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Post by Cindy on Apr 1, 2011 12:57:42 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! And here's TV Guide's Matt Roush's review. Does he ever say anything positive? Seriously, all I read from him are just plain 'Meh' and 'bad' reviews for shows before going on how this and that could have ben done better. He also reviewed several other shows in his column, but I didn't bother with them after reading the 'CHAOS' one. [glow=red,2,300]Episode 1.01 - 'Pilot'[/glow]Today's News: Our Take Roush Review: Lots of New TV, But Only One Kills ItApr 1, 2011 12:32 PM ET by Matt Roush Chaos (Friday, 8/7c, CBS)The title of this muddled "comedic drama" (CBS's words) refers to the Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services division of the CIA, where a rogue team known as the Office of Disruptive Services (ODS) operates. Never mind the alphabet soup. The real chaos here is a collision of tones. Chaos looks like The Unit — a solid action drama CBS canceled too soon, in part because it wasn't produced in-house — but it feels more like a Chuck wannabe in its focus on Rick Martinez, a frantic, haplessly naïve newbie (Six Feet Under's Freddy Rodriguez) who's in over his head as he confronts the absurdities within an agency where, quoting a veteran agent, "Inaction has become the battle cry." I give any CBS show credit that tries to be a bit different, that aims a little higher or more off-kilter than Criminal Minds: Disgusting Behavior. But this one pushes the zany aspects too hard, trivializing the missions while neglecting such elements as grit, wit and heart. The cast is appealing enough, starting with the eternally boyish Rodriguez, whose first meeting with the gruff penny-pinching boss (a typecast Kurtwood Smith) turns him into an unwilling mole forced to spy on his fellow agents: Without a Trace's Eric Close as a cynical drone, James Murray as a cocky Scot and Tim Blake Nelson as a seemingly milquetoast veteran who, when pressed, can unleash "human weapon" qualities. (Is he their Intersect?) The Chaos pilot is a bit overstuffed with predictable reversals, in which every time Rick tries to see his new team in a positive light — "You're not bad for the sake of being bad; you're bad for the sake of doing good!" — he's obviously headed for a fall. Once they get to know each other, and we get to know them, maybe the show will become as funny as it thinks it is or as exciting as we might like it to be. Right now, it only makes me miss The Unit. Source: TV Guide
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Post by Bright Eyes on Apr 1, 2011 17:39:37 GMT -5
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Post by Cindy on Apr 1, 2011 18:34:59 GMT -5
Bright Eyes! You know... I thought I post it somewhere... on here... somehwere... Then again, everything is starting to blur over here... LOL! Less than half an hour to go!!! Wohoo!!!
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Post by Cindy on Apr 1, 2011 18:37:03 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! Whoa... Even The Futon Critic has written up a review for the Premiere. Overall, positive review... The part that they didn't like was the whole 'romance' part between the newbie and the ex there... Interesting. [glow=red,2,300]Episode 1.01 - 'Pilot'[/glow]I won't post the full article since Futon Critic did leave a note asking not to repost it but rather just post the link for it. I admit... that's a first I read that... but okay.... So you go to the link below to read it. www.thefutoncritic.com/reviews/2011/04/01/the-futons-first-look-chaos-cbs-225214/20110401_chaos/On another note, here's a very nice interview with James Murrary where he talks about his character and how he fits into the show. I had to laugh at the bit of him using his action figure as a door stopper! LOL! **** Interview: Actor James Murray Stirs Up CHAOS On New CBS SeriesThe former PRIMEVAL star talks fighting terrorists and bureaucracy for America By ABBIE BERNSTEIN / Contributing Writer Posted: April 1st, 2011 / 11:49 AM Tim Blake Nelson, James Murray, Eric Close and Freddy Rodriguez in CHAOS - Season 1 - "Eaten by Wolves" | James Murray in CHAOS - Season 1 | ©2011 CBS/Sergei BacklakovCBS’s new series CHAOS, premiering tonight at 8 PM, is a comedy/drama about a team of CIA spies, fighting both terrorists and bureaucracy. The title refers not only to the general conditions under which the team works, but also to the acronym for their unit, Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services. The group consists of paranoid tactical whiz Michael Dorset (Eric Close), mellow-seeming but deadly Casey Malick (Tim Blake Nelson), newcomer Rick Martinez (Freddy Rodriguez) and U.K. import Billy Collins, played by James Murray, who previously spent two seasons battling dinosaurs as Stephen Hart on the BBC’s PRIMEVAL. Murray talks about what both he and his character are doing in the U.S., action figures and more. ASSIGNMENT X: Your CHAOS character Billy Collins was formerly with the British Secret Service. Why is he in America, working with the CIA? JAMES MURRAY: My character wound up coming to fight for the CIA. All we know, and all [series creator/executive producer] Tom Spezialy indeed will tell me, is that he’s not allowed back in the U.K. There’s a little snippet in the pilot where we find out he’s kicked out of MI-5. Maybe something to do with another female agent, which is touched upon in the future, but there’s something going on there that we don’t quite know. Let’s put it this way. If I’d stayed in the UK, I’m sure officially I probably would be allowed to, but I think the MI-5 would make it very difficult, possibly lethal, for me to stay in the UK. So I’m much better housed in the CIA, to put my skills to use there. So there’s a little bit of a love/hate relationship that the character has with the UK. AX: Did you leave PRIMEVAL or did you come over here when it looked like PRIMEVAL might not be picked up for another season? MURRAY: I left PRIMEVAL when my option was up. I mean, I loved PRIMEVAL, but ultimately, it wasn’t hugely rewarding after two years. I think it’s a great show and I loved my time on it, but the CGI element and the dinosaur-led element of the show was ultimately, after a couple of years as an actor, you feel there’s not much more you can offer. AX: Working with CGI dinosaurs often involves on-set playing opposite a tennis ball on a stick … MURRAY: Right. And when my option expired, I thought, as much as I enjoyed myself and learned from that experience, it was time to move on. AX: Are you excited by the things that are physically on set in CHAOS, like the cars and tanks and so on? MURRAY: Yeah, you are. As I said, it’s hard work, that [PRIMEVAL] stuff, because it’s all reactive and there’s nothing to work off, apart from a tennis ball on a stick, which later becomes a T-Rex. There are only, I would say, probably a dozen ways to look shocked, react and scared, before you realize that you’re going over the same old ground and it’s time for a change [laughs]. AX: Was there a reason you specifically decided to come to the U.S.? MURRAY: I think I read somewhere recently that we [British actors] are very cheap and very grateful, at least to start off with, and that’s why we get cast, because I think that’s what happens. And I think the American market is very open and a lot more broad-minded perhaps. They set the standard and I think they realize perhaps that we’re perfectly capable. I think it must upset, quite rightly, a lot of American actors when they see British guys potentially taking their roles, but in my case, I hope that ‘s not true, because I’m not playing an American. So I hope I don’t get all sorts of stuff sent through the letters by out of work American actors. AX: In real life, you’re English. Why was the choice made for Billy to be Scottish? MURRAY: One of Billy’s strengths is, he’s