HOMELAND Season 2 is available on Blu-ray and DVD on 23 September 2013 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.
Press release follows:
Tag Archives: Television
HOMELAND SEASON 2 Available on Blu-ray and DVD 23 September 2013
Filed under Entertainment, Television
Shout! Factory Brings Pee-wee’s Playhouse to Home Entertainment and Digital Distribution
Shout! Factory is bringing the pop culture television series Pee-wee’s Playhouse to home entertainment and digital distribution!
More details follow:
Filed under Pee Wee Herman, pop culture, Shout! Factory, Television
Dark Horse Deluxe Gets Grimm!
The hit NBC series, “Grimm,” and Dark Horse Comics are a natural to join forces and so it goes with an unabashed lineup of products. Here’s the news for you from Dark Horse Comics:
Filed under Dark Horse Comics, Grimm, Horror, NBC, Toys
Transformers Prime Beast Hunters: ‘Plus One’ on Hub Network, May 31
Transformers Prime Beast Hunters! Try saying that fast three times in a row.
Transformers Prime Beast Hunters!
Transformers Prime Beast Hunters!
Transformers Prime Beast Hunters!
Okay, now that we got that out of the way, watch a whole new episode of, you guessed it, “Transformers Prime Beast Hunters” on Hub Newtork on Friday, May 31.
This episode goes by the mysterious title, “Plus One.”
The story: Unusual pairings abound. Arcee teams with Wheeljack, and Agent Fowler finds himself in a tight squeeze with Jack’s mother while on a mission to gather a Precadon bone relic.
Premieres Friday, May 31, 7:30 pm EST on Hub Network!
Here’s some info on Transformers Prime Beast Hunters:
The epic battle with the Decepticons rages on as Optimus Prime leads his team of Autobots and three human children in a mission to defend Earth and one day restore his home planet of Cybertron. But a brand new enemy emerges that could turn the tide of the war in Megatron’s favor.
Filed under animation, Cartoons, Hub Network, Television, Transformers
Interview: Jason deVilliers and Richard Falomir of ‘The Aquabats! Super Show!’ on HUB Network
The Season 2 premiere of THE AQUABATS! SUPER SHOW! is on June 1 at 1:00 p.m. ET, on HUB Network. I had the opportunity to interview Jason deVilliers, executive producer, director, writer on the show; and Richard Falomir, one of the Aquabats, aka “Ricky Fitness.” Both of these guys are super talented and go back to working with Christian Jacobs, aka “The MC Bat Commander.”
Richard Falomir as Ricky Fitness on THE AQUABATS! SUPER SHOW!
“The Aquabats! Super Show!” is the first show in kids television history to feature a ‘real life’ rock band in totally ‘unreal comedy-action-musical adventures. The series just received its first Daytime Emmy® Award for Outstanding Children’s Series. This is truly a quality work of entertainment that will appeal to kids and adults alike. You may already be a fan of the band. Well, you may already be a fan of the show too! Season 2 just gets better and better.
On Saturday, June 1 at 1:00 p.m. ET, “The Aquabats! Super Show!” returns with an all-new episode called “The Return of the Aquabats!” When The Aquabats return from outer space, they are received as heroes who saved the world, but are quickly overwhelmed by all of the people needing their help, as well as by a super-powered enemy. Special appearance by professional skateboarder Tony Hawk.
“The Aquabats! Super Show!” (Hub Network Original Series – Live Action)
From Christian Jacobs (“Yo Gabba Gabba!”) comes “The Aquabats! Super Show!,” which was just nominated for a Daytime Emmy® Award for Outstanding Children’s Series. The Aquabats return to take on their new roles as saviors of the earth! The greatest crime-fighting, kids rock band ever assembled is back with all-new episodes and even more dastardly villains, as The Aquabats continue their never-ending quest to right wrongs, destroy boredom and seek justice for all! “The Aquabats! Super Show!” is produced by Awesome Forces Productions and executive produced by Christian Jacobs, Jason deVilliers, Donna Ebbs, and Nate Rogers. Airs: Saturdays at 1:00 p.m. ET
Eaglebones Origin Animation, from Too Many Legs Animation Studios, on THE AQUABATS! SUPER SHOW!
The season’s first episode sets the tone for series on its A game. As Jason describes in this interview, you will see greater special effects, more animation, and an overall awesome production.
You’ll see a whole new world of animation as each character on the show gets his own origin story. For the first episode, it’s Too Many Legs Animation Studios providing an Eaglebones Origin animation. And you can also expect to see more Lil Bats animation from Parker Jacobs and Puny Entertainment.
