An interview with Connie Britton

Posted on October 11, 2012 by TV Gal

ABC/BOB D’AMICO

By Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal®

We loved her in Friday Night Lights. We were a little freaked out by her in American Horror Story. And now Connie Britton has the best role of her career as country music superstar Rayna Jaymes in Nashville (Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on ABC). I hope you all watched the premiere last night and loved the show as much as I did.

Luckily, along with some of my fellow reporters, I had a chance to talk to Britton recently.

On the rivalry between Rayna and Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere) and playing older to Panettiere’s young.

I think the whole idea of this rivalry has been a little overdeveloped. I never saw the show in those terms and I’ve worked really hard to not have the show become about being quote unquote old because I certainly don’t feel old and I’m not interested in playing old. So I don’t want it to be about old versus young or about one woman versus another woman. I think what our two characters represent are two people in very different phases of their life and very different phases of the music business.

On how she describes Rayna

Rayna is a really really strong character. She’s a self-made character and she’s a survivor so that’s an interesting thing to watch in her character, to watch her strength. She just pulls from whatever it is that she knows to survive and keep going. She supports her family and she has created this career not out of folly but because she really needs it as a woman and as a person kind of moving away from her family and creating her own path.

On Rayna’s backstory

I actually know a lot. [Executive producer] Callie Khouri is really into backstory which is really fun so we sat down and we really dished it out and it’s fun because there’s such a rich history. Rayna has lived her life with her band members. She’s had a relationship with the head of her band and now she’s in this marriage. There’s a lot of backstory but I don’t want to give it all away. I do think there’s going to be redemption for everybody involved and I’m always interested in that.

On her success as an actress

I’m really just grateful all the time about it. Every character I play I try to play such different characters but there’s always one strong intent and that is to play women in a way that portrays them as powerful and true and complex sort of comfortable in their own skin even in the midst of crisis and chaos and whatever form that takes, whatever story that takes. I think people appreciate that. Listen in TV we have a lot of opportunity. We’re seeing a lot of really strong woman characters on television but I think to play a strong woman who is also accessible and vulnerable and has a lot of same qualities as most women do, I think people appreciate that and my hope is to keep doing that.

On the music business

Not unlike Hollywood, I think the music industry can be very cutthroat but the flip side of that is I also think that there’s a lot of support in the music industry. Talking to a lot of people I know in the music industry there’s actually a lot of appreciation for women who are in their 40s. There is ageism for sure but there’s also a deep regard for people who have established themselves and have really lived a life in music so I think you see both. I think the city of Nashville has really embraced this show because we have every intention of portraying Nashville in a very true and honest way.

On her Emmy nominations for American Horror Story and Friday Night Lights

It’s actually surprising every single time it happens. It was so hard to get acknowledgement from Emmy voters on Friday Night Lights so, by the end, any Emmy nomination we got felt like an Emmy nomination for the show. But then to go into American Horror Story and have that show acknowledged in such a huge way was thrilling in such a different way. First of all, I was very surprised frankly because that felt like a risky role for me to play particularly after playing Tami Taylor on Friday Night Lights. To feel that show and that role was embraced by audiences as much as my role on Friday Night Lights was, it felt very sort of vindicating and thrilling.

Where Have I Seen Them Before and Quotes of the Week for October 11

Posted on October 11, 2012 by TV Gal

By Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal®

Here are some of my favorite familiar faces and quotes from the week in TV.

Where Have I Seen Them Before?

Zoe Jarman is the office assistant Betsy on The Mindy Project. She was the camp counselor Poppy on Huge. I bring this up because Huge was an amazing show and I can’t believe it was cancelled after one season. I blame myself for not being around to promote it more. (When I interviewed Claire Danes about Homeland last year, she told me she was a huge fan of Huge too. She’s still friends with Winnie Holzman, the woman behind My So-Called Life and Huge. This made me very happy.)

Bailey Buntain, Ginny on Bunheads, was the freshman Sue was assigned to help on The Middle.

Adina Porter was the neurosurgeon who consulted with Derek on Grey’s Anatomy. We just saw her as Kendra on The Newsroom and she’s Lettie Mae Thornton on True Blood. She was also Juliet’s principal on Ringer, a show I already confessed that I couldn’t stop watching.

Jane Carr was the nanny Mrs. Buckminster on How I Met Your Mother. I remember her as Louise on Dear John. She also played Nora, a member of the DAR who was frenemies with Emily Gilmore on Gilmore Girls (which probably means she should be showing up on Bunheads sometime soon).

