SURVIVOR: Heroes vs. Villains Cast

SURVIVOR: HEROES VS. VILLAINS, which premieres tonight at 8/7c on CBS, will reunite some of the most memorable, heroic and controversial castaways from previous SURVIVOR seasons. The series’ best strategists will face off in their attempt to overcome — or embrace — the label placed upon them when they return to seek revenge or redemption, all in an effort to win the title of Sole Survivor.

I’ve never been much of a SURVIVOR gal. It has much more to do with the time slot than my perception of the show. But I’ll be honest, I really want to watch this season. I’m just not sure how that’s going to be possible. I could save it for viewing on the weekend but I know I’m going to be really bummed out to get into a reality show only to be inevitably (and justifiably) spoiled every week. What to do…what to do.

I’ll try my best to watch, and although we might not be able to cover SURVIVOR on the site, perhaps we can make it a weekly podcast discussion.

Are you excited for the new season to start tonight? Check out the cast. Who will YOU be rooting for? (I’m a Boston Rob girl all the way.)

The Heroes..

• RUPERT BONEHAM: Previous Finishes: Pearl Islands, 8th Out
• JAMES CLEMENT: Previous Finishes: China, 10th Out
• COLBY DONALDSON: Previous Finishes: Australia, Runner-Up
• CIRIE FIELDS: Previous Finishes: Panama, 12th Out
• AMANDA KIMMEL: Previous Finishes: China, 2nd Runner Up
• JESSICA “Sugar” KIPER: Previous Finishes: Gabon, 2nd Runner-Up
• STEPHENIE LAGROSSA: Previous Finishes: Palau, 10th Out
• JAMES “JT” THOMAS JR.: Previous Finishes: Tocantins, Winner
• TOM WESTMAN: Previous Finishes: Palau, Winner
• CANDICE WOODCOCK: Previous Finishes: Cook Islands, 13th Out

The Villains…

• TYSON APOSTOL: Previous Finishes: Tocantins, 8th Out
• RANDY BAILEY: Previous Finishes: Gabon, 11th Out
• DANIELLE DILORENZO: Previous Finishes: Panama, Runner-Up
• RUSSELL HANTZ: Previous Finishes: Samoa, Runner-Up
• JERRI MANTHEY: Previous Finishes: Australia, 8th Out
• ROBERT MARIANO: Previous Finishes: Marquesas, 7th Out; All-Stars: Runner-Up
• PARVATI SHALLOW: Previous Finishes: Cook Islands, 15th Out
• SANDRA DIAZ-TWINE: Previous Finish: Pearl Islands, Winner
• BENJAMIN “Coach” WADE: Previous Finishes: Tocantins, 11th Out
• COURTNEY YATES: Previous Finishes: China, Runner-Up

GOSSIP GIRL Returns Soon…But Not Soon Enough

My guiltiest of TV pleasure, GOSSIP GIRL, has been on hiatus for quite some time now. The show will return with new episodes on March 8th. But here’s a little sneak peek for those of you who can’t wait for the XOXO.

Looks steamy. Now if they could only get rid of Little J I’d be just fine. Ok, maybe not get rid of her, but give her some redeeming qualities. Geesh, she makes Serena look grounded.

Jimmy Fallon Gets Down with Superman & Spiderman

A Superman/Spiderman dance off? Of course Jimmy Fallon needs to get in on that. And he does, in a big way. A little dancing to start off your morning. Funny stuff.

Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Good morning on this fine 02/10/2010. Is it just me or is this week flying by?  Slow. It. Down.

It’s a bit of a strange day here in the Boston area. We’re expecting snow so everything has been preemptively canceled. It’s New England so we could get a dusting, 13 inches, or it could be 65 and sunny. You never can tell. If you’re being affected by the storms, just do your best to stay warm and stay safe.

Check out some of the highlights of tonight’s TV schedule below and leave a comment to let me know what YOU are watching. It’s girl crush Wednesday, or so it seems. Kristen Bell is on with Craig Ferguson; Emily Blunt will be talking with (her neighbor) Jimmy Kimmel; and Jennifer Garner will be chatting it up with Regis & Kelly. Can’t wait to see them!

