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Post by Cindy on Mar 30, 2011 12:23:13 GMT -5
Mixed reviews. Hey, not all shows score gold with the pilot. I know that People magazine did not care for this show but ultimately, it's the ratings and network budget that decides things. Jenn! You said it... I mean... Just look at F/X... having all those 'crticially acclaimed' drama shows on their network only to cancel them several episodes later in their first season... First 'Damages' and now 'Lights Out'... All good press, but lousy ratings... I rather have good ratings for CHAOS then all those 'good reviews' there... Only 2 more days to go! Wohooo! ;D
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Post by Cindy on Mar 30, 2011 12:41:44 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! Here's another somewhat positive review from HitFix. I think the main issue that the reviewer had was that shows that didn't fit the usual NCSI, CSI or Criminal Minds franchise won't end up lasting long. I think that was the main issue for him. But he's definitely seeing a lot of potential for CHAOS there! So that's good at least... [glow=red,2,300]Episode 1.01 - 'Pilot'[/glow]Review: CBS' 'Chaos' An Uneven But Potential-Laden Spy DramedyBy Alan Sepinwall - Can a non-cop procedural succeed on the home of the 'CSI' and 'NCIS' franchises? Wednesday, Mar 30, 2011 9:00 AM James Murray, Tim Blake Nelson, Eric Close and Freddy Rodriguez in "Chaos." Credit: CBSCBS has a drama formula that's served the network very well for the past decade. It is the dominant home of procedural crime dramas on television: The "CSI" franchise. "NCIS" and "NCIS: Los Angeles." Now at least two "Criminal Minds" shows. Various non-franchised cop and FBI shows from producer Jerry Bruckheimer. It's who CBS is, it's what the network does. These aren't sexy water-cooler hits, but they get the job done and have made CBS a lot of money for years. Clearly, though, the drama development people at CBS get itchy to try something besides the latest "Acronym: City" series. So every season, the network introduces at least one show that's pretty wildly off-brand. Some have been quite good, like "Joan of Arcadia" (teenage girl talks to God). Some have been absolutely terrible, like "Viva Laughlin" (musical casino soap opera). And many have fallen somewhere in between, like "Jericho" (post-nuclear war drama). But what they all have in common is that none perform remotely as well in the ratings, nor last nearly as long, as most of CBS' cop shows. (Even "The Good Wife," which has very effectively married the format of a legal procedural with more ambitious, cable-like elements and is arguably the strongest drama on network TV at the moment, isn't a lock to return for a third season.) So I never try to get too attached to CBS' various experiments, because they usually don't last long. That's why I don't have a ton of hope for "Chaos," a quirky drama about the CIA that debuts Friday night at 8. But it seems like it could be kind of fun for however long it's around. Freddy Rodriguez from "Six Feet Under" plays Rick Martinez, an eager, naive but not untalented rookie agent who gets assigned (by "That '70s Show" alum Kurtwood Smith at full amused glower) to be a mole in a unit whose members proudly refer to themselves as "the last of the old-school spooks," who still practice traditional espionage in the style we're familiar with from movies and other TV shows. They're a motley bunch, including a transplanted Scotsman (James Murray) who does a good Sean Connery impression, a gangly middle-aged guy (Tim Blake Nelson) who introduces himself as "a human weapon," and a leader (Eric Close, who spent seven years on quintessential CBS drama "Without a Trace") who's "a tactical genius with a fevered brain." They're also very good at what they do. They twig almost instantly to Rick's true purpose within their midst, and are able to cobble together a mission to rescue a kidnapped journalist when the bosses - who, Close's character explains, "define success as the absence of failure" - don't want to do anything. It's a tricky blend of styles "Chaos" is trying for. Creator Tom Spezialy ("Reaper") wants you to laugh at these guys for 3/4 of the way through the story, then be impressed when it turns out they know what they're doing. Trying to simultaneously spoof something while being a sincere and effective example of what you're spoofing can be done - can, in cases like "Galaxy Quest" or "Hot Fuzz," be pretty fantastic. But it takes a director with a firmer command of tone than Brett Ratner has demonstrated in a successful but wholly unremarkable movie career. (To borrow a Bill Simmons line, Ratner rarely takes anything off the table, but he never brings anything to the table, either.) Had Spezialy given Ratner a script that was a more straightforward spy adventure, or an unblinking spoof, he probably could have pulled it off, but instead the combo doesn't seem so much ambitious as indecisive. Still, it's a likable cast, filled with actors who have experience in both comedy and drama (and, in cases like Rodriguez on "Six Feet" or Close's first CBS show, "Now And Again," both simultaneously), and some of what the show has to say about spy culture in the 21st century is fairly amusing. On his first day on the job, for instance, Rick is befriended by an older agent who offers to mentor him; his new teammates later explain that the guy's program had its budget taken away, leaving him without an office or assignment and desperate to get in with a different unit. When an attractive veteran female agent (Carmen Ejogo) takes Rick out for drinks, she gives him the lay of the land - which seems about as untrustworthy as everything else Rick is told - and explains, "You've heard of office politics. Ours come with poison pills and guns." There's a promising show here, and with time maybe "Chaos" can figure itself out. But as with all unconventional CBS dramas, time is a luxury it shouldn't bank on.Source: HitFix
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Post by Cindy on Mar 30, 2011 17:29:53 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! Oh whoa!!! Now I'm super psyched! A big thanks to Martha Haight for posting this TV IGN interview with Kurtwood Smith where he spills the beans of who's playing his big rival as well Michael's mentor... Bruce Boxleitner... aka Lee Stetson from 'Scarecrow & Mrs. King'... Oh man... That's going to be such a great episode!!! You seriously can't go wrong with that casting... Episode 1.09 - 'Glory Days' is going to be so great now! Ahh!!! I can't wait to watch that episode.... On another note, they are definitely shooting Episode. 1.09 - 'Glory Days' now. [glow=red,2,300]Season 1[/glow]Causing Chaos With Kurtwood SmithThe That '70s Show veteran talks to IGN about his new CBS series and the legacy of RoboCop's Clarence Boddicker. March 30, 2011 by Eric Goldman Kurtwood Smith in ChaosWhile he's a perfectly nice guy in real life, Kurtwood Smith has often found himself cast in atagonistic roles in television and film – even That '70s Show's Red Forman, while a good man, certainly liked to give his son Eric a lot of crap, via lines expertly delivered by Smith. Smith is back on TV this week in Chaos, a new CBS series that takes a comedic look at a group of rogue CIA spies. I spoke to Smith about his role on the series as Higgins, plus his voiceover work in projects like Neighbors From Hell and Green Lantern: First Flight. Lastly, we chatted about the enduring legacy of Smith's classic RoboCop villain, Clarence Boddicker. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IGN TV: When it comes to this special CIA group Chaos focuses on, how does your character fit in? Kurtwood Smith: He is their immediate supervisor. They of course go around and under and over him all the time, which is part of what the continuing frustration is between the five of them. IGN: Sometimes Higgins is causing them some real problems, while other times, he's more of a comic antagonist. Is it fun to go back and forth like that? Smith: Oh, absolutely! Sometimes within the same scene! It's a lot of fun and this is a terrific group of guys to be working with that feed right into that. I have a couple of very funny scenes with Tim Blake Nelson, who's quite funny. And of course in the first few episodes, I was working a lot with Freddy Rodriguez, who's also wonderful in a very funny way. They're all wonderful guys. IGN: What does your character make of Freddy's character, Rick? When Rick first comes in, he's initially beholden to you… Smith: He sees Rick as his way of controlling and manipulating the group and of course he finds out in a lot of ways he, meaning myself, is the one being controlled and manipulated. At first he's kind of trying to bring them along and string them along at the same time, and then it becomes a source of frustration. IGN: Your character isn't involved in the missions. Have you done any scenes out of the office yet? Smith: You know that's funny you ask that. Yesterday I shot my first scene outside of the CIA. It was at a hospital. I had a great scene in there with Eric Close and Bruce Boxleitner, who was the guest star. He's supposed to be an old friendly rival of mine. We had a fun scene. IGN: Tim Blake Nelson seems like the kind of actor who must be fascinating to work with, because he has such a unique energy and vibe. [/b] Smith: Oh yes. The guys in that group all kind of drive Higgins, my character, a little bit crazy, but Tim's character, Casey, is probably the furthest out there. The one that he just can't understand. He can never quite get a grasp. He even tries to bribe him at the end of one episode and it's a total failure. I mean, he's trying to bribe him with a bottle of very expensive brandy, which he thinks will get him to be friendly, or at least work together in some regard, and that's a failure. He's fun to work with and his character is a source of constant frustration to mine. IGN: You've done some voiceover acting in recent years, such as Neighbors From Hell. Is it fun to get to act in such a different, specific way in those series? Smith: Oh, it's great fun. I really enjoy doing those. Sometimes they're very hard, because sometimes you have to go in and do quite a bit in a very short period of time. Cartoons, especially the characters I tend to play… I tend to play characters who are in the process of exploding in some form or another, so it can sometimes actually get to be hard. It can sometimes be hard work. And sometimes it's just totally a ball. But they're a little crazy. They're a little bit looser. You're not on camera and it's one of my favorite things to do. Man, I'm really sorry Neighbors From Hell didn't continue. That was so much fun. IGN: So I have to ask, what did you think of the recent campaign to get a RoboCop statue in Detroit? Smith: I thought it was pretty hilarious. You know, I was in the Detroit area just a little over a year ago. That's where we filmed Cedar Rapids. So I thought it was quite funny that here was a campaign to put that statue up. Of course, I wanted them to put up a statue of Clarence Boddicker! IGN: All of us at our office wanted that too! I know we weren't the only ones to suggest it, but we thought there should be a statue of Clarence that said "Bitches, leave" on the bottom. Smith: [Laughs] Yeah, but I'm not exactly sure how the people in Detroit would feel about that. That might be an odd phrase for them to have on there. IGN: You also were on 24, a show which managed to feature Ray Wise, Peter Weller and Paul McCrane. Was that just a coincidence or was someone on 24 determined to get everyone from RoboCop on the show? Smith: [Laughs] It wasn't the goal of the show - to have everybody from RoboCop on there. When I went in to meet them for the first time, they said, "You know, we like to use…" They were kidding. As a fan of the show, by the time I went to meet with those guys, I'd seen all the episodes of the show, so I knew all those guys had been on. So we talked about it. That's the thing about RoboCop is we had a lot of really strong performers in it, who at the time hadn't really made their mark that much. Peter somewhat and Ronny Cox, but the rest of us hadn't really made any kind of impact. So it was a big film for all of us in that regard. IGN: It must be pretty amazing to realize you are part of a film like that continues to resonate like that. Smith: I did that film 23 years ago or whatever it is now and a week doesn't go by -- sometimes if I'm out in public a lot a day doesn't go by -- that somebody doesn't mention that movie to me. It's incredible. I think the fact that it was on TV for some period of time with '70s Show afterwards adds to it, because they're used to seeing what I look like now, 23 years later. But it's amazing to me that people come up to me, still, all the time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chaos premieres Friday, April 1st at 8:00pm ET/PT on CBS. Source: TV IGN
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Post by Cindy on Mar 30, 2011 17:53:28 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! Here's another nice interview with the creator Specialy about the show. [glow=red,2,300]Episode 1.01 - 'Pilot'[/glow]Find A Lighter Side Of The CIA On 'Chaos'Posted at 12:00 PM on Wednesday, Mar. 30, 2011 By Rick Bentley / The Fresno Bee James Murray, left, Tim Blake Nelson, Eric Close and Freddy Rodriguez star in "Chaos," a comedic drama about a group of rogue CIA spies in the Clandestine Administration and Oversight ServicesShow info "Chaos," 8 p.m. April 1 on KGPE (Channel 47.1) LOS ANGELES -- Plenty of TV shows have dealt with law enforcement agencies. Tom Spezialy has tried to separate his new series, "Chaos," from the pack with an offbeat approach to the concept, characters and casting. "Chaos" looks at four CIA operatives who don't have high-tech gadgets or cool cars. They work in a more realistic world. "These are the guys that are out traveling the world and sort of functioning on their wits and their ability to improvise," Spezialy says. "Our guys are constantly thrown into challenging and compromising positions. And we enjoy watching them figure out how to get out." The challenges are unique. In the series opener, new CIA hire Rick Martinez (Freddy Rodriguez) must eat a live scorpion to prove he's tough. "When I got there and saw it was a real scorpion, I had a slight anxiety attack. After a while I got over it, and it was fun," Rodriguez says. It helped that he was told the stinger had been covered in glue. It's those kind of moments that made Rodriguez, best known for his roles in "Six Feet Under" and "Ugly Betty," want to be on the show. Spezialy hopes his take on spies vs. spies is different -- but not too silly or too violent. "Is it funny? I hope it's funny. You want to root for them and spend time with them," Spezialy says. "It's not intended to be a dark view of the CIA or of the world. In fact, I think there's a way to tell these stories and not necessarily have gunplay at the center of our stories. "These certainly are guys that take life and human existence seriously." Spezialy based much of the show on information from the CIA website, including a description of what it takes to be a field operative for job applicants. Qualifications include a "need to be flexible" and you must have "a sense of humor." The humor element alone flies in the face of traditional spy shows. "I think what they're really good at is they're gifted charmers, gifted dancers, gifted at improv. I think that's sort of the center of what they do really well," Spezialy says. "Then, we create situations where most of us would sort of scratch our heads figuring how to get out of it, and they'll get out of it." Along with Rodriguez, Spezialy's merry band of spies are: Eric Close, who previously starred on "Without a Trace" and "Now and Again." James Murray, best known for the BBC series "Primeval." Tim Blake Nelson, who worked in such films as "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and "The Incredible Hulk." Source: The Fresno Bee
