Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Taping of Martin Sheen Guest Appearance
Posted by CharlitaChiquita at Television Without Pity:
"I'm coming a little late to the party, but I’ll post my experience on attending the 2 ½ Men taping with Martin Sheen guest starring last Friday. The episode was great with several laugh out loud moments. Martin Sheen’s performance was brilliant, as always, playing Rose’s Dad in the episode. If he was able to get an emmy for his scene in Murphy Brown, then he definitely deserves an emmy for this performance. During one of the breaks in filming he introduced himself and chatted with a few people sitting in the front row, and during another break he broke out into a James Cagney impersonation and the audience had a good laugh. For The West Wing fans tired of the vests wardrobe has been stuffing Martin Sheen in since the end of Season 5, not to worry, he actually wears a non-Jed suit in this episode – it was great to see him actually able to breathe!
After the cast introductions (after the taping), they brought out a big cake for Angus T. Jones and everyone sang Happy Birthday (it was his 12th birthday – I think). Then Charlie Sheen chatted and signed autographs for a few fans and Jon Cryer thanked people for coming to the taping as we walked out the doors. All things considered a very enjoyable time. The episode is a must see for Martin Sheen fans!
"I'm coming a little late to the party, but I’ll post my experience on attending the 2 ½ Men taping with Martin Sheen guest starring last Friday. The episode was great with several laugh out loud moments. Martin Sheen’s performance was brilliant, as always, playing Rose’s Dad in the episode. If he was able to get an emmy for his scene in Murphy Brown, then he definitely deserves an emmy for this performance. During one of the breaks in filming he introduced himself and chatted with a few people sitting in the front row, and during another break he broke out into a James Cagney impersonation and the audience had a good laugh. For The West Wing fans tired of the vests wardrobe has been stuffing Martin Sheen in since the end of Season 5, not to worry, he actually wears a non-Jed suit in this episode – it was great to see him actually able to breathe!
After the cast introductions (after the taping), they brought out a big cake for Angus T. Jones and everyone sang Happy Birthday (it was his 12th birthday – I think). Then Charlie Sheen chatted and signed autographs for a few fans and Jon Cryer thanked people for coming to the taping as we walked out the doors. All things considered a very enjoyable time. The episode is a must see for Martin Sheen fans!
"Commander in Chief", "Out of Practice", "E Ring" Follow-Up
"Commander in Chief"
From TV Squad:
"Things I like about this show: you don't have to be in the inner circle to pick up watching it. Every time they introduce a key character for the first time in the episode, they put up a little CNN-style caption. This is the political drama for the rest of us. (I mean, I used to love West Wing too - in the Alan Sorkin (SIC!) years - it just takes a lot of commitment.)"
From ETOnline:
"I have a feeling that many of the people watching 'Commander-In-Chief' tuned in out of curiosity because they may be disgruntled 'West Wing' fans looking for that political fix every week," TV Guide critic MATT ROUSH tells ET. "The early numbers are very promising, but it's going to take some time. Are they going to come back week after week? The election is not over."
Residing in an all-new Sunday night timeslot, "The West Wing" is struggling opposite such competition as "The Simpsons," "Cold Case" and "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." The show may be in its final season and, plot-wise, it's definitely in a transitional phase, with an election going on and Bartlet (MARTIN SHEEN) a lame duck president. "If 'The West Wing' stays on Sundays, I'm not sure how it's going to survive," says Roush.
***
"For now, it looks like America has elected a new commander-in-chief: her name is Geena Davis," says Roush, summing up the competition. "Of the two shows, I still think 'The West Wing' is one of the highest-quality shows ever made. The problem is 'The West Wing' is not 'The West Wing' anymore. 'Commander-In-Chief' has a lot of promise to it. It's a brand-new show; I don't see the possibilities in 'The West Wing' anymore. All I see is an exit strategy."
