Disappointed in The Sound of Music Live starring Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood and the children

 So disappointed in The Sound of Music Live. Yes Carrie Underwood can sing, and did a great job with the songs. No one was a bad singer, however there was a lot of bad acting. And who made that casting choice for Rolf?? Seriously? He looked far from 17

I wanted to love it. I did. Sound of Music is one of my all time favorite musicals. I've been to a lot of plays in my life, most of which were musicals, this was one of the worst I've seen. And that includes local musical theater not just the Broadway touring companies. Annie, which we saw last year in NH had better acting.

Audra McDonald as Mother Abbess

One exception was Audra McDonald who played Mother Abbess. She stood out as the "Actor" in the bunch. Yes, I know Stephen Moyer (Captain Von Trapp) is in True Blood and I'm sure he's a good actor - in other shows, not this one. Absolutely horrible. I didn't believe a word he said nor an emotion he tried to portray. I didn't hate the actor who portrayed Max, and come to find out he's a Tony Award winner. Hmm.

The children were pretty good, and honestly probably out shined the adults.

Carrie Underwood &
Stephen Moyer

I think the problem here was this wasn't playing to a packed theater, this was playing for the camera. Even having said that I have DVD's of filmed stage productions, Into the Woods for example, and they are wonderful. No acting issues in them.

Bad casting. Especially of Maria. I love Carrie Underwood but she is not an actress. This story needs an actress who can portray a depth of feeling. Carrie Underwood didn't do that.

Now having said all that: Kudos to everyone for attempting live television. I didn't notice a lot of technical errors, nor flubbed lines and such.

Karl Urban in new FOX show Almost Human

 Karl Urban (Star Trek, Xena: Warrior Princess) stars in a new series on FOX, Almost Human. Most people today probably know him as Doctor McCoy in the new Star Trek movies. I however remember Karl from Xena: Warrior Princess, playing Cupid and Caesar. (He also played another character in an early first season episode. He was very young.)

His new show is turning out to be very good. I went in without any expectations and it's got me looking forward to the next episode. J. J. Abrams is an Executive producer which probably put very high expectations on the show from a lot of people. I hope it's living up to them because I'd like to see it continue.




The ratings are holding for the most part, although it has gone down a bit. 

According to Deadline Hollywood:

In its second outing on Monday night, Fox’s new Almost Human slipped 17% compared to previous Monday in the demo, clocking a 1.9 rating, and about 6 million viewers, which put it in fourth place among broadcasters on both counts. It held 100% of its audience throughout the hour.  The show also retained 100% of its teen audience, week to week. One week earlier, the futuristic cop drama had logged about 6.3 million viewers and landed in a three-way tie for second place in the demo with a 2.2 rating in fast nationals, tumbling 29% in its move to Monday after a Sunday premiere behind an NFL double-header. Fox projects the new drama episode will climb  to a 3.1 or 3.2 demo rating when Live+7 Day stats come out and estimates the episode will be viewed by more than 14 million via 30-day multi-platform viewing.

Watch episodes online at FOX.

New Showrunner hired for Rizzoli & Isles

New Showrunner hired for Rizzoli & Isles, Jan Nash is replacing Janet Tamaro who left after season 4. Also, Lee Thompson Young's death will be handled in the first episode of season 5.

In the article below it states that Rizzoli & Isles is the #1 show for TNT, and it's second only to The Walking Dead for scripted series in the history of ad-supported cable television. Not bad, ladies. :)

Rizzoli & Isles News, Spoilers & Reviews: New Showrunner hired for Rizzoli & Isles 

Doctor Who Needs YOU. #SAVETHEDAY

From Doctor Who:

It's 2013, hashtags are a big deal. And the Doctor loves a hashtag – as he explains in this video… http://youtu.be/X80Xq-sHwIw 

Show your support by tagging your best and most creative Doctor Who content with #SaveTheDay, and the more you do, the more the TARDIS will build - unlocking sneak peeks from the 50th Anniversary episode www.doctorwhosavetheday.com

The TARDIS engines are whirring and she's coming in to land… but first, she needs your help.

Post your most creative #DoctorWho pics, videos and stories on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #SaveTheDay to help build the TARDIS www.doctorwhosavetheday.com

Doctor Who 50th - Interviews with Moffet, Matt Smith, David Tennent

Source: BBC

The Doctor Who 50^th Anniversary Special materialises on BBC One two weeks on 23 November – that’s only two weeks on Saturday! The BBC has just released a press release containing details of the episode plus interviews with Steven Moffat, Matt Smith, David Tennant, Jenna Coleman and Joanna Page. Here’s the press pack in full:
The Doctors embark on their greatest adventure in this 50th Anniversary Special: in 2013, something terrible is awakening in London’s National Gallery; in 1562, a murderous plot is afoot in Elizabethan
England; and somewhere in space an ancient battle reaches its devastating conclusion. All of reality is at stake as the Doctor’s own dangerous past comes back to haunt him.
The Day of the Doctor is written by Steven Moffat; directed by Nick Hurran; executive produced by Steven Moffat and Faith Penhale and produced by Marcus Wilson. It stars Matt Smith, David Tennant and Jenna Coleman with Billie Piper and John Hurt.

