Visiting MIDNIGHT, TEXAS

Article first published as MIDNIGHT, TEXAS Season 2 Set Visit on Seat42F. (many more photos available at this link)

NBC’s MIDNIGHT, TEXAS returns for a second season this Friday. If you missed season one last summer, there’s still time to catch up on all ten episodes through Hulu. Or you can just jump in when it returns. But assuming you caught the show, based on the books by Charlaine Harris (True Blood), here’s a bit of a preview for season two, cobbled together from interviews during a recent set visit.

And yes, there will be spoilers. This is a preview, after all.

Season two picks up basically where the first year left off. A hotel has opened in sleepy Midnight, founded by new characters Patience (Jaime Ray Newman, The Punisher) and Kai Lucero (Nestor Carbonell, Bates Motel). They are gypsies who have been going from town to town healing people. They’ve faced some skeptics, and they found some believers. Now they’re ready to settle down and open up a more permanent shop. And they’ve chosen Midnight as the location, an invading presence in a town still trying to settle down from the last big event.

Carbonell, whom you may recognize from Lost, and who was sought after because the new show-runners worked with him on Ringer, looked to Reiki as a way to ground the character. He says the cast is made up of the nicest people, all so welcoming and willing to take big swings, and open to trying things in new ways. He’s very happy to have joined the ensemble. Carbonell learned to trust the moment and the director on Lost, especially during his 13-day shoot (a normal episode takes about eight days) on his character’s backstory episode, which was far different than he had imagined. Now, he brings those skills and experience to MIDNIGHT, TEXAS.

The hotel itself is a sprawling, impressive, versatile set, featuring a pool in the lobby that will definitely get some use. It’s a big of a departure for sleepy, lived-in Midnight. The building is also apparently “so much worse than just being haunted; you’ll wish that was the only problem.”

The hotel isn’t the only thing new that has come to MIDNIGHT, TEXAS. With showrunner Monica Owusu-Breen having left to oversee the new Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot (which the cast universally insists she will ‘slay’), writer duo Eric Charmelo and Nicole Snyder (Supernatural), who worked on season one, have stepped into her shoes.

Nicole and Eric said their instructions for season two were clear: make it soapier, sexier, and scarier – essentially, like True Blood, but for network television. (Though not with the obvious move, bringing in Quinn, the weretiger character who appears in both book series. He’s still MIA this year.) With much of the material of the trilogy of books having been covered in the first two seasons, they also had a goal to set up the world for a much longer, larger, more dynamic story.

Everyone involved in the production seems to agree that they have succeeded in this. The action is more sprawling, no longer confined to Midnight, and more serialized. The cast claims the two-hour finale, which they were shooting during the set visit, and which involved a lot of night shooting, will blow your mind. Nothing has been spared.

Oh, and the great Jaime Murray (Defiance, Warehouse 13) has also come on board in an ‘integral’ role, though details about her part were not revealed.

Of course, not everything is about the new cast and sets. Fan favorite characters are well-served, too, with blossoming relationships explored and a threat coming from within, leaving you to wonder who is friend and who is foe.

Manfred (Francois Arnaud) still has to deal with the black ooze coming out of his ear at the end of season one. Plagued by “demon cancer,” he’s not quite himself as the story gets back underway. And he is beset by nightmares that aren’t just nightmares. Can he vanquish demons not just from the outside world, but from within himself, too?

At least it’ll be easy to hide the illness from his squeeze, Creek (Sarah Ramos), who is away at school, and so not around to catch him behaving badly. (Although Ramos is no longer a series lead, she will appear in season two of MIDNIGHT, TEXAS.)

Bobo (Dylan Bruce) has a few different things to contend with. For one, he’s bought the Cartoon Saloon, giving the place a Merlot’s-like feel. Second, he is enjoying his new relationship with Fiji (Parisa Fitz-Henley), his best friend.

Though, things will not necessarily go swimmingly for them. Haunted by past mistakes, Fiji has a lot about herself to figure out. Not to mention, being with her is going to endanger Bobo with a Final Destination-esque plot. So let’s hope the couple can get through that and come out the other side alive.

Perhaps a bit less dramatic is the wedded bliss of Olivia (Arielle Kebbel) and Lem (Peter Mensah). The couple has a few things to work on, such as re-decorating their shared living space into something suitable for them both, and the psychic connection they now have after Lem drank Olivia’s blood. But those aren’t deadly issues. Just fun.

