Season and Series Premieres are Upon Us

The 2010-2011 primetime TV season started this week! Per Michael Ausiello's fall cheat sheet, here are the premiere dates I care about.

September 9th, Wednesday: The Vampire Diaries - 8 PM on The CW

September 20th, Monday:

• How I Met Your Mother - 8 PM on CBS
• House - 8 PM on FOX
• The Event - 9 PM on NBC
• Mike & Molly - 9:30 PM on CBS
• Castle - 10 PM on ABC
• Hawaii Five-O - 10 PM on CBS

September 21st, Tuesday:

• Glee - 8 PM on FOX
• Running Wilde - 9:30 PM on FOX

September 22nd, Wednesday (also the sixth anniversary of Oceanic Flight 815's crash - that is, the date the LOST's pilot episode aired):

• The Middle - 8 PM on ABC
• Undercovers - 8 PM on NBC
• Better With You - 8:30 PM on ABC
• Modern Family - 9 PM on ABC
• Criminal Minds - 9 PM on CBS
• Cougar Town - 9:30 PM on ABC
• The Defenders - 10 PM on CBS

September 23rd, Thursday:

• The Big Bang Theory - 8 PM on CBS
• 30 Rock - 8:30 PM on NBC
• Fringe - 9 PM on FOX

September 24th, Friday: CSI: NY - 9 PM on CBS

September 26th, Sunday: The Amazing Race - 8 PM on CBS

September 28th, Tuesday:

• No Ordinary Family - 9 PM on ABC
• The Good Wife - 10 PM on CBS

October 3rd, Sunday: CSI: Miami - 10 PM on CBS

Because of the excellent new shows (e.g. Glee, The Vampire Diaries, Modern Family, Cougar Town, et cetera) and creatively rocking returning shows (e.g. LOST, Fringe, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, et cetera), I had a full TV viewing schedule last year. Will it be the same this season?

This year, Mondays through Thursdays will continue to be crowded. For example, I still won't be able to watch original broadcasts of new House episodes because of HIMYM. Also, V may come back at the same timeslot as last year's, which means it will be up against The Good Wife. The Emmy-winning Modern Family will still be on the same timeslot as Criminal Minds, which means I have to wait for new episodes to air on A&E, unless Modern Family is a repeat or something. Lastly, I was relieved that FlashForward's cancellation meant that I could watch original broadcasts of new The Vampire Diaries episodes - that is, until CBS moved The Big Bang Theory to 8 PM on Thursdays.

I hope either CTV will air either series at 7 PM PDT or PST so I can watch the other at 8 PM or MuchMusic will air TVD on Fridays at 5 PM PDT or PST. Paging CTV or MuchMusic!


Because LOST has ended, Fringe is now my "main" show. That means I may actually write more decent blog posts about Fringe. Hehe. I can also study the glyph codes so I can guess the word or phrase by the end of the episodes. Maybe take notes too. Whaddya think?

*Sigh* I still miss LOST.

LOST Is Emmy-Nominated... Thirteen Times Over!!!

It was fun to wake up to LOST's 13 Primetime Emmy Award nominations.

Yes, thirteen nominations.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Of its thirteen nominations, the most important is the Outstanding Drama Series nomination. Four are in the acting categories. Elizabeth Mitchell is nominated in the Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series category for her work in "LA X" and "The End". Previous winners Terry O'Quinn and Michael Emerson are both nominated in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series category. Best of all, Matthew Fox is nominated in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series category. It's about freaking time!

Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof's writing in the series finale is also recognized in the Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series category. The Emmy voters also saw the error in their ways, because Jack Bender, snubbed last year, is nominated for the Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series award! Oscar-winner Michael Giacchino's score for the series finale got him a nomination for the Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) award. Stephen Semel, Mark J. Goldman, Christopher Nelson, and Henk Van Eeghan's excellent work in editing the series finale is also recognized as they are nominated for the Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series award. Thomas E. deGorter and his team of sound editors, music editor, and foley artists are also nominated for the Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series award. Bobby Anderson, Ken King, Frank Morrone, and Scott Weber are nominated for the Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour) award. Zack Grobler, Matthew Jacobs, and Carol Bayne Kelley are also recognized for their awesome work in "Ab Aeterno" as they are nominated for the Outstanding Art Direction for a Single-Camera Series award.

Lastly, ABC's web series Mysteries of the Universe - The Dharma Initiative is also nominated for the Outstanding Special Class Programs award.