There were a slew of familiar faces on Scandal. Elise Neal was the woman who had a 15 year affair with the deceased Reverend. She was Yvonne on The Hughleys and Tia on All of Us. Leslie Grossman was back as the coroner on Scandal. She was Mary Cherry on Popular (a show you need to watch if you’ve never seen it. It was from Ryan Murphy before he was Ryan Murphy). We also just saw Grossman in the pilot of The New Normal as the potential surrogate who threatened to drink and eat sushi if she didn’t get what she wanted. Debra Mooney was the Supreme Court Justice who is somehow tied to Quinn/Lindsay’s (Quinsay?) situation. Mooney was, of course, Edna on my beloved Everwood.

Diane recognized Caroline Lagerfelt as Anjelica Henley, the wealthy woman who set up her own home burglary on Castle. She plays CeCe Rhodes on Gossip Girl and Diane remembers her as Spike’s mom on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Angella recognized Amanda Schull as the girlfriend of the blackjack dealer who was murdered on Vegas. Schull was Meredith on Pretty Little Liars, Katie on One Tree Hill and Angella remembered her as Jody in the movie Center Stage.

Quotes of the Week

“I’m not playing this game – Thunderdome.” Alicia to Clark, the firm’s court appointed trustee on The Good Wife.

“We are just two people who want to be friends but are sometimes attracted to each other.” Nick to Jess on The New Girl. I really like the way this relationship is playing out.

“You are my first love and I want more than anything for you to be my last but I can’t do this anymore. At least not now. We’re done.” Rachel to Finn on Glee. This is totally unrelated to this heartbreaking quote, but is anyone else bothered by Rachel’s hair extensions and eye make-up this season? I know that she’s in the Big Apple but I refuse to believe that this is how Rachel would look now. I don’t care if she had a makeover.

“It wasn’t nothing. You’re funny. You’re pretty. You’re nice. I like talking to you.” Hank to Sarah after he kissed her on Parenthood. If I weren’t so worried about Kristina, this definitely would be the story line stressing me out the most. True story – I’m eating my way through a bag of potato chips just writing about this. (40% reduced fat barbeque potato chips but stress eating none the less).

“She wants her something borrowed to be Jessica Biel’s youth.” Liz about Jenna on 30 Rock. Oh how I’ve missed this show!

Best Exchange of the Week

“All I keep thinking is we’re going to crash on some tropical island and get attacked by a polar bear.” Bailey to Webber on Grey’s Anatomy.

“I don’t know what you mean.” Webber to Bailey.

“You should watch more TV.” Bailey’s response. This may be the best advice Bailey has ever given.

That’s a wrap up of some of the week’s best familiar faces and quotes. I’m still catching up from visiting my parents in the House That Technology Forgot (no cable, no DVR, no Internet. It’s like living on Little House on the Prairie) so I’ll probably have more of this week’s quotes and familiar faces in next week’s edition. And please email me your favorite quotes and familiar faces through my contact form.

Am I Breaking Up With the TV Bad Boy?

Posted on October 9, 2012 by TV Gal

By Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal®

I never dated a bad boy. And I definitely didn’t marry one. Really, the worst thing my husband ever does is forget to run the dishwasher at night.

But, oh, how I have loved the TV bad boy. The bad boy on TV makes for great viewing while never actually causing you any emotional damage. Here’s a chorological list of my long- term relationship with the TV bad boy:

Dylan McKay on Beverly Hills, 90210: That sexy scowl! Those sideburns! Dylan was my first TV bad boy and, as the saying goes, you never forget your first. When Kelly famously told Brandon and Dylan, “I choose me,” I was proud of her girl-power decision but I thought she was a little nuts to let this brooding bad boy go. The rumor that Luke Perry and Jennie Garth are now dating in real life has caused me to nearly explode with happiness.

Pacey Whitter on Dawson’s Creek: Before you question whether Pacey was really a bad boy, remember that when we first met him, he was sleeping with his teacher. Good boys don’t sleep with their teachers. Pacey was always my first choice for Joey (and honestly now that Katie Holmes is a single again, he still is). I get chills thinking about when he told Joey he was going to kiss her and then started counting backwards from 10. Sigh.

Spike on Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Spike was so very wrong for Buffy. I knew it. She knew it. All of Hellmouth knew it. Their often violent relationship was one of the most dysfunctional ones on TV. But when Buffy tells him Spike she loves him right before he dies and he replies, “No you don’t but thanks for saying it,” it breaks my heart every time.

Logan Echolls on Veronica Mars: Logan just couldn’t get out of his own way. He was the perfect storm of a bad boy – troubled home situation (very troubled!), the propensity to lash out at the ones who loved him most, and a soulful stare that made even my remote blush. When he was bad, he was very, very bad but when he was good, Veronica couldn’t do any better.

Sawyer on Lost: I so wanted Sawyer to smile his sly smile and come up with a nickname for me. Maybe he’d call me Carmela because of my Italian last name. Or maybe he’d dub me “Lamy” because I would be the one always telling him that his cockamamie plan was DANGEROUS. Sawyer was the best kind of bad boy – his brass exterior hid a damaged, sweet soul.