INTERVIEW WITH STEVEN MOFFAT – LEAD WRITER AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Question: What is it like being the writer for the Doctor Who 50th special?
Steven Moffat: Since I was a little boy, the idea of writing a Doctor Who story at all was remarkable enough to me. But writing the 50th special was exciting and terrifying - everything that showbiz should be.
Q. So where did the story for ‘The Day of the Doctor’ come from?
SM: I didn’t want this to just be a celebration of 50 years of the past. I wanted it to be a celebration of the mythology of the legend of the Doctor and all that entailed. This should be the first step on the next journey, guaranteeing the 100th anniversary. The story focuses on the most important thing that ever happened to the Doctor. We very rarely do that in Doctor Who as it’s usually about the people the Doctor meets or the companion that travel with him. This time it’s different.
Q. ‘The Day of the Doctor’ welcomes back the shape-shifting Zygons, a monster we haven’t seen since the 1970s. Why did you decide they were the ones to bring back?
SM: The Zygons without question are a design classic. They are superb; brilliant from the voice, to the appearance. Essentially we’ve resurrected exactly the same Zygon as Tom Baker fought back in the 70s. They are beautiful, and it’ll show that the special looks forward to the future of Doctor Who and also celebrates the legend.
Q. At the end of the last series we were introduced to John Hurt as the Doctor. What does John bring to the role and can you tell us anything about his Doctor?
SM: With John Hurt we have serious acting royalty and that was the intent of John’s character. John is one of the most distinguished film stars of British origin, one of the most distinguished actors this country has produced and has now become part of Doctor Who mythology.

Read more on BBC

The Day of the Doctor (OFFICIAL 50th trailer & NEW Wallpaper ALL DOCTORS)

Our future depends on one single moment, of one impossible day.

The day I have been running from all my life.

The Day of the Doctor.

- The 11th, The Day of the Doctor

Doctor Who Website - http://www.doctorwho.tv
Doctor Who YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/doctorwho
Doctor Who Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoctorWho
Doctor Who Twitter https://twitter.com/bbcdoctorwho

Keep tweeting! Social media is impacting Nielsen ratings, Billboard, Comcast

You knew it would happen. Social media is becoming an influence on television and music ratings. I know that most of my tweeting has to do with television, movies, music and actors, so it makes sense to me.

Here's a couple of articles that were interesting.



Nielsen Now Rates Your Tweets About TV Shows - Brian Feldman - The Atlantic Wire

Nielsen has announced a new ratings system that takes into account tweets about a show as well as the audience exposed to those tweets. As Scandal fans already know, the second-screen experience has become an essential part of viewing some television shows, and Twitter is trying to make the platform appealing to media partners as a possible way of increasing revenue.

The way the system works is that a tweet that appears in a user's feed is known as an impression, so while a relatively small amount of the viewership is actively tweeting about a television show, a much larger audience is seeing the chatter. For example, via the Los Angeles Times, a show like The Voice has an online audience 50 times greater than the number of people actually tweeting. Nielsen "also has identified 35,000 Twitter accounts, created by networks, actors, athletes, professional sports teams and others associated with TV programming."

Online interaction with media is fast becoming a metric of success in various parts of the entertainment industry. At the beginning of the year, Billboard began counting YouTube views in its chart calculations, propelling one-hit wonder Baauer's "Harlem Shake" to the top position. Additionally, Nielsen itself also started counting online television views as well a few months ago.

Though Nielsen's new system is a separate metric from its main TV ratings system, it's still another way for networks and their advertisers to judge the reach of their message. It's possible that in the face of th DVR, social media is making TV appointment viewing again. It's unclear if that trend will carry over to a more asynchronous viewing event like filmgoing, but hopefully not.

Comcast Launches 'See It' Feature to Spur TV Watching, First with Twitter

Andrew Wallenstein
Editor-in-chief: Digital
@awallenstein

Comcast has made Twitter its first partner for “See It,” a new feature that will close the loop between TV programming and the social conversation that takes place around it online.

“See It” will allow TV watchers to record and watch programming directly off digital platforms, first strictly with the conglomerate’s own NBC Universal programming via tweets beginning in November. Here are the official announcements of the deal from Twitter and Comcast, respectively.