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Post by Cindy on Mar 30, 2011 22:05:10 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! Two more reviews for tonight. The New York Times review reads pretty positive if you ask me. It does go into a little details of the beginning scene with Rick Martinez. The second review is from the Chicago Sun-Times. They gave it a 3.5 stars out 4 or 5??? stars... [glow=red,2,300]Episode 1.01 - 'Pilot'[/glow]Television Review Chaos Michael Courtney/CBSCan You Wear Silly Hats With Your Cloak and Dagger?By GINIA BELLAFANTE Published: March 30, 2011 “Chaos,” a new series beginning Friday on CBS is at once a deadpan sendup of the spy genre, in the manner of “Get Smart,” and something considerably less ambitious. The opening montage, a series of black-and-white cold war images making reference to intelligence foibles and occasions of malfeasance, offers a wry instant history of misguided American foreign policy. What follows is even funnier. Arriving for his first day at C.I.A. headquarters in suburban Virginia, the eager young spook Rick Martinez immediately encounters failures of security at the entry gate, where the gumbo he has packed for lunch trips alarms as potential weaponry. And to think that the stuff didn’t even look that spicy. As the catalyst for the action, Martinez is played by Freddy Rodriguez, whom you will recall from the embalming room on “Six Feet Under.” People who seem freakishly comfortable around formaldehyde aren’t those we necessarily imagine assuming the mantle of Maxwell Smart. Mr. Rodriguez’s look of fixed perplexity doesn’t make him the most obvious choice for comic material, but his anxiety accommodates the proceedings well here. He seems like the right kind of guy to get caught up in the wrong kind of mess. Martinez has been aspiring to spydom apparently since birth. “I have trained my whole life for a career with the C.I.A.,” he tells his boss, a stone-faced functionary played by Kurtwood Smith. “When my brothers were at soccer camp, I stayed home and studied Arabic. When everyone else was dating, I was working at a firing range, getting paid in bullets, so I could train on semiautomatics.” Martinez has ideas about the direction that his professional life will take that are quickly contradicted by reality. For a protracted moment it feels as if “Chaos” is going to turn inventively into a C.I.A. satire completely under the influence of “The Office.” You’re thinking that the real crisis at headquarters will have something do with budget cuts that mean fewer laser printers for expense reports from trips made to the Milwaukee field office. This would be welcome. But it isn’t long before we’ve descended into the territory of rogue agents, Sudanese rebels, near-death hostage situations, Cambodian heroin dealers and bizarre excursions into desert negotiation. “Chaos” has had a long and troubled journey to prime time, dying for a period and then being brought back to life. The show’s creator, Tom Spezialy, has said he was inspired by “The Four Musketeers,” but also by Mike Nichols, Wes Anderson and Alexander Payne. The show’s jarring shift in tone suggests a touch of the film “Syriana,” as well, all of which leaves us with a hard-to-digest influence soup. It’s as if a novelist were telling you that she wrote while under the spell of both Salinger and Nancy Drew. It seems more likely that “Chaos” was slowly brewed into existence as a result of the success of “Burn Notice,” on USA, the sunny spy series set in Miami that has always managed to incorporate its dark passages astutely. A redemption drama about a former spy who does good works presumably to make up for all the unspeakable things he did in Bosnia, Tehran, Beirut — you name it — “Burn Notice” has behaved as if it barely wanted you to notice its politics. “Chaos” can’t get there or at least it isn’t there yet. CHAOS CBS, Friday nights at 8, Eastern and Pacific times; 7, Central time. Created by Tom Spezialy; Mr. Spezialy, Brett Ratner and Martha Haight, executive producers. Produced by 20th Century Fox Television in association with CBS Television Studios. WITH: Freddy Rodriguez (Rick Martinez), Eric Close (Michael Dorset), James Murray (Billy Collins), Tim Blake Nelson (Casey Malick), Carmen Ejogo (Fay Carson), Christina Cole (Adele Ferrer) and Kurtwood Smith (H. J. Higgins). Source: The New York TimesAnd here's the Chicago Sun-Times review. It's pretty short but very positive. I admit that I do like the title they gave it. **** ‘Chaos’ Is like ‘A-Team’ With Good Writing BY PAIGE WISER TV Critic/pwiser@suntimes.com Mar 30, 2011 08:35PM Tim Blake Nelson (from left), Eric Close and Freddy Rodriguez play rogue CIA spies on “Chaos,” premiering Friday.‘CHAOS’ ★★★½ 7 to 8 p.m. Fridays on WBBM-Channel 2 When did policing the world get so deadly serious? North Sider Freddy Rodriguez stars in “Chaos,” an adrenaline jolt of comedy-action series. He’s the newbie of a renegade CIA team that triumphs over lousy office chairs, foreign evil and any logic whatsoever. It’s “The A-Team” meets ... really good writing. Flashy director Brett Ratner (“Rush Hour”) is at the helm here, with an apparently unlimited travel budget. And “Chaos” is worth watching for Tim Blake Nelson’s character alone. “I’m a human weapon,” the hangdog actor assures us solemnly. Another promising sign: One agent (James Murray) is dashingly Scottish, without much explanation. My guess is that Ratner just finds the “Shrek” accent to be funny. Has patriotism ever been so bracingly anarchic? Source: Chicago Sun-Times
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Post by Cindy on Mar 31, 2011 11:18:17 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! And the press articles keep on coming! Only 1 more day left! OMG! Are you guys excited? ;D I certainly am over here! I can't wait to see 'Marty Bear' on screen! Anyhoo, here's the latest one from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. I think the overall tone for this review is 'positive' despite the 'snarky' remark of the viewers with low expectations are going to be entertained and amused by the show. [glow=red,2,300]Episode 1.01 - 'Pilot'[/glow]More TV Junk Food With 'CHAOS'TV review Thursday, March 31, 2011 By Rob Owen, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Sergei Bachlakov
Freddy Rodriguez, Eric Close, James Murray and Tim Blake Nelson play rogue CIA spies in "CHAOS."ChaosWhen: 8 p.m. Friday, CBS. Inspired, no doubt, by the success of its breezier procedural drama "NCIS," CBS launches another light-hearted drama this week called "CHAOS" (8 p.m. Friday, KDKA-TV). It's entertaining enough in a cotton candy sort of way, the kind of TV junk food -- with dashes of wit and whimsy -- that serves as a full meal for some viewers. For others, "CHAOS" will just be more empty calories. New CIA recruit Rick Martinez (Freddy Rodriguez, "Ugly Betty") arrives for his first day of work and discovers through a computer snafu that the "new hire" list has been merged with a list of terrorists, giving viewers their first signal that this particular CIA drama is more interested in har-dee-har-har situations and won't make attempts at realism in the vein of CBS's 2001-03 series, "The Agency." Once inside, Martinez gets assigned to be a mole within the CIA's Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services, reporting to deputy director H.J. Higgins (Kurtwood Smith, "That '70s Show"). To do this, he must spy on his new co-workers, including team leader Michael Dorset (Eric Close), Scottish import Billy Collins (James Murray) and "human weapon" Casey Malick (Tim Blake Nelson). But that's what they've come to expect so they don't hesitate to bust Martinez's chops. Along the way Martinez encounters double-crosses, a comically pathetic CIA colleague and a potential love interest, who may also be spying on him. There's also a foreign mission to rescue hostages, of course, but even that is played largely for laughs as the CHAOS team hazes Martinez further by using him as bait. Viewers who can't find their remote control and watch all-CBS shows all the time -- and I know in Pittsburgh such people exist -- may be charmed by "CHAOS" and the fact that it's tonally different from most of the network's heavier dramas. It's intermittently amusing and entertaining enough for undemanding viewers who go in with low expectations.Source: Pittsburgh Post-GazetteAnd here's another review from The Philiadelphia Inquirer. This one compares 'CHAOS' to and old show called 'U.N.C.L.E.' that was on the air like... 47 years ago? The main focus of the article was on Kurtwood Smith's character 'Higgins'... Overall, tone is so-so... if not a little odd. The whole thing read 'weird' to me compared to all the other reviews I have read so far. **** SERGEI BACHLAKOV / CBS Broadcasting Inc.