From Style Weekly:
"I liked “The West Wing” better when Clinton was in office — not because Rob Lowe was on it (though he was awesome) but because since 2000 the show has seemed more and more like political porn, “Demmys Do Dulles” for the half of the country that didn’t vote for George W. Bush.....Davis glows through her crises, relying on an almost visible reserve of inner strength to get her through what one presumes will be some eventful years ahead. Sutherland growls through his scenes impressively, making lines such as “I’ll always be right here behind you” seem not exactly supportive.
“Commander in Chief” is probably as close as big, loud American television —where swelling strings accompany every stirring speech and the audience is always urged to cheer an ass-kicking, verbal or otherwise — can get to a subtle examination of power. And power, as Templeton reminds Allen, is dangerous in the hands of people who don’t want it. The show’s sexual politics are almost a subtext.
If they get Rob Lowe in the cast, I’m hooked."
"Out of Practice"
From TV Squad:
"What happened to the poor, misguided Ms. Channing? She's so classy in her role as the First Lady on West Wing. She's understated, elegant, witty. She's won Emmy and People's Choice and SAG awards, and been nominated for numerous Tony awards. Here - she's a caricature of a terrible sitcom actor, as if she just wrapped up Acting 101 at some Staten Island community college. I'm confused. I'm bewildered. I'm hurt. It was on Channing's aura of good taste that lured me in. And oh, what a cruel trick it was. How could she have done something so awful? I just don't get it."
Cincinnati Post says "E-Ring" is "watchable".
From TV Squad:
"Things I like about this show: you don't have to be in the inner circle to pick up watching it. Every time they introduce a key character for the first time in the episode, they put up a little CNN-style caption. This is the political drama for the rest of us. (I mean, I used to love West Wing too - in the Alan Sorkin (SIC!) years - it just takes a lot of commitment.)"
From ETOnline:
"I have a feeling that many of the people watching 'Commander-In-Chief' tuned in out of curiosity because they may be disgruntled 'West Wing' fans looking for that political fix every week," TV Guide critic MATT ROUSH tells ET. "The early numbers are very promising, but it's going to take some time. Are they going to come back week after week? The election is not over."
Residing in an all-new Sunday night timeslot, "The West Wing" is struggling opposite such competition as "The Simpsons," "Cold Case" and "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." The show may be in its final season and, plot-wise, it's definitely in a transitional phase, with an election going on and Bartlet (MARTIN SHEEN) a lame duck president. "If 'The West Wing' stays on Sundays, I'm not sure how it's going to survive," says Roush.
***
"For now, it looks like America has elected a new commander-in-chief: her name is Geena Davis," says Roush, summing up the competition. "Of the two shows, I still think 'The West Wing' is one of the highest-quality shows ever made. The problem is 'The West Wing' is not 'The West Wing' anymore. 'Commander-In-Chief' has a lot of promise to it. It's a brand-new show; I don't see the possibilities in 'The West Wing' anymore. All I see is an exit strategy."
From Style Weekly:
"I liked “The West Wing” better when Clinton was in office — not because Rob Lowe was on it (though he was awesome) but because since 2000 the show has seemed more and more like political porn, “Demmys Do Dulles” for the half of the country that didn’t vote for George W. Bush.....Davis glows through her crises, relying on an almost visible reserve of inner strength to get her through what one presumes will be some eventful years ahead. Sutherland growls through his scenes impressively, making lines such as “I’ll always be right here behind you” seem not exactly supportive.
“Commander in Chief” is probably as close as big, loud American television —where swelling strings accompany every stirring speech and the audience is always urged to cheer an ass-kicking, verbal or otherwise — can get to a subtle examination of power. And power, as Templeton reminds Allen, is dangerous in the hands of people who don’t want it. The show’s sexual politics are almost a subtext.
If they get Rob Lowe in the cast, I’m hooked."
"Out of Practice"
From TV Squad:
"What happened to the poor, misguided Ms. Channing? She's so classy in her role as the First Lady on West Wing. She's understated, elegant, witty. She's won Emmy and People's Choice and SAG awards, and been nominated for numerous Tony awards. Here - she's a caricature of a terrible sitcom actor, as if she just wrapped up Acting 101 at some Staten Island community college. I'm confused. I'm bewildered. I'm hurt. It was on Channing's aura of good taste that lured me in. And oh, what a cruel trick it was. How could she have done something so awful? I just don't get it."
