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Piper Perabo to Star in Spy Series on USA

BuzzSugar — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:30:48 -0700

The USA Network has nabbed Piper Perabo to play the broken-hearted CIA agent at the center of its upcoming spy thriller series. Titled Covert Affairs, the series will follow "Annie Walker (Perabo), a CIA trainee who speaks six languages and excels at any endeavor she undertakes. Walker joins the CIA while still reeling over a mysterious ex-boyfriend who appears to be of particular interest to her new bosses. She vows never to let herself be hurt again, but that proves to be a tall order." Still to be cast is Auggie Anderson, "a blind tech expert who assists Walker in her assignments."

Not an exceptionally original concept for a show, but I'm excited to see Perabo on a TV series. She may have had some movie roles here and there since 2000, but in my heart she'll probably always be Violet Sanford from the lovably cheesy Coyote Ugly. It'll be interesting to see what she can do on a weekly spy show.

The Starter Wife: Molly Gets a New Love Interest

BuzzSugar — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:30:01 -0700

I don't think I'm alone in saying that one of the few things I truly disliked about last Summer's The Starter Wife miniseries was the ending, when Molly (Debra Messing) chose to hook up with the (formerly?) homeless Sam rather than strike out on her own for a while. It wasn't just that I wanted Molly to flaunt her "single and fabulous" status - it was that Sam wasn't a great character, and the actor in the role, Stephen Moyer, lacked a certain . . . oomph.

So it's music to my ears that Molly might - just might - be kicking Sam to the curb when the series version of The Starter Wife begins this Fall. Some casting news has been announced for the 10-episode series, including Hart Bochner joining the show as a love interest for Molly. Bochner will play Zach, a character who starts out as Molly's writing teacher and then moves on to other, presumably more personal entanglements.

Molly's also getting a new sidekick: Liz Marsh, played by Danielle Nicolet. She might be taking the place of Molly's friend Cricket, as Miranda Otto is yet to sign on to the series (though at least we know she's not busy with Cashmere Mafia). Judy Davis will be back as Joan, though, and Chris Diamantopoulos will return as Rodney. Joe Mantegna will be back in a limited capacity as a "special guest," too. Several other folks will be making guest appearances, including Alia Shawkat of Arrested Development. We'll also see a new actress in the role of Molly's daughter, in addition to the new Kenny Kagan.

The show is currently slated to start in October on USA. Do you think you'll be revisiting this story?

81 Percent Say the US Is "On the Wrong Track." Are We?

CitizenSugar — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 08:00:22 -0700

According to a New York Times/CBS News poll just released, 81 percent of respondents felt "things have pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track." 81 percent. That's four out of five. I'm kind of surprised. Call me a sentimental sap, but just yesterday I was listening to this song on the treadmill. Thinking critically, I know that saying that we're on the wrong track and being proud are different animals, but I see a lot of "tracks" around the world I'm glad we're not on. Of course I see we have challenges, but 81 percent?

The number was up from 69 percent last year and 35 percent in early 2003. The darkening outlook had been attributed to the situation in Iraq but this poll showed a big addition of concern over the economy, almost flip-flopping priority of concern with Iraq.

Only 4 percent of respondents said the country was in better shape than it was five years ago, while a sizeable 78 percent said it was worse.

This news is pretty jarring. If this were an election, 81 percent would be a landslide. Are you surprised by this finding? Do you agree?

This Just In: American Design Needs a Band-Aid

CasaSugar — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:00:41 -0700

The New York Times' Dearth of a Nation: Where Have All the Great American Designers Gone? by Brit Alice Rawsthorn is a column about what's wrong with American design. Ouch. Rawsthorn concedes that "the United States is home to many world-class designers," but furniture designers aren't among them. She writes that the States' "last furniture coup," the Aeron Chair, was in 1994. Yes, the same year Kurt Cobain died, Tonya Harding was banned from figure skating, and O.J. fled from the police in his Ford Bronco — long time ago. Despite thorough media coverage of design, top-notch design fairs and stores, and the mega furniture collection at the Museum of Modern Art, and history to boot, she says, the "companies that once championed the Eameses and their peers are now too big and too nervous about upsetting their shareholders to risk experimenting with design. Today there are few American versions of the small, gutsy European furniture manufacturers," and "being small, independent and daring isn’t valued" or profitable in American corporate culture anymore. This is a sad realization for our star-spangled nation, but I think my shopping list will survive without big-name American designers, and I can always make do with the small designers in the US who are crafting great pieces.

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Does "MADE IN THE USA" Make You More Comfortable?

babysugar — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 09:30:02 -0800

In light of all the recalls, toy manufacturers are being held accountable for products that are below health and safety standards. And, as a result, toy company images are being tarnished with every new recall. Congresswoman Louise McIntosh Slaughter has encouraged Mattel to reopen their manufacturing plant in New York in an attempt to rehabilitate their image, especially for their Fisher-Price brand. The company closed their last American plant in 2001. Since then, nearly 65 percent of their toys are made in China with the rest made in other foreign countries. Does it make a difference if the toy you buy says "MADE IN THE USA" as opposed to "MADE IN CHINA"?

