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Behind the Insta-Scenes: Photos from the Set

20 Nov

Welcome once again to Behind the Insta-Scenes! Bringing you a roundup of the best behind the scenes photos posted on Instagram from a variety of TV show and personal accounts from the people who are on them. This includes anything from future episode sneak peeks, what’s airing this week, flashing back to the past and general on set (and sometimes off) antics.

Included in the roundup this week are location shoots with swoony grins, superhero selfies and a mother/daughter reunion.

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The Mindy Project is shooting in San Francisco this week and Mindy Kaling has been sharing treats aplenty – amazing costumes ahoy – including this very romantic selfie with co-star Chris Messina. This is a frame worthy photo for Mindy’s apartment.

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Same gorgeous location, but switching things up with a moody catalogue model pose.

A lot gets up Eli’s nose on The Good Wife including this very cool accidental shot.

Last week The CW revealed what Katie Cassidy’s superhero costume would look like on Arrow and here’s a close up of the mask (along with co-star Colton Haynes). Two thumbs up for the lipstick and dramatic eye flicks.

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Cougar Town is coming to an end and Busy Philipps pays tribute to hair stylist Michael Anton for all the crazy, fun hairstyles Laurie has had, including this very colorful ‘do.

So this isn’t from the Mad Men set – they are at the AMC Holiday Party – but I couldn’t resist this mother/daughter picture of happiness. As if Matthew Weiner would allow on set photos this far in advance of the final half of the season premiere.

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New Girl 4.08 “Teachers” Review: I Wanna Know What Love is (and How to do Laundry)

19 Nov

Doing laundry, using a ruler and teaching Health are all obstacles that some of the guys on New Girl have to overcome in “Teachers.” Matters of the heart from forbidden crushes to wanting to learn how to love are also on the agenda as the group splits off into two for guys’ night and a teaching conference (with Cece left to work at the bar and take Jess’ emergency phone calls, she deserves more).

New Girl 4.08Is it ridiculous that Schmidt doesn’t know how to do laundry? Of course and even though they don’t address how he has been doing it since college or that we saw him defrost a turkey in the dryer in the season one’s Thanksgiving episode, I think I prefer it this way. This is nothing compared to Winston’s ruler confusion. Sometimes there are simple things that we just don’t know how to do and for once Nick gets to be the smartest person in the room teaching the other dummies how to do these very easy task. And the ruler tutorial is hilarious in its brevity. Guys’ night starts out with the super silly including Gladiator like jousting with homemade giant Q-tips and perving at women doing aerobics in the building opposite, stuff they can’t do when Jess is home. Schmidt spilling sangria on Jess’ blanket sets in motion a different kind of guys’ night delving into matters of the heart and it is all rather lovely.

Nick admits to a list of things he can’t do; he has trouble saying “February” and he doesn’t know the alphabet unless he sings the song (me too). The big kicker is Nick has never learned how to love and his most recent long term relationship isn’t mentioned, instead they focus on his other short term flings. Schmidt thinks Nick’s problem is that he doesn’t value himself and in their boy band like descriptions Nick is the cute one; Schmidt is the smart one, Winston is the silly one and Coach is the sporty one. With a soundtrack of 80s love anthems by Foreigner and Lionel Richie the conversation shifts to Schmidt talking about how Cece is the greatest woman he has ever loved. Schmidt doesn’t think Nick aims high enough and this is why it is slightly curious that Jess is absent from this discussion.

As I wrote about last week they are doing certain things to avoid anything too heavy with Nick and Jess so there’s no jealousy or awkwardness when it comes to them hooking up with other people. Okay there is some awkwardness, but that is on the behalf of their dates and their living situation. So it makes sense in this respect to omit Jess from this conversation and yet it does feel like the elephant in the room to not even mention this relationship. There is a slightly wistful reaction from Nick when he figures out Jess hooked up with Ryan, but it is not labored nor tinged with romantic jealousy.

In the makeshift sangria tent Winston also gets to have a nice moment where he talks about his fears about becoming a cop and a hypothetical descent into becoming a bad cop. As with all things Winston pertaining to his career they don’t linger on this and there is a certain amount of drunken narcissism as Nick brings it back to the cute thing and how awesome sangria is. This is a much better version of guys’ night than the one they pretend they had when Jess and Coach get home.

The Jess/Ryan interactions involve taking a sitcom staple of forbidden love and basically making Ryan the ultimate guy for Jess; he scrapbooks, he has endless optimism and he did teach his dyslexic sister how to read. Maybe he is an angel sent down from heaven just like the movie The Preacher’s Wife. Jess does everything she can to avoid Ryan but through various circumstances they end up getting pushed closer and closer together. First their rooms are next to each other and then Coach abandons his buffer post during Lisa Bonet’s seminar. A seminar which ruins the plan Jess had laid out to Cece at the start of the episode as she finds out personal information and has to embrace the intimacy. There is a contingency plan involving a letter Jess has placed in Cece’s bag to remind her of the professional obligation and Hannah Simone kills the delivery of this letter which includes the line “You ballet-flat-wearing piece of Oregon trash.” But still Cece deserves more.

