Colin Hanks to join sixth season cast of “Dexter”
Colin Hanks - AP Photo
Colin Hanks has joined the cast of Showtime’s “Dexter” for Season 6.
Hanks will appear in all twelve episodes of the season as Travis, a highly intelligent young expert on ancient artifacts who gets linked to a series of grisly murders in Miami, according to information provided by Showtime.
“Dexter” stars Michael C. Hall as a complicated and conflicted Miami police department blood-spatter expert who is also a serial killer.
Season 6 production is set to begin in June in Los Angeles and will premiere this fall on Showtime.
“Nurse Jackie” returns for a solid third season on Showtime
Edie Falco as "Nurse Jackie" - Showtime Photo by Ken Regan
An ensemble cast of complicated and quirky characters played by stellar actors including Edie Falco, Peter Facinelli, Eve Best, Merritt Wever and Paul Schulze is back for a third season in Showtime’s “Nurse Jackie” at 9 p.m. Monday.
When we last saw nurse Jackie Peyton (Falco), she was facing an intervention brought on by her husband Kevin (Dominic Fumusa) and her best friend Dr. Ellie O’Hara (Best).
Though she’s a superior caregiver, she’s also a drug addict.
And though she’s devoted to her family, she’s also been unfaithful to her husband.
In the first two seasons, Jackie juggled a double life – one with her husband and children, and one at work at a New York City hospital where everyone thought she was single, including the pharmacist, Eddie Walzer (Paul Schulze), who she had an affair with.
Her single life persona at work started to unravel, though, last season, with Eddie finding out about her marriage and befriending her husband – without him knowing about the affair.
Complicated enough?
And that’s just the main character.
There’s also Dr. Fitch Cooper (Peter Facinelli), narcissistic, but with a goofy side as well, who is forced to deal with a change in his personal life this season; enthusiastic Zoey (Wever), who even with Jackie’s reluctance, became the extraordinary nurse’s protégé and who has come into her own; and ER Administrator Gloria Akalitus (Anna Deavere Smith), who is ever intent on keeping everything running smoothly despite whatever chaos may be going on, and is on a special mission in the third season.
And those are just a few of the personalities on the show.
The writing in this season never misses a beat, all of the characters remain strong, unconventional and absorbing, and the story lines go in surprising directions.
“Nurse Jackie” is a must-see show for television fans who like their drama with a healthy dose of comedy.
– Melissa Hayer
mhayer@opubco.com
From left, Edie Falco and Merritt Wever in "Nurse Jackie" - Showtime Photo by Ken Regan
Showtime announces premiere dates for returning series “Nurse Jackie,” “United States of Tara” and new series “The Borgias”
Edie Falco as "Nurse Jackie" - Showtime Photo by Martin Segal
“Nurse Jackie” returns to Showtime for its third season at 9 p.m. March 28 and picks up right where it left off at the end of the second season with Jackie (Edie Falco) facing an unwanted intervention.
Following “Nurse Jackie” at 9:30 p.m March 28, “United States of Tara” comes back for its third season as well, and features Toni Collette as a mother struggling with dissociative identity disorder. Eddie Izzard joins the cast this season as a college professor who presents a challenge to Tara when she decides to go back to school, according to a Showtime news release.
“The Borgias” begins with a two-hour premiere at 8 p.m. April 3, is directed by Oscar winner Neil Jordan and stars Jeremy Irons as Rodrigo Borgia, the patriarch of one of history’s most notorious families who became Pope in 1492. The show will then regularly air from 9 to 10 p.m. Sundays.
Jeremy Irons as Rodrigo Borgia in "The Borgias" - Showtime Photo by Jonathan Hession
2010 a year filled with gifts for TV fans
Evangeline Lilly and Matthew Fox of "Lost" - ABC Photo by Mario Perez
Now that Christmas is almost upon us, I’ve made a few notes about some
of the gifts bestowed upon TV fans this past year:
Though it was sad for such an entertaining, maddening, theory-provoking,
compelling series to end, the finale of “Lost” was unbelievably
emotional and moving, particularly Matthew Fox’s performance in his role as conflicted leader Jack Shephard. Overall, I don’t know that any show has piqued the imagination like this one and the indelible castaway characters will be greatly missed.
Another series that challenges the mind, “Fringe” was especially
demanding of viewers as they watched the third season begin this fall
with Olivia (Anna Torv) stuck in the sci-fi drama’s alternate universe
and that world’s Olivia taking her place in ours. My only small
complaint, though, is that I hope more scenes featuring Walter (John
Noble) will be upcoming in 2011. He adds warmth and humor to the
fascinating, strange and bizarre events that occur in this show’s story lines.