The CIA operatives taking on high-risk missions are (from left) Tim Blake Nelson, James Murray, Eric Close, and Freddy Rodriguez.Posted on Thu, Mar. 31, 2011 Jonathan Storm: CBS Sends Spy Spoof Into ActionBy Jonathan Storm Inquirer Television Critic Forty-seven years ago, there was The Man From U.N.C.L.E., which stood for the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement. In its second year, it got all the way up to No. 13 on the ratings list, giving such classics as Bonanza, The Andy Griffith Show, and The Beverly Hillbillies a run for their money. The most notable thing about the show is that one of its stars, David McCallum, is still starring on TV, in another acronym-o-rama, NCIS, which gives no scripted TV show a run for its ratings money, since it's No. 1. CBS's new spy spoof, CHAOS, which premieres Friday at 8 p.m., starts out in the hole by knocking the amiable and amusing The Defenders off the schedule, and it never crawls out all the way. At least, it's something different, unless you count a show that was on 47 years ago, or a lot of the ones on USA. A ragtag quartet in a subgroup of a subgroup in the CIA takes on high-risk missions, while its budget-strapped bureaucrat director tries to keep the wiseguys chained to their desks. CHAOS stands for Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services, and, unless you can find an "H" in there (the one in "oversight" doesn't count), you can see that acronym-spinning has come down a notch or two since the '60s. The four antiheroes (Eric Close, James Murray, Tim Blake Nelson, and Freddy Rodriguez) work in a group called the O.D.S., which is the Office of Disruptive Services and is pronounced almost like "odious," which shows you where the humor bar is here, not record-breaking limbo low but not exactly suited for the high hurdles, either. You wouldn't want to make ODS, or even O.D.S., the title of your show for obvious reasons, because that would be too much of a lob for critics to resist, even though the show is far better than odious. For example, it features an exasperated Kurtwood Smith, one of TV's best character actors, reprising, with some variations, the role of the frequently infuriated Red, the father on That '70s Show, who had to put up with the incessantly annoying, if usually funny, behavior of a bunch of slacker teenagers. This time, his character, H.J. Higgins, dearly wishes the overgrown teens in his care would slack till the cows come home. Instead, they're off before the cows are even out of the barn, performing various (expensive) feats of derring-do, "fueled by feckless evil," Higgins says, "sucking the precious lifeblood from the intestinal walls of the agency." As long as we're into TV history today, we're led to wonder: Does Higgins derive his name from a previous Higgins, another frustrated overseer of the purse strings, who was constantly trying to stop the title character in his show from running off on missions and crashing the boss' Ferrari? That show was Magnum, P.I., and its star, Tom Selleck, now stars on another CBS show, not quite as amazing as McCallum's feat, since Magnum started only 31 years ago. And if you're noticing a slightly older skew among some of these CBS shows, well CBS notices it, too, which is why the network continues to develop series with little quirks like CHAOS or The Defenders. But its viewers keep insisting on the grim crime of CSI and Criminal Minds, which have five franchisees between them. Nelson, 47, is the oldest spy, and there's a little irony in his middle-aged character, who is supposed to be a human weapon. Close plays the psych-out artist; Murray is the jokester with a delightful Scottish brogue (a nice change for one of the hordes of English actors on American TV), and Rodriguez is the new guy. Friday, they travel to the desolate sands of Sudan to free a hostage, who, because he has French and American citizenship, is considered unworthy of such a costly effort. Let La Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure rescue the guy, says Higgins, in not so many words. It looks like a pretty pricey production effort, too. Will CHAOS stage such swell stuff after the pilot? Signs point to no, especially considering the show almost didn't get made at all because CBS thought Fox, which produces it, wanted too much cash. Despite its impact on the culture, The Man From U.N.C.L.E lasted only four years. Given the crowd of hits on CBS and the fact that the production company is run by a competitor, it's tough to envision CHAOS going that long. Who needs a bunch of kind-of-funny guys running all around God's green earth, when you've got enough scary weirdos committing gruesome murder right here at home to keep the audience glued to CBS? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jonathan Storm: Television CHAOS8 p.m. Friday on CBS3 Source: The Philadelphia InquirerOkay, I found another review from Philly here. Is it just me or the reviewers in Philly aren't that fond of the show? Here's another not so flattering review from the Philadelphia Daily News. Then again, she wasn't impressed with the other 2 shows she reviewed either... Overall tone... 'snarky' for all reviews she did. **** Posted on Thu, Mar. 31, 2011 Ellen Gray: 'The Killing' Takes The Long View Of A Murder In Seattle By Ellen Gray Philadelphia Daily News Daily News TV Critic THE KILLING. 9 p.m. Sunday, AMC. CHAOS. 8 p.m. Friday, CBS3. CAMELOT. 10 p.m. Friday, Starz. SEATTLE HOMICIDE detective Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos) is halfway out the door and on her way to a new life in sunnier climes when a blood-soaked, pink sweater turns up in the city's sprawling Discovery Park. Sarah won't be going anywhere fast and neither will "The Killing," which makes its two-hour premiere Sunday on AMC, home of "Mad Men," "Breaking Bad" and "The Walking Dead." Adapted by "Cold Case" writer Veena Sud from a Danish series, "The Killing" is a 13-episode murder mystery that operates closer to the speed of life than most procedurals, where bringing someone to justice for the violent death of a young girl usually warrants no more than 42 minutes. Sud won't even guarantee someone will be brought to justice. "Whether or not it gets solved at the end of the season is a mystery," she told reporters in January. So why, exactly, should anyone follow Sud down the rabbit hole? Well, for starters, because Enos - last seen playing twins in HBO's "Big Love" - is a genuine screen presence, and her Sarah Linden is someone you might actually want to take the time to get to know. She's not the only one. Given the lack of sunlight, I'd been thinking about another overcast murder mystery, the Canadian "Durham County," even before "Durham County" alum Michelle Forbes turned up as the victim's mother, Mitch Larsen. Because we meet Mitch before she knows her daughter is missing, her gradually increasing dread feels all the more real. The always watchable Billy Campbell ("The 4400") plays a city councilman running for mayor whose campaign may be somehow involved, but the best reason for tuning in to "The Killing" is that it might re-sensitize those who've seen one too many episodes of "Criminal Minds" - or overdosed on local news. "As someone who has worked and written for cop dramas for a while now, the most important thing . . . was to not pornographize murder, and to see the real cost and the real toll when a child is lost," Sud said. "A missing teenager in a major American city, you know, never makes the news. So the biggest challenge was to make us as Americans care about this young girl over a very long course of time." Is 13 episodes too long? I guess we'll find out. CBS Unleashes 'Chaos'
It's the season when fans of NBC's "Chuck" begin to think about buying footlong subs to keep cancellation at bay.
Maybe they should be lobbying CBS, which tomorrow launches its own semi-comic spy series in "Chaos."
It's April Fools' Day, but "Chaos" - which is not quite an acronym for Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services, a CIA unit that appears unrelated to "Get Smart's" old KAOS - is no joke.
Not with Eric Close ("Without a Trace"), Freddy Rodriguez ("Ugly Betty") and Kurtwood Smith ("That '70s Show") in the cast.
Created by Tom Spezialy ("Reaper"), it seems to be an actual attempt by the network that employs more law enforcement agents than some cities, to have some fun - but not too much - with the CIA, an agency it portrays as so inept that when a new recruit (Rodriguez) shows up for his first day, the soup his mother packed for his lunch sets off a security scare.
(And suddenly USA's "Covert Affairs" looks like a documentary.)
I didn't hate the pilot, though it veers from silly to serious so quickly a girl could get whiplash, but I didn't for a minute buy it as a serious contender for next fall on CBS, either.