Coach has an Almost Famous “I am a golden god!” drunk moment, which turns Ryan into a (soaking wet) hero leading to bathrobes and minibar drinks. A passed out and then awake and puking Coach is a mood dampener; however Jess still has time to reveal her “big stupid crush” on Ryan resulting in a parking lot smooch the following day. Jess knows that this relationship is probably doomed as her reaction is a mixture of glee and “oh crap.” If only she had a full size blanket for comfort.

Being a teacher is Jess’ life calling and for Coach this is a job he fell into or as he puts it because “my roommate made me.” Science textbooks are for giggling over and this whole conference reinforces Coach’s belief that he is not up to the task of teaching. At first he thinks he will have little impact on their lives and his freak out moment comes after he’s told that if he screws up they “just get pregnant.” Yeah that’s a pretty big impact. We’ve seen how good Coach is with these kids and so it’s not surprising that Jess thinks Coach will be perfect for this task as he is “someone who the kids trust” and he can also yell at them about Chlamydia. Coach is a teacher without realizing it. And then he falls in the pool. But he’s still a teacher and one who has made friends at this conference which started with him calling everyone nerds; he is no longer the outsider.

New Girl Style Watch

New Girl 4.08Jess put a bird on it with this beautiful Myrtlewood fit and flare dress is available from ModCloth.

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The Imitation Game’s Costume Design: What do Code Breakers Wear?

18 Nov

Film costume design analysis is a rare venture for this site (TV is in the title for a reason) and it is not because film doesn’t offer up plenty of talking points; The Imitation Game takes me into my first foray into movie costuming with a look at Sammy Sheldon’s excellent work. The muted tones we come to expect from a production that is set in World War II* are present, however there is actually a lot of color and pattern throughout showing this period as far more than the sepia/earth tones it is often portrayed as featuring an endless stream of. Austerity doesn’t mean a strict uniform of clothes and there are plenty of outfits worn by the women in The Imitation Game that would not look out of place today (someone start an Etsy store for the cardigans featured in this movie please). Some spoilers ahead.

*I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that I have yet to see the TV show Bletchley Park (it’s on my list) and when I do I would love to do a comparison piece between the two.

The Imitation Game Alan TuringAlan Turing’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) introduction to Bletchley is in stark contrast to the man we see in the latter years of his life. A well put together and somewhat clashing tweed suit, Prince of Wales check shirt and Prince of Wales tie complete his interview look when we first meet Alan. The man we see during the later period is not interview ready as a bathrobe is part of his everyday attire and even when he is out in public his clothing is on the rumpled side; he is a broken man and as the narrative weaves between the three time periods (Alan’s schooldays, Bletchely and Manchester in the early 1950s) costuming is an indicator of his mental state and how barbarically he has been treated.

The Imitation GameWhen the first Imitation Game trailer was released the piece most coveted was Joan Clarke’s (Keira Knightley) cardigan, which looks like a code in itself.  This vintage item is one of the many patterns we see throughout the film and it is something Joan wears on more than one occasion (I can’t tell you how much I love it when costumes are repeated). Suit wise the guys all have their own distinctive style and levels of dishevelment are at varying points depending on how futile the code breaking task is at that point. There are a lot of long sleepless nights as they try to crack Enigma and Alan’s lack of tie/jacket/rumpled shirt are all indicators for how terribly it is going.

Imitation GameAlternately Matthew Goode’s Hugh is the most put together of the team, even when things have reached peak awful; the waistcoat and dark blue color sets him apart emphasizing his confident demeanor and alpha status (and as Joan points out that he’s a bit of a cad). Clashing tie/shirt patterns (sometimes in a three-way pattern off with suspenders) is part of the code breaker look with Peter’s (Matthew Beard) sweater vest looking much like Joan’s cardigan as a code of its own making. While some of Joan’s attire would look perfectly fine if worn today and not at all like 1940s dress up, the high waisted trousers and shorter ties worn by the men are very much of this time. Unless Her has predicted the future of male pants fashion. Tweed is very much Alan’s staple jacket choice and they all look like the academics that they are; chosen to be part of this very important top secret mission for their intellect.

The Imitation Game Keira knightleyOne person who isn’t from the academic field is Stewart Menzies (Mark Strong) and the double breasted pinstripe suit jacket has a way of demonstrating that he is a powerful man for a not yet know about organization and one of the key figures in this overall operation. Charles Dance is another commanding office and his military prowess is easy to convey through his uniform, plus he’s Charles Dance so it’s not a hard thing to sell.

