DENVER, Colorado — This recently completed Avalanche season was brought to you by Oceanic Air Flight 815.
Thanks in large part to injuries to top-line centers Joe Sakic and Paul Stastny, substandard goaltending and a consistent lack of consistency, the Avs were a crew that might as well have been stranded on a remote island.
For much of 2008-09, they were simply lost.
“Very lost season,” forward Milan Hejduk said. “Lost everything.”
Six months of pain and misery came to an end Sunday with a 1-0 loss to the playoff-bound St. Louis Blues. The Avs missed the postseason for the second time in three years, raising plenty of questions about how the franchise moves forward this offseason.
Will general manager Francois Giguere and/or coach Tony Granato take the fall for the worst season since the team moved to Denver in 1995? Will Sakic be optimistic enough about Colorado’s talent to return for a 21st NHL season? Will the Avs be able to find a top-line goalie after investing three seasons in Peter Budaj?
When analyzing a season-gone-wrong, it’s best to start at the top.
As the team’s executive vice president, general manager and alternate governor (whatever that means), Giguere now has presided over the only two nonplayoff seasons in Avalanche history. He opted to let goalie Jose Theodore and power forward Andrew Brunette leave as free agents last summer, putting his faith in Budaj and signing forward Darcy Tucker to a two-year, $4.5 million contract after the veteran was kicked to the curb by Toronto.
Budaj struggled to provide consistent play in net, finishing with a 20-29-5 record and a 2.86 goals-against average, while Tucker managed just eight goals and eight assists in 63 games. To his credit, Giguere did sign 23-year-old center Paul Stastny to a five-year contract extension that will kick in next season.
It remains to be seen whether Granato will be around to aid in Stastny’s development. The team lost 19 of its final 22 games and finished with the third-fewest points (69) in the NHL, leaving the coach on the proverbial hot seat as offseason evaluations begin.
“Whatever happens, happens,” Granato said. “I’ll be ready to go next year.”
In fairness to Granato, it would have been difficult for any coach to succeed in Colorado this season. Sakic played only 15 games before a back injury derailed his season, while Stastny missed 37 games with a broken forearm and a broken foot. In all, the Avs lost more than 360 man-games to injury, prompting 11 players to make their NHL debuts this season.
“They had a tremendous amount of injuries to their key players,” said former NHL coach and current ESPN hockey analyst Barry Melrose.
“No team is able to overcome something like that. I remember watching them this year and they had eight or nine guys out.”
More telling for Melrose was the effort Colorado put forth while notching road wins against top-tier teams such as Detroit, Washington and Vancouver in the final weeks of the season.
“They never quit on Tony,” Melrose said. “If you’re looking for a reason to get rid of a coach, you’d say they quit on Tony down the stretch. … I know Tony Granato and I know he’s a great leader and a great person. When you have young players, you want a guy like Tony Granato working with them.”
Should Granato return, he would love to have Sakic back in the dressing room and — more importantly — on the ice. Sakic, who turns 40 on July 7, is nearly recovered from surgery to repair a herniated disk and said last week that he plans to make a decision on his future soon.
If Sakic comes back, he and Stastny will anchor the top two lines along with proven scorers Hejduk and Ryan Smyth. Second-year left wing Cody McLeod (15 goals, 5 assists and rookie Chris Stewart (11 goals, eight assists) also showed promise this season, giving Colorado a nice young nucleus going forward.
Even if the Avs can implement the up-tempo offense that Granato and Giguere envision, they still need someone who can stop the puck. Given the chance to prove himself as a No. 1 goalie, Budaj was inconsistent for much of the season. He tried to make a good final impression by stopping 119 of 123 shots in his last four starts.
“I tried to show, not just the fans, but the coaching staff and the staff upstairs that I can play here,” Budaj said. “I did everything that I possibly can and I was able to play well for the last stretch of games.
“I was trying to do everything I can to take this opportunity that they gave me. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to fulfill my expectations. I know this season wasn’t the one that I hoped for. I had a chance to prove that I can be a No. 1 goalie in this league. Just got to learn from it and work for another chance.”
Among the goaltenders who will be free agents this season are Detroit veteran Ty Conklin and New Jersey Devils backup Scott Clemmensen. Conklin, 33, went 25-11-2 with a 2.52 GAA, while Clemmensen performed admirably after the Devils lost Martin Brodeur to a biceps injury for much of the season. Clemmensen, 30, went 25-13-1 with a 2.39 GAA in his first real opportunity to be the top guy and he could come at an affordable price in free agency.
“Clemmensen played very, very well,” Melrose said. “A lot of people have changed their thinking on whether he can be a No. 1 goaltender.”
Among other housekeeping items for the Avalanche will be decisions on veteran right win Ian Laperriere and enigmatic center Tyler Arnason.
Laperriere, 35, will be an unrestricted free agent and negotiations between his agent and the Avalanche have not progressed in the past two months.
“There’s no talking right now,” Laperriere said. “I want to stay here. They know that. I’ll do what’s best for my family, too.”
Next to Sakic, Laperriere is Colorado’s most popular player, and his leadership in the dressing room is unquestioned. He had seven goals and 12 assists in his 15th NHL season, and it will be interesting to see if the Avalanche is willing to give him a multiyear contract based on the intangibles he brings to a franchise.
“I know my value,” he said. “I know what I bring to the team. It’s not like I’m a 22-year-old who tries to hit a home run. I know I still can play. I proved this year that I’m not done.”
Arnason, however, likely has played his final game in Colorado. He was a healthy scratch for the last five games of the season.
“I think overall, this season hasn’t gone very well, but I can’t complain about how I was treated the first two years here,” he said. “I have no bad feelings about the Avalanche at all.”