very articulate and he enjoys his words, he’s a wordsmith, he’s a Shavian, and I think the Scottish accent lends itself much better to his almost poetic words. It’s a little more singsong, it’s a little bit more interesting, it’s a little bit more exotic. I think from my point of view, that’s where it comes from. You’d have to ask Tom – I guess he’s a huge lover of Scottish things, I think he’s a huge [Sean] Connery fan and I think he thinks that all this entertainment spy movement in films and TV, at least, came probably originally from Ian Fleming and James Bond and that movement. And of course, Sean Connery is Scottish, which is why I think we have that little moment in the pilot. AX: What’s Billy’s position within the CHAOS team?MURRAY: I would say, his exotic charm, if that’s the right phrase, keeps them together, stops the bickering. Sometimes when they’re in a slightly foreign surrounding, whether it be North Korea or Bolivia, he will break the ice and I think that he has an inherent charm, which is very useful and he’s the joker and he looks after Freddy’s [Rodriuez] character Rick as the season unfolds, kind of big-brothers him a little bit. So he’s the comedic linchpin, I guess. AX: You were on the English soap opera CORONATION STREET … MURRAY: Many years ago. The character was called either Sandy or Randy. I really can’t remember. He was definitely randy in nature, but I literally had like four or five episodes. That was my first-ever job and it was frightening going into that. AX: They made an action figure of your PRIMEVAL character. Do you have any of them? MURRAY: I use one as a doorstop. Its leg is a perfect fit under one of the doors in my house at home, so it keeps the door ajar perfectly. I’d love to tell you it’s on my mantelpiece and it’s taken pride of place, but it is after all just a plastic figurine. It’s doing a job, it’s serving a purpose. AX: On screen, it stops dinosaurs, at home it stops doors … MURRAY: You just get rid of some of the syllables in “dinosaurs” and you get “doors.” AX: If you have kids in your life, that could be cool – they’ll see you fighting dinosaurs onscreen and have an action figure of you. MURRAY: Yeah. I have a daughter now who is fifteen months actually. She’s a little baby. And hopefully someday, she’ll see tapes of her dad fighting international terrorists, and maybe those two dolls can play in peace and harmony – or fight each other. Who knows? AX: Anything else we should know about CHAOS? MURRAY: I think it’s a fantastic show and long may it continue to be, and thank God for Tom Speziali, who’s a great voice and a great writer. Source: Assignment X
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Post by Bright Eyes on Apr 1, 2011 18:47:33 GMT -5
Cindy, Enjoy the show! I'll look forward to hearing about it tomorrow.....
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Post by Cindy on Apr 1, 2011 21:11:58 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! I hope everyone enjoyed the Premiere tonight... while we wait for Jenn to open up the discussion thread, here are some more reviews that I hadn't the chance to post yet. Latest one is from The A.V. Club. Interestingly enough, the reviewer did comment on the weak 'romance' part and the Fay character... saying how 'hollow' it was... After watching the Premiere... I have to agree with this. Overall, a positive review giving it a solid 'B'... with the reviewer saying that he rather wants to see an hour of this show rather than the Criminal Mind spin-off show. Hehe! Martha Haight did post a tweet about this article on her Twitter page. ;D [glow=red,2,300]Episode 1.01 - 'Pilot'[/glow]Other Shows CHAOS B CBS Freddy Rodriguez (left), Eric Close, James Murray, Tim Blake Nelson by Ryan McGee April 1, 2011 Other Shows CHAOS season 1 , episode 1 B av club rating CHAOS debuts tonight on CBS at 8 p.m. Eastern. Television networks these days function much in the way that record companies used to do. When you bought a Motown record, you didn’t expect something that sounded like Cream to blast from your stereo. The major networks don’t have quite the specific “sound” that basic cable and cable networks do, but CBS comes close in terms of having an in-house style that pervasively spreads through its hour-long programming. You’re going to get something procedural, you’re going to get something with a heavy body count, and you’re going to get something that resists change on any fundamental level. CHAOS (a not-quite-accurate acronym for “Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services”) is an interesting addition to the line-up, something that bucks the network’s trend to only let Scott Caan have any modicum of fun during its crime dramas. The press materials for this show call it a “comedic drama” as a way to explain its tone, which tries to evoke laughs as well as serious international espionage all within a single hour. It's a show that feels like it should be on the USA Network but got lost on the way to air and landed on CBS' Friday night line-up by accident. Imagine if Ocean’s 11 had a baby with Spy Game, and you might get the gist here. The tonal dissonance makes sense when you realize Brett Ratner directed the pilot: He’s essentially ripping off his previous attempts at marrying high action and side-splitting laughs in the Rush Hour franchise on the small-screen. While Ratner’s involvement will surely spark more than a few comments below, by and large he’s an invisible presence. There are a few shots, especially in what is supposed to be the arid deserts of Sudan, that look serviceably cinematic. But by and large, the hour centers around dropping us into this particular iteration of the CIA via Rick Martinez (Freddy Rodriguez), who is tasked by a Bureau chief played by Kurtwood Smith to take down what the latter feels is an odious, leftover remnant of the agency. Rather than be a spy in the field, Martinez has to be an inter-department mole. The show’s essential theme boils down to one that links it thematically, if not tonally, to a large cross-section of CBS’s programming: While governmental/crime fighting organizations have a noble goal, it usually falls to a few heroic individuals to actually get things done within them. Bureaucracy is often the Big Bad, with quotes such as “Inaction has become the battle cry of the agency!” setting the show’s tone. The ODS isn’t a live-action ISIS by any stretch of the imagination, but their desire to actually do something versus sending it onto another committee for deliberation marks them as an unusual and possibly dangerous element within the CIA. The three members of ODS spend the hour hazing and then embracing their new member. Eric Close plays the tactical leader, James Murray plays a wily ex-British Secret Service Agent (is there any other kind?), and Tim Blake Nelson plays what his character describes as a “human weapon.” Not a human target, mind you; that’s another show. But if you were to draw comparisons between Nelson’s Casey Malick and Jackie Earle Haley’s Guerrero… well, let’s just say you wouldn’t be the only one. Casual references are made throughout the hour to their precarious position within the agency, as well as their surprisingly deep and well-connected backers. But at least in this first hour, it’s simply lip service in favor of throwing us in with this would-be Fab Four. CBS wants to sell you on this group as being a real wild-card within the CIA, but really, the only thing that makes them stand out is their desire to buck the system and actually do more than push paper. Rodriguez is often asked to act shocked at the latest WACKY thing his new team does, but a lot of CHAOS is telling us how wild these guys are but not actually backing them up with what transpires onscreen. But that’s not necessarily a negative: The ODS excels largely at misdirection, allowing people to underestimate them all while luring their victims into a trap. That’s a