Something next to normal, that's the thing I'd like to try

* So, The Newsroom did an episode on college campus rape. That went about as well as you'd expect. So in case you need a reminder of why we put up with him despite his being an enormous douchecanoe, here you go.

* It feels like we're reaching the point where everything - even, apparently, single episodes of television - now get "oral histories." Whole TV series, I can understand. A film, if it's especially interesting, sure. If you can get most of the cast and creative team back together to talk about the experience, it can be like a reunion. But here we have basically four people talking about the BtVS episode "Hush."

* Showrunner John Rogers' post-mortems are back! He used to do them after every Leverage episode, and he's doing it again for The Librarians.

* Jed and Maurissa talk about the Agents of SHIELD midseason finale. Plus, an interview with the show's latest casualty (which I was semi-expecting, but it's still annoying, since there are at least four or five other characters I'd rather they'd killed off instead). Also, Blair Underwood will be appearing as Melinda May's ex when the show returns in the spring.

* Mindy Kaling talks about the midseason finale of The Mindy Project.

* Director Rob Marshall gets defensive about changes to Into the Woods.

* Meanwhile, the folks behind The Last Five Years (seemingly a much more difficult show to adapt) talk about making it work as a film without cutting out songs or characters I'M JUST SAYING. Plus, here's the trailer full of singing.

* Mark Hamill will be guest-starring on The Flash, reprising a role he played in the 1990s series.

* Felicia Day has written a book. Or is writing. It's not quiiiiite done yet, but she's announced it anyway.

* Here's a trailer for the new season of The Americans.

* A long - like, three parts long - interview with Dan Harmon about Community and his other show that I don't watch.

* Josh Radnor talks about HIMYM ending. And (thank God!) Krysta Rodriguez is no longer starring in HIMYD, so once again I am FREE.

* My thoughts on The Good Wife's latest bombshell are pretty well summed up here. I applaud their ability to keep things under wraps without feeling the need to promote the "OMG moment" to death (looking at you, Scandal). Here's what the creators and cast had to say, the creators' letter directly to the fans, as well as an interview with you-know-who.

* Hettienne Park addresses some (spoilery) Hannibal-related outrage. #notforeating

* Someone has too much time on their hands: The Office Time Machine collects all the pop culture references from the show in the year of your choice.

* Jack's back and Chloe's gone full Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in the new 24: Live Another Day trailer.

* Lizzy Caplan talks about playing a character based on a real person on Masters of Sex. She also does a fantastic impression of her Israeli uncle.

* Here's a write-up of the Agents of SHIELD PaleyFest panel.

* Anthony Mackie talks about playing the Falcon in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

* I think my favorite part of this Chris Evans interview is all the quotes from the other Avengers actors who are pissed off about dieting. Or possibly RDJ mentioning that Chris "invited Susan and I back to their house to get in the Jacuzzi... that’s a vague memory, but that’s what I’d like for you to print."

(Also, "My kid believes that Captain America is real." Uh... how does he explain the fact that Daddy appears in movies with Captain America?)

* LMAO this Winter Soldier interview is hysterical.

"Who's the best looking superhero?"
Sebastian: "Iron -"
Mackie: "Falcon!"
Sebastian: "...Man." [and then Sebastian's FACE OMG what a side-eye]

Chris: "Hemsworth."
Scarlett: "Oh, really? Chris Hemsworth?"
Chris: "Did I say that way too quickly?... Is it weird that I said Hemsworth? It's weird. It's on film now."

(I also think it's adorable that Chris and Scarlett consistently answered with the actors rather than the characters.)

* Some close-up shots of Avengers: Age of Ultron filming in Italy, featuring Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. What is it exactly about Quicksilver that makes him look SO TERRIBLE in film adaptations? (The last paragraph of that article... I can't even.)

* Here's the trailer for X-Men: Days of Future Past. The only X-Men movie I've seen is First Class and my only comics exposure is from Avengers crossovers, so I have next to no idea what this movie is actually about. Jennifer Lawrence is very blue?

