Review - The Carrie Diaires

Let me preface this review by saying I am a HUGE fan of Sex and the City.  I have all the DVDs, I occasionally tune in to it on E! despite have the DVDs, and I quote and reference the show all the time.  So when I heard they were doing this show about Carrie Bradshaw's teen years, I was curious but tentative.  After all, I'm not the best when it comes to re-imaginings/re-inventions, etc. of favorites of mine (see Battlestar Galactica old and new), but I like to give everything at least a chance.

This isn't a home run winner for me but it's not bad.  I think it stands fine on its own as a teen drama (it's an hour-long, as opposed to SATC's half-hour), but when you link it to such a powerhouse series like SATC and such a notable character as Carrie, it's asking a lot.  It's hard not to try and compare TCD star AnnaSophia Robb's (Soul Surfer) 15-year-old-Carrie to Sarah Jessica Parker's SATC Carrie - to look for similarities in reactions, nuances, inflections.  I know that our teen selves are often vastly different from our adult selves, and for that I hold back any nitpicking I'm tempted to harp on.

Robb is a likeable actress and she definitely has the cuteness and great hair going for her.  The younger Carrie is not yet a writer, still a virgin (thanks TCD for having her be so at 15, though her girlfriends alas are not...) and is just becoming a budding  fashionista.  Older Carrie (OC) is all about fashion and so often makes bold, out-of-the-box if not sometimes "what the ...?" statements, but Young Carrie (YC) is more conservative (until the last shot in the pilot episode, anyway, as seen below). 

Bonus:  TCD takes place in 1984, so it's fun to see all the crazy trends that era allotted, albeit somewhat toned down here.  Kinda wish they'd go all the way with it...

TCD has Carrie living with her widowed father (Matt Letscher, Scandal, Eli Stone), with whom she has a good relationship.  Interesting to go with this, being that SATC touched on OC's father issues just once, very briefly, and it made you believe the relationship was anything but good and was likely the cause of many of OC's questionable choices in men.  YC is dealing with the recent death of her mother, and her mom's closet is like her mecca for clothes.  The two had a tradition of going shopping for back-to-school clothes, so YC has to deal with facing the new school year on her own (dad lets her take her mom's sunglasses).   There's also suddenly a sister, Dorrit (Stefania Owen, Running Wilde).  SATC NEVER mentioned a sister, so again, interesting to go with this choice, knowing that SATC is gone and will therefore never address it (unless there is a third movie).

Another huge aspect of Carrie Bradshaw is her friends.  In SATC, we had sassy, sexy Samantha Jones (Kim Catrall), sweet, hopeful Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) and smart, guarded Miranda Hobbs (Cynthia Nixon).  TCD has Jill "The Mouse" Thompson (Ellen Wong, "Knives" from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), YC's Charlotte equivalent, Maggie Landers (Katie Findlay, The Killing), the Samantha of the group, and Walt Reynolds (Brendan Dooling), who could be the Miranda because of his guardedness but also the Stanford Blatch (SATC's Willie Garson), since Walt is realizing he might be gay (Stanford was OC's gay BFF).  There is also a potential love interest in new kid Sebastian Kydd (Austin Butler, witched at Birth) ... he's no Mr. Big (Chris Noth), but who is, really?

TCD steals a little from the series Jane By Design (a delightful ABC Family show starring Erica Dasher and Andie MacDowell that I was sorry to see cancelled last year) in that, like Jane, a high schooler who passes herself off as an adult to work in the fashion industry, YC is mistaken to be an adult working on Wall St. by Larissa (Freema Agyeman, Doctor Who) a writer for Interview magazine who brings YC into her inner circle of NYC hipsters, therefore setting YC off on an exciting double life.  If you like the idea of this plot, do check out JBD when/if available on DVD or online.

There is, of course, one more very prominent character relevant to both SATC and TCD:  New York City.  Carrie Bradshaw has always been all about this "Man" (Manhattan, get it?) and it's nice to see where and how her love affair with the Big Apple began.  The pilot episode nicely has YC admitting to losing her metaphorical virginity - in essence, her innocence - to the city and not just some guy.  I like this.  And knowing how sexually active OC is, knowing her sexual experiences and things she dealt with (including an abortion at 22), it's interesting to watch YC at such an innocent part of her life just on the cusp of growing up.

