“CHAOS” a satisfactory diversion
From left, Freddy Rodriguez, Eric Close, James Murray and Tim Blake Nelson star in "CHAOS." - CBS Photo by Sergei Bachlakov
On his first day working for the CIA, Rick Martinez (Freddy Rodriguez) is assigned to be a mole for the Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services (CHAOS) - not exactly where he thought his career was heading – but it’s still the CIA.
He then meets fellow CHAOS members: 12-year CIA veteran Casey Malick (Tulsa native Tim Blake Nelson); psychologist-turned-CIA operative Michael Dorset (Eric Close); as well as Scottish-born Billy Collins (James Murray); and they make him an offer he can’t refuse for their first high-risk foreign intelligence mission together.
The varying personalities of the group mesh well, the actors have a good rapport, and it’s fun to find out why Malick is known as a “human weapon.”
If you’re a fan of shows that serve up a little action and comedy with their drama, you should give “CHAOS” a look.
“CHAOS” premieres at 7 p.m. April 1 on CBS.
– Melissa Hayer
mhayer@opubco.com
Oklahoma cowboys win fifth leg of “Amazing Race,” earn $5,000 each
Oklahoma cowboys Jet and Cord McCoy rallied from seventh place to win the fifth leg of “The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business” that aired Sunday night. The brothers from Ada each won $5,000 after they were the first team to reach the pit stop. Cord celebrated by tossing his cowboy hat.
On their first appearance on “Amazing Race 16” last year the McCoys won four legs of the race. Their prizes included three trips and two sailboats as they finished runner-up in their quest for the $1 million prize.
Jet’s ability to erect a life-sized dinosaur replica in a stone forest in China propelled the team from fifth to second place. Several of the other teams stumbled in correctly putting the pieces together.
“I went back and checked the little diagram more than anybody to make sure, as I went, I kind of had it all together,” Jet said.
Last coming into the dinosaur task, Gary and Mallory used an “Express Pass” they earned by winning the first challenge to take the lead. But the McCoys passed them in the stone forest to arrive first at the pit stop and earned the $5,000 prizes.
Finishing last and eliminated from the competition were former NFL cheerleaders Jaime Edmondson and Cara Rosenthal from Florida.
The McCoys had a light moment early in the episode when Cord organized a 3-and-3 basketball game with four other players, including the team of Harlem Globetrotters, Herb Lang and Nate Loften.
Said Jet, “Who would’ve ever thought we’d be playing basketball…”
Added Cord, “Two cowboys”
Jet said, “With the Harlem Globetrotters in China.”
Next week’s episode will take the teams to India.
“CHAOS,” featuring Tulsa native Tim Blake Nelson, to debut April 1 on CBS
From left, Eric Close (kneeling), James Murray (on desk), Freddy Rodriguez and Tim Blake Nelson star in "CHAOS" - CBS Photo by Jason Bell
Tulsa native Tim Blake Nelson and Freddy Rodriguez are among the co-stars of the new CBS comedic drama “CHAOS,” which is set to premiere at 7 p.m. April 1 on CBS.
Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services (CHAOS) combats national security threats amongst bureaucratic gridlock, rampant incompetence and political infighting, according to a news release.
The group utilizes manipulation, deception and wit as it embarks upon high-risk foreign intelligence missions.
Blake plays Casey Malick, billed as a 12-year CIA veteran with an understated demeanor and the ability to transform into a “human weapon.”
Rodriguez portrays Rick Martinez, a CIA spy who is placed as an unwitting mole into CHAOS.
Other co-stars include Eric Close, James Murray, Carmen Ejogo, Christina Cole and Kurtwood Smith.
Tim Blake Nelson of "CHAOS" - CBS Photo by Jason Bell
Oklahoma cowboys slip to sixth place in “Amazing Race: Unfinished Business”
Oklahoma’s cowboy team of Jet and Cord McCoy finished in sixth place after the third episode of “The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business,” which aired Sunday night. Some poor navigating in Tokyo cost the cowboys some valuable time.
Leaving Sydney, the 10 teams took two different flights to Tokyo. One was a direct one and the other was a connecting flight that was supposed to land 15 minutes earlier. The connecting flight, delayed by mechanical problems, actually came in 65 minutes later. Fortunately for the McCoys, they were on the direct flight.
