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Doux News: December 2, 2012

This week: New at Doux, with a question for our readers -- New shows, premieres and cancellations (Justified, Under the Dome, Neverwhere, Sherlock, Grimm, Do No Harm, Merlin) -- This week in casts (S.H.I.E.L.D. and Arrow)

New at Doux

The fall finales and the holidays are approaching, and that usually means it gets a bit quiet around here. Not this time. Along with our annual "Best of" posts, we're planning a group post on holiday specials as well as many December movie reviews, including some of classic holiday movies. We hope you'll stop by.

And there's more: we're adding another great show to our line-up. ChrisB will be reviewing Downton Abbey for us! Catch-up reviews will start going up soon.

Speaking of adding shows to the site, I need your help.

"Episode reviews and articles on science fiction, fantasy and cult television" has always been the way I've described BillieDoux.com -- it's been on the front page since I started the site in 2004, and back when it was just me, or even when it was only four of us (me, Jess Lynde, Paul Kelly and Josie Kafka), it was still an apt description. These days, we still cover the sci-fi and vampire-loving demographic, but we're also reviewing many cool mainstream shows. "Science fiction, fantasy and cult television" just doesn't describe us any more.

My site partner Josie Kafka suggested "TV that doesn't suck", but she said she was kidding. I actually think that covers it pretty well; it has a ring to it. But we'd like to open this up to our readers and, of course, our wonderful writers. How do you think we should describe the site? Post a comment! The winner will be honored with a cute graphic on the front page for the month of January lauding their accomplishment, as well as my eternal thanks.

New shows, premieres and cancellations

Justified, a big favorite here on the Doux, is returning for its fourth season on FX January 8. I'll be reviewing it.

Stephen King's novel Under the Dome is going directly to series on CBS. Lost writer Brian K. Vaughan adapted the script and will be one of the executive producers; it's scheduled to debut in the summer of 2013. I am imagining that it would work best as a miniseries, but that's unclear. We shall see.

The BBC is going to adapt Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. Unfortunately, it's going to be for the radio, not television, but, to quote Mark Greig,"...that doesn't matter because this six-part adaptation of Gaiman's brilliant book wins the award for the BEST CAST EVER!!! We got James McAvoy (X-Men: First Class), Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock), Natalie Dormer (The Tudors and Game of Thrones), David Harewood (Homeland) Sophie Okonedo (Doctor Who), Romola Garai (The Hour) Bernard Cribbins (Wilf!), Anthony Head (Giles!) and the legend that is Sir Christopher Lee. According to Gaiman himself it will be broadcast sometime early next year. In the meantime here is a adorable picture of some of that awesome cast saying hi to the author."

Sherlock ... will be late. They're not even sure when we're going to get more Sherlock. Maybe 2014? Seriously? We Are Not Amused. Is Moriarty running the BBC?

Grimm won't be returning until... March 8??? What is going on with all of these really late return dates? Okay, the delay in the return of Grimm is because of the premiere of Do No Harm, the new Jekyll/Hyde medical drama that premieres on NBC on January 31. And yes, that sounds like it might be cool, but it doesn't seem fair to Grimm fans, does it?

The fifth, currently running season of Merlin will be its last. Let's hope they learned in time to wind up the series in a satisfying manner.

This week in casts

Yet more S.H.I.E.L.D. casting news -- this time, Brett Dalton as agent Grant Ward. Please tell me that they're soon going to be announcing the casting of Angel's J. August Richards as Nick Fury? (That's just my fervent desire, not an actual possibility, but wouldn't he be perfect?)

The new CW show Arrow has been busily casting a bunch of cool genre actors (very clever of them) and David Anders was just recruited. But only as a guest star. Could someone give David Anders a permanent gig on a really cool show that I watch? Please?

That's it for this week, because I couldn't come up with cat-related bit. Comments and questions? Suggestions to replace "Episode reviews and articles on science fiction, fantasy and cult television"? We'd love to hear them.

42 comments:

  1. Personally, I love "TV that doesn't suck," except that sometimes you do review sucky shows (I'm thinking about you Ringer).
    Maybe "Reviewing the shows that we love and you should too," although Ringer fails that test too.
    How about "Passionate about great TV."