There was a tone of indifference as Arnason left the Pepsi Center. The rest of the Colorado organization can ill afford to take a similar stance as it tries to avoid drifting further into obscurity.
2009年4月14日星期二
So I have to say Hex is one of this year’s highlights in season 8. I’ll give you a brief rundown of events.
The show starts with Chloe’s birthday party and Lois has to cut out early. Cue Zatanna! And how beautiful she is! Zatanna decides to grant Chloe a birthday wish and in that moment it just so happens her biggest desire is to be like Lois. So when she wakes up the next morning she IS Lois. And comedy ensues. Chloe finds out what it’s like for Clark to work with Lois and she can tell that he is in love with her. So eventually Chloe figures out how she got this way and tells Clark what is going on. So they go to find Zatanna and when they do she tells Chloe she will go back to normal when she no longer wants what she wished for. Then she grants a wish to Clark, who in that moment just happens to be thinking about what life would be like if he didn’t have those pesky powers. UGH another powerless Clark episode. But this time it is actually done pretty well. I love the part where he whips out his phone and calls 911. Then of course when Chloe tries to tell him he has powers and attempts to hit him with a big metal bar. Classic
Meanwhile Zatanna is looking for her father’s spell book which she has learned that Lex acquired before his untimely demise. So she goes looking for Oliver who has recently merged Queen Industries with LuthorCorp. She tells Oliver that if he can get her that book in the next 24 hours she will grant him a wish. (Because that has worked so well for everyone else.) Anyway so Green Arrow manages to finagle his way into Lex’s personal collection and steal the spell book and decides that he is gonna burn the book because of all its dark power. Well Zatanna has other plans so she ties his ass to a pole with chains by saying a little chant backwards. NICE! She then attempts to use the book to bring back her dead father. So there she is on the top of the Daily Planet Building resurrecting her dead pappy when Chloe is still trying to convince Clark he has superpowers when she gets so frustrated that she must have wished she was herself again so she could show Clark what is really going on, because then BOOM she was Chloe again. So then Clark snaps out of it and realizes he has his powers. He then proceeds to either Superjump or Fly to the top of the Building. It was never said which he actually did. The reason I suspect he flew is because the last time he crouched down and the ground around him cracked was in season 4 when he flew. So I guess we will never know. Anyway I did enjoy the Up, Up, and Away line Chloe threw in there. So then Clark gets up there and manages to stop Zatanna from bringing her father back from the dead and killing Chloe in the process. Dammit!
Then we get to see Zatanna talking to Oliver at the end. She tells him she is going around the world to learn more about the book and her skills. She gives him a card and says you can use this to call me if you need me. And Oliver is like is this a magic word or something and Zatanna says no it’s my phone number. HAHAHAHA and we all have a good laugh!
All in all I really enjoyed this episode. I love when they bring in characters from the comic books especially well known ones who can add a lot to the show such as Zatanna and Black Canary. It’s just a shame we don’t see them too often besides Oliver. As for Serinda Swan, I thought she did a great job. I do believe this is one of her first if not the first acting role she has had and I thought she was wonderful and would absolutely love to see her more Smallville episodes or even her own spin off series. Anyway Stay tuned for my review of “Eternal” and let me know what you thought of “Hex”
The show starts with Chloe’s birthday party and Lois has to cut out early. Cue Zatanna! And how beautiful she is! Zatanna decides to grant Chloe a birthday wish and in that moment it just so happens her biggest desire is to be like Lois. So when she wakes up the next morning she IS Lois. And comedy ensues. Chloe finds out what it’s like for Clark to work with Lois and she can tell that he is in love with her. So eventually Chloe figures out how she got this way and tells Clark what is going on. So they go to find Zatanna and when they do she tells Chloe she will go back to normal when she no longer wants what she wished for. Then she grants a wish to Clark, who in that moment just happens to be thinking about what life would be like if he didn’t have those pesky powers. UGH another powerless Clark episode. But this time it is actually done pretty well. I love the part where he whips out his phone and calls 911. Then of course when Chloe tries to tell him he has powers and attempts to hit him with a big metal bar. Classic
Meanwhile Zatanna is looking for her father’s spell book which she has learned that Lex acquired before his untimely demise. So she goes looking for Oliver who has recently merged Queen Industries with LuthorCorp. She tells Oliver that if he can get her that book in the next 24 hours she will grant him a wish. (Because that has worked so well for everyone else.) Anyway so Green Arrow manages to finagle his way into Lex’s personal collection and steal the spell book and decides that he is gonna burn the book because of all its dark power. Well Zatanna has other plans so she ties his ass to a pole with chains by saying a little chant backwards. NICE! She then attempts to use the book to bring back her dead father. So there she is on the top of the Daily Planet Building resurrecting her dead pappy when Chloe is still trying to convince Clark he has superpowers when she gets so frustrated that she must have wished she was herself again so she could show Clark what is really going on, because then BOOM she was Chloe again. So then Clark snaps out of it and realizes he has his powers. He then proceeds to either Superjump or Fly to the top of the Building. It was never said which he actually did. The reason I suspect he flew is because the last time he crouched down and the ground around him cracked was in season 4 when he flew. So I guess we will never know. Anyway I did enjoy the Up, Up, and Away line Chloe threw in there. So then Clark gets up there and manages to stop Zatanna from bringing her father back from the dead and killing Chloe in the process. Dammit!
Then we get to see Zatanna talking to Oliver at the end. She tells him she is going around the world to learn more about the book and her skills. She gives him a card and says you can use this to call me if you need me. And Oliver is like is this a magic word or something and Zatanna says no it’s my phone number. HAHAHAHA and we all have a good laugh!
