The Day of the Doctor - 50 Year Trailer

Watch the specially-shot trailer for the 50th Anniversary adventure The Day of the Doctor, featuring all of the Doctor's incarnations (and a selection of his friends and foes!)

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Jack Bauer Heads To England In "24: Live Another Day"

Twentieth Century Fox Television, Imagine Television and Fox are sending the production of "24: Live Another Day" across the Atlantic to London for a thrilling international adventure, as the new tent-pole event series restarts the clock on the groundbreaking and Emmy Award-winning drama franchise starring Kiefer Sutherland. As previously announced, "24: Live Another Day" will make its debut in the summer of 2014 on Fox.

"'24' has always had such a global sensibility," said Sutherland, who also serves as an executive producer on the event series. "But to be able to tell this intense '24'-style story with the beauty of Europe's history and architecture as the backdrop is going to be fascinating. Hopefully, by the time you're finished watching an episode, you'll feel like you've been there...on the edge of your seat."

Co-showrunner and executive producer Evan Katz added, "We wanted the show's return to be an event, and part of that was putting Jack in a very different context. Four years ago, we left Jack a fugitive from justice and we're going to pick him up four years later in London."

Co-showrunner and executive producer Manny Coto continued, "Jack is soon back on the run and it takes us into the streets of London and in places that break new ground for the show. We've shot in New York, Washington, Los Angeles and Cape Town -- but now we're in London and Jack's loose on the streets of Europe, hunted by and hunting bad guys."

Originally premiering November 6, 2001, "24" was nominated for a total of 73 Emmy Awards, winning for Outstanding Drama Series in 2006. Over the course of eight seasons, and a two-hour telefilm, Sutherland garnered seven Emmy Award nominations and one win for Outstanding Lead Actor - Drama Series.

"24: Live Another Day" is a production of 20th Century Fox Television and Imagine Television in association with Teakwood Lane Productions. Howard Gordon, Brian Grazer and Kiefer Sutherland will executive produce, along with an additional team to be announced. The original series, which had its last American broadcast on May 24, 2010, was created by Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran.

FOX Will Return to Sleepy Hollow For A Second Season

 If you've been watching this Fall's newest batch of shows, which include "The Blacklist", "Marvel's Agent's of S.H.I.E.L.D", "Hostages", you've probably realized only one is worth watching, and that's Fox's "Sleepy Hollow", written by Star Trek/Into Darkness crew Orci and Kurtzman, and Underworld writer/director/Guy banging Kate Beckinsale, Len Wiseman- loosely based off of the short story by Washington Irving.

Well, it appears just THREE episodes into it's first season, Fox has renewed it for a 13-episode Season 2.

Fox Entertainment Chief Kevin Reilly said:

“The show has proven to be a risk well worth taking – it’s a conceptual blast unlike anything else on television and it all holds together with inventive writing and a fantastic cast,” said Reilly. “I can’t wait for fans to experience what else is in store for this fall and even more of this wild ride into Season Two.”

According to Entertainment Weekly:

Sleepy Hollow premiere has delivered 13.6 million viewers and a 5.0 adults 18-49 rating when including three days of DVR playback making it Fox’s most successful drama premiere since 24 opened in 2001.

Sleepy Hollow airs Mondays at 10/9 central on FOX, and stars Tom Mison (Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, One Day) as Ichabod Crane, who finds himself thrust from the American Revolution to the year 2013, where he awakens to find that the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are bringing hell to Earth, and he and Detective Abbie Mills, played by Nicole Beharie (42, SHAME) must follow ancient clues left by George Washington as well as Ichabod's witch-wife Katrina, to uncover and combat the forces of darkness in Sleepy Hollow, while trying to stop the end of life itself.

First Look at NBC's HANNIBAL Season 2!

 

It's been rough for fans of NBC's "Hannibal", the small-screen adaption of Thomas Harris' "Red Dragon".

First, the series debuted to amazing ratings which mellowed out into increasingly well and consistent ratings; but due to some trouble after a pulled episode and the fact NBC had yet to renew "Hannibal" after reviving (or axing) all of their other shows, fans were concerned that plans for Bryan Fuller's series would fall through, and we'd never get to see Buffalo Bill tucking his junk in while putting make up on how the psychological drama between Detective Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) would play out. 

