BBC showed off the special trailer to the Comic-Con crowd and now, finally, it’s available online. The Doctor Who 50th anniversary special titled “The Day of the Doctor” will air on November 23, 2013 in the US and the U.K., and this special trailer for the much-anticipated Doctor Who event features all of the Doctor’s incarnations.
Go ahead and geek out. It’s a perfectly acceptable reaction to the video.
A Little Bit of Trivia: Doctor Who was first broadcast on BBC One at 5:15pm on Saturday, November 23, 1963.
Dom Streater’s final collections for the final challenge of Project Runway season 12. (Photo by Barbara Nitke/Lifetime)
Lifetime’s ever-popular fashion series Project Runway has finished up its 12th season with Alexandria von Bromssen, Bradon McDonald, Dom Streater, and Justin LeBlanc making it all the way to the end. However, only one designer could be crowned winner, and this season that honor went to the Philadelphia-based designer who impressed the judges with her “Retro Redux” collection.
Season 12’s winner, Dom Streater, took home a prize package worth half a million dollars. The package included a 2014 Lexus IS 350; $150,000 from GoBank; $50,000 of next-generation technology from HP and Intel; a year’s supply of resource® Natural Spring Water; an all-expenses paid, luxurious spa retreat for two to the Maldives; a chance to design and sell an exclusive collection at Belk; a complete sewing and crafting studio from Brother Sewing and Embroidery; a fashion spread in Marie Claire magazine; a $100,000 fabric allowance from Tide Pods; and a $50,000 styling contract with L’Oréal Paris.
Also emerging a winner was Streater’s model, Rayuana Aleyce, who picked up $25,000 from L’Oréal Paris and s fashion spread in Marie Claire.
Carrie is a shy, 17 year-old girl who has been sheltered by her religious fanatic mother and is the social outcast at her local high school. One day after gym class, Carrie gets her very first period and not realizing what it is – because her crazy mother never taught her about puberty – panics, believing she is bleeding to death. Her classmates relish in her screams and cries and, led by Chris (Portia Doubleday), begin to torment Carrie, throwing female products at her while she cowers on the floor in tears. When the gym teacher, Ms. Desjardin (Judy Greer), discovers what has occurred she does her best to console Carrie, punishes the girls involved by making them run non-stop during gym, and suspends Chris for a week which means she won’t be allowed to attend prom. This, of course, makes Chris hate Carrie even more, blaming her for her own horrible behavior.
Once home, Carrie must deal with her mother who blames Carrie for imagined sins against God that caused the trouble and demands Carrie pray for forgiveness while locked in ‘her’ closet. It’s during Carrie’s struggle to get out she discovers she has telekinetic abilities when she cracks the door with her mind. Fascinated by this, Carrie starts practicing her newfound power in secret on objects and gets stronger and more precise with her talents.
Meanwhile, Sue (Gabriella Wilde), one of the girls who joined in on teasing Carrie, is feeling horrible about it and makes her boyfriend Billy (Alex Russell) promise to ask Carrie to the prom as a form of repentance. At first Carrie turns Billy down fearing it’s a mean prank, but when he shows up in front of her house still determined to take her to prom – or face glaring disapproval from Sue – Carrie agrees. When Chris finds out Carrie is attending the prom, she sets out to ruin it for her by setting up one of the meanest and disgusting pranks ever thought of.
Based on the Stephen King novel, Carrie benefits from two strong female leads but is still a lifeless, uninspired, and pointless remake of a film which got it right the first time around.
Chloe Grace Moretz delivers a solid performance as Carrie, the shy, tormented young girl who only wants to fit in and maybe find a friend or two. Her best scene in the film is during the prom when Carrie slowly begins to enjoy herself and begins to break out of her wallflower shell. Julianne Moore delivers the best performance in the film as the overly religious mom who created a home life any child would be justified to run away from. She ultimately becomes Carrie’s worst tormentor.
These two performances pale in comparison however to Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie’s Oscar nominated performances in the 1976 original film. Spacek conveyed both true vulnerability and menace as Carrie. Her wide-eyed stare and quick head turns as she uses her telekinetic powers to reign terror on her tormentors was truly frightening and compelling. Laurie was terrific as Carrie’s fanatical mom so much so it’s really hard accepting anyone else portraying the character. The struggle between Carrie and her mother was also much more intense in the original film. A perfect example of this is the scene when Laurie as Margaret is insisting Carrie not go to the prom and Spacek as Carrie uses her powers to startle her mother into silence and than calmly says to her, “I’m going to the prom mother…and I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” It’s a shocking and disturbing moment that’s handled perfectly by two great actresses and wonderfully directed by Brian De Palma.
