Finally! A promo with scenes from season two.

: Season 2 :
USA: Fox, 9/21/2010, 8pm
Philippines: ETC, 9/22/2010, 4pm & 10pm – JackTV, 9/22/2010, 4pm & 9pm

All through the hiatus, site upon site almost always have updates on the breakout show of last year, Glee. Personally, I’m a bit exhausted with the overexposure. There’s a huge possibility that it will turn into backlash for the sophomore season; but let’s hope not. It’s still, at the very least, a unique show with a talented cast; and its advocacy for arts education is worth our support.

What’s new this season —
– New characters:
Sunshine played by Charice (Sunshine, seriously?) – A foreign exchange student whose singing chops prove to be both an asset (to the club) and a threat (to Rachel)
Sam Evans played by Chord Overstreet – A new student that instantly becomes friends with Finn until he becomes the new quarterback of the football team
Carl the Dentist played by John Stamos – The guy Emma is dating
– Relationships:
Rachel and Finn are now officially together; and it will be that way for the rest of the season.
Artie and Tina are not dating anymore. Tina and Mike Chang is the new couple for season two.
– What’s gonna happen:
Everyone will be made to audition for glee club again and some won’t make it back in.
Quinn rejoins the Cheerios.
Season two, episode two is the Britney episode, with Brittany as the center of the storyline. (Britney Spears cameo alert!)
Rumor has it that another Madonna episode is in the works, and a Rocky Horror Picture Show episode is also being made.

Excited yet? Well, the promos don’t have much to offer (yet), and it’s shared with some new shows… so you just have to hope for more promos in the next few days.

| source |

There have been rumors last month. Those rumors were shot down by Charice herself; but now, it’s official: She joins Glee for the second season as a recurring character. She is reportedly playing a foreign exchange student whose singing chops will have Rachel Berry significantly threatened.

I’m not sure if I should celebrate or dread this development. While it’s great that Pinoy Charice is making it big in Hollywood, I’m seriously worried for the show. With popular guest stars all lined up (Susan Boyle, Leona Lewis, Justin Timberlake rumors) and new cast members added into the mix, the show’s original characters will definitely suffer in terms of development and attention. The second half of the first season already showed signs of exhaustion. The show is in danger of a sophomore slump. I hope the writers will avoid that at all costs. With that said, I wish Charice all the luck that her story arc will be good and that she will shine in her role. We’ll just have to wait and see…

For now, I’m still looking forward to the stories and songs they will come out with. I just hope Glee doesn’t lose track of the heart they originally had that made people love it in the first place.

| source 1 | source 2 |

I’m pleasantly surprised by the winners this year. After the first couple of seasons that Dexter‘s been on air, I’m so glad that Michael C. Hall finally gets the recognition he deserves for playing America’s favorite serial killer Dexter Morgan. The fourth season has been such a rush to watch and other than Hall’s amazing performance, it’s also in part thanks to John Lithgow, Best Supporting Actor Winner for his creepy and amazing portrayal of The Trinity Killer.

It was also a surprise to see 30 Rock and Modern Family lose in favor of freshman favorite Glee. I guess it’s all in the spirit of the Hollywood Foreign Press honoring breakout shows and stars. Still, I’m happy for the musical dramedy series. I love it; and apparently, so does the HFPA. If I was disappointed of anything, though, I wanted Jane Lynch to win for her supporting role as Sue Sylvester. She was up against Chloë Sevigny, though, so she had some tough competition in her category.

As for the other winners, I’m not that surprised with Mad Men and Alec Baldwin winning yet another Golden Globe. Also, I’ve watched United States of Tara and from the pilot, I had already declared that Toni Collette will have to win an award for what she’s doing in that show. Anyway, here’s the complete list of winners:

TELEVISION
Television Series, Drama
Mad Men
Television Series, Comedy or Musical
Glee
Actress in a Television Series, Drama
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Actor in a Television Series, Drama
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Actress in a Television Series, Comedy or Musical
Toni Collette, United States of Tara
Actor in a Television Series, Comedy or Musical
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Chloë Sevigny, Big Love
Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
John Lithgow, Dexter
Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Grey Gardens
Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Drew Barrymore, Grey Gardens
Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Kevin Bacon, Taking Chance

As for the movie winners, I can’t really judge that much; but from what I’ve read, upsets abound. Avatar and director James Cameron, as well as The Hangover were surprise winners in their respective categories. I’m happy to see these movies win, though. Also, I’m happy that The Blind Side is allowing Sandra Bullock to finally be noticed in the awards circuit. She’s been an underrated actress for quite a while now; and I can’t wait to watch her in one of the biggest surprises in movies for 2009. |complete list of winners|