In other Emmy news, Fringe's team of sound editors, music editor, and foley artists are also nominated in the Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series category as recognition for their work in the "White Tulip" episode. It's a shame John Noble still isn't nominated in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series category. He'd better be nominated next year! V's visual effects team is nominated in the Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series category as recognition for their work in the pilot episode. Surprisingly, FlashForward - the show that ABC dumped in favour of V (not that I hate that show) - has three nominations: Outstanding Cinematography for a One Hour Series, Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score), and Outstanding Stunt Direction.

The Good Wife has nine nominations: Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Julianna Margulies), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Christina Baranski and Archie Panjabi), Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (Alan Cumming and Dylan Baker), Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series, Outstanding Costumes for a Series, and Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series. I hope it wins a maximum of five awards (not the drama series and the writing, of course, because they belong to LOST).

Glee has a gazillion nominations - 20, including the Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media - Fiction! I'm glad that other than the Golden Globe-nominated Matthew Morrison, Lea Michele, and Jane Lynch, Chris Colfer is nominated because he so deserves it. My other favourite new sitcom Modern Family has 14 nominations, including Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for Ty Burell, Eric Stonestreet, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Julie Bowen and Sofia Vergara. Awesome!

The super-awesome Jim Parsons is nominated again in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. I hope that he'd say "Bazinga!" when he wins. And I seriously hope he wins!!! The Big Bang Theory is also nominated for four other awards, including a nod for Christine Baranski's guest spot as Leonard's mother. My other favourite old sitcom How I Met Your Mother is nominated for four awards, including an Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series nod for Neil Patrick Harris (who's also nominated for his guest spot on Glee) and an Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics nod for the song "Nothing Suits Me Like A Suit" that the characters performed in the 100th episode.

Even the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony is nominated! Despite the giant hydraulics malfunction, it has four nominations: Outstanding Directing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special, Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) for a Variety, Music or Comedy Programming, Outstanding Music Direction, and Outstanding Special Class Programs.

Congratulations to all the nominees!


I do hope LOST wins a lot - preferably all of them. But if it doesn't, I'll be mega-happy that it got 13 nominations. That's a lotta love for a recently departed show. Plus, LOST won the Best Network Television Series award last week at the Saturn Awards. That's awesome enough.

I say this, though: I'll throw a party if LOST won the Outstanding Drama Series award. Hehe...

LOST Wins Two Saturn Awards

Just as I expected, LOST rocked the Saturn Awards with another Best Network Television Series win. Not only that, Josh Holloway won the Best Actor on Television award, even beating Matthew Fox! LOST's Season 5 DVD set also won the Best DVD Television Release. Congrats!!!

Fringe also grabbed two awards: Anna Torv won the Best Actress on Television award (beating, among others, Evangeline Lilly) and Leonard Nimoy won the Best Guest Starring Role on Television award (beating, among others, Mark Pellegrino). Fringe's co-creators Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman also received the George Pal Memorial Award for their "unending imagination and dedication to creating amazing genre-bending blockbusters at the movies and on television".

Julie Benz (Dexter) beat Elizabeth Mitchell (LOST) and Morena Baccarin (V) for the Best Supporting Actress on Television award. Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul also beat LOST's Jeremy Davies and Michael Emerson and Fringe's John Noble for the Best Supporting Actor on Television award.

Avatar swept the film awards, including the acting honours. I think Inglourious Basterds' Melanie Laurent (Best Actress) and Christoph Waltz (Best Supporting Actor) should have won their respective categories, though. Or is it just because I'm nuts about Inglourious Basterds? Hehe... And, oh, Inglourious Basterds won the Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film award! Woot woot!!!

So if the Emmys ignore LOST, its awesome actors, or both, I won't feel so bad. I have more respect for the Saturn Awards now than for the Emmys because the former gives LOST the recognition it deserves.

Kelly Rowland Drops on September 21st

It's gonna be a busy late summer and early fall.

First, I have Basic Copy Editing from August 23rd to 26th. Second, the LOST Season 6 and LOST Complete Series DVD/Blu-Ray sets are released on August 24th. Third, the Fringe Season 2 DVD/Blu-Ray set comes out on September 14th.

Now, a much-anticipated album release: Digital Spy reports that Kelly Rowland's self-titled third album will be released on September 21st.

Ms. Kelly describes her new album as having "a modern Donna Summer feel with definitely more of a thump." Sounds interesting, ain't it? And have y'all seen the covers for her singles "Grown Woman" and "Rose Colored Glasses"? I'm digging the giant afro look!

I can't wait for Ms. Kelly's new album!

Writer's Digest Subscription: To Renew Or Not To Renew?

Last Wednesday, I received a subscription renewal notice from Writer's Digest.