The Imitation Game JoanBack to Joan and the main injection of femininity into the film and just because her clothing has a slight frivolous edge (polka dots and later Peter Pan collars) she is still a vital part of the team and Alan’s closest friend at Bletchley. The picnic scene (which I sadly don’t have a photo of) is another strong blue outfit for Joan and it is one you can see on display at Bletchley Park along with various other costumes and props from The Imitation Game. It’s also worth noting that most of Joan and Alan’s emotionally charged scenes occur when Joan is in blue; this is visual reminder of their bond. Joan’s hat game is strong and I’m wondering if this is something that can be pulled off in 2014.

Come award season (which we are currently dipping our toes into) Sammy Sheldon will hopefully be recognized for her excellent work as she has created not just one but three timelines worth of pieces (I haven’t mentioned Alan’s school uniform, but it does an excellent job of showing his traditional education and formative years). As I have already mentioned the pleasant surprise comes from how colorful Joan’s wardrobe is without detracting anything from her intellect or value to the Enigma breaking team. You can wear pretty clothes and still be a genius.

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Public and Private Spaces on The Good Wife

17 Nov

“I always hated it that these offices were glass.”

Private spaces are hard to come by on The Good Wife and offices made of glass windows mimic the scrutiny of Alicia’s current situation. There are few places where Alicia doesn’t have to contend with all eyes on her and one such place is her home, but even this is not entirely private as the security camera shot of Finn leaving her building reminds us. For Cary he doesn’t have the luxury of feeling safe anywhere, including his home as his life has been threatened and he’s incredibly vulnerable.

The Good Wife likes to play with different locations and once again elevators are used to great effect to show a variety of emotional states. “Sticky Content” was written by Good Wife creators Robert and Michelle King and they are experts at producing an episode that oozes tension and forward momentum weaving both the campaign and Cary stories together.

The Good Wife 6.09Attack ads and introductory videos are the campaign order of the day with David Krumholtz joining the Florrick team as Josh Marnier, a campaign media specialist. Josh is another expert who ends up having to tell Alicia that her strategy is wrong and how she just needs to let her ideals go and let them do what they do best. Marissa Gold returns as Alicia’s bodywoman and all round voice of reason/snark. So far Alicia has been a pretty terrible candidate and she should have gone to Johnny straight away with the shoe box of dirt rather than stewing over it with an Alicia sized glass of wine; no matter how much will power she possesses, she was always going to crack. Like Johnny I am pretty cynical of Prady’s motives as this comes across as a manipulative power move wrapped up in an ‘oh shucks, I’m just a good guy’ routine. And it works as the first envelope sends Alicia into a mini tailspin. The Finn and Will (*sob*) photos don’t have an impact; it’s the ones of Peter and Ramona that sticks the needle in.

Alicia is all about control so when something disrupts this she tends to react in two different ways; confrontation and avoidance. These normally coincide with each other so she rings Peter up to yell at him – and the manner in which he answered sounded like his voicemail – and instead arranged the sit down interview to show how happy their marriage is. The second moment comes when she pops into see Finn after the super fake all smiles and hand holding Peter interaction. What this is motivated by is anger at Peter and Ramona coupled with desire as they’ve been flirting it up a storm for weeks now. A line is about to get crossed and Alicia seems somewhat relieved when she finds his office empty, but then he returns coffee cup in mouth and his usual super charming/attentive manner. The sofa conversation is the unlikely combination of awkward and comfortable; the warmth is there and yet there is an unspoken tension that overspills with a brief touching of hands. With Peter this gesture was empty and symbolical, here it is spontaneous and fully charged.

The Good Wife 6.09 finn's officeWhat this is reminiscent of is those moments in “Heart” and “Red Team, Blue Team” between Alicia and Will where empty office spaces and heightened emotions led to Alicia letting down her guard and allowing herself to be impulsive. Of course this is a very different set up and an interruption/realization of how public this space is causes Alicia to flee before anything more intimate can happen. The following day the weirdness of the night before is discussed and Alicia refers to the mood as “worrisome” – I think this is Alicia’s way of saying I think you’re hot but I can’t right now – and that people have expectations. It’s even more complicated than when Alicia was involved with Will and even if they want it to be simpler that’s just not happening right now. The line has been crossed as feelings have been verbalized (underneath layers and layers of subtext) and if they can find somewhere that has actual non see-through walls then maybe a conversation can be had (or something way more fun than talking).

Perhaps Alicia should take a page out of her husband’s book and improvise with the spacious car he is being driven around in. Peter rebuffs Alicia’s Ramona accusations, however it is worth nothing that he doesn’t deny having an affair with her back when they lived at Highland Park and this also supports the theory that Lauren is his child. Peter is also lying about the Ramona thing as the car smooching demonstrates. Alicia claims that she is angry not because she is jealous or that their agreement is invalid, but because this could fuck everything up for both of them. I think a small part of this is jealousy, particularly if this infidelity stems back to a time when she thought she was in a good marriage. At the same time it is very telling in how strongly she emphasizes that no, she will not be standing by his side again (“not in a million years”).