The pilot episode did leave us with a very familiar image:  Carrie sitting in front of a window writing (YC with a journal as opposed to OC and a laptop) and reflecting on what's she's learned recently.  All we were missing were the words "I couldn't help but wonder..."  I appreciated the bridge between old and new.  Nice tribute.

Unfortunately Mondays are very crowded for me, so I will not likely be a regular viewer of The Carrie Diaries, but it's likeable enough to recommend, especially to those less familiar with Sex and the City - you have the freedom to enjoy it without the inevitable comparisons.  Obviously I highly recommend watching/re-watching Sex and the City, still one of my all-time favorite series. 

Bottom line:  A decent show to have a whimsical viewing affair with.

The Carrie Diaries airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on the CW.

All Hail ... Community!

Happy New Year, TV Tourists!  It's been a while but I'm back and ready to talk about what's on, what's new and what I think is worth watching.

To kick things off, I am happy to say I have become a true and dedicated fan of (drum roll, please ...):

What a gem of a show this is.  I had heard about it for years.  Fans adamant about how great it is.  Critics who love it.  And the subsequent struggles it has had to find ratings success and ultimately continued life on NBC.  It's been away for a while and, after the shocking departure of creator Dan Harmon and an uncertain future of its fourth season - plus a possible exile to Friday nights - the show is at last returning to Thursdays starting Feb. 7 at 8 p.m. 

The long break has allotted me the chance to borrow a friend's DVDs of all three previous seasons, and though it took a couple of episodes to get into it, I am now a bonafide fan.  It's weird, quirky, out-of-the-box, filled with "what the ...?" moments, and a consistent laugh riot.

That's not to say it's for everyone.  If you love and appreciate TV, it's for you, being that the show often dedicates episodes to specific television staples - the "bottle" episode (one that features only the regular cast, not guest stars), the "flashback" episode, the "alternate timeline" episode, etc.  But Community goes further, often paying tribute to other show formats:  the did a Law & Order episode, a documentary episode, an episode reminiscent of old historical films (including action stills), and more.  Dan Harmon's imagination seems limitless and he clearly is a fan of pop culture, so it will be curious to see what the show is like without their master at the helm.

The lowdown:
Community follows the antics and adventures of a tight-knit study group at fictional Greendale Community College. Unofficial leader of the group is Jeff Winger (Joel McHale, who's snarky brilliance can also be enjoyed on E's The Soup), a fast-talking, narcissistic, self-centered ex-lawyer who is forced to return to college after the discovery that he conned his way through college and law school. 

The rest of the study group - formed when all were struggling through Spanish together - includes  Britta Perry (Gillian Jacobs, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World), a 20-something dropout with something to prove; Shirley Bennett (Yvette Nicole Brown, Rules of Engagement), a sassy, middle-aged divorcee; Abed Nadir (Danny Pudi, Greek), a pop-culture junkie and aspiring filmmaker; Annie Edison (Alison Brie, Mad Men), a high-strung perfectionist and recovered addict; Troy Barnes (Donald Glover, 30 Rock), a former high school football star; and Pierce Hawthorne (Chevy Chase, Chuck, Saturday Night Live), an offensive moist towlette empire heir with no edit button.

Also featured are Ken Jeong (The Hangover) as Ben Chang, the group’s former Spanish professor-turned student-turned security guard, and Jim Rash (That '70s Show) as Greendale's Dean Pelton, an ultra-efficient yet slightly neurotic administrator whose penchant for dressing in costume is a regular visual joke on the show.

Series highlights include two elaborate, all-encompassing paintball wars, the construction of a fantastical blanket fort, an ongoing tribute to the popular Doctor Who, the magical travels within Troy and Abed's "Dreamatorium", and the cast of characters themselves.

As I said, not everyone is going to get the comedy and point-of-view of Community, but for those that love the strange and unusual, appreciate storytelling from those that clearly march to their own drummer, love pop culture and television and yearn for a wild, crazy, off-kilter and hilarious ride, then this is a show for you.