After getting a clue and a car at a parking garage, the teams took off for a shrine at a nearby town. That’s where the McCoys got off track, with Jet driving and Cord navigating from the back seat, and wasted a lot of time trying to find the next destination . Jet said, “We’ve been driving around and all the signs are in Japanese, causing a problem. We’re just going to continue making our way south.”
They arrived in ninth place at the shrine, where they underwent rigorous training as a Samuri warrior, including shooting a bow and arrow off of a wooden horse. That task proved easy for the McCoys.
Said Cord, “I’m from Oklahoma. I shoot bow and arrow. I feel right at home.”
At the next detour, the teams chose between two tasks – a “prayer of purification” in which they were drenched with cold water under a large waterfall or “frog of luck” in which they had to don a white underwear “diaper” and find a toy frog in a frigid mud pit while bystanders throw mud balls at them. The McCoys struggled with the “frog of luck,” and Cord said they would have fared better if they were searching for live frogs. But they went on to finish the episode in sixth place.
Zev and Justin, brothers from California, were the first to the pit stop for the second week in a row and won a trip to Costa Rica. Eliminated was the father and son team of Mel and Mike, who had a difficult time in the mud pit. The team of former NFL cheerleaders Jaime and Cara had thought they had finished last after their car clipped another car in Tokyo, damaging a side mirror to the other car. They lost a lot of time when police were called to investigate the accident.
Next week the teams travel to China.
Oklahoma cowboys rally from 11th to third place in “Amazing Race”
Call it “Cowboy Magic.” Oklahoma cowboys Jet and Cord McCoy rallied from 11th to third place in the second episode of “The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business,” which aired Sunday night.
Jet, 31, of Ada, and Cord, 30, of Tupelo, stumbled in the first episode on decoding a password to get to their destination near Sydney, Australia. In the second episode, they got it on their first try. Next up was a sailboat leg to Manley Beach, and sailing didn’t go all that well either. It’s easy to see why they have sold the two sailboats they won last year in their first appearance on “The Amazing Race.” “Sailing is not my thing,” Jet said. “We did fall off in the water a couple of times. We were shark bait.”
Cord also expressed his first “Oh, my gravy!” of the new series. Last year the expression became his catchphrase and since has been featured on T-shirts.
They also were last to reach the anchor in town hall and reserve the 11th and last spot on the flight to Broken Hill, 700 miles from Sydney. However, they began to rally, making it to ninth place at a detour where they had to create an Aboriginal mosaic and dance on it. They were up to seventh place after finding the home of the Magpies (Central Football Club.) After doning silly kangaroo costumes, they were up to sixth place at the next clue stop. Their last stop was a mine, and they used their athletic ability to outrun several teams and pull into third place.
Zev and Justin, brothers from California, finished first and won a trip to Cancun. Eliminated was the engaged couple of Amanda and Kris, who had to do the Aborigine detour twice.
The teams are off to Japan for the third episode next week.
“Two and a Half Men” out of production for the rest of season
Charlie Sheen - AP Photo
The CBS comedy “Two and a Half Men” has ended production for the rest of this television season.
“Based on the totality of Charlie Sheen’s statements, conduct and condition, CBS and Warner Bros. Television have decided to discontinue production of “Two and a Half Men” for the remainder of the season,” Warner Bros. Television and CBS said in a news release today.
Oklahoma cowboys Jet and Cord McCoy last after first episode of ‘Amazing Race’
Making their second appearance on CBS’ “Amazing Race” in two years, Oklahoma cowboys Jet and Cord McCoy had a dismal start as the last-place team at the conclusion of the premiere episode of “Amazing Race: Unfinished Business” Sunday night. Fortunately for the cowboys, none of the teams were eliminated in the first episode.
After starting the race at a wind farm in Palm Springs, Calif., the McCoys were one of the first teams to solve the first riddle and earn a spot on the first flight to Sydney, Australia. However, because of a medical emergency on their flight, the plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Honolulu, putting them behind the second flight.
From there things went downhill for the cowboys from Ada who finished runner-up in Season 16 last year. Missing a ferry, they were the last team to reach Oceanworld and search for a compass that would have to be decoded. Jet wasn’t excited about doning scuba gear to find the clue under water among sharks and a gigantic sting ray. “I’m from Oklahoma,” Jet said. “I don’t do water. I don’t even take baths.”
The decoding part went poorly for Jet. He failed in his first two attempts and was still trying to decode the message, “I am between the devil and the deep blue sea,” when the episode ended. “I have no idea what I’m doing,” Jet said.