Tim Riggins on Friday Night Lights: Let me be clear: I have never, ever liked long hair on guys. Until, Tim Riggins. I wanted to reach into the TV and tuck his hair behind his ears. He could have worn his hair in French braids and I would have thought that was fantastic. His romance with Lyla was oh so wrong – she was dating his best friend who had just been paralyzed. But, you couldn’t help but root for Riggins to succeed. Texas forever man.

Damon Salvatore on The Vampire Diaries: Obviously. What I love most about Damon is that the character completely made me forget Ian Somerhalder had ever been anyone else. Boone who? I will admit that I haven’t kept up with show but I know if I ever visited Mystic Falls, I would want to hang out with Damon not Stefan.

So that’s many years loving the TV bad boy. But something has happened to me. I totally rooted for Jake on Awkward. Not Matty of I- treated- Jenna-terribly- but- am- really- sweet-and-misunderstood fame. But Jake of I-always-treated-Jenna-with-the-upmost-respect-and-have-always-been-nice-to-her fame. I rooted for Jake long before Jenna broke his heart. And Jake could never, ever be a bad boy.

What is going on? Am I breaking up with the TV bad boy? Am I suddenly maturing? Are there no good bad boys left? It’s like I don’t even know the TV viewer I’ve become. But I’m definitely on Team Jake. Just don’t tell Dylan, Pacey, Spike, Logan, Sawyer, Riggins or Damon that I said that.

Who is your favorite TV bad boy? Vote below.

The TV Gal Character Relocation Program

Posted on October 4, 2012 by TV Gal

Photo by: Timothy White/NBC

By Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal®

We are a few weeks into the new television season and I believe it is time to activate the TV Gal Character Relocation Program (CRP). In the CRP, I sweep in and pluck good characters from bad shows and relocate them to a new series where their talents will be put to the best use. Really, it’s a public service.

Here are the current candidates:

Shania (Bebe Wood) on The New Normal to Glee: The New Normal makes an Aaron Sorkin show look subtle. But aside from all the pontificating, my main problem with the show is that it’s not funny. And, you know, I like my comedies to be funny. Sometimes I wonder if maybe I missed something and the The New Normal is actually supposed to be a half-hour drama. But Wood is fabulous. Her impersonation of Little Edie from Grey Gardens was one of the best things I have seen on TV this year. Let’s send Shania to Glee, another Ryan Murphy show which sure is uneven in quality but at least when it’s good, it’s very, very good. Shania could be a child prodigy who becomes the newest member of New Directions. Sure that’s a bit of an outlandish plot but is it anymore outlandish than Kurt landing a job with Vogue.com? I don’t think so.

Louis (Michael Urie) on Partners to New Girl: Urie is trying his best with material he’s given. But honestly if you close your eyes and just listen to the show, it’s as if you’re watching a really bad version of Will & Grace. Same set-up (My analogy: Ali is to the jewelry design business as Grace was to the interior design business). Same jokes. Same elevator, even. Just a lot less charm. Louis could move into the apartment on The New Girl. He could talk fashion and, more specifically belts, with Schmidt while Nick and Winston could convince him to take his shtick down a notch or two. Now I would love to save Wyatt (Brandon Routh) too but, unfortunately, the CRP only allows me to save one character per show.

Miles (Billy Burke) on Revolution to Homeland: I’m exhausted by the fact that Revolution has been picked up for a full season. I was really hoping the show would just go quietly to that great TV season pass manager in the sky. But no, now I’m going to have to keep up with its gaping plot inconsistencies and bad acting. Bill Burke is a great actor who has done a number of wonderful guest arcs (most recently as the nefarious Phillip Stroh on The Closer). The man deserves to be on an Emmy winning drama. On Homeland he could play a CIA agent who believes Carrie and helps bring Brody down. And then he could win an Emmy for his performance. See how well this could work out?

Dr. Brett Robinson (Zach Gilford) on The Mob Doctor to Grey’s Anatomy: Seattle Grace needs a few new doctors and, given The Mob Doctor’s ratings, Dr. Robinson could be available very soon. Here at TV Gal, we leave no one from Friday Night Lights behind.

Marny (Tempestt Bledsoe) on Guys with Kids to The Middle: I’m delighted to have Vanessa Huxtable back on TV again. Now let’s get her on a show that’s actually funny. Marny could be one of the Heck’s new neighbors. She and Frankie could become friends. Maybe she could even help Frankie find a new job.

Which characters would you enter into the CRP and where would you relocate him or her? Talk about it below.

Grey’s Anatomy and Revenge

Last week, two shows totally tried to fake out viewers. On Revenge, the nighttime soap tried to convince viewers that Victoria Grayson was dead. While I believed there was no way that the series would kill off a character as great as Victoria, it was a very nice touch to not list Madeleine Stowe in the opening credits. It didn’t fool me, but I appreciated the effort and attention to detail.