Also, get ready to enjoy Season 1, which just released on DVD. And, if you’re at San Diego Comic-Con, be sure to see a special Aquabats show while your’e there.
It was definitely a treat to get to chat with both Jason and Richard. Enjoy the interview. Just click the link below:
THE AQUABATS! SUPER SHOW! PREMIERES SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 1 PM EST/ 10 AM PST on Hub Network!
To find the channel in your area, please visit http://www.hubworld.com and check the channel locator at the top of the page.
Visit Hub Network on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/hubtvnetwork
Follow The Aquabats on Facebook and Twitter.
Wonder Woman on CW!
Wonder Woman art by Mike Allred
According to Hero Complex, a new Wonder Woman television series remains on track at CW. But could it possibly be as cool as this Wonder Woman art by Michael Allred? I would say probably not.
The “interesting” news so far is who is currently in charge of writing it:
Allan Heinberg (“The O.C.,” “Young Avengers” comics), who wrote the “Amazon” script, is no longer on the project. Aron Eli Coleite (“Heroes,” “Ultimate X-Men” comics) is writing the current draft.
Who is Aron Eli Colieite? Courtesy of Call Me Adam, we get a very nice and polite overview of an impressive mainstream career in television. Nice, sure, very nice:
Emmy Award Nominee Aron Eli Coleite is an author of multiple works for the stage, screen and comic books. His background in theatre includes work as the Literary Manager, Dramaturg and ultimately, Artistic Director of Santa Monica’s Powerhouse Theatre Company. Aron currently serves as a co-executive producer and writer on the new Oren Peli/Steven Spielberg TV series, “The River,” premiering on ABC in 2012. His prior television credits include “Party of Five” and the NBC crime drama “Crossing Jordan.” Most recently, he served as a writer/producer on the hit NBC series “Heroes.” For his work on Heroes, Aron was nominated for an Emmy Award and won a People’s Choice, TV Land, and Saturn Award. He is currently writing a pilot for a new CBS series to be produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, a project for the Sci-Fi Network with acclaimed television and theatre producer Bill Haber, and a feature film for 20th Century Fox. Aron is known to comic book fans around the world for his work on Marvel’s Ultimate X-Men and creating the series Vice and The Covenant for Top Cow Comics.
Sounds like that could be good news for some. The only quibble, a big one actually, is that all signs point to this Wonder Woman treading on very safe and familiar ground. Perhaps safe TV is good TV. In many respects, Wonder Woman would seem like something you want to play safe with, not edgy or innovative. The CW network president, Mark Pedowitz, considers Wonder Woman to be “the trickiest of all the DC characters to get right.” There’s really no need to create problems for yourself that don’t need to exist. Consider this: You’re already at a disadvantage if you feel like you’re at a disadvantage.
Okay, first things first. Obviously, you need chemistry, if nothing else. Why is Wonder Woman such a challenge to do right? No one knows what they really want. They will know when they see it, maybe. Writing is acceptable for now, but that’s only half of the battle. The lead is so important that she will, in some yet unforeseen and magical way, determine the writing. We remember Lynda Carter. We don’t remember even one of the half-baked plots from that clunky, yet fun, show.
The fear is another misstep like the David E. Kelley/Andrea Palicki version of Wonder Woman. Not fair but that was the misstep everyone was dreading was going to happen and it was a most glorious misstep, or so everyone has been led to believe. All the deep, and not so deep, pockets are too scared to experiment. At this point, seeking a solid and competent Wonder Woman project sets the bar not too high but in the range of attainable. But is that entertainment?
My best guess is that this latest project will end up being an even bigger fail if left to run its course. Not fair. Sure, we all should just get along and make great work. So, why not go for it? You want to know when you see it working? You really, really want to know? Look closely at the above Wonder Woman art by Mr. Michael Allred. If you could create a show even slightly as cool as that, then you’ve got something. Or, better yet, create a show at that same level of coolness, and then you’re making history.
Doesn’t Wonder Woman deserve an awesome show? You just can’t get so hesitant about it. Think about all the false starts over this and that Wonder Woman project. The hesitancy has gotten to a ridiculous level. Your best bet would be to try something bold and don’t look back.
Filed under Comics, CW, Television, Wonder Woman
Interview: Cast from Adult Swim’s YOUR PRETTY FACE IS GOING TO HELL
YOUR PRETTY FACE IS GOING TO HELL is faster and funnier than your average comedy show. It’s whipsmart, which is a good thing considering this show’s setting. There’s whips, there’s chains, all manner of fire and brimstone but, when you really come down to it, isn’t it always about the characters? That’s what I came away with after a brief chat with the cast from this hilarious new show on Adult Swim, Thursdays, at midnight.
