Farewell Regis, I Hardly Knew Ye

This morning, I managed to catch the heartfelt final moments of Regis Philbin’s last day on his eponymous morning talk show. I’m really glad I did. I don’t watch Live! regularly, but it’s no secret that I’ve always had a special fondness for the show. I began tuning in shortly after Kelly Ripa signed on as co-host in 2001, and I have many fond memories watching with my mom on days off from school and during the summer. One thing I’ve always enjoyed about the show is the chemistry between the co-hosts. They couldn’t be more different, but I believe that only added to the appeal of the show. Because I’m a huge fan of Kelly’s, I plan on watching the show after Regis’ exit, but Gelman had better choose someone special to replace him. (My top choices are frequent guest co-hosts Neil Patrick Harris and Jeff Probst.) In honor of the legendary talk show host’s decades-spanning career, I thought I would share with you my experiences visiting the Live! set.

1) February 23, 2004 – The audience experience that wasn’t: I had sent away for tickets on a whim, and I was ecstatic when I received a letter in the mail inviting us down for a taping. Long story short: we never made it onto the road. On the day that my family and I were leaving for New York City, my father slipped on a patch of ice in our driveway, cracking three ribs. I honestly don’t know who was more upset, him or me. (Just kidding.)

2) March 4, 2008 –  Braving the cold: On our first family trip to New York City in nearly a decade, I insisted we attend a taping of Live! We hadn’t reserved tickets, so our only option was to wait in the standby line. I wasn’t taking any chances, so I woke my mom up at 5 AM in order to make it to the studio before 6 AM. We were the first ones in line (duh!), but we were faced with another problem. New York City was experiencing unseasonably cold weather that March, and we weren’t dressed for the cold. My mom ended up paying a taxi driver $100 to park outside the studio, and we took turns warming up in the back seat. (Mom, I love you.) Thankfully, we were admitted to the taping. Unfortunately, Regis wasn’t filming that day; All My Children’s Cameron Mathison was standing in for him. The special guest was Tracee Ellis Ross, the star of the UPN sitcom Girlfriends.

A couple things from that day have stuck in my mind. (1)  The anticipation on the cab ride up to ABC studios on the Upper West Side. (2) The discomfort from standing outside in the bitter cold. (3) The surprise upon noticing how small the studio appeared in person. (4) The amazement at how quickly the time went by. (5) The excitement upon spotting the interns working backstage.

3) May 27, 2009 – My brief encounter with Regis (or, how I learned that my friend Adam is awesome): Adam and I had taken a Greyhound down to New York City following our Marianopolis graduation. It was Adam’s first time in the Big Apple, and I was excited to show him around. We crammed a lot into a four-day period: a comedy show, three museum visits, a Broadway musical, and a movie premiere. On our last morning, I coaxed Adam into accompanying me to a taping of Live! Sarah Jessica Parker was scheduled to promote Sex and the City: The Movie on the show that morning. I’ll never forget the sight of Adam standing on the sidewalk outside the studio in his blue hoodie at 6 AM, exhausted, hood up, head down, and totally silent. He didn’t complain because he knew how much I wanted to be there. At one point, the Southern woman standing in front of us in line turned around and asked, “Is your friend alright?” I told her not to worry. While we weren’t admitted to the taping with Sarah Jessica Parker, we were invited to stay for a second taping with Cynthia Nixon. After we had cleared security, and while we were waiting in the lobby for the first taping to end, who should stroll into the building but Regis. As it turns out, Regis was performing in Mississippi that night, so Pat Sajak was replacing him on the show that morning. Regis was gracious and unassuming. He chatted up his fans, and he even agreed to pose for a couple pictures. All in all, a real class act.

No End in Sight for The Walking Dead

AMC is extending the life of The Walking Dead.

Additional details are not yet known, but TVLine has reported that the cable net has picked up the zombie apocalypse thriller for a third season. News of the renewal should come as no surprise, especially considering the lively ratings the sophomore series has been getting this season. The second season premiere, which aired last week, took a giant bite out of the ratings, feasting on 7.3 million pairs of eyeballs, and breaking basic cable ratings records.

The Walking Dead is one of my latest obsessions, so I’m absolutely thrilled about this news. I caught up on the first season one afternoon this summer, devouring all six episodes back-to-back. Hungry for more, I eagerly awaited the second season premiere. Thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed. (It didn’t hurt that I watched the premiere on my friend’s home theater projection screen.)

This season on the buzzworthy show, officer and family man Rick and co. are ditching Atlanta for the woods. As a result, the show has taken on a somewhat earthier tone. Tensions are also running higher than ever, as the group of survivors considers splitting up.

While I can’t pinpoint what I love most about this series, I can tell you that blood and guts aside, The Walking Dead is a well-written, character-driven drama that packs plenty of suspense, along with some genuine scares.

What are your thoughts about The Walking Dead getting renewed? Are you as excited about the news as I am?

