Heroes, 90210, Brothers & Sisters and More
Rebecca in Austin, Texas: What’s the latest on your news about Shannen Doherty on 90210? Is she signed yet? And do you really think they’d put Jennie and Shannen together again? You can’t be serious. That would be crazy!
Um, you mean crazy good. Inside sources tell me today the CW is working very hard to get Shannen’s deal done ASAP so they can shoot the scene with her and Jennie. So yes, it does look like it’s happening (barring any last-minute glitches or red-dress scandals), and yes, they most definitely do want Shannen Doherty and Jennie Garth together onscreen—and I’m hearing both girls are open to it. Which leaves only one Q: Screening party at my house or yours? I’ll wear my fancy acid-washeds for the occasion!
Lourdes in Dallas: Any big news on Heroes? Any cast changes for season three?
Yes! I’m hearing some old friends are returning—some alive and some not so alive. Check the spoiler section for that info.
Kristi in Murfreesboro, Tenn.: I was watching Hairspray last night (the new one directed by Adam Shankman), and which dancer gets a big fat closeup? Twitch, from So You Think You Can Dance! The show sometimes judged by Mr. Shankman…Interesting.
Well, Twitch also made an appearance on guest choreographer Wade Robson’s old show The Wade Robson Project, but as they say in the disclaimer at the end of every So You Think You Can Dance episode, “Due to the nature of the dance profession, members of the cast, choreographers, and/or judges may have had varying levels of professional interaction prior to the production.” I’m sure there are myriad other connections between the contestants and the judges, but I personally trust that they’re all keeping it honest and above-board. Why do I think this? Because I luuuurve that show.
Pam in Tacoma, Wash.: Any word on Californication? Strangely, I miss it the most. When does it return?
Late September. I talked to Mia, aka Madeline Zima recently, and she told me they’ve shot eight of the 12 episodes of season two of Californication, and that so far the season features “a lot more…sex. More sex and more hilarious situations that could only happen to someone [like Hank].” Madeline also gets a little defensive while discussing her character’s naughty behavior, saying, “She’s not a troublemaker. She’s just young. She doesn’t really know anything.” (Ah, those crazy kids today, with all their fornication and plagiarism!)
Jules in Solvang, Calif.: Have you seen Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog yet? I’m dying to hear what you think.
I get to see it Thursday (Neil Patrick Harris and Joss Whedon, I’ve missed you!), and I’ll be sure to bring you the full report ASAP! Actually, speaking of that upcoming Whedonry, here’s a fun fact I picked up: Joss’ brothers (Jed and Zack, the cocreators of Dr. Horrible) and Bones star Emily Deschanel went to the same high school. According to Emily, “I know his family. Joss actually taught video at my school, because he was a little older.” Lucky girl!
Mark in Dallas: Mad Men is coming back soon! Please tell me you have some juicy gossip!
Instead of asking about the show, how about being on the show? AMC is running a contest for all the Don Drapers, Pete Campbells and Peggy Olsons out there. All you need to do is grab a camera, download one of the short scripts and put on your best 1960s gear and attitude by Aug. 25. The winner gets a walk-on role in season three!
Christina in Berlin, Germany: Hey Kristin, somebody told me the new Ryan Murphy series called Pretty Handsome (with Joseph Fiennes, Carrie-Ann Moss and Blythe Danner) didn’t get picked up by FX. Is that true? I can’t find anything official on the Net.
Sources at FX confirm that the network is not picking up the Pretty Handsome pilot to series. Sorry.
Rob in Rio Rancho, N.M.: What do you think of the new HBO miniseries, Generation Kill?
Generation Kill looks to be good stuff. Based on what I’ve seen so far, Generation is a smart, thoughtful and funny look at some of the U.S. Marines who invaded Iraq. Most of all, in true HBO tradition, it’s dirty—there’s a lot of sex talk and a lot of gritty sand getting all over the place. And fans of HBO’s Oz will appreciate the return of the outstanding Lee Tergesen. Definitely give it a shot.
Kiyoshi in Gardena, Calif.: I’m dying of boredom this summer. There’s hardly anything to watch. Help!
Good news: In the next few weeks, this-here Watch With Kristin section will be filled with all sorts of real-life encounters with your favorite TV peeps. (It’s not TV, but it’s the next best thing!) The TV summer press tour is starting up very soon, and then we go right into Comic-Con, so keep checking back for liveblogging, party reports and tons of exclusive red carpet footage. If you have any specific Q’s you want answered, email me at .