And I'm guessing the network, which has stuck it on the night where it expects to find viewers who remember the original KAOS, doesn't have much more confidence in "Chaos" than I do. 'Camelot': A bit bizarre Maybe it's the success of "Spartacus," but Starz is all about the costumes lately. Or at least about losing them. Starting tomorrow, it's headed for "Camelot." The latest reimagining of the King Arthur legend stars Jamie Campbell Bower ("Twilight: New Moon") as young Arthur and Joseph Fiennes ("FlashForward") as the sorcerer Merlin, who's older than he looks. "This is the story of Camelot that has never been told before," says Starz, its warning that Arthur's going to be getting busy with a bare-breasted beauty before we've been properly introduced and that little we see will resemble the 1960s musical. Bower's not the most compelling hero - and Fiennes can be a bore - but the story, however twisted, remains amusing, and "Camelot" could help pass time until HBO's "Game of Thrones" arrives April 17. Who won't be amused: Starz non-subscribers who'd hoped to watch through Netflix, which reportedly has been saddled with a 90-day delay before it can stream "Camelot." * Source: Philadelphia Daily News
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Post by Cindy on Mar 31, 2011 12:01:40 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! Now here's good article... an interview with Eric! YAY! Apparently, Erc called in from his set in Vancouver to give this interview to the Boston Herald. He does talk about 'Without A Trace' in this... and how he gets more recognized by fans after he's off the show for 2 years now... Hehe! What can I say... He got a cute face! Overall, I really like this interview... It gives a little insight on what Eric thinks... about 'Without A Trace'... him wanting to play a surgeon on TV because he couldn't be an actual one... and about 'CHAOS' and his feelings about it. In addition to the interview, the article also included the old YouTube clip called 'CHAOS - New Drama Preview'. [glow=red,2,300]Episode 1.01 - 'Pilot'[/glow]Close Spies Opportunity In ‘CHAOS’By Amy Amatangelo Thursday, March 31, 2011 - Updated 11 hours ago SECRET AGENT MEN: Eric Close, James Murray and Tim Blake Nelson, from left, play CIA agents on ‘CHAOS.’ Eric Close knows “CHAOS” isn’t the usual CBS show. The new series, which premieres Friday at 8 p.m. on WBZ (Ch. 4), follows an irreverent group of CIA agents in the department of Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services, or CHAOS. Close stars as Michael Dorset, the head of the rogue team. “A number of people have pointed out that this show is not typical for CBS,” Close told the Herald in a telephone interview from Vancouver, where the series films. “It still incorporates a procedural side, which it has done so well with, but it adds the new element of the humor into it.” For seven seasons, Close starred as FBI agent Martin Fitzgerald on “Without a Trace,” one of CBS’ trademark procedurals. In 2009, the network abruptly canceled the series despite its healthy ratings. “It was a surprise to everybody, but it was also right around the beginning of this economic crisis that was unfolding, so it’s understandable that a show at that point gets expensive. The network, I think, was looking for new material to fill those slots,” he said. “I, obviously, and the rest of the cast were disappointed. We had a great time working together.” The series remains popular in syndication. “It’s funny,” he said. “I’ve been off the show almost two years, and I probably get recognized more now from fans of that show than when I was actually working on it.” Close began acting shortly after graduating from University of Southern California. “My dad is a surgeon,” he said. “I wanted to be a surgeon. I realized early on I wasn’t all that great at chemistry and all those other things that you have to know to get into medical school. So I thought the next best option is maybe to play a doctor on TV, which I still haven’t done.” The New York native also starred in the critically acclaimed “Now and Again,” which was canceled in 2000 after only one season. “The only guarantee as an actor is that you are going to be unemployed at some point,” he said. “You have to just be prepared.” That attitude helps the 43-year-old as he launches another series. “There’s that excitement and hope that it will be received and that people won’t turn the channel and watch something else,” he said. “That’s exciting, but at the same time, I’ve been down this road a few times before, and you get your heart broken. But I’ve always felt if you do good work and tell good stories at the end of the day, you can be proud of what you’ve done.” Source: Boston Herald
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Post by Bright Eyes on Mar 31, 2011 16:17:57 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! Now here's good article... an interview with Eric! YAY! Apparently, Erc called in from his set in Vancouver to give this interview to the Boston Herald. He does talk about 'Without A Trace' in this... and how he gets more recognized by fans after he's off the show for 2 years now... Hehe! What can I say... He got a cute face! Overall, I really like this interview... It gives a little insight on what Eric thinks... about 'Without A Trace'... him wanting to play a surgeon on TV because he couldn't be an actual one... and about 'CHAOS' and his feelings about it. In addition to the interview, the article also included the old YouTube clip called 'CHAOS - New Drama Preview'. [glow=red,2,300]Episode 1.01 - 'Pilot'[/glow]Close Spies Opportunity In ‘CHAOS’By Amy Amatangelo Thursday, March 31, 2011 - Updated 11 hours ago SECRET AGENT MEN: Eric Close, James Murray and Tim Blake Nelson, from left, play CIA agents on ‘CHAOS.’ Eric Close knows “CHAOS” isn’t the usual CBS show. The new series, which premieres Friday at 8 p.m. on WBZ (Ch. 4), follows an irreverent group of CIA agents in the department of Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services, or CHAOS. Close stars as Michael Dorset, the head of the rogue team. “A number of people have pointed out that this show is not typical for CBS,” Close told the Herald in a telephone interview from Vancouver, where the series films. “It still incorporates a procedural side, which it has done so well with, but it adds the new element of the humor into it.” For seven seasons, Close starred as FBI agent Martin Fitzgerald on “Without a Trace,” one of CBS’ trademark procedurals. In 2009, the network abruptly canceled the series despite its healthy ratings. “It was a surprise to everybody, but it was also right around the beginning of this economic crisis that was unfolding, so it’s understandable that a show at that point gets expensive. The network, I think, was looking for new material to fill those slots,” he said. “I, obviously, and the rest of the cast were disappointed. We had a great time working together.” The series remains popular in syndication. “It’s funny,” he said. “I’ve been off the show almost two years, and I probably get recognized more now from fans of that show than when I was actually working on it.” Close began acting shortly after graduating from University of Southern California. “My dad is a surgeon,” he said. “I wanted to be a surgeon. I realized early on I wasn’t all that great at chemistry and all those other things that you have to know to get into medical school. So I thought the next best option is maybe to play a doctor on TV, which I still haven’t done.” The New York native also starred in the critically acclaimed “Now and Again,” which was canceled in 2000 after only one season. “The only guarantee as an actor is that you are going to be unemployed at some point,” he said. “You have to just be prepared.” That attitude helps the 43-year-old as he launches another series. “There’s that excitement and hope that it will be received and that people won’t turn the channel and watch something else,” he said. “That’s exciting, but at the same time, I’ve been down this road a few times before, and you get your heart broken. But I’ve always felt if you do good work and tell good stories at the end of the day, you can be proud of what you’ve done.” Source: Boston HeraldThis is a really wonderful interview! I think Eric comes across as the lovely guy we all know he is. You just know that no matter what, he'll always be okay. Sigh! And regarding reviews: it's asses on the couch watching CBS at 8 o'clock on April 1st that matters. If I lived in the US, that's where I'd be!!! (Plus, I'd be recording it so I could re-watch and freeze-frame scenes with Eric!)
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Post by Cindy on Mar 31, 2011 22:25:00 GMT -5
(Plus, I'd be recording it so I could re-watch and freeze-frame scenes with Eric!) Bright Eyes! LOL! Now does that include freeze-frame on when his tongue pokes out? Oh man... I do remember 'Marty Bear' doing that just nonestop! LOL! Either that or he's busy stuffing his face with something... I can't wait to see if that's going to happen again with 'Mikey Bear' here...