After this conversation Alicia is red dress wearing, guns blazing and she is willing to use and exploit her scandal and tragedy to sell herself in the introductory video. It sounds so incredibly fake and sincere all at once, because we know exactly how she really feels, but she’s selling to a public who don’t know her yet as the woman who went back to work in a time of hardship (she didn’t wallow) and then saw gun crime take away the person who took a chance on her when no one else would. There’s the perfect amount of misty eyes and resilience, plus she looks killer in that red dress. Until of course Prady’s mother wears the same dress in his own boohoo version of his life and why he wants to run; this is where I think the Prady campaign are being tricksy as if they did their research they know that Alicia’s power color is red. Coincidence? I think not. Or maybe I’m too cynical, but I don’t think Prady is the good clean guy he suggests he is.

the good wife 6.09 alicia's dressDigitally changing the dress doesn’t work and she ends up looking like she’s wearing a wallpaper design and trying to recapture the (fake) sincerity of the previous version falls so flat. We do get the jokey version of Alicia including why she wanted to be home with her kids “because child services said I had to be” as she eye rolls through her terrible, terrible second attempt. It’s really fun seeing Alicia sucking so much at this, not that her campaign team is reveling in this really bad performance. In the end the decision is made to just go with the same dress as it is a far better option than this new take.

A leak is to blame for the Prady DINO attack ad, which comes in response to a “Who is Alicia in bed with now?” negative commercial from the Prady PAC. This is in reference to her clients (Sweeney and Bishop), but they could also be laying the foundations for affair accusations and this question could easily apply to both work and personal matters even if it is just an insinuation.

Let’s talk about one of The Good Wife’s favorite locations:

the good wife 6.09 elevatorElevators! Here this space looks huge and it shows Alicia as contemplative and lonely after the interview reinforcing the idea of a good marriage with Peter. This is her returning to the office to go see Finn and maybe do something about their flirting in what could be considered as a retaliation move.

The Good Wife 6.09 Cary elevatorFor Cary this space is precarious as he doesn’t know what will welcome him when the doors open as he’s just heard a tape with Lemond Bishop threatening his life. It’s a tight claustrophobic, perhaps even coffin like location and at his building the shots are either in a close up or emphasizing how closed in he is. The flashes of someone with a gun coming up and shooting him add to the tension and fear. Elevators mean a whole lot on The Good Wife and we have seen them used as a place to sob alone, hook up or even as a host of awkward conversations; they can be equal parts private and public.

Cary’s home is no longer safe and in a bold move he chooses to visit Bishop in his after an encounter at the office reveals Cary’s new bodyguard (when the elevator doors opened – see you never know who is going to be on the other side) insinuating Cary has flipped. With Bishop’s son present in his home this is probably the safest place Cary could have gone to have this discussion with Bishop, but it still doesn’t stop Cary and the audience from feeling nothing but fear as Bishop’s presence alone is intimidating in any location. Cary is back on Bishop’s good side, but how long is this going to last with jail looming over Cary’s head?

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Hello, Hello, Hello: The Comeback 2.01 “Valerie Makes a Pilot” Discussion

16 Nov

The Comeback has returned and after talking all things Valerie with Kerensa Cadenas last summer we are back to do more of the same for season 2. When we started the Summer Rewind project we had no idea that this show would get a long overdue second chance; reboots and remakes are common Hollywood fare, but it is unusual for a show to get another go this long after it has been canceled and with the creative team involved (a trend maybe developing as Twin Peaks is also getting revived).

The Comeback 2.01Emma: So Valerie Cherish is back and she’s still just as oblivious and hungry for approval/fame while trying to recreate the I’m It! glory days. And I’m so happy to see her again, even during the most heartbreaking/cringe moments.

Since we last saw Valerie she hasn’t had a whole lot of success as both Room and Bored and The Comeback weren’t picked up – it’s not surprising as Room and Bored was terrible and the reality show kind of needed the sitcom to survive – and she’s done independent horror movies (which are actually student films), a hair care line for red heads called Cherish Your Hair (which I would so go red for) and an almost turn on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. This is the one that could have propelled her back into the public eye and it’s a decision she clearly regrets as she’s trying to forge a relationship with Andy Cohen. In typical Valerie form she thinks a couple of tweets can be referred to as ‘communicating with’ about this new project. She failed to grasp the scripted aspect of the kind of reality TV that has thrived since The Comeback and her refusal to be painted in what she saw as a villainous light led to her ditching the project. Valerie has always been concerned with coming across as a good person on screen and this normally leads to her looking totally clueless and self involved. Charitable acts come across as forced and disingenuous and the image she wants to project rarely plays out the way she hopes.

This could have been her return to the big time and she knows this, which is why the offer of a HBO show is so exciting even if it is a role that is essentially a character assassination and it means she will have to work with Paulie G again. Once again just the simple act of typing his name fills me with rage. Oh and it turns out that he was a heroin addict while they were making Room and Bored, but he’s still an asshole now. The cold read is such a terrifying moment for Valerie as not only does she have to read some pretty awful things about herself, but this is arguably the biggest opportunity of her career and she doesn’t want another Real Housewives missed opportunity.