“The Good Wife” hasn’t missed a beat in its second season, continuing
its solid story lines centering on attorney Alicia Florrick (Julianna
Margulies) and her complicated relationships with her husband Peter
(Chris Noth)and old friend/boss Will (Josh Charles)as well as the
intriguing cases she works on. Extra kudos for Michael J. Fox’s
wonderful guest starring performance.
“Dexter” had a tough assignment in its fifth season, following up after
its fourth season’s jaw-dropping conclusion in 2009. But as every season
has been so far, the writing’s held up, always going in unexpected yet
satisfying directions. Michael C. Hall contributed as always as well in
making this past season and its finale thrilling and poignant – no easy
feat for a show about a serial killer.
The updated version of “Hawaii Five-0″ brought action and humor in its debut in the
fall 2010 season. This show has just the right ingredients to take your
mind off your busy day, relax and enjoy the scenery of Hawaii, the fun
rapport between Steve McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin) and Danny “Danno”
Williams (Scott Caan) and watch the 5-0 team catch the bad guys in
sometimes unorthodox, but pretty much always successful, ways. Remaking
shows often doesn’t work, but this one clicks on every level.
A&E scored a home run this summer with its new drama “The Glades.” Jim Longworth
(Matt Passmore), a Chicago police detective who has relocated to Florida, is a
completely endearing character – smart, sarcastic, ingenious and
hilarious, and this is another series with interesting and sharp
writing. There is also great chemistry between Passmore and Kiele
Sanchez, who plays Longworth’s romantic interest Callie, a nurse and a single-mom who is estranged from her prison inmate husband.
“The Walking Dead” only had a six-episode first season on AMC, but it
couldn’t have packed more into them – this series has everything:
suspense, gore, action scenes, quiet, tender moments, compassion, love,
empathy, bravery, dignity – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Though it’s centered on a zombie apocalypse-affected world, this show is
much more than a horror fest.
There were a couple of lumps of coal in viewers’ stockings worth
mentioning in 2010, however.
ABC’s “Skating With the Stars” seemed to be a good idea and was hyped to
be comparable to “Dancing With the Stars,” but ended up being quite the
dud. The only point of it seemed to be holding your breath and hoping
the competitors didn’t fall – or if you’re
not-so-sportsmanlike-inclined, laughing when there were spills on the
ice.
And then there’s the cancellation of shows before they’re really given a
fair chance to build up a following. 2010′s fall season featured one of
the most egregious of these incidents when Fox’s “Lone Star” was given
the boot after only two episodes, despite receiving critical praise.
Would it have had a better chance on a cable network – probably. Too
bad one of them hasn’t picked it up.
– Meilssa Hayer
mhayer@opubco.com
Anna Torv in "Fringe" - Fox Photo by Michael Courtney
From left, Scott Caan and Alex O'Loughlin in "Hawaii Five-0" - CBS Photo by Neil Jacobs
Mandy Patinkin joins cast of Showtime’s pilot “Homeland”
Mandy Patinkin - AP Photo by Peter Kramer
Mandy Patinkin returns to television in the hour-long Showtime drama pilot “Homeland.”
Patinkin will play Saul, a veteran CIA Division Chief who is Carrie Mathison’s (star Claire Danes) boss and mentor.
“Homeland,” a production of FOX 21, is loosely based on Gideon Raff’s Israeli television series “Prisoners of War” and will center on an American soldier taken prisoner during the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
The soldier, who has been left for dead, miraculously returns to the United States after years in captivity, according to a Showtime news release.
Danes’ character is a driven CIA officer battling her own psychological demons while becoming convinced that the intelligence that led to the soldier’s rescue was a setup and that this national hero may be connected to an Al Qaeda plot set to be carried out in America.
Matt LeBlanc has fun with image in Showtime’s “Episodes”
From left, Tamsin Greig, Matt LeBlanc and Stephen Mangan of "Episodes" - Showtime Photo
If you were a network that had a show with the pedigree that “Episodes” does, you’d probably expect to have a hit on your hands.
And Showtime’s “Episodes,” written by David Crane (“Friends”) and Jeffrey Klarik (“Mad About You”) and starring former “Friend” Matt LeBlanc, should
be a success.
The seven-episode comedy begins with happily married writing couple Sean and Beverly Lincoln winning awards and rave reviews for their hit U.K. series “Lyman’s Boys.” Sean and Beverly are played by British comedy veterans Stephen Mangan (“Green Wing,”"I Am Alan Partridge”) and Tamsin Greig (“Green Wing,” “Love Soup”).