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Post by Cindy on Mar 31, 2011 22:29:37 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! Taking a brief break on working on some fanarts stuff here. More reviews heading your way... You know... It seems like everyone is having a bad 'notion' right of the bat with the show premiering on Friday night... I can't really blame them since it's not really one of the big ratings night... but still... at least they are all giving the show a fair show in reviewing it properly. Here's the latest one from the LA Times. Overall impression, 'charming' cast... He even went to say that Eric is the 'alpha dog' and compared him to 'George Clooney' if it were a movie... I guess that's a good thing, right! LOL! [glow=red,2,300]Episode 1.01 - 'Pilot'[/glow]TV Review: 'Chaos'They're charming, bad (but in a good way), into espionage and against killjoy bosses. Call CBS' new 'spymedy' a 'McHale's Navy' with action. Freddy Rodriguez, left, Eric Close and Tim Blake Nelson star in "Chaos." (Sergei Bachlakov, CBS / April 1, 2011)By Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times Television Critic April 1, 2011 "Chaos," which premieres Friday on CBS, is a new spymedy — I am registering that word with the Department of Neologisms, but you may use it for a small consideration — from Tom Spezialy. His name was formerly attached, as an executive producer and sometime writer, to "Reaper," which I take as a recommendation, and "Desperate Housewives," not so much. When I hear the word "chaos" in the context of espionage, I of course think of the evil KAOS from "Get Smart," but here they are the good guys, CHAOS standing for Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services, a supposed department of the CIA. They have seemingly imagined an "H" somewhere in the word "Clandestine" or perhaps sitting silently before "Administration" — but that is just that sort of creative thinking that makes good spies, I guess. The ironic tone is set at the top, with an introductory mention of "godless communism" placed against a clip of Fidel Castro throwing a baseball, part of a montage of old footage that also includes a nuclear explosion and a man harmlessly being run over by a steamroller. Speaking is new recruit Rick Martinez (Freddy Rodriguez, who was Giovanni the Sandwich Guy on "Ugly Betty"), who promises to tell us "how I learned to defend our country by defying intelligence." Rick arrives at Langley for the first day of his dream job, only to learn that his position has been de-funded. Instead, he's asked to snoop intra-office on a trio of overly independent agents who constitute the ODS (for Office of Disruptive Services); I don't know if those letters spoken aloud are supposed to sound like "odious," but they sort of do. These new friends, enemies at first, are played by Eric Close, the alpha dog (George Clooney if this were a movie); James Murray, a Scotsman thrown out of both the British secret service and Great Britain "for a wee bit of reckless boyish mischief"; and Tim Blake Nelson, described as "a human weapon," almost as if to make up for him not being as tall or handsome as the others. (Rodriguez is small and handsome, in the Michael J. Fox mode.) They are, as Rick will come to see, "not bad for the sake of being bad" but "bad for the sake of doing good." Where the foreign agents of popular fiction typically demonstrate their love of country by submission to the state, the American hero displays his through insubordination: Patriotism is expressed as a mistrust of authority, or at least a readiness to ignore it, from one's immediate superior to the president. This explains much, I think, and not just about this television show. The pilot episode, efficiently directed by Brett Ratner (of the "Rush Hour" movies), gives our heroes Sudanese rebels and scorpions to contend with. But the real enemy is middle management, the cramped spirits who hold back the bolder. (Kurtwood Smith, no cuddlier here than as Topher Grace's father on "That '70s Show," is the resident killjoy.) If you have experience with television, you will have already recognized "Chaos" as "McHale's Navy" with more action and a thin veneer of seriousness. That is not a criticism. As is the case with pilots, the seams tend to show — the bountiful expository dialogue makes no effort to veil its purpose, and the production is a tad too insistent that we find these scamps charming. But they are fairly charming at that, and though the spy stuff is all unconvincing hokum, the company is easy to bear.Source: Los Angeles TimesAnd here's the LA Times 'Friday Highlights' List. **** Friday's Highlights: 'Who Do You Think You Are?' on NBC March 31, 2011 | 8:05 pm GREAT GRANDPARENTS: Gwyneth Paltrow traces her ancestry in a new episode of “Who Do You Think You Are?” at 8 p.m. on NBC. SERIESChaos: A new CIA agent (Freddy Rodriguez) shows up for his first day of work to find out his job has been eliminated, but the deputy director (Kurtwood Smith) has another gig for him: infiltrating a group of rogue agents. Eric Close, Tim Blake Nelson, James Murray and Christina Cole also star in this lighthearted new drama (8 p.m. CBS). Shark Tank: In this new episode, kids seek backing for an idea they came up with on a family trip (8 p.m. ABC). Kitchen Nightmares: Bickering brothers, owners of a restaurant in New Jersey that's fallen on hard times, shock chef Ramsay when they spend more time arguing than paying attention to the food and service in this new episode (8 p.m. Fox). CSI: NY: Jo's (Sela Ward) adopted daughter (Sydney Park) is the key witness in a murder that the team is investigating in this new episode (9 p.m. CBS). The Haunted: The unscripted supernatural series returns for a new season (10 p.m. Animal Planet). Camelot: Jamie Campbell Bower plays the youth who learns he's the heir to the English throne thanks to a fellow named Merlin (Joseph Fiennes) in the premiere of this new series (10 p.m. Starz). Merlin: Speaking of Merlin and Arthur (Colin Morgan, Bradley James), this import wraps its season (10 p.m. Syfy). MOVIES Inglourious Basterds: Brad Pitt is cast as the leader of a Jewish-American military unit that targets Nazi officers in particularly brutal ways in this 2009 World War II adventure directed by Quentin Tarantino. Mélanie Laurent and Christoph Waltz also star (8:25 p.m. Showtime). SPORTSBaseball: The Pittsburgh Pirates visit the Chicago Cubs (11 a.m. WGN A); the Angels visit the Kansas City Royals (5 p.m. MyNet); the Giants visit the Dodgers (7 p.m. FS Prime). Pro basketball: The Clippers visit the Phoenix Suns (7 p.m. FSN); the Lakers visit the Utah Jazz (7:30 p.m. KCAL). Source: Los Angeles Times
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Post by Cindy on Mar 31, 2011 22:46:35 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! And here's the Washington Post review. This one actually gave it a positive review calling it 'tightly written, engagingly paced and fairly well-executed bit of action-comedy. Any network should be proud to have it on its schedule...' Whoa... High praise so far... Interestingly enough, he does go into the whole Friday night timeslot debate. [glow=red,2,300]Episode 1.01 - 'Pilot'[/glow]Why Does CBS Handle ‘Chaos,’ An Engaging CIA Farce, Like A Suspicious Package?MICHAEL COURTNEY / CBS - From left: Tim Blake Nelson, James Murray, Eric Close and Freddy Rodriguez in “Chaos.” By Hank Stuever, Thursday, March 31, 8:46 PM “Chaos,” a new CBS series about the sometimes inept office complex known as the Central Intelligence Agency, turns out to be a tightly written, engagingly paced and fairly well-executed bit of action-comedy. Any network should be proud to have it on its schedule, yet for reasons far too Variety magazine to get into here, the network appears to think “Chaos” isn’t worth watching — why else has the show been belatedly deposited on the schedule on Friday nights at 8? (April Fool’s?) Braced for the worst, I popped the pilot in the DVD player and was once again reminded why every show deserves a fighting chance or at least an open-minded 15 minutes: I found “Chaos” a little more rollicking than I guess critics were meant to. It stars the likable Freddy Rodriguez (“Six Feet Under’s” Federico the mortician) as Rick Martinez, a new hire at Langley. On his first day — after a container of his mother’s homemade soup raises security alarms at the front gate — Rick is informed by the director that federal budget cuts have already eliminated his job. Instead, when Rick begs for a reprieve, the deputy director (Kurtwood Smith) reassigns him to a team of agents within the Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services department (a.k.a. “Chaos”). The deputy director wants Rick to spy on these agents, who’ve become unmanageably reprobate. Keen the boss’s ruse, the Chaos agents (including a favorite oddball of mine, Tim Blake Nelson of “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”) put Rick through a never-ending round of spook-style hazing. Among other indignities, they give him a computer that still runs Windows 97. This, Rick wonders, is the tech-savvy CIA? Yes, replies Agent Dorset (Eric Close playing the Chaos gang’s leader) — the CIA is like any other federal workplace, layered with clunky equipment and bureaucratic waste: “When was the last time you walked into the post office and said, ‘My God, I’ve stepped into the future’?” The show also takes place in the same, imaginary, nincompoop-prone CIA that conjures up memories of Maxwell Smart and was also spoofed by Joel and Ethan Coen’s “Burn After Reading,” where deceitful managers and scheming employees are all trying to trip one another up. (One laid-off agent still wanders the premises feeding the birds in the courtyard and whispering conspiracy theories to anyone who will listen.) Created by action-comedy filmmaker Brett Ratner, “Chaos” delights in a combination of farce and espionage, somewhat