Matt Servitto, as Satan
First up, is Matt Servitto, who is a seasoned actor with an impressive resume. He is known for his work on THE SOPRANOS as well as a variety of other shows. He was recently in PRICE CHECK, with Parker Posey, and that is a must-see and available now on DVD. In YOUR PRETTY FACE IS GOING TO HELL, Matt plays a high profile character, the big guy himself, Satan. For inspiration, Matt turned to Ed Asner’s character, Lou Grant, on THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW. You might wonder about that. There are a number of impressions of Lou you can come away with but, at his core, he was always short tempered, a bit erratic, and not someone you wanted to displease. “If you think back, that guy could be crazy. You felt sorry for Mary whenever she was called into his office.”
Henry Zebrowski, as Gary
Next, we have Henry Zebrowski, who plays Gary on the show. He’s shuffling along as a good worker demon but his heart isn’t in it. Henry likens the sharp-witted humor on PRETTY FACE to sharking around a pizza at a party and grabbing a slice before they’re all gone. His quick reflexes landed him a role in the upcoming Martin Scorsese film, THE WOLF OF WALL STREET. Henry let us in on a different aspect to the movie that audiences may not be expecting. “This one is going to be bloody. It’s going to be the next SCARFACE.” Well, that’s Henry’s interpretation so take it with a full grain of salt.
Craig Rowin, as Claude
Craig Rowin rounds out the cast as the conniving intern who is adapting quite well to literally working in corporate hell. Being in hell doesn’t seem to phase him and he looks like he’s going to thrive while his supervisor, Gary, is only going to flounder. Both Craig and Henry come from working on the sketch comedy show, COLLEGE HUMOR ORIGINALS, and, as the title implies, they have both earned their stripes. When I asked Craig if he could define comedy for us, he had a very good answer related to what makes PRETTY FACE work. “You’re working off a baseline of insanity. It’s absurd humor playing off reality.”
Henry jumped in to agree with his fellow comedian. “It’s all about that 9 to 5 office job. You might be working with some of the saddest cases. It’s about that unreal office world.” And that’s good comedy for you, keeping it real in the unreal. Even though this show is set in hell, don’t these office workers bleed if they are papercut? You bet they do. They cry sometimes too. And, since it’s that kind of show, they even explode into tiny little bits. It’s all possible coming from the creators of the show, Dave Willis and Chris Kelly, both steeped in Cartoon Network writing experience, including AQUA TEAM HUNGER FORCE. As Craig points out, it’s that background that gives the show its animated zip even though it’s a live action show.
It was at this point in the interview that things took a sudden ugly turn. Henry got a little too excited and called Craig, “A tiny-eyed rat-faced boy.” While a seemingly random swipe at Craig, he took it well and considered it a compliment of sorts. All three actors agreed that this moment of potential danger was all in good fun. Just the right note to end this interview on.
Catch YOUR PRETTY FACE IS GOING TO HELL, Thursdays at midnight, on Adult Swim.
Filed under Cartoon Network, Comedy, Humor
Watch: YOUR PRETTY FACE IS GOING TO HELL
EDITOR’S NOTE: On Monday, Comics Grinder will have an interview with the cast from YOUR PRETTY FACE IS GOING TO HELL. Yeah, buddy!
What are you doing Thursdays at midnight? You may want to check out this new comedy on Adult Swim. “Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell” is like “The Office” if it took place in hell. If that’s just too nightmarish, then maybe you should catch some sleep and be a good worker bee. However, if you have a rebellious sense of humor, happen to be unemployed, or just enjoy your quirk extra dark, then this show is for you. It can get pretty repulsive but, hey, that’s hell for you.
“Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell” is a live-action workplace comedy about Gary, an associate demon, as he attempts to capture souls on earth in order to climb the corporate ladder of the underworld. Gary is played by Henry Zebrowski (The Wolf of Wall Street).
Gary hopes to advance in Hell, but he may be too stupid, lazy and kind-hearted to realize his dreams of promotion. Meanwhile, Gary’s intern, Claude, is more talented, more devious and will do whatever it takes to impress Satan. Claude is played by Craig Rowin (College Humor Originals). And the CEO, Satan himself, is played by Matt Servitto (The Sopranos).