All in all I really enjoyed this episode. I love when they bring in characters from the comic books especially well known ones who can add a lot to the show such as Zatanna and Black Canary. It’s just a shame we don’t see them too often besides Oliver. As for Serinda Swan, I thought she did a great job. I do believe this is one of her first if not the first acting role she has had and I thought she was wonderful and would absolutely love to see her more Smallville episodes or even her own spin off series. Anyway Stay tuned for my review of “Eternal” and let me know what you thought of “Hex”
True Blood Lust: Who's Fanging Who in Season 2?
Will Sookie dump Bill for Eric?
Despite the fact that True Blood stars Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer are a rock-solid twosome in real life, the show's Bill-Sookie-Eric triangle was the question of the hour as the cast and producers of HBO's vampire drama hit the Paley Center for Media's 25th Annual TV Festival Monday night.
Happily, Blood boss Alan Ball and his stars, including Paquin and Alexander Skarsgård, dished to us exclusively on the red carpet about the Viking vampire getting a hot spotlight, who's getting a serious beatdown and who's playing with the new supernatural creatures.
Moyer even told us his real feelings about the other man leering at his lady...Get our exclusive interview goodies and a sneaky peek of season two of HBO's True Blood.
Alan Ball, executive producer
Anna won a Golden Globe for playing Sookie over the hiatus—what are you doing to up the ante and keep her challenged?
Anna loves it when she's getting beaten up or kicked or smacked around, and lucky for her, Charlaine Harris put a lot of that stuff in the second book.
Does Sookie interact with the new supernatural creatures much this season?
She spends the first half of the season focusing on vampires and vampire politics in Dallas, as a sort of favor to Eric, and she spends the last half of the season cleaning up the mess that some new supernatural creatures have created in her town—and she is pissed. She is not going to take it anymore.
And what changes about Eric this time around?
Eric has more of a presence in season two—you get a little of his backstory, you find out a bit of what's important to him, what is meaningful to him, what makes him cry.
Alexander Skarsgård (Eric Northman)
How are you playing Eric differently this year?
Everything becomes more private and personal in season two. In season one, the situation started out being business-related, and Eric's attraction to Sookie was "All right, I might use this." But the stuff between them now is much more personal. He's very much emotionally involved now. And I'm not just talking about his relationship between Eric and Sookie and Bill, but other things as well. A lot of the fans who have read book two, they know that the reason they go to Dallas is because Eric's maker has gone missing. That's a very, very personal quest for him.
What about reports that you'll play Thor in the major motion picture version of Thor?
No, I don't think so. I haven't gotten the call, so...
Anna Paquin (Sookie Stackhouse)
What does the mission to Dallas mean for Sookie's situation in Bon Temps?
I haven't seen any further in the scripts than from when we come back from Dallas, so I don't know what we're doing in Bon Temps.
And does Jason get into trouble again this season?
He gets into different kinds of trouble this season, because he's off with his church.
How are you feeling about the Bill-Sookie-Eric triangle right now?
It's really only just sort of slightly hinted at, as of yet—we're shooting seven right now. But Eric's definitely leering down from his heights.
Stephen Moyer (Bill Compton)
How does Bill feel about Eric moving in on his lady?
That's a good question. I'm not going to lie, when I see those little things in the script, those little moments when Eric's pouting at her from across the room, I'm like, I'm going to have a word with that scamp later. It does make me step back a little bit and be upset, which is exactly how Bill reacts as well..."F--ker."
And now for a very special sneaky peek at True Blood season two. Check out the video below to see what badness happens when Sookie helps Jessica at Bill's expense.
Despite the fact that True Blood stars Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer are a rock-solid twosome in real life, the show's Bill-Sookie-Eric triangle was the question of the hour as the cast and producers of HBO's vampire drama hit the Paley Center for Media's 25th Annual TV Festival Monday night.
Happily, Blood boss Alan Ball and his stars, including Paquin and Alexander Skarsgård, dished to us exclusively on the red carpet about the Viking vampire getting a hot spotlight, who's getting a serious beatdown and who's playing with the new supernatural creatures.
Moyer even told us his real feelings about the other man leering at his lady...Get our exclusive interview goodies and a sneaky peek of season two of HBO's True Blood.
Alan Ball, executive producer
Anna won a Golden Globe for playing Sookie over the hiatus—what are you doing to up the ante and keep her challenged?
Anna loves it when she's getting beaten up or kicked or smacked around, and lucky for her, Charlaine Harris put a lot of that stuff in the second book.
Does Sookie interact with the new supernatural creatures much this season?
She spends the first half of the season focusing on vampires and vampire politics in Dallas, as a sort of favor to Eric, and she spends the last half of the season cleaning up the mess that some new supernatural creatures have created in her town—and she is pissed. She is not going to take it anymore.
And what changes about Eric this time around?
Eric has more of a presence in season two—you get a little of his backstory, you find out a bit of what's important to him, what is meaningful to him, what makes him cry.
Alexander Skarsgård (Eric Northman)
How are you playing Eric differently this year?
Everything becomes more private and personal in season two. In season one, the situation started out being business-related, and Eric's attraction to Sookie was "All right, I might use this." But the stuff between them now is much more personal. He's very much emotionally involved now. And I'm not just talking about his relationship between Eric and Sookie and Bill, but other things as well. A lot of the fans who have read book two, they know that the reason they go to Dallas is because Eric's maker has gone missing. That's a very, very personal quest for him.
What about reports that you'll play Thor in the major motion picture version of Thor?
No, I don't think so. I haven't gotten the call, so...
Anna Paquin (Sookie Stackhouse)
What does the mission to Dallas mean for Sookie's situation in Bon Temps?
I haven't seen any further in the scripts than from when we come back from Dallas, so I don't know what we're doing in Bon Temps.
And does Jason get into trouble again this season?