While Twitter is the inaugural partner, Comcast intends to make the “See It” button as ubiquitous as a Facebook “like” on any screen where TV content is being discussed. The company expects to build a roster of partnerships that could include other social media giants like Facebook, entertainment-centric partners like IMDB and even rival pay-TV distributors like DirecTV and brands at content companies outside its ownership like Disney and News Corp.

“See It” will allow Twitter users who are also Comcast subs to either watch live TV or access VOD programming on their set-top box or watch it directly online, regardless of their mobile device. In addition, “See It” could be used to set a DVR to record a future programing or set a programming reminder. Comcast-owned movie-ticketing service, Fandango, will also be tapped via Twitter, to enable buying theater tickets.

While only subscribers of Comcast, the largest cable operator in the U.S., who use its Xfinity platform will be able to access the full range of “See It” features, even viewers who don’t subscribe to any multichannel service will be entitled to some content, though exactly what hasn’t been determined.
 

 

Once Upon a Time Season 3 premiere (SPOILERS for Season 3)

Last night Once Upon a Time premiered it's 3rd season. I thought season 2 ended with a bang, even if it had lost me a little in the middle, and I was looking forward to see the adventures in Neverland. I was not disappointed.

It's interesting looking back to the beginning, I thought this entire series was going to be about breaking the curse. Now, I believe taking it in all different directions is a very smart move. I hope season 3 can keep me as captivated as last night's episode did.



Some highlights for me:

• The changing dynamics in the five on Hook's ship and Emma taking charge once ashore. "...just being who we are... a hero, a villain, a pirate. It doesn't matter which because we're going to need all those skills whether we can stomach them or not." The savior is coming into her true role - leader. A leader understands what is required and can see the individual skills in her team members.

• Henry, the lost boys and Peter Pan. I liked it. Different take, but very fascinating and I like Robbie Kay, the actor playing Peter. Definitely makes me want to see more. (Jared Gilmore - Henry - has grown so much between seasons. It's very obvious, and doesn't match the end of last season, but obviously there's nothing you can do about that.)

•  I was NOT a fan at all of Mulan and the other two. Bad acting on all counts in my opinion. (I'm usually very forgiving of some not-so-great acting moments in a show, but when I can SEE the acting it's really bad.) But I like Neal and Robin Hood. Baelfire's journey is one I find very interesting, being the son of the Dark One.

• That leads me to Rumple/Gold. Love him. Always have. The combination of both Rumple and Gold I find fascinating. I'm also interested in his journey as Henry's grandfather. I'm hoping to see Belle at some point. She's in the promo for next week so here's hoping.

A great episode and start to the season. 

Here are some SPOILERS:

• We will see how Henry was adopted in episode 9.

• In episode three, “we get a little more into Regina and what it’s like for her to be on this trip with people she detests,” says Horowitz.

• Tinkerbell and the Darlings will both appear this season. “We haven’t forgotten about them,” says Horowitz.

• Since Ariel is on her way, does that mean we’ll see Ursula as well? “There’s an excellent chance,” says Horowitz.

• Episode 3 will show more of Neal’s journey with Mulan, Robin Hood, etc. and Horowitz teases we’ll see “a wrinkle to their story” appear.

• “[Arial's] going to be different than the mermaids you saw in the premiere,” says Horowitz. “I think the spirit of Ariel you’re going to see — which JoAnna Garcia [Swisher] plays very well — is the spirit of somebody who wants to see the world and experience things outside of what they know,” says Kitsis. “And so we have our own little take on it, but I think the thing that make Ariel such a great character is the spirit within her definitely is within our Ariel.”

(Source: EW)


Episode 3x02 Promo
 



Sneak Peak - a scene from episode 3x02



Season 2 Bloopers
 

Willy Wonka: "We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams."

Original movie poster

I LOVE Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. It was one of my all time favorite movies as a kid. Yes, I am a stickler for the original 1971 movie. The music and the message is timeless. Gene Wilder is the only Willy Wonka in my book. (No offense to Johnny Depp.)








The following are some interesting facts and tid-bits about the movie, along with some videos:

"We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams."

• Wilder won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Wonka.

• It was ranked #74 on Bravo's 100 Scariest Movie Moments for the "scary tunnel" scene.

• Filming took place in Munich in 1970, and the film was released on June 30, 1971. 

• It received positive reviews, but it was a box office disappointment. However, it developed into a cult film due to its repeated television airings and home video sales.

• The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Score.

• Initially considered for the part of Wonka was Broadway star Joel Grey, (Cabaret, Wicked) who ultimately was rejected due to his small physical stature.

