in the room. I hadn't seen the pilot, but the idea that the series alternates between three different women's points of view seemed interesting. I took some notes and may develop an article. AMC brought Breaking Bad for a final appearance, with a mini-announcement that a two-hour documentary on the making of the show will come with the final boxed set. Hell on Wheels showed up to promote its third season, which many thought wouldn't happen, given the issues that the drama has had with showrunners and the like. They rounded out their panel with Low Winter Sun, a new series set in corrupt Detroit. (more on that.)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt was in the house to promote the new network that he's part of, Pivot. The channel launches in just a few days and features original series, syndicated programming, a topical series, a variety show, a talk show, and more. Many of the questions were directed toward Meghan McCain, who handled herself and the issues beautifully. Finally, Lifetime brought Witches of East End, which is based on a novel and features quite a few different twists to a supernatural program. Anticipate me ruminating on this one more in the future.

The evening event was at Universal Studios, which was 80 minutes away by bus during Friday night rush hour. It was a bit rough, but the ride back only being 30 minutes certainly helped. While there, The Hub wined and dined us (though the food certainly did not taste like the Wolfgang Puck cuisine that had been advertised) and tried something different - they had three fifteen-minute panels taking place simultaneously. I attended the one for SabrinaL Secrets of a Teenage Witch and was actually able to get in two questions, so you can look forward to some chatting about that, too. (or not, as the series is a bit ludicrous.) We did get front-of-line action on the new Transformers ride, but it did not impress me all that much. I did, however, get my photo taken with a transformer!

Next up: NBC, which condensed down to a single day of the tour...

TCA Summer 2013: Doctor Who

Doctor Who's 50th Anniversary Special premieres Saturday, November 23, 2013 (with the premiere of Atlantis to follow), with guest stars to include David Tennant, Billie Piper, Joanna Page, and John Hurt. With Matt Smith leaving the role of the Doctor at the end of the year, the special becomes even more important, as will the Christmas episode. If you've never seen the BBC iconic series, the basic idea is that Doctor Who is the last powerful time lord in an alien race, who uses a blue police box as a time machine. And, for those who aren't familiar with the series, the 50th anniversary special is still worth watching because it's a show about a man who is over 1,000 years old and can go anywhere in time, bringing "hot chicks" along. It's also a show "about hope, about adventure, about excitement."

Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

On the panel were actors Matt Smith and Jenna Coleman, plus producer Marcus Wilson. Smith didn't have his typical Doctor look, sporting a short haircut. However, he did mention that the coif will be seen "in some way, shape, or form" and that he trusted writer Steven Moffat to work it out. But, a haircut wouldn't have been enough to keep away the huge fan following at the recent Comic-Con, where Smith wore a Simpsons mask so that he would be able to experience part of Exhibit Hall.

Similar to the Bond franchise, other actors have been the Doctor and others will be the Doctor, but Smith feels "sort of proud to be part of such a legacy of actors,” and pointed out that “the thing about Doctor Who is that it always looks forward.”

Coleman has a couple of key moments as favorites, including “the tardis on a cloud sequence,” as there was “something quite fairy tale about the whole thing.” Another highlight would be “riding around a motorbike around London.” For Smith, it's definitely his first episode, as he "didn’t know what had hit (him).” For Wilson, the episode “The Eleventh Hour” stands out for “dumping Smith in red goo.”

Perhaps the most anticipated question is why Smith is leaving the role after only four years. He explained that "we shoot 9-10 months a year. I think the show has come to sort of a natural tipping point and it’s at the top of a cycle,” plus “it’s a good time for me and the show,” even though “it was a hard choice.” There were efforts made to change his mind a few times, but none prevailed. Regarding the process of looking for a new Doctor, Wilson explained that the search is ongoing, and “you just kind of cast the net wide and hope you find someone brilliant.”

Matt Smith isn't overly affected by the hype of his final episode, noting that “it’s kind of business as usually, really.” He knows that "it is going to be emotional" and said that "it’s quite a transformative experience.” 

