Forever A Fangirl

‘Homeland’ Season 2 Premiere Review SPOILERS @SHO_Homeland @SHO_Kareem

 

 

Homeland premieres on Showtime Sunday Sept 30

If you’ve been watching Showtime’s Homeland, (which is often cited as the president of the United State's favourite television program) and which just last week swept the Emmy Awards as this year's winner for Best Drama, Best Lead Actress (Claire Danes - Drama) and Best Lead Actor (Damian Lewis - Drama) there's a simple moment in the season 2 premiere of the uber-adrenalized drama which strikes a chord that seems entirely out of left field, yet fits the pieces that may yet come together as we set up season 2.  

 

When we last saw Carrie Matheison (Danes) she had lost all credibility and had been fired from the CIA and was in the process of a desperate effort to regain her sense of sanity after having it undermined in a thorough and humiliating way-- as a result mostly, of Carrie's own recklessness. Her sense of failure was so consuming and complete that she willingly accepted the risk of short-term memory loss as part of her ECT (Electroconvulsive (Shock) Treatment).

Carrie must attempt to construct a new life that is separate from what she viewed as her raison d'être of old, so we find her in Season 2, present time, (about six months past her last-ditch attempt at screwing her head back on straight) using a very different skill set, living a life of domestic simplicity, and trudging off to work at a job that would have bored the old Carrie to tears. In the premiere, she’s calm and seemingly without the intensity that colored her judgment and ultimately destroyed her career and her sanity in Season 1.

It becomes apparent just how structured and planful her life has become when her dinner plans to make lasgana with the vegetables she'd picked that morning appear to be about to be changed at the last minute--and she reacts in a very non-Carrie-like way. It's almost as scary as watching her veer off the rails in season 1 because it seems like we've lost 'our' Carrie completely.

Despite having been repeatedly misunderstood or ignored and having suffered the indignity of being kicked out of the intelligence community--for all of that that nearly destroyed her, Carrie was also right that former POW Sergeant Nicholas Brody (Emmy Award winner Damian Lewis), is indeed not who or what he appears to be.

 

Homeland - Episode 2.02

Meanwhile, the man she was so very sure of as not being who he presented himself to be and who in fact was a potent threat to National Security continues to present himself as he did-- as a former soldier, a true patriot, and a devoted family man.

Though his former function as a United States Marine was to protect his country with a willingness to sacrifice himself in the name of democracy and freedom, that mission is long since past him. During his captivity in Afghanistan his official mission was methodically aborted by Abu Nazir (Navid Negahban), through torture and brainwashing, to be replaced with a fanaticism and desire to destroy the thing he once placed high above all others. He may look like Nick Brody, Marine hero, but that man 'died' as a prisoner of war, replaced as we meet him in Season 2 as a newly-elected congressman—and a potential vice-presidential candidate(!)

 

Damian Lewis as "Nick Brody' in Season 2 Homeland, premiering tonight on Showtime

Life is moving very, very fast for Brody and just as Carrie's old life was disassembled, so too has Brody's and he is also showing ever-more cracks in his life's veneer.
The frantic pace of both Homeland’s narrative and Carrie’s high-risk profession continue undermine her fragile new sense of sanity, something that plays out within Brody too, as his double life—that of the American war hero and politician, is sharply juxtaposed against the ideology he is concealing as a secret Islamic jihadist and that carries the ever-present risk of exploding spectacularly, blowing everything he holds dear away, not unlike what happened to Carrie in Season 1. Season 2 has lept out of the starting gate with the story-lines unfolding at high velocity, amping up the tension of Homeland to an edge-of- your-seat, squirmy-yet-highly satisfying degree.