He gets into different kinds of trouble this season, because he's off with his church.
How are you feeling about the Bill-Sookie-Eric triangle right now?
It's really only just sort of slightly hinted at, as of yet—we're shooting seven right now. But Eric's definitely leering down from his heights.
Stephen Moyer (Bill Compton)
How does Bill feel about Eric moving in on his lady?
That's a good question. I'm not going to lie, when I see those little things in the script, those little moments when Eric's pouting at her from across the room, I'm like, I'm going to have a word with that scamp later. It does make me step back a little bit and be upset, which is exactly how Bill reacts as well..."F--ker."
And now for a very special sneaky peek at True Blood season two. Check out the video below to see what badness happens when Sookie helps Jessica at Bill's expense.
Mega Buzz on Grey's, CSI, Mad Men, Lost, Dexter & More!
Every week, senior editors Matt Webb Mitovich, Mickey O'Connor and Tim Molloy satisfy your need for TV scoop. Please send all questions to mega_scoop@tvguide.com.
Could you give me any scoop you have on Grey's Anatomy, ideally something about Mark and Lexie? I need my fix! — Frances
MATT: Does McSteamy "do" parents? That's the big question in the April 30 episode, when a now-sober Thatcher Grey invites his daughter and her new beau out to dinner. Now, just supposing that Mark is down for some dining, can the reformed cad put on a good show? And this just in: A source tells me that on Mer and Der's wedding day, airing May 7, the groom gifts his bride with (incurable romantic alert!) her first solo surgery. How that fits into a little blue Tiffany box, I do not know.
The past two seasons of CSI have ended with a cliff-hanger. Season 7 ended with Sara left in the Vegas desert by the Miniature Killer, and Season 8 ended with Warrick being accused of murder (and eventually murdered himself). Will Season 9 follow that same pattern? — Jocelyn
TIM: Wow, nice rundown! Wallace Langham tells us the self-contained season-ender features Laurence Fishburne's Langston in the line of fire: "You see him put into some situations that are new for him, as far as being out in the field and having to deal with perpetrators." Langham's Hodges, meanwhile, gets to stay in the lab, where he's happiest. (Coming Thursday: Read our full Q&A with Langham about this week's sci-fi-themed episode.)
Is there a premiere date for Season 3 of Mad Men yet? — Misti
MICKEY: Tell you what, I can officially narrow down the "summer" return date to early August. As with last season, don't expect tidy resolutions to the finale's cliff-hangers — e.g., Peggy's revelation to Pete, Betty's pregnancy, Joan's rape — since the show will most surely jump ahead in time again. Can you think of any 1960s historical events that might serve as a juicy metaphorical backdrop (as the Cuban Missile Crisis did in Season 2)? I can.
I love Lost! But I am still wondering why Miles was blackmailing Ben for $3.2 million, and why/how Ben had that much money on the island? — Sara
MATT: You will get the answer to at least the first half of your question in this week's Miles-centric episode, "Some Like It Hoth" — when a dollar amount other than $3.2 mil is brought up. I'm hearing that in the subsequent episode, airing April 29, the long-MIA Daniel Faraday will demonstrate just how well he knows the Island. (Hint: They are much more than Facebook friends.)
What ever happened to Dexter? Is there going to be a fourth season? — Rachel
TIM: Of course, he's a serial killer. Season 4 goes into production in late May/early June and will probably premiere toward the end of September. If you couldn't guess from last season's wedding finale, the next cycle focuses on Dexter as a family man: How does he balance his role as a husband and father of three with his grisly nocturnal endeavors? Most parents can't find time to catch a movie, much less mete out bloody vengeance.
Who do we have to bribe, beg or threaten over at Fringe to get Joshua Jackson more screen time? I am getting very frustrated at how little he is used in each episode. What gives? — Cheri
MICKEY: First of all, you have to bribe me. I like Hendrick's gin, dark chocolate, bibimbap and shiny things. Once I receive your hypothetical generous "donations," I will probably be able to tell you about a big Peter Bishop reveal in the season finale (my mole breathlessly called it "major major major" — and it is). Before then, though, we're going to get a bit more information about Olivia's twisted childhood brush with scientific testing, the unmasking of Dr. William Bell and the mysterious, robot-armed Nina Sharp. And as with most things on Fringe, these are all related developments.
I know that Fox starts airing the final six episodes of Prison Break this Friday. But why aren't Episodes 23 and 24, which presumably wrap everything up, on the schedule? I'm baffled. — Al
MATT: You're not baffled, just understandably confused. Episodes 21 and 22, airing May 15, will offer "a completely satisfying ending" to the Break — including a where-are-they-now, flash-forward coda, series creator Matt Olmstead tells the Buzz. That which you call "Episodes 23 and 24" is actually a two-hour standalone movie produced on the studio's own dime, but neither ordered nor scheduled by Fox. Explaining the origin of Prison Break: The Final Break — which tells the story of another imprisonment/breakout — Olmstead says, "This is a cool story we want to tell ... so we went ahead with it, not knowing for sure where it would air." At the very least, you can pre-order it on DVD.
Any word on when the new season of Sons of Anarchy will start? I've heard as late as October and as early as May! — Sherri
TIM: We'd bank on closer to October: The first episode of the new season's 13 episodes wraps in mid-May. And while no exact return date is set in stone, look for Henry Rollins to join the cast as a member of a rival gang (who, we hope, vents his hostility through extremely hardcore spoken-word).
When does In Plain Sight come back? Please tell me that Jinx and Brandi will be gone. — Mario
MICKEY: I'm sorry; I cannot tell you that, Mario. But it's a good thing that the ruesome twosome is sticking around because Mary is going to need them. She might be tough as nails, but her recent trauma will have repercussions — of the PTSD variety. But how is her erratic behavior related to those mysterious letters that she's been getting from her dad? Check out the season premiere on Sunday night (10 pm/ET, USA) to find out.