far better tactic upon which to hang what will undoubtedly be a series of missions of the week. Does this all work perfectly? No, but it works more than perfunctorily. The activation of the “human weapon” takes place largely in the dark to conceal Nelson’s stunt double, but it’s a pretty fun piece of fighting choreography all the same. Rodriguez gets to show some surprising skills in Sudan, leaving him as the newbie in the group but still a worthy member of their elite squad. And Collins/Dorset perform a fun double-team persuasion act to lift counterfeit funds for a hostage negotiation from Margo Martindale, taking a break from Justified to play a small part in this pilot. Unfortunately, there’s a would-be love interest/work complication in the form of Carmen Ejogo’s CIA liaison Fay that rings far more hollow than anything else within the actual group. The question is: Will this show survive in a timeslot that once featured Ghost Whisperer, a show about a pair of breasts so majestic that spirits actually crossed over from the afterlife in order to spend some time around them? It’s followed by CSI: NY and Blue Bloods, two shows not exactly known for their nimble tone. To carry through the musical analogy from the outset, CHAOS is like a fun, lightweight pop band opening up Ozzfest. It shouldn’t be a crime for a show to be tonally different from anything else on its network, but apparently, it didn’t help shows like Terriers in the recent past. People who tune into CBS are used to a certain frequency. And while CHAOS is far from the out-there fare on the upper channels of your dial, it’s still singular enough that I worry it won’t find an audience on a network that resists anything outside its narrow spectrum. That’s too bad: I’d much rather see this show fill an hour of primetime CBS programming than the potentially inevitable spin-off Criminal Minds: Killin’ Kids and Clubbin’ Baby Seals. It’s a fairly nimble start to something that ratings-wise I fear might stumble out of the gate. Random observations: •At more than one point in the pilot, I had to keep reminding myself that I was watching a clean-shaven Freddie Rodriguez and not Kevin Connolly with a newly dyed ‘do. •You’ll need to wade through a lot of exposition in order to get to the good stuff. Collins, in particular, is saddled with a lot of explanation posing as dialogue in early scenes. •The show calls ODS “the last of the old-school spooks.” This, coupled with an early montage set to “Mas Que Nada,” suggests a potential way for the show to introduce colorful characters from the CIA’s past as well as a way to help explain the shadowy connections that kept them afloat at all. •Points to the show for introducing an all-too-quick romance and then having an onscreen character ask EXACTLY the question most people at home will be asking less than a minute later. •The way in which the CIA neutralizes an entire camp of terrorists is very cool. I have no idea if it’s actually something employed in the field, but I will say that the “don’t taze me, bro” guy will not enjoy at ALL. •“This accent is a siren’s call to reckless fornication!” •“I like a lap-sized man!” •“Highlight of the mission, right there!” •“Yesterday was a travel day, so I mostly hated the airline food.” Source: The A.V. Club
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Post by Cindy on Apr 1, 2011 21:57:45 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! Here's another review... this one is from Seat 42F. Overall, the review was like... If the show finds an audience at its timeslot and succeeds, it needs to step up the platter... Okay... [glow=red,2,300]Episode 1.01 - 'Pilot'[/glow]CHAOS Series Premiere Review Friday, 01 April 2011 00:00 Shawna Benson By : SHAWNA BENSON Photo Credit : CBSFilm directors have been moonlighting in television for awhile, but the last few years have seen a dramatic increase in the number and prestige of directors who are involving themselves with new or ongoing television series. Within the last year, directors such as Martin Scorsese and Mark Romanek, have shot episodes for “Boardwalk Empire” and for “Locke & Key” (currently being considered for the fall season at Fox). McG has been producing in television for awhile, and has arguably has a better reputation on the small screen than he has with feature films. It’s no surprise then that other directors who see the promise of big money, ongoing producer credits and the ability to set the tone and pace for a show by directing the first episode, have come flocking to TV in recent years. Brett Ratner, who first involved himself with television in 2005 with the series “Prison Break,” is back with a new series on CBS, “Chaos”. There are two things you need to know about “Chaos;” one, the show is on CBS, and two… the show is on CBS. “CHAOS” (named for a division of the CIA which stands for Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services) attempts to break out of the typical CBS show mold by introducing more humor into the story, though it still feels like a CBS show as the team deals with the crisis of the week (in the first episode, there is a hostage in Afghanistan the team needs to rescue). Rick Martinez (Freddy Rodriguez, “Ugly Betty”) arrives at the CIA on his first day of work and is assigned to CHAOS as a mole for Deputy Director Higgins (Kurtwood Smith, “That 70’s Show.”) The team is comprised of agency misfits and miscreants who have come under scrutiny by the Director for their frequent disregard of the agency’s rules, not to mention international protocols. The premise of the show takes awhile to set up and honestly, they go through it pretty quickly so as to get to the team and their mission. The team is led by Michael Dorset (Eric Close, “Without a Trace”) who has more than a healthy dose of paranoia. Scottish-born Billy Collins (James Murray, “Primeval”) formerly of the British Secret Service (since deported) and Casey Malick (Tim Blake Nelson, “Syriana”) a quiet, unassuming 12-year veteran of the CIA serve on the team with Rick, who is expected to report on their activities to the Director without their knowledge. Rounding out the cast is Adele Ferrer (Christina Cole, “Cane”) Higgins’ right hand woman and Fay Carson (Carmen Ejogo, “Boycott”) possibly the only person, including his teammates, whom he can trust. The premiere episode swings between over-explanatory, to make sure the audience understands what is going on (I guess the CBS audience needs a lot of hand holding) to rushed and shortchanged, as the crisis is wrapped up in a box from Tiffany’s and topped with a bow. CHAOS is modeled on The A-Team but with less personality and more homogeneity. The typical CBS viewer will probably respond positively to the show, which isn’t necessarily a good thing. Storywise, it doesn’t swing for the fences so much as bunt and roll into the infield, which will probably suffice for some people. The chemistry of the actors will likely pay off in future episodes as the humorous tone of the show emerges. As a Friday night show, there’s little risk for CBS with a show like CHAOS, and while there’s not a lot about it to recommend, it could very well hit with the target audience and succeed. If it does, the show will need to step up to the plate and deliver better stories if they want to attract a following and critical praise. “Chaos” premieres on CBS on Friday April 1st at 8 PM ET/PT. Source: Seat 42F