like the better days of NBC’s “Chuck,” a show for which “Chaos’s” head writer, Tom Spezialy, once worked. By not taking itself so seriously, “Chaos” offers levity from stauncher CBS formulas seen on the rest of the network’s schedule, such as “Hawaii Five-O” and “NCIS.” Soon enough, the team sneaks off to the African desert to rescue a French-American hostage from generically Islamic-like terrorists. There’s a hilarious scene where Nelson’s character gets the stuffing beat out of him by the bad guys. As the episode clips along, Rodriguez successfully brings a scrappy energy that ably carries the show. “Chaos” is far from the worst thing CBS has lobbed our way in the last year or so. (Hello — “Three Rivers”? “Miami Medical”? You think I’ve forgotten?) If I’m supposed to rag on this fun and mildly edgy show and tell you not to watch it, then I feel obligated to do just the opposite and thwart the network’s attempt to set off a bomb. stueverh@washpost.com Chaos(one hour) premieres at 8 p.m. Friday on CBS. Source: Washington PostAnd here's a small snippet from The Seattle Times. **** Originally Published Thursday, March 31, 2011 at 7:02 PM Friday TV Picks: The New 'Chaos' On CBSThis new "comedic drama" about a group of rogue CIA spies features an eclectic cast. Freddy Rodriguez ("Six Feet Under"), Eric Close ("Without a Trace"), James Murray ("Primeval") and Tim Blake Nelson ("Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?") are all members of the Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services who combat threats to national security. Sounds a bit convoluted, but hey, it's something new for a Friday night. Series premiere 8 p.m. Friday on CBS (seattletimes.com/tvlistings).Doug Knoop, Seattle Times staffAlso on Friday"Shark Tank," 8 p.m. (ABC): Children seek a backer for an idea spawned during a family trip; the sharks fight for a piece of a mother's furniture business; a personal trainer thinks he has the next trend in fitness equipment. "Who Do You Think You Are?," 8 p.m. (NBC): Actress Gwyneth Paltrow finds roots in Barbados while looking into her ancestral past. "Need to Know," 9 p.m. (KCTS): Families care for wounded soldiers at home; Camden, N.J., struggles with budget deficits; Sports Illustrated writer Jon Wertheim. "American Loggers," 10 p.m. (Discovery): A crane operator's rig falls through a decayed bridge; a rookie makes back-to-back mistakes. "DC Cupcakes," 10 p.m. (TLC): The sisters build a Chinese lion while Andres takes on the task of creating an Asian inspired cupcake; the shop raises money for the Boys & Girls Club of D.C. "Deliverance" (1972), 10:30 p.m. (AMC): Four Atlanta businessmen encounter unexpected terrors during a rafting trip down a raging backwoods river. Based on the book by James Dickey. The New York TimesSource: The Seattle Times
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Post by Cindy on Apr 1, 2011 1:49:52 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! A few more press releases before I call it the night. USA Today gave it 2 stars out of 4. [glow=red,2,300]Episode 1.01 - 'Pilot'[/glow]Critic's Corner Weekend: 'Chaos' Reins On CBSBy Robert Bianco, USA TODAY Posted 1h 41m ago April 01, 2011 While it's nice to see CBS try something different, it would be even nicer to see CBS try something better. Credit Chaos (* * out of four, tonight, 8 ET/PT) for breaking out of the network's procedural mold. Starring Freddy Rodriguez as a gung-ho CIA recruit and Eric Close as the bright-but-paranoid head of the team he is forced to join, Chaos is part spy spoof, part office comedy, part action adventure — a sort of watered-down, live-action Archer. The cast is personable, and on a Friday night, Chaos could count as a weekend-starter diversion, as long as you keep your diversion expectations reasonably low. But like so many networks shows this season, it asks us to settle for "not bad" when what we want is "good." •Amid all this weekend's debuts, please don't lose track of the return of one of TV's grandest achievements: The Civil War (PBS, Sunday, 8 ET/PT). Source: USA TodayAnd here's a small blurb from Tampa Bay Online, calling the show 'entertaining and good laughs' with a 'good cast'. I will just post the CHAOS snippet. **** Tales of 2 Camelots Debut This WeekendWalt Belcher The Tampa Tribune Published: April 1, 2011 Tune in Tonight
"Chaos," 8 p.m., CBSThis entertaining new comedy about the misfit CIA Office of Disruptive Services offers some laughs and a good cast: Freddy Rodriguez, Eric Close and Tim Blake Nelson (as "the human weapon"). Source: Tampa Bay Online
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Post by Cindy on Apr 1, 2011 1:57:49 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! And here's another tune in to CHAOS because Eric is in it. I love the Marty Bear mentioning to it. Just reading what crap he had to deal with... Poor guy... *hugs* [glow=red,2,300]Episode 1.01 - 'Pilot'[/glow]What's On Tonight?By Elissa Bass | April 01, 2011 12:01am Opinion Chaos, Deliverance, The Haunted A trio of somewhat dark programs are offered up today. What's on Friday, April 1. Chaos, 8 p.m., CBS
I always liked Eric Close on Without A Trace – he was Martin, the clean-cut one who always ended up with the wrong woman, or on drugs, or shot, or whatever. He is part of an ensemble cast on this new show about a slightly rogue op within the CIA. Even more than I love Eric, though, I love Kurtwood Smith, who played the dad on That 70s Show and is one of the great curmudgeons of all time.Deliverance, 8 p.m., AMCPerfect rainy (snowy?) Friday night movie. The Haunted, 10 p.m., Animal Planet“A family tries to have an entity banished from its home, but it won't leave peacefully.” In my house, we called this Bob. Source: PatchAnd here's another 'entry' from NewsOK - TV Blog. I'm a bit confused about the whole deputy director part... I thought Higgins was the deputy director in this... but in this, the reviewer say it's the young blonde one that's the new deputy director... Seriously... Huh? That's the first I read there... I mean... all the other reviews say that Higgins in the 'Big Cheese' there... I guess we will find out later tonight, huh? **** “CHAOS” Debuts Friday Night On CBSPosted by brandy on March 31, 2011M at 11:40 pm Tulsa-born and bred actor Tim Blake Nelson will star in the new TV series “CHAOS,” premiering at 7 tonight on CBS (KWTV-9 in Oklahoma City). “CHAOS” is a comedic drama about a group of rogue CIA spies in the Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services (CHAOS) who combat threats to national security amidst bureaucratic gridlock, rampant incompetence and political infighting. The team tackles high-risk foreign intelligence missions using manipulation, deception and wit to succeed. Here’s the series synopsis: Rick Martinez (Freddy Rodriguez) was dismayed when his dream job as a spy was eliminated on his first day; however, CIA Deputy Director H.J. Higgins (Kurtwood Smith), a calculating mastermind and the head of CHAOS, recognizes Rick’s unique skill set and places him as an unwitting mole inside the department. Martinez joins the team under Michael Dorset (Eric Close), a psychologist-turned-CIA operative and a tactical genius motivated by pure paranoia. Working with Dorset is Scottish-born Billy Collins (James Murray), decommissioned from the British Secret Service and deported from the United Kingdom, and Casey Malick (Tim Blake Nelson), a 12-year veteran of the agency with an understated demeanor and the ability to transform into a “human weapon.” While Martinez’s instincts about who he can trust are constantly tested, he seems to have a worthy confidante in the new deputy director, Adele Ferrer (Christina Cole), who appears to have his best interests at heart. Or, should he rely on officer Fay Carson (Carmen Ejogo), an alluring agent and an expert at deciphering people’s “tells”? Attacking each assignment with unparalleled confidence and gusto, these operatives perform covert operations, exert political influence and eradicate all manner of evil – and that’s just to survive the morning staff meeting. -BAM Source: NewsOK - TV Blog