Claires Danes as Carrie Mathieson in Season 2 of Homeland on Showtime, Premiering Sept 30

Via TVGuide.com:

Homeland Episode 2.01:

"The Smile" Season 2, Episode 1 Episode Synopsis:

In the Season 2 premiere, Brody learns he is the political "future of the party," and receives a tantalizing offer from the vice president, while a recovering Carrie receives a disturbing request from a surprising source. In Beirut, Saul gets involved in some cloak-and-dagger doings. Original Air Date: Sep 30, 2012

Guest Cast: Zuleikha Robinson, Valerie Cruz, Timothee Chalamet, James Rebhorn: Frank Mathison, Amy Hargreaves: Maggie Mathison, Clara Khoury Hrach Titizian: Danny Galvez, Navid Negahban: Abu Nazir

 

 

Official HOMELAND Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/HomelandOnShowtime

Official HOMELAND Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/SHO_Homeland

Official HOMELAND Series Site: http://www.sho.com/site/homeland/home.sho

 

DEXTER - Julia Stiles Talks 'Lumen' (LATIMES) - Season 6 KEY Poster ART - Dexter Season 6 BTS [INTERVIEW] @SHO_Kareem #dexter

During the Season 5 finale of “Dexter” (and, yes, there are spoilers ahead), Julia Stiles’ avenging (ahem) angel Lumen walked away from her partner in crime, leaving the show and our favorite serial killer’s heart in tatters.

No, Dexter didn’t take the breakup well. Neither did Stiles. We talked to the actress, a freshly minted Emmy nominee, who snagged a nod for her seasonlong guest spot on the Showtime series, while she waited for a flight at LAX.

AT: So … Lumen breaking up with Dexter caught you off guard?

J.S.: I was very surprised. I thought everything we had been building toward over the course of the season -- the trust and connection between Lumen and Dexter -- was just thrown away. I had a hard time understanding that. Their vigilante justice was so romantic in a perverse way.

Source and more: LATIMES

via

'Lumen', played by Emmy-nomintaed Julia Stiles's ending on Dexter Season 5 felt sudden and weird.

It was said to  be done ultimately if not especially deftly, to to serve the Dexter character in season 7. I felt though that time was wasted and talent squandered, especially if Stiles were willing to stay on in to Season 6... and it sounds as if she would have.

I liked Dexter & Lumen together,  maybe not forever but a bit longer that they were. That aburpt Season 5 ending felt staged.

Gossip has it that another reason the Lumen character was seemingly given the bum's rush was personal--the breaking down of Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter's marriage over the filming of season 5. Julie Stiles ultimately issued a statement to the press expressing distress in having to even make the statement but feeling the need all the same to say NO, she was not dating Mr. Hall. NOW Stiles saying it makes even more sense since the rumours came to a boil at the end of Dexter Season 5 and Stiles would have known quite positively of her character's story arc at that point.

Guess the show-runners did not want Dexter to get into another Rita-like sitch despite the fact that Rita vs. Lumen =a huge disparity...and they'd have had different places to go...still could have had Dexter return to ultimately being a loner.

but season 5's Lumen succumbing to her demons and then turning tail and  leaving was just too sudden to feel natural. It felt forced. One of the most ham-handed episodes of Dexter ever shown, perhaps.

Now to read what the most excellent Stiles had to say... (see  LATIMES link ABOVE)

After the jump... Behind the Scenes: Dexter Season 6 [VIDEO]:

Shameless Q & A: Will Frank (William H. Macy) ALWAYS be Wasted?@SHO_Shameless

 

 William H. Macy, Frank Gallagher on 'Shameless' and wife Felicity Huffman, (Desperate Housewives) 'not wasted' (2005):

 

Macy as he appears when filming 'Shameless.' (2011)

Sort of crucial to remember this is just a TV show and Macy is not really drunk--just pretending, huh? There have been a number of unlikable characters on TV over the years. The fun is loving to hate on some of these characters (not the actors, usually).

 

Q: I really like Shameless, but will Frank (William H. Macy) always be wasted?

A: The drunkest dad on television will voluntarily sober up around the sixth episode, but don't expect it to last very long. "He becomes a really cool father," William H. Macy says. "It gives you a glimpse into the father that Frank might've been or could be. My oldest boy, Lip, can't take it. He Tasers me and pours vodka in my mouth."