The monologue itself is a searing take on how older actress are treated and when the camera lingers on Valerie’s frozen look of slight horror as she reads it to herself we know what is coming is going to be heartbreaking and it is. Lisa Kudrow’s delivery of this “unfuckable” diatribe is incredible and cuts right to the core of Hollywood gender double standards when it comes to what age is generally considered attractive. It is moments like this that make The Comeback such a special and important show that goes WAY beyond cringe comedy. What was your take on this scene?

How do you feel in general about Valerie’s return?

The Comeback 2.01 cold readKerensa: I’m so glad to have Valerie back! Just seeing her in that opening scene to bumbling that Chateau Marmont “meet up” with Andy Cohen–who she’s been “communicating” with was all just so classic Valerie. Completely cringing, panic inducing and ultimately so deeply sympathetic.

Seeing what she’s been up to post-Room and Bored was a perfect catch up–like I would totally watch the Valerie Cherish Cherish Your Hair infomercial while stoned at 3 am and probably would end up ordering some of that hair dye. Let’s be real I’d also watch all of Valerie’s “independent films.” (Yes, I know I’m using so many quotations but they feel appropriate.)

But what got me even more excited about this return of The Comeback was the scene that you mentioned–Valerie’s impromptu audition of Paulie G’s (groan) new HBO show–it was such a fucking smart critique on Hollywood, women and ageism and Kudrow crushed it. And that just dark biting feeling that was there while she was talking about being “unfuckable” gave the show even more layers for me than it had before. So I’m really excited to see where this goes–perhaps an attack on ~~white male antiheroes?~~

The Comeback 2.01 real housewivesEmma: Oh wow I really hope so and if that is the case then The Comeback is going to be the perfect companion to The Good Wife’s ‘Darkness at Noon.’ Kudrow is in a really strong position in terms of knowing how Hollywood treats older actresses not just through her own experience, but through that of her Friends co-stars. Jennifer Aniston is still churning out the comedy movies where she is still the hot sexual object (see the strip scene in We’re the Millers) but she is also trying to do the whole being treated like a serious actress and uglifying herself with Cake. And all people are interested in is whether she will ever marry Justin Theroux or have a baby. And how she feels about Brad and Angelina. Courtney Cox on the other hand is still doing the TV thing, but she has her own aging tabloid stories when it comes to Botox (and I know The Comeback will be addressing plastic/cosmetic surgery this season) and her dating life.

In terms of how similar Valerie is she still can’t remember names of anyone, she still loves a good prayer hands and her timeout symbol indicates where she wants to cut the footage. Mark using this in the bedroom when she tells him she put the bedroom camera back in is hilarious and I’m so glad they are still together. I’m also glad Mark was pissed off that Valerie took the Seeing Red part because he knows what a fucker Paulie G was to her first time. Mark clearly supports Valerie as he isn’t that reluctant to appear on camera this time, I think he just knows there should be a line.

So here is the thing Valerie has what appears to be a pretty good life as she’s still got money, the house and the husband who loves her but there is also this desire for the fame thing. Do you think she cares more about being known or about being an actress? I tend to lean toward the former and it is why she is willing to put herself in these shitty positions. And it’s not because she is dumb, there is some self-awareness and comprehension of the Hollywood game, but she wants in so much she doesn’t care about what she has to do. As long as she doesn’t look bad.

The other heartbreaking moment for me came as she stood in the paparazzi scrum shouting Juna’s name and the dejected look on Valerie’s face that she tried to cover with sunny optimism as the car pulled away. But Juna must have heard the “Baby Girl” call through all the Juna’s as she came back and she really hasn’t changed either despite being a HUGE star. It’s not surprising that Juna and Chris are the ones who made it (and I can’t wait to see meathead Kellan Lutz once again, maybe they’ll riff on the whole Twilight thing) as they are the ones who are still doing things now (sorry Jesse and Shayne).

Mickey is the returning character I am happiest seeing and I can’t imagine anything breaking this bond. I’ve already mentioned Mark being back, so is her publicist Billy (Dan Bucatinsky) and their housekeeper Esparanza also pops up briefly. Mark’s daughter Francesca is referenced as she needs an apartment in New York where she is studying fashion and as I’ve seen a lot of Million Dollar Listing NYC recently I’m hoping for a reality show crossover here. I know Jane is going to be back and she’s definitely top of my most anticipated list and I love her relationship with Valerie.

Who are you wanting to make a comeback to The Comeback? Oh and as we had some reality figures show up (oh hey Ru Paul) is there anyone in this arena you want to see on the show? Tyra would be my number one choice.

The Comeback 2.01 Andy Cohen and Ru PaulKerensa: I think that Valerie wants to be known as opposed to being an actress and it sucks but for Valerie it seems that, especially the way I think the show has/continues to frame Valerie’s struggle as a working older actress is that is what her options are? I mean, I think depending on how this season pans out, that may change but she’s pretty much willing to do whatever it is to be known as opposed to doing good work.

