Fox have announced that following tomorrow nights episode, the apparently Sierra-centric 2×04, no more new episodes of Dollhouse will air during November sweeps, with repeats of House expected to take its place.

Instead, Dollhouse [...]]]> Dollhouse is leaving our screens. Yes, only for a month, but it’s probably just a taste of a much longer absence. Like, forever.

Fox have announced that following tomorrow nights episode, the apparently Sierra-centric 2×04, no more new episodes of Dollhouse will air during November sweeps, with repeats of House expected to take its place.

Instead, Dollhouse will return in December where it will be shown in double episode slots. Yep, looks like they’re rushing out the remaining episodes to honour their commitment, and then washing their hands of the show.

It’s a real shame; S2 just hasn’t yet followed through on the promise of late S1, and I wish Joss and Co. had taken a few more risks when they had the chance. Of course, I could be speaking prematurely, but I have a feeling I’m not…

Hey kids and parents of kids and super-old, like ancestor-old-but-not-dead-yet-type people, just poking my oversized head in to say [...]]]> I have to admit, I’m ambivalent about this one (given my somewhat troubled relationship with Glee) but word has spread that Joss Whedon will be guest-directing an episode. I’ll let Mr. Whedon explain…

Hey kids and parents of kids and super-old, like ancestor-old-but-not-dead-yet-type people, just poking my oversized head in to say that the rumors are true… unless something very odd happens in the next few months, I will have the privilege of shooting an episode of GLEE. Why GLEE? Because I love cops, serial killers and gritty urban drama (I haven’t seen the show yet). Why me? Because they’re struggling and can’t afford real directors. And to head off a few queries:

No, this doesn’t mean Dollhouse definitely won’t get a back nine. Our numbers mean that! But I kid. Okay, we’re not exactly saving all the good stuff for 14-22, but nobody’s closed the door. If D’House suddenly busts wide, huzzah, we’ll still bring it, and I’ll still go and direct an episode of Glee, because of my love of cops. These realities can co-exist. And possibly cross over, at least in fiction that I have wri – read. About.

What can we expect from a ‘Joss Whedon’ epsiode of Glee? An episode of Glee. God willin’ and the crik don’t rise, a good one. A television director’s job is, on some level, to be anonymous; to find the most compelling way to present a story without calling attention to himself. I had a wonderful time doing just that on The Office, and hope to again. A guest director can bring a huge amount to the party (we’ve had CRAZY talent on Dollhouse), but the party isn’t his. I just want to work with good people on a show that I like enough to have watched every episode several times. (I lied: I HAVE watched the show. And seriously, when do the cops show up?)

Whom will I kill? When will that go away? Is death really the only thing I’m known for? I’d hope not. You know how many people in the world actually die? ALL OF THEM. You know how many I’ve killed? Statistically, somewhat fewer. Can’t we focus on another element of my work? Having said that, probably Principal Figgins. (No! I kid! God.)

Anyway, I hope that clears things up. I’m going to do my best, and more importantly, I’m going to do my best not to gush like a fanboy for eight straight days on set. Don’t worry. I practiced with Bamber. I’m a pro.

Happy Monday. Especially for me. -j.

Fox have ordered a presentation and a script for an animated project from the trio which would have the same sensibilities as [...]]]> Seth Green, Matthew Senreich and Tom Root are the guys behind Adult Swim’s stop-motion animated series Robot Chicken and Titan Maximum, and their hard work has seemingly just given them a root into primetime.

Fox have ordered a presentation and a script for an animated project from the trio which would have the same sensibilities as their current shows but with a similar aesthetic to shows like Family Guy (the cast of which Seth Green is part of.)

There aren’t many details available on the project yet, other than the fact that it will use family life and high school as a backdrop for a wide range of characters.

Details are scarce at the moment but what does seem to be confirmed is that Abrams will be working with Mike Markowitz on the as yet untitled “comedic medical show”.

Could be interesting, I [...]]]> Writer/producer/director JJ Abrams (Alias, Lost, Fringe, Star Trek) is taking on an executive producer role for a new half-hour comedy in development for Fox.

Details are scarce at the moment but what does seem to be confirmed is that Abrams will be working with Mike Markowitz on the as yet untitled “comedic medical show”.

Could be interesting, I suppose. Abrams definitely places a strong comedic strand through everything he works on (with the possible exception of Cloverfield!) More details to come as and when they emerge…

For those not in the know, Glee is a comedy-musical-drama about a high school choir, or Glee Club, forming together and trying to reach the regional finals. The pilot episode aired way back in May, and the second episode just aired a few nights ago on Fox.

I’ve got to [...]]]>

Matthew Morrison stars as Will Schuester

For those not in the know, Glee is a comedy-musical-drama about a high school choir, or Glee Club, forming together and trying to reach the regional finals. The pilot episode aired way back in May, and the second episode just aired a few nights ago on Fox.

I’ve got to be honest straight away and say that I’m fairly ambivalent about the show; I really want to like it, as it’s pretty different to anything else on TV right now, but I just think there’s something tonally and structurally wrong with the show. Considering that Glee was originally envisioned as a film, that’s probably not much of a surprise. Watching the pilot again I was struck by the fluctuating tone; the early parts of the episode were all-out comedy, but gradually gave way to teen angst and high school cliches. Part of me wonders if this is simply because the show is too long; Glee could probably benefit from being a half-hour comedy, rather than an hour-long comedy-drama.

And the comedy is great; some of it way over the top, and some of it very subtle. I loved the gag in the pilot about the very Caucasian girl Rachel not being sure which of her gay dads (one of whom is white and one of whom is black) was her biological father.

Jane Lynch plays villain Sue Sylvester

The other highlight on the comedy side of things is obviously Jane Lynch’s character Sue Sylvester, the embittered coach of the cheerleading squad, who seems to have the best lines reserved for her – “That was the most offensive thing I’ve seen in twenty years of teaching, and that includes an elementary school production of ‘Hair’”.

The cast are all pretty strong, particularly the adults. Jayma Mays’ obsessive clean freak guidance counsellor stands out, as does Jessalyn Gilsig as the wife of the central character; I worried that she would be an obviously evil character in the show, but as of the second episode she’s actually being written as a lot more nuanced than that.

The younger actors will probably grow into their roles as time goes on, but much as I try, I just can’t seem to care that much about high school cliques and the drama that ensues from it, which brings me back to the point about the comedy; if the tone was far more acidic, which the writers are clearly capable of, then there perhaps wouldn’t be quite so much adolescent naval-gazing.

The musical numbers are generally pretty feel-good (though we can only hope the actors get the hang of lip-synching, because some of that was decidedly shonky) and while the show isn’t perfect it’s not a bad way to spend an hour.

I’ll be sticking with it and hoping it really hits it’s stride, but what do you make of Glee so far?