I’m kind of disappointed that the alliance between Victoria and Emily was so short-lived. I loved the idea of the two former frenemies being in cahoots together. I do want everyone to know that Revenge is currently in my “Could So Easily Go Off the Rails” file. Revenge is great because of its over-the-top line delivery and plot twists. The show is so much fun. But I’m concerned it could start racing through plot twists and character reveals. (We’ve seen this happen before on many shows including Heroes). If Daniel is going to be evil, let him be evil. And please find some way to make Ashley useful to the plot. The show hasn’t seemed to know what to do with her since the beginning.

On Grey’s Anatomy, the show spent the entire hour trying to convince us that Arizona was dead but we’ve all watched TV long enough to know that unless there’s a funeral, he/she is probably not dead. (Unless, of course, you’re a show like Revenge when they can say you’re dead,hold a memorial services and you’re still not dead). I knew we were going to see Arizona in the closing seconds of the episode. I holding out judgement of the Arizona as an amputee story line until I see tonight’s episode. The premiere didn’t really work for me for three main reasons:

I simply can’t get too worked up about Mark Sloane dying. I never really bought Mark and Lexie as some great star-crossed couple and I’m really not that sad that McSteamy is gone.
It’s annoying that now Meredith is the one terrorizing the interns. Medusa? Really? Another sign that it’s time for a show to end is when they pull an old plot line out of the bin and try to recycle it.
I’m saddened by what’s become of Miranda Bailey. I’m glad she now knows that her nickname is Booty Call Bailey but the Miranda I knew would never have let it get to this point.

That’s all for today. Make sure to follow my blog so you know every time I have a new post. And if you see a familiar face or hear a great quote of the week, definitely email me about it through my contact page.

An interview with Vanessa Marano star of ‘Switched at Birth’

Posted on October 2, 2012 by TV Gal

Credit: ABC Family

By Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal®

I recently got the chance to talk to Vanessa Marano, who stars as Bay Kennish on Switched at Birth, about the current season of hit ABC Family drama (Mondays at 8 p.m.) I really liked what Marano, who I’ve watched grow up on Without a Trace and Gilmore Girls, had to say about her career, her show and Bay and Emmett. I think you will too.

TV Gal: I like that Bay hasn’t gotten back together with Emmett after he slept with Toby’s girlfriend. But Emmett is obviously so apologetic and devastated and he drew a beautiful mural for her. How do you feel about Bay and Emmett?

Marano: I’m definitely one of the few people who thinks they shouldn’t get back together. That was really awful. I’m from a belief that if someone betrays you in that way, you don’t give them another chance. It’s incredibly disrespectful. But I think what this season does teach, which I think is super important, is that you can still forgive somebody. You don’t need to necessarily to have them in your life in the same way or feel the same way about them or be a doormat but you can forgive them.

TV Gal: Will they get back together before the season finale on October 22?

Marano: I really don’t know. It’s heartbreaking because they were such a cute couple. What I like about our show is that with so many intense, crazy, dramatic things happening, it really is character driven and through that so many real emotions come out and that’s what keeps the story grounded.

TV Gal: Are you surprised by how popular Switched at Birth has become?

Marano: More than surprised I’m incredibly grateful. I’ve been doing this for a long time. I’ve done so many pilots that don’t get picked up. I’ve always put my heart and soul into everything I’ve done

I’m so glad that this was the one that was successful. I love everybody I work with. It’s a great show. It’s very interesting and it teaches people sign language and really a well done program. But, more than anything, I’m so proud to go to work with a cast and crew that I adore.

TV Gal: You didn’t know sign language before? How challenging is it to act while signing.

Really hard. It’s easier to speak it than to understand it. The hardest part about it is I started doing scenes with Sean Berdy [who plays Emmett] and Sean doesn’t talk and I didn’t know when my cue line was. If he put his hands down he could be taking a dramatic pause. And when we started to do fight scenes that was so hard. It’s really hard to elevate your voice. It’s really difficult to fight and scream essentially with yourself.

TV Gal: You started acting when you were very young. How did you know this is what you wanted to do?