Mega Buzz got me hooked on Harper's Island! Now give me scoop on my new guilty pleasure. — Maria
MATT: Before you pin Uncle Marty's gory gutting on the father of the bride (Richard Burgi), consider this: A moment left on the cutting room floor positioned comely Chloe's British beau, Cal, as just as big a suspect. In the snipped scene, Harry Hamlin told me, "Marty happens by as Chloe is naked and wet, coming out of the water. I hand her my handkerchief and say, 'I wish this was a little bigger, but... ..' And then her boyfriend shows up." During the gents' never-to-be-seen scrape, Marty's gun falls out, prompting him to claim he's FBI. But was he?
Any Gossip Girl scoop? Nate and Serena aren't hooking up for season finale, right? — Daniel
MICKEY: No! That would never happen! I mean, Nate and Serena would totally be the least likely couple in all of Gossip-dom, especially considering their sleazy history. It would be totally unexpected, right? Plus, when I mentioned that the producers should fix Gossip Girl by dirtying up fuzzy bunnies Serena and Nate, it's not like the powers that be were listening. Right? Right?
I remember the Supernatural producers saying last summer that we'd be seeing Steven Williams' Rufus this season — yet so far, nothing. Is that still happening? — Alexandra
MATT: In a word, sorta. The boys will hear from Rufus in Episode 21, which is titled "When the Levee Breaks" and airs May 7.
Mickey's Mega Rave: My love for Tina Fey is deeper than my bedroom voice, but lately it's hard to overlook her gifted cohorts over at 30 Rock, in particular the unlikely comedy duo of Tracy Morgan and Jane Krakowski. You can point to the show's always pitch-perfect writing, but without the actors' very different comic chops, a storyline about avicide doesn't exactly spell comedy gold. "Birds are like little dinosaurs!" Indeed.
Matt's Mini Rant: Yes, I love CBS' How I Hid Your Pregnancy. But no, I cannot swallow the plot twist that found Ted quitting his job with a prestigious architecture firm in order to open his own shop. Really — in this economy?
Tim's Micro Riff: Rejoice, Trekkies: a CSI episode, a new movie, and this.
Reader Quote of the Week: "[Mel Gibson has a] 'gold-digging wife'? I'm trying to picture this. Yes, I've figured out her master plan: 'I'll marry this unknown guy, have a bunch of kids, and just shy of 30 years of marriage I'll dump him and get his money!' Give me a break." (ems823, addressing a fellow reader's comment on Mel Gibson's divorce)
Crave scoop on your favorite TV shows? E-mail Matt, Mickey and Tim at mega_scoop@tvguide.com. Remember, the question you don't ask is a question we can't answer!
Could you give me any scoop you have on Grey's Anatomy, ideally something about Mark and Lexie? I need my fix! — Frances
MATT: Does McSteamy "do" parents? That's the big question in the April 30 episode, when a now-sober Thatcher Grey invites his daughter and her new beau out to dinner. Now, just supposing that Mark is down for some dining, can the reformed cad put on a good show? And this just in: A source tells me that on Mer and Der's wedding day, airing May 7, the groom gifts his bride with (incurable romantic alert!) her first solo surgery. How that fits into a little blue Tiffany box, I do not know.
The past two seasons of CSI have ended with a cliff-hanger. Season 7 ended with Sara left in the Vegas desert by the Miniature Killer, and Season 8 ended with Warrick being accused of murder (and eventually murdered himself). Will Season 9 follow that same pattern? — Jocelyn
TIM: Wow, nice rundown! Wallace Langham tells us the self-contained season-ender features Laurence Fishburne's Langston in the line of fire: "You see him put into some situations that are new for him, as far as being out in the field and having to deal with perpetrators." Langham's Hodges, meanwhile, gets to stay in the lab, where he's happiest. (Coming Thursday: Read our full Q&A with Langham about this week's sci-fi-themed episode.)
Is there a premiere date for Season 3 of Mad Men yet? — Misti
MICKEY: Tell you what, I can officially narrow down the "summer" return date to early August. As with last season, don't expect tidy resolutions to the finale's cliff-hangers — e.g., Peggy's revelation to Pete, Betty's pregnancy, Joan's rape — since the show will most surely jump ahead in time again. Can you think of any 1960s historical events that might serve as a juicy metaphorical backdrop (as the Cuban Missile Crisis did in Season 2)? I can.
I love Lost! But I am still wondering why Miles was blackmailing Ben for $3.2 million, and why/how Ben had that much money on the island? — Sara
MATT: You will get the answer to at least the first half of your question in this week's Miles-centric episode, "Some Like It Hoth" — when a dollar amount other than $3.2 mil is brought up. I'm hearing that in the subsequent episode, airing April 29, the long-MIA Daniel Faraday will demonstrate just how well he knows the Island. (Hint: They are much more than Facebook friends.)
What ever happened to Dexter? Is there going to be a fourth season? — Rachel
TIM: Of course, he's a serial killer. Season 4 goes into production in late May/early June and will probably premiere toward the end of September. If you couldn't guess from last season's wedding finale, the next cycle focuses on Dexter as a family man: How does he balance his role as a husband and father of three with his grisly nocturnal endeavors? Most parents can't find time to catch a movie, much less mete out bloody vengeance.
