I’ve given USA Network a little bit of grief for sticking so closely to its formulas the past. But when it comes to “Fairly Legal” (Friday, 9 p.m. ET), I have to admit, I wish the show followed the network’s mandates a little more closely.
I watch “Psych” not because the show is reinventing the procedural detective genre, but because I enjoy Gus and Shawn’s co-dependent silliness. I watch “Burn Notice” because I want to see Fiona, Michael and Sam defeat bad guys as a team, and because I enjoy seeing how those core relationships evolve. The best thing about “White Collar” is not just its style and intelligence, but the way that the show keeps adding nuances and tension to the complicated bond between its law-enforcement guy and its slick con man. All those shows have entertaining supporting characters, but the main draws with USA programs are not just the sparky pace and tone, but the relationships at the very center of the show.
And this is where, despite having changed showrunners between seasons, “Fairly Legal” goes terribly wrong. Its lead character, mediator Kate Reed (Sarah Shahi), isn’t all that interesting on her own, but the people around her are either annoying or boring, and it’s hard to care what happens in her personal or professional relationships.
There’s also the small problem of the show’s story engine, which just doesn’t have much gas. Kate’s job is to mediate between parties in legal disputes, and the goal is to avoid a courtroom spat (Kate most definitely does not like lawyers, despite having married a prominent one). Episodes generally follow a pretty predictable path: Kate finds out what clients need emotionally and figures out how they can resolve their baggage, then engineers a solution. So it’s hard to get invested when you know the result will always be “everyone ends up more or less happy-ish.”
But again, Gus and Shawn solve almost every case and the “Burn Notice” crew typically takes out their enemies. USA shows are successful because they have a generally positive dynamic and they create engaging tension without being heavy or dour (TNT and USA are proof there is a lot of money to be made in the cable realm when your shows don’t make the audience experience existential doubt).
So it’s not as if I have the world’s highest expectations for “Fairly Legal,” but it just doesn’t deliver on a character level, and allegedly that is something that matters to the “Characters Welcome” network. Shahi does her level best with a blandly written role, but there’s just not much to Kate, nor are her work and personal dilemmas compelling. The reliably good Michael Trucco, who plays her almost ex-husband, is stranded in an almost completely separate and uninteresting story, and Kate’s tense relationship with her mother-in-law, Lauren Reed (Virginia Williams), is similarly spark-free and predictable.
I’d like to give the show some credit for switching things up in its second season by adding another love interest for Kate, lawyer Ben Grogan (Ryan Johnson); but the character is obnoxious, annoying and actively detracts from every scene he’s in. If the show is trying to go for some kind of rom-com love-hate relationship between Kate and Ben, it fizzles because the writing is way over the top and there’s no chemistry between the actors.
I fully realize that not every USA show is going to be in my wheelhouse — “Royal Pains” has never clicked with me, for example — but this is a case of a show just not working on both a structural and emotional level. It’s just one of quite a few “Fairly Legal” problems, but the most memorable thing about Kate Reed should not be the sky-high heels she wears in every scene.
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The jury is deadlocked, but…it might not matter!
As the panel ended its third day of deliberations at an 8-4 impasse, attorneys for Nicollette Sheridan and ABC are in a settlement…
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On Wednesday night, during one of the most anticipated show premieres for the fashion and retail obsessed, NBC unveiled its newest reality competition Fashion Star, hosted by Elle MacPherson. Sitting at the helm of an era when designer capsule and limited-edition collections are serving as the basis for fast fashion retailers’ core strategies, NBC’s Fashion Star has found an innovative way to give aspiring designers exposure as well as stimulate immediate sales for large scale retailers like Macy’s, Saks 5th Avenue, and H&M. Celebrity designers Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie and John Varvatos serve as mentors on the show.
