Today marked The Televixen’s return to The TCON Promotional Society’s Polaris for its 23rd edition. The highlight of my day? The Q and A session and press conference with the XO Colonel Saul Tigh – Battlestar Galactica’s Michael Hogan. He had some fantastic stories to share from his time on BSG, and I’ll have some video and photos for all of you over the next few days. In the meantime, here’s a pic of Mr. Hogan from this morning’s fan Q and A:
What’s on the agenda for tomorrow? Spending a little time with the incomparable Michelle Forbes!
Today is Canada’s 142nd birthday! And I’d like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to some fine Canadians who keep us glued to our TVs week after week.
1) Kiefer Sutherland – Jack Bauer’s been saving the US since November 2001, and the actor that brings this character to life each season is Kiefer Sutherland. Kiefer’s not only part of an acting dynasty, his grandfather is the reason Canadians have free health care!
2) Nathan Fillion – Whether he’s Malcolm Reynolds, Richard Castle or Captain Hammer, Edmonton native Nathan Fillion always brings a smile to this Televixen’s face.
3) Evangeline Lilly – Since the beginning of Lost, I’ve been fascinated by Kate Austen, and I couldn’t imagine her played by anyone else except the stunning Evangeline Lilly.
4) Joshua Jackson – I first fell in love with him as Pacey Witter on Dawson’s Creek, and was I ever thrilled to see him as Peter Bishop on Fringe. Joshua Jackson is a fine, often underrated Canadian export.
5) Cobie Smulders – Can you get more Canadian than Cobie Smulders? On How I Met Your Mother, she’s Canadian newscaster Robin Scherbatsky. And she has an alter ego – Robin Sparkles, a Canadian pop sensation. Her hit song “Let’s Go to the Mall” is appropriate for this holiday, as she declares, “I’m going to rock your body till Canada Day!”
6) Tahmoh Penikett – We loved him as Helo on BSG, and he’s proved to be a real asset to the Whedonverse on Dollhouse. He’s a fine Canadian actor, and his father was Premier of the Yukon.
7) William Shatner – He’s the original Captain James T. Kirk. What more can I say? Actually, I’ll let him say it:
To all my fellow Canadians, at home and abroad, Happy Canada Day!
I’ve been itching to do a podcast for quite a while now, so what better way to get started than by discussing the Season Two premiere of HBO’s True Blood!
I’m joined by my friend Sarah, True Blood fan, and fan of all things vampire!
SPOILER WARNING – If you haven’t seen the Season Two premiere of True Blood as of yet, this podcast does contain numerous spoilers.
Hope you enjoy my first attempt at recording, editing and publishing a podcast! And if you’d like to join me for the next one, send an e-mail to melissa-at-the-televixen-dot-com or DM me on Twitter @thetelevixen.
Continuing the Musical TV Memories, what better to remember than the bands that some of our beloved TV characters have formed over the years. Inspired by Mark-Paul Gosselaar’s reprisal of his Zack Morris character in a recent appearance on Jimmy Fallon, here’s a look at some of the bands from over the years.
Band: Zack Attack
Band Members: Zack, Kelly, Slater, Lisa, Screech
Show: Saved By The Bell
Song: Friends Forever
Band: Zit Remedy
Band Members: Joey Jeremiah, Wheels and Snake
Show: Degrassi High
Song: Everybody Wants Something
Band: The Worthless Peons
Band Members: Ted, Randall, Crispin, Roy
Show: Scrubs
Song: Don’t Fear The Reaper
Band: DriveSHAFT
Band Members: Charlie and Liam Pace
Show: Lost
Song: You All Everybody
Band: Flight of the Conchords
Band Members: Bret and Jemaine
Show: Flight of the Conchords
Song: Ladies of the World
Any TV show bands stand out for you over the years? Share your picks in the comments below!
I was in the mood for another edition of Musical TV Memories, and had so many ideas, I decided to dedicate an entire week to it!
For today’s edition, prepare yourself for some magnificent mullets and sugary songs brought to you by some of daytime TV’s finest. Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you a salute to Singing Soap Stars!
The Man: Jack Wagner
The Character: Andrew “Frisco” Jones
The Soap: General Hospital
The Song: All I Need
Jack Wagner is probably best known as both a daytime and nighttime soap star. He was probably one of my faves on Melrose Place, but long before that, he was Frisco on GH, and in love with a gal named Tanya. “All I Need” was for her, but she married Frisco’s brother Tony instead. Where is he now? Back in the world of daytime soaps, as Dominick on Bold and the Beautiful.
The Man: Michael Damian
The Character: Danny Romalotti
The Soap: The Young and the Restless
The Song: Rock On
Michael Damian was Danny Romalotti, Genoa City’s own rock star on Young and the Restless. He also had a moderately successful musical career, mainly outside the US, during much of the 80s. Then he landed a song on the soundtrack of teen flick Dream a Little Dream, a remake of of “Rock On”, which ended up being a huge hit. Damian is still making music, and occasionally returns to the Young and the Restless.
The Man: Rick Springfield
The Character: Dr. Noah Drake
The Soap: General Hospital
The Song: Jessie’s Girl
Rick Springfield has to be my favourite of the singing soap stars. Jessie’s Girl is probably the song he’s most known for, but I’ve always been a fan “Love Somebody” from his 1984 film Hard to Hold. He briefly returned to General Hospital in 2008, and later this year, he’ll be on Californication as himself.
Honorable mentions have to go to Kylie Minogue (Neighbours), Gloria Loring (Days of our Lives), Ricky Martin (General Hospital), and Ronn Moss (Bold and the Beautiful).
Did anyone else have a fave singer/soap star? Let me know by commenting. And don’t forget to check out some more Musical TV Memories tomorrow!
I am not exactly sure why I didn’t watch The Gilmore Girls when it was on TV. It was probably a combination of something else being on at the same time, lack of a PVR, or it not really being the type of show I tend to watch. But following the praise of many friends and colleagues, and the insistence of my good friend Patricia, I’ve started watching Season One.
My verdict so far? I’m enjoying it like a really good burger and fries, something that I’ve discovered Lorelai and Rory Gilmore have a particular fondness for. And I really like Lauren Graham’s timing – Lorelai has very quickly become my fave character. At the end of a grueling day, this is precisely the kind of show I can get lost in. If this evening’s viewing of three episodes in a row is any indication of how quickly I’m going to plow through this series, I should be finished the first season within a week!
The month of July marks the return of two of my absolute faves – Torchwood and Entourage! Now Torchwood doesn’t get a full season this year, but does have a jaw-dropping 5-part mini series lined up. And the last that we saw Vinnie Chase, after reaching a career low, Martin Scorsese offered him the lead in his next flick!
Here are a couple of promos for you to check out:
Torchwood: Children of Earth (BBC America, July 20th)
So now that I’ve shared my Sizzling Summer TV Picks, why don’t you tell me what shows you’re most looking forward to during the lazy, hazy days of June, July and August?
While many TV watchers are counting down the days until the fall season, I can barely contain my excitement for the upcoming summer TV season!
I thought I’d start by sharing some clips of two of my favourite shows that ended their last seasons with intriguing cliffhangers – both of these will be keeping me glued to the flat panel over the next few months!
