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Doux News: September 21, 2014

Enjoy your Sunday!
THIS WEEK: Fall Season Kicks Off -- First Look at Mockingjay -- The Comics Come to Life -- Ben-Hur Rides Again -- Netflix -- Premium -- Justified Casting

Fall Season Kicks Off
If you've been waiting patiently all summer to see how those pesky cliffhangers would be resolved, wait no longer. The 2014-2015 television season kicks off tonight with a returning favorite (The Good Wife) and one of the most buzzed about new shows (Madam Secretary). Josie has compiled a great list of the premiere dates for both new and returning shows, so be sure to check back with us as the fall progresses.

Although we will not be doing full reviews of all the new network shows, I will be doing periodic posts of quick reviews. Some of the new shows look quite interesting, but what do you think? Let us know which shows you are most looking forward to catching this fall. For some industry insiders' opinions, click here.

Hunger Games: Mockingjay
The first official trailer for the latest edition of the Hunger Games saga was released this week. Although the film will not be released until November 21, tickets go on sale October 29. Does this mean that the movie will be among the top grossing before it even hits the screens?



The Comics Come to Life
Because there are not enough comic book characters on television, Fox is reportedly developing a series around Lucifer in which he leaves hell to open a piano bar. I can imagine a piano bar being one version of hell, but there we are. As if the devil weren't enough, Supergirl have been given a series commitment from CBS. No news yet on who will be the lead.

Ben-Hur Rides Again
Speaking of things that probably don't need to happen, MGM and Paramount have decided that re-making Ben-Hur is a good idea. Jack Huston will join the already cast Morgan Freeman in the title role.

Netflix Fix
I am a Netflix junkie. I love the sheer volume of shows and films available and I love the instant gratification of streaming. This article, published this week by Vulture, has some wonderful suggestions about how to improve your viewing experience and sites that will help you choose what to watch. Happy marathoning.

Premium Channels Without the Premium Cost
Speaking of streaming, both HBO and Showtime this week very strongly hinted that each will be available to stream without paying a monthly subscription. Good news for all of us on a limited budget who still want to watch selected shows on those networks.

Justified Casting
As we anticipate the final season of Justified kicking off in January, news has broken that Sam Elliott and Garret Dillahunt are joining the cast. To which I say, yippee!

ChrisB is a freelance writer who spends more time than she ought in front of a television screen or with a book in her hand.

8 comments:

  1. I am very tired. So it is no surprise that I read this line:

    Fox is reportedly developing a series around Lucifer in which he leaves hell to open a piano bar.

    ...as:

    Fox is reportedly developing a series around Lucifer in which he leaves hell to open a panda bar.

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  2. Josie, I think your version makes more sense...

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  3. Fall shows return! Sleepy Hollow, who gave us one of the nastiest cliffhangers ever, is back tomorrow! Agents of SHIELD back this week, too, and Person of Interest, Castle, Once Upon a Time...

    Yay for Justified casting! Garret Dillahunt was so great in Deadwood that they brought him back as a second character, and I've loved how Justified keeps bringing back actors from Deadwood. Sam Elliot wasn't in Deadwood, but he should have been. :)

    Panda bars would probably be dangerous, what with wild animals hanging about. Maybe a piano bar would be more soothing.

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  4. I was pretty excited about that Justified casting news, too. Dillahunt is so awesome! The final season is seeming more and more promising. Woot!

    I'm actually more excited about that than the start of the Fall TV Season. Except for The Walking Dead --- which remains my #1 Unhealthy Obsession --- nearly every show I'm passionate about doesn't come back until Winter/Spring. And most of the new fall offerings have little to no appeal for me.

    The hubby and I are looking forward to having Agents of SHIELD, Big Bang Theory, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine back, and we are going to check out The Flash, but I wouldn't say we are "eagerly anticipating" any of these. We are kind of psyched for Star Wars: Rebels on Disney DXD (it premieres 10/3 on Disney, but will regularly air on DXD starting 10/13). We're about halfway through The Clone Wars (and are starting to get to some really good stuff), and are hoping the new series will be as entertaining.