Well now, Season 2 is officially underway, and thanks to the Offical Facebook Page, we have our first look at FBI Special Agent Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburne, taking some time off from The Daily Planet) and Dr. Lecter at the scene of a sure-to-be grizzly crime. 

 

Brace yourselves, Fannibals! This is our FIRST LOOK at Season 2…

Following that, show-runner Bryan Fuller revealed the first teaser-poster for Season 2, as well as offering explanation for it with Entertainment Weekly. 

 

“After a horrifying descent into madness in season 1, this image ironically represents the perspective of a scrappier, clearer-minded Will Graham in season 2.  The scales have fallen from his eyes and he finally sees Hannibal Lecter for the monster he is.”

"Hannibal" returns to NBC in 2014. 

First Glimpse At The *NEW* Daario in HBO's GAME OF THRONES

 

If you're a fan of HBO's hit adaption of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, "Game of Thrones", then you probably fondly remember Daario Naharis, the charming sellsword who pledges his allegience to Emilia Clarke's Daenerys Targaryen near the end of last season.

This is the first time the actor has been seen in costume as the Tyroshi sellsword since his casting leaked a month ago. It appears as though Huisman will be keeping his beard, and foregoing the long blond wig that was part of Ed Skrein’s look when he played the role.

Well, as it was reported last month, Daario will have a new face, and no that's not because he's a faceless man, it's because Ed Skrein has been ditched in favor of the newer and sexier actor, Michiel Huisman! Well now you get to see what he looks like as the charming Daario. Sadly, still no blue-hair and trident-blue beard. 

"Game of Thrones" Returns 2014 to HBO. 

'Breaking Bad' Final Episodes Recap - Felina

"That is how you end a TV show."

Those were the first words that came to mind after the closing credits to Breaking Bad's series finale came on screen.

No ambigious ending, no sutle nod to a spinoff series, just a clean, cut and dry 'the end.'

Breaking Bad is a series that I did not watch when it first premiered in January 2008.  In fact, I did not watch my first episode until the Fall of 2011, well past four seasons at that point; however, I knew from the very first episode that this something different.  Not your run-of-the-mill police procedural, or gimmicky genre-filled action spectacle, just a simple story of an ordinary man faced with the harsh reality of the world and how he deals with it.

What we're left with is arguably the greatest television drama in history.  The gold standard that networks - basic, cable, or premium - will try to attain from here on out.  A consistently excellent television show with not a single drop in quality...ever.

So here it goes, for the last time, a recap of this week's series finale of Breaking Bad:

After learning how Walt evades the police up in New Hampshire by stealing a car (gotta love the Vince Gilligan humor in that scene), we find him back in New Mexico at a gas station, ever so cunningly disguising himself via a pay-phone to find out where his former partners, Gretchen and Elliot Schwartz now live.

Walt - practically gliding throughout this entire episode as every action has been strategically planned - gets the last laugh with his once friendly colleagues, blackmailing them to use what's left of his drug money ($9,700,000 I believe), to set up a trust fund for Walt Jr. once he turns 18.  It's the only way he can be sure the money gets to his son, and for safe measures, informs them two hit men are now on to them if they don't oblige by what Walt's asked.

Now onto Lydia, oh you bitch Lydia.  How can you think Walter White would just show up to a meeting with you and Todd in the usual cafe at the usual time, ask to help assist in the empire he built, be turned down, and think he would just go quietly?  No.  That sugar packet or whatever you like to put in your tea, that's ricin, and you're soon to be dead.

Before the big finale, we get our last scene of Walt and Skyler together, a very sad encounter when you think about all that's happened to them over the past two years.  In talking to Skyler one final time, Walt finally admits he never did it for the family...he did it for himself.  He liked it, he was good at it, and it made him feel alive.  The look on Skyler's face is priceless....finally, the truth.  Walt then proceeds to say bye to Holly one last time, but sadly only get to see his son from a distance for a few short moments, and then onto his last stop.

