Inside the Tube is back in business

After a few months away, I am happy to say Inside the Tube is back in business.

If you wish to check out articles and video interviews I’ve done for The Hollywood Reporter, please visit my online portfolio here.

 

Nathan Fillion, ‘Castle’ explode at Paley Center

On March 16, the Beverly Hills branch of the Paley Center for Media held an event celebrating “Castle,” with the cast and producers on hand to discuss the ABC crime drama and well, Nathan Fillion.

Read on for video interviews with Fillion, Stana Katic and the lovely Molly Quinn, as well as a complete write-up on the entertaining evening:

Mal who?

It was all about the novelist-turned-”detective” Richard Castle at Tuesday night’s Paley Center for Media event in Beverly Hills honoring ABC’s sophomore series “Castle,” where actors Nathan Fillion (Castle), Stana Katic (Beckett), Molly Quinn (Alexis), Jon Huertas (Esposito), Seamus Dever (Ryan), Tamala Jones (Lanie), Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Roy) and Susan Sullivan (Martha) with executive producer/creator Andrew Marlowe and executive producer Rob Bowman gathered to talk chemistry, Twitter and the “Heat Wave” sequel with the sold-out crowd.

With “Dancing with the Star’s” Tom Bergeron holding down the fort — and guest starring in an upcoming episode — there was no stone left unturned. After a special screening of the first of Monday’s two-parter, which features Dana Delany (“Desperate Housewives”) as an FBI agent infiltrating one of Beckett’s cases, the panelists got candid.

When Bergeron asked the panel to reveal who was most like their character, the responses were close to unanimous: Fillion. “He’s a lot like Castle in real life, except he’s less mature,” Quinn joked.

 

Video: ‘Dr. Horrible’ characters take a ‘Horrible Turn’

It’s no surprise that Joss Whedon’s “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog” is one of my favorite Internet series/web movie of the past two years. And now that “Dollhouse” is cancelled, it most likely means that Whedon will finally make the anticipated follow-up to his Neil Patrick Harris-Nathan Fillion starrer.

But, if you’ve been wondering what Captain Hammer, Dr. Horrible and Penny were like if they were younger (or how the story even started), you’re in luck. Entertainment Weekly recently posted all ten parts of “Horrible Turn,” an unofficial prequel to “Dr. Horrible.” It’s very well done for a homemade series, and I hope it picks up some buzz.

Check out Parts 2 and 3 after the jump.

 

Season Preview: J.D. and Turk reunite for some more guy love on ‘Scrubs’

The ninth season of “Scrubs” begins in a little less than a month, and well, things are going to look different.

Many of the regulars we’ve grown to love the past eight seasons are either no longer on the show or are only making guest appearances throughout the season. Instead of John “J.D.” Dorian (Zach Braff) leading the charge, it’ll be his best friend Turk (Donald Faison), Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley) and Kelso (Ken Jenskin) who will have the lovely task of terrorizing the interns (Eliza Coupe) and new med students (Kerry Bishe, Michael Mosley and Dave Franco).

In the season premiere titled “Our First Day of School,” J.D. returns to teach the new med students and puts them throw the ringer. In the second episode, “Our Drunk Friend,” J.D. and Turk enlist Kelso’s help when they spot a potential love connection between their hard-edged intern Denise (Coupe) and med student Drew (Mosley). Suffice to say, things won’t turn out well. 

Check out a short but oh-so-appropriate sneak peek of the “Scrubs” Season 9 premiere airing Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 9 p.m. on ABC, right under the jump.

 

Series Preview: The CW’s ‘Life UneXpected’ reminiscent of the old WB

There has been a lot of buzz surrounding The CW’s midseason drama “Life UneXpected.” For one thing, it represents many of the classic WB shows that a lot of us grew up on like “Felicity” and ”Dawson’s Creek.” So when the net set a premiere date for the show, which stars notable WB graduates (Shiri Appleby, “Roswell”; Kerr Smith, “Dawson’s Creek”), it was welcomed news.

I was hesitant to like this show. In fact, I found the net’s other midseason pilot (which didn’t get picked up) to be more suited to my liking. However, after revisiting the show after a few weeks, I’ve concluded that ”Life UneXpected” is a great show. A lot of that has to do with the actors and the way the play their characters; I can’t find one who I truly despise or am bothered by … which is a miracle in itself. Most importantly, I believe that the three leads can actually become a real family somewhere down the line, and isn’t that the point of the show?

Check out the extended preview of “Life UneXpected” to tie you over until it begins its run on Monday, Jan. 18 at 9 p.m. after a “One Tree Hill” lead-in. (Note: “Gossip Girl” will be on hiatus during the entire run of “Life UneXpected,” and will subsequently return with the last of its new episodes.)

The cast includes Appleby, Smith, Polaha, Brittany Robertson and Britt Irvin. Notable guest stars include Erin Karpluk (“Being Erica”).

 

Miniseries Preview: HBO’s ‘The Pacific’ goes back in time

“The Pacific” is an ambitious 10-part HBO miniseries that follows three U.S. Marines (James Badge Dale, Joe Mazzello and Jon Seda) and their journeys during World War II. It is exec produced by Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman.

I’m not a big history buff, but this sounds enticing. Below is a behind-the-scenes video featuring interviews with the producing team of “The Pacific.”

“The Pacific” premieres in March 2010 on HBO.

 

Video: Damon reveals his reason for returning to Mystic Falls on ‘Vampire Diaries’

Update, 4:08 p.m.: Also, Matt Davis will start his guest stint as the new history teacher, Alaric Saltzman. He’ll be more than just an academic figure.

This Thursday’s “Vampire Diaries” is supposed to be a big one. From the teasers, we finally find out why Damon (Ian Somerhalder) came back to Mystic Falls and delve deeper into Bonnie’s (Katerina Graham) ancestral past. Check out clips of the upcoming episode, “History Repeating.” Things are bound to get interesting.

 

Season Finale Preview: HBO’s ‘Bored to Death’ closes out its first year

Tonight marks the season finale of HBO’s comedy “Bored to Death,” starring Jason Schwartzman, Ted Danson and Zach Galifianakis. Check out the sneak peek below.

“Bored to Death” airs Sundays at 9:30 p.m. on HBO.

 

2009 Fall TV: The season’s top five shows everyone should be watching

Welcome to the second installment of the season in review. Let’s get moving, shall we?

THE SEASON’S TOP FIVE SHOWS EVERYONE SHOULD BE WATCHING

1. “Fringe” (Fox)

Photo credit: Fox

 

2009 Fall TV: The season’s biggest surprises

It’s been almost two months since the official start of the 2009 fall television, and it has been a fairly successful broadcast season. Only a handful of shows have gotten the axe and many are holding their own against scripted fare from the cable nets – counting even those that air in the muck of Thursday’s crowded lineup.

This is the first installment of the current fall television season in review: the season’s biggest surprises. Some are positive, some are negative and some are just plain ugly.

THE SEASON’S BIGGEST SURPRISES

“The Good Wife” (CBS)

Photo credit: CBS