Above the excitement over this new integrated concept comes the surprising and empowering fact that two of the three judges of this national competition are women of color. Caprice Willard, featured buyer for Macy’s, serves as Vice President/Regional Planning Manager for Women’s Apparel for Macy’s Southwest Region. She brings to the table nearly 18 years of retail experience going from an executive trainee at Macy’s and working her way up to Vice President. Nicole Christie, featured representative for H&M serves as the head manager of all US communications for the company and worked her way up from being a sales manager at one of H&M’s first US stores to now being the national spokesperson for the brand.
To see not one, but two minorities sit at the head of the judging table in such a nationally syndicated fashion-focused show targeted towards a mass audience is rare. Aside from seeing the likes of supermodel Tyra Banks and her self-produced hit series Next Top Model or singer Kelly Rowland as co-host of Bravo’s The Fashion Show, we rarely see women of color calling the shots in these competitions. Better yet, you’d be hard pressed to find them in high-ranking positions within the fashion industry, in general. Whether it’s the retail buying industry where they come few and far between, or the fashion editorial and PR industries where the same standards hold true, seeing black women with this much power in fashion and retail is an anomaly.
Erica Milton, a seasoned corporate employee of a mass retail giant reminisces on her initial days in the industry, “As a black woman starting out in the corporate retail environment, it was quite discerning to see that there were very few people, specifically women, who looked like me making senior executive decisions regarding the business.”
Even with the massive buying power of the African-American consumer population, many of the top-level buying decisions taking place at mass retailers are not executed by people of color. Though diversity is always lauded as a top priority for mass retailers, who often count diversity outreach programs and dedicated recruiters as part of their ongoing HR initiatives, there are very few positions above the Divisional Merchandising Manager level held by women of color.
“Now to have a nationally syndicated show shine light on women of color making power decisions for some of the top retailers in the country, its more than eye opening, its extremely encouraging,” says Milton.
With NBC’s Fashion Star making a successful premiere this week (H&M’s capsule collection completely sold out online within 20 minutes), it’s obvious we’ll be hearing and seeing more from all three judges in the coming weeks. Whether or not the public will be watching them with a keener eye is still to be determined. But by challenging the stereotypical image of retail executive leadership, these women put aspiring fashion professionals of color across the board in a better place for making strides in the future.
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Nicollette Sheridan may not find anything funny about her ongoing Desperate Housewives legal battle, but the gang on Wisteria Lane sure does.
Even if her court case still isn’t over,…
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See? We’re not exaggerating.
Now, it’s not like we’ve never heard of male stunt doubles for female stars before, but this one just takes the cake for us.
While…
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Our winter may be mild but the cold breeze off Lincoln Center last week for the premiere of Frozen Planet was distinct, in the teeth-chattering presence of cool sculptures of an ice waterfall and ice penguins. And inside Alice Tully Hall, the temperature was brisk too. The Discovery Channel’s documentary series Frozen Planet, “The Ends of the Earth” to air on March 18, proves that good storytelling features sex and violence, even if it is family entertainment. As Alec Baldwin narrates, giant polar bears can sniff the scent of a female seven miles away, and stepping through the snow in her footsteps, they stalk her, often mounting her bloodied, having successfully fought off a contender.
The Lion King prepared us for “the circle of life.” But the vision of a hapless seal being shaken off an ice floe by a school of hungry Orca whales is, eh, chilling. Or a pack of arctic wolves strategizing, isolating a bison, or a penguin becoming some creature’s Happy Meal. And that’s just above the sea’s surface. Below are bizarre underwater stalactites. The series also features 18 million sea birds filmed in the Bering Sea. 150 scientific collaborators from 18 countries worked to create this impressive series filming for the first time, for example, the killer whale “wave wash” hunting technique. According to the program, transportation to film required 38 sled dogs, 28 helicopters, 12 reindeer, and a Royal Navy ship. Four years in production, crews spent 2,356 days in the field.
