Variety Comedy Writers Panel: Talking “The Comeback”

13 Aug

Pre-Emmy nominations saw multiple panels popping up as actors, writers and directors took time out of the hiatus to discuss their shows for a range of publications. Nominations have since been announced and the Emmys will be held next month. One panel that I missed in June comes from Variety and it’s rather timely in relation to the TV Ate My Wardrobe summer rewind.

The panel features Fred Armisen, Mindy Kaling, Mike Schur, Dan Goor and Michael Patrick King; Schur is the ultimate crossover as he has worked with the rest of the participants (on Parks and Recreation, The Office and The Comeback). As we have been watching The Comeback for the first time, I was delighted to hear Mike Schur bring up his experience of working on The Comeback with Michael Patrick King. The episode they mention is next up on our watching schedule (“Valerie Saves the Show) and they talk about the difference in tone between the writers’ room and on set. Mike Schur thinks it is much better to have actors and writers that interact in a positive way and as we have seen so far on The Comeback this isn’t the case for Valerie as the writers hate her.

It’s an engaging and lively discussion as you would expect from a group of comedy writers and it doesn’t just feel like they are just regurgitating the same old anecdotes that we have heard before.

They also discuss “The Poehler Doctrine” which is something all comedy shows should adhere to.

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Music Monday – Breaking Bad Returns

12 Aug

Breaking Bad is back for the final 8 episodes and once again they brought their A game from the pacing to Aaron Paul’s perfect glassy eyed stare that has the ability to tear through my soul.

While I’m not going to go into too much plot detail with this Music Monday post I will say that Hank is ON IT and the choice of song that accompanied the montage of Hank looking through the evidence is brilliantly chaotic. Jim White’s “Wordmule” follows Hank on this journey of realization as he pieces together what he knows to be true, but can’t quite fathom the reality of who Heisenberg really is.

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Out of the Box: Look of the Week

9 Aug

The Television Critics Association Press Summer Tour was the focus of the last edition of “Out of the Box” and featured a whole host of different shows. This week we are going to celebrate the women of a show that we have talked about a lot this summer here at TV Ate My Wardrobe and that is Scandal.  Kerry Washington has dominated the discussion so far thanks to her performance as Olivia Pope and her impeccable style as Olivia and on the red carpet. At the ABC Disney TCA party on Sunday the Scandal women all looked incredible this whole post is dedicated to them.

Winner: Darby Stanchfield

ABC TCA Summer 2013 Party

Much to my delight full skirts feature big in 2013 F/W collections and this Alexa von Canisius jacquard floral-print pleated skirt that Darby Stanchfield is wearing is beautiful. Pairing it with a simple black silk top and black pumps lets the skirt be the centerpiece of the outfit. As Abby on Scandal Stanchfield’s amazing red hair is often straighter than straight so the tousled approach instantly separates her from her character. A bold lipstick also compliments the whole look and while a bracelet might add something, the lack of accessories also stops it from becoming cluttered.

Runner Up: Kerry Washington 

Kerry Washington TCA

Kerry Washington’s orange and white Giambattista Valli dress from the Resort 2014 collection is fun take on pattern clashing. The paisley pattern on the top combined with the scribbled detail on the skirt could like a magic eye illusion (it’s a boat) but thankfully this unlikely pattern pairing works. Kerry Washington likes to dabble in a variety of styles on the red carpet and this is why I could write endless red carpet posts about her; she never sticks to the same one designer or approach and has a good time with the clothes that she wears. Both her Christian Louboutin pumps and Nancy Gonzalez clutch are in neutral tones that don’t distract attention away from the dress, plus she has one new piece of jewelry as Washington got married in June.

Runner Up: Bellamy Young

Disney & ABC Television Group's "2013 Summer TCA Tour" - Arrivals

More floral goodness as Bellamy Young wears a super summery frock from Elie Tahari, paired with a thin yellow belt. I’ve got so used to seeing Bellamy Young in her traditional First Lady clothes that feature a lot of bold primary colors and pastels but not much pattern so this is a huge departure. Mellie’s hair is normally styled to perfection and when she wears it down her curls have a certain rigidity, here Young’s hair is allowed to be free and she looks like the kind of woman I would want to have a cocktail with (actually I’d really love to have a bottle of wine or two with Mellie as she’s become one of my favorites on Scandal).