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Post by Cindy on Apr 1, 2011 22:16:11 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! A few more stuff from the LA Times. One of them is an interview with creator Tom Spezialy [glow=red,2,300]Episode 1.01 - 'Pilot'[/glow]'Chaos' Creator Finds The Funny In New CBS Friday Spy Caper April 1, 2011 | 4:44 pm Photo: Freddy Rodriguez, from left, Eric Close, James Murray and Tim Blake Nelson in "Chaos." Credit: Sergei Bachlakov / CBS. Friday marks the series premiere of "Chaos," CBS' new spy caper created by Tom Spezialy, a longtime TV writer perhaps best known for his work on "Desperate Housewives." He chatted with Show Tracker about the CIA, Friday nights and his abiding love for the movie "The Four Musketeers." Show Tracker: It's premiere night! Are you nervous? Spezialy: Well, it's April Fools' Day. So who would be? Show Tracker: Where'd you get the idea for the show? Spezialy: As a writer, I was about to be hired on another traditional CIA show a few years ago, and I started reading up on the CIA. On the dust cover of one of these autobiographies of an ex-operative, he basically said of his time in the agency, "We spent a lot of money, we killed a lot of people, accomplished very little." Also, I had been a huge fan of the Richard Lester "Four Musketeers." He managed to deliver romp, but with sophistication and charm. When a character stays with you for 30 years, you go, "Well, they did something right." So, I married "Four Musketeers" with going inside the intelligence community. Show Tracker: Your star is Freddy Rodriguez, who was on "Six Feet Under." He plays Rick Martinez, the young aspiring spy who wants to join the CIA. Spezialy: I wanted a Latino character in the center of the show. I tend to write with actors in mind. I loved watching "Six Feet Under." Show Tracker: There's even some "Get Smart" in there. Spezialy: I hope so. I purposely called it "Chaos" for a reason. I'd love to get Buck Henry in the show, if you have any contacts. It's a little bit like "The Office," only more lethal. Show Tracker: Fridays are a tough time slot. Spezialy: If you're launching a show at 8 o'clock Friday, you're basically asking people to change their viewing habits. But I have to commend CBS for having a really smart strategy. They've been committed to Friday nights for a number of years now. We'll see if people are willing to stay home, I guess. ALSO ON SHOW TRACKER:"Big Bang" recap: Who's going to man up? -- Scott Collins (twitter.com/scottcollinsLAT) Source: Los Angeles TimesAnd here's a little something funny. The LA Times put up a gallery dedicated to 'Your Guide To Made-Up Government Agencies'. Basically, they list all the made-up government agencies ever surfaced on TV. First up is of course... CHAOS. You can check the list out by just going to the listed link below. **** Your Guide To Made-Up Government Agencies'Chaos'( Sergei Bachlakov / CBS ) By Los Angeles Times staff writers March 31, 2011 The mystery surrounding the real Central Intelligence Agency and other top-secret organizations has led TV show creators to fashion many fictional, often outrageous, government unit creations over the years. They're usually put together to save the world, mete out justice, do the things others won't do, etc. One of the latest of these is a group of rogue CIA agents who work in the made-up Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services. But there are many more. As seen on: "Chaos" Mission: To combat threats to national security amid bureaucratic gridlock, rampant incompetence and political infighting. Worth the taxpayers' money? Sure, if they can really fulfill their mission statement. If not, they'd be just another unit in the department-of-redundancy department. Source: Los Angeles Times - Fictional Government Agencies Gallery
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Post by Cindy on Apr 4, 2011 20:46:11 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! Here are 2 more positive reviews I found AFTER the Premiere was aired. I really like the SpoilerTV one since it does go into a little detail on what the Pilot was about. I have to say I LOVE the description of Michael there... 'Michael is the poker faced player, always coming up with wicked plans in his mind that most of the times have dirty tricks in them.' Oh yeah... That really describes him to the 't' there. LOL! I also had to laugh at the part where the reviewer thought that the 'Pilot' was going to be 'serious'... Why? Because Eric is in it and that's what he usually does... Let's just say the reviewer was very pleasantly surprised when it wasn't the case... Hehe! And you know what else... From what I have seen around the net, a lot of positive reactions and feedback for the show after the episode was aired... which is quite unusual... [glow=red,2,300]Episode 1.01 - 'Pilot'[/glow]Chaos – Episode 1.01 – Pilot - Review Posted by Javelin at Sunday, April 03, 2011 First there was Body of Proof and now it is time to try the Chaos pilot. I have to say that I had only read very very little about this show and had seen no promos or sneak peeks or anything at all for that matter, nor had I known much about any of the actors. But even so, I said “hey, let’s give it a try”. And I thought “Chaos”… well this sounds like serious stuff and Eric Close is playing in it, it surely has to do with…well, serious stuff. But no, it most surely does not. Unless you’re counting how seriously faced these guys are playing their roles. Frankly, I’m surprised they get through filming the scenes; I laughed so well during this episode! I haven’t had this kind of a breakthrough since Raising Hope and I’m so glad I tried it on, because it suits me perfectly and I just hope it does well and ends up being picked up for another season. It’s an underdog show, but that’s what’s so great about it! And it’s so funny, sadistically funny at points, packed with action, both dynamic and hilarious, has 4 brilliant actors interpreting very individualized (maybe even stereotyped), juicy and humorous characters that have bold, quirky, catching personalities and exchange comically savvy lines. Did I mention it’s funny? Think of it as a Chuck meets Lethal Weapon meets Die Hard kind of show. Chuck may seem like the odd one out in that group, but I find that Rick Martinez, the character of Freddy Rodriguez, resembles him a bit in the nerdy, clumsy, naive, overachiever kind of way. His fiancée left him for his brother, he trained his whole life to enter the CIA and now that he finally gets the chance to do it, the director of Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services, or as they fondly like to call it, Chaos – tells him that due to budget cuts he can no longer offer him the job he wants. But our Mr.. Martinez is a passionate Puerto Rican with a dream and a goal to his life and he will not take no for an answer. So, motivated by the little man’s speech, or rather said, fondly amused by it and struck with the light of a new possibility, the director gives him another job: to be what Ricky has always dreamt of: a spy!… and also his mole in the department of Disruptive Services. Here comes the Lethal Weapon meets Die Hard part in the combination. The department of Disruptive Services is mainly composed of three guys… three peculiar guys (and let’s leave it at that), with a higher sense of justice than their sense of duty; and by that I mean that these guys are really good at what they do and it doesn’t matter to them as much the how they achieve their means, but more that they’ve done everything they possibly could to achieve them. What keeps them in the force is that they know the people and the ways to get them out of the trouble they get themselves into. That’s why they’re considered a cancer; they’re pretty much rouge agents with C.I.A. badges that let them use (more or less) the agency’s resources. But, as their higher commander wishes them gone and makes no effort to welcome their stay in his department longer than their latest screw up, these guys learn to make do with what they can and find; meaning they cheat, steal and borrow, without ever returning stuff back. Michael, Eric Close’s character, is the leader of the pack – a “tactical genius with a fevered brain”, or so I think the Scottish man spoke, but who can actually understand all that he says. Michael seems like the normal, serious, introverted type, but make no mistake, he’s far