A few months ago, because of the recession and my two Work Share Days, I decided not to renew my subscription. I had to cut some costs and I decided this should be it. I also checked out Quill & Quire, a magazine about the book industry in Canada. But its one-year subscription for 10 issues costs CAD $59.95 before GST - twice WD's costs for a one-year subscription of eight issues! Plus, I'm actually behind three issues, because I have so many things to read and to write (among other tasks).

So, when I got the renewal notice last Wednesday - and saw that the USD $29.95 offer ends on April 14th, a week after I received the notice - I decided not to bother and renew my subscription. But when I went to the Writer's Digest website, I found out that I could renew my subscription online! So I did, for the same price, and without any worries that the completed renewal form arrived in Florida by next Wednesday. *Sigh*

Which means I've gotta cut costs elsewhere. Maybe non-LOST- and non-Fringe-related Amazon purchases? Hehehehe...

Fifty-four Days

There are 54 days before my 27th B'Day and I've been thinking about what I want. My sister already gave me another Coach purse and I have way too many books to read. Aside from getting at least $1 million from the lottery or an unknown mega-rich relative - so I can get my own place, quit my job, get Daniel Faraday's journal at the LOST auction, go to Europe, or any combination of the previous - there's nothing that I really, really, really want right now.

It'd be nice to get any of these, though:

• Digital camera - My old Nikon camera's broken so I need a new one. Either that or I'd just take videos from my Flip Video Ultra.
• DVR - The 2009-2010 primetime TV season is so awesome because there are so many great new shows. My current favourite new shows are FlashForward, V, The Good Wife, Glee, Modern Family, The Middle, The Vampire Diaries, and even Cougar Town, not to mention my usual favourites (LOST even if it's not coming back next season, Fringe, How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, and Criminal Minds). I've had to give up some shows because they're aired directly against another favourite show (e.g. House M.D. vs. How I Met Your Mother, The Vampire Diaries vs. FlashForward, Glee vs. Modern Family vs. Criminal Minds, Glee vs. LOST, The Good Wife vs. V, etc.). Thank God for Much Music, because it airs the new The Vampire Diaries episode every Friday at 5 PM and 8 PM PST. For the rest, I'd have to stream them online, like CTV.ca or GlobalTV.com. So I need a DVR to record my other favourite shows and watch them whenever I want. 
• Whatever I didn't get last Christmas - Out of the 16 items on my Christmas wish list, I only got two DVDs (Inglourious Basterds and He's Just Not That Into You) and two books (Under The Dome and Best Friends Forever). I've also seen Angels & Demons and Public Enemies. And I still want the rest of the items on my Christmas wish list! 
• Other DVDs/Blu-Ray:
• The Informant!
• The Men Who Stare at Goats
• Precious
• District 9
• Paranormal Activity
• Gran Torino
• Up
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Julie and Julia
• Changeling
• I Sell the Dead
• Bedside lamp - My mom took my bedside lamp. I need a new one.
• Cocktail shaker and mixer set - There are times when a girl needs an apple martini or a margarita. 'Nuff said. I even got the Drinks iPhone/iPod Touch app.
• Quill & Quire or Writer's Digest Subscription - I kinda gave up my Writer's Digest subscription this year because I'm trying to cut costs. I checked out the Quill & Quire, but a 1-year subscription costs twice than a WD 1-year subscription. I need either to help me improve my writing.

I'd just like to emphasize that any Twilight-related merchandise (books, DVDs, etc.) that I get will immediately be sold on eBay. The Vampire Diaries books or DVDs will be cherished forever.

If anyone would like to give me $1 million, I will love that person forever. Yuk yuk yuk...

Entertainment Weekly Lists 10 Best Shows On Now

The cover story of this week's issue of Entertainment Weekly is about the 10 best TV shows on now. LOST isn't number one - although, it should be! - but The Good Wife is!!!

Here's the full list. Y'all can view Ken Tucker's take on these shows here.

1. The Good Wife (CBS)
2. Breaking Bad (AMC)
3. LOST (ABC)
4. Friday Night Lights (NBC)
5. Fringe (FOX)
6. Modern Family (ABC)
7. Glee (FOX)
8. Southland (TNT)
9. Damages (FX)
10. Caprica (Syfy)

Awesome! I love half of the shows on this list. Hehe...

Before anyone screams bloody murder and says other excellent shows (Mad Men, Community, Parks & Recreations, et cetera) aren't included in the list, I just want to say that there are many excellent shows airing now and it is difficult to fit them all in a top-ten list. Plus some cable shows, like Mad Men, are in between seasons at the moment and, therefore, don't belong in a top-ten list for shows airing now.