I had to think Walt's plan all along in going to the neo-Nazi camp or whatever you want to call it, was to kill them all, including Jessie.  Walt was in-fact under the assumption Jessie had partnered with the men who killed Hank and stolen all his money, so why wouldn't he want him dead?

To Walt's realization, he find Jessie as a slave, chained up and forced to cook.  This is where Walter White shines through, not Heisenberg, tackling Jessie down before hitting that trunk opener on his car, unleashing that machine gun to mow down all those white trash bastards.  Although, Todd of course survives, leaving him all for Jessie to choke to death before snapping his neck.  Revenge, bitch!

Lastly, we have the final encounter between Walt and Jessie, two very different people, whom come a long way together.  Walt wants Jessie to kill him, but as Jessie exclaims, "I'm done doing what you tell me.  You want it, do it yourself."  Jessie speeds off in a car, escaping the Nazi compound, and the freedom to finally move on with his life.

Walt, for one last time - having inflicted a gun shot wound to the gut from protecting Jessie - takes a moment with the meth lab that changed his life, sees his reflection ever so slightly, then collapses to the ground, dead, just as the police arrive.  The end of Walter White.

Notes:

• I noticed a minority of fans complain that the finale didn't have enough Jessie, which it true, but this was the end of Walter White.  Jessie will go on and live his life, this was Walter's White's last shot at redemption.

• A quick scene with Marie too...a bit dissapointing, but with so much to wrap up, I understand why.
• Jessie's woodworking dream...perfect.

• The most heartbraking scene had to be Walt watching Walt Jr. get off the school bus and walk home.  No goodbye, just seeing your only son one last time...sad.

• Had to love how Walt didn't give a crap about where the rest of the money was, he just wanted to blow Jack's head off.

• Vince Gilligan, you are a genius.

Well, that's it.  The final recap is done.  Thank you to every one whose followed these recaps and I appreciate any comments or compliments you might have.  It was a tough duty doing these every week, but I couldn't have asked for anything better.  Long live Breaking Bad.

Grade: A+

An Icon Returns To TV : The Michael J. Fox Show Pilot Review

I’ve been looking forward to the Michael J. Fox show since it was first announced. I’ve been a fan of Fox’s since I was a kid, and the idea of having him back on TV on a weekly basis is something to be excited for.  While he has had a fairly successful film career, his turns on Family Ties and Spin City prove that television is where he belongs.

For some reason or another, people root for Michael.  Whether it’s because he seems to be a very nice, classy, guy who has been dealt a bad hand, or if it’s because many people have fond memories of him on television and the movies, the general public wants to see him succeed.  After watching the first two episodes of the Michael J. Fox show, I’m not sure that this project will be the one to return him to TV prominence.

Without going into plot details, Fox stars as Mike Henry, a former newscaster who’s had to quit his job because of Parkinson’s.  Mike was a well-loved and very popular personality and his boss Harris, has been on his case to return.  The parallels between the show and real life are no stretch here, with Fox having to quit his previous show Spin City, because of his symptoms.  

Since he hasn’t been working in the last several months, Mike has channelled all of his energy into his family, which has begun to drive them all crazy.  His wife Annie (played by Breaking Bad’s Betsy Brandt) comes off the best with a sweet and nurturing side balanced with the ability to match Fox’s incredible comedic timing.

For me, it’s the rest of his family that brings the show down, at least so far.  Any scene that didn’t involve Mike immediately struggled to keep my interest, especially the scenes in which “Crazy” Aunt Leigh took center stage.  I couldn’t care less about anything happening in her life and why the episode took several minutes out of a pretty funny Mike-Annie-new neighbor subplot to show her taking the Henry’s youngest son to the park so she could pretend to be a single mom, I have no idea.

Maybe part of my issue stems from the fact that Fox has never starred in a family comedy before.  Sure, Family Ties could be seen as one, but I don’t think anyone would argue that the best parts of that show centered around Alex Keaton.  The same case can be made here.  The chemistry between all five main family members is pretty good but Leigh acts as if she’s on a different show.  The less seen of her in future episodes the better.

With that said, the chemistry between Fox and his boss Harris is one of the series’ strengths.  They have a very natural rapport that makes it seem as if they have in fact worked together for years.  It’s easy to see why Mike, while missing his job very much, would also be drawn back into the fold if only to spend more time with Harris.  