Copied From: TVGuide

“Knight in Shining Armor” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMiVc8XLbEI

 

“What Are Your Intentions” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bWcA6r3MPo

 

“All the Trouble: Cameron Monaghan” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMZsfTWzchM

 

PHOTOS: Golden Globe Parties, Red Carpet-Coverage True Blood Actors We Love (Poss. SPOILERS)

 

 

 

Joe Manganiello was in a perfectly cut blue suit. It appeared that he's sporting some grey in his beard. Could it be?!

Alexander Skarsgård's 2011 Golden Globe party photo intrigues me the most for the hint about his character, vampire Eric Northman, who as a rule is quite clean shaven (other than in his flashbacks of his Nordic days). Alexander appears to be  boycotting the razor. Of course, it only serves to make him sexier. It also would  reflect what a 'Sookie and Eric who-forgets-who-he-is storyline.'

Nelsan's awesome white cat

I'm picking up an unspoken message with the Nelsan Ellis in the white cat photo that he's hinting of 'white magic' as opposed to the darker black witchcraft or sorcery ahead for Ellis's True Blood character. 'Lafayette' found out that he and his boyfirend, Jesus (Kevin Alejandro), have previously unknown to him supernatural 'witch-like' powers.

True Blood HBO Globe Parties, Jan 2011

CLICK to enlarge pics above. Photos are credited by stamp on each (true-blood.net/wireimage) 

Janina Gavankar attended looking cute and a bit fierce while miming playing Guitar Hero. Perhaps a preview of her character, shifter Luna. Gavankar she has hinted via her website (janinagavankar.com) to getting very close to Sam Merlotte (Sam Trammell) in fact she implied, Luna and Sam are getting hot and heavy! 

Carrie Preston (Arlene) managed to look as if carrying around Guitar Hero is something she does without second thought.

Kristen Bauer van Straten just looked plain adorable. She's got fantastic skin. He hair looks fantastic, too. [Want to see her as Pam in season 4 of True Blood! NOW!]

 

Everyone's relative significance was put in better context when astronaut Buzz Aldrin walked by Joe Manganiello. As Joe Manganiello (Alcide, HBO's True Blood) pointed out,

"That guy was on the moon!"

Five super cool things about Buzz Aldrin:

• He was the second  human  on the moon. He would have been the first but in the cramped quarters of Apollo 9, his commander, Neil Armstrong was closest to the door inside the compact Lunar Landing Module so it was easier for Armstrong, to be the first to exit the spacecraft!
• For contributions to the television industry, Buzz Aldrin was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at Hollywood and Vine
• Has a couple of doctorates, one from MIT.
•    The popular space ranger character Buzz Lightyear from Pixar's Toy Story movie series, is named after him, largely due to the suggestion of the film's makers that he has "the coolest name of any astronaut."
• In 1979 Edwin Eugene Aldrin, Jr., (born January 20, 1930)  had his name legally changed to 'Buzz.'

 

Kristen of E!Online's observation of Joe Manganiello's spontaneous reaction (above)

Also: More Joe and Todd Lowe nuggets on the result of the Arlene and Terry's or most likely, Arlene's and season 1's-serial-murderer's-progeny.

Creepy baby alert! It sure sounds like that's what's headed to True Blood in the coming season, if superhot (Alcide) isn't yanking our chain. ...

Another choice quote of Manganiello's was   'that if season three was the season of the werewolf, then season four is "the season of the witch." And Todd Lowe (Terry Bellefluer) (said) that, "There's a new presence in Terry and Arlene's (Carrie Preston) life."

When asked if this new presence were a baby or a monster, and Manganiello teased, "Both! Have you seen The Fly?'