Marano: I knew I wanted to act when I was six. My mom was a drama teacher. She was a professional actress and ended up being a drama teacher and opened her own theater so I was always surrounded by it. I just saw my mom direct teenagers in plays and I thought, ‘That looks like fun’ so I begged my mom for two years and she said, ‘No it’s a horrible industry. I don’t want to turn into a stage mom. I don’t want to drive you around. It treats women really badly and you should have a childhood.’ And I said, ‘But I want to do it.’ So two years of that – that combative back and forth

A friend of hers, who was a child actress, said to her, ‘You’re not being supportive of your daughter.’ So she said, ‘Okay. Fine.’ And she looked up agents and there was this one agency that crushes the souls of children and destroys their dreams and she was like, ‘Ah sweet!’ I go in and my mother, who’s an acting teacher, does not help me prepare the dialogue. I go in and read for the agent, she calls my mother in and says, ‘I’ll take her.’ My five-year-old sister walks in and says, ‘Oh I don’t have an agent.’ And the agent says, ‘Oh I’ll take that one too.’ So my sister didn’t even have to beg or audition by the way. I did all the hard work. And now we’re both employed by the Disney Corporation. [Her sister Laura Marano stars in the Disney Channel series Austin & Ally].

TV Gal: Thanks for taking the time to talk to me. I love the show even though I know I’m not in the target demographic.

Marano: Anyone who watches is our ideal demographic.

Where Have I Seen Them Before and Quotes of the Week

Posted on October 2, 2012 by TV Gal

By Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal®

Back by popular demand and because I love doing them, I bring you the best familiar faces and quotes on TV last week.

Where Have I Seen Them Before

Jamie Chung played Mulan on Once Upon a Time – we will see quite a bit of her this season. Chung was Ed Helms’ fiancée Lauren in The Hangover II. Michael Raymond-James was the mysterious man at the beginning of the episode who received a postcard with the word “broken” on it. He was Britt on the much-missed Terriers (if you didn’t see this show when it was on, you need to watch it now.) He was also Rene Lenier on True Blood. Sarah Bolger was Princess Aurora. Bolger was Mary Tudor on The Tudors and if you really want to feel old she was also the little girl Christy in the movie In America. Julian Morris was Prince Phillip. He’s Wren on Pretty Little Liars, Dr. Andrew Wade in the final season of ER and Anders on the short-lived My Generation.

Todd Grinnell is Charlotte’s sketchy doctor on Revenge. He was Andrew’s boyfriend on Desperate Housewives and I always remember him from the comedy Four Kings.

Kurt Fuller is Kristina’s doctor on Parenthood. He was on the dad on the comedy Better With You (another show that aired that I totally could have used a support group for).He also recurs as Judge Peter Dunaway on The Good Wife and as Woody on Psych. Rose Abdoo was Gwen, the cancer patient Kristina befriended. She plays Sam on Bunheads, which of course also means she was on Gilmore Girls, where she played Gypsy.

David Walton was Jess’ blind date Sam on New Girl. Walton is in my “I wish he had a hit show” file. He played opposite Amanda Peete on Bent last season (a show that never got the chance it deserved) and was also Vance on Perfect Couples.

Erynn recognized Dallas Roberts, who plays Alicia’s brother Owen on The Good Wife, as the husband of the victim on Elementary. He was also Miles in Rubicon.

Jeremy Davidson was the District Attorney giving Alicia a difficult time on The Good Wife. He’s Chase on Army Wives and Kitty’s boyfriend Jack on Brothers & Sisters.

Michael Trucco is currently playing Robin’s boyfriend Nick on How I Met Your Mother. He was also Kate’s boyfriend Detective Tom Demming on Castle and Samuel Anders on Battlestar Galactica.

It was driving me crazy trying to figure out how I knew Daniella Alonso, the actress playing Nora on Revolution. And so much better to worry about a familiar face then to think about how utterly ridiculous and poorly acted Revolution is (I need to begin my character relocation program for Billy Burke and Giancarlo Esposito stat!). Alonso was Carlotta, the nurse for Saracen’s grandmother on Friday Night Lights. She was also Brenda on My Generation so it’s good to see that those actors are all finding work.

Quotes of the Week

“So you’re not their favorite parent. You’re a solid second place.” Mike to Frankie when she finds out the kids prefer Mike over her on The Middle.

“As my uncle used to say: let’s not let a botched kidnapping ruin a perfectly good afternoon.” Shorty to Jay on Modern Family.

“You must leave because despite what you hope, I’m still a monster.” Mr. Gold to Belle on Once Upon a Time.

“He wants to protect you for anything bad happening and here’s the thing: the bad thing is already happening.” The cancer patient Gwen to Kristina about Adam on Parenthood.

“Are you cooking a frittata in a sauce pan? What is this? Prison?” Schmidt to Jess on New Girl.

“And you were right – I had no idea.” Castle to Beckett on the season premiere of Castle. Thanks to Lisa who sent in this quote and reminded me that the line referenced the exchange between Castle and Beckett at the end of the show’s first episode.

That’s a wrap up of some of last week’s best familiar faces and quotes. Remember to email me your favorite quotes and familiar faces through my contact page.