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Post by Cindy on Apr 1, 2011 12:16:36 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! Happy, Happy CHAOS Day!!! ;D Only a few more hours left to go... and boy, oh boy... am I psyched! In the meantime though, I got tons of stuff to post on here, including some of the CBS interviews that Eric was tweeting about yesterday! YAY! So sit back and enjoy for now! Oh, and be sure to refresh the page often since I tend to add as much stuff into one post! First up is Cincinnati.com blurb about 'TV Best Bets' for Friday night. CHAOS is mentioned up first. I will just post the CHAOS snippet, but you can always go to the link below for all the other previews. [glow=red,2,300]Episode 1.01 - 'Pilot'[/glow]TV's Best Bets4:35 PM, Mar. 31, 2011 Freddy Rodriguez stars in the new CBS dramatic comedy "Chaos." Chaos, 8 p.m., CBS. After filling Fridays with killers, ghosts and nightmares, CBS is trying a lighter touch. Now it introduces another blend of drama and comedy. Rick (Freddy Rodriguez) has his first day of work at the CIA, only to find budget cuts and a tangle of lies. As the deceptions build, "Chaos" becomes quite funny - even when a serious mission appears. Martinez is amiable, with Eric Close, Carmen Fiogo and Tim Blake Nelson strong in support.Source: Cincinnati.comWhoa... High praise from Buddy TV for the show. The guy really enjoyed it. I like he described Chaos as 'a manlier version of Chuck, replacing the nerdiness and emotional depth of that spy dramedy with a frat boy mentality.' ;D ***** 'Chaos' Review: An Unexpectedly Fun Spy Surprise Friday, April 01, 2011 John Kubicek Senior Writer, BuddyTV (Image courtesy of CBS)More Somewhere between NBC's Chuck and USA's Covert Affairs is Chaos, the new spy dramedy from CBS premiering tonight at 8pm. It's not what you'd expect from the network full of crime procedurals, and that refreshing change of pace is what makes it a delightful surprise.Chaos centers on a new CIA recruit named Rick Martinez (Six Feet Under's Freddy Rodriguez), a lovable but somewhat clueless guy who gets sucked into a group of outside-the-box agents in Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services. His new team is like the offspring of two Bradley Cooper films: Imagine if the gang from The Hangover was The A-Team. There's a know-it-all leader Michael (Eric Close), a wacky Scottish transplant named Billy who provides comic relief (James Murray) and Casey (O Brother, Where Art Thou?'s Tim Blake Nelson), nicknamed the Human Weapon. This rogue's gallery of CIA agents pick their own missions and operate outside traditional guidelines, much to the consternation of the director, played by the always reliable Kurtwood Smith (Red from That '70s Show). Aside from the cast, Chaos has a very impressive creative pedigree. The pilot is directed by film director Brett Ratner (the Rush Hour franchise), whose only other series directing credit is the pilot of Prison Break. It's created by Tom Spezialy, who has worked on shows like Desperate Housewives, Reaper and Parker Lewis Can't Lose. That combination provides an interesting mix of styles and a particular eye for the blend of comedy, drama and action that works perfectly on Chaos. The tone of the show moves from a quirky workplace comedy full of the kind of guy humor you might see in the movie Office Space to a strange action comedy with the gang fighting evil terrorists.For CBS, it's something completely different. It doesn't quite fit with anything the network has on its schedule and it's a bit of a mystery why they would take a chance on something so unique. While that may be its downfall, it's also what makes is so damn enjoyable. Chaos is like a manlier version of Chuck, replacing the nerdiness and emotional depth of that spy dramedy with a frat boy mentality. With an oddball cast and smart writing, the show works surprisingly well and should offer a refreshing change of pace for anyone who tunes in expecting the next NCIS.Source: Buddy TV
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Post by Cindy on Apr 1, 2011 12:33:10 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! Well, the Lynchburg News & Advance site called the show 'lame, boring and cliche'... Gesh... Makes you wonder if the reviewer actually saw the same Pilot like everyone else has... [glow=red,2,300]Episode 1.01 - 'Pilot'[/glow]Couch Potato: CBS's 'Chaos' Is Pretty TameThe guys' division is a throwback to when operations were identified, planned and implemented by a single team. Or, as Murray's character calls them, the "last of the old-school spooks." Credit: CBS Published: April 01, 2011 Rick Martinez has spent his entire life training to be a CIA agent. "While my brothers were at soccer camp, I stayed home and studied Arabic," he says in the premiere of CBS’s "CHAOS," which premieres at 8 tonight. "While everyone else was dating, I was working at a firing range, getting paid in bullets so I could train on semi-automatics." So you can understand how distressed Martinez (Freddy Rodriguez, "Six Feet Under," "Ugly Betty") is when he arrives for his first day of work only to be informed that his position has been cut. But his passionate plea strikes a chord with H.J. Higgins (Kurtwood Smith, "That 70s Show"), director of Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services (CHAOS). He offers Martinez a second chance: take a job as a mole within a group of elite, rogue spies who tend to go off the grid while fighting national security threats. He wants him to spy on them and report back any proof of misconduct. Higgins has it out for the men, who include Michael Dorset (Eric Close, "Without a Trace"), a psychologist-turned-CIA agent; the Scottish born Billy Collins (James Murray), who was decommissioned from the British Secret Service and deported from the U.K.; and Casey Malick (Tim Blake Nelson, "O Brother Where Art Thou?"), a 12-year agency veteran who they all call the "human weapon." In the premiere, we learn that their division was created under Reagan as a throwback to a time when operations were identified, planned and implemented by a single team. Or, as Collins says, they are the "last of the old-school spooks." Old-school is right. Their behavior is nothing we haven’t seen before. Dorset and his men frequently defy their bosses and sneak off on unsanctioned missions. But what is supposed to be exciting and witty felt boring and cliché to me. I don’t think this series will be around for long. Source: Lynchburg News & AdvanceAnd here's the Hollywood Chicago review for the Premiere, giving it a 3.5 stars out 5. At least this one is being honest upfront, saying how he doesn't know how the show will turn out to be a few months down the road. He gave praise where it's due... like the writing and all... but then remarks that the writers should fine tune it for the long run. Definitely better than the review above calling it just plain lame and boring. **** TV Review: Freddy Rodriguez Stars in Quirky Spy Series ‘Chaos’Submitted by BrianTT on April 1, 2011 - 9:41am. Chaos Photo credit: CBSTV Rating: 3.5/5.0 CHICAGO – The main problem with reviewing television is that we’re often sent only the premiere and asked to judge a show overall. And yet we’d all agree that programs regularly improve or slide in quality after week one. By its third month, a show can look and feel completely different than its premiere, and so it can be hard to recommend something, knowing that by the time you get to watch it, you might be watching something much worse. To that end, the premiere of “Chaos,” the new spy comedy debuting on CBS tonight, April 1st, 2011, isn’t bad but I have serious doubts about what the show will be like on a weekly basis. With echoes of “Get Smart” and FX’s brilliant “Archer,” “Chaos” sometimes feels like a workplace comedy crossed with a spy show — like “The Office” meets “The Unit.” The program centers on a group of rebellious CIA operatives, the guys who not only operate outside of the public eye to keep the country safe but often ignore the orders of their superiors if they feel it serves the cause of true justice. But these are not your average Jack Bauer-esque heroes. They are quick-thinking, quick-witted former frat boys; guys who like to haze the new guy as much as rescue the hostage. Into this den of pranksters falls the relatively-naive Rick Martinez (Chicagoan Freddy Rodriguez of “Six Feet Under”), who arrives on his first day as a CIA agent only to discover that his department has been downsized. CIA Deputy Director H. J. Higgins (Kurtwood Smith of “That ’70s Show”) decides to give Rick one more chance — join the troublemakers in the Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services (CHAOS) department and report back on any violations. Rick’s new colleagues include a super-paranoid leader named Michael (Eric Close), a former agent with the British Secret Service named Billy (James Murray), and a soft-spoken bookworm named Casey (Tim Blake Wilson) who boasts of being able to turn into a human weapon. Rick also makes friends with the gorgeous Fay (Carmen Ejogo) but he can’t be sure if she’s working for him or against him. In the first episode, Rick is brought into the CHAOS group to play mole but his new colleagues instantly turn the tables on him and blackmail him into working with them to rescue a hostage on whom it appears the American government has given up. Brett Ratner (“Rush Hour,” “X-Men: The Last Stand”) brings an energy to the premiere and Rodriguez is an engaging lead. As for the supporting cast, Nelson is interesting and Ejogo is stunningly beautiful. But TV always comes back to writing. While the premiere of “Chaos” has clever moments, it thinks it’s a lot smarter than it actually is. I laughed a few times, but just as many moments ring false. The question now is how will the ratios of duds-to-hits change in weeks to come. With a talented cast and unique concept, the potential is there but the writing staff needs to buckle down and fine tune their efforts. The script for the premiere is good enough but it had better be the foundation for improvement and not the best tricks they have to offer. Where does a show like this go from here? I can’t figure out what “Chaos” is going to look like week to week when the initial charm of the unique concept has worn off and it has to get down to the business of consistent entertainment. Will there be a hostage crisis every week? “Archer” can get away with ridiculously overblown plots by virtue of being a satirical cartoon but live-action, Friday night entertainment has a different standard and the jury is still out on whether or not “Chaos” will meet it. “Chaos” stars Freddy Rodriguez, Eric Close, James Murray, Tim Blake Nelson, Carmen Ejogo, and Kurtwood Smith. It premieres on CBS on Friday, April 1st, 2011 at 7pm CST.Source: Hollywood Chicago
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