Runner Up: Katie Lowes

Katie Lowes TCA

Katie Lowes is wearing the only non-patterned dress and even though mint green is everywhere this summer, this ICB dress feels like it could be a work outfit – an amazing work outfit but it makes me think office more than party. The white blazer is serving up Olivia Pope related thoughts and while it isn’t terrible overall it lacks the summer freshness of her co-stars. There is one aspect of this look that trumps the rest of the Scandal ladies and that is the incredible color-block Oscar de la Renta pumps.

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Diane Kruger’s “Where Beauty Begins” Chanel Video

8 Aug

Diane Kruger first appeared in a Chanel campaign in 1996 for Allure fragrance and in April it was announced that The Bridge star would represent Chanel’s skin care range. Kruger has been a Karl Lagerfeld favorite for a long time; they met when she started modelling at 16 and are now neighbors in Paris. It’s this fashion background that makes Diane Kruger such an interesting figure both on and off the red carpet as she often takes risks and has fun with what she wears.

As part of this new role for Chanel several videos have been released so far with Diane Kruger discussing what beauty means to her. In the one featured here she talks about her own personal history with Chanel as it has “always been by her side” and she also mentions how the ethos of founder Gabrielle [Coco] Chanel is important as she “was a very modern woman because she never made compromises.” Kruger gets to show off her fluent French in these videos, but all will not be lost in translation as they do come subtitled.

Beauty campaigns are often full of hyperbole and Kruger’s skin is indeed flawless so the product sells itself in one respect. One aspect that is striking is how it relates back to the origins of the fashion house and considering Kruger’s own personal history with the brand it gives a sense of authority to the campaign.

Diane Kruger Lego Chanel bag

This week Kruger was spotted once again with the Lego-looking Chanel plexiglass shoulder bag (that I’m coveting pretty hard). This combined with a navy-and-white striped Comme des Garçons jumper and jeans is pretty much my ideal outfit – I’d opt for a pair of Cons as the shoes are incredible but my feet have an aversion to most forms of heels (in that I can only wear them for half an hour at a time).

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“Enough Said” Trailer: James Gandolfini as the Romantic Lead

7 Aug

Nicole Holofcener’s next film Enough Said has taken on a bittersweet role as one of James Gandolfini’s final projects and the first trailer for this romantic comedy has been released. It’s a play on the classic boy meets girl; Gandolfini’s Albert meets Eva (played by the wonderful Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and things take a farcical turn thanks to Eva’s new client Marianne (Nicole Holofcener regular Catherine Keener) who also happens to be Albert’s ex-wife . One aspect that seems to run through the work of Holofcener is exploring characters that have reached a crossroad in their life and both Friends with Money and Please Give feature the kind of storytelling that focuses on broken and new relationships. Holofcener’s strength lies in her approach to character and romance; flaws and foibles can be a both a big turn off and an attraction.

Enough Said debuts at TIFF next month and I’m looking forward to seeing Gandolfini in a project that shows his charm and romantic acting chops. It’s going to be a poignant affair as this is now Gandolfini’s penultimate film (Animal Rescue is set to be released next year) and after his death Nicole Holofcener said about his work on this film that “He didn’t believe he could play a romantic lead, even though everyone on the set thought he was sexy and hilarious. He was charming and self-effacing and incredibly talented. Not only did he pull off playing a leading man, his performance is subtle and moving and very, very lovely.”

Watch the trailer for Enough Said below.

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Zooey Deschanel Covers the September Issue of Marie Claire

6 Aug

The discussion about negative online comments has taken center stage in the media recently after a campaign to feature a woman on a Bank of England note has led to several high profile female writers receiving an increased amount of horrifying threats via Twitter. In the forthcoming September issue of Marie Claire, New Girl star Zooey Deschanel talks about her own experience with the less pleasant side of the Internet in an extract the magazine has released.

zooey deschanel marie claire

This is a subject that Deschanel has previously discussed and in a past interview with Glamour magazine Deschanel commented “I want to be a fucking feminist and wear a fucking Peter Pan collar. So fucking what?” This stems from criticism about Deschanel including being a so-called real life Manic Pixie Dream Girl (an archetype which has thankfully been declared dead – the article that Nathan Rabin coined the term in is great, everything that followed not so much) and how what she wears or how she talks diminishes the value of her work. I’ve been a big fan of Deschanel since I saw Almost Famous and I was surprised by the amount of vitriol that was dished out when New Girl debuted. It was understandable why Jess the character was receiving flack as there were some issues with how cartoony Jess was in these early episodes, but it was the overtly personal Deschanel laden barbs that were surprising.