* This is the first review I've seen for the Veronica Mars novel, a sequel of sorts to the movie, and it doesn't sound very promising.

* I meant to post this last week, but it got lost in my Pocket links, so if you haven't already seen it, James Marsters talked about his Spike graphic novel. Have to say, I am not impressed by the preview. He may have said the lines, but James doesn't write great Spike dialogue.

* RELEVANT TO MY READING LIST'S INTERESTS: A PSA about Villain Attraction Disorder.

I am now two posts behind on the December meme. They will happen sometime before the end of the month, lol, I promise. In the meantime, links to keep you busy:

* Emilia Clarke of Game of Thrones will be playing Sarah Connor in yet another Terminator reboot.

* Sony is now trying to get in on the comic book mega-franchise business.

* Some details about the January 7 Agents of SHIELD episode.

* Rhodey will be part of Avengers: Age of Ultron, it seems.

* I am looking forward to the Psych musical episode (it aired last night, but I haven't watched it yet), but saying it's better than "Once More With Feeling" is setting HIGH expectations.

* Megan Hilty talks about Smash and filming "They Just Keep Moving the Line."

* We will not get to see Kyle Chandler as a sexy priest. :(

* In case Carrie Underwood didn't do it for you, ABC will be airing the original Sound of Music movie.

* This is the greatest thing I have ever seen, and you better believe I will be doing it to Chelsea.

* Allison Janney talks about her diametrically opposite roles this season in Masters of Sex and Mom.

* Damian Lewis talks about last night's Homeland season finale. Also, here is who is (unsurprisingly) not coming back for season 4.

* You know, I can actually kind of see Natasha Lyonne as Buffy? She seems like she'd have been closer to the Kristy Swanson movie!Buffy than SMG's was.

* I cannot, however, see Natasha playing this role of Sarah's, which is inexplicable and hilarious.

* Best website 404 error ever.

* Kelly Clarkson will be popping up on Nashville.

* Danny Strong will be writing the screenplay for the Guys and Dolls movie adaptation.

* An oral history of the Trio from BtVS season 6.

* An interview with the incredible Breaking Bad director, Michelle MacLaren, about this week's episode. Plus, eight things you didn't know about the ep.

* Pics of the real-life locations where Breaking Bad was filmed, in case you're in Albuquerque and wanna do your own little set tour.

* Arguments for and against the Better Call Saul spinoff. It's going to be an hour-long series, and it's going to be a prequel. Of course, that means they could bring back characters like Gus Fring or Mike Ehrmentraut, which would be pretty awesome.

* Also, Breaking Bad spinoffs you won't see.

* Clearly there are a lot of Breaking Bad fans on Yelp...

* This is timely, since pocochina just finished Lost: creators Lindelof and Cuse talk about the challenges of ending a TV series with Six Feet Under's Alan Ball and (of course) Breaking Bad's Vince Gilligan.

* After reports that Laura Prepon wouldn't be a regular on season 2, it looks like she'll only be with us for one episode of Orange is the New Black.

* A complete chart of fall TV premiere dates. Mark your calendars!

* Speaking of, here's an extended promo for season 5 of The Vampire Diaries.

* An Agents of SHIELD featurette, plus an interview with Joss Whedon and a response that critiques the pilot's (unexpectedly timely) treatment of secrecy and government spying. And finally, the rebellion against all those damn periods has begun.

* Joss Whedon on casting James Spader as Ultron.

* Tom Hiddleston talks a lot about Loki and briefly mentions that vampire movie he's in with Tilda Swinton.

* Graceland was renewed for season 2, which means more of my bb, Aaron Tveit!

* Jim Butcher talks about the next installment of the Dresden Files series.

* Neil Patrick Harris is prepping to host the Emmys again.

* LOL best captions on boring photos ever. "Dan Stevens at the Grey Goose vodka party, because he's famous and part of his job is literally to drink free booze while people photograph him." She also has a serious crush on Benedict Cumberbatch.

