US TV

An archive of articles about US television programmes and production.

US TV

Review: Day Break 1×1-1×2 (US: ABC; UK: Bravo)

16 November 2006 Rob Buckley 4 Comments

In the US: Wednesdays, 9/8c, ABC
In the UK: Bravo, starting in the Spring

Groundhog Day is one of those movies that has entered the vernacular. We all know what someone means when they say they’re having a “Groundhog Day”. It’s so all-pervasive and clever an idea, virtually every science fiction and fantasy show of the last decade, from Stargate SG-1 to Xena: Warrior Princess, has had its Groundhog Day episode, in which the lead keeps waking up on the same day, over and over again, until something’s fixed.

I’ll tell you one show that hasn’t though: 24. Until now that is. Because in the great 12-week lull until Lost returns next year, ABC has given us Day Break, something that marries the excitement and tension of 24 with a day that just keeps repeating.

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News

Hiro to come to Scrubs as Franklyn

16 November 2006 Rob Buckley 2 Comments

Hiro in HeroesIf you’re a fan of Scrubs, you’ll be pleased to hear that despite the fact Masi Oka is one of the main stars of Heroes, Scrubs‘s producers still want him to appear in the show this season in his regular role of Franklyn. But, if they manage to get him, they’re going to try to ensure he keeps his Heroes super-powers.

Another interesting fact about Masi Oka: he’s actually a full-time programmer for ILM, George Lucas’s graphics house. He wrote some of the software for the effects on Terminator 3. How’s that for multi-talented?

US TV

Review: 3 Lbs 1×1 (US: CBS)

15 November 2006 Rob Buckley 7 Comments

3 Lbs

In the US: CBS, Tuesdays, 10pm ET/PT. Also available on Innertube.
In the UK: Airing on BBC1 towards the end of 2007, with possible pick ups on UK Gold

When a project’s been sitting around for two years and has already had the main character recast after a failed pilot, you suspect things are wrong with it. But when it’s rushed forward to replace a failed drama – in this case, Smith – there comes the suggestion that maybe it’s not going to be too bad.

3 Lbs is a combination of various other hospital dramas, in particular House and MDs, but it does have a few sprinklings of originality. Starring Murder One’s Stanley Tucci, Good Morning Miami‘s Mark Feuerstein and Torchwood‘s Indira Varma, it focuses on that much neglected organ: the brain.

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News

Christopher Eccleston joining the cast of Heroes?

15 November 2006 Rob Buckley 3 Comments

Christopher EcclestonSometimes I don’t get his jokes, so I might have misinterpreted this, but Michael Auriello, over at TV Guide, reckons Christopher Eccleston is joining the cast of Heroes from January. To save you having to read all the other spoilers for US shows (of which there are quite a few, some of them interesting), here’s the important paragraph:

Question: Your superpower is super-scoop. Save the world and give us some Heroes poop.— Sarah

Ausiello: Fanboys, prepare to piddle yourself. Christopher Eccleston — the original Dr. Who from the current Sci Fi/BBC series — is joining the cast in January in a really super (tee-hee) role. Speaking of cool pieces of casting, wait until you see who’s ******* ****’s ****. You’re going to flip.

He’s almost always right with his scoops, so UK viewers might have to watch the SciFi channel for something other than repeats for once: Heroes is to be one of the cornerstones of the channel’s 2007 schedule.

UPDATE: In a rare piece of actual journalism on my part, I’ve called Christopher Eccleston’s agent for a comment. She’s not in yet though. I’ll let you know what she says when/if she calls back.

UPDATE 2: No response. I’ve emailed her now. Let’s see if that works.