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  2. I vote for something rhymey, whilst also incorporating Josie's sucking theme.... "If it's good we celebrate it, if it sucks we denigrate it" or a variation of. Maybe even "Where television is rated, celebrated, and occasionally denigrated".

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  3. TV worth watching ? (cliché)

    Good stuff on the tube ? (cute)

    TV show that make up flip ? (why not)

    TV better that family, the office and all that crap over there ??? (way too much)

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  4. Crap, no puss news this week. Oh heck.

    Even if I don't win the contest, you ALREADY have my Eternal admiration. Win win situation...

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  5. As for The Week in Cats, I'd like to submit Treadmill Kittens and Cat Versus Printer (Contains Swearing.)

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  6. LMAO

    Paul

    You've just made my week, and it has barely begun.

    ***

    TV and puss ??

    Bloody good TV and bloody hilarious cats ??

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  7. I agree with Dustin that "TV that doesn't suck" isn't particularly apt, since we do occasionally cover shows that suck (and we also cover a lot of vampire fare). Plus, I'm sure we don't even agree among us on what sucks and what doesn't! (Guess those end of year lists will tell ...)

    Maybe something more along the lines of "Episode reviews and articles for the television obsessed" would work. Even if we don't agree on what shows are worth celebrating or denigrating, I'm sure we can all agree that we (writers and readers alike) are fairly obsessed with our stories. :)

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  8. Fangs, zombies, brown shirts and plenty of crazy stuff (and people); NOR for the faint of heart....

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  9. I would like to contribute some ideas, but I don't have any so I'll just agree with whatever Paul comes up with.

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  10. I miss David Anders.
    There was a time when I wanted him to be Sydney Bristow's partner in Alias. :) {sigh}

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  11. "Where people who loves TV shows and films converge for reviews and ideas."

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  12. To boldly go when no reviewer and TV fan have gone before

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  13. Merlin's ending!!! :o( *SOB*

    Yay for Downton reviews! :o)


    Moving on to the new site description...

    How about: "Where fabulous people hang out to dissect their favourite TV shows"

    I love Paul's "Where television is rated, celebrated and occasionally denigrated"

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  14. I like 'TV that doesn't suck' too.

    I'm so happy there will be Downton Abbey reviews! I've been meaning to get into it FOREVER and now I won't have any excuse. :)

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  15. There's also the possibility of: "TV that doesn't suck, and sometimes does."

    With little fangs on the "o" in "does."

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  16. Chère folle espagnole

    Et je te cite : "fabulous people". Bien oui ! Bordel de merde, fallait que madame parle d'elle même sapristi de tonnerre de Brest de sacré bon sang !!! Langue sur la joue, pour bassement traduire les anglos.

    No people, NOT translating this. Between her and I.

    Mais d'un autre coté, c'est vrai qu'il y a du monde vachement sympa ici !

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  17. @celticmarc:

    Tonnerre de Brest? Vraiment?! Tu viens de relire un tas de Tintins ou quoi? :p

    T'inquiètes! J'adore l'humour langue DANS la joue! ;o)

    Je suis un très bon juge de charactère, donc fabulous people indeed!

    All hail the Billie Douxers! :o)

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  18. Cris sans H,

    Je ne voulais PAS utiliser mon langage coloré local...Un tantinet trop excessif pour ces pages. LOL. Allez tiens, allons-y pour un LMAO.

    Langue sur la joue, mais en dedans, ou a l'envers...Pouahhh

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  19. I vote for "TV that doesn't suck." Even if the shows aren't the greatest, the reviews and the comments raise them to a level of not sucking. But, do we want something that incorporates movies and books as well?

    sunbunny -- if my reviews get you into Downton, then we're even as you got me into The Tudors!

    :-)

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  20. Marc, je sais désormais où venir si je veux me retrouver à torcher de rire! :p

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  21. Cécé,

    Si tu veux te bidonner, te plier en deux et, oui, même p*sser dans tes cul....sous-vêtements, j'ai un humour mordant, vif et incisif.

    Une journée sans rire est comme un jardin manquant d'eau. (oui, oui, un tantinet poète en plus)

    Sorry guys, still NO translation over here.