* ETA: And now that it's over, series creator Matt Nix talks about the series finale of Burn Notice.

So I saw Much Ado About Nothing yesterday! I liked it. It didn't knock my socks off or revolutionize Shakespeare or anything, but it definitely feels quite a bit like you are watching a home movie from one of Joss' dinner parties where they all got together and acted stuff out, which is weird and fun. Much Ado is one of those Shakespeare plays that somehow managed to escape me, despite having taken an entire course on Shakespeare in college. Which means I'd never actually read it, never seen it performed, nor watched any of the prior movie versions (er, are there any others besides the Branagh one?), so I'm probably the worst person to offer critical analysis beyond "oooh shiny," lol. Does anyone else have ~thoughts? Other than, obviously, that Amy Acker is the best and should always do physical comedy.

I also started watching The Newsroom this weekend. I KNOW. I watched the pilot waaay back when it first aired, but wasn't that impressed and didn't have HBO and couldn't be bothered to watch the rest of it. I love Sports Night and The West Wing, but The Newsroom had a little too much bad!Sorkin and not enough good!Sorkin. And after I tortured myself watching the entire run of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (OMG SO MUCH BAD!SORKIN. THIS IS ACTUALLY THE WORST SORKIN), I figured I was better off just pulling out my TWW DVDs when I needed a fix.

But then all of season 1 was available for free through On Demand this weekend. I've only made it through 5 or 6 episodes, but I'd say it is definitely not as bad as Studio 60? Which is damning with faint praise, I know, lol, but that was kind of what I was expecting, based on everyone's reactions. It helps that I actually agree with a lot of the criticism Sorkin is leveling at the cable news industry and our media consumption. I just frequently find the way he chooses to deliver his message to be obnoxious, and thus far it's 6 to 5 and pick 'em (to borrow one of Sorkin's favorite phrases) whether one of those things will outweigh the other on any given episode. I don't hate it enough to hate-watch it, but I don't love it, either. And those occasional glimpses of good!Sorkin are really tempting.

I will say this, though: GOOD GOD but he is terrible at writing romantic comedy. JUST STOP. PLEASE. I BEG YOU. Seriously, how is this the same guy who wrote The American President? And Jed and Abbey Bartlet? Once again, there's nothing as insufferable as the truly loathsome Danny/Jordan "romance," but I kind of start twitching every time the Don/Maggie/Jim nonsense comes up, or when Mac apologizes for cheating on Will for the billionth time.

-Comment with "I got drunk and bought a ton of flowers"
-I'll respond by asking you five questions so I can get to know you better.
-Update your journal with the answers to the questions.
-Include this explanation in the post and offer to ask other people questions. (If you want. Totally optional.)

My questions, from likeadeuce:

( Read more... )

We've got a snow day here in DC! \o/ Even though there's no actual snow. We were supposed to get a foot. If I didn't have the day off, I might be very disappointed in you, weather people.

* Following up on yesterday's Catching Fire posters, we now have Katniss, Haymitch, and Cinna as well. I wonder if that's the mockingjay/wedding dress Katniss is wearing.

* Lots of Community tidbits from the PaleyFest panel, plus the study group as puppets.

* Pics from the upcoming (half) season of Doctor Who, featuring the new companion.

* I've linked things like this before, but here's another set of nifty floorplans for a bunch of pop culture homes.

* Also, this article made me nostalgic for Buffy's secondary character episodes, so have a poll!

( Clicky for the poll )

Now with actual science.

[21] Angel
[23] Avengers + cast
[22] [title of show] + cast

Preview:



( Read more... )

There seem to be a zillion people blogging their Buffy (re)watches lately, but here's one more, which I haven't seen mentioned anywhere else. Alan Sepinwall and Dan Fienberg, TV critics on HitFix.com whose opinions I generally respect, are rewatching the first season of Buffy this summer and discussing it on their weekly podcast. This week's tackles the "Welcome to the Hellmouth"/"The Harvest" double-header.