Bottom line:  Enroll today to catch this delightfully quirky comedy.

Community seasons 1-3 now available on DVD.  Season 4 returns Thursday, Feb. 7 at 8 p.m. on NBC.

Nostalgia TV - ME TV

Nostalgic for your old-time favorite TV shows?  Welcome to ME-TV!
 
The cable channel ME-TV (Memorable Entertainment Television)  presents a wide variety of  classic, iconic series that so many of us grew up with and have defined pop culture and television for decades.

Shows currently in the channel's ongoing lineup include comedies like M*A*S*H, Cheers, I Love Lucy, The Bob Newhart Show, The Honeymooners, My Three Sons, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and more.  Dramas include the original Hawaii Five-0, Emergency!, Perry Mason, The Big Valley, Star Trek, Columbo, Route 66, The Twilight Zone, The Fugitive, The Rockford Files and The Untouchables, among many others.

Give a watch and let the memories roll in!

To find ME-TV in your area, visit www.metvnetwork.com and enter your zip code in their provider finder to see where you can watch in your area. Follow the link to your local affiliate's website for local broadcast, cable and satellite distribution information.

TNT - Have a Blast With These Fun Shows

TNT is on fire with two shows, one of which I have been with since its premiere, the other I have heard of but only recently watched and liked.

This show was a winner for me from the get-go.

Here's the lowdown:  Based on characters created by best-selling crime novelist Tess Gerritsen, Rizzoli & Isles stars Angie Harmon as Jane Rizzoli, a tough-as-nails Boston police detective, and Sasha Alexander as Maura Isles, a smart, impeccably dressed medical examiner from a privileged background. Despite being complete opposites, the two women share an offbeat chemistry and strong working relationship that has helped them bust some of Boston’s most notorious criminals.

The series co-stars Lorraine Bracco as Jane’s demanding and intrusive mother, Angela, Lee Thompson Young as Detective Barry Frost, Jane’s somewhat green partner, Bruce McGill as Detective Vince Korsak, Jane’s seasoned former partner who resents her being paired with Frost, and Jordan Bridges as Jane’s brother, Frankie Jr., a patrol cop who hopes one day to become a detective.

I love the unlikely, how-on-earth-are-these-two-women-friends? friendship because Harmon and Alexander really pull it off.  Their chemistry is undeniable and I really like the way the show usually bookends each episode with them, the opener just a small vignette in their lives/relationship, the closer wrapping up with a nod to what's happened in the hour and how they've been affected. 

The show does have moments of real drama, from Jane dealing with trauma caused by a criminal from her past (who recurred over several episodes) to Maura dealing with having a mob boss for a biological father to a real falling out between the two friends.  They eventually made up and are back in fine, fun, banter-filled form.

This show has been on for a while but I wasn't really drawn to it.  It did have actors I've seen on other shows I love (Angel, Supernatural) but wouldn't necessarily follow over to this show.  But the other day I had it on in the background and little by little I caught moments that had me laughing out loud.  Plus I love the heist genre, and so I gave another episode a viewing.  Now, me likey.

The lowdown:  The Leverage crew is led by former insurance investigator turned thief, Nate Ford (Timothy Hutton). His cohorts include Sophie Devereaux (Gina Bellman), a brilliant grifter; Eliot Spencer (Christian Kane, Lindsey on Angel), a retrieval specialist; Alec Hardison (Aldis Hodge, Jake on Supernatural), a gadget and technology wizard; and Parker (Beth Riesgraf), a slightly off-center thief adept at rappelling off buildings. The quintet uses their skills to fight corporate and governmental injustices inflicted on ordinary citizens.

Again, great cast chemistry is key and each character fills an important role to the overall team, making it a solid unit.  It's a great balance of action and humor, a combination I love in other shows I watch, including Hawaii Five-0, Castle and Psych.

That's my opinion.  Now give these series a watch and see if you agree.  Way to go, TNT!

Both shows happen to air on Tuesday nights.  Catch new episodes of Rizzoli & Isles at 9 p.m., followed by new episodes of Leverage at 10 p.m. 