The real problem with this retake on the story is the utter lack of suspense or terror. There are no scares. None. The CG special effects during Carrie’s attack on her tormentors and some innocents who have the bad fortune of being at the wrong place at the wrong time are effective but are not an improvement over the original film’s horrific prom scene.
Lacking suspense and flat, Carrie is an unnecessary remake which should be skipped in favor of watching the far superior 1976 film instead.
GRADE: C-
Carrie is rated R for bloody violence, disturbing images, language and some sexual content.
Michael Buble will be back delivering holiday cheer with another year-end special and this year Kelly Clarkson (I still can’t read that name without hearing Steve Carell scream it in 40 Year Old Virgin) will also be getting all cheery on NBC. Clarkson will be starring in A Christmas Carol-themed hour-long special set to air on December 11, 2013 at 10pm. Buble’s holiday special will debut on December 18th at 10pm.
“These two immensely talented Grammy Award-winning artists will be the perfect addition to the holiday season,” said Paul Telegdy, President, Alternative and Late Night Programming, NBC Entertainment. “We are looking forward to bringing their signature sounds into America’s homes.”
Clarkson’s special will film in Las Vegas because when you think year-end holiday season, you think Vegas. Keeping with the A Christmas Carol theme, her character will be learning all about the real meaning of Christmas. And Clarkson’s also displaying her holiday spirit with the release on October 25, 2013 of Wrapped in Red, her sixth studio album.
Buble’s annual special will feature some of his celebrity friends, and he’ll once again be performing some of his most popular songs.
Anna Faris and Allison Janney in ‘Mom’ (Photo Courtesy of CBS)
Go ahead and feel free to commit yourself to watch a full season of The Crazy Ones, The Millers, and Mom. CBS says all three new comedies will be sticking around for full first-season runs.
“We’re proud of CBS’s leadership position in comedy and excited to build on it with the back nine pick-ups of these three new comedies,” stated Nina Tassler, President, CBS Entertainment, announcing the full season pickups. “These series are creatively distinct, continue to improve each week, and are led by strong showrunners, writing and production staffs, and feature amazingly talented casts.”
According to CBS, The Crazy Ones is primetime’s #1 new comedy with 13.71 million people tuning in to laugh at Robin Williams, Sarah Michelle Gellar, James Wolk, Hamish Linklater and Amanda Setton. Coming in second is The Millers, starring Will Arnett, Beau Bridges, and Margo Martindale, with 12.41 million viewers.
Mom with Anna Faris and Allison Janney takes 3rd place in the most watched new comedy race, averaging nearly 8 million viewers.
Michael Marshall’s novel The Intruders is serving as the source material for the new BBC America series, Intruders. BBC American has greenlit the series from executive producer Glen Morgan (The X-Files) who will also be writing the scripts. Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner from BBC Worldwide Productions are also on board as executive producers.
Production will begin on eight one-hour episodes in spring 2014.
“Intruders features an imaginative premise that fits perfectly with BBC AMERICA’s signature block of complex and otherworldly dramas led by Doctor Who and Orphan Black,” said BBC America General Manager Perry Simon. “Glen Morgan has delivered a brilliant script, and we’re thrilled to be working with Glen, Jane Tranter, Julie Gardner and our colleagues at BBC Worldwide Productions on this provocative new series.”
“I am excited to be working with Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner who have been so groundbreaking in this genre across both sides of the Atlantic, and I am delighted BBC AMERICA has greenlit Intruders to series,” added Morgan.
Per BBC America, “the series is about a secret society devoted to chasing immortality by seeking refuge in the bodies of others.”
Lady Gaga and The Muppets will be helping to ring in the holiday season with the Lady Gaga & The Muppets Holiday Spectacular airing on ABC in November. The 90-minute special will include performances by Lady Gaga as well as Sir Elton John, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and RuPaul.
According to the network, Lady Gaga will be performing a few songs off of her new ARTPOP album, including a duet with Kermit the Frog. “What an incredible opportunity!” said Kermit the Frog. “We have a long history with Ms. Gaga, so we jumped at the chance to do a holiday special with her. We won’t even mind if she mistakes some of the Muppets for pieces of her wardrobe—again.”
The holiday special’s set to include a “dazzling rendition” of “Applause” performed with special Muppet guests. Lady Gaga will also duet with the non-Muppet guest stars and Kristen Bell (soon to be seen in the big screen adaptation of Veronica Mars) will appear in a sketch with Lady Gaga and the Muppets.
