Ahhhh, stereotypes. Where would we be without them? It would certainly be a lot more difficult to get to know characters on television because your first impulse assumptions (based on that person's career, income bracket, race or hometown), would be wrong. You would actually have to follow them through an entire season, waiting as complex personalities unraveled before you -- a simultaneous discovery process for both character and viewer. What a waste! Fortunately, the airwaves are brimming with stereotypes these days -- just don't venture too far out into cable. Let's take a look at this week's best and blandest.
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Michael Costello was a lightning rod for controversy during this season of Project Runway. Ivy accused him of cheating, Gretchen accused him of being "either an idiot savant or an idiot," and the judges' continuous praise of his work baffled some of his fellow designers. During last night's episode he revealed two unfortunate personal truths: His parents haven't been very supportive of his ambitions, and his own boyfriend outed him to his family. To top off that headiness, we watched as the 27-year-old Palm Springs designer bawled on the runway after Heidi announced his elimination at episode's end. This morning Movieline caught up with Costello to discuss the "panic attack" he says we didn't see on TV, his relationships with Ivy and April now, and choice for the winner of season eight.
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Season two of Jersey Shore came to a close last night, leaving us with a trail of spray-tanned wishes and Red Bull-tinged dreams. An emotional hour, to be sure. But who makes the grade on this, Movieline's last Fresh-to-Death Report Card of this season? Does The Situation's frog vomit qualify him for an A+? Do JWOWW's rumor mill antics warrant an F? Join us ahead for one last FTD rundown.
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At which point during last night's new Grey's Anatomy episode, "Almost Grown," did you uncork that bottle of extra strength Tylenol, apply a cold compress to your head and pillage your Mad Men tribute bar? Was it when a 13-year-old male with a B-cup asked Karev for a breast reduction surgery, explaining that his peers called him "Booby" at school? Was it when Callie told the Chief how she will never be the lesbian Arizona is during a pitch meeting? Or was it when Mrs. Blankenship herself (real name: Randee Heller) appeared on-screen as a crotchety old lesbian giving McDreamy the business about her partner's brain cancer surgery? See how close your pain readings were to Movieline's below.
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Sometimes recapping television shows is a drag. Here's what I mean: Ostensibly, if you're recapping a specific show, you're a fan of said show. Unfortunately, though, you're forced to watch it each week with an eye toward the critical. It sorta saps the fun out of it! So despite the fact that last night's episode of Community was perfectly pleasing and the type of episode that you'll watch on the season two DVD without a passing thought before moving onto the next one, I had some issues.
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You may recognize Maryland-born actor Shawn Hatosy for his roles in The Cooler, Outside Providence and Alpha Dog but you would probably have a hard time pegging him to Dexter. Not because you haven't seen Showtime's serial killer drama series, but because Hatosy was completely unrecognizable as Boyd Fowler, an offbeat sociopath who collects roadkill for the Department of Sanitation by day, and tortures, electrocutes and disposes of young women by night.
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30 Rock's "Reaganing" episode last night was puzzling. Or...un-puzzlingly flat, I mean. Tracy's groan-inducing Boys and Girls Club commercial outtakes? Jack's gimmicky, save-the-day flair? The last-act Kelsey Grammer cameo? One flat non sequitur after another. But the episode's strangest moment was its glimpse into Liz Lemon's history of sexual frustrations, a nostalgia trip that culminated in a freakish flashback. Did Liz's traumatizing tryst with a Tom Jones poster work?
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Finally, the Letterman-Leno-Fallon-Ferguson-Stewart-Colbert-free week is drawing to a close. To bid it farewell, Clint Eastwood visited Jimmy Kimmel Live to describe his ideal afterlife. (Hint: It will include cheerleaders.) Meanwhile, Jenny McCarthy told Chelsea Handler about the time someone made her strip backstage at the VMAs and Dog the Bounty Hunter told George Lopez about his celebrity fugitive list.
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Fans of the Mike & Molly Fat Joke Tracker, this is your lucky day. CBS just announced that they've picked up Chuck Lorre's hit Monday night series and the four other freshman shows that premiered on the network this fall: Hawaii Five-0, The Defenders, Blue Bloods and the immortal $#*! My Dad Says. "Everything has clicked so far this year," said CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler in a press release. "From development in January, to scheduling in May, to production over the summer, to marketing and publicity in the fall." That sound you just heard was Fox Entertainment president Kevin Reilly tearing down a Lone Star poster outside his office. [Vulture]
The first part of Project Runway's eighth season finale is tonight, and with it Movieline brings you a bolt of nefarious nostalgia. Though we all love the clothes, the judging, and even the nice-guy designers on Runway, the show has always depended upon its villains' incredible bitchiness. They deserve respect too! We've ranked our 10 favorite Project Runway villains of all-time after the jump. And no, Gretchen, you can't explain yourself.
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Terry Richardson's scandalous GQ photo spread featuring Cory Monteith, Dianna Agron and an especially scantily-clad Lea Michele cavorting in the classroom, has created no shortage of headlines this week. But why exactly was this photo shoot -- produced at a time when oversexualized twenty-something actors is the norm -- especially appalling? Movieline's TV experts Louis Virtel and Julie Miller investigate.
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The unbelievable true story of Virginia Thomas's call to Anita Hill -- soliciting an apology from the woman who once accused her husband (and U.S. Supreme Court justice) Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment -- has sent shockwaves throughout America's political culture. Here at Movieline HQ, it also kind of reminded us of someone.
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A double elimination sent chills -- nay, an enormous rainstorm of anxiety -- through both tribes this week, and Ferrari-owning, super-rich, why-am-I-even-on-this-show, why-does-Survivor-even-exist aficionado Dan managed to weather it. But which two were sent packing from the La Flor and Espada tribes? The answer may surprise you into a sympathy vote for sanity.
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In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Jersey Shore producer SallyAnn Salsano explains how she's managed to tame the egos of her Guido superstars. "If any one of them is like [cries a very Snooki-like "Waaa!"] -- you know, giving me anything," Salsano explained, "I'm like, 'Really? A year ago you were in your mother's basement and I had to give you $4 for Gatorade and cigarettes.' So we all laugh and move on." There you have it. Now go down to your basement, unlock that Snooki monster and use your new Guido-taming skills to make millions. [THR]
The Dunphys deep-sixed their electronics, Gloria and Jay dealt with a pesky dog, and Cam and Mitchell tried to enroll Lily in "the Harvard of preschools" -- but who won? We pick Modern Family's "Family Member of the Week" after the jump.
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