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USA Renews Its Vows with The Starter Wife

BuzzSugar — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 10:36:39 -0700

USA's miniseries The Starter Wife isn't so mini anymore. The network is turning the show into a weekly series, with Debra Messing reprising her role as Molly Kagan.

USA is on board for 10 hourlong episodes of the series, which will start airing in early summer 2008. No word on whether the rest of the cast will be back (Joe Mantegna, who played Lou, Peter Jacobson, who played Kenny, and Miranda Otto, who played Cricket, are now starring in other series) or what the proposed story line for these 10 episodes will be. Network executives said they're bringing the show back thanks to the creative team's chemistry, the show's commercial success, and its 10 Emmy nominations, including an acting win for Judy Davis.

I enjoyed The Starter Wife when it aired over the summer, but I thought it came to a natural end. I was also hoping we'd never have to actually deal with the fallout from Molly ending up with Sam, which was one of the few things I truly hated about the miniseries. Starter Wife fans, are you on board with this becoming a series? And what do you think happens next?

Photo courtesy of USA

USA to Make "Thank You for Smoking" TV Series

BuzzSugar — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 11:25:46 -0700

So, this is weird.
According to Variety, USA has picked up the rights to create a TV series based on the 2006 movie Thank You for Smoking - which was based on the novel by Christopher Buckley. The TV version will have a different title and will pick up where the movie left off: "Nick Naylor, having kicked some of his more evil lobbyist habits, will use his rhetorical skills to help people more deserving of aid." As USA programming chief Jeff Wachtel puts it, "He'll live somewhere between the morally ambiguous character of the movie and Robin Hood."

Apparently, this has been in the works for a long time.
Wachtel and Smoking author Buckley went to college together and originally Wachtel wanted the novel to be a series on USA but "the challenge was how to make that character live successfully in our network." Writer James Dodson who is spearheading the TV script has apparently solved this problem.

I don't get it.
To me, this seems random and pointless. There's already been a movie based on the novel... how much further can they stretch out this story? And why are they continuing to try? I'm casting a wary eye on this project. What do you think?

The Starter Wife Author to Write NBC Show About Divorce

BuzzSugar — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 12:29:09 -0700

Gigi Levangie Grazer, author of the novel-turned-USA-miniseries The Starter Wife, will be writing a pilot for NBC all about divorce. The untitled dramedy is "about a couple in their 30s who are going through a divorce. But since neither has enough money to move out, they keep sharing their house while trying to disentangle their lives."

According to Levangie Grazer herself, "The theme of it can be summed up as, 'I hate you, hold me.' It's taking on the idea that divorce is the new marriage." The assumption here is that this project, like The Starter Wife, will most likely incorporate bits of Levangie Grazer's own experiences, as she and her husband, producer Brian Grazer, are in the process of divorcing (though curiously the two showed up together to the premiere of "The Starter Wife," which just seems ironic to me).

I love that this woman has taken the disastrous parts of her life and used them to create successful projects. In addition to the NBC pilot, Levangie Grazer's novel Maneater will be made into a miniseries for Lifetime, so I guess I should get to reading that one soon!

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TV Tonight: "Monk" and "Psych"

BuzzSugar — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 09:30:00 -0700

USA is making quite a name for itself this summer, between the success of "The Starter Wife" and the strong premiere of "Burn Notice." Tonight, two of its more established shows - "Monk" and "Psych" - return to start their new seasons, with a special appearance by Sarah Silverman on "Monk" as Monk's biggest fan.

This is the sixth season of "Monk," a consistent if not always spectacular drama that has delivered a boatload of well-deserved award nominations for star Tony Shalhoub. But now, Shalhoub has started to wonder if it's time to move on; his contract is up in November, and if he doesn't sign a new one, this season could be the show's last. "Psych," meanwhile, gained itself a strong following in its first season, mostly thanks to the silly interplay between stars James Roday and Dule Hill; it's even gotten some Emmy buzz, though it wasn't on the leaked list of comedy series finalists. To watch previews for both shows - the "Monk" one, in particular, perfectly showcases Shalhoub's charms while making me crave a Monk bobblehead - if you read more

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Are You Watching "Burn Notice"?

BuzzSugar — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 07:30:00 -0700

A while back, I told you about "Burn Notice," the new USA show about an exposed spy trying to figure out who let his name be known, starring Jeffrey Donovan and Bruce Campbell. It got a commercial-free premiere after the final episode of "The Starter Wife" and ended up pulling in 4 million viewers, even more than the "Starter Wife" finale.

It's normal for a show to drop some viewers after its premiere, but not "Burn Notice." Last week - a holiday week, no less - "Burn Notice" stayed steady. I haven't been watching the show, but numbers like this, plus some strong reviews, make me think it must have something good going for it. Tell me: Are you watching "Burn Notice"? And, if so, why should I check it out?

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