    SOB ! Josie IS going to win.

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  22. Une journée sans rire et l'âme vieilli d'un an! :o(

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  23. I like "TV that doesn't suck and some that does" with a great vampire font on the last word, though I would modify it to "TV, movies, and books that don't suck and some that do." That might be too long, but, although I started coming here for Lost, I love the book and movie reviews as much as I love the TV episodes...

    And even though I've already voted for Josie, I worked on coming up with an acrostic for SCI-FI to explain what you do, so I'll share it as well...


    Reviews and Articles on

    Science fiction,
    Cult TV,
    International favorites,
    Fantasy themes, and everything
    In between

    Whatever you call it, this site is my favorite entertainment site on the web!

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  24. I would also like to contribute and come up with an awesome slogan, but I have nothing, so.

    Anyway, this week's Doux News made me very happy: YAY for reviewing the wonderful Downton Abbey! YAY for Neverwhere (here's hoping a TV apadtation is next). A smaller yay! for David Anders, and I totally agree about the guy finally getting a major part in something cool.

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  25. And now Josie just got the silver medal.

    Gold going to a.m.

    J'aime rire; et Modern Family, New Girl et Suburgatory m'aident a rester très très très jeune de cœur.

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  26. J'adore rire, mais la plupart des trucs officiellement appelés comédies ne sont pas du tout mon truc! Je préfère les séries that don't try so hard! And canned laughs me rendent folle! :p

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  27. "TV we'd run over our grandmother for. Well, your grandmother anyway"

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  28. Ahhhhh

    Les "canned laughs" !! Tout à fait d'acc avec toi, particulièrement ridicules et royalement emmerdants.

    Il reste toujours l'humour subtil qu'on retrouve dans Castle !

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  29. All great ideas for a new title. I don't have anything brilliant to add but I always think of the reviews as a conversation. I've said it before, this site makes me feel like I am sitting around and discussing my favourite shows with my friends. Someone may have already said this in French but could the creative people work that idea into something?

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  30. drnanamom,

    That's why I like to call you Cinnamon. No offence.

    Cécé !

    Non mais, ou(1) ais-je la tête ? Complètement oublié Community.

    (1) clavier français mais je ne trouve pas l'accent.

    tricksterson,

    Yo deserve the bronze medal.

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  31. a.m. -- that is really clever! Made me smile.

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  32. Thanks, celticmarc and ChrisB! Can you tell I'm a teacher?

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  33. How about "reviews and articles on television from Pandora's Box"?

    Name suggests magic and mythology, which goes back to the site's roots.
    It points out despite all the Evil on the boob tube ("reality" == "wretched hive of scum and villainy"), there are still quality shows that inspire hope.

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  34. Letters of love to the shows we love.

    Which might be a touch redundant, but hey why not just say what the site means. I also love Josie's!

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  35. Thank you all for a lot of wonderful suggestions. I'll have to think about it.

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  36. Not sure if it's common knowledge (only because you didn't mention it in the article) but Neverwhere oddly started off as a BBC TV show originally (with an almost-as-interesting cast), way way back in 1996, then got book-ified later three times (one for UK audiences, one for the US with 'less obscure' London references and then another mash-up of the two). And now it's getting radio-fied :o)

    I think it was even out on DVD in the States a few years ago... it came out in 2007 here (and is sitting on my shelf anyhoo).

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  37. a.m.

    Teachers and nurses get my utmost respect. Not prof. sports players. You should get a 20 % salary raise.

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  38. I have really enjoyed the reviews here... You review all of my favorite shows except Elementary and have introduced me to some that I plan to start watching.

    As far as a tag line goes, I have a couple that I like so far:
    Paul's "Where television is rated, celebrated, and occasionally denigrated"
    And, a comment another reader made on the Downton Abbey review, even though it's a little long: "A website that gushes equally over Downton Abbey and The Walking Dead? Makes perfect sense to me."

    I think something that talks about how it is like a group of friends talking about a show would be great as well.
    Maybe something like "Reviews from friends who aren't afraid to tell it like it is"

    Keep up the great work!

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