TCA Summer 2013: Tuesday and Wednesday

We're back at the Television Critics Association's summer press tour once again, only a few days after Comic-Con. With the latter beginning later next year, the scheduling of TCA could come into conflict, but for now, we will continue to cover both to the best of our ability. Tuesday night kicked off the 15-day marathon of news with a National Geographic Channels reception, themed "The Dog Days of Summer." In addition to hot dogs (and hamburgers) being served, there was a photo booth where attendees could take their photos with pups of all kinds. Red fire hydrants lines the hallway and dog dishes filled with M&Ms adorned the tabletops. If you sat on the couch instead, you had bone-shaped throw pillows to lounge upon. Network executives were available for mingling, but many critics and reporters kept to their kind and caught up with those they haven't seen in six months, since the last TCA week. I met a couple new people, but only stayed for about 90 minutes so that I could get a jump on prep work for the next several days (as well as articles I'm still trying to finish about Comic-Con!).

Wednesday morning started off with the NatGeo networks bringing out a few of their new projects, including two I filed articles on over on my Examiner column, for Jobs that Bite! and Doomsday Castle. There were also executive updates and a panel on Killing Kennedy (you may recall that they had Killing Lincoln not too long ago). Then it was time to switch the stage for Hallmark, which brought talent for Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove, The Watsons go to Birmingham, and Christmas with Tucker. Debbie Macomber has become synonymous with Hallmark movies, really, and Christmas is a big market for them as well, so those types of panels are always expected. It's difficult to pitch Christmas in July (and in January as well), so the questions from the critics aren't always the best, but the Birmingham movie was really received well. Of course, it helped that it's based on a novel, there are cute, articulate kids on the panel, and the subject matter is a historical and fascinating one.

After lunch, ESPN picked up with two of the folks behind their upcoming volume of 30 for 30 documentaries. It's a fascinating series, though I think many in the room might have preferred different talent. While Kevin Connolly talking about John Spano and Brian Koppelman discussing Jimmy Connors aren't bad subjects, some of the other upcoming films are about Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan, and the extreme rivalry between Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran. After that panel, Keith Olbermann was present to explain more about his new late-night show, where he'll be talking sports, not politics, primarily. TV One had a short session about their new morning news program, News One Now, which will cover major headlines from the African-American perspective.

Turner concluded the opening day's festivities, first with a panel on the new addition to Adult Swim, Rick and Morty, and then with an evening event celebrating TNT's 25th anniversary. I did an article on the animated series over on The Examiner. The party featured actors from many TNT and TBS series, including Rizzoli & Isles, Falling Skies, Franklin & Bash, Dallas, Conan, and Major Crimes. Usually, the talent tends to be pretty accessible at this type of event, but each of the people I was hoping to speak with were constantly bombarded, or so it seemed. Still, TNT ran a nice (aka greatly varied) slideshow of the many works it has done. The cake wasn't half-bad, either, though the rest of the food was rather nondescript.

Two more days of cable, and the first up tomorrow is BBCAmerica!

Winter TCA 2013: Rectify on Sundance Channel

Many people do not realize that Sundance Channel has original programming (like HBO, a hundred years ago), but they presented two features at TCA today. In March they will have a seven-part miniseries focusing on “the disappearance of a five-months pregnancy 12-year-old named Tui who was last seen standing chest-deep in a frozen lake,” called Top of the Lake.  But, on April 22^nd, Rectify will premiere, which is taglined as “Sentenced to die. Condemned to Live.” Thirty-seven-year-old Daniel Holden is released from Death Row after nineteen years in prison and must re-acclimate to small-town Georgia life with a family he no longer knows. To make matters worse, some people believe that he needs to be back behind bars. This dueling plot of a guy learning to live as an average citizen while others are actively trying to stop that really fascinates me. Panelists included Executive Producer Mark Johnson, Creator/Writer/Director Ray McKinnon, and actors Abigail Spencer and Aden Young. Highlights from the Q&A:

James Minchin III, Sundance Channel

The first season only depicts the­ first seven days of Daniel’s release, which forces the the surrealism of the “what are you going to do now?” question, after you do the obligatory things like hug your mom and have a beer.

McKinnon knows people like closure and framing, but he’s not sure he wants to abide by those “conventions.” He also wanted the music to be more classical than regional so it wasn’t perceived as trite.

In regards to how she came to this project, Spencer talked about wanting a role in something that had a tremendous amount of irony but not a large number of episodes, plus several other requirements, and after five pages of this script, she knew she had to play Amantha. She explains that you can see the character start to break down in just the first six days, leading to some interesting character exploration, like questioning “who are we all outside of this case and are we separate from it?”