Penguins Pete and Penny from SeaWorld were on hand, one with puffed breast ready for his close up, upstaging more famous attendees including Glenn Close, Jim Cramer, Josh Bernstein, Amir Bar-Lev, James Toback, and Barbara Kopple. The expanse of Alice Tully Hall’s Grand Foyer was packed for an after party featuring sushi. Many joked that we were consuming the film’s extras. Others worried for the polar bear returning to the female to learn through DNA testing that those aren’t his kids after all. Isn’t life in the coldest place on the planet — where the photographers in a safe remove need ultra warm suits just to capture these riveting moments in a place where few dare go — just like ours?
A version of this post also appears on Gossip Central.
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It’s not easy being a Senator’s daughter—especially one who’s ogled over not so much for her political views as the size of her chest.
Perhaps in a sly nod to the boob…
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At SXSW this year, Chris Gethard had one of the most surreal moments a comedian could dream of — Judd Apatow told him that he bought his book and joked about turning it into a movie.
On “You Made It Weird,” Pete Holmes’ comedy chat podcast, Gethard found himself on a panel of comedians that included the late addition of Judd Apatow. Apatow was in Austin for the premiere of the HBO series “Girls,” which he produced, and agreed to join in the fun the day before. During the show, Apatow revealed that he picked up Chris’ book earlier, coming as a shock to the New York based comedian and actor. Holmes, who Chris gently refers to as “not the most restrained” comedian, then pointed out that Judd could turn Chris’ book into a movie if he so desired.
We caught up with Chris the next day to find out his reaction to the show. Special thanks to the Austin Chronicle for letting us use their space at the Austin Convention Center.
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It seems like an eternity since we last walked in the halls of Greendale Community College. Yes, Community is back (at the expense of Parks and Recreation being on the air (but that’s another post)!
It had been so long since we saw the study table that I think I wanted to like this episode more than I actually did. I’m not saying that it was a bad episode — just an uneven one.
It’s about time that we got a Shirley-centric episode. Yvette Nicole Brown, aside from her ping-pong rivalry with Jeff, has been pretty quiet this season. The show returned to the reason Shirley came to Greendale in the first place - to start a cupcake business because her husband left her. But those two things conflict this week as she tried to start an on-campus sandwich shop with Pierce at Britta’s urging and is about to remarry her husband, Andre (Malcolm Jamal Warner), who proposed in the cafeteria with some MotownPhilly flavor.
Troy and Abed, insulted by Shirley’s request to “behave normally”, overcompensated as usual and decide purge themselves of their weirdness for the wedding. I was excited by the prospect but thought it ended up being more miss than hit. It did give us one great scene when Andre couldn’t tell if they were being sarcastic as he was getting angry about Shirley’s absence from the wedding rehearsal.
This episode also made me realize that Britta is starting to become a problem character to me the way that Pierce was at the end of last season. I was hoping that the arc of her majoring in psychology and potential love interest in Troy was going to give us a more improved character but this episode saw us return to the well of Britta, the pseudo-activist buzzkill. The only hitch was her newfound talent in wedding planing and floral designs. I think what always drives me crazy is Britta’s logic tends to be so nonsensical that I find it hard to care. I hold none of this against Gillian Jacobs who does a wonderful job at Britta and has become a great comedic actress in the last two and a half seasons.
It sounds like I didn’t like the episode but despite my complaints, I enjoyed it. I missed the way this casts interacts with one another and the sharp writing. I loved that, despite the sandwich shop being ruined by Subway, Shirley finds new middle ground with Andre and somehow seems to be the only one actuality getting an education at Greendale. I just hope we don’t spend too much time away from Shirley achieving her goals.
Crib Sheet:
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See which celebs have periodically shied away from the limelight.