• Wilder said that he would do the film only if Wonka first appeared onscreen coming out of the factory hobbling with a cane, only to then lose it and do a somersault.

• When interviewed for the 30th anniversary special edition, Gene Wilder stated that he enjoyed working with most of the child actors, but said that he and the crew had some problems with Paris Themmen (who played Mike Teevee), mentioning that he was "a handful" back in the day.

• The combination to the first door in the chocolate factory is 99-44-100% pure, which was an ad slogan for Ivory Soap. 

•  There's a lot of Shakespeare in this film. "Is it my soul that calls upon my name?" is from Romeo and Juliet. "Where is fancy bred..." and "So shines a good deed..." are from Merchant of Venice. The lines to the song "Sweet lovers love the spring time... " are from Shakespeare's As You Like It.

• Of all the Wonka kids, Julie Dawn Cole is the only one still acting. Peter Ostrum, who played Charlie Bucket, made no other films. He later became a veterinarian. 

• Peter Ostrum went through puberty during the film. His voice is high during the duet of "I've Got a Golden Ticket", and is much deeper later in the film, such as during the Fizzy-Lifting Drinks scene. 

• One of the ten actors who played the Oompa Loompas was female.

"There's no earthly way of knowing, which direction we are going.
There's no knowing where we're rowing, or which way the river's flowing."

• The song Wonka sings on the boat ride are the only song lyrics taken directly from Roald Dahl's book. All other songs were written specifically for the film. 

• Gene Wilder's acting during the boat ride sequence was so convincing that it frightened some of the other actors, including Denise Nickerson (Violet). They thought that Wilder really was going mad from being in the tunnel.  

    Pure Imagination

• The flower-shaped cup that Wonka eats was made of wax. Wilder had to chew the wax pieces until the end of the take, then he would spit them out.  

• The chocolate river was made of real chocolate, water, and cream. It spoiled fairly quickly and left a foul smell.   

 

    So shines a good deed in a weary world...

• Charlie's stunned reaction to Wonka yelling at him is real. Director Mel Stuart said that Peter Ostrum was not told beforehand that Willy would be yelling at Charlie. Stuart felt that doing it that way would allow for a better, more real, reaction from Charlie.

Gates McFadden directs ex STTNG co-star Brent Spiner in The Last Look Back

Gates McFadden will direct ex Star Trek co-star Brent Spiner in The Last Look Back at Ensemble Studio Theater/LA.

May 14, 1998. A pretty young intern embroiled in a presidential sex scandal “meets cute” with a legendary entertainer on the last day of his life – and so begins a lesson she could learn from no one else. The Last Look Back is a surreal pairing of kindred spirits and a hallucinatory comic ride about mortality, redemption, and the end of the twentieth century. (Ensemble Studio Theater/LA) 



Written by Steve Serpas and directed by McFadden, The Last Look Back also stars Sadie Alexandru (Mad Men) and Tracey A. Leigh (Grey’s Anatomy, NCIS) and Ramon de Ocampo (NCIS).

2 Nights Only!
Friday, October 4 at 8pm
Saturday, October 5 at 8pm

Limited Ticket Availability – VIP Tickets include Pre-Show Cocktail Party, Cast Signed Souvenir Program , Post-Show Meet and Greet with Cast, Cast Signed Souvenir Poster, Photo Op w/ “1/8 Bev” & Gates, Gift Bag.

AT:
ENSEMBLE STUDIO THEATRE/LA
3269 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90039

Janet Tamaro announces that she is leaving Rizzoli & Isles

Janet Tamaro, showrunner and producer of Rizzoli & Isles has announced that she will be leaving the show at the end of season four.

Here's the official announcement from Tamaro on Facebook:

As you may have already heard, as of the end of Season 4, I will be leaving as R&I's show runner in order to do new projects, though I'll be continuing on the show as a consulting producer. Creating and running a show like this is what we writer/producers dream of getting to do, and I got to do it for four phenomenal seasons. But it takes all of my focus. I have to step away to create and write other shows and films. The heartache for me will be leaving the day to day working relationship I've had with an incredible cast (!!), crew and production team. You know that, though, because you watch the show. Both TNT & Warner Horizon have been beyond great to work for -- and I look forward to working with them in the future.

And the fandom…holy crap…The fans have been especially wonderful -- passionate and responsive. I have a special place in my heart for all of them. My goal was to bring to life, through story, a real female friendship. I've been especially touched by the people who've told us they became friends because of Jane and Maura.This show will be around for a long, long time. Stay tuned to this page. I'll be checking in and helping out.

Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Episode Title and Stars

The Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special will be called The Day Of The Doctor. Starring Matt Smith, David Tennant, Jenna Coleman, Billie Piper and John Hurt. Shows worldwide on November 23rd and will also have a limited cinematic release.

The Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special will be released on DVD by 2entertain on Monday December 2nd. Unfortunately only in the UK and Europe. Not sure about a release in the United States.


In other Doctor Who news:
Catherine Tate (Donna Noble) will join David Tennant live on stage at the British Film Institute Southbank for the screening of The Stolen Earth and Journey's End on Sunday September 29th .

New Promo posters

Star Trek fans owe it all to Lucille Ball

I'm posting this in honor of Star Trek's 47th anniversary and also to honor a great lady who should be remembered for more than just her comedic talent.

(Originally posted on Tumblr. Credit to the writers.)

How to Geek:

Whose intervention ensured Star Trek saw the light of day?

Answer: Lucille Ball

Most people recognize and remember Lucille Ball as the lovable and silly star of one of America’s earliest and most loved sitcoms, I Love Lucy. What most people don’t know is that Lucille was a savvy business woman and that she and her husband Desi Arnaz had amassed a small fortune and owned their own studio, Desilu.

It was at Desilu that acclaimed Sci-Fi screenwriter and visionary Gene Roddenberry got his big break. Roddenberry pitched the Star Trek pilot to the studio as a sort of Western-inspired space adventure. While many within the studio balked at the idea, Lucille liked the idea and the first pilot was approved and filmed. The pilot was pitched to NBC and was promptly rejected on the grounds that it was too intellectual, not enough like the space-western they had been lead to believe it would be, and audiences wouldn’t relate to it. Lucille, a fan of Roddenberry’s work, pushed back against NBC and insisted they order a second pilot. Ordering a second pilot was a practice almost entirely unheard of and save for Lucille’s charisma and clout with the network it would never have happened.

Roddenberry shot the second pilot, NBC accepted it, and Star Trek premiered in 1966, thus beginning a new era in the Sci-Fi genre and laying the foundation for half a century of Star Trek fandom–an era that would have never come to pass without the intervention and insistence of Lucille Ball.

Bonus Trivia: After her divorce from Arnaz, Lucille bought out his share of their studio. As a result she became the first woman to both head and own a major studio.

More about Lucille Ball

tonidorsay:

There is much, much more to know about Lucille Ball and her contributions to pop culture, but even more to know about her and her contributions to feminism.
Without Lucille Ball, there would never have been a Mary Tyler Moore.

The Untouchables, Mission: Impossible, Mannix, the Andy Griffith Show, Dick Van Dyke, My Three Sons, I SPy and That Girl were all part of what she, specifically, realized were going to be popular, often despite everyone else saying she was wrong.

Desilu bought RKO, though later sold many of the rights to films from that incredible collection.
As a company,they developed the standard multiple camera format that is used on all sitcoms today.
Today, what was once Desilu, is known as CBS Televisions Studios.

She was an older woman who married a younger man — a Cuban, which in those days was an interracial marriage — through elopement.  It was, for the times, scandalous.

So scandalous, that the radio show that ultimately became I Love Lucy was sidelined because Executives didn’t think the public would go for it.
A Cuban headlining a major hit was and is a major win, that is often overlooked these days because of the stereotypes that came from such a popular show.

Together, her and Desi were incredibly shrewd.  When the sponsor, Phillip Morris, wouldn’t pay for the expense of filming the show, they said they would take a cut in pay in exchange for the rights to the film, and ended up owning I Love Lucy.  It would be two decades and change before CBS got it back, and then under some terms that were favorable to Lucille and Desi’s children, ultimately. Both of whom were born when she was in her 40’s.

She registered as  communist in the 1930’s, and as a result, was brought up before the damnable McCarthy HCUAA.   She supported Roosevelt for President, and then later voted for Eisenhower — showing that she was more interested in doing what’s right, over doing it for personal gain.

She was one of the greatest women of the last century, a “B movie queen” who changed the world in ways that are, as is often typical, consistently overlooked.

She was the prototype that pushed women to question the status quo, the icon that many struggled with and against, an example that reverberated with people old and young when marching and shouting and arguing about a woman’s right to be her own person and have control over her own life.
She not only inspired it, she lived it.

What Doctor Who's companions were to him

Source: Doctor Who on Google+

Iron Man 3: best in the franchise!

 

Iron Man 1 - okay

 

Iron Man 2 - eh, okay

 

Iron Man 3 - Awesome!

 

Need I say more?

I loved it! It's not very often that a sequel, let alone number three, is better than the first one. In fact it's very rare. Iron Man 3 is one of those sequels.