Obviously, at the top of my list is LOST. Wait a minute... What if I made a list of my own? Hmmm... Let me compile my list and I'll post the top 10 or top 20 later.

Another Blog at Wordpress.com?

I have a Wordpress.com account, but I don't know what to do with it.

I don't even remember why I created the account - for DocAzt's website? for sheer fun? - but I'd like to use this account, besides commenting on EW.com posts. So I decided I would blog about... something. The thing is, I don't know what it should be. I have to make time to write this blog (hence the quiz results from Blogthings to fill my quota), so whatever I write about on this new blog has to be something I really love. So what should it be?

• Single life? I'm currently single and, though I'm not actively looking for The One, it doesn't mean I'm not contemplating life as part of a couple. I even joined eHarmony.ca for fun, but I haven't found anyone I like enough. Of course, there's also the emotional unavailability thing that I mentioned in my first post this year. But a lot of single people are already writing about their search for either The One or the One Right Now. What else could I possibly add to the mix?
• LOST or any other favourite TV show? Well, this may be LOST's final season, but that doesn't mean I can't write about it. Maybe I should write about the final season, to recap the Season 6 episodes? Perhaps, but I can just write about it here. What about Fringe, FlashForward, V, Glee, The Vampire Diaries, or any other TV show? It's not too late to start recapping episodes or whatever of these shows. But I can always do it here too.
• Fiction-writing? I can chronicle my fiction-writing or post some of my flash fiction or short stories. Readers would provide feedback and help with the writing or editing process. Unfortunately, publishers may consider these as published works, which means they may not publish the edited stories in magazines or short story collections (as if!). 
• Editing? I can also chronicle my freelance editing business. I can import the Recent Announcement section from my website and pull the RSS feeds from the Wordpress blog. I'm not sure if Wordpress and Google Sites are compatible with each other, though. Copying-and-pasting my previous announcements to the Wordpress blog is fine, but if Google Sites can't get the RSS feeds from Wordpress through a gadget it would be useless.

So, what do you think? Vote, comment, or both!

What Kind of Girl Am I?

Why do you think I watch LOST, Fringe, FlashForward, V, The Big Bang Theory, and How I Met Your Mother? Hehehehehe...

You Are a Brainy Girl!

Whether you're an official student or a casual learner, you enjoy hitting the books. You know a little bit about everything, and you're always dying to know more. For a guy to win your heart, he's got to share some of your intellectual interests. A awesome book collection of his own doesn't hurt either!

What Kind of Girl Are You?

Blogthings: A Fine Line Between Insight and Stupidity

Glee and Julianna Margulies Triumph at Golden Globes

John Lithgow and Chloe Sevigny may have beaten Michael Emerson (LOST's Benjamin Linus) and Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother's Barney Stinson) and Jane Lynch (Glee's Sue Sylvester), respectively, but two upsets made me very, very, very happy.

Julianna Margulies, lead of my favourite Tuesday drama The Good Wife, beat Glenn Close (Damages), January Jones (Mad Men), Anna Paquin (True Blood) and Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer) for the Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama award. That is freaking awesome. Especially when she kissed George Clooney (who played her ER husband) on the way to the stage. Everyone was saying January Jones would win, but Julianna did. Congrats!!!

On the other hand, Glee - the little show that could - beat 30 Rock, Modern Family, Entourage, and The Office for the Best Television Series - Comedy or Musical award. Woo hoo!!! Matthew Morrison, Lea Michele, and Jane Lynch may have lost in their individual categories, but their awesome show won the big award. Congrats!!!!!!!!!!

Other winners that made me smile are:

• Mo'Nique (Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire) - Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
• Toni Collette (United States of Tara) - Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
• Michael Giacchino (Up) - Best Original Score - Motion Picture
• Meryl Streep (Julie & Julia) - Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
• Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner (Up in the Air) - Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
• Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds) - Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
• Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side) - Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama

I would have loved to see The Hurt Locker, Up in the Air, Inglourious Basterds, or Precious win the Best Motion Picture - Drama award, but the Hollywood Foreign Press Association shockingly chose Avatar. I'm sure it's awesome, but more awesome than the other films in the category? Really? Also, Kathryn Bigelow or Quentin Tarantino should have won Best Director - Motion Picture.

On the comedy side, I was hoping for (500) Days of Summer or Julie & Julia, but The Hangover won instead. Oh, well.

I wish that some Golden Globes nominees weren't lumped in their categories, as a comedic performance by a certain actor is a different animal from another actor's dramatic performance.

Thank God for hotties Matthew Fox (whose Jack Shephard was totally out-bearded by William Hurt and Jon Hamm), Matt Damon (who sadly lost his two categories), Matthew Morrison, Joshua Jackson, and George Clooney!