In what could be viewed as a follow on from the Peter Pan collar remark, Deschanel says that criticism directed her way is often about how she looks or acts “Everything you’ve done doesn’t matter because you wore the wrong thing or you speak in a way that’s feminine or you identify yourself as feminine. And I just think that’s bullshit.” Deschanel believes negative comments can also stifle creativity as people might not want to put themselves out there out of fear of getting bashed online and this is part of the inspiration behind her site Hello Giggles. While I’m sure there will always be Deschanel detractors it’s also really great to see some with her status happily refer to herself as a feminist and provide a space online like this.

The cover story mentions a new look, which from the styling on the cover is serving up an Almost Famous aesthetic moving from 60s twee to 70s rocker. There’s a dash of the 90s with the plaid jacket showing that grunge is definitely sneaking its way back in this season with Hedi Slimane’s Saint Laurent fall collection. The signature bangs are still there after speculation (yes there was Zooey Deschanel bangs speculation) after the Met Gala that she was maybe growing them out.

New Girl returns Tuesday, September 17.

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Music Monday: The O.C. Turns 10

5 Aug

When The O.C. premiered in August 2003, the iTunes store had only been open for a few months and buying CDs didn’t seem so antiquated. The O.C. pretty much lived in the death throes of how we used to purchase and consume music; this is also the time that I still worked in a record store, a record store that unsurprisingly is no longer in existence. As I’ve previously mentioned, TV and particularly teen TV has been a constant source of finding new music and The O.C. did this on a whole new level as it embraced bands that the characters listened to.

Death Cab for Cutie posters adorned Seth Cohen’s wall and featured in the Seth Cohen Starter Pack (along with albums by Bright Eyes and The Shins, The Goonies and Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay), they also played at the Bait Shop in season 2 along with a host of others such as Modest Mouse, The Walkman and The Killers.

I should really start with the theme song by Phantom Planet (which I wrote about for This Was TV) and how it sets the tone; in the pilot the song is used as a transition from the grainy Chino-cam to the glorious and bright world that Ryan will be joining after he has given Sandy Cohen a call – everything gets a lot bluer and sun-kissed as we head to Newport. The theme song is hopeful and that shot of Ryan looking out of the car window is one that is linked to both the opening credits and a shot that is repeated emphasizing Ryan’s outsider status. It’s a song that I have hated and now love; Californiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! 

The Bait Shop as a music venue became a bit of a punch line – I seem to recall the nickname The Hate Shop – and the first time a live band appeared on that show was before The Bait Shop was conceived. Rooney (please yell their name like Luke) get the honor of being The O.C.’s inaugural band. Appearing on a teen show might not be the cool indie way to do things but as Josh Schwartz explains in this new interview with Alan Sepinwall the amount of exposure translated into sales as Rooney “saw a crazy, like 200 percent increase the week after. And then it built to a place where we got a call that the Beastie Boys would like to world premiere their song on your show.” Schwartz also notes that this was a time when there weren’t that many platforms to promote music and several other bands like U2 and Coldplay also debuted tracks on the show.

“Fix You” was one of those tracks and so The O.C. can lay claim to this song; all other shows should not attempt to use this as an emotionally manipulative tool. “Hallelujah” is a trickier case, though I would also say that this show used this song before it hit saturation point and they used it to form a connection between Ryan and Marissa. They tried to mix it up by swapping the Jeff Buckley version for Imogen Heap in the season 3 finale; sadly I find the style of Imogen Heap’s music to be intensely irritating (sorry Imogen Heap fans, I just can’t) and her music instantly sucks all the emotion out of a scene. Instead enjoy the end montage of season 1 as Ryan leaves Newport, Seth sails away, Kirsten cries and Marissa embraces day drinking.