The only other franchises I can say I liked the sequels even better than the first are Charlie's Angels (love Full Throttle) and Terminator (the second one, Judgement Day is the best in my opinion.) Also, Iron Man 3 had the best ending credits since Ferris Bueller.

I loved the mix of action, comedy and drama in Iron Man 3. I thought it had a solid story. I've always loved Robert Downey Jr. and think that his Tony Stark is genius. I'm a comic book reader, however I will confess that I never read Iron Man, so I've had nothing to base the character on.

I'm obviously not the only one who loved it. As of September 5th Iron Man 3 grossed over 400 million dollars (worldwide over a billion) and is ranked 4th in superhero movies after The Avengers, The Dark Night and The Dark Night Rises. It's followed by the 2002 Spiderman in 5th place.

(Statistics from Box Office Mojo.) 

 

In memory of Lee Thompson Young. Rizzoli & Isles cast & crew tweets.

I put some tweets together from the cast & crew
in memory of Lee Thompson Young.

Originally posted on sister site: rizzles.xenite.com

Downton Abbey Season 4 Trailer

I LOVE this show! Can't wait for season four!

Source: ENTV

I liked a Rizzoli & Isles crime story! What's up with that?

I don't know why. I can't explain it. Last night as I was watching the latest episode of Rizzoli & Isles I discovered, much to my horror, that I actually LIKED the CRIME STORYLINE. Ladies and gentlemen that does not happen with this show! Unless it has to do with Maura's mobster father I don't care about the murder nor who did it. What is going on here??

Episode 4x10

I look back at it now and it was not anything overly exciting. Drag racing. I don't get into drag racing. Car blows up. Okay, yeah and? I have been trying to put my finger on why it is that suddenly the writers have managed to keep my attention focused on the crime.

If you look at my Rizzoli & Isles rants and reviews in the past I have always been upfront about the fact that the crimes in this show are secondary with me and I really could care less. It wasn't even some wonderful subtext between Jane and Maura. Nice friendship scenes and funny moments but nothing that screams rizzles. So, here I sit - baffled.

Was it just decent writing? Incorporating everything well enough to hold my interest to all of it? I really can't say. This season has been very up and down for me. A gradual build to one of the best episodes of the series (4x05) back down to the, 'yeah just another episode' episodes, and then this.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I'm just wondering out loud how or why this happened. Why now? Why this episode?

I'd love to hear your thoughts? Write to me here or on Twitter.
@kellyeneal

Lee Thompson Young (Frost on Rizzoli & Isles) commits suicide at 29

This is a sad day for fans of the show Rizzoli & Isles and for family and friends of Lee Thomas Young. My heart goes out to his family, friends and co-workers.

From NBC News:

"It is with great sadness that I announce that Lee Thompson Young tragically took his own life this morning," manager Jonathan Baruch said in a statement. "Lee was more than just a brilliant young actor, he was a wonderful and gentle soul who will truly be missed. We ask that you please respect the privacy of his family and friends at this very difficult time."

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department said Young was found dead of a gunshot wound in his Los Angeles home on Monday.

The L.A.P.D. confirmed to NBC News that when Young didn't show up for work on the TNT crime drama "Rizzoli & Isles," police were sent to Young's home where his body was discovered shortly after 8 a.m. PT.

"We are all without the words to truly express our collective grief and profound sadness at the loss of such a sweet, bright light," "Rizzoli & Isles" showrunner Janet Tamaro tweeted on Monday. "We are broken-hearted."

Actress Gabrielle Union also mourned Young on Twitter, tweeting, "I had the pleasure of working w/ #LeeThompsonYoung on Flash Forward & he was an extremely talented beautiful soul. My thoughts & prayers are with his loved ones."

Young starred on "Jett Jackson" from its 1998 pilot through the show's cancellation in 2001, and also played the role in a follow-up movie. The character of Jackson was a young actor who moved from Hollywood to a fictional small town in North Carolina to live with his father while continuing to film the television show upon which he played a teen spy. Young was nominated for two Young Artist lead actor awards for the role.

Young portrayed running back Chris Comer in the 2004 movie "Friday Night Lights." His other movie work included parts in "Akeelah and the Bee" and "The Hills Have Eyes 2." He also appeared on television shows, including "Smallville" and "FlashForward," as well as the regular role on "Rizzoli & Isles."

Young, a South Carolina native, was inspired to become an actor when he played Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in a play when he was just 10 years old, a biography provided by TNT stated.

On "Rizzoli & Isles," he played Detective Barry Frost, the computer-savvy but squeamish partner of title detective Jane Rizzoli, played by Angie Harmon. "Rizzoli & Isles" had planned to shoot the final episode of its fourth season this week, but after news of Young's death broke, production on the crime drama was shut down Monday.