Read more: http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b221032_inside_hbos_globes_bash_dish_on_true.html?cmpid=rss-000000-rssfeed-365-kristin&utm_source=eonline&utm_medium=rssfeeds&utm_campaign=rss_kristin#ixzz1BNgGNPBq

VIDEO: Anna Paquin Promotes X-Men - True Blood (HBO) Season 1 Recap - Anna Paquin Golden Globe Awards Winner

hfpavideo | January 13, 2009

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Drama @ the 66th Golden Globe Awards, 2009

 

Hugh Jackman and a brunette Anna Paquin promote X-Men

True Blood Season 1 Recap
Uploaded by CNWGroup. - Watch the latest news videos.

Jimmy Fallon - Born to Run - Emmys Opening Sketch - 2010 - Glee - Emmy Awards - 720P HD

 

supernoikz | August 29, 2010

Jimmy Fallon - Born to Run - Emmys Opening Sketch - 2010 - Glee - Emmy Awards - 720P HD

And in case NBC decides to delete the "unofficial" version, here is the official version (on the craptastic NBC player below):

I gotta admit I had not seen the performance until now, only hearing from my teenage son who, I suspect, has taken to watching "Glee," that Jimmy Fallon opened the 2010 Emmys with "Born To Run" with the Glee cast and "Hurley" (Jorge Garcia) from LOST and that Fallon did a credible job of performing as Bruce Springteen (writer/original performer of the song).

I've never liked anyone but Bruce attempting the song because every version I've heard until now sucked incredibly, but but in Fallon's version a number of singers were integrated into it  taking on the parts they were most suited to and it actually worked--though of course the song belongs to Springsteen. They only borrowed it.  Bruce Springsteen owns 'Born To Run' --in every sense of the word.

Why is one of the high points of an admittedly good Emmy show not showing up until almost a week after the broadcast? This blurb explains it all (or tries to):

2010 Emmy Awards (credit)

You can now safely delete Sunday’s Emmy telecast from your DVR: Host Jimmy Fallon’s rather spectacular opener to the show, which featured stars across the television universe singing a Glee-ful version of “Born to Run,” — officially. Why’d it take so long to get the NBC-approved goods? There was a bit of a holdup with rights over using the Bruce Springsteen staple — apparently, NBC and the TV Academy didn’t square away the deal to use the song on the web until yesterday afternoon. (You couldn’t find it officially online before then, but, of course,the bit was pirated everywhere.) Fallon was none too happy about all his efforts being absent from the network’s website: “That could have been worth 500,000 hits on NBC.com,” the Late Night host told Variety on Tuesday.

Jeff Bridges Performs 'The Weary Kind' from 'Crazy Heart'

"Jeff Bridges plays 'The Weary Kind' from the movie 'Crazy Heart'. Shot during his interview with Peter Travers for his show on ABC News Now. "

Oh, this is so lovely. I cannot wait to see this film! And I have waited too long already. It only became available here in sprawling suburbia last week. Jeff Bridges must have had to prove himself I suppose, by winning Best Actor from the Screen Actor's Guild as well as a Golden Globe in the same category. Now he's up for an Academy Award (an Oscar) for Best Actor so his little film is finally, deservedly getting some big exposure. Excited too, to see Maggie Gyllenhaal's performance. She is also nominated for an Academy Award.

<

Just have to add that he is among the most polite, gracious, humble and down-to-earth actors I've ever seen interviewed. Guess who I'm rooting for to win the Best Actor Oscar?

"Hollywood 411's Megan Tevrizian talks to CRAZY HEART star Jeff Bridges about his latest Academy Award nomination. Jeff talks about being a 5-time nominee, his co-star Maggie Gyllenhaal's nom and his involvement in WE ARE THE WORLD."

.

"Jeff Bridges and Colin Farrell sing at a Toby Keith concert on September 18, 2008 in Albuquerque NM while filming the movie Crazy Heart."

unit1so

Michael C. Hall Nails It Again, Wins SAG Best Actor for 'Dexter' (01.23.10) PHOTOS

 

Michael C. Hall and wife Jennifer Carpenter arrive at the 2010 SAG Awards looking truly a matched set. Make sure to note Jennifer's funky-cool-chic jewelry--and great stems. Note too, the awesome cut and finish on Michael's tux in the stage-light as he accepts his SAG Award for Best Male Lead! Woot! Sex-ay!

