TV - "Bionic Woman" Premiere

With producers from Battlestar Gallactica and The X-Files, how can NBC's newest Sci Fi series fail?

We're pretty stoked about a new female superhero and what looks like it will be a really neat new show.

Q: What's at the heart of Jaime that made you want to play her? Do you want her to be all science or more of a human being with her pregnancy, her having to take care of her younger sister and the emotions of having to readjust to a new life?

Ryan: I think it is absolutely the human side... Yes, she has these super abilities, but at the core of it, there is a woman's journey of self discovery and her right to empowerment. I feel like I am on that journey. I just felt an instant connection. I know this young character (Vivian), who also has sudden abilities, she comes along farther down the series and Jaime takes her under her wing immediately. She is very compassionate and she questions every step of the way when Jonas and Antonio say, 'We are the good guys.' She questions everything. I love that. She is just this very grounded multi-layered character and person. That's why I felt, yeah, there is so much potential to play with her character, aside from the action sequences. The sci-fi element at the core of it is this human being who has got so much depth. That's the woman I want to be like. I want to find my voice and I want my voice to be strong and confident. I feel playing Jaime is helping me get there.

Check out the trailer above and read more of the cool interview with Michelle Ryan here.

The Bionic Woman premieres September 26th on NBC.

Heidi Montag Is Delusional, Epileptic

Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ that was bad. Has someone lost control of her arms?

We just can't like The Hills' Heidi Montag. Videos like this don't help.

Emmys Worst Dressed: Kristen Bell

Heroes has several of its blond beauties on our list - and at both ends of the spectrum. Unlike Ali Larter's to-die-for red ensemble, newcomer Kristen Bell's sky blue dress looked exactly like a terrycloth shower wrap my mother used to own.

Emmys So-So Dressed: America Ferrera

We are totally still on the fence about Ugly Betty herself, America Ferrera. We think the show is one of the absolute worst on TV and she was awful in the craptacular Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - but America the actress is pretty cute.

Her face looks great here but the dress...good color, poor execution. And too much tummy on display. It would be cute if that was a baby bump - but it's not. When people say, "You look beautiful; are you pregnant?" it's time to go a size up in the dress. It's not a huge deal - just one size up.


We also just read on Wikipedia that her smile is insured with Lloyd's Of London for $10 million. We were shocked. We could see it if it was Betty Grable's legs or Celine Dion's voice. Ferrera has a pretty smile but almost everyone in Hollywood has a pretty smile.

PS. Here are some fun videos of her from the Emmys and other award shows. Famous people always think 'things happen for a reason' because they happened to them.

Emmys Best Dressed: Ali Larter

Best and Worst Dressed lists abound online but our personal fave was Heroes' Ali Larter.

The girl owns red.

This looks stunning. There is nothing about this picture of her that isn't gorgeous.

Emmys Bomb Big Time

Proving once again that nobody likes Ryan Seacrest except maybe his mom, the ratings for the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday were abysmal.

"Preliminary figures from Nielsen Media Research put the audience for Sunday's show, aired on Fox, at 13.1 million viewers. That's 3 million fewer than for last year's telecast, on NBC, and less than the record low 13.8 million three years ago on ABC."

The big excuse being offered is that the Emmys were aired against a big football game (the San Diego Chargers got creamed by the New England Patriots - including Bridget Moynahan's baby daddy, Tom Brady) but we prefer to blame Seacrest. The man is proof that execs don't listen to the public. He gets made fun of all over town for his over-the-top corniness and big phony TV personality but we still see his face everywhere.

America's Next Top Model Season Premiere

The new season of America's Next Top Model premieres on The CW tomorrow night at 8. We have to admit that despite not having cable (and never watching the two channels we do get - 8 & 10) we're shamefacedly excited about this show.

We're only human and, yes, despite the raging debate over body image, on and off the show, we occasionally like to watch the pretty. (Well, sometimes it's pretty; and sometimes we like to indulge our catty side and pick apart already fragile egos - albeit in the privacy of our own home.) One reason we're especially excited about this season though is that they have a bona fide plus size model in the mix of underweight minxes. And - a little clarification on plus size models - there are several different types (like weight classes in boxing;) it usually means still slim just not emaciated, although there are more full-figured plus size models as well. We can't wait to see how she competes and what the judges and other contestants comments are. Juicy.

PS. Click here for vid clips from the show.

News - Kathy Griffin's Emmy Speech To Be Censored

Comedienne and actress, Kathy Griffin finally won an Emmy for her show My Life on the D-List but the road to the top may have a few more bumps before she makes it.

Her acceptance speech, while amusing many, has outraged some who called it blasphemous and hate-filled.

When accepting her award, Griffin said, "a lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus. Fuck you, Jesus! This award is my god now!"

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences stated Monday that "Kathy Griffin's offensive remarks will not be part of the E! telecast on Saturday night."