(Source)

Rizzoli and Isles: Just when I think I'm out it pulls me back in. Or does it?

Rizzoli and Isles has had a fairly good four year run ratings wise so it's no surprise that it's been picked up for a fifth season. (TNT Renewals) That's great news. I'm happy for them. But as the show seems to get more and more popular I find myself going from a fervent fan to an average viewer.

Sasha Alexander and Angie Harmon

Season one had already aired when a friend told me I had to watch this show. Thankfully she had a DVR and I could catch up. I fell in love with it. The characters then the actors captured my attention. I started using my Twitter account, which had sat dormant for over a year, just to find Rizzoli and Isles fans and follow it's stars. Next thing I know I'm building a website, making music videos, flying to benefits simply to meet one of the stars... Then something happened. During the third season I found my interest waning.

John Doman as Maura's mobster father

There is one storyline I have loved from the beginning, or more specifically from season one episode nine. Dr. Maura Isles' family. Adopted, Maura finds out in season one her biological father is a mobster. John Doman is an amazing actor and the two of them on screen are dynamic. In season three Maura finds out her biological mother thought she was dead and that she has a half sister. Again casting did a phenomenal job. I love Sharon Lawrence as Maura's biological mom. Maura's family storyline continues now in season four. I still love it. But somewhere in season three the excitement for the show as a whole dwindled.

By season four I was happy to watch it just like watching any of the other dozen shows I watch. No more, no less. It was great to see Sasha Alexander (Dr. Maura Isles) every week and follow her storyline, but that had become my main motivation for watching. 

Surprisingly, the first five episodes of season four began to capture me again. It was like watching for the first time again and I was thoroughly enjoying it. Episode five was arguably the best episode so far. (Maura's family, including her mobster dad was the storyline so I may be a bit bias.) I was quoting The Godfather on Twitter - just when we thought we were out they pull us back in. I was feeling good about this turn of events. And then the next few episodes aired and I find myself back where I was before. Just another episode. Just another one of the dozen shows I watch.

I love the actors and characters - the chemistry between Sasha and Angie has always been electric - and I like most of the family storylines. Some of the crime stories are okay but the crimes have never been my reason for watching this show.

I'm still going to watch it. If I could sit through every episode of the fifth season of Xena: Warrior Princess I can certainly watch some average episodes of Rizzoli and Isles. I still like the show. That's what saddens me, however. I used to love the show. But you never know. Maybe, like Xena did after their fifth season, Rizzoli and Isles will be able to pull me back in to stay.

Google Maps Easter Egg - The TARDIS!

Take a tour of the TARDIS while it lasts!

 

Click here to go to the google maps page. Move your mouse until you see the arrows. Click on the double arrow and it takes you inside the Tardis.

(May not always work in Google Maps new interface.)

Source: Greg Kumparak

MySpace deletes everyone's personal data

I haven't used MySpace for quite a few years but I used to have several accounts. Apparently MySpace decided not only to completely redo their site but they also removed everyone's personal data. It was very strange going to my pages and seeing nothing familiar except my avatars.

I thought that I was missing something. Surely all the pictures and blog entries are there somewhere. I checked my emails. Did I get an email warning me to save my data because they were deleting it? No.

Now, because I didn't go to MySpace anymore I wasn't very upset, but it did get me thinking - This is going to be Facebook in 10 years. Think about it. What's to stop them from deciding to start over and deleting all our pictures and posts.

MySpace has been dead for years, and we all know that, but that doesn't mean there weren't people there that had pictures and blog entries saved from their years of using it. Some people I'm sure felt secure that they could go back and see the page dedicated to a love one who had past on, or old stories they had written as a teen.

All of it was taken away. Thrown in the trash. All because MySpace decided to change not only the face of MySpace but what you could do on it. No more blogs, posts, custom designs, games, videos or private messages. They're all gone. Without one word of warning. Only this in the aftermath:

We know that this is upsetting to some but it gives us a chance to really concentrate on creating a new experience for discovery and expression. Feel free to hit the Me Too button if you have similar questions so we can track your needs and concerns.

And this from MySpace CEO:

“The magic of Myspace has always been at the intersection of creative expression, community, promotion, and discovery,” said Myspace CEO Tim Vanderhook. “Myspace aims to power a new ecosystem catering directly to the creative community, enabling artists to manage their digital presence, build an audience, upload and distribute their content, and learn from data all on a single platform.”

Apparently, after so many complaints they decided to see if there was a way to get people their data. This was added to the above post on MySpace on 6/28/13:

Blog Update
Thank you everyone for your feedback regarding your classic Myspace blogs. We understand that this information is very important to you and apologize for not providing an answer sooner. Please understand that your blogs have not been deleted. Your content is safe and we have been discussing the best ways possible to provide you your blogs.