(see photo album below)

Photos: Getty Images
Website: www.gettyimages.com

"Healthy" looks very appealing too. Be sure to click past the jump at the bottom of the page to read several of Michael's comments how winning both the Golden Globe and SAG Best Actor awards has boosted his spirits as he moves closer to completing his cancer treatments. To me he looks brighter--less wan than he did a week ago when he won the Best Actor trophy at the Golden Globes.

Michael won the SAG award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series for his work in Dexter. This will be Michael's second award season win after picking up Best Actor at last week's Golden Globes.

The 2010 SAG Awards were held at the Shrine Exposition Center in Los Angeles, CA on Saturday, January 23, 2010.

Here's a full list of winners of the Screen Actors Guild Awards, which were presented Saturday at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

2010 SAG Awards Nominees and Winners

X = winner

BEST FILM ACTOR
X - Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart"
George Clooney, "Up in the Air"
Colin Firth, "A Single Man"
Morgan Freeman, "Invictus"
Jeremy Renner, "The Hurt Locker"

BEST FILM ACTRESS
. X - Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side"
Helen Mirren, "The Last Station"
Carey Mulligan, "An Education"
Gabourey Sidibe, "Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
Meryl Streep, "Julie & Julia"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Matt Damon, "Invictus"
Woody Harrelson, "The Messenger"
Christopher Plummer, "The Last Station"
Stanley Tucci, "The Lovely Bones"
X - Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz, "Nine"
Vera Farmiga, "Up in the Air"
Anna Kendrick, "Up in the Air"
Diane Kruger, "Inglourious Basterds"
X - Mo'Nique, "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"

BEST FILM ENSEMBLE
"An Education"
"The Hurt Locker"
X - "Inglourious Basterds"
"Nine"
"Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire"

BEST ACTOR IN TV DRAMA SERIES
Simon Baker, "The Mentalist"
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
X - Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
Hugh Laurie, "House"

BEST ACTRESS IN TV DRAMA SERIES
Patricia Arquette, "Medium"
Glenn Close, "Damages"
Mariska Hargitay, "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit"
Holly Hunter, "Saving Grace"
X - Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"

BEST TV DRAMA SERIES ENSEMBLE
"The Closer"
"Dexter"
"The Good Wife"
X - "Mad Men"
"True Blood"

BEST ACTOR IN TV COMEDY SERIES
X - Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
Steve Carell, "The Office"
Larry David, "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
Tony Shalhoub, "Monk"
Charlie Sheen, "Two and a Half Men"

BEST ACTRESS IN TV COMEDY SERIES
Christina Applegate, "Samantha Who?"
Toni Collette, "United States of Tara"
Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"
X - Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "The New Adventures of Old Christine"

BEST TV COMEDY SERIES ENSEMBLE
"30 Rock"
"Curb Your Enthusiasm"
X - "Glee"
"Modern Family"
"The Office"

BEST ACTOR IN TV MOVIE/MINI
X - Kevin Bacon, "Taking Chance"
Cuba Gooding Jr., "Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story"
Jeremy Irons, "Georgia O'Keeffe"
Kevin Kline, "Great Performances: Cyrano de Bergerac"
Tom Wilkinson, "A Number"

BEST ACTRESS IN TV MOVIE/MINI
Joan Allen, "Georgia O'Keeffe"
X - Drew Barrymore, "Grey Gardens"
Ruby Dee, "America"
Jessica Lange, "Grey Gardens"
Sigourney Weaver, "Prayers for Bobby"

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN FILM
"Public Enemies"
X - "Star Trek"
"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN TV
X - "24"
"Dexter"
"Heroes"
"The Closer"
"The Unit"

Source

After the jump: Michael C. Hall comments on how winning both the Golden Globe and SAG Best Actor awards has boosted his spirits as he moves closer to completing his cancer treatments.