Tonight Show Shake Up

The Jay Leno Show is canceled; but they want to keep Jay, Conan and Jimmy. Talk about NBC wanting it all.
NBC reportedly planned to have Jay on at the 11:35pm slot, The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien at 12:05am and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon afterwards. But if that’s going to happen, Conan O’Brien has issued a statement that he won’t do “The Tonight Show” following Jay Leno.
“My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of ‘The Tonight Show.’ But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction.”
I’m Team Coco all the way. His statement has got to be one of the classiest and most eloquent responses to a news this messed up. NBC is just making messes all around. And Jay Leno’s smugness doesn’t help things one bit. I still can’t understand why he didn’t just retire altogether when he said he would leave “The Tonight Show.” And now with the way things are going, it seems like he’s going to go back to his old timeslot as if nothing changed. And Conan O’Brien! I love the man and his comedy way more than Jay Leno (This guy doesn’t even make me laugh.). I just wish things pan out for him in the long run; because he’s simply getting the shortest end of the stick here.

Simon’s Last Year

Simon Cowell is leaving American Idol after this season to concentrate on the American version of his Brit show The X Factor.
Well, that sort of throws the whole future of American Idol into a tailspin. After all, Simon Cowell IS the show. His opinions are the only ones that really really matter. Fox could only hope to find a suitable replacement that achieves even half of what Simon does for the show.
So I guess Ellen Degeneres, Randy Jackson and Kara Dioguardi are sure things for next year. Other than that, we could only enjoy the last few days of Simon Cowell on American Idol and only speculate on what will happen on the show’s tenth season.

January Pick-Ups

And onto some good news, here are shows that got early pick-ups for next season.
The Middle, White Collar, Modern Family, Cougar Town, Glee, Mad Men, Dexter, The Big Bang Theory.

Friends on TV

Right on the heels of Lisa Kudrow’s guest appearance on Courtney Cox-Arquette’s show Cougar Town, we’re hearing more shows from former friends are getting their own go signals. ABC has greenlighted to pilot the Matthew Perry-starring comedy Mr. Sunshine. |source| Meanwhile, Matt LeBlanc is forced to audition for the role of himself in the series/spoof Episodes for Showtime. |source|
I love seeing my favorite Friends stars on television. I deeply miss the show; and seeing them move on to (hopefully) good projects just feels great.

Top TV Obsessions for 2009
(in no particular order)

Friday Night Lights
Now on its fourth season, Friday Night Lights continues to be amazing. Despite moving on from old characters such as Lyla and Tyra, Smash and Street, the show proves that it could reinvent itself by splitting Dillon into two sides — East and West. Viewers now find themselves rooting for a whole new color, a whole new team… the East Dillon Lions.
This particular shift in the story gave us new and interesting characters as well as a lot more drama caused by the rift that the re-districting created. So far, not a single disappointing episode has come out… with Zach Gilford’s performance in “The Son” as a definite highlight.
With half a season left, I couldn’t wait to see what else the show has in store next year.

Chuck
When the show promised a game-changer by the end of season two, they definitely delivered everything they’ve got. The old Intersect is gone in Chuck’s brain; but Intersect 2.0 proves to be much more interesting than the first one… with Chuck doing kung-fu at the drop of a hat.
A long hiatus is not helping things, however. When the season ended in April, it was set to return March 2010. Thankfully, the season premiere has moved up to January 2010; but it is still a long wait from the awesome second season finale. Hopefully, 2009 brings more good things for Chuck, with guestings from Kristin Kreuk to Brandon Routh in the horizon.

Modern Family
This show is just so much fun to watch. I decided to check this out after its glowing review on Entertainment Weekly’s Fall TV Preview (my annual bible for what’s new that’s worth watching); and I wasn’t disappointed. Episode after episode, the family just keeps on giving the laughs. From Phil Dunphy to Manny Delgado, everyone has something funny to offer each and every episode. It’s definitely one of the best shows to come out this year.

Dexter
Though the Jimmy Prado storyline didn’t provide as much sparks for the show last year, Dexter bounced back quickly with the Trinity Killer in tow during the recently concluded season. John Lithgow’s amazing performance brought on the suspense we always expect from the show; and Michael C. Hall continues to pull his own weight as the Dexter who wants to have it all.
We have yet another long wait to see what happens next; but the finale offered up yet another game-changer that will surely make the next season interesting.

The Big Bang Theory
This show is honestly kicking How I Met Your Mother’s butt recently. I still love HIMYM; but TBBT is much higher on my comedy favorites now. I find myself constantly laughing at joke after joke.
Sheldon, as usual, is the revelation that keeps this show entertaining. Still, credit has to be given to the other characters because they pull their own weight when it comes to comedy… with Howard’s Jewish mom and Leonard’s mom (I loved the Christine Baranski episodes), even Penny and Raj provide enough laughs that are sustained throughout each and every episode.