I’m excited to see Jane also and the thing about this season that I’m the most excited about is that catching up with these characters from the original I think will give us more insight into their lives. I mean so much about Paulie G—that he was using heroin–was off camera on The Comeback which is going to I think add some really interesting stuff into the show.

In terms of guests–I’m not sure there’s anyone I have specifically in mind but I’m fully expecting to see some totally random people show up. People LOVED The Comeback and even judging from Ru and Andy showing up–I think we are going to see some major stars show up to support Valerie.

The Comeback 2.01 JunaEmma: When they mentioned Kathryn Hahn was in the audition room (and Chelsea Handler – IRL BFF of Jennifer Aniston – made a cameo appearance via a video audition) I was hoping she was going to be there, but alas this wasn’t the case. In somewhat related/unrelated Melanie Lynskey (another fave and star of new HBO show Togetherness) did comment on Twitter “When Kathryn Hahn walks in to an audition room you’re in, the most dignified thing to do is give her a little bow, pack up your sides & go.” Now I want to see Melanie Lynskey on The Comeback.

The well is deep as there are plenty of reality TV personalities who would be more than happy to appear on a show like this in the most meta of ways trying to clutch onto the fame. The depth of the HBO acting roster is also long and varied and as you mention people love The Comeback – and it’s definitely one of those Hollywood insider shows that show business types adore – so I think there will be a few surprises in store.

Kerensa Cadenas is a writer living in Los Angeles. She is an Editor for Snakkle. She also writes for Women and Hollywood, The Week, This Was Television, Forever Young Adult, and Bitch magazine. She was the Research Editor for Tomorrow magazine. You can follow her on Twitter and read her ridiculous thoughts about teen television at her website.

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Out of the Box: Look of the Week

14 Nov

Happy Friday! Time to see the best looks of the week including magazine covers, huge red carpet events, the start of award season chatter and other stylish outings in this edition of “Out of the Box.”

out 100 Samira WileySamira Wiley covers the OUT100 20th anniversary issue (along with Zachary Quinto, Sam Smith and Ellen Page – her cover is also incredibly striking) and it is a breathtaking image. This is a beautiful and stunning shot of the OITNB star and I am in awe; definitely one of THE magazine covers of the year.

Elizabeth BanksMoving on to the red carpet dress of the week as Elizabeth Banks brings it once again on a Hunger Games press tour and this Elie Saab Couture gown made my draw drop when I first saw it (in fact I’m still pretty mesmerized now). Capey train goodness and a dress that is world premiere worthy.

Kerry WashingtonKerry Washington has worn some exquisite Oscar de la Renta gowns in the past and at the Baby2Baby Gala she chose this beautiful and ultra feminine floral frock. While I’m not always into the mullet hemline it works well here as it gives us a chance to see the bowed Christina Louboutin sandals.

Busy PhilippsGoing from one kind of floral gown to another at the Baby2Baby Gala and Busy Philipps is serving beaded goodness in this super pretty ensemble.

Jenny SlateAwards season is in the early stages and this means it is time for actors talking to other actors about actorly things – which if you’ve followed my roundtable discussion comments you know I am amped for this time of year. At the Variety Studio: Actors on Actors event Jenny Slate went for dressed up stylings in Marnie whereas Felicity Jones opted for simple chic in a Saint Laurent top and leather Coach skirt; both are fantastic even if they look like they might be attending different events.

gillian jacobsTory Burch celebrated a new watch collection from this brand with a Vogue soiree and a whole bunch of lovely ladies wearing (you guessed it) Tory Burch. Gillian Jacobs in a surprise move is in one of the only non-patterned looks in an LBD with an embellished neckline and waist. Perfect for anyone who wants to do the black dress thing with a slight twist.

Rashida JonesRashida Jones was also at the Tory Burch event, also in Tory Burch and I love the shape and print on this dress. Could definitely see Joan wearing this on Elementary. Red lipstick bonus points.

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Coming in 2015: TV Promo Roundup

13 Nov

The year isn’t over and yet we are already looking to January 2015 thanks to these promos from Comedy Central and HBO for their returning and brand new offerings coming in the new year.

Abbi and Ilana are back with colorful (and super dark) lipsticks, crop tops aplenty, a white power suit and a surprise appearance by a leopard print fascinator. Commence the Broad City dance party now as season 2 looks set to deliver once again on the funny and getting fucked up antics of a TV Ate My Wardrobe favorite lady friendship. Broad City returns Wednesday, January 14.

From the Duplass brothers comes Togetherness and it’s going to be part of the Girls/Looking Sunday night block (starting January 11) which makes sense as it is another figuring out your shit tragic comedy/dramedy (or whatever we are now calling this genre). The cast/creators is why I am very excited and Amanda Peet’s line delivery at the end of the promo is perfect.

