Exclusive Interview with TWoP's Erin Dailey

We TV addicts love our recaps. Even if we' ve seen the show, we like to read recaps to see how others interpreted the same events. And as much as I know you all love GMMR's The Office, Veronica Mars, Lost and 24 recaps, even we will admit that THE place for recaps has been and will always be Television Without Pity (TWoP). Special Guest blogger (and co-founder of the GMMR forums), Fatback, has scored an exclusive interview with Erin Dailey, one of the best recappers over at TWoP. Erin has worked tirelessly over the past 5 years to bring us recaps of one of my faves, Alias, and we are SO excited that she was willing to answer Fatback's questions. Enjoy! Fatback:We all love your recaps on TWoP (Television Without Pity). How did you get that gig? All my writing pals, want to know if it made you rich? I mean, come on; you are living the dream down in Charleston, South Carolina, right? Erin Daily: Awww, thanks. I actually got the gig through my own site. I'd been writing for my site for a year or so and I'd also been writing for a couple of other sites and I found Hissyfit, which is Tara Ariano's site, and through that, I found Tomato Nation, which is Sarah D. Bunting's site. Sarah and I started reading each others stuff and we became buds. Then my boyfriend at the time told me that all this Internet writing was great, but I should be getting paid to do it and why didn't I ask my friend Sarah how to make some buckage off my writing. I asked, she said, "Wanna write for Mighty Big TV?" and I said, "Hell YEAH." I was assigned to American High and a television-show-skewering career was born. And, no, it doesn't make you rich. It does, however, give you a name, seeing as TWoP is one of the most well-respected television websites on the market. It's considered an industry standard, so the writers often get noticed by Hollywood producers and directors and (generally) we garner their respect. That's better than money, honey! Fatback: Now that Alias has been cancelled will you continue recaps for other shows for TWoP or any other sites for that matter? I think I know a site looking for writers, heh. Erin: I'll recap anything TWoP wants me to. Seriously. Even if the show smells of day-old ass. They're currently full-up on recappers, though, so they may not require my services. I won't know until next season if there are any available spots. A site's looking for writers? Really? You got their number? Momma needs a new pair of shoes. Fatback:How do you think the addition of prime time TV shows to iTunes will affect recaps in the future. For example, I feel more pressure to get our recaps out quicker because of it (although it's easier to recap at work now using iTunes downloads. Score!) Erin: Well, Television Without Pity has never been based on speed, as far as I'm concerned. I mean, yes, we want to get the recaps out as quickly as is humanly possible so that readers will be able to get the full lowdown on any given show that we cover, but we're more concerned with giving readers as much detail and commentary as possible; so if that means the recap takes five hours, then it takes five hours. And most of the recappers can't devote five hours to a recap the night a show airs (some of that sh** comes on late, yo!), so a 24-hour turnaround isn't always possible. I'm sure Sars and Wing would love it if we could all get the recaps in the next day, but since most of us can't, they're okay with the recaplets we send in to hold readers over until the full recap appears. We're also responsible for putting in links and creating polls, so that takes more time than just doing a straight recap. We try to make them as fun and engaging as possible. That's easier with some shows than it is with others, obviously (West Wing? I'm looking at you.), but we do our best. Click here for the full interview with Erin Dailey of Television Without Pity. A special thanks to Fatback for scoring this interview. Make sure you check out his site, FatbackandCollards.com. It's sexy, southern gossip at its best.

Grey's Anatomy Code Black Recap: OMG!!!!

If you didn't see Sunday's Grey's Anatomy, STOP what you are doing right now and head over to iTunes to download it. I'm not kidding. Do it right now. There's a link to iTunes on the right side of the page...use it. Even if you have never seen's Grey's, it doesn't matter - you must see this episode. In the words of the Grey's cast: "Seriously" (ed. someone just informed me that Grey's Anatomy isn't available on iTunes. My bad. I thought ABC offered all its stop shows. Well off to the recap for you then.) This was the most incredible ep ever, and it's not technically over (those three dreaded words: To Be Continued). I'm not going to even give a recap on the site right now, because I don't want to spoil it for anyone who has yet to see it. But a recap is available in the Grey's Anatomy section of the GMMR forums. Check out the Grey's Anatomy recap for Code Black here.