Oh and in other exciting news (exciting for me, but I’m sure you really could care less), yesterday I got tickets to see Chelsea Handler when she comes to Boston in April. I’m so excited to see her live!

The New Adventures of Old Christine | 8pm on CBS
“A Family Unfair”
As Richard and New Christine plan for their new baby, Christine becomes jealous and decides she wants her own baby.

Mercy | 8pm on NBC
“I Have a Date”
Veronica gets ready for her first official date with Sands; the fast-paced world of the ER puts Chloe to the test; as Sonia bonds with her elderly patient’s rich son, she questions the modest lifestyle into which she has settled with Valentino.

Human Target | 8pm on FOX
“Run”
Chance must protect a district attorney who is marked for murder because of her investigation of an organized-crime family. [GMMR: I want to hear from HUMAN TARGET fans. Are you all digging the show? I thought the pilot & first ep were good, but Wednesday are just too busy as it is. But I’d love to hear what YOU think about it.]

Gary Unmarried | 8:30pm on CBS
“Gary Lowers the Bar”
Gary tries to one-up Sasha on Valentine’s Day with the perfect present. Meanwhile, Allison makes an effort to spend quality time with Tom and Louise.

The Middle | 8:30pm on ABC
“Valentine’s Day”
With the kids out of the house for the night, Frankie and Mike make grand plans for a romantic evening at home alone for Valentine’s Day.

Modern Family | 9pm on ABC
“My Funky Valentine”
Claire and Phil plan a Valentine’s Day excursion; Jay takes Gloria to a comedy show; Cameron and Mitchell try to play cupid for Manny.[GMMR: Manny taking love advice from his gay uncles. Bring it!]

American Idol | 9pm on Fox
“Hollywood Weeks Round 2”
After surviving the first day of the daunting Hollywood Week, the golden-ticket winners perform again in the second heat of the Hollywood round. [GMMR: After what I saw last night, I think we have reason to get exited for this season of IDOL.]

Criminal Minds | 9pm on CBS
“Public Enemy”
The teams tracks the movement of a  serial killer who targets random victims in highly visible places to create public fear. [GMMR: Yup, that would do it.]

(More of tonight’s lineup after the jump)

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Didi Benami “Terrified” on AMERICAN IDOL

While Andrew Garcia’s “Straight Up” was the standout moment among the guys tonight on AMERICAN IDOL, it was Didi Benami who left a lasting impression on behalf of the ladies. Her rendition of Katherine McPhee/Kara DioGuardi’s “Terrified” was radio-ready. Her voice is unique, very powerful but also very controlled. She’s everything that the judges hoped Megan Joy would have been, but Didi has more natural talent to back it up.

In case you missed it, here’s Didi Benami’s take on “Terrified”. Amazing!

Andrew Garcia “Straight Up” on AMERICAN IDOL

With all the nonsense thrown at us during the AMERICAN IDOL audition episodes, it’s surprising that anyone could be memorable and stand out. But Andrew Garcia did just that.  Despite his overwrought and overproduced back story, Andrew gave one hell of an audition when he took on Maroon 5’s “Sunday Morning”. His interpretation and vocal abilities made him an instant favorite of mine.  Tonight we saw Andrew for the second time, and I’m thrilled to report that he outdid himself.

Check out Andrew Garcia’s take on “Straight Up” by Paula Abdul. Tell me this guy isn’t going to bring something refreshing to this season! (If only this version were on iTunes.)

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24: The Movie Gets a Scribe

Fox has announced that screenwriter Billy Ray, (“Volcano,” “Shattered Glass”) has been hired as the scribe for the upcoming theatrical release of 24.

According to Variety, Ray sent a script to Kiefer Sutherland who got Ray a meeting with Fox executives. Insiders say that in Ray’s script, Jack Bauer takes his kick ass ways to Europe.

Whether or not Jack Bauer and friends will hit the big screen might depend on the ratings of this season.   If the show doesn’t return, the cast would be free to work on the movie. But doing the show and the movie at the same time wouldn’t be feasible.