Lastly, LOST'd be better recognized next year or else... (Hehehehe.) And, oh, Jim Parsons, John Noble, and Jane Lynch.

FOX Hates Gleeks Who are Also LOST Addicts Without DVRs

According to Entertainment Weekly's Kate Ward, FOX has announced its mid-season schedule. Two items caught my eye and made my blood boil:

• Glee's fall finale airs on December 9th, and my favourite new comedy will return on April 13th, same time period.

If you look at your calendars, April 13th is a Tuesday! A TUESDAY!!! As I reported last Thursday, LOST's final season premieres on February 2nd - also a Tuesday. I was so happy then, because Glee and LOST won't conflict with each other. Now FOX ruined it by moving Glee to LOST Day (and time period)! What the heck??? Grrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• After Fringe's winter finale on February 4th, it will return on April 1st.

This one actually isn't so bad, definitely not like the first one. It pisses me off that Fringe will take a seven-week hiatus. Since it's returning on the same weeknight (i.e. Thursday), it didn't make me react like the first one. But still.

I wonder if FOX scheduling executives can still change their minds and keep Glee on Wednesdays. Hmmmm...

There's a Reason I Don't Like Baseball...

... And that is baseball's interruption of Fringe.

Grrrr!

For at least two weeks, there will be no new Fringe episode due to post-season baseball. According to FringeTelevision's calendar, Fox will re-air the Season 2 premiere, "A New Day In The Old Town," on October 22nd IF there's no ALCS Game 5. The next week, October 29th, there will be no episode at all due to World Series Game 2. The following week, November 5th, episode 2x06 ("Earthling") may be aired IF there's no World Series Game 7. If so, episode 2x06 will be aired on November 12th. That's four weeks after the last new episode. FOUR WEEKS!

My Geek Thursday (FlashForward at 8pm and Fringe at 9pm) will be incomplete for at least one week. Three, if I discount the rerun of the Season 2 premiere and if there's World Series Game 7.

It would have been better if Fringe Season 2 episodes were available on Canadian iTunes Store...

God could possibly have arranged this so I can focus on Assignment 4 (the last one!). Possible, right?

*Sigh* Oh well...

Snap Emmy Judgments from a West-Coaster

It's Emmy day!!!

Of course, West-Coasters are usually the last to know in North America about award show winners. So tweeting or changing my Facebook status as winners are announced is obviously futile. Plus my Twitter timeline and my Facebook news feed would be very spoiler-iffic.

I am still holding out hope that LOST will win something, considering it went 0-for-2 (Single-Camera Picture Editing and Sound Mixing) at the Creative Emmys that was held last week.

Snap reactions to the winners:

UNTELEVISED AWARDS

Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special: The 31st Annual Kennedy Center Honors
Didn't see this one. Congrats anyway!

Outstanding Reality Program: Intervention
Well-deserved. It's a show who tries to help addicts and the like turn their lives around and live a better life.

COMEDY

Outstanding Supporting Actress: Kristin Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies

I was hoping for Kristen Wiig or Amy Poehler. They were extraordinarily good. They were both robbed!

Outstanding Supporting Actor: Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men

NEIL PATRICK HARRIS WAS ROBBED!!! 'Nuff said.

Outstanding Lead Actress: Toni Collette, United States of Tara

Well, she plays four characters in her show. That is all I need to know. I would be happy if Tina Fey or Julia Louis-Dreyfuss won, but I'm so happy for Toni!

Outstanding Guest Actress: Tina Fey, Saturday Night Live

She's awesome. 'Nuff said.

Outstanding Guest Actor: Justin Timberlake, Saturday Night Live

Eh. Whatever. Kidding. They said he was hilarious, so I'll just take their word for it. (Who's "they"? *Wink wink*)

Outstanding Lead Actor: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock

Oh. My. Gosh. JIM PARSONS WAS ROBBED!!!

Outstanding Director: Jeff Blitz, The Office
Congrats!

Outstanding Writer: Matt Hubbard, 30 Rock
I think I saw the "Reunion" episode for which he won. That was an awesome episode. Congrats!

REALITY

Outstanding Reality or Reality-Competition Host: Jeff Probst, Survivor

Congrats, Jeff. (Y'all know I'm not a fan of reality shows.)

Outstanding Reality-Competition Program: The Amazing Race

I can never get tired of this show. Booyah!

TV MOVIES/MINISERIES

Outstanding Supporting Actress: Shohreh Agdashloo, House of Saddam

Wow. I know this actress is good. She sounds like she's wheezing, though. Just sayin'.