Young said that "so much of the role was embedded in the script itself... you began to see the character come alive on the page," making it easier to portray. He also noted that you have to approach a character like this “with absolute rawness.” He had the idea to cut his hair just before filming began, deciding that long hair wouldn’t be believable for contraband reasons. Spencer added that the family then saw him with short hair for the first time as they filmed the meeting scene, which added more reality to it.

Winter TCA 2013: Da Vinci's Demons

Da Vinci's Demons, a new series on Starz, premieres Friday, April 12th at 10pm. It seems that there are a LOT of 10pm series presenting at this cycle of TCA, but the placement for this one makes sense, as it is following Spartacus and its huge audience.

I've seen the pilot, which takes place on Palm Sunday and the days afterward, and found it pretty easy to criticize. Yes, it's interesting to look at all of the wonders that Da Vinci (might have) worked on throughout his life, but the decision to start at age 25 was a bit puzzling. In the first ten minutes, I questioned how a person's "earliest memory" could be a secret and felt I needed to try too hard to decipher the relationship in front of me. By the time Leonardo was buying birds in a marketplace just to study their take-off and flight out of a cage, I was beginning to zone out. That's sad, because I really thought that this would be a shining series for Starz. Now, I have only seen "The Hanged Man," so perhaps the installments that follow will pique more of my interest, because the Q&A from the panel certainly had me wavering between disbelief and intrigue.

Panelists included creator, writer, and executive producer David S. Goyer (you know, the one who did The Dark Knight, Man of Steel, and some other big stuff), and actors Blake Ritson, Lara Pulver, Laura Haddock, and Tom Riley. Highlights from the Q&A:

The series, filmed in Swansea, Wales, is a mix of history and fantasy - Goyer explains that 80-85% of the content actually happened but the rest is "embellished as historical fantasy." After all, one of the themes of the show is that "history is a lie promulgated by the winners." For example, the show has taken liberties with the ages of various characters and has Da Vinci meet historical figures that he may not have actually encountered. 

Goyer noted that “this is the secret history of the man who invented the future,” and it includes a lot of physical challenges, like horseback riding, tumbling, and swordsmanship. Riley talked a little about there being a lot of climbing and many bruises before admitting that, to get the slight frame of Da Vinci, he ate a diet of brown rice and quinoa for seven months. Riley also worked with nunchucks to improve his ambidexterity, though his left hand does shake more than his right when he draws. Still, there are moments when he is truly doing so. 

Starz, Greg Wiliiams

The setting may be practically ancient to some, but Goyer didn't want to do "ye olde historical drama" and considers it to have "kinda a graphic novel feel, I suppose." To further the history-but-not-history mindset, Goyer later noted that, "primarily, it’s meant to be a fun piece more than anything.” We shall see!

And, a side note, I learned during this panel that some recent fingerprint analysis seems to indicate that Da Vinci was partially Arabic on his mother's side because of the whorls in his print. 

Winter TCA 2013: Blackboard Wars

Blackboard Wars, originally known as Treme High, examines the dramatic transformation of John McDonogh High School in New Orleans, which had a 54% dropout rate. One of the eight high schools in New Orleans, it is considered one of the most dangerous schools in America with a terrible attendance rate, sometimes no more than 60 students present on any given day. The series goes behind the scenes with “education maverick” Steve Barr and “no-nonsense principal” Marvin Thompson as they work on reinventing and reviving the struggling school. The institution became a charter school, despite a lot of initial anger from the community. But, with a new principal, new rules, new dress code, and new teachers, the school now has 409 students enrolled and an attendance rate around 80%. And, if you don’t show up, you get a phone call or home visit. Panelists included Executive Producer Eddie Barbini, Principal Dr. Marvin Thompson, and Education Expert Steve Barr. Some highlights from the Q&A:

Despite the fact that there are a seemingly endless number of cable shows with “Wars” in the title (including the immediately preceding Battleground: Rhino Wars panel from Animal Planet), Barbini defended the choice, saying that they went through about 500 titles, looking for something that felt appropriate. He considers a battle to be truly taking place at the school, and blackboards bring us back to a simpler time. Additionally, there was a 1955 film entitled, Blackboard Jungle, about teachers in New York City, so it also came out of that in a way.

With so much early rejection from the community, it took time, but Barbini mentioned that the show took off quickly, and about 95% of the school eventually got on-board with signing blanket releases for the filming.