Who do we have to bribe, beg or threaten over at Fringe to get Joshua Jackson more screen time? I am getting very frustrated at how little he is used in each episode. What gives? — Cheri
MICKEY: First of all, you have to bribe me. I like Hendrick's gin, dark chocolate, bibimbap and shiny things. Once I receive your hypothetical generous "donations," I will probably be able to tell you about a big Peter Bishop reveal in the season finale (my mole breathlessly called it "major major major" — and it is). Before then, though, we're going to get a bit more information about Olivia's twisted childhood brush with scientific testing, the unmasking of Dr. William Bell and the mysterious, robot-armed Nina Sharp. And as with most things on Fringe, these are all related developments.
I know that Fox starts airing the final six episodes of Prison Break this Friday. But why aren't Episodes 23 and 24, which presumably wrap everything up, on the schedule? I'm baffled. — Al
MATT: You're not baffled, just understandably confused. Episodes 21 and 22, airing May 15, will offer "a completely satisfying ending" to the Break — including a where-are-they-now, flash-forward coda, series creator Matt Olmstead tells the Buzz. That which you call "Episodes 23 and 24" is actually a two-hour standalone movie produced on the studio's own dime, but neither ordered nor scheduled by Fox. Explaining the origin of Prison Break: The Final Break — which tells the story of another imprisonment/breakout — Olmstead says, "This is a cool story we want to tell ... so we went ahead with it, not knowing for sure where it would air." At the very least, you can pre-order it on DVD.
Any word on when the new season of Sons of Anarchy will start? I've heard as late as October and as early as May! — Sherri
TIM: We'd bank on closer to October: The first episode of the new season's 13 episodes wraps in mid-May. And while no exact return date is set in stone, look for Henry Rollins to join the cast as a member of a rival gang (who, we hope, vents his hostility through extremely hardcore spoken-word).
When does In Plain Sight come back? Please tell me that Jinx and Brandi will be gone. — Mario
MICKEY: I'm sorry; I cannot tell you that, Mario. But it's a good thing that the ruesome twosome is sticking around because Mary is going to need them. She might be tough as nails, but her recent trauma will have repercussions — of the PTSD variety. But how is her erratic behavior related to those mysterious letters that she's been getting from her dad? Check out the season premiere on Sunday night (10 pm/ET, USA) to find out.
Mega Buzz got me hooked on Harper's Island! Now give me scoop on my new guilty pleasure. — Maria
MATT: Before you pin Uncle Marty's gory gutting on the father of the bride (Richard Burgi), consider this: A moment left on the cutting room floor positioned comely Chloe's British beau, Cal, as just as big a suspect. In the snipped scene, Harry Hamlin told me, "Marty happens by as Chloe is naked and wet, coming out of the water. I hand her my handkerchief and say, 'I wish this was a little bigger, but... ..' And then her boyfriend shows up." During the gents' never-to-be-seen scrape, Marty's gun falls out, prompting him to claim he's FBI. But was he?
Any Gossip Girl scoop? Nate and Serena aren't hooking up for season finale, right? — Daniel
MICKEY: No! That would never happen! I mean, Nate and Serena would totally be the least likely couple in all of Gossip-dom, especially considering their sleazy history. It would be totally unexpected, right? Plus, when I mentioned that the producers should fix Gossip Girl by dirtying up fuzzy bunnies Serena and Nate, it's not like the powers that be were listening. Right? Right?
I remember the Supernatural producers saying last summer that we'd be seeing Steven Williams' Rufus this season — yet so far, nothing. Is that still happening? — Alexandra
MATT: In a word, sorta. The boys will hear from Rufus in Episode 21, which is titled "When the Levee Breaks" and airs May 7.
Mickey's Mega Rave: My love for Tina Fey is deeper than my bedroom voice, but lately it's hard to overlook her gifted cohorts over at 30 Rock, in particular the unlikely comedy duo of Tracy Morgan and Jane Krakowski. You can point to the show's always pitch-perfect writing, but without the actors' very different comic chops, a storyline about avicide doesn't exactly spell comedy gold. "Birds are like little dinosaurs!" Indeed.
Matt's Mini Rant: Yes, I love CBS' How I Hid Your Pregnancy. But no, I cannot swallow the plot twist that found Ted quitting his job with a prestigious architecture firm in order to open his own shop. Really — in this economy?
Tim's Micro Riff: Rejoice, Trekkies: a CSI episode, a new movie, and this.
Reader Quote of the Week: "[Mel Gibson has a] 'gold-digging wife'? I'm trying to picture this. Yes, I've figured out her master plan: 'I'll marry this unknown guy, have a bunch of kids, and just shy of 30 years of marriage I'll dump him and get his money!' Give me a break." (ems823, addressing a fellow reader's comment on Mel Gibson's divorce)
Crave scoop on your favorite TV shows? E-mail Matt, Mickey and Tim at mega_scoop@tvguide.com. Remember, the question you don't ask is a question we can't answer!
Bye, George! Is 'Grey's' killing off T.R. Knight?
Whatever cliff-hanger Grey's Anatomy has in store in its May 14 season finale, it'll probably pale in comparison to the one T.R. Knight is experiencing in real life.
Last fall, the actor -- frustrated by his lack of airtime -- asked to be released from his multiyear Grey's contract. Now, as I first reported in Ask Ausiello, his wish may be granted by an upcoming story line that finds (MAJOR SPOILER ALERT) George marching off to war as an Army medic. Just as the season wraps up, George gets injured in the line of duty, leaving his fate up in the air for viewers -- and even Knight himself. "T.R. doesn’t know whether George lives or dies," explains a source close to the show. "And, as a result, he doesn't know whether or not he has to come back next season."
Legally speaking, Grey's creator Shonda Rhimes has until mid-June to decide whether to drop Knight -- and all indications are she will use every last second of that time. Some are suggesting she may be forcing Knight to sweat it out as payback for wanting to jump ship. (The two have had a strained relationship since the Isaiah Washington blowup in 2006.) While Knight's rep and Rhimes both declined to comment, a Grey's insider scoffs at such a notion. "At the end of the day, Shonda is going to do what's best for the show," maintains the source. "Everything else is just idle gossip."