A Williams Street production, the show is created and directed by Dave Willis (Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Squidbillies) and Casper Kelly (Squidbillies, Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law, Stroker & Hoop).
Watch a full episode, “Welcome to Hell,” here.
Filed under Comedy, Television
Interview: ZINEB OUKACH
If you’ve been watching the hit show, “Alien Dawn,” on Nicktoons, then you know all about the mysterious character, Stella, played by Zineb Oukach. If you’re new to it, you’ll want to check it out here. And you’ll want to catch up with Zineb Oukach. Her next role is in Martin Scorsese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street,” in theaters November 15, 2013. You can view details here.
“Alien Dawn” is a wonderful sci-fi show for all ages that gives you a healthy dose of adventure involving X-Files-type conspiracies and aliens from outer space. Keeping it real and relatable is a great cast for this character-driven show. There’s Cameron (played by Aaron Sauter); his best pal, Boris (played by Kenny Sosnowski); his close friend, Lucy (played by Christina Caradona); and his rival, Pierce (played by Nick Wincenc). Add to the mix, Stella, who is, and isn’t, what she seems. It’s pretty crazy. And definitely entertaining.
Zineb is a thoughtful, down-to-earth soul, who is also very passionate and full of energy. It was a pleasure to get a chance to interview her. She shares with us her growing up in Casablanca, her study of acting in Paris, and her taste for science fiction and action movies. Don’t be surprised if you should find her in one of your favorite action movies in the future. For now, she has another movie project she’s working on and, of course, she is looking forward to “The Wolf of Wall Street.”
Our interview is just below:
Visit Zineb are her website here.
Filed under Alien Dawn, Entertainment, Martin Scorsese, movies, Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, Sci-Fi, science fiction, Television, Zineb Oukach
Interview: GEORGE CLAYTON JOHNSON and TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MUSICAL
George Clayton Johnson is a born storyteller. Listen to him and you’ll find a good yarn told by someone with a love for the spoken and written word. He is, after all, one of the big players of pop culture: Among his credits: writer of landmark episodes of THE TWILIGHT ZONE; writer of the first broadcasted episode of STAR TREK; co-writer of OCEAN’S ELEVEN; co-writer of LOGAN’S RUN. For this interview, George and I began to talk about William Shatner. I was thinking over how William Shatner can be misunderstood as only being brash when that’s definitely not the case. With “Star Trek Into Darkness” arriving in theaters on May 17, Mr. Shatner was an excellent point of departure.
William Shatner in “The Intruder”
We quickly moved forward with a look back to Roger Corman’s 1962 “The Intruder,” a significant drama about the high tensions in the American South during the Civil Rights Movement. Mr. Corman was having difficulty in finding actors and approached Mr. Johnson, as well as his writing partner, William F. Nolan, about playing roles in the film. They were more than happy to join in. The film is based on the novel by Charles Beaumont, a science fiction writer, and a fellow contributor with Mr. Johnson to “The Twilight Zone.”
George then related a wonderful story about the origins of “Star Trek” and we ended with news of an exciting possibility. There is a tantalizing possibility of “The Twilight Zone” making its way to the stage. As George envisions it, the story would take place in a rest home, just like the famous “Kick The Can” episode. It would be about a seasoned writer who has had a lifetime of success and wants to knock one more ball out of the park. He has an idea for another story. This one will be about an individual focusing on a special moment, either in the past or the future. The trick is to avoid the present. In that way, you can live forever. In the course of the production, there will, in fact, be a series of stories and each will play off landmark “Twilight Zone” episodes that George wrote. And, to top it off, there needs to be a narrator, of course. Who better than Rod Serling? If all goes according to plan, this will be a musical.
Who would play the role of Rod Serling? Well, that brings us back to the subject we began our interview with: William Shatner is on the short list of possibilities. That is certainly an exciting prospect. Mr. Shatner came of age in that era, he knows the talent behind the original series, and he starred in one of the most memorable episodes, “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet.” He would be an excellent choice.
There are a number of details to consider about taking such a project, conceivably, all the way to Broadway. Not least of concerns is getting just the right tone to what the Rod Serling narrator would say. He might be presented like a hologram. And he certainly will have a vital role to play, much like the narrator of “Our Town.” It was very gracious of George to share this project in the making with us. He has a number of projects in the works and this one is very dear to his heart. These are the early stages. We all hope it will come together.
Other subjects we cover in this interview are what led up to the original novel, “Logan’s Run,” and what may lie ahead, and a most intriguing thing that happened when George Clayton Johnson and J.J. Abrams discussed working together.
The full interview is below. Enjoy!