ABC Thursday Night! ‘Last Resort,’ ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and ‘Scandal’

Posted on September 27, 2012 by TV Gal

Credit: ABC/DANNY FELD

By Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal®

I’m usually willing to suspend quite a bit of disbelief while watching TV. Honestly, I don’t require a lot of pragmatism in my TV shows. Jack Bauer can make it across Los Angeles in ten minutes and never hit traffic. No problem. Detective Kate Beckett can chase the bad guy in high heels and long, flowing hair when I can’t even cook dinner unless my hair is in a ponytail and my shoes are off. Sure, why not? It’s probably why I was never really that angry with The Newsroom. I didn’t expect it to actually show me how a real newsroom is run.

But I’ve had all summer and I still cannot get over what was the tiniest detail in the Grey’s Anatomy season finale. Another hospital was expecting a team of doctors to arrive by plane and all they do when the doctors don’t show up is leave a message for Owen? Really? We can’t, oh I don’t know, call the central switchboard and demand that Owen be paged since a WHOLE DAY has gone by and the doctors haven’t arrived. Obviously, this was done for dramatic effect so the other doctors could go about their day in the hospital not knowing that their friends were in peril but I’m simply unable to get past this leap in logic. The final shot of Owen finally listening to his voice mail was ridiculous. I actually threw something at my TV it was so ridiculous. (Thankfully sports isn’t my forte so the TV was safe.)

A sure sign that it’s time for a show to end is when the amount of things that have happened would mean that all of the characters would be in a straitjacket, staring at a wall and rocking back and forth. Given the bombing, the shooting and the catastrophes, they all should have had a complete nervous breakdowns by now or at least have switched jobs. Cristina is the only one who seems to realize this since she at least tried to change careers and announced “I don’t understand how this keeps happening” after the crash.

ABC didn’t make tonight’s premiere (9 p.m. on ABC) available, but here are my hopes/thoughts about the ninth season opener:

Please don’t kill off Arizona (Jessica Capshaw). Let Alex (Justin Chambers) have guilt because she gets injured not because she’s dead. Callie has already lost one spouse. She doesn’t need to lose another. Since Eric Dane is leaving the series, you can go ahead and kill off McSteamy though. I’m totally okay with that.
Please don’t put Cristina and Owen back together. They are the definition of dysfunction and I’ve never particularly cared for them as a couple anyway. Let them move on with other people.
I love seeing a happy Bailey. But no more of Bailey sneaking off to the supply room for a little hanky panky or acting ridiculous in the OR. We all love Bailey because often she’s the only sane and professional doctor around. Let’s keep it that way.

Are you excited for the Grey’s premiere or are you fed up with the show? Do you think the show should end after this season? Talk about it below.

Credit: ABC/CRAIG SJODIN

Last Resort

A pilot shouldn’t be that complicated to follow. It’s the time to invite viewers into the world you created and get them invested in your characters and your plot lines. Tonight’s premiere of Last Resort (8 p.m. on ABC) doesn’t really do that until the final moments. The drama takes a circuitous and convoluted route to the main plot. Submarine Captain Marcus Chaplin (Andre Braugher) receives orders to fire nuclear weapons on Pakistan. The orders don’t come through the regular channel which would mean that Washington, D.C. has become totally incapacitated. However, when the Captain turns on the TV, he finds nothing but daytime talk shows and Hannah Montana reruns. So , you know, the country clearly isn’t in crisis.

When Marcus questions the orders, he’s relieved of his duty and his second-in-command XO Sam Kendal (Scott Speedman) is put in charge. Only Sam isn’t so quick with the trigger finger either. This all leads to the entire crew seeking refuge on a remote island where things probably won’t go smoothly between the natives and the crew.

Along the way, there’s a positively ridiculous character introduction to Autumn Reeser’s Kylie Sinclair. Worst. Character. Introduction. Ever. You get to see Max Adler (Dave Karofsky on Glee) again. And there’s the requisite girl back home pining away for Sam (Jessy Schram).

Braugher is fantastic in anything he does. He’s in my “I’d watch him read the phone book” file and, as I mentioned in my story on Scott Speedman, it’s really great to have him back on TV again. The duo have a terrific on-screen rapport of mentor/student (or father/son) that should propel the series forward. I’m invested in their relationship.

TV has been searching for another Lost since Lost began. Last Resort is clearly going after that viewership by launching a central mystery immediately (why were they being told to attack Pakistan?) and also establishing the central characters as outlaws trying to forge a new life in a foreign land. The show films in Hawaii so, like me, you may be on the lookout for the smoke monster.

But I had quite a few issues with the pilot – from its convoluted storytelling to its often hokey dialogue. Shawn Ryan, the man behind The Shield and Terriers (which I adored), is at the helm here so that alone makes me believe the show will sort out its problems and could potentially become a great series, but right now it’s just an okay one.

(As a side note, Last Resort is the latest in many show titles that I want to put a “the” in front of as in The Last Resort. I also sometimes want to say The New Girl. But I only wanted to write Mob Doctor instead of The Mob Doctor. I’m vexed by the “thes” this season. Just had to share.)