True Blood
The show definitely officially became a hit this year, with ratings catching up to records set by The Sopranos by the end of the second season. Despite a disappointing finale, True Blood’s sophomore effort is still one that I got completely obsessed with. Sookie’s trip to Dallas, Eric’s obsession with Sookie, Jason’s new friends in the Fellowship of the Sun, and Lafayette’s personal journey since being held captive in Fangtasia kept things interesting. Forget about the Maenad and Tyra… those were forgivable given the other, more fun stuff the show offered.

(more…)

10 Outstanding Motion Pictures and TV Programs of the Year

“The Hurt Locker” has done it again. The drama about soldiers in Iraq who diffuse bombs landed on the American Film Institute’s Top 10 movies of the year the same day that it was named the top film of 2009 by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.

Among the other dramas that made the cut were “The Messenger,” “Precious,” “A Serious Man,” “A Single Man” and “Sugar.” There was still love for comedies like “Up in the Air” and “The Hangover,” as well as family films like “Up” and “Coraline.”

The AFI awards gives nods to the “most outstanding achievements in film and television” and honors the creative ensembles in front of and behind the cameras. A luncheon to present the honors will take place on Jan. 15 in Los Angeles.

It was a good year for new television, according to the American Film Institute. The AFI’s TV Top 10 of 2009, announced on Sunday (Dec. 13) afternoon, features five programs that premiered this year, including the surprising inclusion of the Starz comedy “Party Down.”

Also making the AFI TV Top 10 were “The Big Bang Theory,” “Big Love,” “Friday Night Lights,” “Glee,” “Mad Men,” “Modern Family,” “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency,” “Nurse Jackie,” and “True Blood.”

The only show carried over from last year’s AFI TV Top 10 was “Mad Men,” meaning that “Breaking Bad,” “In Treatment,” “The Office” and “Life” must have done something to disappoint the AFI’s voting panel.

While the AFI honored a pair of TV movies/miniseries last year, with “John Adams” and “Recount,” this year’s list only saw value in series television.

|source|

Yay for the shows in BOLD… 7 out of 10… not bad. And though I’ve only watched the first season of Big Love, I wouldn’t argue that it’s a really good show. I’ve been reading up and everyone’s saying it only gets better and better. Anyway, I’m happy that organizations such as The American Film Institute recognize the greatness that Friday Night Lights brings to the table. I still don’t get why the Emmys don’t just get a freakin’ clue and nominate this show for some major awards.

As for the movies, I already have The Hurt Locker and Precious saved for viewing (can’t wait!).

TV RECAP
Glee 1×12 “Mattress”
Rachel’s struggle not to be ignored spreads to the rest of the Glee club when their yearbook photo is threatened by budget cuts. Elsewhere, Terri faces more problems in her relationship with Will.

I very much enjoyed this episode. I’m really going to miss this show once mid-season officially ends next week and Glee won’t return until April 2010 (ack!!!). First of all, everyone’s in it… from Sue to Emma to Ken Tanaka to Will’s crazy wife. Second of all, a lot of things happened… and I mean, A LOT.

I enjoyed it because:
ONE: Will finally finds out about Terri’s deception (finally! finally! finally!) I honestly got scared of Will when he was confronting Terri. Good performance by Matthew Morrison.
TWO: We see the ruthless side of Quinn Fabray when she beats Sue Sylvester at her own game through blackmail. The glee club is further solidified as a group and Quinn becomes one of its strongest defenders. It’s Quinn versus Sue all the way!
THREE: Singing and jumping on mattresses! Yipee!!!

Overall, this is a good set up for the upcoming episode entitled “Sectionals”, which, obviously, would feature the much awaited competition where they’ll go against a group of girls and a group of deaf kids. They’re off to a rough start with the commercial they shot for a mattress store therefore threatening their “amateur” status. Plus, don’t forget Sue feeding their song list to the rival schools. I’m just hoping Mr. Shuester didn’t give her the real set list.

Whatever the case may be, and whatever happens, I’m pretty sure “Sectionals” is going to be an interesting and enjoyable episode.

I don’t think I’m ready for Glee going off the air for four months!

Here are some notable highlights from the recent Ask Ausiello column:

Question: Is it true that Daniel Eric Gold who plays Matt on Ugly Betty will only be appearing in four more episodes after the Bahamas episodes and then he’s gone? —Hannah
Ausiello: I can confirm that Matt will be making a departure in early 2010. Beyond that, my lips are sealed.
MARS SAYS: Matt won’t be that huge a loss. He’s been mostly a jerk to Betty in the early part of the season. I would like to see Amanda and Matt get together, though. Amanda deserves a love story arc.

Question: You’ve been really slacking on the Gossip Girl scoop, any exciting news? – JLa
Ausiello: Also in next Monday’s episode, someone finds out they’re pregnant. That’s considered “exciting news,” right?
MARS SAYS: Maybe Lily?