Give Me My Remote: News & Notes

Has Dave Chappelle lost his mind? Did Dave Chappelle walked away from $50M because he needed more Vitamin Love? What the hell is that? I caught him on Oprah the other day and it was bizarre to watch. Sometimes he sounded like a level headed person who took himself out of a potentially "dangerous" position. But her times he sounded like someone who just wasn't all quite there. Oprah didn't quite no what to make of him either. It does sound like he might make it back to his show...if they'll take him. Check out Zap2it for the fully story. SNL in for a big change? Lorne Michaels says that SNL is in the midst of transition. Expect to see a few different things from SNL in the near future. Hopefully this new blood will make the show watchable again. It's the Chronic (what) 'cles of Narnia. (Yahoo!) Are you ready from some football...commercials? In light of today's Super Bowl (which seems so wrong without the Patriots), I thought I'd share an intersting article about the most important aspect of the game...the commercials. Find out what goes into these quick spots, as well as what you might be seeing today. (NY Times) If I'm going to mention football at all, I might as well use the opportunity to give you a little eye candy. We'll miss you on that field today, Tom Brady. The blowhard is back on Blow Out Pompous jackhole Jonathan Antin will be back on Bravo in March for a whole new season on Blow Out. This show is such a guilty pleasure, I'll be watching it. (The Futon Critic) Sidenote: I remember during the first season when Jonathan did Kristen Bell's (Veronica Mars) hair for the Golden Globes? I had no idea who she was at the time. Oh how things have changed. Did I mention that I'm going to visit the set of Veronica Mars? Well I am! And I will probably be mentioning it everyday until I leave three weeks from now. Just a warning.

Britney's Role to Change on Will & Grace

Ok, I'm going to get myself in trouble for this one. So as you probably read, Britney Spears will be guesting on an upcoming episode of Will & Grace. According to the original statement Brit was going to play some kind of Christian-conservative chef on a cooking show entitled Cruci-fixins. Well, that didn't sit well with some Christian groups, many of whom called for a boycott of the show. In response, NBC issued the following statement: "Some erroneous information was mistakenly included in a press release describing an upcoming episode of 'Will & Grace,' which in fact has yet to be written. The refernce to Cruci-fixin’s won’t be in the show, and the story line will not contain a Christian characterization at all. We value our viewers and sincerely regret if this information has offended them." Seriously? Aren't these conservative Christian groups always bitching about something? With all the horrible things happening in this world, don't they have other things they need to worry about other than Britney Spears on Will & Grace? It's called free speech people. And why is a network altering programming for one particular portion of the population? So is the deal that if a certain group complains about how they are being portrayed, NBC will alter the storylines to accomodate? That seems like a slippery slope. But if that's the case I have a few requests...I'm Irish, and I don't want NBC protraying Irish people as drunks or Mobsters anymore. And oh yeah, I'm from Boston, and we don't all have those thick accents, so can you do something about that? There 's a fine line NBC...be careful. To all I say live and let live. If you don't like what you're watching, there's about 300 different channels you can turn to. NBC and other networks need to be careful about who they bow down to. Becuase let's face it, if the Christian conservatives had their way, there would never be a show called Will & Grace in the first place.

Veronica Mars & Neptune...Here I Come

I've got some great news for fans of Veronica Mars and GiveMeMyRemote.com. Later this month we are going to have some fantastic inside scoop behind your favorite show. The fabulous people at UPN are flying yours truly out to California to spend a day on the set of Veronica Mars, and to have a lunch time Q&A with creator Rob Thomas. Can you believe it?! I just found out and I'm still in shock. I'm trying to imagine what it's going to be like to see the set, and hopefully the cast. It's going to be surreal, that much I know. And of course there's the opportunity to meet the man behind the curtain, Rob Thomas. I will be live blogging as much as possible, and you can bet that I'm brining at least two cameras with me. Yes, two cameras. I learned this lesson years ago when I went to a Q&A with Kerr Smith (Jack, Dawson's Creek). I borrowed this great camera only to have the batteries die the minute he showed up. But I digress. If you aren't a fan of Veronica Mars, then I'm going to assume that it's because you've never seen the show. I'd be hard-pressed to find someone that gave it a fair chance and just didn't like it. I urge you to check it out. Season 1 is available on DVD now. Season 2 is underway but you can catch up...I promise. We are going to be talking a lot about this show in the coming weeks, and I want you to be a part of it. Once I get more details, I will be sure to share them with you. I have to come down off my cloud a little before then.