Rest in Peace - Larry Hagman

TV icon Larry Hagman, whose screen career spanned nearly 55 years, has passed away at the age of 81 due to complications from cancer.

He was best known as Major Tony Nelson on I Dream of Jeannie (1965-1970):

And of course J.R. Ewing in both the original Dallas (1978-1991) and the reboot, which debuted last summer and will return in January.  At the time of his death, he had completed filming six new episodes.

Rest in peace.

The Network Axes Fall Again ...

Three new casualties of the fall season have come to pass ...

 

I had saved the first six episodes of this devlish series starring Terry O'Quinn and Vanessa Williams and finally buckled down to watch them recently.  It's a decent show, not necessarily "must-see" TV, but entertaining enough.  But alas, it is not meant to continue.  ABC will let it play out the 13-episode run, then Satan's posh playground will fade away.

 

I had anticipated watching this series starring Andre Braugher and Scott Speedman but was unable to because of a crowded Thursday 8 p.m. time slot.  Kind of glad now that I didn't get committed cause it always hurts to have a show taken away so early on.  It's a shame ... I have heard that it's a strong show creatively.  It too will play out it's initial 13-episode run.  Upside?  I'm hoping Autumn Reeser will come back to Hawaii Five-0  in a more frequent capacity.

This is one series (starring Michael Urie and David Krumholtz) I'm actually not sorry to see go.  I watched the pilot and just had no love for it.  Gave it one more try but, no.  I'm never happy to see actors lose work, but this show just wasn't funny.  A very poor Will & Grace redux (same creators).



Still plenty more on, so keep watching!

Watch This Show - Breaking Bad

I repeat:  Watch.  This. Show.

I had heard people talk about Breaking Bad over the years and not a one had an even close to bad thing to say about it.   But still, I never saw it as my cup of tea.  I mean I have heard amazing things about The Sopranos, The Wire and The Shield but have never had the desire to get into them (not to say I won't, because I do hear such great things about the latter two, especially).

But when I got season one of BB in a swag bag, I put it in a pile of DVDs for later viewing.  A few weeks ago later came around and, being such a short first season, I hunkered down and watched.

And it really is as good as everyone says, maybe better. I strived to zip through the Netflix discs of subsequent seasons, eagerly, hungrily awaiting the next until this past weekend, when I finally caught up with season five, part one.  Now I'm in the agonizing holding pattern with everyone else till the series - the end of the series, in fact - returns next summer.

Breaking Bad is the story of Walter White (the ever-brilliant, Emmy-winning Bryan Cranston (Malcolm in the Middle), one of the most fearless actors out there), an underachieving chemistry teacher who, after being diagnosed with lung cancer, uses his expertise to begin cooking meth to get the money to pay for his treatments and provide for his family's future.
 

His partner in crime is Jesse Pinkman (the terrific Aaron Paul (Big Love), who just picked up his second Emmy for the role), a former student who was a small-time dealer till he hits the big time with Walt, but not without many consequences, pitfalls, losses, betrayals and a whole lotta pain.

Walt, a.k.a. "Heisenberg," is doggedly pursued by DEA agent Hank Schrader (Dean Norris, CSI, Medium), who just happens to be his brother-in-law: Hank is married to Marie (Betsy Brandt,Without a Trace, Private Practice), the sister of Walt's wife Skylar (Anna Gunn, Deadwood, The Practice).  I don't want to give anything away ... let's just say Skylar's existence in Walt's life is anything but easy.

The show has had an amazing cast of regulars and guest stars, most notably How I Met Your Mother's Bob Odenkirk (Saul Goodman), Wiseguy's Jonathan Banks (Mike Ehrmantraut) and Revolution's Giancarlo Esposito (Gustavo "Gus" Fring).  The story moves at breakneck speed, often horrifying you with unspeakable images and scenarios.  It's violent, shocking and addictive to the most satisfying degree.

I can't really say much more with out giving away possible spoilers, and I won't do that to you.  What I will do is greatly urge you to submerse yourself in the world of Breaking Bad and see what everyone, now including me, are raving about.

Breaking Bad is available on DVD and through Netflix.  The second half of Season 5 - the show's last - airs summer 2013 on AMC.