There’s been talk of a “24” movie almost as long as the show as been on the air. I’ve always had a picture of how a movie would look and be set up. I don’t see the real-time force of the show being brought over, but I can see Jack in a series of adventures where he is just kicking butt all over the world, a la Jason Bourne or a more violent Indiana Jones. Jack is at his best when he’s racing against the clock to get the job done by any means necessary. A movie could be uncensored enough to get that done, many times over.

Billy Ray is an interesting screenwriter who can be completely hacky or really smart and write complex plots. We’ll see which Billy Ray shows up.

24 – Day 8: 10:00pm – 12:00pm

Welcome to the new season of “24.” OK, I know that’s not exactly the truth, but doesn’t it seem like it? Since the near-assassination of Hassan, not much action has happened, which was OK, but not ideal. This episode, however, things ramped up and we moved into the second stage of this season.

Debrief

• Jack, aka Ernst, went to the warehouse to meet with Renee and Vlad. After meeting him, Vlad starts making calls about the nuclear rods. One of them is to Sergei, who poorly denies knowing anything about them. After all of his contacts deny knowing anything, Renee pushes Vlad harder. Things get violent and, reaching back six years of aggression since she was raped by him, Renee stabs Vlad. Jack walks in and she accidentally stabs him too. He takes the rest Vlad’s men out.

• Once Sergei gets the call from Vlad, he halts the transport of the nuclear rods and sends his men to Vlad’s warehouse. Jack decides that, since he is POSITIVE that CTU will be tracking him from the air, he will get captured and be taken to where the nuclear rods are. This seems like a great plan until…

• No one knows where Jack is nor are they tracking him at all. He is lost. Awesome.

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Past Life | 9pm on Fox

Series Premiere: Dr. McGinn and her partner, former NYPD detective Price Whatley, try to help a teenager suffering from regression episodes in which he remembers being kidnapped and killed in a past life. [GMMR: Check out PAST LIFE on Fox – First Look. Does this look like a shot you might be checking out?]

Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Tuesday, February 9, 2010

It wasn’t that long ago that Tuesday was almost a throw away night for me. Maybe I’d be watching one or two shows bu that’s about it. Suddenly it’s filled to the bring with good TV.

Obviously I’m excited for the latest episode of LOST (if you were looking for my thoughts on last week’s premiere, I hope you checked out our “Two Idiots Talk Lost” podcast.

I’m really excited about AMERICAN IDOL too.  Tonight the contestants finally make it to Hollywood, and Ellen joins the judges for the first time. Finally we get to see what she’s all about.

Following IDOL is the series premiere of PAST LIFE on Fox. Sorry kids but this one didn’t grab me enough to get a spot on my already crowded Tuesday night schedule. But check it out if it looks interesting to you. You never know, you might like it.

What YOU are most excited to watch tonight.

American Idol | 8pm on Fox
“Welcome to Hollywood”
The Hollywood round begins with nation-spanning golden-ticket winners arriving in California. They struggle through punishing rehearsals and nerve-jangling auditions in the hopes of winning a slot in the Top 24. Ellen DeGeneres joins the judges’ table.

The Biggest Loser | 8pm on NBC
“Olympic Training”
The contestants head to Colorado to train at an Olympic training facility, where they learn the game is going from teams to singles; Olympic skiers help train the contestants; a biathlon challenge; two more players are sent home.

NCIS | 8pm on CBS
“Jack Knife”
Fornell, Gibbs and the team try to bust an illegal trucking operation after a driver, who is also a Marine, is found dead.

Lost | 9pm on ABC
“What Kate Does”
Kate’s on the run while Jack must do something that could jeopardize the life of a friend. Aldo: Rob McElhenney. [GMMR: The second hour of last week’s season premiere will be airing at 8pm tonight if you want to play a little catch up.]
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PAST LIFE on FOX – First Look

PAST LIFE premiers tonight at 9pm on FOX. Trying to decide whether or not the show gets a precious spot on your Tuesday night schedule? Here’s what you need to know…

About PAST LIFE:

From Fox: Have you ever experienced déjà vu or met someone you thought seemed familiar? Do you believe in karma, fate or love at first sight? From writer David Hudgins (“Friday Night Lights”), and inspired by the book “The Reincarnationist” by M.J. Rose, comes PAST LIFE, a new drama series about an unlikely pair of past-life detectives who investigate whether what is happening to you today is the result of who you were before.