Credit: ABC/CRAIG SJODIN

Scandal

Scandal returns tonight (10 p.m. on ABC) and there’s almost nothing I can tell you without ruining the great plot twists the show has in store. This was one of my favorite new series from last season and if you are not watching Scandal, you should be. Kerry Washington is fantastic as fixer extraordinaire Olivia Pope. Washington manages to make Olivia simultaneously fierce and vulnerable. The show is over-the-top but in a highly entertaining and enjoyable way.

Okay that’s all for today. Don’t forget to watch Elementary tonight (10 p.m. on CBS) which was my pick for one of the best new shows of the season. And remember I’m bringing back quotes of the week and where have I seen them before so send me your favorite quotes and familiar faces through my contact page. And don’t forget to follow my blog so you’ll know every time I have a new post.

An interview with Scott Speedman

Posted on September 27, 2012 by TV Gal

Credit: ABC/BOB D’AMICO

By Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal®

When I was in Los Angeles this summer for the Television Critics Association press tour, I had the chance to chat (along with some of my fellow critics) with Scott Speedman. Speedman, who stars as XO Sam Kendal in the new ABC drama Last Resort (premiering tonight at 8 p.m. on ABC), was charmingly self-deprecating and honest. (As I said at the time, I KNEW I was right to always pick Ben over Noel).

In tonight’s premiere, Kendal refuses an order to launch a nuclear attack on Pakistan when the directive does not come through the proper channels. His actions force him, his captain Marcus Chaplin (Andre Braugher) and their crew to find refuge on a remote island (which looks a lot like Lost since the show films in Hawaii).

It’s the actor’s first TV role since playing the dreamy Ben Covington on Felicity. That show ended in 2002 so Speedman has spent a decade away from the small screen. Welcome back, Scott!

On deciding to do Last Resort

For years I did the ‘well what’s the point? I don’t get this. I don’t see myself doing this. I don’t understand how this can be successful.’ But then you don’t work and that’s a problem.

[Co-creator and executive producer] Shawn Ryan (The Shield) at the helm was a big push for me because it’s all well and good to make a good pilot but that’s not really what the show is. The show is episode seven and down the line.

I read a bunch of pilots and I can usually see what they will evolve into and this I had no idea. And I think these two guys, Karl Gajdusek and Shawn Ryan, are so smart I was willing to take the risk to see what was going on.

I always have reservations about working when you know what it is and you know how much effort goes into it and the hours and moving to Hawaii was a big consideration. Andre and I were both in the same boat in that way. It had to be the right thing to want to go and do it and this was it

This is a long term commitment I’m not good with long term commitments so we’ll see how that goes. I mean I can only say it was exciting premise and we’ll see what happens. We’ll see how I do with that long term commitment .

On his feelings about the possibility of getting involved in another TV love triangle

I really was adamant on not being involved on an out and out soap opera show. I was not interested in that. I would say that it would be impossible not to have romantic elements to this character. I don’t want it to turn into Temptation Island either. Hopefully it will be done well.

On how he’s like his character

I feel like I would have done what my character did by refusing the order and not firing when it was coming through the wrong channels. But I think there’s a great many people in America that will feel otherwise and say we are traitors. I thought that was interesting – a water cooler moment that could be a discussion

On how he’s not like his character

I would be a terrible naval man. The regimented lifestyle, I would not do well. I do not follow rules all that well. I think I’d be terrible. These guys – from morning to night – follow rules that’s why it’s so interesting that this is the one they say no to.

‘The Mindy Project’ and ‘Vegas’ – Two Shows I Wish I Loved

Posted on September 25, 2012 by TV Gal

Cr: Beth Dubber/FOX

By Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal®

There are times when I am out of sync with the rest of the critics andThe Mindy Project (premiering tonight at 9:30 p.m. on FOX) is one of those times. I’m not feeling the love that so many are bestowing upon the show.

It’s not that I hated the new comedy from Mindy Kaling. I am simply not wildly enthusiastic about it. Kaling stars as Mindy Lahari, an OB/GYN with a successful medical career and a disastrous personal life. That’s a great and relatable premise for a show. My problem is that the whole pilot has this “Look at me! Aren’t I clever and cute?” vibe. And I do think Kaling is clever and cute but the pilot feels too self-aware and self-conscious.

These are problems that can be fixed of course.There is a certain innate nervousness that can be present in a pilot. The stakes are extremely high as far as television goes. Maybe things will settle down by episode two. I’m rooting for Kaling to succeed. TV needs more funny women and it certainly needs more funny women who don’t look like everyone else on TV.

(My other gripe with The Mindy Project is that it took Anna Camp away from The Good Wife. And I loved Caitlin. She was a fantastic foil for Alicia and her departure was way too abrupt. I know this doesn’t really count as a legitimate gripe with the series but I had to share.)