Olivia has had a lot of emotional pain in her life, and this season will provide some healing. Not that she’s stopped being a badass assassin; quite the opposite. But she needs to learn how to embrace the wonderful parts of life, too, and to figure out how to be strong enough to be vulnerable.

Kebbel also promises satisfying, big resolution between Olivia and Madonna (Kellee Stewart), who was revealed to be working for Olivia’s father at the end of last season.

Then there’s Joe (Jason Lewis), whom after a millennia of hiding, is trying to figure out what his life is now. This will lead to some fresh temptations for the angel, and Joe will be forced to confront the person he was.

Which is not to say that season two of MIDNIGHT, TEXAS is backwards-looking. While the past does play into character development, it’s used to inform how the characters grow moving forward, not driving the plot as it sometimes did in season one.

It’s been said that Friday nights are a great night for genre television on the broadcast networks, and with MIDNIGHT, TEXAS moving into the regular season – albeit for a nine-episode run this fall, rather than trying to complete a full twenty-some episodes – let’s hope that stays true. The new and expanded sets look great, the story teased is intriguing, and the cast and crew seem to be having a lot of fun. I look forward to going along for the ride with them.

MIDNIGHT, TEXAS begins its second season this Friday on NBC.

After THE AFTER

Article first published as After THE AFTER on TheTVKing.

Nearly a year after releasing its first batch of comedy pilots, Amazon.com finally posted two dramas free to stream on their website. One of these pilots is The After, which is from Chris Carter (The X-Files), a suspenseful series send after a post-apocalyptic event. Eight strangers, bound by fate, not coincidence, must come together to survive, fleeing from the rest of the world.

The X-Files was a seminal show for science fiction television, and some of the creepy mystery that seeped through that program is repeated here. There is a creature (Sam Littlefield) with weird tattoos in the woods, and no one can explain to our protagonists what is happening. Even after viewing the entire "Pilot," the long-term plot still seems murky.

But the mistake comes by making The After about a "random" group of strangers thrust together by circumstance. This concept has been done to death, and with much better ensembles. Those that make up the cast are mostly familiar faces, and none of them are bad actors. But neither is this the next Lost, and the layers that begin to peel away in the "Pilot" are predictable and formulaic.

Our central heroine is Gigi Generau (Louise Monot, The Avignon Prophecy), an aspiring actress with a thick French accent, currently stuck far away from her beloved (Jason Lewis, Sex and the City) and their child. She is joined by an 'innocent' ex-con (Aldis Hodge, Leverage), an asshole lawyer (Adrian Pasdar, Heroes), a likely prostitute (Arielle Kebbel, The Vampire Diaries), a gay clown (Jamie Kennedy, Ghost Whisperer), a senile millionaire (Sharon Lawrence, NYPD Blue), a foul-mouthed drunk (Andrew Howard, Hatfields & McCoys), and a cop (Jaina Lee Ortiz, The Shop).

This grouping is a lot like that assembled by broadcast network series with a similar format, such as The Nine and Lucky Seven. There isn't any single actor who stands out as amazing, and though they play their parts well enough, we're taught not to take the characters at face value, which makes it hard to trust any of the players. None of these other shows lasted, so why should The After?

What will set it apart from that category is the gratuitous nudity and frequent dropping of the F-bomb. But don't mistake The After as being HBO or Showtime level quality, as the writing is far less smart. There are some intriguing elements, to be sure, but it's not looking like the next must-see serial drama.

This is evidenced by the other people we see. While the cast is escaping from a parking garage to a mansion to the forest, the general public riots, tries to flip their vehicle, offers no assistance, even from law-enforcement, and tries to rob Lawrence's character's home with guns. The rest of the world's population is shown as a two-dimensional menace, with only the main players getting any development at all. This doesn't bode well for sustainability.

While I do have very mixed feelings on The After, enjoying it but not really respecting it, I probably will watch if it goes to series. After all, at least it's not another police procedural, and it's trying a few new things. Plus Carter's involvement gives me hope there are some bigger, well-thought out arcs that could be brought into the fold down the road. But as a "Pilot," it lacked authenticity and any real, lasting draw. Very disappointing, considering Amazon has only ordered two drama offerings versus eleven comedies so far.