Outstanding Supporting Actor: Ken Howard, Grey Gardens

Congrats, Mr. Howard. (Don't know him, sorry.) I love the end of his acceptance speech - when he dedicated his award to his wife, who's celebrating her birthday today. Called her Sunshine too. I want a man just like that.

Outstanding Lead Actor: Brendan Gleeson, Into the Storm

Congrats, Mr. Gleeson.

Outstanding Writer(s): Andrew Davies, Little Dorrit

Writers rule! (He wasn't there, so Jennifer Love Hewitt and Patricia Arquette accepted the award on his behalf.)

Outstanding Director: Dearbhla Walsh, Little Dorrit

Congrats, Ms. Walsh. Love your name.

Outstanding Lead Actress: Jessica Lange, Grey Gardens

Congrats, Ms. Lange!

Outstanding Made-for-TV Movie: Grey Gardens

Well, it's the most buzzed-about TV movie. Congrats!!!

Outstanding Miniseries: Little Dorrit

Congrats!!!

VARIETY

Outstanding Director: Bruce Gowers, American Idol

Congrats, Mr. Gowers. (I didn't see that episode. Duh, LOST was on.)

Outstanding Writer(s): The Team from The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

OMG, The Daily Show is probably one of the best shows ever produced. They all deserve it. Congrats!!!

Outstanding Original Music & Lyrics: The Team from the 81st Annual Academy Awards, Hugh Jackman Opening Number
Uhm, hello? The most fun Oscar opening number EVER! I love you, Hugh Jackman - and Anne Hathaway.

Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
WOOHOO!!!

DRAMA

Outstanding Supporting Actor: Michael Emerson, LOST

OH. MY. GOSH. HE FINALLY WON! HE WASN'T ROBBED THIS TIME!!! YAY!!! (I'm crying, BTW.)

Outstanding Supporting Actress: Cherry Jones, 24
Congrats!!!

Outstanding Guest Actress:  Ellen Burstyn, Law and Order: SVU
I love her! Congrats!

Outstanding Guest Actor: Michael J. Fox, Rescue Me
Dude's awesome. Congrats!!!

Outstanding Director: Rod Holcomb, ER
He's not there!

Outstanding Writer(s): Kater Gordon & Matthew Weiner, Mad Men
Oh, crap. How can you not recognise Damon and Carlton? The Emmy voters suck.

Outstanding Lead Actress: Glenn Close, Damages
She's freaking awesome. Congrats!!!

Outstanding Lead Actor: Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
OMG, he won again. Congrats!!!

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance: When Bill and Sookie met, True Blood
I was hoping Kris Allen's surprise win in American Idol would win, but I guess a lot more people have gone True Blood-crazy. Whatever.

FINAL TWO

Outstanding Comedy Series: 30 Rock
OMFG, How I Met Your Mother was ROBBED!!!

Outstanding Drama Series: Mad Men
UNFAIR! UNFAIR! LOST WAS ROBBED!!! THE EMMY VOTERS REALLY, TRULY SUCK!!!

There you have it. Let's hope LOST gets more love next year.

Nevertheless, congratulations, Michael Emerson!!! You rock!

Wait a minute... Check this out:

Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media (Fiction): The Dharma Initiative, DharmaWantsYou.com
I count this a win for LOST, since this was supposed to be a LOST ARG anyway. Yay!

See? Expect the worst, but hope for the best!

Fringe Season 2 Premiere Freakin' Rocked

Did y'all watch "A New Day In The Old Town"? Did you?

Wow. That was freaking amazing.

SPOILER ALERT!!!

The first five minutes blew my mind. I kinda figured out what the dude was doing - i.e. shape-shifting - after the intro. (Hehe.) I didn't see The Observer, though, until I went to FringeTelevision.com (Fringe's DarkUFO).

And what is the true nature of Colonel Phillip Broyles and Nina Sharp's relationship??? That was shocking!

The new FBI agent, Amy Jessup, is kinda interesting. Her motivation for following Olivia's car crash wasn't explained, was it? Hmmm... Would that be explained later on? Also, it was interesting that she had a Bible with her when she was looking at the old (as in, Season 1) Fringe Division cases. What is the significance of that?

And that last scene? Oh. My. Gosh. So was Charlie Francis already dead when Amy and Peter found him - or shape-shifter him - standing over the dead nurse (or doctor???)? Or was it even before? I noticed the laundry cart when Charlie, Peter, and Amy were chasing after the shape-shifter.

Overall, the Season 2 premiere was pretty mind-blowing. No wonder: J.J. Abrams and Akiva Goldsman wrote the episode.

I'm already looking forward to next week's episode!!!