They are then lured to America by U.S. network President Merc Lapidus (John Pankow) to remake their show – and he promises, of course, to not change anything about it.
Once Sean and Beverly get to Hollywood, however, things quickly go downhill when they learn Lapidus hasn’t even seen their show.
Lapidus also insists that, instead of their excellent lead actor, an elderly Royal Shakespeare veteran, in the role of the headmaster of an elite boys’
boarding school, the character should be taken over by Matt LeBlanc.
With the decision out of their control and LeBlanc taking the part, a complicated relationship triangle develops, affecting the show and their
personal lives.
It took just a little bit for me to get into this series, but as soon as LeBlanc becomes a prominent presence, it really picks up.
It’s amusing to see him playing himself, but yet not really himself, since the Matt LeBlanc character in “Episodes” leans toward self-centeredness and isn’t always the nicest of guys. But LeBlanc does have fun with his role in the show, still displaying the charm that drew fans to his “Friends” character Joey.
The show’s dialogue and Mangan and Greig’s performances make this inside look into Hollywood pretty funny as well with their observations and comments throughout the debacle of the development of their completely changed show – and through their getting to know LeBlanc.
“Episodes” is scheduled to premiere at 8:30 p.m. Jan. 9 on Showtime.
Melissa Hayer
mhayer@opubco.com
“Dexter” renewed for sixth season
Michael C. Hall of "Dexter" - Showtime Photo by Randy Tepper
As season five of Showtime’s “Dexter” is leading up to another suspense-filled finale Sunday, the network has picked up the series for its sixth season, according to a news release.
“Dexter” was nominated for seven Primetime Emmy Awards this year, including Outstanding Television Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Michael C. Hall and Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for John Lithgow, which Lithgow won.
Director Steve Shill also won the Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series.
“Dexter” stars Hall as a complicated and conflicted blood-spatter expert for the Miami police department who moonlights as a serial killer.
Jennifer Carpenter, Desmond Harrington, C.S. Lee, Lauren Vélez, David Zayas, and James Remar are co-stars of the series.
The season five “Dexter” finale airs at 8 p.m. Sunday on Showtime.
“Dexter” has new problem on his hands
Michael C. Hall and Julia Stiles of "Dexter" - Showtime Photo by Randy Tepper
(FROM A SHOWTIME NEWS RELEASE)
In this week’s episode of “Dexter,” which airs at 8 p.m. Sunday on Showtime:
Dexter (Michael C. Hall) deals with the mystery girl (Julia Stiles) he encountered when taking care of Boyd Fowler (Shawn Hatosy).
To watch a clip, click below:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
“Dexter” copes with tragedy as season five begins
Michael C. Hall of "Dexter" - Showtime Photo by Randy Tepper
The fifth season of Showtime’s drama “Dexter” begins with Dexter (Michael C. Hall) trying to deal with the grief of losing his wife Rita (Julie Benz).
Dexter has trouble dealing with his feelings of guilt – he’s a serial killer after all, so feelings aren’t exactly his strong suit.
Dexter is a serial killer with a code, though, and it’s a code that designates only criminals as his victims, which included the Trinity Killer.
In the season four finale, the Trinity Killer got to Rita before Dexter got to him, however, and that leads to Dexter blaming himself for what happened to her.
And how will Dexter now take care of his two stepchildren and baby, perform his duties as a Miami blood-spatter analyst and continue to carry out his serial killing ways?
In addition, co-worker and detective Joey Quinn (Desmond Harrington) also becomes suspicious of Dexter and begins his own investigation into Dexter’s possible role in her murder.
Michael C. Hall’s performance continues to be powerful and one of the very best on television.
The writers also deserve much credit for keeping up the quality of this show.
Making a serial killer a likeable and sympathetic character has been a gripping and fascinating thing to watch so far, and I’m betting this season will be no different.
“Dexter’s” season five premieres at 8 p.m. tomorrow, Sept. 26, on Showtime.
– Melissa Hayer
Showtime renews “The Green Room with Paul Provenza”
Paul Provenza in "The Green Room with Paul Provenza" - Showtime Photo
Showtime has picked up the comedy series “The Green Room with Paul Provenza” for a second season.
The six-episode series will offer viewers another opportunity to watch comedians share their innermost thoughts, personal anecdotes and humor with each other in an intimate setting, according to a Showtime news release.
The second season will be filmed in Los Angeles and will debut on Showtime in 2011.