Cincinnati Post says "E-Ring" is "watchable".
Short "West Wing" Shoutouts
From the Wall Street Journal:
"On a recent episode of "The West Wing," NBC-TV's weekly drama series, the campaign manager for a presidential candidate tells an aide he needs "sexier economic policy." His idea of sexier? "Targeted tax credits, preferably indexed to inflation," he replies. To which an aide retorts: "When was the last time you went on a date?""
Sacramento Bee:
"Blogs have become such a mainstream staple of modern-day campaigning that the recent season premiere of "The West Wing" featured a staff blogger on one candidate's payroll."
KPC News:
" We have gotten somewhat used to presidential politics being an on going cycle that rarely ends. On the popular television show, “The West Wing,” one of the fictitious campaign advisers said a newly-elected president gets 18 months out of the first term to get some work done and then it is time to start running for re-election. The final term is spent working on building a legacy.
Art imitates life. "
Courier Journal:
"Almost all TV shows set in specific cities are taped inside Los Angeles movie studios, with the notable exception of "Law & Order."
"I'm sure a lot of people think 'The West Wing' is filmed in Washington, D.C.," Modisett said. "I've been on that studio set and thought 'I can't believe all the episodes are shot here.' "
He did meet with the photographer who traveled to Indianapolis to shoot the skyline and some street scenes to give the show a bit of an Indiana flavor."
"On a recent episode of "The West Wing," NBC-TV's weekly drama series, the campaign manager for a presidential candidate tells an aide he needs "sexier economic policy." His idea of sexier? "Targeted tax credits, preferably indexed to inflation," he replies. To which an aide retorts: "When was the last time you went on a date?""
Sacramento Bee:
"Blogs have become such a mainstream staple of modern-day campaigning that the recent season premiere of "The West Wing" featured a staff blogger on one candidate's payroll."
KPC News:
" We have gotten somewhat used to presidential politics being an on going cycle that rarely ends. On the popular television show, “The West Wing,” one of the fictitious campaign advisers said a newly-elected president gets 18 months out of the first term to get some work done and then it is time to start running for re-election. The final term is spent working on building a legacy.
Art imitates life. "
Courier Journal:
"Almost all TV shows set in specific cities are taped inside Los Angeles movie studios, with the notable exception of "Law & Order."
"I'm sure a lot of people think 'The West Wing' is filmed in Washington, D.C.," Modisett said. "I've been on that studio set and thought 'I can't believe all the episodes are shot here.' "
He did meet with the photographer who traveled to Indianapolis to shoot the skyline and some street scenes to give the show a bit of an Indiana flavor."
Aaron Sorkin's New Project
From Variety:
"Warner Bros. TV is pulling out its big guns, lining up network offers for new projects from "Friends""Friends" co-creator David Crane and "The West Wing""The West Wing" team of Aaron SorkinAaron Sorkin and Thomas SchlammeThomas Schlamme.
Upping the stakes: Both projects were written on specspec, allowing webs to read the pilot scripts before buying. As a result, it's expected WBTV will get significant upfrontupfront commitments for both projects.
***
Sorkin is expected to personally deliver the script for his project to networks as early as Friday. A WBTV reprep wouldn't comment, but two industry insiders said it's believed Sorkin is focusing his firepower on showbiz, with a behind-the-scenes show set at a "Saturday Night Live"-style skeinskein.
Indeed, two years ago, Sorkin told Charlie Rose that was his plan.
"I hope it's going to be what 'Larry Sanders' did with ... talkshows. I would like to do that with latenight sketch comedy -- with 'Saturday Night Live': in other words, behind the scenes at a network latenight sketch-comedy, edgy show."
It's too soon to say what will happen with Sorkin's project, though given the scribe's pedigree, it seems likely WBTV will be able to extract some serious coincoin for the rights, most likely a series penalty.