I'm glad people will hopefully be getting there things back. But still, too little too late in my book. Did they not see that people would be in an uproar? If they had they would have changed how they did this. It's not that MySpace has decided to remove the old to make room for the new. It's that they never considered the fact that they were dealing with people. Real people with honest emotional attachments.

Shame on you MySpace.

Let this be a warning to all of us who are now on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and other social media sites. Even cloud drives. Eventually those will get taken down, transformed, and all that data you've been saving for years will be lost. Back up your stuff. Don't rely on the internet to keep it safe.


(Source of Myspace responses: Reviewed Feedback)

The Star Trek: Next Generation panel at 2013 Boston Creation Convention

The Star Trek: Next Generation panel at 2013 Boston Star Trek Convention, with Michael Dorn, Brent Spiner, William Shatner, Lavar Burton, Marina Sirtis, Gates McFadden and Denise Crosby.

This was the first convention I had attended in over five years and I was very much looking forward to this panel. That, getting to see Gates McFadden again, and meeting up with a friend I hadn't seen in ten years were my only reasons for going.

Shatner was the moderator. You know, I actually liked his show where he has one on one interviews, but as moderator of a Next Gen panel he was not very good. He interrupted the cast, moved so slow through the long lines of fans and would get stuck on certain questions that interested him but the crowd clearly had their answer and was done with it. It was also very visible how the cast got very annoyed at certain points but was trying to be polite.

There was one question concerning the first season episode "Code of Honor" and racism. It started out as a thought provoking discussion, but Shatner would not get off the subject once started. Then he basically hounded Denise Crosby as she answered a sexism question and even though she had answered his question - 3 times - he kept on her. By that time the crowd had had enough.

I may be off but I believe only about a half dozen fans got to actually ask questions. Marina Sirtis, who proved through the entire panel how bossy she can be (which she admitted) finally pushed Shatner into moving things along, but by then it was too late.

It's a shame really, because the tickets to the panel were NOT cheap and I don't feel the audience got their monies worth.

Sirtis took over at several points throughout the panel. She did tell a very funny story about getting on the FBI watch list due to yelling at the TSA at an airport. Her and Michael Dorn acted a bit of it out.

Brent Spiner answered questions with his usual sarcastic humor. It's funny, but sometimes fans do want a real answer. I know it must be tiring hearing the same questions but there are new fans every year due to syndication and Netflix. I love Brent, but sometimes it feel he walks a very fine line between funny and rude.

I'm a huge fan of Gates McFadden and liked that she had a few opportunities to speak. We got to hear the real reason she was not in season two. Gates thought that there was more of an "open door" policy with the writers and would speak up about issues that she had with some scripts. Apparently head writer Maurice Hurley took offense to her suggestions. By the third season he was gone and she was back. It turns out the cast learned that when you wanted changes made you went to Patrick and he would get them made.

Overall, great to see them together but honestly not worth the price of the ticket. Next time, when Patrick Stewart can't make it (he was supposed to be the moderator) pick another ST:TNG cast member, not Shatner. Sorry Bill.

TONIGHT, Saturday 6/22 the 24 hour plays! Sasha Alexander, Seth Green...

TONIGHT, Saturday 6/22 the 24 hour plays! 

I would love to go to this. Everyone who is going - Have fun! Take pictures! :)

This is the third annual production of the plays, which take six writers, six directors, 24 actors and 24 hours to create. The actors will arrive with a prop and a costume at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica on June 21. Each writer will take inspiration from the actors and their props and compose a 10-minute play by 7 am the following morning. Directors choose which play they want by 9 am and the cast has until 8 pm to rehearse before the shows go live. (Source 24 hour plays)

Actors:
Sasha Alexander (“Rizzoli & Isles”)
Skylar Astin (“Pitch Perfect”)
Jason Biggs (“American Reunion”)
Jordana Brewster (“Fast and The Furious” series)
Lizzy Caplan (“Bachelorette”)
Brooklyn Decker (“Battleship”)
Ashley Fink (“Glee”)
Seth Green (“Family Guy”)
Melanie Griffith (“Working Girl”)
Gillian Jacobs (“Community”)
Justin Long (“Going The Distance”)
Jack McBrayer (“30 Rock”)
Diane Neal (“Law and Order: SVU”)
David Oyelowo (“Lincoln”)
Rosie Perez (our Artistic Board Chair)
Jason Ritter (“Parenthood”")
Molly Sims (“Las Vegas”),
Cobie Smulders (“How I Met Your Mother”)
Jessica Szohr (“Gossip Girl”)
Tracie Thoms (“Looper”)