As he told PEOPLE backstage, Michael C. Hall's cancer is in remission.

"I'm two-thirds of the way through this treatment that already has this thing in remission," he said. "It's nice in the homestretch to have this kind of shock of positive energy. It's a celebration." Hall, 38 ... initially said he revealed that he was being treated for Hodgkin's lymphoma, because he knew he would be making several public appearances. "Because award shows were imminent, I had to make a statement," he said at last week's Globes.
... "I've been feeling very well," he told reporters backstage at the SAG Awards, "because I made this announcement. Because of these public events, I've heard from people I would have not have heard from otherwise."

True Blood Season 3 - Cupid Strikes Bill and Sam (01.19.10) *SPOILERS* - Stephen & Anna at The Golden Globes

[caption id="attachment_395" align="alignleft" width="318" caption="Sam Trammell - True Blood's "Sam Merlotte""][/caption]

Aww. A Bill and Sam hook-up without the deets?! Not fair! Lafayette as awesome as he is, has a much more um, fluid range of sexual expression it seems, while both Sam (Sam Trammell) and Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) have thus far appeared as 100% straight guys. True Blood has outdone itself in outrageousness as each season has passed. Sounds like AB & Co. are about to take it up one more notch. Bring it on!

If you’re one of the (many) True Blood viewers who suspected there might be fallout from Bill “donating” blood to save Sam’s life in the finale last September, go ahead and give yourself a gold star. The show’s boss, Alan Ball, tells me that in season 3, the hunks will forge “not just any connection, an erotic connection.”

How erotic? Ball wouldn’t say. But at least he was more forthcoming with regard to another upcoming same-sex couple-to-be: Lafayette and his new love interest Jesus (played by Southland’s Kevin Alejandro). Bon Temps’ resident V peddler “is very guarded, and Jesus is a guy who is willing to knock down some of those guards,” he says. “[Though] it’s not an easy relationship, they have a lot in common. They’re both shamans of sorts, healers, so there’s a reason they get brought together.

“But,” he emphasizes again, “it’s not going to be easy.”

Source: Ausiello

True Blood creator Alan Ball says he will be casting the part of a female werewolf named Debbie Pelt whom he describes as "a badass bitch you do not want to get on the wrong side of. She is not going to like Sookie." Look for the character debut in the third episode of the upcoming third season.

*It also sounds like they'll be plenty of sex in the season premiere, with Sam Merlotte (Sam Trammell) ended up in a backwoods Arkansas motel room with a familiar face. "It should be curious and confusing to viewers," teases Trammell. But Ryan Kwanten says his character, Jason Stackhouse, ups Sam by one. "My character wakes up in the first episode with two women beside him," Ryan boasts. The actor's also looking forward to seeing Jason enjoy a more meaningful romance. "He will find love in the werewolf world, and love is a pretty unknown concept for him."

Alfre Woodard joins the series as Ruby Jean Reynolds, mother to Lafayette and aunt to Tara. Alfre describes her character as "nuts. She's not going to be a person that the audience loves. She's not very accepting of Lafayette, which is fun to play."

Source: TV Guide Magazine

*Based on the info leaking out (drip by drip) it sounds plausible that Sam wakes up with Bill in a motel room?! That for sure would be confusing for viewers--but yum, hunky men both!

Below: Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer walk the Golden Globes red carpet.

Thanks to Shadaliza!

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Golden Globes 2009 Winner Anna Paquin - True Blood

tvguide — January 12, 2009 — Hollywood 411's Madison Michele sits with Golden Globe winner Anna Paquin who talks about her win for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series/Drama for TRUE BLOOD! Anna also shares with Madison how winning a Golden Globe is different from winning an Oscar at age 11 for The Piano. She also talks to TV Guide about the casting process for TRUE BLOOD.