What do you think is best for the show at this point: Cutting Knight loose via a season-ending tragedy, or forcing him to return next season for an indeterminate period of time (thus dragging out this off screen soap opera even longer)? Sound off below!
Last fall, the actor -- frustrated by his lack of airtime -- asked to be released from his multiyear Grey's contract. Now, as I first reported in Ask Ausiello, his wish may be granted by an upcoming story line that finds (MAJOR SPOILER ALERT) George marching off to war as an Army medic. Just as the season wraps up, George gets injured in the line of duty, leaving his fate up in the air for viewers -- and even Knight himself. "T.R. doesn’t know whether George lives or dies," explains a source close to the show. "And, as a result, he doesn't know whether or not he has to come back next season."
Legally speaking, Grey's creator Shonda Rhimes has until mid-June to decide whether to drop Knight -- and all indications are she will use every last second of that time. Some are suggesting she may be forcing Knight to sweat it out as payback for wanting to jump ship. (The two have had a strained relationship since the Isaiah Washington blowup in 2006.) While Knight's rep and Rhimes both declined to comment, a Grey's insider scoffs at such a notion. "At the end of the day, Shonda is going to do what's best for the show," maintains the source. "Everything else is just idle gossip."
What do you think is best for the show at this point: Cutting Knight loose via a season-ending tragedy, or forcing him to return next season for an indeterminate period of time (thus dragging out this off screen soap opera even longer)? Sound off below!
2009年4月13日星期一
FREE FOR ALL Weekend
Eggcitement for all the family ...
W5 has the 'eggs' factor next week with loads of Easter fun for all the family. Join The Great Eggscape -- Intergalactegg Invasion (until Sunday, April 19) when alien eggheads touch down at W5. Meanwhile Titanic: Designed and Built in Belfast continues until April 19. The exhibition featuring the famous ship is a dynamic celebration of Belfast's rich and illustrious maritime past. We have five family passes up for grabs so you can catch up with the action at W5.
Q: Where was the famous ship Titanic built?
* It's all about the money ...
Chill out in front of the TV with the latest DVD releases. We have three copies of two very different movies to give away. The first is comedy Mad Money (released on April 13), starring Diane Keaton, Katie Holmes and Queen Latifah, which tells the tale of three women from very different worlds who plan the world's most unlikely heist. Meanwhile, Dean Spanley (out on April 27), is described as an adult fairytale with an all-star cast of Peter O'Toole, Sam Neill and Jeremy Northam.
Q: Who is Mad Money star Katie Holmes married to?
* Tantastic shoes to be won...
What better way to perk yourself up for Spring than a fabulous pair of shoes and a gorgeous sun-kissed glow? Local sassy shoe brand Minette (minetteshoes.com) is once again strutting into the season with a sexy new palette of fresh designs. Complement your shoes with great tanned legs and you're ready to go. To achieve your perfect tan, try new company Tan2U. The service sees an expert arrive at your home, hotel room, office with a fold-up tanning tent and an airbrush system which takes you from the skin colour of Nicole Kidman to that of Eva Longoria in 20 seconds.
Q: In which TV series does Eva Longoria currently star?
* Supernatural movie is just the ticket ...
If you like a car-chase movie with some supernatural mystery thrown in for good measure, then Race To Witch Mountain could be right up your street. Showing at the Odeon in Belfast, the story revolves around a mysterious location in the Nevada desert known for unexplained phenomena. Las Vegas cab driver Jack Bruno (Dwayne Johnson) gets caught up in the action when he encounters two teens with supernatural powers in his cab. Working together, Jack and his young passengers end up attempting to save the world.
We have four Race To Witch Mountain goody bags up for grabs along with movie merchandise and a family ticket to see the film.
Q: Who plays the taxi driver in Race To Witch Mountain?Send answers on a postcard marked with the competition name and your details, including a telephone number, to: Helen Carson, Features Department, Belfast Telegraph, 124-144 Royal Avenue, Belfast, BT1 1EB. Closing date for all entries is Saturday, April 18. Usual Independent News & Media rules apply. Winners: Divine Chocolate: P Hewitt, Markethill. McGuigans: H Barr, Richhill. Shearer Candles: J Tinsley, Portadown; G Ashfields, Ballymoney; M McMurray, Belfast; A McMullan, Saintfield and U Gilmore, Carrickfergus. Bacofoil: S Hagan and C Steele, both from Belfast; R Gallagher, Ballygowan; J McClintock, Londonderry; E Reynolds, Newtownards and A McMullan, Saintfield.
(c) 2009 Belfast Telegraph. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.
W5 has the 'eggs' factor next week with loads of Easter fun for all the family. Join The Great Eggscape -- Intergalactegg Invasion (until Sunday, April 19) when alien eggheads touch down at W5. Meanwhile Titanic: Designed and Built in Belfast continues until April 19. The exhibition featuring the famous ship is a dynamic celebration of Belfast's rich and illustrious maritime past. We have five family passes up for grabs so you can catch up with the action at W5.
Q: Where was the famous ship Titanic built?
* It's all about the money ...
Chill out in front of the TV with the latest DVD releases. We have three copies of two very different movies to give away. The first is comedy Mad Money (released on April 13), starring Diane Keaton, Katie Holmes and Queen Latifah, which tells the tale of three women from very different worlds who plan the world's most unlikely heist. Meanwhile, Dean Spanley (out on April 27), is described as an adult fairytale with an all-star cast of Peter O'Toole, Sam Neill and Jeremy Northam.
Q: Who is Mad Money star Katie Holmes married to?