Fall Television Roundup: 6 New Shows You Should Be Watching

Time flies when you’re watching TV. We’re nearly six weeks into the new season, with November sweeps right around the corner. Can you believe it? By now, most of us have decided what new shows we’re sticking with, and what won’t make the cut. I’m pleased to announce that four of the six shows I previously wrote about have secured a spot on my schedule: Ringer, 2 Broke Girls, The Secret Circle, and American Horror Story. Joining them are Revenge and New Girl.

Here’s just some of what you’ve been missing:

1) Revenge: Unabashedly soapy, Revenge is my newest guilty pleasure. Watching Emily VanCamp wreak havoc in the Hamptons is, in a word, delicious. I have but one question: Madeleine Stowe, where have you been all my life?

2) Ringer: Sarah Michelle Gellar’s latest star vehicle is a little uneven, sure, but it’s also insanely addictive. Just six weeks in, the twisty neo-noir thriller has already tackled identity theft, murder, adultery, and drug addiction. What’s next?

3) The Secret Circle: The latest offering from multitasker extraordinaire Kevin Williamson, The Secret Circle is the perfect companion to The Vampire Diaries. The supernatural series about a coven of witches recently introduced demons into the fold, and showed it means business by already killing off a main character this early in its run.

4) New Girl: Come for Zooey Deschanel, stay for the ensemble. This quirky new sitcom is a lot of fun, and has lots of heart.

5) 2 Broke Girls:  Kat Denning and Beth Behrs have great chemistry as waitresses from different backgrounds working in a Brooklyn diner. Full of hilarious one-liners, this sitcom is terrific, and would be even better if its supporting characters weren’t complete stereotypes.

6) American Horror Story: American Horror Story takes the term “haunted house” to a whole new level. Featured on the cover of the new issue of Entertainment Weekly, the much-anticipated series is Ryan Murphy’s ode to the horror genre. The pilot was a dizzying mess, but subsequent episodes have laid the groundwork for what is sure to be an exciting and memorable first season. After all, there’s nothing like a good scare.

What new shows are you hooked on this season?

Cleaning Up After Desperate Housewives

The dirty laundry just keeps piling up.

The “Desperate Housewives” aren’t packing it in until May, but series creator Marc Cherry is already busy planning his next project. Continuing in the tradition of the hit landmark series, Cherry is reportedly developing a new show called Devious Maids at ABC. (The title could use some work.) The series, based on a popular Mexican telenovela, follows four Latina maids working in a posh neighborhood in Beverly Hills.

Cherry is also busy reworking the pilot for Hallelujah, the musical drama which ABC passed on earlier this year. The gods at the Alphabet network did show Cherry some mercy, so there’s a chance the series might still make it to air. If you remember, Hallelujah starred Lost alumnus Terry O’Quinn, who recently extended his run on the second season of Hawaii 5-0.

Devious Maids I can definitely get on board with, but I’m still a little nervous about Hallelujah. I’m curious to see who Cherry casts in the roles of the maids, not to mention the housewives they work for.

Which Marc Cherry series are you more excited about?

Golden Girl

Eli Gold’s next big crisis may be his own.

TVLine has announced that criminally underrated comedienne Amy Sedaris is joining the legal drama for a multi-episode arc as a political rival of Alan Cumming’s highly sought-after crisis manager. Word is Sedaris’s lobbyist will set her sights on Eli’s client list.

After hearing this casting scoop, I was over the moon. If there’s anything I’m looking forward to more than watching Eli and Kalinda work together, it’s watching Eli and Sedaris’s character butt heads.

The Good Wife is beginning to give Desperate Housewives a serious run for its money as my favorite Sunday night drama. And what’s more? It just keeps getting better.

Mom’s the Word

It looks like Rachel Berry has some unresolved mommy issues.

According to TVLine, Tony Award-winning actress Idina Menzel is in final talks to reprise her role as Shelby Corcoran, Rachel’s biological mother, next season on Glee. Word is the Broadway vet has been tapped for a 10 to 12 episode arc. 

Last we saw of Shelby, she had stepped down as coach of Vocal Adrenaline and adopted Quinn and Puck’s newborn baby daughter, Beth. Her sudden and unexpected return is likely to cause quite a stir at McKinley High, especially for Rachel, Mr. Schuester, and Quinn.

If I’m being honest, I have mixed feelings about this piece of casting news. Don’t get me wrong, I love Idina Menzel, but I never quite warmed up to her Glee character. I understood why Shelby was looking for a fresh start, but I just didn’t get why she didn’t want/couldn’t have a relationship with Rachel. And yet, to quote Parks and Recreation’s Chris Traeger, I could listen to this woman sing, literally, all day long. Even after a year, I still can’t get enough of her duet of Lady GaGa’s Poker Face with Lea Michele. That said, here’s hoping we get a satisfying resolution, not to mention some great music, out of this deal.

Allow me to turn the question over to you, Gleeks. Are you excited for Menzel’s return, if only to watch her belt out a good tune?

S.M.F.G.