Thompson talked a lot about the amount of work that goes into mentoring the students at the school, which include 19-, 20-, and 21-year-old sophomores. He believes that you have to love the students or you will never be able to teach them. These kids “feel disenfranchised” and “see no end to their current situation,” which is an experience that probably cannot be replicated anywhere else. Furthermore, Thompson is a big fan of treating people as individuals, which may have stemmed from his parents treating each of his siblings differently. He believes that this carries over to the students, and if they feel it’s personal, then you have more of a chance in getting through to them.

Over the next two to three years, Barr expects that the graduation rate will be near 90%, with 75% of students going on to postsecondary education. This will certainly help the image in Thompson’s thought that “schools are nothing more than a microcosm of our society, cut and dried.”

Look for this six-part mission to go live in March on OWN.

Winter TCA 2013: Kings of Crash

Good morning from the second day of the 2013 Winter Press Tour for TCA. This is Cable’s last day of presentations, so we’ll be hearing from the Discovery Networks, Starz, Sundance, BBC America, and the Viacom Networks, plus breakfast with TVLand and cocktails with BET.

For those who were able to make breakfast, we were delighted to be in the company of the Hot in Cleveland cast, Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, Wendie Malick, and Betty White. A short message came about the upcoming episodes, and we saw a clip where the girls are playing a Pictionary-esque game with a couple of gentleman callers. The cast didn’t really make many comments, though White joked about Elka being pregnant in an approaching storyline. Journalists who spoke with the ladies seemed to focus on inquiring about the live episode which will air on Wednesday, June 19^th, at 10pm Eastern.

Velocity’s Kings of Crash was the first full presentation of the day, which showcases purposeful car crashes in Utah. Described as brutal, simple, raw, unrehearsed, spontaneous, and highly emotional, the drivers keep coming back because they’re addicted to the adrenaline rush. Panelists included producer Alex Campbell and talent Gumby “The Mormon Maniac,” TJ McPhee, Mont Sweat, Ryan Sweat, and his wife, Katy Sweat. Gumby, also known as the “Stormin’ Mormon,” explains that “safety is the number one priority of the promoters and the drivers,” and that he wants to show people that Mormons in Utah should not be stereotypes as restricted – they certainly can have as much fun as anyone else.

Velocity, Discovery Communcations

Ryan Sweat has been involved in derbies for seventeen years, and Katy began fourteen years ago, the day after having one of their five children. Of the children (ages 18, 13, 12, 8, and 4), one of the daughters likes to paint the cars, one son is very interested and knows about as much as anyone about derby cars, and several of the children help in many ways, including welding. This can come in handy, as it takes a minimum of 60-80 hours and $6,000 - $10,000 to build a derby car. And, although the purses for winning the derbies can get into the thousands of dollars, it is a hobby where spending is high. Gumby subsidizes this a bit with his career in selling used auto parts. Plus, in the summer, they drive to derbies outside of the area, though the group hopes that this show will bring more competitors to the activity, explains Mont Sweat, a carpenter.

Ryan Sweat went into some of the rules involved in their type of demolition derby, where you cannot stay inactive and hope to be the last car standing (which is how his brother, Mont, likes to play). Instead, you must hit a can every sixty to ninety seconds (but not the driver’s door). You also do not have to try to be the last car standing, as Ryan points out that “some drivers go for the purse, some go for the crowd.” McPhee expands that idea by talking about the “Mad Dog” award, which is presented to the hardest driver of the night. Don’t be worried about the cars exploding, though, as Katy Sweat pointed out that the vehicles are heavily modified, and the gas tanks they use are not factory-issued; instead, they go behind the driver’s seat, which is the area to be avoided in collisions. Still, the concept behind demolition derbies remains unchanged. As Ryan Sweat put it, “every kid wants to break something, we’re just showing them how to do it.”

Watch for Kings of Crash to premiere Sunday, February 10^th, at 10pm on Velocity.

Winter TCA 2013: A&E's Bates Motel

A&E’s presentation for Bates Motel took place during the lunch hour on the first day of the Winter 2013 TCA tour. Not only was the hallways leading toward the ballroom well decorated (complete with a replica of the “Bates Motel” sign) but the dining tables themselves were adorned with elaborate candelabras and the like. The meal in itself was great, offering everything from a smoked cheese salad to portabella ravioli, and we were treated to some midday wine as well.