Recap of The Office: Boys & Girls

The worst part of my week is Thursday at 10:01pm. That's when The Office is over. I get sad. Sniffle, sniffle. It's definitely my favorite show on TV right now. Lost and Veronica Mars are right behind it, but I gotta give the edge to The Office. It's the one time during the week that I am guaranteed to laugh, well that and when I get my paycheck. This week's episode entitled "Boys & Girls" was fantastic. It was hysterically funny, but with just enough special Jam moments to keep me happy. It was written by the fabulous BJ Novak who I will be having a little Q&A with next week. If you missed the show, don't worry. An awesome GiveMeMyRemote.com reader named turnituploudcapn, wrote a fantastic recap. Check out the recap of The Office (Boys & Girls) here. And if you feel like spending the money to download last night's episode on iTunes, you can find the link on the right hand side of this very page. I aim to please. By the way, writing about The Office give me an opportunity to post pics of John Krasinski, and you all know how I love that!

Survivor Exile Island Premieres Tonight

I've never really watched Survivor. I tried to get into it the very first season but halfway through the first episode I saw Richar Hatch naked, and I've never really been the same. At the urging of some GMMR.com readers, I'm going to give it a shot. Some of the new twists of this season, including Exile Island has got be intrigued. So, I'll be watching tonight's premiere of Survivor. If you are, and want to talk about it during or after the show, I've set up a thread for it in the GMMR forums.

Did You Watch Veronica Mars?

So I told you to watch Veronica Mars last night. Did you? Well, did you? Don't lie to me - I'll see the ratings soon enough. If you were involved in some tragic accident that kept you away from watching Ms. Mars, don't fret, the latest Veronica Mars recap is available in the forums. If you did watch, then you know how kick ass last night's episode was. Could Weevil and Logan be my new favorite couple? A little more quality time together and those two are going to need a moniker. Lovil? Weegan? I'm already looking forward to next week. Thanks to the fabulous Sienna, you can get a glimpse into what's happening next week on Veronica Mars. "Ain't No Magic Mountain High Enough" -- When all of the proceeds for the senior class trip disappear while in her possession during the Neptune High Winter Carnival, Veronica must identify the clever thief among them and surprisingly finds herself defending Jackie as accusations fly. Meanwhile, Keith confronts his baseball idol and client Terrance Cook (guest star Jeffery Sams) with questions about his past and the bus crash. Later, Dick tries to humiliate Beaver in front of his carnival date as Logan sets his sights on a sophomore. (ed. boo hiss...Duncan finally leaves and Logan eyes a sophomore? C'mon.) VERONICA MARS, Wednesday, Feb. 8 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on UPN. And since we are talking about Veronica Mars, let me take this opportunity to pimp my upcoming interview with Jason Dohring. This is your LAST CHANCE to submit your questions here.

No Place for Alias on ABC Schedule

You know why TV shows don't have the longevity of yesteryear? Because the networks have a bunch of number crunching bozos in charge setting the schedules. How are TV watchers suppose to become loyal to a show when the schedule is constantly being shifted? Not one of my favorite shows has had a "normal" season over the past few years. And by normal I mean it comes on in September, exits in May and stays on the same night and time throughout the season. More than once I have sat down to watch a particular show only to find out that it's on a different night and time, and oh by the way, now up against another of my must see shows. I'm getting sick of it. So what's the catalyst for my nonsensical and poorly written rant? Well ABC just announced its midseason schedule, and lo and behold, there is no space for Alias anywhere on it. Yes, Alias, the same show that has been on hiatus for months with a promised return in March. The same show that is scheduled to end in May after a 5 year run. And yes, the very same show that according to ABC big wigs, deserved a proper send off. ABC Entertainment President, Stephen McPherson, had this to say just a few months ago: "Alias' is not going to wind down as it comes to an end, it's going to rev up, and we're going to make it the event it deserves to be." Sounds like your are really committed to this show Steve!! So committed that you couldn't put in on the schedule. I'm sure the new shows that are premiering midseason will be great. Just as great as "Emily's Reasons Why Not". Way to go on that one Steve-O. Why can't they just put Alias on the schedule, and let me have some sense of closure for a show that I have committed to for over 5 years now. And seriously, if I don't get a Michael Vartan fix soon, I'm going to snap.