DR. KATE MCGINN (Kelli Giddish, “All My Children”) is not your typical psychologist. Confident, outspoken and highly educated, she works at The Talmadge Center for Behavioral Health in New York City, a world-renowned institute dedicated to the study of the science of the soul. After experiencing a past-life regression in her 20s, Kate became a believer in reincarnation. Using regression therapy and her natural gift for reading people, Kate helps solve the mysteries of her troubled clients who suffer from present-day problems caused by past-life traumas. She believes there are levels of consciousness and explanations for human behavior that science can’t begin to explain. Accustomed to skeptics, but not bothered by them, Kate is an unapologetic believer and a force of nature who marches to the beat of her own drummer.

Her partner, PRICE WHATLEY (Nicholas Bishop, “Home and Away”), is a different story. A former NYPD homicide detective, pragmatic and cynical, Price is a damaged soul who constantly battles grief and guilt over the accidental death of his wife. Price feels that Kate, though not certifiable, certainly operates on the fringes of science. It’s a volatile relationship, but with Price’s solid detective skills, and Kate’s penchant for out-of-the-box thinking, together they make a formidable, if somewhat dysfunctional, team.

A fast-paced emotional thrill ride, each episode finds Price and Kate working with their colleagues to unravel a new mystery involving the past-lives of their clients. DR. MALACHI TALMADGE (Richard Schiff, “The West Wing”) is Kate’s mentor and the center’s namesake, an avuncular but gruff elder statesman who is a legend in the field of cognitive research. DR. RISHI KARNA (Ravi Patel, “Scrubs”) is the rookie of the group, a baby-faced therapist from Calcutta who loves bad American TV, Cuban jazz and driving everyone crazy.

CHUCK vs. the Mask

I’m so spoiled. After being on the verge of cancellation, CHUCK fights its way back on to the network. Of course I was ecstatic. Then I was told my show wasn’t coming back until March and I was ready to storm the castle. NBC brings back CHUCK early and orders additional episodes, and once again I’m over the moon. But tonight, when the promo lady told me I have to wait three more weeks before another new episode. Why I oughta….

See? Spoiled.

Tonight’s episode didn’t end with a big reveal or a crazy cliffhanger, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a solid episode packed with important plot movement and strong character development. I dare say that this episode will be the launching pad for the rest of the season. New twosomes were formed, and Chuck is about to take another step closer, or should I say deeper, into spydom. Is this when I should mention that I don’t do well with change?

To say “Chuck vs. the Mask” punched an emotional wallop would be an understatement. I’ve seen every minute of CHUCK since the very first episode, and despite the show having some seriously devastating moments, I think tonight was the first time I ever full on cried. Tears streaming down my face. There was something so beautiful and heartbreaking in how Chuck and Sarah let each other go.

Chuck: If I had to see you with someone else, it might as well be a hero, right.
Sarah: What can I say, I have a type.

Gulp. Is it dusty in here again?

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HOUSE: 5 to 9

Fans of LOST have waited years for resolutions to that show’s mysteries. In the opening minutes of “5 to 9,” House viewers were given firm answers to two burning questions. First, Dr. Lisa Cuddy’s day-to-day responsibilities are daunting, and do extend far beyond the occasional drop-in by the head of her Diagnostics department. Second, Cuddy does appear to make her wardrobe choices independently, with an emphasis on form-fitting chic.

All kidding aside, the biggest question entering this episode was whether Lisa Edelstein could shoulder the responsibility of carrying an hour of compelling television, righting the Princeton Plainsboro ship after weeks of inconsistent voyages. Not content with simply bridging the gap between House-centric episodes, Ms. Edelstein delivered an Emmy-worthy performance filled with smarts, sass, and vulnerability.

As a consequence of logistics, the challenges of being a working mother are rarely told effectively on network television. Babies, in particular, are rarely seen due to scheduling restrictions (and the unpredictable moods) of infant actors. Cuddy’s baby Rachel has been a footnote in story arcs since being adopted, and will likely follow the path of Ross & Rachel’s child in TV lore. Despite these challenges, I was moved by Lisa Edelstein’s ability to show a mother’s love despite a myriad of legitimate distractions. By telling this story in a single day, viewers witnessed the true impact of Rachel’s presence in Cuddy’s heart. By resisting the impulse to make this another round of the House/Cuddy/Lucas entanglement, the story ended authentically, with Cuddy’s eyes fixed on the most important person in her life.