Panelists included Executive Producers Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin as well as actors Olivia Cooke, Vera Farmiga, Freddie Highmore, Nicola Peltz, and Max Thieriot. Having seen the pilot, I was confused over who Thieriot was, but he plays Dylan, the older brother of Norman who no longer lives with the family. We do hear his voice in the first couple of episodes, but allegedly he will appear in the future. As the series is a prequel to the classic film Psycho, much of the discussion revolved around how the drama will work as such. Designed to give viewers “an intimate portrayal of how Norman Bates’ psyche unravels through his teenage years,” Bates Motel is quite creepy from the start. Look for it beginning Monday, March 18^th at 10pm. Here are a few highlights from the presentation:

Photo by Joe Lederer

To be clear, Cuse stated that the prequel was inspired by Psycho and is not an homage to Psycho. The movies are also not canon for this show. He also mentioned that the show is very serialized, and the unpredictability of characters is really fascinating as a storyteller.

Filming in Vancouver has given the show gloomy weather as a tone, as well as the ability to utilize a lot of different looks in the area. 

In the beginning, Farmiga felt that she wanted to defend who Norma Bates was, because, to her, the story reads as a beautiful love letter from a mother to her son. Ehrin expounds that the basis for Norma/Norman’s relationship is oedipal. 

Highmore, whom you may remember as the title character in 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, is working in television for the first time in his career. When asked about the switch, he noted that television lets you work on a lot more subtleties to a character.

Winter TCA 2013: NatGeo's Announcements & Killing Lincoln

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

The National Geographic Channel has been making a big investment in series television and in making its specials “special.” They have the benefit of being an old brand in a market where many competitors re-brand themselves every two years. Today, they presented information on some of their upcoming works, including February’s two-hour factual drama Killing Kennedy, based on Bill O’Reilly’s best-selling book, and series Inside Combat Rescue, following US Air Force battle medicine. Animals are still a major focus for them, of course, and the new features will include Spoiled Rotten Pets (pretty self-explanatory), The Incredible Dr. Pol (a house call-making vet), Leader of the Pack (a series that matches abandoned dogs with adoption candidates), and, of course, Alpha Dogs, which was a main focus later in the panel. Furthermore, a couple of competitive shows are coming our way, including Ultimate Survival: Alaska, where eight top outdoorsmen make their way through the brutal frontier, and Are You Tougher Than a Boy Scout?, which has adults go head-to-head with Scouts in various challenges, like using a commando line to cross a gorge.

The major features being promoted in addition to documentary series Alpha Dogs were factual drama Killing Lincoln and documentary miniseries The 80s. Look for an article on The 80s at a later date, but here’s the scoop on Killing Lincoln, which will premiere in March in 171 countries and 38 languages. National Geographic Channel’s first-ever docudrama “combines dramatic re-creations with historical insight in a thrilling chronicle of the final days of President Lincoln and the treasonous plot by one of the most notorious, yet complex villains of all time.” 

National Geographic Channel

Killing Lincoln, narrated by Tom Hanks and starring Billy Campbell as our assassinated President, brought a panel of actors Bill Campbell, Jesse Johnson, Geraldine Hughes, and Graham Beckel, as well as writer and executive producer Erik Jenderssen. Here are some highlights from the Q&A as well as the literature provided by the network:

When asked to describe Lincoln in his own words, Campbell said, “He was arguably our greatest President. He was self-taught, well-rounded, a complex and profound human being who did great things for our country. I can’t think of any American historical figure who is as justifiably revered, or who was as tragically fated.”

When asked if he had any hesitations on playing such a “reviled, historic villain,” Johnson replied that “Quite the contrary, I leapt at the opportunity. Playing villains can often be the most rewarding experience as an actor because you get to examine deep dark places of yourself that might otherwise remain unexplored. Booth is a particularly rewarding villain to play because there is so little of his personal life and stage career that is known by the general public. Being able to lace all of the action that takes place in the film with his potent history and to ignite the contest of the story with his theatrical upbringing and magnanimous demeanor could very well shine a brighter light on a mysterious and misunderstood pivotal figure of history.”

Campbell didn’t feel a lot of weight on his shoulders because the script was so brilliant and people were so passionate about doing this in the right way. 

On filming the assassination scene, Johnson noted that “everyone knew what they were doing and there was a solemn work ethic that took over that night.” There was also excruciating attention to detail. 

And, a fact that I found fascinating and was surprised I did not previously know: Before Lincoln’s assassination, the White House doors were never locked. You could come in and wait and talk to the President!