Grey's Anatomy Casting Scoop

The following contains a mini-spoiler for Grey's Anatomy. Proceed with caution. We've got a hot new man at Seattle Grace Hospital, but he's less McDreamy and more McSlimy. Eric Dane (Charmed) is set to stir things up as Mark, the former best friend of Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd, and former lover of McDreamy's wife, Addison. If you remember it was Addison's affair with Mark that drove Derek out of NYC and into Meredith's bed. Why Mark would come all the way to stir up trouble for the Drs. Shepherd, I don't know, but it's certain to cause a bump in the Drs' already shaky path to reconciliation. I just hope the writers don't put Mark & Meredith together because (a) that's so cliche, and (b) poor George can't take much more of Meredith's sexual conquests with men that aren't, well, him.

Veronica Mars Need Your Help..and Your Eyes!

Veronica Mars needs your help..."shocker" (ha)! If you remember, last week I was bitching that Veronica Mars was preempted in Boston in favor of a college basketball game. Well come to find out, this was this case in many markets across the country. The result was a nose dive in ratings for Veronica Mars. With the upcoming merger of The WB and UPN, this is a crucial time for Ronnie and her friends. They need to prove that they belong on the new CW network. This is where you come in. You must, must, must watch Veronica Mars tonight....live. If you normally TiVo VM and watch Lost, flip it and reverse it. The Losties and the Tailies don't need your eyes, they are just fine without you for tonight. Tonight sounds like it's going to be another stellar ep, here's what's happening: Wallace (Percy Daggs III) turns to pal Veronica (Kristen Bell) for assistance when a star player from his former Chicago high school basketball team -- and the guy's shady uncle -- falsely accuse Wallace of driving the car in a hit-and-run accident. In the meantime, Veronica and Keith (Enrico Colantoni) stumble upon evidence that links Jackie's (Tessa Thompson) dad Terrance (returning guest star Jeffrey Sams), a baseball legend, with the teacher that died in the bus crash. Later, looking for proof that would tie his gang with the Fighting Fitzpatricks mob, Weevil (Francis Capra) asks Veronica to bug Father Fitzpatrick's (guest star Rod Rowland) confessional at the local church. She's a busy girl, our Veronica. Source: Zap2It

Britney to Guest on Will & Grace

My friends over at AllThisNonsense.com are reporting that Britney Spears is going to be a guest star on an upcoming episode of Will & Grace. She's going to play some kind conservative Christian cook on Jack's, Out TV. Will & Grace is ending its run in a mere matter of months. With a precious few epsiodes left, I have to wonder why they chose to devote some of that time to Britney Spears?! Don't they know that she is ovah?! But then again, it's indicative of the direction Will & Grace has been heading the past two years. Ouch! Sorry, but the mighty has fallen.

Josh Jackson Coming Back to TV in New Legal Drama

My day just got a little bit brighter. According to TV Guide, my #1 TV boyfriend*, Josh Jackson, is coming back to TV. Oh happy day!!! Jackson, best known for playing Pacey Witter on Dawson's Creek, is set to star in CSI exec producer Carol Mendelsohn's CBS pilot about brilliant legal associates at a powerful D.C. law firm. Pacey as a lawyer? In a suit? Give me a moment to enjoy that visual. Update: To those of you who have sent me emails, please let me clarify. Josh Jackson is my #1 TV boyfriend, and has been for quite some time. Pacey & I have a history. That does not in anyway diminish my love for John Krasinski. But I appreciate your emails all the same. Ha Ha!