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Ricky Gervais Made My Friend Famous

This has got to be one of the coolest stories I’ve come across in a long time and I just had to share.

Last weekend I was on Twitter when my friend Jen started tweeting about Ricky Gervais mentioning an old website of hers during his stand up special on HBO.  I knew immediately what she was talking about (a) because I love the Rickey Gervais special so much that I actually have the DVD and (b) because this particular bit had for awhile become part of the vernacular with friends of mine at work.  What I didn’t know that she was the “Jen” that he referenced in his act. Come to find out, she didn’t know about it either.

Here’s the story directly from Jen Godwin, an entertainment reporter for E!

So…back in the day (1995 to be exact), my best friend and I compiled a bunch of “useless facts” that we’d been posting on a white board in our college dorm hallway and put them on a newfangled thingy called the World Wide Web.

We submitted the site to Yahoo! and they added it to their directory with “cool” sunglasses and “Deb & Jen’s Land O’ Useless Facts” was eventually named a Cool Site of the Year in 1996. We got submissions of more useless facts from around the world and built the site out and it was all very exciting.

Eventually time passed, we moved the site to its own domain after they kicked us out of college, we moved on with our lives, and we mostly abandoned the site, leaving it to become one of those bits of quaint Internet detritus from ye olden times (like animated “under construction” gifs).

Fastforward to last weekend, when I stumble out of bed on my way in my usual groggy way and the husband goes, “Um, there’s something you need to see…” I assumed from his serious tone that the roof had caved in or that crickets that live under our floor finally ate something important. But no, it wasn’t a crisis, it was a Ricky Gervais HBO standup special (“Ricky Gervais Out of England”) from 2008, and as it turns out, his closing comedy bit is partially inspired by our old website, which he names onscreen as “Deb & Jen’s World of Knowledge.” I think I double-taked three or four times before I believed it. Anyway, this is mostly awesome because Ricky Gervais is awesome, but he cites two facts direct from the site (re: polar bears and elephants) and that’s pretty cool, so we pirated the clip and posted it on Vimeo for your edification and amusement.

Deb & Jen’s World of Knowledge – Deb & Jen’s Land O’ Useless Facts – Ricky Gervais: Out of England from Jennifer Godwin on Vimeo.

I know I geek out over a lot of stuff, but I that ranks very high on my cool scale.

Andrea Leon Tally Joins AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL

Are any of you still in the running to be America’s Next Top Model? Well are you at least a fan?  Ms. Tyra has a new friends joining her next season.

Today The CW announced that the next installment of AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL will features one of the most influential members of the fashion world, André Leon Talley, as a new judge

Talley will join Tyra Banks, photographer Nigel Barker and a weekly guest judge on the judges’ panel. Currently serving as the editor-at-large of Vogue, Talley is prominent in the world of designer fashion and has a front-row seat to runway shows all over the world.

Miss J. Alexander, long-time judge, breaks free from the judges’ desk to take on a mentoring role during challenges with the models. “After cycles of watching the girls not get it right, I thought they would benefit more from my ‘high heels’ and hands-on approach than my sitting in a chair judging their photos,” said Alexander. “And with Andre Leon Talley, this should be the best cycle yet.”

Cycle 14 welcomes a panel of rotating guest judges that include: Sally Hershberger (Salon Owner/Proprietor), Rachel Roy (Runway Fashion Designer), Sean Patterson (President of Wilhelmina Models), Dania Ramirez (CoverGirl Representative), Patricia Cleveland (First African American Supermodel), Ann Shoket (Editor in Chief of Seventeen Magazine), Whitney Port (Star of “The City,” Runway Fashion Designer), Sara Tetro (Owner of 62 Models), Sara McLeod (Actress from “Lord of the Rings”) and “Top Model” photo shoot director Jay Manuel.

Is this exciting news for fans of “Top Model”. Does this news add a little excitement to the reality show?

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