from normal. He’s the leader for a reason and he’s the one who leads these boys in all kinds of trouble in the name of justice, people protection and so on and so forth. The Scottish guy is Billy. He’s, well… a bit wee insane, but that’s just how I like my Scottish men. And then there is Casey, the Human Weapon. Describing these guys in detail would be unfair because they really deserve to be watched. They’re funny on their own, but as a team they’re hilarious. First they trick Ricky into giving papers that contained national secrets to a “known Russian operative”, in order to blackmail him into becoming rogue himself and disobeying the director’s (Higgins) orders. Then they decide to take the matter into their own hands and fly to Sudan in order to release a French freelance reporter, with dual citizenship, from the rebels’ capture, without actual permission. The plan comes well as far as them stealing the money they needed for ransom from the counterfeit office, finding horses to travel the desert and getting rather safely to the rebel’s camp. Ricky is there to translate and save Michael’s fingers from getting chopped off, by eating a scorpion. But as their fierce leader goes into the prisoner’s tent to find the man they came for, he finds over a dozen others. So a new plan comes into shape. Without even talking, the three decide to dope Ricky and send him to be captured so they could force Higgins’ hand into conducting an air raid on the rebels and saving all the prisoners. But the excitement, the comic and the wonderfulness of this show doesn’t really come from what the characters do, but how they do it. Michael is the poker faced player, always coming up with wicked plans in his mind that most of the times have dirty tricks in them. Bill may not be just as charming as Martin Riggs, because let’s face it – there’s only one Mel Gibson, but he is just as mad and does a just as fine impersonation of Connery. And Casey is in fact a lethal weapon trapped in a boring biology teacher’s body, which is actually the perfect disguise. And as for Ricky, well… he’s the little Puerto Rican that could; confused, out of the loop, naive and full of heart, this little fella is full of his own tricks and surprises. I hope people get this show. It’s on a Friday night, it’s not your typical soap, but it’s got soul and we need more of that around here. Source: SpoilerTVAnd here's Assignment X review for the 'Pilot'. They gave it a sold 'B+' for it! Wohoo! **** TV Review: CHAOS – Season 1 – “Pilot” ©2011 CBS/Jason Bell Eric Close, James Murray, Freddy Rodriguez and Tim Blake Nelson in CHAOS - Season 1An enjoyable throwback that feels like a cross between M*A*S*H and THE A-TEAM Grade: B+ By RACHEL REITSLEFF / Contributing Writer Posted: April 4th, 2011 / 01:54 PM Stars: Freddy Rodriguez, Eric Close, James Murray, Tim Blake Nelson, Carmen Ejogo, Christina Cole, Kurtwood Smith Writer: Tom Spezialy Director: Brett Ratner Network: CBS, Fridays @ 8 PM Airdate: April 1, 2011 An action comedy series centered around a CIA covert ops team may not sound like the most likely marriage of tone and premise, but creator Tom Spezialy manages it surprisingly well in the opening episode of CHAOS. By taking Dudley-Do-Right aspiring agent Rick Martinez (Freddy Rodriguez) through a trial-by-trickery first few days on the job, we get to like both him and his tormentors on the ODS team, leader Michael Dorset (Eric Close), Scot and former British Secret Service agent Billy Collins (James Murray) and laconic “human weapon” Casey Malick (Tim Blake Nelson). CIA high-up H.J. Higgins has given Rick the job of spying on the other three, but they are on to him the moment he steps through the office door. However, the quartet bond during a hostage rescue mission that is so covert that nobody has actually sanctioned it. Brett Ratner, one of CHAOS’ executive producers, directed the pilot. It remains to be seen whether other episodes will have this level of action, but the good news is, even if they don’t, the banter and byplay are actually funny. The slam-bang team aspect is reminiscent of THE A-TEAM, but the idea of a military unit determined to help the helpless no matter what the higher-ups say, cracking jokes in the midst of crisis, is very much in the spirit of M*A*S*H, with just a hint of THE OFFICE in the mix for good measure There are little surprises along the way, like how far the ODS guys will go to make sure Rick behaves. We even get a logical explanation for the swift escalation of the relationship between Rick and fellow agent Fay Carson (Carmen Ejogo). Rodriguez is just fine as the idealistic young man who’s a little craftier than he looks, albeit nowhere near the game-playing skills of his brethren. Murray has a lot of fun wielding his Scottish accent and Close is reliably in control as Michael. The most intriguing member of the quartet is Nelson, who makes Casey a figure of deadpan unpredictability. Smith, no stranger to authoritarian roles, makes Higgins the kind of autocrat we automatically want to see thwarted and Ejogo plays Fay with intelligence and charm. There are moments where CHAOS hints at the potential deadliness of the CIA, but mostly takes aim at unambiguous bad guys and petty office politics. If you are in the mood to see wise-cracking friends doing the right thing while thumbing their noses at the Man, this is the show for you.Source: Assignment X
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Post by Cindy on Apr 5, 2011 21:03:55 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! All right... Back to this... Hehe! I found a 2 more reviews... both of them surprisingly positive! So YAY for that. One of the review being the one that Martha Haight tweeted about. So I thought I post it on here too. First up is the Daemon's TV review. I love the description for Michael... 'stoic and mysterious head guy'... Hehe! Aside from that, I'm glad that the reviewer did bring up the whole Rick and Fay part up... Heck, she even went to say that having Michael brood about them is dull and cliche and that's she is relieved they skpped right over it. Aside from that, Daemon's TV also provided link to Netflix, iTunes and the CBS to watch the 'Pilot' online. Just go the link below to check the links out. [glow=red,2,300]Episode 1.01 - 'Pilot'[/glow]CHAOS “Pilot” ReviewAUTHOR: Candice POSTED ON: Apr 2, 2011 CHAOS “Pilot” Season 1 Episode 1 - Rick Martinez joins the CIA to become a badass spy, not a mole. Reluctantly planted in the Office of Disruptive Services, a subdivision of the Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services (CAOS, from which the show’s title is derived), Rick’s job is to watch what the ODS get up to and report back to their Director. Fortunately for Rick, the ODS team are actually really good at what they do. Their working relationship begins with blackmail, but ends with (an almost) mutual trust as Rick realises just how far the ODS team will go, and how many rules they will break, in their quest to do what’s right. I really enjoyed Chaos. The start of the episode was a little clunky as everyone was introduced to both Rick and the audience, but then everything came together to deliver a great storyline and some tight, amusing dialogue. By the end of the episode it felt as though the ODS team had been on my television for half a season. About the ODS: the program was created by Reagan as a return to the days when operations were identified, plan and implemented by a single team (thanks, Rick). Let’s be completely honest here – that’s possibly the worst description ever. It’s also the best: this premise allows Chaos to go wherever it wants and have the ODS team do whatever it wants. They’re not police or CSIs catching bad guys, if anything they’re more like the Leverage team, doing whatever they want to/have to/can do as long as the outcome serves the side of good. The main foursome were pretty fantastic. After his cheesy