Looking gets the most teasery of teases with no episode footage and what comes down to a disco light party reminding us that Patrick is caught in a love triangle with Richie and Kevin. Plus there’s a whole lot of amazing facial hair. Season 2 gets an episode number bump with two more than last year and I’m looking forward to spending more time with these characters.

Getting the longest preview treatment is Girls and this makes sense considering it has been on the longest; the characters are more established and there’s less mystery. Hannah’s moved to Iowa and she’s eating grapes for a snack, but this still leaves plenty of room for bad decisions and arguments aplenty. Marnie is still pining after Desi, Shoshanna is having a career/life crisis and a couple of people are getting arrested. Plus dancing, there’s always dancing.

 

 

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Behind the Insta-Scenes: Photos from the Set

13 Nov

Welcome once again to Behind the Insta-Scenes! Bringing you a roundup of the best behind the scenes photos posted on Instagram from a variety of TV show and personal accounts from the people who are on them. This includes anything from future episode sneak peeks, what’s airing this week, flashing back to the past and general on set (and sometimes off) antics.

This week we have the Broad City ladies still on tour, a teen movie queen on The Mindy Project, final table reads, prison superheroes and other set observations.

Julia Stiles is guest starring on The Mindy Project as an old friend of Danny’s and a Morgan love interest. I hope she drops some Kat Stratford dance moves.

http://instagram.com/p/vR4DP7N6qu/?modal=true

Ilana and her big clear bag of thrown out bagels is one of many amazing visual Broad City first year moments and a fan made a bagel plushie, which is also all kinds of awesome. The new season is just two months away and I cannot wait.

Final table read time for season 2 of Looking and January is going to be an excellent TV month as this returns at the start of 2015. Look at how adorable these dudes are.

Ryan Hansen’s TBT is going back to season 3 of Burning Love and if you ignore Ken Marino’s drool then it becomes a rather lovely cast shot. June Diane Raphael to be cast in everything please.

There is also a video to accompany this Morello doing the whole superhero posing thing, as Yael Stone enjoys some downtime on set.

Doing the same but in a much more sedated manner are the New Girl cast and it is a screen checking party in this photo from Erin O’Malley.

Lucy Liu revealed the view from the Elementary greenroom when they were on a night shoot this week and that’s a whole lot of New York office blockage with the Chrysler Building making an appearance. It’s a very hypnotic shot.

http://instagram.com/p/vRY9MRjFrh/?modal=true

So many boxes all bearing the Greendale logo and this prop tease is courtesy of Gillian Jacobs.

Kroll Show is another January returnee (Wednesday 14 – the same night as Broad City!) and this brief glimpse is enough to send me down a PubLIZity YouTube rabbit hole.

 

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New Girl 4.07 “Goldmine” Review: “I Live with my Ex”

12 Nov

Sitcom angst doesn’t tend to last for a long time as this is a comedy after all and mooning over an ex isn’t necessarily laugh central. This is played in two different ways on New Girl and each former couple deals with being friends (and in one case living with an ex) in wildly different ways. When Nick and Jess split up at the end of last season it was relatively painless – sure there was Dirty Dancing sobbing sessions and initial sadness – and the main reason they broke up involved the structure of the show and the dynamics of the characters rather than the actual relationship itself. The push/pull between maturity and whatever version of adulthood Nick is living was also part of it and while this felt more like an attempt at justifying breakup the word mature is thrown around by Jess throughout this episode.

New Girl 4.07In “Goldmine” they finally address the exes who live together deal and while it is unlikely this would ever be the case – the only time I have ever known exes who have lived together has been in that really awkward/awful stage where one of them is waiting to move out after the breakup – they do make it work by reinforcing the notion that the weirdo assclowns might actually be them and not the people they are dating. Nick has been using the “I live with my ex” line as a way to get rid of women in the morning and it works every single time, until the one occasion where he needs it to have the desired impact. Jess has hit the three date benchmark with Ian and he seems like a decent cute guy from the brief interaction we have with him; Jess is convinced she can tell Ian about the ex living situation in a mature manner and he won’t think anything of it. And he doesn’t at first, but his follow up questions regarding how serious the relationship was sets off all the warning bells and Jess resorts to plan B.

Plan B is Nick pretending to be gay (I would have liked to see the version where Nick pretends to be a ghost) and even though he is terrible at lying (see last week’s sweatathon) he thinks he is excellent at make-believe; all he needs is a decent backstory. Gay Nick works because he doesn’t really act any different to usual and he doesn’t try to resort to stereotypes – “don’t put me in a box” – instead he’s just as magnificent and awkward with trying to sell this story. This leads to nonsensical list time and Jake Johnson listing things is always a joy to watch. Nick gets asked what kinds of guys he likes and the list starts with hunks, features ice cream men in the middle and ends with sleepy guys (or ‘drowsers’). Ian doesn’t believe Nick’s story in part because the sweating starts and then Schmidt walks in all forlorn and apologetic that he didn’t come home the night before. It is perfect timing to play along with Nick and Jess’ ruse with Nick going so far as kissing Schmidt, something Schmidt doesn’t even question. Everything was going to plan and then Tina comes in and ruins everything by smooching Nick.

