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Doux News: August 12, 2012


This week: Joss Whedon returns to television -- Curiosity lands on Mars -- Charisma Carpenter survives evil -- New witch in Mystic Falls -- Extended preview of Revolution

Yeah, we knew Joss Whedon was great ten years ago already

A lot of us here (especially me) are big fans of Joss Whedon's early work. I've reviewed all four of his television series, two of which were victims of either improper marketing, massive suit interference, or both. Come to think of it, all four of them were, although Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel managed to get long runs in spite of it.

Somehow, it took Whedon directing this summer's biggest blockbuster to make his brilliance obvious to the rest of world. He has just signed an exclusive Marvel contract that will include Avengers 2 (was there ever any doubt?) as well as a new Marvel television show for ABC, which probably won't arrive until fall, 2013.

If Joss Whedon is doing another television show, I'm reviewing it. Yes, I'd prefer science fiction instead of something comic-related, but in the end, it really doesn't matter. After getting fired because the suits didn't like his interpretation of Wonder Woman (and this is the writer/producer who redefined the heroine on television), Whedon has had the last word in a great big way. He's returning to television, and in a position of power. Numfar, do the dance of joy!






(In case this reference bewilders you, it's a scene from an episode of Angel set in an alternate universe, and Numfar was played by, or more accurately, danced by, Joss Whedon.)

Curiosity lands on Mars

The other big news this week (for me, anyway) was the successful landing of the NASA rover Curiosity on the planet Mars. I've had a thing for Mars for as long as I can remember. I even managed to slog through Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy, and that took patience and endurance. So I would really like to see humans on the surface of Mars in my lifetime. They'd better hurry the frak up.

Charisma Carpenter survives evil


Charisma Carpenter (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel) is now working on another project: hosting a new series coming in 2013 entitled I Survived Evil, featuring true stories of people who survived criminal attacks. Carpenter, a survivor herself, is interested in exploring the "why." I don't understand evil, either. Maybe that's why shows about it tend to intrigue me.

Sort of unrelated, but also about evil and Charisma Carpenter, I follow J. August Richards (Angel) on Twitter, mostly because I met him a few years ago at a political event thrown by, coincidentally, Joss Whedon, and Richards was so tall, handsome and charming that he made my heart go pitty pat. Some ass on Twitter said something insulting to Charisma (which I think has since been deleted), and Richards asked his followers not to attack the guy, but to instead send love to Charisma. ("Let's all let @AllCharisma know how much we love her!!! Say whatever then include the hashtag #weloveyouCharisma"). What a gent.

New witch in Mystic Falls

Phoebe Tonkin, Faye on the canceled Secret Circle, will be joining The Vampire Diaries for season four. (More here.) I bet that will make Panda happy. Not as happy as The Secret Circle getting renewed, but it's something.

Extended preview of Revolution

The rest of what I have for this week is "extended preview" for the new fall show Revolution, which we plan to cover here on the site. The Revolution trailer includes Elizabeth Mitchell and Giancarlo Esposito (yay!), but I'm unhappy to report that it doesn't do much for me. Of course, it's hard to tell how good a show is going to be by its trailer, but isn't it supposed to intrigue you and get you to watch? What do you guys think?





That's it for this week. Opinions, raves, rants, questions? Post a comment!

14 comments:

  1. Billie, thank you so much for posting that clip! It's too long since I saw that scene. The whole green-Klingon-land thing was totally worth it just for Numfar and the dance of joy.

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  2. Oh, I loved Phoebe Tonkin on Secret Circle! I also loved Jessica Parker Kennedy. Just couldn't stand the way the show kept on killing off the best of the guys! Will be glad to see her on the wonderful Vampire Diaries this year. <3

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  3. Revolution looks boring. I've never been a fan of the post apocalyptic genre.

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  4. I hope Joss is actually going to save ABC's potential Jessica Jones series from development hell. He would be a perfect fit that show.

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  5. Yeah, the Revolution trailer does look a little drab. That voice-over doesn't help it at all. I hope they intend to address how, in a world without electricity, the men manage to have such immaculate designer stubble.

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  6. In a world without power, in a country without hope, in an era without cubicle workers, only one team can save the menfolk from fuzzy beards or dreadful clean-shavenness.

    Meet: The Barbers.

    An ancient cabal devoted to trimming stubble (neck-shaves optional), The Barbers are our last, best hope against masculine hairiness.

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  7. Allo, Billie.

    Any plans of reviewing Lost Girl? Truly hope that it gets to be included in your roster of tv reviews.

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  8. a) Too bad the Barbers never crashed on that (in)famous Island, huh ? Pouah ! (french pun)

    b) You're not the only one who's fascinated by Mars. Astrology has grown a lot this past 150 years. Remember this gem ? :

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058530/

    It sure had an impact on my young flammable imagination. (it still does today)

    c) Sill immensely pissed at the short lives of Firefly and Dollhouse. Still singing (nah, not really) with Captain Hammer and Dr Horrible too.

    d) Twitter has become not only a PR tool but also a hate propagating one. Sigh.

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  9. PlatinumRosebud, I love Lost Girl and I would love for us to cover it. It's on our "want" list.

    celticmarc, I agree that it's a jungle out there on the internet. It's one of the reasons all of us here at billiedoux.com try so hard to make the atmosphere positive. Actually, I've had some great experiences on Twitter. For every ass out there, there's a gent like J. August Richards. :)

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  10. Did anyone else notice that the song playing in the Revolution trailer is "Touched" by VAST, which featured in season one of Angel and was on the soundtrack?

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  11. LOL

    Probably why I love your site so much : you say a big NO to impoliteness and such. I'm now hating it when I read a newspaper article on the web, and the comments section is 5 times larger than the article itself. Some comments are ok, some brilliant, and way too many are written by _______...

    Have to go now, going to watch another Lost ep. Big smile on my face.

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  12. It is now official: Doctor Who season 7 starts on BBC One and BBC America Saturday 1st September.

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  13. That Doctor has been an icon for, oh my, almost 49 years ! 3 more than the Star Trek franchise ! (We're the same age LOL)

    I love it when in "Remembrance of the Daleks" in 88 they made an inside joke about it. And later on : "but you said he was an old geezer !" Bloody brilliant.

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  14. Haha, Billie I'm still smarting over 'Circle's cancellation! But when I read that Phoebe Tonkin news it really helped numb the pain a bit...

    She was the standout of the series, I mentioned it a million times in my reviews, so I'm glad Kevin Williamson noticed it too. It's also nice that she gets to work with real life bestie Claire Holt (Rebekah). They can have fun Aussie sleep-overs on set and stuff.

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