introduction, I expected Rick to be a weak ‘straight man’ type character, but he played well against the established ODS guys – the Scottish charmer Billy, the somewhat nerdy muscle Casey, and the stoic, mysterious head guy Michael.I’m really curious to know what everyone thought of Billy’s accent. It was quite a thick Scottish brogue for a mainstream US television series. Did you understand him clearly, dear reader? I must admit that I didn’t actually know there was a Scottish character in the series before watching this episode, so Billy was definitely a surprise for me. I wonder what he did that was so bad he had to be deported to the US? Casey made me laugh right out loud. After the mentions of Casey being the muscle of the group with absolutely nothing to back it up, I was expecting him to be a running joke for the series, ever present and never useful. Who knew he could actually kick ass? I can’t wait to find out more about him in future episodes and to see what other skills he’s got hidden away. Michael is the typical deadpan leader with the broken marriage behind him, a staple of episodic television shows. But we learn that he may be a bit paranoid (although that could have been a ruse from Billy) and is definitely a little overbearing. Rick dating Carmen, Michael’s ex-wife can only cause tension between the guys. I have to give Chaos props for knowing when to skip the preamble and get to the point. Spending half a dozen episodes on a Rick-Carmen flirtation while Michael broods in the background would have been both cliche and dull – so they simply had Rick and Carmen agree that they were in a steady relationship from the outset. Awesome. Of course, a relationship started in such a backwards manner is sure to be a bumpy one, but it’s also bound to be hilarious. With such an open premise and characters that have a lot of backstory to be filled in, Chaos has a wide scope for future plots. Who knows what they’ll pull out of the bag for next week? I can’t wait to find out. Source: Daemon's TVAnd here's the other review I was talking about. Overall, good review... and of course, they did bring up the dreaded 8pm time slot issue. Oh, before I forget, the reviewer got Eric's name wrong... Towards the end, the reviewer called him 'Cross'... and it took me a while to figure out that it was supposed to read 'Close'... Aside from that, I do like how everyone is having a blast with Michael's infamous 'Here's your computer with Windows 97 installed' and 'Look, when did you last go into a post office and think 'My God, I've walked into the future!' ;D **** Review: Chaos 1x1Posted 13 hours ago Tuesday, April 05, 2011 In the US: Fridays, 8/7c, CBS It's been 10 years since the tragedy of 9/11. Do you know how you can tell? 1.The date. Obviously. 2.The fact that virtually every new spy show or movie that comes out these days seems to be a comedy - or comedy-drama In the last few years on TV certainly, instead of the hardcore likes of 24, Threat Matrix et al, we've had InSecurity, Covert Affairs, Chuck and Undercovers, to name but a few. To that list - for a brief time at least - let us add Chaos, a show which at first glance looks like a very bad spy comedy but which soon metamorphoses into a surprisingly-not-awful dramedy full of action, crossing, double-crossing and mildly humorous situations. In it, CIA recruit Rick Martinez (Freddy Rodriguez) arrives on his first day at work to find government cutbacks have already made his job at the Clandestine Administration and Oversight Services (CHAOS) redundant. His boss (Kurtwood Smith) offers him the chance to stay with the agency provided he agrees to spy on a small department full of 'loose cannons' run by paranoid genius Eric Close (Dark Skies, Without a Trace, and Now and Again). He does and after they play with him for a while, he soon learns that they may actually be the only members of the CIA doing proper spy work any more... Because it's the law on US TV, there are no fewer than three Brits in the cast of seven: Carmen Ejogo, who hasn't been in much; Christine Cole (as of episode two), whom you might remember from the terrifyingly bad Sky 1 Buffy rip-off Hex; and James Murray, whom you might remember from the quite reasonable ITV1 Doctor Who rip-off Primeval - he got killed by dinosaurs. Well, you would if he weren't trying to do a (surprisingly acceptable) Scottish accent the whole time, anyway. Here's a trailer. PlotCHAOS 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. Rick Martinez was dismayed when his dream job as a spy was eliminated on his first day. However, CIA Deputy Director H.J. Higgins, 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, a psychologist turned CIA operative and a tactical genius motivated by pure paranoia. Working with Martinez is Scottish-born Billy Collins, de-commissioned from the British Secret Service and deported from the United Kingdom; Casey Malick, a 12 year veteran of the agency with an understated demeanor and the ability to transform into a "human weapon." While Martinez's instincts on who he can trust are constantly tested, he may have a worthy confidant in the new Deputy Director, Adele Ferrer, who seems to have his best interests at heart. Or should he rely on officer Fay Carson, 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. Is it any good?So for roughly the first five or ten minutes of this, you're going to be getting a very bad feeling about this. All its attempts at comedy as our hero navigates his way into the CIA are laughable - but not in a good way. It's not until it stops trying to be a comedy, relaxes a little, and introduces the other agents that things start to take off.In fact, it switches quite nicely into a proper spy show, veiled under the cover of the humour. There's blackmail, double-crosses, manipulation and jokes about the antiquated equipment government agencies get to use ("Here's your computer with Windows 97 installed... Look, when did you last go into a post office and think 'My God, I've walked into the future!'"). None of the characters can be trusted (or can they?), whether they're work colleagues, bosses or just friends. There are some semi-decent action scenes thanks to director Brett Ratner (although nothing more than that since he is 'the averaging director'). The characters are all well delineated and likeable. We have our naive and patriotic hero; Cross is the master spy who architects the politics and strategies; Murray is the Scottish (is that an Edinburgh or a Glasgow accent there? Oh wait, just briefly, it's English... and we're back to Sean Connery again) charmer; Tim Blake Nelson plays a surprisingly prissy and singularly implausible 'human weapon'; and Ejogo is the potential love interest, assuming she can be trusted. Murray in particular is surprising, since - accent aside, which to be fair, only wobbles occasionally - in contrast to his personality-less man-mountain Primeval role, he's actually quite animated and fun. With smarts, decent actions scenes, fun characters, few excursions into Chuck-like spy escapism and a nice edge, Chaos is a pretty decent show that deserves to do well. Unfortunately, it premiered on April Fools' Day in a doom slot - Friday at 8pm - which pretty much assures it early cancellation, particularly with a 6m rating on ratings powerhouse CBS. Hell, it'd be top rated on NBC. So don't get too attached, but enjoy it while you can, I'd say. Source: The Medium Is Not Enough TV Blog