While I have to give the show credit for tackling the elephant in the room early, I have to say that I felt the many references to Parkinson’s in the pilot were a little too easy and were clearly written to tell the audience “it’s OK, you can laugh at this.”  I understand the need to do so, but I was happy to see that the second episode took the show into much broader comedic territory and focused less on the disease. While Mike does have Parkinson’s and it will, and should, be a part of the series going forward, I’d like to see it being touched on more organically and not used to sell obvious jokes.

Fox has gone out of his way to be very selective with the projects he’s taken since his run on Spin City came to an end.  Anyone who caught his guest apperance on Curb Your Enthusiasm a few years ago was well aware that Parkinson’s has done nothing to damper his sense of humor; The Michael J. Fox Show drives that point home.  At times, I felt as if I was watching Alex Keaton again, just all grown up, with a family of his own. 

While the show isn’t a home run, I can say how great and comfortable it is to see Fox back doing what he does best and what he so clearly loves.  To anyone who grew up with him, or has grown to respect him as an advocate for Parkinson’s, The Michael J Fox Show is must-see TV.  I look forward to seeing where the show goes and what kind of awkward situations Mike gets himself into in the coming episodes.  

 Until next week, “Stay informed, New York”

'Breaking Bad' Final Episodes Recap - Granite State

After last week's pulse pounding, heart wrenching episode, it would seem nearly impossible for the creative team behind Breaking Bad to try and top it.  For one thing, this is the one remaining episode before the series finale, so whatever dots need to be connected, they better get done now.

It's important to note that this episode along with the series finale are 75-minutes in length or - if you're taking out commercials - roughly an hour long compared to the usual 60-minute/45-minute without commercial run time.

To start off, we find Walt being hidden away at the vacumn cleaner repair guy's place (played wonderfully by surprising guest star Robert Forster) along with Saul as the mystery man works on getting both his clients away with new identities.  Saul is done within two days while Walt - with his face all over the national news as his Heisenberg story has gone public - has to wait a bit longer.

Eventually, Walt ends up in New Hampshire in a cabin in the woods, cut off from the world.  This would seemingly work fine for Walt, however; he wants revenge on Jack and his crew for killing Hank and taking all his money.  As Walt states, that money was for his 'children'.  He keeps telling himself that, but is convinced to lay low and not go anywhere.

Meanwhile, back to our other protagonist, Jessie - whose been trapped by Todd and his Uncle's guys for a while now - tries to escape but is unsuccessful in his attempt.  This sadly leads to Jessie having to witness to murder of Andrea, as Todd once again kills an innocent bystander right in front of him.  This was hard to watch.

Back to Walt, whose now become secluded in his cabin for months, but is visited every 30 days or so by that vacuum cleaner repair man, bringing supplies and such.  After being administered a ghetto-type chemo-therapy, Walt decides he needs to get money to Skyler and Walt Jr. to help them out.  After venturing to a bar with a Ensure box stuffed with 100K, he discreetly reaches Walt Jr. by pay phone at school to tell him of his plan.  Jr. wants no part of it, and exclaims probably the most heart breaking line Walt will ever hear:  "Why aren't you dead yet?!?!?"

So there is Walt, sitting in a bar, waiting for the police to come for him as he's tipped them off of his whereabouts when suddenly, he sees his old partners, Elliott and Gretchen Schwartz, giving an interview discussing him on TV.  It's funny how we've learned the main motivation for Walt 'breaking bad' was the fact that he's been screwed over so many times in his life - none more than him being pushed out of Gray Matter - which led him to want to build 'his empire'.  Seeing his old partners state publicly that he had no doing in the founding of their company, gives Walt all the motivation he needs to enact revenge and go out swinging.

The cops show, but just as they arrive at the bar, Walt is gone.  Que Breaking Bad theme.

Notes:

• How sick and twisted is Todd?  Something tells me Jesse Plemons might get some Emmy talk for this.

• As much as I've been unable to stand Jessie sometimes, you gotta feel for the guy.  Having to watch two girls he's loved die.

• Nice to see Bob Odenkirk's Saul not act like a schmuck for once.  I still don't see how he gets his own show.