The After is available now on Amazon.com.

The Vampire Diaries haunted by "Ghost World"

     This week's entry of the CW's The Vampire Diaries is called "Ghost World." Damon (Ian Somerhalder) is surprised to be attacked by Mason Lockwood (Taylor Kinney), whom he killed. Then other ghosts begin showing up. Elena (Nina Dobrev) is pleased to see Lexi (Arielle Kebbel), who agrees to help Elena try to get through to Stefan (Paul Wesley). Stefan is still out of touch with his humanity, thanks to Klaus (Joseph Morgan). The deceased tomb vampires terrorize the town again. Bonnie (Kat Graham) is jealous of Jeremy's (Steven R. McQueen) closeness to his dead ex, Anna (Malese Jow). Luckily, Bonnie's grandmother, Sheila (Jasmine Guy), returns to help her send the ghosts, including the tomb vampires, Mason, Lexi, and Anna, back to the other side.

     "Ghost World" is thrilling because a number of characters fans think they may never seen again pop back up. Anna has been around for a handful of episodes now, but seeing Lexi, Mason, Sheila, and others is a fun diversion. The notable absence from all of this crazy is Jenna (Sara Canning). Not that there isn't enough going on already, but it would be nice if she appeared, considering how Elena, Jeremy, and Alaric (Matthew Davis) are still struggling to cope with her loss.

     Mason is the most surprising of the ghosts who invade Mystic Falls. When last seen, Mason is kind of a bad guy. But death changes him, making him realize what is really important in life. This time, Mason's biggest concern is helping his nephew, Tyler (Michael Trevino), who is Klaus's new hybrid vampire / werewolf. As such, Mason is able to put aside his differences with Damon, as he realizes that Damon is his best shot at taking out Klaus, thus freeing Tyler from very negative influence.

     Damon continues to struggle with whether he can be good or not. With Stefan going evil, there is a vacuum of positive vampire influence in town. Damon resists filling that gap, and yet, cannot help doing so to some extent. He's not warm and cuddly, barely apologizing to Mason for killing him, and only because he is forced to. But his friendship with Alaric, well on the way to a true bromance, feels more real, even if Damon won't verbally express his feelings. And, of course, he has true affection for Elena, which motivates him into helping her whenever possible.

     When Stefan returns to his right mind, will Damon go back to being bad? It seems like one of the Salvatore brothers must be somewhat ornery, because, despite their brotherly love, they can't stand being on the same page too often. Or, at least, Damon can't. He may be changed significantly by his time being the good brother, which he has been in the past, but this is unlikely to cause a permanent light to grow in Damon's soul. He struggles with both sides of his personality, and neither will ever win completely.

     Stefan was bad long before The Vampire Diaries begins, but within the relatively short span of a television series, he may not be able to get back to as truly good as he appears in the first couple of seasons. He kills too many people and acts like such a jerk to Elena, it's a wonder that she can maintain her love for him, under the circumstances. Sure, she realizes intellectually that Stefan isn't completely responsible for his actions. But he isn't completely innocent, either. Elena' determination to save Stefan's soul is likely to rob her of many of her feelings for the guy, even if she is convinced it isn't right to stop working to save him.

     Jeremy's love triangle with Anna and Bonnie is equally complicated. Bonnie has every right to be jealous that her boyfriend is spending romantic time with his ex. Yet, it's hard to blame Jeremy in "Ghost World" because of the circumstances. After all, he is still in love with Anna when she dies. How does one choose between a woman with whom his relationship is never resolved, and the one he is with now? Under normal circumstances, Jeremy's actions would be inexcusable. With such a complex set of happenings, though, it's hard to find fault with Jeremy as he sorts through the dilemma as best he can.

     That does not mean that Bonnie does not have a point when she gets angry at Jeremy. She is right when she says that Matt (Zach Roerig) lets go of his sister quicker than Jeremy can dismiss Anna. That means there is something wrong between Bonnie and Jeremy. Jeremy should have gotten over Anna by now, and be moving on. Or else he should not be with Bonnie. This calls into question whether Bonnie is some sort of rebound for Jeremy, rather than true love. If Jeremy is into Bonnie as much as she is into him, he wouldn't let anyone stand in their way, even someone from his past.