The Fall Season is Upon Us

Primetime TV programming, that is.

New and returning primetime shows start premiering next week. To help us all out, EW.com's Michael Ausiello - with a little help from EW intern Aly Semigran - posted a fall premiere schedule.

Here are the ones that matter to me:

September 9, Wednesday - Glee - 9 PM on FOX
September 10, Thursday - The Vampire Diaries - 8 PM on The CW
September 17, Thursday

• Fringe - 9 PM on FOX
• The Office - 9 PM on NBC

September 21, Monday

• House - 8 PM on FOX
• How I Met Your Mother - 8 PM on CBS
• The Big Bang Theory - 9:30 PM on CBS
• CSI: Miami - 10 PM on CBS

September 22, Tuesday - The Good Wife - 10 PM on CBS
September 23, Wednesday

• The New Adventures of Old Christine - 8 PM on CBS
• Gary Unmarried - 8:30 PM on CBS
• Criminal Minds - 9 PM on CBS
• CSI: NY - 10 PM on CBS

September 24, Thursday - FlashForward - 8 PM on ABC
September 27, Sunday - The Amazing Race - 8 PM on CBS
October 9, Friday - Ugly Betty - 8 PM on ABC
October 15, Thursday - 30 Rock - 9:30 PM on NBC
November 3, Tuesday - V - 8 PM on ABC

Obviously, I am most excited about the return of Fringe, How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, The Office, Glee, and 30 Rock. I am also looking forward to the series premieres of The Vampire Diaries (Ian Somerhalder! Paul Wesley!), Flash Forward (Joseph Fiennes! Sonya Walger! Dominic Monaghan!), V (Elizabeth Mitchell!), and The Good Wife.

Obviously, LOST will be my top priority once it comes back in 2010. So, assuming it will come back on Wednesdays at 9 PM, I will have to say goodbye to either Glee or Criminal Minds. There's always iTunes and reruns.

By the way, The Futon Critic also has a colourful grid for the Fall 2009 schedule. Check it out, if you'd like.

Which of the new and returning shows are you watching?

"Televisionary" J.J. Abrams

LOST and Fringe made EW.com's list of 17 classic TV shows from four "televisionaries" - Aaron Spelling, Aaron Sorkin, Joss Whedon, and J.J. Abrams.

LOST (2004 - 2010)

The most successful of Abrams’ TV creations, Lost follows the adventures of a group of plane-crash survivors on a bizarre tropical island. The characters’ stories also are told through flashbacks and flashforwards. Beware of polar bears, a nutty French woman, and time-travel flashes. Will we get all the answers to our burning questions when the show concludes in May? Fingers crossed.

Wow. Classic TV show. I'm a proud geek!

Fringe (2008 - present)

Starring Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, and John Noble, this Fox drama chronicles the stories of an FBI division that investigates a burst of creepy events that are referred to as “The Pattern.” Hope you can stomach skin-dissolving contagions and strange parasites wrapped around hearts.

Classic after only a season? Awesome.

By the way, what is a "televisionary" anyway? According to Urban Dictionary, a televisionary is "a 'born to be on TV' visionary who appears on television regularly, delivering messages that fall into her (his) mind from the dead." Hmm... Not quite. The Wikipedia entry defines the word as the concept "used to describe television and communications network operators who are developing services that provide consumers with more control over when, where and how they consume video and other multimedia content." Still not it.

Based on the examples - Aaron Spelling, Aaron Sorkin, Joss Whedon, and J.J. Abrams - I can say the word pertains to a smart person who creates something (in this case, a TV show) that has unique elements, setting it apart from others in its genre.

Obviously LOST and Fringe are great examples. The other shows on the list - great examples as well - are Aaron Spelling's 7th Heaven and Beverly Hills, 90210, Aaron Sorkin's The West Wing and Sports Night, and Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly.

LOST Gets Five Emmy Nods

Hello from warm and sunny San Jose, California! It is six days into our road trip and this is the first time I've had a chance to go on an actual computer. (I have been living on my BlackBerry and iPod Touch.)

I did not even know that the Emmy Awards nominations were going to be announced this morning. I must have forgotten it because of all the fun I'm having. Hehehehe...