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 Daily Mail |
Lindsay Lohan leaves Hollywood bar moments after motorcycle crash outside (at …
Daily Mail Lindsay Lohan covers her head as she leaves Harvard and Stone bar in Hollywood with Tara Ferry, son of Bryan, as the LAPD attend a an accident where a pedestrian had been hit by a motorcycle Lindsay had been enjoying a stress-free night at the achingly … Lindsay Lohan: Bar Hopping in LA Lindsay Lohan Spotted Leaving Club With Tara Ferry, Singer Bryan Ferrys's Son … |
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The “American Idol” judge shares how her ex helped her believe in herself.
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The initial reviews for The Hunger Games are in and they’re, well, pretty damn good.
So for the last of you Twi-hards still hoping your flick will come out on top, ya better start…
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The memorable holiday film will be back, but with new characters.
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Actress Jennie Garth is convinced she and her estranged husband Peter Facinelli are doing the “right thing” by splitting after 11 years of marriage.
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Most people assume the only way to measure intelligence is with a good old-fashioned I.Q. test. Well, think again, because “Canada’s Smartest Person” is about to redefine that notion.
Airing this Sunday, March 18, the two-hour television special will put contestants through a series of brain-teasers, with each competition designed to assess a specific mental aptitude. Up for grabs are bragging rights and the prestigious title of Canada’s Smartest Person. Executive producer Rob Cohen spoke exclusively to The Huffington Post TV Canada about the groundbreaking event.
Mass Appeal
Sorry “Jeopardy” champ Ken Jennings, but “Canada’s Smartest Person” probably wasn’t conceived for someone like you. The show isn’t about randomly naming off little-known historical facts, remote geographical locations or some scientific hypothesis no one has ever heard of before, much less understands. Instead, it celebrates the well of knowledge and abilities of viewers who could be plucked off the street right now.
“That’s one of the points of the show,” says Cohen. “We’re really trying to redefine what it means to “be smart.” A lot of you will have this cliché idea that to be really smart, you are a trivia buff or a math whiz or a science geek. What we’re hoping to do is break down some of those perceptions and present a new idea of what it means to be smart. Anyone can be smart in their own way because there’s more than one way of being smart. So whether it’s social smarts, musical smarts or logistical smarts… everybody has different strengths in different areas. “Canada’s Smartest Person” is the one who can excel at all of them. That could be a surprising person. As you can see on the show, our four finalists are not the stereotypical science geek.”
Open Invitation
Indeed, “Canada’s Smartest Person” put out a nationwide call to anyone eager to come on down and tap into their brain power. What they ultimately ended up with was a broad demographic. Three males and one female, with occupations ranging from high school teacher to an offensive lineman who earned a scholarship with Louisiana State University, made the final cut.
“We asked people to tell us who they are, why they want to be on the show and what their background is,” explains Cohen about the procedure. “We had consultants for this show who were top academics in the theory of multiple intelligence. We used it for our show, but it’s a theory that’s really esteemed and gaining esteem internationally by educators and scientists in the field of intelligence. We consulted with them and used a serious of multiple intelligence tests to narrow down the field, from thousands of applicants, to a much smaller shortlist of people we actually felt could compete. It was a really difficult process, but we’re thrilled with our four participants.”
Battle of the Brains
The format of the show consists of four contestants performing various challenges, accumulating points and being ranked. During filming, one entertaining memory task involved four fully-clothed models parading across the stage and posing. Moments later, they left, stripped down to swimwear and returned. From a rack of garments and accessories, the contestants had to redress their assigned model, hopefully having noted the proper attire, colours, patterns, styles, purses and rings.
“The show all comes out of the theory that in order to become Canada’s Smartest Person, you have to excel at every kind of intelligence, and there isn’t just one,” states Cohen. “We put forward six of them. There’s physical, social, musical, linguistic, logical and visual smarts. The show breaks down those particular intelligences. Each intelligence has a round where the finalists in the studio have to do a number of challenges that correspond to that intelligence. Then they receive points for their placement in that category. As you move forward, only the person with the highest overall strength across all the intelligences can be considered the winner of Canada’s Smartest Person.”