Hallelujah is probably the most famous cover version The O.C. used, but others like Youth Group taking on “Forever Young” and Placebo’s version of “Running up the Hill” (which has also reached saturation point, take note music supervisors) provide poignant moments. The final mix CD that was released in association with the show is called “Covering Our Tracks” and has bands covering tracks that had already featured in previous seasons. One thing The O.C. attempted to do was to push the boundaries of what a TV soundtrack could be and a lot of that is thanks to music supervisor Alexandra Patsavas and Josh Schwartz’s own enthusiasm for music. In retrospect Schwartz isn’t afraid to take the blame for some of these missteps, on the Bait Shop he explains to Alan Sepinwall that “I think my appetite for seeing bands lip sync their playback on a fake set may have been greater than some of our audience members but, hey. It was fun. When else was I going to get that chance?”

Talking about the legacy of a show can sound grandiose and while The O.C. flailed at times (season 3 anyone?); it has definitely had a lasting impact on teen TV from the music to narrative aspects such as increasing plots for the parental characters.  It is a testament to the soundtrack that there are too many to mention in this piece and so many more videos that I could have chosen (from this YouTube channel) – somehow Oliver features in half of the clips.

So Happy 10th Anniversary The O.C.! It won’t be long before you will be able start drinking and take all your rage out on the pool furniture.

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Out of the Box: Look of the Week

2 Aug

Last week it was all about Comic-Con style and this edition of “Out of the Box” looks to the panels and parties of the Television Critics Association Press Summer Tour. Current and forthcoming shows with plenty of familiar faces feature as we take a look at the big style hitters.

Winner: James Wolk at The Crazy Ones Panel

James Wolk Crazy Ones TCA

“Not great, Bob!” is still one of the best line readings of the year and James Wolk has featured several times on this list thanks to the sartorial greatness of Bob Benson on Mad Men. The Crazy Ones is also set at an ad agency and while I’m pretty lukewarm to the promos, having James Wolk as a cast member (and the bonus of Kelly Clarkson) will be enough to get me to watch the pilot. Even though it’s the height of the summer, Wolk has gone for an impressive amount of layering with shirt, hoodie and jacket and he looks pretty great in a smart/casual manner. His face is saying he’s listening intently, his slightly raised eyebrow suggests disagreement. Either way Wolk is a welcome sight.

Runner Up: Claire Danes at the Homeland Panel

Claire+Danes+2013+Summer+TCA+Tour+Day+6+AydrrD5aTWil

Claire Danes is the only one I’ve mentioned but she is not alone in this shot; Damian Lewis’ suit is lovely and if his socks were not skin tone then he’d have his name in bold too and Rupert Friend looks like he has come from a Mary Poppins audition. Danes is often one of the best dressed on the red carpet and while you can’t see all of the Thakoon lilac dandelion dress because she is sitting down; it’s elegant without looking like she is trying too hard. I think the key behind TCA dresses is a late afternoon/early evening cocktail party approach and all of the women that feature this week have got that spot on. The Christian Louboutin t-bar sandals are now on my shoe wish list.

Mae Whitman and Lauren Graham at the Parenthood Panel

Mae Whitman and Lauren Graham

Reminding me once again that I still haven’t watched Parenthood (I know) this double dash of patterned dress brilliance from Lauren Graham and Mae Whitman is making me want to get right on that. While I’m not the biggest fan of nude colored shoes they get a pass as the dresses are both on the eye-popping side. Bonus points awarded for excellent lip color.

Hannah Simone at the Fox TCA Party

Hannah Simone

While I might not have paired nude shoes – we already know how I feel about them and it’s a bit matchy matchy with a nude dress – this is a striking look from Hannah Simone thanks to the orange floral lace detail. It’s another great choice for a relaxed summer event like this where you want to look professional without resorting to floor length gowns or jeans and t-shirt. I miss New Girl and so I’m really happy to see the cast out and about again.

Runner Up: Emily Bett Rickards at the CW, CBS and Showtime TCA Party 

Emily Rickards TCA

The Felicity/Diggle/Oliver team is at the heart of Arrow and hopefully this is something season will capitalize on. Emily Bett Rickards gets footwear approval as she opts for orange heels that go with this blue, flower embellished dress. This is a dress that can be dressed down with flats or dressed up in this manner with a pair of bold heals and a simple clutch.