She’s baaack!  This fall, as I mentioned earlier, Sarah Michelle Gellar will be making her long-awaited return to network television in the new thriller Ringer.  The twist?  The series was not picked up by CBS, the network that had ordered the pilot, but by sister network The CW.  Whether or not this bodes well for Gellar and Co. remains to be seen, but, given the number of pilot hopefuls rejected altogether (ahem, Wonder Woman), I’m just thankul the series will air.  Now it’s up to the viewers to decide Ringer’s fate.  Ringer will begin airing Tuesdays this fall after 90210.  I, for one, will definitely be tuning in! 

Check out the first preview for Ringer!

Ghost Stories

Nothing complements glee club like… ghosts?

Glee co-creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk are currently developing a new show over at FX called American Horror Story, a thriller about a dysfunctional family that moves into a haunted house in San Francisco.  Falchuk and Murphy are, of course, no strangers to the genre, having previously collaborated on FX’s award-winning plastic surgery drama Nip/Tuck.  Murphy will direct the pilot, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

From what I’ve read, it seems like Falchuk and Murphy have another hit on their hands.  If you aren’t already sold on the premise of the show, maybe the cast will do it.  Fresh off her gig on Friday Night Lights, Connie Britton has been tapped to play the family matriarch, Vivien Harmon.  Her on-screen hubby, Ben, will be played by The Practice’s Dylan McDermott.  Filling their daughter Violet’s shoes will be newcomer Taissa Farmiga, little sis of Oscar nominee Vera Farmiga.  True Blood’s Denis O’Hare has signed on to play Larry the Burn Guy, a former resident of the house, and veteran actress Jessica Lange has landed the role of Constance, the Harmons’ new neighbor.  Lange, of course, most recently won an Emmy for her portrayal of Big Edie in the HBO miniseries Grey Gardens.

As a fan of the supernatural genre, I’m eager to see what Falchuk and Murphy come up with.  Being addicted to Glee, and having been obsessed with Nip/Tuck, I’m all the more excited about this project. For these reasons and more, American Horror Story has earned a spot on my list of television pilots to look out for (you can check out the original list here).

Television Preview: 6 Pilots to Look Out for

Spring is here, and that can only mean one thing: It’s pilot season!  With May sweeps right around the corner, networks have already begun gearing up for the fall.  So, without any further delay, here’s a list of the 6 TV pilots that I’m most looking forward to, in no particular order.  (Narrowing the list down to 5 was too daunting a task.)

1. Ringer (CBS):  I was sold on this project from the moment I learned that Sarah Michelle Gellar had signed on to star.  I mean, it’s about bloody time for Buffy to make a comeback!  The premise is pretty neat, too.  SMG pulls double duty as a woman on the run from the mob hiding out as her estranged twin sister, who, as it turns out, has some secrets of her own. 

2. Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea (NBC):  That ’70’s Show’s Laura Prepon stars in this comedy based on late-night host and stand-up comedian Chelsea Handler’s best-selling book.   Need I say more?

3. 17th Precinct (NBC):  I’m really psyched for this supernatural cop drama, which is being described as “an adult Harry Potter.”  Battlestar Galactica fans are going gaga over the casting of Jamie Bamber, Tricia Helfer, and James Callis.  I myself couldn’t be more excited about the uber-talented Stockard Channing scoring a lead role in the series.

4. Two Broke Girls (CBS):  There’s a lot to like about this sitcom.  (1)  It comes to us from Sex and the City scribe Michael Patrick King and Chelsea Lately regular Whitney Cummings.  (2) It stars Kat Dennings, one of the most talented young actresses around.  (If I had a nickel for every time I’ve seen Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, then I’d have at least, like, fifty cents.)  (3)  It follows two young waitresses from very different backgrounds trying to make it in the Big Apple.

5. Secret Circle (CW):  Vampire Diaries creator Kevin Williamson is hoping to work his magic again with this supernatural drama, based on another series of books by L.J. Smith.  Starring Life Unexpected’s Britt Robertson, the show is about a California teen whose world is turned upside-down when she moves to New Salem, and discovers that she is a witch.  Williamson has struck gold with The Vampire Diaries, and I have no doubt that he’ll continue his winning streak with Secret Circle. 

6. Good Christian Bitches (ABC):  This dramedy about a recently divorced mother of two who clashes with a group of conservative women (led by Pushing Daisies’ Kristin Chenoweth) when she moves back to her hometown sounds like a lot of fun.  Iron Man’s Leslie Bibb has nabbed the leading role, and Designing Women’s Annie Potts has been tapped to play her mother.

Gettin’ Down on Friday

On last night’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert channeled his inner 13-year-old girl and sang Rebecca Black’s Friday, making good on a promise he made to the late-night host earlier this week.  (With the help of fans, Fallon succeeded in raising $26,000 for Donors Choose, a non-profit organization serving America’s public schools.)  Backed by The Roots, an auto-tuned Fallon, and former American Idol winner Taylor Hicks (wait, what?), Colbert delivered a mesmerizing performance.  For those of you who aren’t yet sold on the idea, you should know that the performance also features pyrotechnics and dancing cheerleaders.