First Look: A Gifted Man, CBS

2011 May 20

Hmmm…. as a movie, I get it. As a TV show… I’m not so sure. As a TV show leading off Friday nights on the most-watched network… we’re back at Hmmm….

Oscar winner Jonathan Demme comes to television with this… well, watch it for yourselves and let me know what you think. I am, quite literally, at a loss for words.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ei-3N_AY8mY]

CAST

  • Michael Holt: Patrick Wilson
  • Anna Paul: Jennifer Ehle
  • Christina Holt: Julie Benz
  • Milo Cantoni: Liam Aiken
  • Rita Perkins-Hall: Margo Martindale

First Look: Missing, ABC

2011 May 20

Ashley Judd comes to TV as an ex-CIA operative whose son is kidnapped and she must find him. The show has lots of foreign locales (shades of Undercovers) and tech gizmos. Without Judd, Missing would be cancelled within the first couple of months. With Judd… it has a chance for survival. 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYNnvCb48bc]

starring:
Ashley Judd as Becca Winstone
Sean Bean as Paul Winstone
Cliff Curtis as Dax
Adriano Giannini as Giancarlo
Nick Eversman as Michael Winstone
Tereza Voriskova as Oksana

First Look: Smash, NBC

2011 May 19

Glee might have broken the curse. Musicals and TV have long gone together like peaches and chocolate milk, but with Glee’s success, networks have apparently become less apprehensive. Starting next spring, the Debra Messing-led Smash will give the New Directions crowd some competition as they undertake the task of staging a musical about Marilyn Monroe. With the producers of Hairspray and Chicago behind the scenes, they have a chance.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3U_SlMpFJvk]

JuliaDebra Messing, Julia

TomChristian Borle, Tom

KarenKatharine McPhee, Karen

DerekJack Davenport, Derek

IvyMegan Hilty, Ivy

EllisJaime Cepero, Ellis

EileenAnjelica Huston, Eileen

DevRaza Jaffrey, Dev

FrankBrian d’Arcy James, Frank

First Look: The Playboy Club, NBC

2011 May 19

Mad Men at the Playboy Club The Playboy Club has potential. It’s certainly beautiful. The story seems interesting. We’ll see. I’m indifferent on this one; will have to see how it plays out.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I24kKO8W1_0]

Nick DaltonEddie Cibrian, Nick Dalton

Bunny MaureenAmber Heard, Bunny Maureen

Bunny Mother Carol-LynneLaura Benanti, Bunny Mother Carol-Lynne

Bunny BrendaNaturi Naughton, Bunny Brenda

Bunny AliceLeah Renee, Bunny Alice

Bunny JanieJenna Dewan, Bunny Janie

Billy RosenDavid Krumholtz, Billy Rosen

MaxWes Ramsey, Max

First Look: The River, ABC

2011 May 19

Sorry, I fell asleep. Steven Spielberg was associated with this Anaconda bit of bull shit? Okay. Poor Leslie Hope: her career has gone nowhere since being the sacrificial lamb on 24′s first season.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YEYU0NryzY&NR]

starring:
Bruce Greenwood as Emmet Cole
Joe Anderson as Lincoln Cole
Paul Blackthorne as Clark
Paulina Gaitan as Jahel
Leslie Hope as Tess Cole
Eloise Mumford as Lena
Shaun Parkes as Adjay
Thomas Kretschmann as Captain Kurt Brynildson
Daniel Zacapa as Emilio

First Look: Good Christian Belles, ABC

2011 May 19

Courtesy: ABC

Much like ABC‘s other cleaned-up-while-pushing-through-pilot season series, Apartment 23, Good Christian Belles lost the Bitch. I hope it doesn’t translate into the show. Rather than an overview, ABC used an extended scene from the show for their upfront presentation. With Darren Star as EP and Annie Potts and Kristin Chenoweth in the cast, I’m feeling better. Here ya go:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89N-8BouSPU]

starring:
Leslie Bibb as Amanda Vaughn
Kristin Chenoweth as Carlene Cockburn
Annie Potts as Gigi Stopper
Jennifer Aspen as Sharon Peacham
Miriam Shor as Cricket Caruth-Reilly
Marisol Nichols as Heather Cruz
Brad Beyer as Zack Peacham
Mark Deklin as Blake Reilly
David James Elliott as Ripp Cockburn

First Look: Apartment 23, ABC

2011 May 19

Courtesy: ABC

Formerly Don’t Trust the Bitch in Apartment 23 - a title I much prefer over the new, sanitized name, Apartment 23. How boring. In any event, the show looks intriguing. I like the sex with your boyfriend on top of your birthday cake bit. We’ll see if it lives up to expectations.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW_QiaVDCQk]

starring:
Krysten Ritter as Chloe
Dreama Walker as June
Eric André as Mark
Michael Blaiklock as Eli
James Van Der Beek as James Van Der Beek

First Look: Charlie’s Angels, ABC

2011 May 19

The highest-profile show of the new season… also holds no interest for me. Sorry. But, you might like it.

Charlie’s Angels:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF2aivgseUI]

starring:
Annie Ilonzeh as Kate Prince
Minka Kelly as Eve
Rachael Taylor as Abby Sampson
Ramon Rodriguez as Bosley

First Look: Revenge, ABC

2011 May 19

Courtesy: ABC

Hmmm…. ABC‘s Revenge looks a little too Lifetime Sunday afternoon for me, but… And with Emily Van Camp (Brothers and Sisters) in the lead role…………………………………. sorry… I got bored and forgot what I was saying. Anyhoo… here it is. Opinions?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHtxCcC7OQM]

starring:
Madeleine Stowe as Victoria Grayson
Emily Van Camp as Emily Thorne
Gabriel Mann as Nolan Ross
Henry Czerny as Conrad Grayson
Ashley Madekwe as Ashley Davenport
Nick Wechsler as Jack Porter
Josh Bowman as Daniel Grayson
Christa B. Allen as Charlotte Grayson
Connor Paolo as Declan Porter

First Look: Once Upon a Time, ABC

2011 May 19

Courtesy: ABC

Much like NBC’s Grimm, which transports childhood stories into today’s society (well, kinda), ABC‘s Once Upon a Time follows Emma Swan, purportedly Snow White and Prince Charming’s long-lost daughter. From the executive producers of LOST, the show clearly has a great pedigree. The clip looks… interesting. I am not 100% sold, but the LOST connection really intrigues me. I will give it a shot; we’ll see…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmWaOnpM_Ro]

Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White/Sister Mary Margaret
Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan
Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold
Lana Parrilla as Evil Queen/Regina
Jamie Dornan as Sheriff Graham
Jared Gilmore as Henry
Josh Dallas as Prince Charming/John Doe
Raphael Sbarge as Jiminy Cricket/Archie