• No Marie, huh?  I'm sure she'll get a nice send-off next week.

• Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium...two copies.

Only 75-minutes remain of probably one of the great television drama's of all-time.  How bittersweet this will be.

Grade: A 

'Dexter' Final Season Recap - Remember the Monsters?

Here we are, the final episode of Dexter.

It's been 8 long seasons that we've gotten to know America's favorite serial killer, but as the saying goes, all things must come to an end.

Would this be the epic finale fans having been anticipating since the series began?  Would Dexter die?  Would he finally turn himself in?  Would Deb go down with him?  As inconsistent as this final season has been, I still had hope in the back of my mind that the creative team would come through and deliver at the very end.

Sadly - and oh so sadly - this 'series finale' that it was coined was probably one of the worst episodes in this series' history and likely even one of the worst series finales of all-time (even topping The Sopranos).

Where do I begin?

Let's start with Deb.  She died.  Yup, after taking that bullet to the gut from Saxon then being told everything was pretty much fine, suddenly develops a blood clot and proceeds to have a major stroke resulting in her becoming a vegetable.  Mind you, most of these sad circumstances happen off screen so we go from Deb being a bit drugged up to Deb being brain dead.  Jennifer Carpenter deserved so much better than this.

Oh speaking of Saxon.  After escaping from that broken down hospital, he car jacks a guy in broad daylight, gets stitched up by a veterinarian, then decides to cut that guys tongue out so he can sneak into the hospital to go kill Deb.  Does it work?  No.  Before Dexter can get to him, Batista and the rest of the cops arrest him and take him back to the station for detainment.  Saxon's fate is met in death by pen as Dexter sticks him in the neck after making it look like he was being attacked.  Pretty lousy climax there.

Finally, good ol' Dexter.  He's unable to board to plane to Argentina with Harrison and Hannah because he's forced to call in a terrorist threat as Elway is on to them.  This leads Dex to do more soul searching again, realize everything bad that's happened in his life is his fault, and kill Deb himself by taking her off life support.  He does all this while leaving Harrison and Hannah to go on without him (they don't know that) and take Deb's body out to see before Hurricane Laura hits as Dexter takes his boat straight into the storm.

What we're left with is many unanswered questions but we do get a send off of Dexter still being alive, living a secluded life in Oregon as a lumberjack who finishes up by looking straight into the camera.  New series?

If my recap sounds choppy and rushed, well, it's because that's basically how the season and finale was handled:  like garbage.  Sloppy writing, undeveloped storylines, characters given no proper sendoff, unnecessary plot points...an underwhelming ending for a show that should have gone out with a bang.  It sucks that this is how Dexter went out.  I will forever imagine the first four seasons of this show are it and only consider them the entire series.  That last scene of season four when he finds Rita dead in a bathtub full of blood and then walks baby Harrison out of the house, he thinks to himself, "I'm what's wrong."

End of series, done.

Notes:

• Deb's death felt so poorly done.  I had no emotional reaction whatsoever to a character many have adored over eight years.  Poor execution, but that sums up this entire season and especially finale.

• No mention of Masuka's daughter, there's a fucking surprise.

• No closure for Batista or especially Quinn after he loses the love of his life?  Pure shit.

• Was Elway suppose to be something more for this season?

• Thanks Hannah, no one ever liked you.  Rita will always be the 'true blonde' of the show.

Fuck you creative team for the past four seasons.  How you took a great show and turned it into a mediocre piece of shit is beyond me.  Do me a favor and watch Breaking Bad this upcoming Sunday.  That's how you properly end a fucking television series.

Grade: F

The 'BATES MOTEL' Wants You To Check In When It Re-Opens in 2014.

From the Official Facebook Page of The A&E PSYCHO preboot comes the first look at Season 2 of "Bates Motel". 

'Bates Motel' Season 2 will continue the story of the seemingly idealic yet haunted and mysterious town of White Pine Bay, Oregon, where Norma Bates has purchased a motel, which her and her son Norman had planned to start a new life; but dark secrets, murder, and mystery will make their stay one to remember, and influence Norman's dark future as a psychologically fractured and troubled soul.