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Kerry Washington Tops Vanity Fair’s Best Dressed List

1 Aug

Kerry Washington is the cover star of the August issue of Vanity Fair and she also features in the new September issue of the magazine as she tops their International Best-Dressed Poll. Taking over from last year’s winner Kate Middleton (who has probably been occupied with other matters recently), Washington continues to have an excellent 2013 as she is taking both the acting and fashion world by storm. Olivia Pope has helped raise Washington’s profile as Scandal has become one of the most talked about shows thanks to the fast-paced plotting, twists, strong performances and the incredible costuming. It helps that Washington’s style on the red carpet is just as striking as it is on Scandal; sometimes opting for the Olivia Pope monochromatic look and also embracing bold and bright colors that Olivia’s wardrobe does not feature. 

Here are a few of my favorite red carpet appearances by Kerry Washington this year and as you can see she likes to take risks with color, patterns and style. The Michael Kors yellow train dress from the 2013 MTV Movie Awards might not be to everyone’s tastes but I think it’s the right side of daring fashion and Washington pulls it off without looking overwhelmed by it.

In Wes Gordon at the 2013 White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Actress Washington arrives on the red carpet at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington

In Miu Miu at the 2013 Oscars 

kerry-washington-85th-annual-oscars-02

In Marc by Marc Jacobs at the Entertainment Weekly/ABC 2013 Upfront Party 

Kerry Washington Upfronts

In Michael Kors at the 2013 MTV Movie Awards 

Kerry washingotn Michael Kors

In Giambattista Valli at the 2013 Independent Spirit Awards 

Kerry Washington Independent Spirit Awards

For more Scandal coverage head here.

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No More Leslie and Ann Dance Parties on Parks and Recreation

1 Aug

They haven’t moved to the town from Footloose, instead Buzzfeed broke the news yesterday that Rashida Jones and Rob Lowe are leaving Parks and Recreation. This double exit will take place after the 13th episode of the forthcoming sixth season. Reaction to this was mixed (well at least on my Twitter feed it was) ranging from cries of “Nooooooooo,” a repeated use of the word LITERALLY and others suggesting it will rejuvenate the show. I stand somewhere in the middle as both performers are fantastic to watch but in a show that can feel crowded at times, they get the short shrift in character development and plot.  After spotting an old ad for the Rob Lowe show Lyon’s Den I had a conversation with fellow This Was TV colleague Noel Kirkpatrick yesterday afternoon, this was before the news broke and we discussed Lowe’s role in an ensemble after his previous exit from The West Wing. A complete coincidence of course, or we might have jinxed it.

Rob Lowe Rashida Jones Parks and Recreation

Chris and Ann have both suffered on the show with how their characters sometimes fit in to the overall narrative; Ann has often just been there as “the girlfriend” (which they seemed to acknowledge with the whole dating herself storyline last season) and Chris has a lot of funny quirks but not much else (his therapy sessions attempted to broaden his character). Quite often they are there to service other characters and while they are both funny they have a habit of getting lost in the ensemble in terms of development beyond jokes. This is clear in how they both provide important stability in their friendships to both Leslie and Ben. The Leslie/Ann dynamic is one of my favorites on the show and great female friendships can be hard to find on TV. I’m sure Leslie will be supportive of Ann’s decision, however I don’t think we can rule out a plan to sabotage Ann’s Pawnee exit. The projected leaving date is around February and could tie in with one last epic Galantine’s Day.

It’s too early to speculate exactly how they will leave, but their story is currently tied together as Ann and Chris are trying to have a baby together. Rashida Jones has a deal with her Jesse and Celeste Forever writing partner Will McCormack for Warner Bros. Television and this movie was a highlight last year, so I am excited for what they will produce next. This could be better suited to Jones’ talents and a show where she gets to be the star is something I am very much for. Rob Lowe has been involved in other projects recently including Behind the Candelabra and the upcoming Killing Kennedy. If this means we can get a Dr Startz spinoff then it will make it all worth it (hey I can dream).

Here is the Leslie/Ann dance party scene from last season that is one of my favorites, I’m sure they will squeeze in a lot more in the next 13 episodes.


 

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