* Tantastic shoes to be won...
What better way to perk yourself up for Spring than a fabulous pair of shoes and a gorgeous sun-kissed glow? Local sassy shoe brand Minette (minetteshoes.com) is once again strutting into the season with a sexy new palette of fresh designs. Complement your shoes with great tanned legs and you're ready to go. To achieve your perfect tan, try new company Tan2U. The service sees an expert arrive at your home, hotel room, office with a fold-up tanning tent and an airbrush system which takes you from the skin colour of Nicole Kidman to that of Eva Longoria in 20 seconds.
Q: In which TV series does Eva Longoria currently star?
* Supernatural movie is just the ticket ...
If you like a car-chase movie with some supernatural mystery thrown in for good measure, then Race To Witch Mountain could be right up your street. Showing at the Odeon in Belfast, the story revolves around a mysterious location in the Nevada desert known for unexplained phenomena. Las Vegas cab driver Jack Bruno (Dwayne Johnson) gets caught up in the action when he encounters two teens with supernatural powers in his cab. Working together, Jack and his young passengers end up attempting to save the world.
We have four Race To Witch Mountain goody bags up for grabs along with movie merchandise and a family ticket to see the film.
Q: Who plays the taxi driver in Race To Witch Mountain?Send answers on a postcard marked with the competition name and your details, including a telephone number, to: Helen Carson, Features Department, Belfast Telegraph, 124-144 Royal Avenue, Belfast, BT1 1EB. Closing date for all entries is Saturday, April 18. Usual Independent News & Media rules apply. Winners: Divine Chocolate: P Hewitt, Markethill. McGuigans: H Barr, Richhill. Shearer Candles: J Tinsley, Portadown; G Ashfields, Ballymoney; M McMurray, Belfast; A McMullan, Saintfield and U Gilmore, Carrickfergus. Bacofoil: S Hagan and C Steele, both from Belfast; R Gallagher, Ballygowan; J McClintock, Londonderry; E Reynolds, Newtownards and A McMullan, Saintfield.
(c) 2009 Belfast Telegraph. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.
Easter
BEGINNING WITH the sunrise services attended by many in our community, today, Easter Sunday, is the most holy day in the Christian faith. It is the day, Christians believe, when a crucified Savior arose from the dead, assuring the faithful of forgiveness from sin and of eternal life. Why, then, is the cross the pre-eminent symbol of Christianity? Why not an open tomb or a sundered sepulcher?
Perhaps the answer is that the cross--a place of suffering and humiliation--is a token more resonant with the human condition. We, all of us, know or will know hurt. The scourging and the thorns and the painful lonely spectacle are not alien to us; they are much the stuff of mortal life, the trappings of calvaries custom-made. Just as Christmas is accessible to our imaginations because everyone is born, the Crucifixion is an event understandable because each of us sometimes agonizes. But resurrection--that is something outside our experience. That is--dare we utter the word?--supernatural.
So that's why there is a kind of hush in believers' souls on Easter. It is the sound of a searching silence, a muted attempt to grasp the ungraspable--that a man, both like and unlike us, died, descended into hell, conquered death on behalf of billions yet unborn, then took off his burial shroud to walk once more in the land of the living. Not that the Easter story pioneered metaphysics. The entire drama unfolded during Passover, which celebrates the time that the Death Angel spared Jewish households that marked their door frames with the blood of a spotless lamb. But even angels are easier to apprehend than the act of undying.
Spring helps. From nature come intimations of the supernatural. Empty dawns fill with robin song. Fields and trees, bare and brown-scorched by winter's cold fires, erupt into flowers and green leaves. Pond ice sunders, fish leap like lovers' hearts. The season is a parable for the senses, a facilitator of faith.
But not a substitute for it. Today, in little country chapels and mighty cathedrals, millions of Christians will exercise irrational, wonderful faith. They will resist what writer Rod Serling called "the strange and perverse disinclination to believe in miracles." They will imagine tombs ajar. And in so doing, they may see that a cross, viewed from a certain angle, looks much like a key.
--Paul E. Akers, 1997, with permission of E.W. Scripps
Perhaps the answer is that the cross--a place of suffering and humiliation--is a token more resonant with the human condition. We, all of us, know or will know hurt. The scourging and the thorns and the painful lonely spectacle are not alien to us; they are much the stuff of mortal life, the trappings of calvaries custom-made. Just as Christmas is accessible to our imaginations because everyone is born, the Crucifixion is an event understandable because each of us sometimes agonizes. But resurrection--that is something outside our experience. That is--dare we utter the word?--supernatural.
So that's why there is a kind of hush in believers' souls on Easter. It is the sound of a searching silence, a muted attempt to grasp the ungraspable--that a man, both like and unlike us, died, descended into hell, conquered death on behalf of billions yet unborn, then took off his burial shroud to walk once more in the land of the living. Not that the Easter story pioneered metaphysics. The entire drama unfolded during Passover, which celebrates the time that the Death Angel spared Jewish households that marked their door frames with the blood of a spotless lamb. But even angels are easier to apprehend than the act of undying.
Spring helps. From nature come intimations of the supernatural. Empty dawns fill with robin song. Fields and trees, bare and brown-scorched by winter's cold fires, erupt into flowers and green leaves. Pond ice sunders, fish leap like lovers' hearts. The season is a parable for the senses, a facilitator of faith.
But not a substitute for it. Today, in little country chapels and mighty cathedrals, millions of Christians will exercise irrational, wonderful faith. They will resist what writer Rod Serling called "the strange and perverse disinclination to believe in miracles." They will imagine tombs ajar. And in so doing, they may see that a cross, viewed from a certain angle, looks much like a key.
--Paul E. Akers, 1997, with permission of E.W. Scripps
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