Question: I need Gossip Girl info. —Jude
Ausiello: Hey, Jude, here’s what I got: You know the letter from Serena’s dad that Lily has been hiding? It’s going to fall into the wrong hands. (Hint: Said wrong hands belong to *a****n.)
MARS SAYS: Not really interested in what happens next… really.

Question: Thanks for all of the great news about Chuck and Lost. All of this plus you appreciate Santa Barbara, Smurfs, and constantly give incredible scoop. Thanks so much for being you. Any chance you have White Collar scoop? —Jennifer
Ausiello: After all that ass-kissing you just did? You bet I do. In the upcoming Dec. 4 midseason finale, our partners in crime-solving are called onto the case of a missing diamond, only to find Neal at the top of the list of suspects. The winsome swindler tries to clear his name and, in a shocking reveal, finds out he’s not the only one that’s been good at lying. Now tell me what else you like about me.
MARS SAYS: I’m liking White Collar. It’s got some light comedy, a little mystery and a lot of Matt Bomer (Bryce Larkin from Chuck). It’s not really a can’t-miss-a-single-episode type of show; but I like it and the characters enough to tune in week after week.

Question: I need Glee scoops! I’m hungry for some info on upcoming couples! —Connor
Ausiello: Brace yourself, ’cause Mark Salling (a.k.a. Puck) says he’s heard “talk” of some surprising romantic pairings. “I have read posts and stories about all kinds of pairings fans are hoping will happen on the show,” he says. “For instance, people have been asking for a Mercedes-Puck hookup. I hear people want Puck and Artie because they want to Partie. And Finn and Puck. I think that one is pretty popular in certain neighborhoods. I can’t say never, but Puck is such a dude that I am not sure how that one would ever come to pass. Maybe a dream sequence of Kurt’s?” Of those options, I think I’m kind of loving the idea of a Partie. Anyone want to join me?
MARS SAYS: I’m on the fence between Quinn/Puck and Rachel/Puck. We didn’t get much of the latter when it was explored. Tina/Artie is okay; but it ended before it even started. Other than that, Mr. Schu should just get rid of his wife and get it on with Emma.

Question: Now that it’s returning in January, Chuck me, spoiler God! —Scott
Ausiello: Chuck co-creator Chris Fedak confirms that Anna Wu will be MIA during season 3’s first 13 episodes, but there’s a chance she could pop up in the last six. “We’re still [writing the last] six episodes, so I don’t have anything first on that,” he says. “But I would love for Anna to come back.” Fedak adds that Julia’s absence at Buy More will be referenced early in the season.

Question: There’s a $5 tuna foot-long with you and Mister Scooch’s names on it if you can give me any Chuck updates. —Jen
Ausiello: Can you make my half a veggie? If so, you’ve got a deal. Chris Fedak says the six additional episodes that NBC recently tacked on to Chuck’s season 3 total created an interesting storytelling challenge. “[We were faced with] the problem of either expanding the story we’re telling or taking the story and telling it more slowly. And what we essentially decided to do was tell more story. So we’re looking at the six episodes that have been added on as Chuck season 3.2.”
MARS SAYS: I’m just so excited to watch an all-new Chuck. Based on the previews, there will be a 2-hour premiere on January 10; and another episode on January 11. That’s 3 episodes in 2 days! I just hope the show is promoted enough so people will tune in. This is a great show and season 3 is looking more awesome than ever.

Question: Darling, you’re viciously ignoring a fabulous show — Dexter! Care to redeem your fabulous self and dish? —Tina
Ausiello: Are you channeling Miss Piggy or Alexis Carrington? Either way, I like it! Re: Dexter, I hear there’s a big breakup coming.
MARS SAYS: People are saying Rita/Dexter or Batista/LaGuerta. Honestly can’t say.

Question: Count me among those fans not happy about the Barney-Robin split on How I Met Your Mother. Is Barney just going to return to his old womanizing ways? —Gerald
Ausiello: Exec producer Carter Bays insists Barney is a changed man as a result of his short-lived romance with Robin — just don’t expect to notice any of those changes right away. “Barney’s a lot like the economy,” he says. “You can pass a stimulus package, but it will take a while to take effect. But he’s definitely affected by it. It’s definitely changed him.” Any hints as to what those changes will look like? “I probably shouldn’t say,” he hedges. “But in the second half of the season, there will be some events coming up that sort of bring that to light.”
MARS SAYS: I wasn’t that happy with the short-lived relationship Barney and Robin had. So far, it looks like Barney is back to his old ways; but I’ll wait and see where they’re taking this before making any kind of judgment.

From TV by the Numbers:

After its fall finale Wednesday, Dec. 9 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), GLEE returns from its interlude with a score of all-new episodes on a new night beginning Tuesday, April 13 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT).

So bottom line, Glee won’t be returning for over four months after December 9. That kind of sucks.