The father-daughter team of Gary and Mallory Ervin of Kentucky were the first to reach the pit stop on the beach and earn an express pass.
“Hawaii Five-O” features a family reunion and a bomber chase Monday night
From left, Alex O'Loughlin, Grace Park and Daniel Dae Kim in the "Loa Aloha" episode of "Hawaii Five-0" - CBS Photo by Mario Perez
“Hawaii Five-0″ brings another engaging episode to the TV air waves Monday night with “Loa Aloha.”
Comedian/actor Dane Cook gives a satisfactory performance in this show as Danny’s (Scott Caan) younger brother Matt, who is a Wall Street broker with more going on than just wanting to visit Danny and his niece.
Meanwhile, the Five-0 team rush to stop a mad bomber before he claims another victim.
Caan gets to display more vulnerability with his brother’s story line, which ends in an unexpected way.
Overall, another entertaining episode of a consistently strong show.
Alex O’Loughlin, Scott Caan, Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park star in “Hawaii Five-0,” which airs at 9 p.m. Mondays on CBS.
Alex O'Loughlin in the "Loa Aloha" episode of "Hawaii Five-0" - CBS Photo by Mario Perez
Mick Jagger to perform live on “The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards”
Mick Jagger - AP Photo by Joel Ryan
Grammy Award-winning lead singer of the Rolling Stones Mick Jagger will perform live on “The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards,” which will be broadcast live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles at 7 p.m. Feb. 13 on CBS.
Jagger, accompanied by Raphael Saadiq and his band, will perform as part of the telecast’s annual “In Memoriam” tribute, which pays homage to music community members who have passed away in the previous year.
In his first-ever live appearance on the Grammy stage, Jagger will be accompanied by soul singer Saadiq and his band in honor of one of his longtime idols, recently deceased Grammy winner Solomon Burke, according to a news release.
Jagger has only made one appearance before on the Grammy telecast (with the Rolling Stones), via satellite from London during “The 28th Annual Grammy Awards” in 1986 when Eric Clapton presented the Rolling Stones with The Recording Academy LIfetime Achievement Award.
Jagger and Saadiq join previously announced performers and nominees Arcade Fire, Eminem, Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga, Miranda Lambert (of Oklahoma), Muse, and Katy Perry; nominees Justin Bieber and Usher, with Jaden Smith; nominees B.o.B, Bruno Mars, and Janelle Monáe; nominees Drake and Rihanna; and nominee Cee Lo Green, with Gwyneth Paltrow and the Jim Henson Company Puppets.
Arcade Fire, Bieber, B.o.B, Lambert, Mars, Monáe, Muse, Paltrow and Smith will perform on the Grammy telecast for the first time, and all five Album of the Year nominees are set to perform: Arcade Fire, Eminem, Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga and Perry.
Current three-time Grammy nominee Dierks Bentley, nine-time Grammy winner and current nominee Norah Jones, singer/actor Selena Gomez, two-time Grammy winner and actor LL Cool J, current nominee Nicki Minaj and current nominee Blake Shelton (of Oklahoma) will appear as presenters.
“The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards” are produced by John Cossette Productions and AEG Ehrlich Ventures for The Recording Academy.
Ken Ehrlich and John Cossette are executive producers, Louis J. Horvitz is director, and David Wild and Ken Ehrlich are the writers.
CBS comedy “Mad Love” premiere moved up to Valentine’s Day
The "Mad Love" cast, clockwise from bottom left: Jason Biggs as Ben Parr, Judy Greer as Connie Grabowski, Tyler Labine as Larry Munsch and Sarah Chalke as Kate Swanson. CBS Photo by Matthias Clamer
The new CBS comedy “Mad Love” is now scheduled to premiere at 7:30 p.m. on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, a week earlier than previously announced, according to a CBS news release.
The series centers on a quarter of New Yorkers – two who are falling in love and another two who despise each other (at least for now).
Jason Biggs, Sarah Chalke, Tyler Labine and Judy Greer star in the show, while Matt Tarses and Jamie Tarses are executive producers for Sony Pictures Television in association with CBS Television Studios.
“Rules of Engagement” will debut in its new Thursday time slot at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 24.
CBS Monday schedule effective Feb. 14 is as follows:
7 p.m. “How I Met Your Mother”
7:30 p.m. “Mad Love”
8 p.m. “Two and a Half Men”
8:30 p.m. “Mike & Molly”
9 p.m. “Hawaii Five-0″