Not that the lying plan was going to hold up in the long run and Ian was definitely going to find out the truth sooner rather later even if Tina hadn’t been there. Nick blaming the layers Tina was wearing as a reason he couldn’t resist hooking up is an episode highlight. Jess points out to Nick “Can we agree this is not the most mature way to handle things, even though it is pretty fun?” and this is pretty much the “stupid shit/real shit” balance that New Girl excels at. Jess thinks she can do something in an adult manner and Nick once again proves that he is right, except on this occasion his uh-oh girl is not bothered by the living setup. Nick’s description of what an “uh-oh” girl is saves him from looking like a complete pig – his previous names include “pork pals” and “C-plussy hussies” – as the “‘uh-oh’ takes it off them and back onto me, where it belongs. I made the mistake, not them. They’re great.”

One thing missing from the Nick/Jess breakup and subsequent dating pattern is there is no jealousy here whatsoever and Nick is more than up for getting Jess laid. While this also comes across as incredibly unrealistic there is nothing worse than the doldrums of a jealous ex sitcom story (see so many Ross and Rachel Friends plots) and for all the Nick/Jess shippers still out there (I still count myself in this camp even if I am enjoying this time apart) there is a hint of hope when Ian remarks that Nick would do anything for her. And yeah they are definitely the kind of weirdo assclowns that their dates complain to their friends about so it makes sense that they end up together, eventually.

If you want relationship ex angst then Schmidt is working overtime this week as he is distraught that Cece might be getting a boob reduction and the best reaction of the week comes courtesy of his super hearing powers and scream of “Nooooooo.” Schmidt’s reaction is melodramatic and ridiculous in a way that only makes sense for a character like Schmidt. His wish to say goodbye to Cece’s boobs (he still calls them Harold and Kumar) is kinda gross, but that sequence is also hilarious because it is so dumb. It is better that we don’t get to hear most of Schmidt’s goodbye monologue and Hannah Simone gives good facial expressions as she listens to Schmidt’s boob classical music playlist (Pachelbel’s Canon).

The other hookup shenanigans occurring this week involve the hot neighbors we met last season as Winston has been trying to work the long game with them. This storyline was less successful for me and Coach is just a big ball of skeeze at this point even if his strategy does get Winston laid. Thankfully they added the part where Michelle did want to sleep with Winston otherwise that would have been a big ball of rock-paper-scissor no.

New Girl Style Watch

New Girl 4.07 WinstonSwitching things up this week on the style front and taking a look at the dudes of New Girl with Winston’s floral CPO short sleeve button-down. Coach looks skeptical, but I love it. I could also definitely see Josh from Transparent wearing this.

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Best of the Glamour 2014 Women of the Year Awards Red Carpet

11 Nov

Glamour hosted their annual Women of the Year Awards and the recipients include women from a variety of professions including actors, philanthropists and designers. The red carpet is awash with party dress chic and here are our picks from the night.

Mindy KalingBeaded 1960s inspired decadence from Mindy Kaling and she is wearing a custom-made frock by Mindy Project costume designer Salvador Perez to celebrate being named one of Glamour’s Women of the Year. It is bold, colorful, sparkly and fun; all the aspects that make up Mindy Kaling’s on and off screen style. This is how you go short at an event like this (and Perez and Kaling talk about the design process here).

LupitaMindy is not the only honoree opting for above the knee and Glamour cover star Lupita Nyong’o wears yet another incredible ensemble to add to her year of red carpet highs. Queen Lupita seems more accurate and here she is wearing an embellished Chanel Couture dress paired with Kurt Geiger metallic nude pumps.

Laverne CoxGoing for something slightly longer is another Glamour Woman of the Year and Orange is the New Black’s Laverne Cox has got a velvet train and curls going on. This is a softer look than Cox tends to go for on the red carpet and the electric blue color is incredible on her.

Keri Russell GlamourKeri Russell’s penchant for leather continues and she is serving up 70s rock band realness here with an outfit that wouldn’t look out of place at a Runaways gig. Wearing a leather J. Mendel jumpsuit Russell presented Dr. Sylvia Earle with her award. Earle has spent over 50 years exploring, studying and striving for better understanding/protection of ocean habitats.

Coco RochaOpting for a menswear approach is supermodel Coco Rocha in this simple, but effective almost all black ensemble; adding a touch of glitz with gold toe capped loafers (that I am now coveting).

Amy SchumerMore metallics and Amy Schumer has the end of year (okay it is only November) party style down as this is the perfect time for silver shoes and a strapless dress like this. This is how you do winter florals.

Judith LightOh hey Judith Light! I am pretty much in awe of everything Light does and so I’m totally ignoring the so-so shoes and embracing the Stella from The Fall satin blouse. The design on the skirt is beautiful and this is a whole lot of secretary chic.

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