     Though Anna steals the necklace that can send the ghosts home in "Ghost World," she isn't a bad guy. Her actions are because she doesn't want to lose Jeremy again. Considering that their breakup is against both of their wishes, a second chance is something they deserve. But they cannot have it. Anna realizes this, after innocent townspeople are killed by the tomb vampires, and hands the jewelry back over to Bonnie. She is a good girl, and will not let others die just so she can be happy. It makes her return to the other side almost as tragic as the first time, albeit more noble.

     Bonnie is becoming downright scary in The Vampire Diaries. Her magical abilities raise Jeremy from the dead and allow ghosts to come through to this world. Considering her emotional reactions, Bonnie doesn't seem stable enough to be trusted with such awesome power. One who can command elements with that much far-reaching consequence should be wise, not a young girl who can't make up her mind about important matters. Sheila is kind to her granddaughter when helping clean up the mess, but maybe she should be a little more stern. Bonnie needs to stop messing with things she doesn't fully understand, at least until she gets a better head on her shoulders.

     During the town crisis in "Ghost World," Caroline (Candice Accola) saves Carol Lockwood (Susan Walters) from the tomb vampires. Will this mean a whole new relationship for Caroline and her boyfriend's mother? Carol is getting over Caroline's vampire status, after seeing that Tyler is also a supernatural being. But there isn't a lot of affection between the two women. Watching Caroline risk her life to save Carol's should help Carol change her tune. Even if it isn't totally believable that Caroline can take on a bunch of older, more powerful vamps on her own and triumph for very long.


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Article first published as TV Review: The Vampire Diaries - "Ghost World" on Blogcritics.

Life Unexpected tries too hard to be unexpected

Before you begin reading this review, you may want to re-read my season finale review from last April.

     Last year, the CW presented a little-watched show that was a surprise pick-up for a second season this year. Life Unexpected was incredibly charming, and I was thrilled when it got renewed, well after I thought it dead. I was even more surprised, and disappointed, to watch the season premiere, "Ocean Uncharted." It wasn't that it was a terrible hour of television; it's just that I know from past efforts that LU can do so much better than this. My biggest complaint is that the show just feels like it's trying too hard. It's stunt storytelling to bring in ratings. The show needs more viewers, but it won't get them if it replaces good writing with shock factors.

     The three most important characters all face earth-shattering events in the premiere. Baze (Kristoffer Polaha) is wondering what would have happened if he had only shown up at the church earlier. Would Cate (Shiri Appleby) have left Ryan (Kerr Smith) at the alter if Baze had arrived before their vows were exchanged? The self-reflection isn't bad, and actually shows Baze's maturation. Nor do I fault him for looking twice at the hot new waitress at his bar, Paige (Arielle Kebbel, Gilmore Girls). It's what happens because of Paige and why Paige will be sticking around for a while that I have a problem with. Don't worry. I won't spoil the surprises.

     Cate and Ryan have just returned from their honeymoon when the premiere episode begins. They took Lux (Brittany Robertson), so that she could have a vacation. Obviously, this did not allow them a traditional post-wedding trip, and we'll see if that has any consequences. Back at work, they learn that a new co-host will be joining them in the mornings, author Kelly Campbell (Amy Price-Francis, 24). She gives marriage advice, without being married herself. And Kelly is there to do more than just join the pair. Not only that, but Ryan seems to be hiding something significant from Cate. I know there needs to be suspense, hooks, and shakeups to get people to watch, but look how many things I mention in that short paragraph for just one episode. Trying way too hard.

     Lux doesn't have it any better than her parents. As soon as she arrives back in town, her boyfriend Bug (Rafi Gavron) wants something very big from her. As Lux has done before, she starts to fall for another boy (Shaun Sipos, Melrose Place) while pulling away from Bug. Even though the guy was new, the plot felt stale. And his twist has been done on many television shows before.

     There is a bright spot on the horizon, though. Emma Caulfield (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Beverly Hills 90210) will soon be joining the cast as the new boss of one of our main characters. Emma sure brought a breath of fresh air to Buffy when she joined the show mid-run. Let's hope she can deliver the same for Life Unexpected.

     Life Unexpected premieres this Tuesday at 9pm on the CW

Article first published as Life Unexpected Tries Too Hard to Be Unexpected on Blogcritics.