We can totally take this kind of joke but we recognize that personal priorities account for different levels of offense in different groups. We hope this gets resolved to everyone's satisfaction.

PS. Doesn't she look like Desperate Housewives', Felicity Huffman, here?

"D*&$ In A Box" Wins Emmy

That crazy Andy Samberg, recent and amazingly popular addition to SNL, has teamed up with the likes of Natalie Portman and Tom Hanks to bring viewers musical comic gold. But it was his collaboration with former *NSYNCer Justin Timberlake that won both artists the Emmy for Best Original Music and Lyrics on September 8th. ("Dick in a Box," Above.)

We love Timberlake as a guest on SNL, from this to his stint with Jimmy Fallon as Bee Gees Barry and Robin Gibb.

We're also a huge fan of Andy Samberg and Tom Hank's music video, "Don't Cut My Testicles."
Pure silliness. We love it!

Congrats, boys.

"100 Best TV Shows Of All TIME" Is Missing A Few

TIME Magazine's TV critic, James Poniewozik, opens with an apology in his "100 Best TV Shows Of All TIME." He probably "left some of your favorite shows off [the] list;" he knows because he left some of his off too.

We get that it's hard to please everyone. We empathize. That said, here are three of our faves that didn't (and should've, darn it) made the list:

Xena: Warrior Princess
At one point, the number one show in the world, beating Baywatch for the honor. Not one of Sam Raimi's amazingly successful cult TV shows made the list.

Futurama
Firefly
Both of these last shows were preceded by highly successful first, and even second shows by the same creator (Matt Groening and Joss Whedon, respectively.) But because the geniuses behind the story cut themselves better deals the second time around, these arguably higher quality successors to The Simpsons, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Angel, were cut off before their time.

Are we missing any?

Joss Whedon's "Ripper" Gets Green Light

Joss Whedon has been given the go-ahead to start filming on the long awaited Buffy the Vampire Slayer spin-off Ripper.

The show (the title is Rupert Giles' youthful nickname) takes place when Buffy's Watcher Giles comes out of retirement to fight monsters once again and will air only on the BBC. Reportedly, Joss is very excited to cast Pete Doherty as a zombie. We can't imagine why. It's not like he has bloodshot eyes, dead skin and looks like a walking skeleton or anything.

We can't wait to see it online; we hope it comes to the US! Joss is one of our comedic heroes.

Music - John Denver Tribute DVD on PBS

This month, PBS has chosen the recent film "A Song's Best Friend, John Denver Remembered" for broadcast during their national pledge drive.

The new DVD features commentary from some of those closest to John: his first wife, Annie, and some of his fellow writers, managers and collaborators, as well as a moving tribute from Jean Michel Cousteau.

For those of us familiar with John's work it's an emotional journey filled with personal video, clips from specials and his best concerts; for those new to the amazing person that John Denver was it's a phenomenal introduction to the man, his music, and his causes.

Many don't know that John Denver was not only a musician and environmentalist but was a key figure in many other international endeavors and was instrumental in the 1985 Senate hearings on music censorship along with The Dead Kennedys' Jello Biafra, Frank Zappa and Twisted Sister's Dee Snider. They fought the PMRC (Parent's Music Resource Center -- a group founded by Tipper Gore) to retain freedom of expression in the music industry.

John Denver is pretty much our number one hero, so it made us weepy and very sentimental to watch the film. As his brother said, echoing John's own words to Rolling Stone, on VH1 Behind the Music: John Denver, "I don't care if he was the Mickey Mouse of rock and roll."

Your legacy lives on, John.

There May or May Not be a Xena Movie

Tepid news from the Xenaverse:

Back in May of this year, Lucy Lawless gave an interview where she said not to 'count out' a Xena movie just yet.

At June's Xena Convention in NYC, Rob Tapert (producer of Xena and Lucy's husband) said that the studio's execs were not interested in a movie at this time but that he would be meeting with them again.

Then, at ComiCon in July Sam Raimi (who co produced the show with Tapert) had this to say about the possibility of a film.

So, don't count them out just yet -- although it's been six years since the end of the show -- Xena fans are some of the most hardcore and numerous out there. And we all know what an intrepid fan base, fantastic DVD sales, and buzz can do in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre.

Battle on, Xena!

More Batman

Classic Snickers Ad

We couldn't resist. We recently hit our head and quoted this commercial to prove we didn't have a concussion.

Firefly Fans have new hope for a BIG DAMN SEQUEL

Fans of Joss Whedon's Firefly have renewed hope after an interview conducted at San Diego's International ComiCon in July. Whedon stated that the hope for a sequel to the Firefly-based movie Serenity "probably rests with this DVD." (Read: the newly released Serenity: Collector's Edition) What are you waiting for Browncoats? Get out there and buy that DVD!

Whedon revealed that there would be major goodies on the Special Edition of the film.

Read the full interview here.

Ah, Firefly fans...no power in the 'verse can stop them. I'll be in my bunk.