“I was so excited when ABC called me about doing a holiday special this year,” said Lady Gaga. “I knew it just wouldn’t be a complete night of laughter and memories without The Muppets! Can’t wait to see the gang again and I hope Miss Piggy’s still not mad about Kermit. We’re just friends!”
Lady Gaga & The Muppets Holiday Spectacular will premiere on November 28, 2013 at 9:30pm ET/PT on ABC. The Muppets’ new film, Muppets Most Wanted, will arrive in theaters on March 21, 2014.
Fans of the buddy drama Franklin & Bash should be happy to know TNT will be renewing the series for a fourth season. According to the network, the fourth season will consist of 10 episodes and will air next summer.
Breckin Meyer and Mark-Paul Gosselaar will be returning to star in the series along with Malcolm McDowell and Reed Diamond. The show, which is executive produced by Jamie Tarses, Kevin Falls, and Bill Chais, has been averaging 3.4 million viewers.
The Plot: “Franklin & Bash centers on Jared Franklin (Meyer) and Peter Bash (Gosselaar), two young, fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants street lawyers who caused a seismic culture clash when they joined Infeld-Daniels, a legendary, button-down law firm. The patriarch of the firm – the brilliant and eccentrically spontaneous Renaissance man Stanton Infeld (McDowell) – hired them because he admires how Jared sticks it to authority every chance he gets and how Peter is able to forge a personal connection with both judge and jury.
Since hanging their shingle at Infeld-Daniels, Peter and Jared have repeatedly butted heads with fellow lawyers, especially Damien Karp (Diamond), who disapproves of their casual style and law-skirting methods. Karp also happens to be Stanton Infeld’s nephew.”
Songs from Enchanted, The Little Mermaid, and The Lion King are among the selections that made the cut for the second pairing of the NOW That’s What I Call Music! franchise and Walt Disney Records. NOW That’s What I Call Disney 2 will hit stores on November 11, 2013 and will feature 20 original Disney and Pixar tunes. including the ever-popular “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.”
The first NOW That’s What I Call Disney CD was released last November.
“NOW is the top-selling recorded music franchise, and we’re proud to have successfully collaborated with Disney for the first NOW Disney title,” says NOW Music COO, Jerry Cohen. “Disney’s magical movie and song pool is so deep; we’re excited to continue the franchise with the equally compelling release of NOW Disney 2.”
“NOW is a natural collaboration for us and we are excited for the release of the second installment,” added Disney Music Group’s Senior Vice President, Global Marketing Robbie Snow. “This collection also spans several generations, so families can relive and rediscover memorable music moments from our classic films.”
NOW That’s What I Call Disney 2 [CD, digital]
1. “We Belong Together” – Toy Story 3
2. “Under the Sea” – The Little Mermaid
3. “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” – The Lion King
4. “I Wan’na Be Like You” (The Monkey Song) – The Jungle Book
5. “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” – Mary Poppins
6. “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” – Song of the South
7. “So This Is Love” – Cinderella
8. “Be Our Guest” – Beauty and the Beast
9. “Happy Working Song” – Enchanted
10. “It’s a Small World” – it’s a small world at the Magic Kingdom® Park
11. “I Won’t Say (I’m in Love)” – Hercules
12. “Just Around the Riverbend” – Pocahontas
13. “One Jump Ahead” – Aladdin
14. “Little April Shower” – Bambi
15. “The Siamese Cat Song” – Lady and the Tramp
16. “What’s This?” – Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
17. “Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life for Me)” – Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland® Park
18. “When Will My Life Begin” – Tangled
19. “Scales and Arpeggios” – The Aristocats
20. “Mickey Mouse Club Alma Mater” – “The Mickey Mouse Club”
“There is nothing that can prepare you for the arrival.”
There’s another devil baby movie set for delivery in theaters, this one – Devil’s Due – courtesy of 20th Century Fox. Devil’s Due stars Allison Miller and Zach Gilford and was directed by V/H/S filmmakers Matt Bettenelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (they were the team behind the film’s “10/31/98” segment). Fox is releasing the film on January 17, 2014.
The Plot: After a mysterious, lost night on their honeymoon, a newlywed couple finds themselves dealing with an earlier-than-planned pregnancy. While recording everything for posterity, the husband begins to notice odd behavior in his wife that they initially write off to nerves, but as the months pass, it becomes evident that the dark changes to her body and mind have a much more sinister origin.
Michael Buble will be back delivering holiday cheer with another year-end special and this year Kelly Clarkson (I still can’t read that name without hearing Steve Carell 
Stumble It! 
Michael Marshall’s novel 