Sorkin hasn't created a TV series since "The West Wing," which he left after the show's fourth season. It's unclear how active Sorkin will remain with the new show beyond the pilot stage.
Both "The West Wing" and Sorkin's previous skein, "Sports Night," were critical smashes. Latter skein wasn't a ratings monster, but "West Wing" has made millions for WBTV in syndication and DVD sales.
On the film front, Sorkin has several projects in the works and last month mounted a revival of his play "A Few Good Men" in London.
Sorkin's new play, "The Farnsworth Invention," will debut this winter at the Abbey Theater in Dublin. EndeavorEndeavor-repped scribe's currently adapting "Charlie Wilson's War" for Playtone and Universal."
"Warner Bros. TV is pulling out its big guns, lining up network offers for new projects from "Friends""Friends" co-creator David Crane and "The West Wing""The West Wing" team of Aaron SorkinAaron Sorkin and Thomas SchlammeThomas Schlamme.
Upping the stakes: Both projects were written on specspec, allowing webs to read the pilot scripts before buying. As a result, it's expected WBTV will get significant upfrontupfront commitments for both projects.
***
Sorkin is expected to personally deliver the script for his project to networks as early as Friday. A WBTV reprep wouldn't comment, but two industry insiders said it's believed Sorkin is focusing his firepower on showbiz, with a behind-the-scenes show set at a "Saturday Night Live"-style skeinskein.
Indeed, two years ago, Sorkin told Charlie Rose that was his plan.
"I hope it's going to be what 'Larry Sanders' did with ... talkshows. I would like to do that with latenight sketch comedy -- with 'Saturday Night Live': in other words, behind the scenes at a network latenight sketch-comedy, edgy show."
It's too soon to say what will happen with Sorkin's project, though given the scribe's pedigree, it seems likely WBTV will be able to extract some serious coincoin for the rights, most likely a series penalty.
Sorkin hasn't created a TV series since "The West Wing," which he left after the show's fourth season. It's unclear how active Sorkin will remain with the new show beyond the pilot stage.
Both "The West Wing" and Sorkin's previous skein, "Sports Night," were critical smashes. Latter skein wasn't a ratings monster, but "West Wing" has made millions for WBTV in syndication and DVD sales.
On the film front, Sorkin has several projects in the works and last month mounted a revival of his play "A Few Good Men" in London.
Sorkin's new play, "The Farnsworth Invention," will debut this winter at the Abbey Theater in Dublin. EndeavorEndeavor-repped scribe's currently adapting "Charlie Wilson's War" for Playtone and Universal."
Stockard Channing To Be in Texas
From the Fort Worth Star Telegram:
"She's been a Pink Lady, an actress version of Hitler's mother and a formidable first lady during her 30-plus years on stage and screen. What is actress Stockard Channing's latest gig? Sharing her secrets with us during the upcoming Legacy of Women Awards Luncheon.
Channing will share the spotlight with six gifted and successful women from Arlington and Northeast Tarrant County who will be honored for their contributions and service to the community.
This year's honorees include: Doreen Bruner, for volunteer work in southeast Tarrant County; Vicki Neidermayer, executive director of Helping Restore Ability, for her work in the health and human services field; Kris Lindsay of the Regal Opera Company, for her work in the arts; Carol Bice, owner of Bice's Florist, for her leadership in the business field; Dana Dunn, provost at the University of Texas at Arlington, for her work in education; and Kelly Pace Bradley, for her volunteer work in northeast Tarrant County.
The annual luncheon benefits The Women's Shelter and always includes an interview with a female celebrity.
The event starts at 10 a.m. Oct. 13 with a reception and raffle; the luncheon is at 11:30 a.m. at the Fort Worth Convention Center. Tickets are $75. Call Judi Shirey at (817) 548-0583, Ext. 223 or see www.womensshelter.org for reservations and more information."
"She's been a Pink Lady, an actress version of Hitler's mother and a formidable first lady during her 30-plus years on stage and screen. What is actress Stockard Channing's latest gig? Sharing her secrets with us during the upcoming Legacy of Women Awards Luncheon.