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Post by Cindy on Apr 10, 2011 19:58:58 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! Another positive review from a reviewer who came on board late for the show. I don't think have posted this on here yet, so here we go. On another note... I have to say the number of positive reviews AFTER the 'Pilot' has been numerous, which usually is a rare feast. At least this reviewers admits that CHAOS has earned a permanent pass on his DVR. I'm curious to see how the DVR numbers are for the show. I will keep you posted on this. [glow=red,2,300]Episode 1.01 - 'Pilot'[/glow]First Thoughts: CBS’s Chaos Is Everything ButApril 10th, 2011 10:13 am ET Nick Arganbright Columbus TV Examiner They are in the CIA's sights Photo: CBS This Examiner Rates First Thoughts: Chaos: 3 stars out 5 ***CHAOS airs on the local CBS affiliate which is WBNS 10 TV and can be found on channel 10 . For HD channel versions, check your local cable or satellite provider for more information. ***While CBS has a niche of crime-television dramas, which I guess is okay, it just isn’t my bread and butter. Maybe I fell crime to shows like L0ST where the story is continued along (and some of you may debate this) but I really enjoy the idea that crime-shows or case of the week shows have some quirks to them. Chuck falls into this, among every hour-long show almost that is on the USA Network. It is also unique to note that Friday nights used to be a favorite night of mine. While only CBS’s show "Numb3rs" was on, since it left, I felt that Friday’s weren’t as cool to watch television. Luckily not only has Fox’s FRINGE changed the Friday landscape, it made Friday night enjoyable. To say CBS added to that is an understatement. The show in question is CBS’s freshman quirky CIA-dramedy Chaos. We follow the rookie-CIA-agent Rick Martinez (Freddy Rodríguez) who is sent on his first mission by Kurtwood Smith’s Higgins is to go undercover as a mole with a group of oddball rogue department operatives (James Murray’s Billy Collins, Eric Close’s Michael Dorset and Tim Blake Nelson’s Casey “The Human Weapon” Malick. What makes Chaos work is that the entire pilot and proceeding episode, it is clear you have no idea what is going on, or if you do, you have as much understanding as odd-man out Agent Martinez, who is constantly trying to figure out who’s side is he really on, or who is he being played against. And it’s quite affable and humorous and hits all the right spots. The beauty of the show is not having a clear bearing on what is what. And the cast of the fellow-CIA-ops are hit or miss in a show like this, and here they hit a bullseye.What I mean by that is that the show’s leading men, minus Rodríguez are so mysterious and full of silent and secret venom towards his Agent Martinez, you need a cast that charms the pants and you just like. And Murray, Close and Blake-Nelson all are likable. Which for CHAOS is where the show succeeds. The three teammates are so untrusting of Martinez, they constantly test him and put him out there, blackmailing him, saving him and also slowly in small ways, making him part of the team. While I’m not sure how long they can keep this up, and make it work once the secrets are all out there, and that will be the real test mind you, but so far, Chaos is anything but an enjoyable fun romp with witty and mysterious characters and has been given a permanent pass on my DVR. But what do YOU think, examiners? Did you like CBS’s new series CHAOS, that airs on Friday nights at 8:00PM Est/7:00PM Central ? Source: The Examiner
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Post by Cindy on Apr 12, 2011 13:16:13 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! Here's review for Episode 1.02 - 'Song Of The North'. This is from the same guy who practically wrote a wonderful review for the 'Pilot' only to be disappointed by this past week's episode. All because it was slow and was lacking action and excitement. I'm surprised he didn't even bring up the 'Blonde' that suddenly popped out of nowhere... Hopefully, this week's episode will have him back on board seeing how the promo was packed full of action there. [glow=red,2,300]Episode 1.02 -
'Song Of The North'[/glow]Chaos – Episode 1.02 – Song of the North - Review Posted by Javelin at Saturday, April 09, 2011 I don’t know what happened this week with the show, but it took a 180 turn for me. It’s just the second episode ever of Chaos and I feel like they should have tried more, they should have brought out the big guns, Tarantino style, or at least stick to the same rhythm. But I’m sad to say that the action was slow if any at all and the comedy just wasn’t there, the drama was just plain boring and the characters weren’t of any use to help save this episode. First of all I don’t know what’s with all those fired people still walking around the halls of the HQ in their bright white sneakers. In the pilot there was just that big guy but now they’ve multiplied. I guess they’re there to provide small bits of comedy in between the real action, which is cool – they’ve done their part, but I hope they don’t play that out forever. I’m willing to be that somehow in the future there will be a situation where their help will be needed and, of course, they will get their 15 minutes and then return to looming the halls like ghosts in nurses’ shoes. Or maybe they’ll be totally unpredictable and get a job. Second of all, I feel like I’ve seen this scenario way too many times before. Guy in communist/totalitarian country needs asylum in the US, guy has family back home, family is impossible to retrieve but Americans are such good hearted troopers that they decide to risk their necks for the good of anyone; the American squad makes a get in - get out plan, but they encounter more variables than they can handle and it’s too late to modify the plan, so time for a new one. This time they have to fight, but of course that Lady Fortune is with them and they make it past heavily armed but rather stupid seemly men, without one scratch, and safely get back in the land of freedom. They seem untouchable in every way. Touching reunion makes everyone sentimental and we all hope that next time it will somehow get better. It’s just the type of episode you expect to see at least towards the middle of the season, if not in season two, when they’ve already had some pretty amazing ones and can afford to slack off. And we’re supposed to find out more about the characters, to be even more intrigued by them, to be watching their every move and hang on their words breathlessly, not to be found thinking about the grocery list while they’re talking. This time Rick and Michael have failed to impress me with anything; Casey and Billy had all the few good lines that were inserted but they’re too stereotypical, don’t you think? Billy, the handsome blue-eyed charmer, with an accent and a mysterious past… Casey, the, I have to admit, not so likely hitter, with his quirkiness, his straight face, his brick wall built to hide his vulnerabilities… although, it was kind of a fondly moment to watch the guys bond and reveal a bit of their secret identities. Well, at least we found Higgins somewhat taking the ODS’s side this time. Sure he agreed to heir suicide mission, hopping they would fail, but he never indented for them to get killed. I’m curious if his heart will warm up to the guys by the end of the season. But then again, who will be the thorn in their soles? On other news, Currie Graham takes, once again, the role of the obnoxious, evil doer, power driven miscellaneous character, who seems to suit him like a glove. I remember him in The Mentalist and this sort of character, with a crazy twist, really is his thing. But I may be stereotyping him. Source: SpoilerTV
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Post by Cindy on Apr 16, 2011 11:15:18 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! Assignment X just posted this interview with Tim Blake Nelson this morning... and whoa! The man is like super busy. He is an actor/writer/director AND filmmaker. Where does he find all the time to do this? Seriously... Tim does briefly talk about a stunt he did for Episode 1.03 - 'Love & Rockets'... which is probably why they decided to release this interview in the first place. On another note, I wonder if Assignment X is going to post interviews of Eric and Freddy in the near future since we did get a James interview during Premiere week, which by the way you can find a few posts above. I will definitely keep you posted on it. [glow=red,2,300]Episode 1.03 -