Tom in Orlando: I thought Linderman was dead on Heroes, but then I heard Malcolm McDowell say he’s returning. WTF?
Let’s just say our beloved Nathan Petrelli has a brush with death (you saw that last season) and when he comes back…Wait, what was I saying again? For some reason I just started thinking about that movie with Bruce Willis where the kid sees dead people. What was that called again? That was an awesome movie. Hmmm, I wonder why my mind just went there. Old age is a bitch. Anyway, in other news, Ali Larter is coming back as a totally different person (i.e. doppelgänger), meaning someone who is not Niki or Jessica or Gina (my head is hurting), and with a whole new power. And Claire’s bio-madre Jessalyn Gilsig is also returning.
Mike in Anchorage, Alaska: Quick, give us something good on Heroes! How about some dirt on my favorite, Suresh?
Oh, twist my arm and force me to talk about one of TV’s hottest men. Mohinder Suresh has a lot coming up this season, including a love connection with a female Hero we already know (together, they are hot as fire). And let’s just say that if you had a sneaking suspicion Suresh might have some kind of superability, you would not be wrong at one point this season. There is more to him than meets the eye, but he ultimately may need to “scale back.” (Note the quotes and try to figure out what the bejeezus I’m talking about in the Comments below.)
Mariella in Salt Lake City: Is Brothers & Sisters going through with the Rebecca and Justin storyline?
Indeed! At least, that’s what I’m hearing, though they keep it a secret from the rest of the family at first. Word is, Rebecca’s getting her own apartment, so that helps with their clandestine cozying. In other news, I’m told Tommy and Kevin have major tension this season, and Tommy might even fire Kevin (which you may or may not find interesting if you have or have not read certain totally trashy gossip reports which I’m sure you do not and I don’t either).
Anais in San Francisco: Anything good about Gossip Girl? You know you love it.
As if that were open for debate! I’m hearing Dan and Serena’s on-again, off-again roller-coaster romance takes center stage for Kristen Bell’s Gossip Girl’s blog in the new season—so much so that a group of passionate tween readers accost Dan and Serena to give them a stern talking-to about what they’re doing wrong. Tee-hee.
Sam in North Dakota: Anything on my girl Allison Dubois from Medium?
Just that I’m promised the Dubois domestic distress of yesterseason is fully gone! (And good riddance.) In season five Joe has settled into a cool new job (presumably with the guy who bought his idea from the beyotch), and Allison is going back to work in the D.A.’s office. Consider the happy-ending finale of last season to be the pilot for next season. (Yay!)
Katrina in Vashon Island, Wash.: What’s coming up on Weeds? I think I kind of love this season.
I know! So good! Anyway, coming up, in the second-to-last episode, someone’s getting kidnapped and held hostage…
Shira in Israel: I love Eli Stone so much! What’s coming up in season two?
Remember when Arvin Sloane went “good” on Alias? Well, apparently Spy Daddy Victor Garber is following in his footsteps—his Eli Stone character, Jordan Wethersby, decides he wants to take the entire firm pro bono. Go Daddy Do-Good!
Jessica in Ft. Worth, Texas: Can you please do something about all the Army Wives haters? Army Wives makes me laugh and cry, and I love all the characters. Tell the snobs to watch it before they ream it, will ya? Oh, and while you’re at it, do you have any scoop?
Now how about two bits of Roland dish? I have it on good authority he’ll be shirtless in the very near future (woo!), and that as part of his teen counseling work, he gets entangled with a troubled young man who just lost his father to combat in Afghanistan. The teen, Jake, adopts Roland as a surrogate father of sorts, and things quickly start getting too close for comfort. P.S. Down with the haters!
Mikella in Oahu, Hawaii: Secret Diary of a Call Girl is so bad it’s almost good. Why can I not stop watching?
I’m right there with you, babe. It’s so dirrrrty, it’s addictive. Anyway, coming up, danger is coming to Belle’s love shack in the form of a freaky guy who won’t leave her apartment. (Scary.) Oh, and the last (eighth) episode is pretty outstanding: Belle makes a career change, and we begin to see she may have a soul mate after all. (Hint: You’ve met him.)
Marcia in Riverside, Calif.: I’m absolutely freaking out over your One Tree Hill spoiler that Brooke would go to a “dark place” this season. Please tell me she’s not going blind!?
Oh, good lord. No. Promise.
Jody in Frisco, Colo.: Is Robert Buckley returning for Lipstick Jungle’s season two? His scenes with Kim Raver are the main reason I watch the show. Any scoop on Kirby and Nico?