It's nice to see that LOST is nominated for five awards:

Outstanding Drama Series
Lost • ABC • Grass Skirt Productions and ABC Studios

Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing For A Drama Series
Lost • The Incident • ABC • Grass Skirt Productions and ABC Studios
Stephen Semel, Editor
Mark Goldman, Editor
Chris Nelson, Editor

Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour)
Lost • The Incident • ABC • Grass Skirt Productions and ABC Studios
Robert Anderson, Production Sound Mixer
Ken King, Production Sound Mixer
Scott Weber, Re-Recording Mixer
Frank Morrone, Re-Recording Mixer

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Lost • ABC • Grass Skirt Productions and ABC Studios
Michael Emerson, as Ben Linus

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Lost • The Incident • ABC • Grass Skirt Productions and ABC Studios
Carlton Cuse, Writer
Damon Lindelof, Writer

Like the previous years, I really hope that LOST wins any of the major awards (best drama, best supporting actor - drama, and best writing - drama). LOST's win for the sound mixing in the Creative Emmys last year was nice, but Michael Emerson was robbed in the supporting drama actor category.

I just have one question: how come Josh Holloway and Elizabeth Mitchell were snubbed? They were both amazing in Season 5, especially in the last several episodes, yet they aren't nominated. Evangeline Lilly also did a great job in "Whatever Happened, Happened" (her best acting yet). Jeremy Davies was also fantastic in Season 5. Nevertheless, congratulations to Michael Emerson for his Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series nomination!

I am so glad that Darlton's writing for the season 5 finale, "The Incident," was recognized. Congrats, Damon and Carlton! It's a shame, though, that Jack Bender's directing went unrecognized.

I am also glad that How I Met Your Mother (Outstanding Comedy Series), Neil Patrick Harris (Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series), Jim Parsons (Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series), Phil Keoghan (Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality-Competition Program), Fringe (Outstanding Special Visual Effects For A Series), and Sandra Oh & Chandra Wilson (Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series) are nominated. Yay!

And I was pleasantly surprised to see this:

Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media - Fiction
The Dharma Initiative • DharmaWantsYou.com
ABC Entertainment Marketing

Oh yeah!

LOST Wins Saturn Award

Even if LOST feels no love from the Emmy Awards this year, I will be satisfied with LOST's win as the Best Network Television Series at the 35th Annual Saturn Awards.

Boo-yah!

Of course, I am biased towards LOST. But can you really deny the awesomeness that was Season 5? I am so happy for the best network TV series win! (Battlestar Galactica won the Best Syndicated/Cable Television Series award.)

Michael Emerson (Benjamin Linus) and Mark Pellegrino (Jacob) attended the ceremony. JJ Abrams was also there to accept LOST's award, as well as to present Leonard Nimoy (Fringe's Dr William Bell) the Lifetime Achievement Award.

I am also happy that Iron Man and The Dark Knight were finally rewarded in their separate sub-genres (Best Science Fiction Film and Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film, respectively). I love them both, and, yes, I am still torn between these two movies when it comes to deciding which was the best movie of 2008.

Visit the official Saturn Awards website for a complete list of the winners.

Fringe Season 2 Filming Begins Today!!!

FringeTelevision.com reports that filming for Season 2 began today in Vancouver.

*Squeals*

Excuse me while I finish jumping up and down, and doing my happy dance...

Ahem. OK, I'm done.

As EW.com and I reported in February, filming for Fringe moved from New York to Vancouver, a.k.a. Hollywood North, because the State of New York's film/television production tax incentive program had dried up. So many of the on-location crew are newbies to the show. Get this: JJ Abrams wrote a letter to the cast and crew to kick off the filming season. I'll post the image later, but the following words excite me so much:

"I cannot wait to get up there soon and say hi in person!"

*Squeals again*

By the way, here's the image. Thanks to Fringe Television for letting me post it here.



So, now I've gotta keep an eye out for filming locations around the Lower Mainland. I hope I can bump into any one and I can take a pic or something.

Lemme know if you bump into one, a'ight?

Fringe Casts New FBI Agent Role

EW.com reports that actress Meghan Markle has been cast as Fringe's new FBI agent. Her character is still unnamed, but the website describes her as "an attractive, brash and quick-witted junior FBI agent". The character is rumoured to replace Kirk Acevedo's character Agent Charlie Francis. Kirk Acevedo was "let go" in May, just after the Season 1 finale.

Wait.. Isn't Jasika Nicole's character a junior FBI agent as well? Hmmm... This new character sounds like a cross between Astrid Farnsworth and Charlie Francis to me. What are the creators planning now, in terms of Astrid's story arc?

Anyway, I don't remember this actress anywhere, although I might have seen her on Deal or No Deal (as one of the briefcase models), on the CSI:NY episode 3x07, or on 90210's pilot episode (which was the first and last 90210 episode I watched).

Well, as long as the casting changes reflect a freakin' awesome Season 2 overall story arc, it's fine by me. I'd miss Kirk, though, and his level-headed Charlie Francis, when I watch each episode in which he doesn't appear.