    I'm also intrigued by Ascension, the miniseries that starts Nov. 24 on SyFy. The concept could be interesting and Tricia Helfer is one of the leads. She wasn't enough to get me to try Killer Women last year, but she can certainly get me in the door for a space-faring drama. :)

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  5. Lucifer is based on one of my favorite comics..he does a lot more than open a piano bar. It's a spinoff from Sandman by Neil Gaiman.
    Also TNT is developing a series on Dc's Titans..
    http://deadline.com/2014/09/titans-show-dc-comics-tnt-pilot-order-833189/

    Not sure whether to be excited or exhausted with all these super heroes.

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  6. OK first off, remake Ben-Hur? I've resigned myself to the fact that the big movie studios are bereft of original ideas, but remaking an iconic movie like this takes idiocy to a whole new level. Yes I know there was a tv mini-series a few years ago(which after looking up the cast, I'm actally curious to watch), but putting it on the big screen again? Unless there was significant material from the original novel Heston's version left out that they've decided to highlight, I can't imagine a scenario where the remake is compared favorably with Heston's film. It'd be like remaking Casablanca(which I maintain would be the ABSOLUTE dumbest thing they could do).

    I'm definitely excited for my returning faves, and a few of the new shows as well. Obviously the comic-based ones like Gotham and The Flash are high on my list, but there's one other I was pleasantly surprised by. Forever, with Ioan Gruffud. I've watched the first episode, and while it wasn't anything terribly original, it definitely had some charm to it. It's got a few actors I like, and the characters are interesting enough, so I'm going to keep watching it for now and see how it develops. The opening scene of the premiere definitely gets your attention! I'll also be checking out Scorpion, the one about the ragtag team of dysfunctional super-geniuses that will be saving the world on a weekly basis. I have no illusions that it will be anything more than what the previews make it out to be, but I'm a sucker for that sort of thing. Plus, Robert Patrick makes everything 17% more awesome just by being in it and Katharine McPhee is ridiculously pretty even if she can't act her way out of a paper bag.

    Not sure what to make about those new comic properties announced for TV development, my gut says they won't do so well. I'm not sure one of the major broadcast networks is the best home for a show focusing on Lucifer as the main, and presumably at least somewhat sympathetic, character. Seems better suited for FX. And Supergirl? Well, as long as David E. Kelley doesn't get his hands on it, maybe. But how do you do Supergirl without references to Superman? And if you're going to reference him, you're going to have to find ways to explain why he's never around to help out when things get REALLY tough, since I'm guessing they won't have the rights to actually show him on screen. It'd be like doing a show about Robin but never letting Batman show up to help, even when Robin's getting the ever-living snot beat out of him. And I'll need to be convinced that CBS knows how to handle a comic book property, it's not really their thing.

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  7. I'm apprehensive about all of these comic-related shows, too. How much room is there for more and yet more? And Supergirl has never done anything for me. Could be good, I suppose, but like you say, Patrick, if the big guy never shows up, it'll feel weird. And if he does, he'll overshadow.

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  8. Oh, I'm not apprehensive about ALL of them. Gotham looks really cool. I've seen the Flash pilot(just never you mind how) and it was a lot of fun. Constantine looks like it'll be a hoot, and a very good timeslot companion for Grimm on Friday nights. I am worried about over-saturation, naturally. But think about the years we had multiple Law & Orders, CSI's etc. all on at once. Those shows didn't have nearly as much variety between them as these comic book properties do, that's probably going to help avoid the oversaturation problem. Of course, as I say that CBS is preparing to launch their third NCIS. Funny thing is, I'm quite looking forward to it. I still love the first one, but the 2nd NCIS got boring real fast, and 3 out of the 4 main actors on the new one are people I really like. :)

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