'Love & Rockets'[/glow]Exclusive Interview: CHAOS Star Tim Blake Nelson Has Become A Lethal WeaponThe actor talks about his action prowess in the new CBS action comedy By ABBIE BERNSTEIN / Contributing Writer Posted: April 16th, 2011 / 07:35 AM James Murray, Tim Blake Nelson, Eric Close and Freddy Rodriguez in CHAOS - Season 1 |©2011 CBS/Monty BrintonIn CBS’s new Friday-night fairly lighthearted action series CHAOS, a team of four CIA agents often buck their bureaucratic bosses in order to cut through the red tape and just save people who need saving. Tim Blake Nelson (O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU?, SYRIANA, THE INCREDIBLE HULK as an actor, THE GREY ZONE as writer/director) plays Casey Malick, the group’s sarcastic “human weapon,” who has the fighting skills of Ethan Hunt, a ninja and River Tam all rolled into one average-looking guy. Nelson talks to ASSIGNMENT X about playing an Agency battler, plus his other current projects. ASSIGNMENT X: Does the series CHAOS fit your real-world view of the CIA? TIM BLAKE NELSON: Yeah, I suppose it does to a degree, on a macro level, because it’s examining inter-office politics, and I think those pervade any organization. I think on an ad hoc basis, sometimes it will and sometimes it won’t, but my own character – there’s very little that’s come out of his mouth that we’ve shot so far that feels inauthentic. And ultimately that’s largely what you’re responsible for. AX: Are you enjoying the “I’m a human weapon” aspect of playing Casey? NELSON: Yeah, I love that. And the fighting is a lot of fun, because I’ve never done that. My body is changing and my outlook on life is changing to a degree. I train three times a week in Krav Maga. And I’m a little Jewish guy from Oklahoma, and I’m kind of scrawny and so suddenly, I actually, when I walk down the street, in a strange way, although it’s apocryphal, because of course anybody can still beat me up, I feel different. And I think that’s part of what’s exciting about acting – experiencing how these roles can change you on a cellular level. AX: What’s the most fun physical thing you’ve gotten to do on the show so far? NELSON: The fighting has been the most fun. There’s a flying spin-kick that I do in the Russia episode, which is our third episode.AX: You are in a lot of films that just came out or are scheduled to come out this year – FLYPAPER, YELLING TO THE SKY, DETACHMENT, SIN BIN, THE BIG YEAR and EVERYBODY LOVES WHALES. How did you find time to do all of those movie roles, plus CHAOS? NELSON: I’ve been working a lot this [past] year. FLYPAPER [is] a lot of fun. That premiered at Sundance. Plus the network really did me a favor. I’m sure you guys know that for a moment, we were canceled, or not picked up, and then they decided to pick us up. And so that extended the hiatus I was able to fit two more films in in that time. AX: Are you playing leads in the films? NELSON: No, character roles. They’re all nice character roles. It’s just more fun. I’m going to record a song with T-Bone Burnett for the next movie I’m going to do, called BLUE MOON OF KENTUCKY. It’s about Bill Monroe. I’m playing Lester Flatt. AX: When you’re working in that many movies, it seems like some of the shoots must overlap. How do you keep everything straight in your head? NELSON: You know, the characters I end up getting to play are so distinctive, and the demands are so particular, that that has never been difficult. AX: Do you have any other projects that we should know about? NELSON: Yeah. The movies that are on IMDB I’m very excited about, and then I’ve written a new movie that I intend to make that is a larger fantasy movie that is based on a story I told my children, and that’s called THE GYRE and hopefully I’ll be making that whenever I get a break from this. AX: Besides being an actor, you’re also a writer/director/filmmaker. Did you have any hesitation in taking a role on a series, because obviously that would cut into your filmmaking time? NELSON: You know, I guess you do have to be somewhat strategic, but for a lot of reasons, almost a constellation of reasons, I took this show. I do love acting and I love the part and so I had to go with my gut. The fact is, I’ll be making films for the next forty years, so – well, that would be [at age] eighty-six – maybe thirty years. AX: Hey, Clint Eastwood’s still out there making movies … NELSON: I can’t imagine this is going to hurt him. And I also write while I’m working as an actor, because you have downtime, so I’ll come out of this with two new scripts to make as a filmmaker and I’ll be paid [during that time] to write. Source: Assignment X
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Post by Cindy on Apr 18, 2011 19:22:46 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! Argh!!! Stupid, stupid CBS! In case you haven't heard already... Deadline is reporting that CBS has yanked CHAOS off the schedule just after 3 freaking episodes... replacing with some other crappy show called 'Flashpoint'. Gesh! Why bother fighting getting the show on board and then dooming it at death timeslot afterwards... I just DON'T get CBS there! And the thing is, based on the article, the final ratings were a tenth up in the 18-49 demo range. Well, here's the news... I'm sure all the naysayers are just jumping up and down with joy with the news. PS: I'm going to post this in the 'Ratings' Thread as well since there's a mentioning of last week's ratings... not that it matters now anyway... [glow=red,2,300]CHAOS
Pulled From Schedule[/glow]CBS Pulls 'Chaos,' Brings Back 'Flashpoint'By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Monday April 18, 2011 @ 4:23pm PDT CBS has pulled midseason series Chaos off the schedule after three low-rated airings in the challenging Friday 8 PM time slot. The CIA dramedy most recently drew a 1.0/3 in 18-49 and 5.7 million viewers this past Friday. That was actually up a tenth in the demo from the previous week but way below what Medium and The Defenders were pulling in the slot earlier this season. For the next two weeks, CBS will air CSI: NY repeats in the 8 PM hour, with Canadian-made backup Flashpoint stepping in May 6 with originals. CBS fought hard to land Chaos in dramatic negotiations with producer 20th Century Fox TV that lasted a couple of months last summer. Source: Deadline
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Post by Cindy on Apr 18, 2011 21:14:53 GMT -5
Hiya everyone! And here's Hollywood Reporter announcement on the latest news. *sighs* Do note that the article is using prelim rating numbers rather than final numbers. On another note, does anyone what's going to happen to the rest of the episodes? I still would love to see them... and from the various reaction on the net, I'm not the only one there... [glow=red,2,300]CHAOS
Pulled From Schedule[/glow]CBS Pulls 'Chaos' From Schedule After Three EpisodesIn its most recent episode, the spy series averaged 5.5 million viewers and a 0.9 rating in the key demo of adults 18-49. April 18 9:46 PM 4/18/2011 by Kimberly Nordyke Courtesy of CBSCBS has pulled the low-rated spy series Chaos from its schedule after three episodes. The dramedy, which stars Freddy Rodriguez and Eric Close, debuted to 6.4 million viewers in its April 2 premiere but managed only a 1.1 rating in the key demo of adults 18-49. In its second week, Chaos fell to 5.6 million viewers and a 0.9, with its third episode pulling in 5.5 million viewers and a 0.9 on Friday. CBS greenlighted Chaos in November with a 13-episode pickup. The move came after a reported disagreement with 20th Century Fox TV over the episode order that had threatened to derail the entire project. Source: Hollywood Reporter
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