Yes! Buckley is definitely back (a source tells me he’s shooting in New York right now), and I have a feeling Nico and Kirby might end up getting down and dirty again, because…Nico’s hubby is gone for good! Rosie Perez’s character was photographed recently wearing black mourning at Charles’ funeral.
So You Think You Can Dance: Top 16 perform
Cat Deeley showed her catty side tonight by trying to knock Comfort down on hers after their introductions. Adam Shankman joined the judging panel for the festivities. He was there to promote Bedtime Stories, a Christmas movie featuring SYTYCD’s Lacey and Travis, as well as some schlub named Adam Sandler. They should have strung up a few clips of the pair of them dancing, or at least on the set. We respond better to visuals, don’t you know.
I’m going to agree with some comments I saw last week in that it’s not necessary to spend so much time after each performance stroking the egos of the choreographers. Sometimes the choreography is great, sometimes not so much. But you don’t need to praise them each time. They’re big boys and girls and I just really don’t think they’re all that insecure … except maybe for Mia Michaels.
THE PERFORMANCES
- Kherington & Twitch (Hip-Hop w/ Napoleon & Tabitha - “Don’t Touch Me (Throw Da Water On ’Em),” Busta Rhymes) This week they were given a clever hip-hop number to perform in orange jump suits, as escaped prisoners. Our girl Kherington was really hitting it, gangster from her face to the hardness of her moves. A little light on tricks and toughness, but otherwise a fantastic show-opener that used the music brilliantly and showed a lot of personality.
- Courtney G & Gev (Rumba w/ Melanie LaPatin & Tony Meredith - “Wishing on a Star,” Rose Royce) So after gushing about how hot his partner was last week, this week he was required to touch her body and move sensually very close to her during the routine. You know, if Gev got voted out tonight he’d still go a happy man. The routine was certainly “hot” enough, and they stepped up to some tough tricks.
- Comfort & Chris (Jazz w/ Tyce DiOrio - “Beautiful People,” Marilyn Manson) Going with a more African style of jazz will fit Comfort’s hip-hop style a bit more. I love the song choice for an African routine. It made the whole thing just so wildly different. Chris seemed to get the choreography a little more comfortably, but both dancers were primal and while they could have been together a little better, it was good.
- Jessica & Will (Disco w/ Doriana Sanchez - “Heaven Must Have Sent You,” Bonnie Pointer) Doriana tried to pull Jessica out of Will’s shadow with her choreography and from the first movement, she was right back in it. There was a rhythm and naturalness in his movements that she just couldn’t match. I think she’d look a lot better next to a different partner, unfortunately for her, because she is very good. She’s just not a good match for Will.
- Kourtni L & Matt (Contemporary w/ Sonya Tayeh - “Wrestlers (Sticky, Dirty Pop Mix,” Hot Chip) This is the first time on the show for choreographer Sonya, who rocked a Jane Child look and put together a comic book courting routine. There were some clever moments in the number, but overall I wasn’t that blown away by the choreography. It seemed the pair danced it well, though a little softer at points than I think they should have if it was truly supposed to be like a comic book “fight.”
- Chelsea T & Thayne (Quick Step w/ Heather Smith - “You Can’t Hurry Love,” Phil Collins) I don’t remember Smith having been on the show before, either. The routine started slow for me, both in quality and overall speed. And it seemed like there was more just jogging along than actual quick step. There were moments of quick step in there, but overall I’d have to categorize that as a bouncing miss.
- Chelsie H & Mark (Hip-Hop w/ Napoleon & Tabitha - “Bleeding Love,” Leona Lewis) After a jail break to open the show, Napoleon & Tabitha followed up with a woman trying to reach her workaholic lover romantically. I would have put Chelsie in something different costume-wise, but the routine itself was truly something special. I got a raw emotional response to it from beginning to end. It was heart-wrenchingly beautiful and these two just blew me away with it.
- Katee & Joshua (Samba w/ Melanie LaPatin & Tony Meredith - “Baila Baila,” Angela Via) This is another coupling that I think is going to be around for the long haul on this show, and they showed that again by dancing a difficult style neither were familiar with, and dancing it very well. It wasn’t as strong as some of the other dances on the night but for a difficult style, it was downright astounding.
