Doux News: May 13, 2012

This week: Renewals and Cancellations --- Finales Ahoy --- X-Files Mania? --- Joss on Joss --- For Geek Moms Everywhere

(Note: I’m covering the news column on an as-needed basis. But never fear! Billie and the other writers are helping to feed me news tidbits, so shows I don’t watch should still get some love.)

Upfronts are here, and the long wait for renewal and cancellation confirmations for the major networks is almost over. Actually, in most cases, the wait is already over. Typically the renew/cancel news comes out when the fall schedules are officially presented at Upfronts. But this past week has seen a flurry of announcements, and at this point I’m not sure if any shows are left hanging in the balance.

Unsurprisingly, FOX officially cancelled Alcatraz; however, they did renew Touch. They also picked up a new pilot from Vampire Diaries showrunner Kevin Williamson called The Following. It’s about serial killers and stars James Purefoy (Rome, Camelot) and Kevin Bacon (!), as well as Justified’s Natalie Zea. I’m guessing this means less time with Winona in Season 4 of Justified. Could we please get more Rachel and Tim her absence?

Also unsurprisingly, NBC cancelled Awake; however, they did renew Community for 13 episodes and my beloved Parks and Recreation for a full season (woo hoo!). To be honest, I’m not too broken up about Awake. It was a good show with a great pilot, but I think the “which reality is real?” structure would have been difficult to maintain over the long haul, and the procedural elements they were using as filler were generally very weak. I’ve certainly enjoyed Jason Isaacs’ mesmerizing performance, but one and done is probably about right for this show. Hopefully, we’ll get some measure of closure in a couple weeks.

NBC also announced a whole bunch of new pilot pick-ups. The most intriguing ‘round these parts is probably the new offering from J.J. Abrams and Eric Kripke (Supernatural), titled Revolution, which is about people struggling to survive in a world where all forms of energy have ceased to exist. My interest was already piqued based on the combination of those two creators, but it also stars Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad, Once Upon a Time)! Apparently David Lyons (The Cape) and Billy Burke (Twilight) are also in it, but it had me at Giancarlo Esposito.

Moving over to ABC, most of our favorites were renewed, including Once Upon a Time, Revenge, and Castle. (I’m also looking forward to a second season of Suburgatory.) In addition, a deal was struck to move Cougar Town to TBS for a fourth season. This is great news for me, as I’m a big fan of the Cul-de-Sac Crew. The show hasn’t been knocking it out of the park every week this season, but they’ve still been bringing enough of their particular “wackiness plus heart” formula to keep me happy. I’ll be watching next season.

ABC cancellations include The River and Missing, but notable pick-ups cover a host of potentially genre-friendly fare, as well as several shows featuring some perennial favorites, including Terry O’Quinn, Andre Braugher, Connie Britton, Robert Wisdom, and Anthony Edwards (!).

And at the CW, Nikita and Heart of Dixie are in, and The Secret Circle and Ringer are out. Of potential interest (or cause for trepidation) in CW series pick-ups are Beauty and the Beast, a reboot of the 1980s series that starred Ron Perlman and Linda Hamilton, and Arrow, a series that takes us back to Smallville territory with a focus on comics hero Green Arrow.

Finales Ahoy

It’s May and its sweeps, so season finales abound. Castle wrapped its second season this past Monday in an apparently satisfying fashion. Thursday was a big night with sweet and emotional finales on Big Bang Theory and Parks and Recreation, plus twists and turns aplenty on The Secret Circle and Vampire Diaries (I don’t actually watch these two, so I’m really just spit-balling here). And last, but not least, Fringe aired its freaky and emotionally intense season finale on Friday.

On deck for this week: Once Upon a Time, How I Met Your Mother (an hour-long episode), Hawaii Five-0, Cougar Town (two episodes in an hour-long block), Community (a three-episode marathon --- interrupted by 30 Rock at 8:30), Person of Interest, Grimm, Nikita, and Supernatural.

X-Files Mania?

Is it just me, or has there been a strangely high number of X-Files shout outs in primetime television of late? Last week there was a nod on Awake, when the Brittens sat down to enjoy an old X-Files marathon. Then, this past Wednesday there were references in two of the ABC comedy shows, with characters on Suburgatory and Don’t Trust the B____ in Apartment 23 settling in for an evening of X-Files watching. Add that to a spring cleaning recovery of my old collection of X-Files calendars, magazines, and news clippings (I was really obsessed with the show), and it feels like XF is everywhere these days! A cosmic sign that I need to start on those Season 2 reviews?

Joss on Joss

Courtesy of Josie (who did not make me post the lead image)

Joss Whedon posted an interview with himself on Whedonesque, and the New York Times covered it.

For Geek Moms (and Dads) Everywhere

In honor of Mother’s Day, I thought I’d share one of my fun “geek mom” memories. My girls aren’t old enough to really embrace geek culture yet --- if you don’t count those fantasy and little girl staples, unicorns, princesses, and fairies --- but I had my first inkling that my oldest might be destined for geekdom when she was about two years old.

We turned on the television one night and it happened to be on the Sci Fi Channel (that’s what it was called back then). One of those craptastic Sci Fi Originals was airing --- The Dragon Chronicles: Fire & Ice. We left it on for a few minutes because Amy Acker was the lead and, hey, cheesy CGI dragons! (Not to be confused with the awesome and totally cute CGI dragon above.) Pretty soon a dragon showed up and burned down an entire village. Naturally, the king’s men ran out to the ramparts to start shooting arrows at the thing, and that’s when my little daughter calls out: “Oh no! Watch out, dragon!”

Apparently the burned village was of no consequence to her, but the thought that the men might hurt the dragon was cause for concern. My husband and I quickly changed the channel to something more appropriate, but then exchanged looks of what I can only describe as extreme glee and pride. She cared about the dragon! Sure, this one was a fire-breathing menace that just killed a bunch of people, but she still cared about him. She might be one of our kind! Huzzah!

Happy Mother’s Day!

That's it for this week. Opinions, raves, rants, questions? Any favorite geek parent moments to share? Post a comment!

Image credit: Westeros, Copyright © HBO