The Future is Here
Obviously, not everyone interested in “Canada’s Smartest Person” made it onto the show. However, the clever producers have made it interactive, so viewers at home can experience the same adrenaline rush and fast-paced answering process as the competitors.
“I’m not sure if anyone has ever really done a set of synchronized challenges during broadcast,” reports Cohen. “It comes down to we didn’t want to be seeing a bunch of people put on a pedestal, like these science geeks who are untouchable, like ‘Oh my God! They are so smart! That’s not me.’ Everyday people watching the show at home should be inspired to say, ‘Oh, that’s me. That’s the one I’m good at,’ or ‘That one isn’t me so much. I had trouble with that one.’ We really thought it was important for people to be able to play along. We created an application for IOS, as well as being able to play it on the web. You can play many challenges on the show at home in real time during the broadcast. The host will prompt you to open up a certain application at a certain time and then you’ll see the same questions that the participants do in the studio. Maybe you’ll do better than the participants, which would actually be cool.”
Human Nature
Whether it’s “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire,” “Jeopardy,” Trivial Pursuit or a spelling bee, people across the globe seem determined to prove their smarts. Equally as important, there’s a huge audience waiting to tune in to watch the excitement unfold.
“People just love playing along and shouting out the answers to their TV screen,” concludes Cohen. “It’s a communal event when you’re being tested and challenged. You feel connected to the show and the Canadians across the country. You are all being challenged at the same time. There’s something really wonderful about that. Because of the play-along apt that we have created, not only can you shout out the answers at the television, you can literally enter the answers in your computer or in your phone, and get immediate results.”
“Secondly, it’s really compelling to watch the participants go through their journey on the show,” he continues. “The four people on the show are so different and unique and interesting. We really hope audiences will root for their favourites and be invested in who walks away with the title.”
“Canada’s Smartest Person” premieres on Sunday, March 18 at 8 p.m. on CBC.
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She’s wearing an engagement ring and living with him!
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Macaulay Culkin may be past his “Home Alone” days, but the franchise lives on. ABC Family has just announced that “Home Alone 5: Alone In The Dark” is in the works.
The fourth installment of “Home Alone,” “Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House,” was also made for television, premiering on ABC in November 2002, while the first three films — two of which starred Culkin — had theatrical debuts.
The “Home Alone 5″ will star Christian Martyn as Finn, an 8-year-old boy who moves from California to a creepy house in Maine, which he is convinced is haunted by a ghost.
Determined to catch the ghost in action, Finn sets up a series of traps. But, in true “Home Alone” style, the traps are beneficial in an unexpected way. They end up catching a group of thieves who try to break in while Finn and his sister are left home alone with their parents trapped across town.
Also starring Malcolm MacDowell, Debi Mazar, Edward Esner, Eddie Steeples, and Jodelle Ferland, “Home Alone 5: Alone In The Dark” is set to premiere during ABC Family’s annual holiday special “The 25 Days Of Christmas,” according to a press release.
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If looks could kill. (It’s Friday, y’all; hackery welcome!) While Richard Grieco does not make a cameo appearance in this weekend’s reboot of “21 Jump Street,” the actor was on hand at the Los Angeles premiere of the new film earlier this week.
Grieco, who co-starred on the seminal Fox series as Dennis Booker for 18 episodes between 1988 and 1989, said the new comic take on “21 Jump Street” was surprising.
“I didn’t know what to expect,” he told ABCNews.com. “They made it into a real funny comedy. There were two ways to go with it, either make it really dark or go overboard and make it funny, and that’s what they did. I think they pulled it off in that respect.”
Starring Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Dave Franco and Ice Cube, “21 Jump Street” is out in theaters now. Check out Grieco hamming it up at the Los Angeles premiere below.
PHOTOS:
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Free at last!
A few hours after his noble arrest for civil disobedience—a valiant and clearly successful attempt at bringing attention to the Sudan crisis—George Clooney has…
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