The show definitely has a potential breakout character in Chris Messina, who plays Mindy’s fellow doctor Danny Castellano. It would be great to see Messina, who also plays Reese Lansing on The Newsroom, finally have his moment. And if The Mindy Project doesn’t work out, he can just move in with the boys over on New Girl.

I’m not against The Mindy Project, I’m just not for it yet. After you watch the show tonight, let me know what you think.

Vegas (premiering tonight at 10 p.m. on CBS) is another show I would love to love. Jason O’Mara is a man who deserves a hit TV series. I’ve been a fan ever since his character terrorized Brenda on The Closer. Until the bizarre finale, Life on Mars was a fantastic show and there was great potential in Terra Nova. O’Mara swings for the fences when he picks a TV project and I really admire that. I’ve loved Dennis Quaid ever since I saw The Big Easy (so interesting that both he and Ellen Barkin are in new TV shows this fall). And, of course, it’s always fun to have Michael Chiklis back on TV. Really, you couldn’t ask for better headliners.

Quaid stars as Ralph Lamb, a reluctant sheriff in the 1960’s in Las Vegas. O’Mara is his brother and Chiklis is the gangster Lamb must battle. Chiklis clearly enjoys playing bad and this role seems much more comfortable for him than the heroic family man he played in No Ordinary Family. But there’s also something far too familiar about Chiklis in Vegas. It’s like Vic Mackey got sent back in time (perhaps during a Life on Mars/The Shield crossover event?). His performance almost seems redundant.

The pilot for Vegas moves very, very slowly. Make sure you drink lots of caffeine before you sit down to watch this show. Mad Men looks downright speedy compared to Vegas. It’s a totally different pace for primetime television and one that I’m not sure will work. But there is still some good stuff here. I will be following the show closely. After you watch tonight’s premiere, let me know what you think.

Finally I will be holding the first meeting of the Private Practice support group tonight when the show returns for its sixth season tonight at 10 p.m. on ABC. Really there is absolutely no reason why I should still be watching this show or why I should care if Addison picks Sam or Jake. So, if you still watch the show too, join me tonight so we can commiserate together.

Remember to follow my blog by entering your email in the upper right hand corner. That way you’ll know every time I have a new post. And don’t forget to email me your favorite quotes and familiar faces this week. I’ll be posting them on Thursday.

The Morning After: The delightful season premiere of ‘Castle’

Posted on September 25, 2012 by TV Gal

By Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal®

Will they or won’t they?

TV loves a couple that can’t be together because:

They work together and it would COMPLICATE things
He/she is already dating someone else who is obviously so WRONG for them
Their timing is OFF

But here’s the thing: if a series hinges on a will they/won’t they couple, it can become problematic. Sometimes a show can completely collapse when a central couple comes together. What happened on Moonlight has become legendary (yes I know there were other reasons like pregnancy and contract negotiations that ruined the show, but Maddie and David sleeping together marked the beginning of the end). Sometimes a show can wait too long. By the time Bones and Booth got together on Bones I was no longer invested in their relationship. Sometimes a show can wear out our patience by putting a couple through a seemingly endless make-up/break-up cycle until the final credits roll (I’m looking at you Ross and Rachel). Sometimes a show gives viewers what they want because the situation must to be played out. Cuddy and House were never going to be good together on House but viewers needed to watch the dysfunctional duo figure that out. Sometimes putting a couple together completely evolves the show. I’ve loved watching Jim and Pam marry and have children on The Office. And sometimes a show refuses to give many viewers what they want as it would irrevocably alter the show and the characters’ integrity. Witness Benson and Stabler on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Castle played it exactly right. Having exhausted all the reasons to keep the couple apart (they do work together, they have both dated other people and their timing has been off), the show kicked off season five with Castle and Beckett in bed engaging in flirtatious pillow talk. That’s precisely where most viewers wanted to see them. The timing is perfect. The show has not exasperated me with the constant back and forth dance nor has it waited too long. I believe two adults like Castle and Beckett would eventually tell each other how they feel.

But what I liked best about the premiere is that the dynamic between Castle and Beckett didn’t really change. Their witty rapport – her exasperation with his antics, his impish response – was all still there. Their dialogue about the case had the same feel. They weren’t talking coyly while figuring out who was trying to have Beckett killed. I really loved that they still referred to each other by last name while at work. And even though it’s a little silly that they would hide their relationship from their co-workers and family, it’s also fun to give the duo something to be in cahoots about.

I am positively delighted with the season premiere of Castle. How about you? Talk about the premiere below. And remember this week I’m bringing back Quotes of the Week and Where Have I Seen Them Before so email me your familiar faces and favorite quotes through my contact form or at amyattvgaldotcom.