BEST OF THE NIGHT
Courtney G & Gev had a strong night. And even though the night was almost stolen from the first number, Napoleon & Tabitha outdid themselves and got an absolutely astounding tour de force of passion and dance from Chelsie H & Mark. I mean, that routine was beyond S-I-C-K. It was stupid sick! The dancing was amazing and they hit every mark. And beyond that, their faces sold the emotion of the performance. That will go down as one of the best numbers of the entire season.
Joshua & Katee, Twitch & Kherington, Courtney G & Gev and Chelsie H & Mark are pulling into the lead on this competition. Yes, I know that’s still four couples, but I’m predicting the Top 8 right there. I’ve gotta start somewhere.
WORST OF THE NIGHT
I like Chelsea T & Thayne, but I didn’t like the quick step on them … at … all!
OUTFIT OF THE NIGHT
Even though we’ve seen partial dresses before, the beauty of Courtney’s dress on the left side was such a dramatic difference from the total absence of dress on the right side, but it looked amazing on her. I know Katee had a similar dress going on later in the night, but the one Courtney wore was somehow more sensual and elegant at the same time.
LINE OF THE NIGHT
Tyce DiOrio: “I like to do the African jazz.”
Comfort: “African? Hmm. That’s me!”
OTHER OBSERVATIONS
- Kherington got her own pair of lensless glasses to match the pair she bitched about last week that Twitch already owned. I liked how the look was incorporated into the routine. I wonder if she’ll hang onto them the rest of the season.
- Courtney was half-naked … literally! It was a weird dress for me, but she is in incredibly shape so had the body to pull it off.
- Loved Mary and Nigel “sleeping” during Adam’s rambling comments after Courtney & Gev’s routine. The bantering by the panel on this show seems to come off as much more natural than American Idol for me. I guess because they’re not complete caricatures of themselves yet.
- Will is wearing a t-shirt that says “I Will…” during the routines. Get it? Yeah. Me too.
- Ninja mask? Really?!
- I’m guessing we’ve lost the amazing hip-hop choreographer Shane Sparks to his judging work on Randy Jackson Presents: America’s Best Dance Crew (which you SYTYCD fans should be watching). But with Napoleon & Tabitha bringing performances like we saw tonight, I won’t be missing him nearly as much.
- Joshua’s daddy showed us his buns. This show has completely lost it!
Amanda Bynes’ Hairspray Sing-Along
Amanda Bynes’ Hairspray Sing-Along
It’s been nominated for tons of awards, and last night, “Hairspray” wowed spectators at the 19th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival.
The 2007 remake enjoyed a sing-along screening at an outdoor venue, and though rain threatened to dampen the Sunrise Park event, viewers brought blankets and umbrellas to weather the storm.
According to Ted Sarandos, chief content officer for Netflix, “This is probably the most enthusiastic crowd for an outdoor screening Netflix has hosted.” Adding to the excitement, a few of the film’s stars showed up to greet the crowd.
Director Adam Shankman and composers Marc Shaiman and Scott Whittman were joined by Amanda Bynes, Ricki Lake and Elijah Kelly to reward the crowd for persevering through the weather.
And fans grabbed autographs and took cell phone pictures while simultaneously shouting “We love you, Amanda!”
Amanda Bynes’ Hairspray Week
Amanda Bynes’ Hairspray Week
One of the perks of being a movie star is getting gifts just for being who you are. And Amanda Bynes (along with her puppy) enjoyed the fringe benefits of her success yesterday at the 2008 World Experience DPA Gift Lounge, along with some of her Hairspray cast mates.
And speaking of Hairspray, the “She’s the Man” actress delighted her fans earlier this week at the Palm Springs International Film Festival during a free outdoor screening of the film.
According to Bynes, it was the movie’s values that drew her in. “The reason I wanted to be in this movie so badly is because it has such a great message to send to kids. It’s a wonderful movie that families can watch together. It’s a movie about accepting yourself and accepting others for their differences and it’s just got great music. I feel very lucky to be in it.”
And the “What a Girl Wants” hottie confessed that working with the amazing cast of the John Waters remake was a bit overwhelming. “I was lucky to be in this ensemble. To be with Queen Latifah and Christopher Walken, Michelle Pfeiffer, Allison Janney and John Travolta, I look up to all those actors. So I got to learn a lot and I got to work with Adam Shankman, who is such a talented, amazing director. I felt so blessed.”
As for the writers strike, Amanda is trying to look on the bright side of things. “The strike is affecting me. I had a few projects in the works and they were sort of stopped dead in their tracks. But I’ve taken it as a time to play with my puppy and just relax because once it is over, I think everything is going to come back strong. I hope!”