Channing will share the spotlight with six gifted and successful women from Arlington and Northeast Tarrant County who will be honored for their contributions and service to the community.
This year's honorees include: Doreen Bruner, for volunteer work in southeast Tarrant County; Vicki Neidermayer, executive director of Helping Restore Ability, for her work in the health and human services field; Kris Lindsay of the Regal Opera Company, for her work in the arts; Carol Bice, owner of Bice's Florist, for her leadership in the business field; Dana Dunn, provost at the University of Texas at Arlington, for her work in education; and Kelly Pace Bradley, for her volunteer work in northeast Tarrant County.
The annual luncheon benefits The Women's Shelter and always includes an interview with a female celebrity.
The event starts at 10 a.m. Oct. 13 with a reception and raffle; the luncheon is at 11:30 a.m. at the Fort Worth Convention Center. Tickets are $75. Call Judi Shirey at (817) 548-0583, Ext. 223 or see www.womensshelter.org for reservations and more information."
Josh and Donna's Future - Attention New York City Readers!
From a Washington Post Chat:
"Des Moines, Iowa: Has Janel Maloney left the West Wing? Say it ain't so.
Debra Leithauser: We saw her in the season premiere, getting all huffy with Josh again. (Don't you just love the tension between those two?) Our sources say she's back for the whole season".
From TV Guide's Ask Ausiello:
Question: Ausiello, please, please, please tell us if Janel Moloney is getting written off The West Wing. I just watched the premiere, and I'm feeling pretty hopeless. — Rosalba
Ausiello: No, just like the rest of the show's original cast, Janel will be around for roughly half of this season's episodes. And (MAJOR SPOILER ALERT -highlight) I'm hearing Josh and Donna will be working together again very soon.
From an offical tvguide.com e-mail:
"Attention TVGuide.com fans!
Do you live in the New York City area? Will you be visiting this week?
If so, here's a special treat for TVGuide.com readers:
Michael Ausiello and the TV Guide Talk crew will host a special live podcast Friday at 7:30pm ET to commemorate the publication of TV Guide's new "Guide to TV 2006" book, which features an introduction by Michael.
In addition, TVGuide.com film critics Maitland McDonagh and Ken Fox will be on hand to sign copies of TV Guide's "Film & Video Companion 2006."
Come on down to meet your favorite TVGuide.com writers in person, ask questions and be a part of our live podcast!
WHERE: Greenwich Village Barnes & Noble, located at 396 Ave. of the Americas (and 8th St.)
WHEN: 7:30pm, Friday, September 30."
"Des Moines, Iowa: Has Janel Maloney left the West Wing? Say it ain't so.
Debra Leithauser: We saw her in the season premiere, getting all huffy with Josh again. (Don't you just love the tension between those two?) Our sources say she's back for the whole season".
From TV Guide's Ask Ausiello:
Question: Ausiello, please, please, please tell us if Janel Moloney is getting written off The West Wing. I just watched the premiere, and I'm feeling pretty hopeless. — Rosalba
Ausiello: No, just like the rest of the show's original cast, Janel will be around for roughly half of this season's episodes. And (MAJOR SPOILER ALERT -highlight) I'm hearing Josh and Donna will be working together again very soon.
From an offical tvguide.com e-mail:
"Attention TVGuide.com fans!
Do you live in the New York City area? Will you be visiting this week?
If so, here's a special treat for TVGuide.com readers:
Michael Ausiello and the TV Guide Talk crew will host a special live podcast Friday at 7:30pm ET to commemorate the publication of TV Guide's new "Guide to TV 2006" book, which features an introduction by Michael.
In addition, TVGuide.com film critics Maitland McDonagh and Ken Fox will be on hand to sign copies of TV Guide's "Film & Video Companion 2006."
Come on down to meet your favorite TVGuide.com writers in person, ask questions and be a part of our live podcast!
WHERE: Greenwich Village Barnes & Noble, located at 396 Ave. of the Americas (and 8th St.)
WHEN: 7:30pm, Friday, September 30."
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