All Entries in the "Programming" Category

A New Show to LOVE and get all Obsessed with: Skins on BBC America

The TV series Skins will be appearing on U.S. TV’s on BBC America on Sundays at 9/8c. I’ve heard lots of buzz about this show on the Internet, so I’m glad that we’re finally able to see it. The show is about a group of 17 year olds in Bristol, England. For a twist - the writers of this show all are about the age of 22, meaning they really GET how to write these characters. As much as we want to believe that a 45 guy can write about a 16 year old girl and her mental state, sometimes it just doesn’t work.

Find out more details about each of these crazily-fun characters from their MySpace-eque pages. If everyone is this fun and wacky in Britain, then I’ll have to go live there (finally, people who will understand me!). I’ve been big on wanting to live in Canada, but who knows…

The website has a handy glossary of British phrases that are used in each episode - meaning you get cultured while you get entertained. Brilliant!

The next episode of Skins airs on BBC America on August 31st at 9/8c. I especially like the character of Cassie, and that seems to be a common thought. The below YouTube feature showcases the character of Cassie. If you want to watch more (I watched several clips) the official YouTube channel is here.

For as much as we can hate high school, and hate being a teenager - there’s something amazing about shows with teens in high school. We love these shows, and we watch them no matter our age. Although, not all teenage dramas are created equal. Some are dull, predictable, and not worth watching (*cough* The O.C. *cough*), while others are excellent (My So-Called Life). People are comparing Skins to Gossip Girl, but I think it looks a lot better than Gossip Girl. That’s just the easiest comparison. But even if you don’t like Gossip Girl, I’m betting you’ll like Skins. And if you DO like Gossip Girl, I still think you’ll like Skins.

If you’ve missed the first two episodes you can purchase them on iTunes. Don’t let this be a show that becomes ‘one of the best shows on TV you aren’t watching’. Get on board, start watching.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Your Advance Look at The Closer episode: Sudden Death

I was granted an advance viewing of the upcoming episode of The Closer, entitled Sudden Death. You guys know that I don’t like to give away too many spoilers because then you won’t enjoy the show as much. But what fun would it be if I didn’t share anything? To view the episode tune in to TNT next Monday, August 25th, at 9 p.m. (You bring the popcorn, I’ll bring the gummi bears.) I recommend turning in earlier because starting at 9 a.m. there will be a 13 episode marathon of The Closer.

Sudden Death focuses on Detective Julio Sanchez (Raymond Cruz) and what occurs in the wake of the unexpected and sadly fatal shooting of his brother. This is the kind of TV episode that occurs in niche shows (crime, hospital, or uh…beet farming) where everything you know is knocked to the wayside because personal attacks hit a group of people differently. I know that sounds vague, because how could a personal attack not affect someone differently. Honestly? I’m not sure how to anymore specifically phrase this. What do I mean by ‘differently’? Well, more intensely for sure. But other than that it varies by as many individuals as there are involved. The only common thread that I’m (fairly) certain is there is that it’s different than how you feel about other cases for your job.

Raymond Cruz and Kyra Sedgwick

I guess that’s what they mean when they say something hits you close to home. Only, it’s not just close to your home - it’s in your home on your favorite chair, and what are you gonna do about it now? Well, objectivity is a difficult skill, and it is one that you will see struggled with in this episode. Without the ability to detach from the case, things get messy. A leak in the department and the methods used by Sanchez to find the killer both become problems. Plus, an unfriendly face with their own motives becomes salt in the wound.

Brenda (Kyra Sedgwick) is once again smooth with her interrogation techniques, and every time I watch this show I feel pretty wowed. Put it this way: I would not want to be in a room with her if I had a major secret. But it is the grief-ridden performance by Raymond Cruz as Julio Sanchez that particularly wowed me this time. I have one other name to drop, and that is: Kevin Bacon. Bacon, Sedgwick’s real life husband, directed this episode. And very well, I’ll add. But would you expect any less?

The entire episode is chock full of talent. My one real complaint? Much as I love the costume design work in general (especially for Brenda), Brenda does wear a dress in this episode that screams ‘I’m a pilgrim’. Pilgrim fashion never caught on for a reason.

G.W. Bailey as Det. Lt. Provenza

My favorite quotes for this episode:

“I finally get to be the witness who didn’t see anything.” - Julio Sanchez

“People maybe be created equal, but they don’t die that way. Murder isn’t fair.” - Brenda Leigh Johnson

“I know I didn’t do it by the book. But the book doesn’t cover this.” - Not telling you who says this, it’ll tell you too much.

Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon on the set of The Closer

Pictures are courtesy of TNT, they are by Karen Neal

Popularity: 18% [?]

What Wedding Blunders will the My Boys Summer Finale Have?

Summer can’t last forever. That’s a sad truth it seems like I had to keep learning as a child. Every year, summer would present itself like an endless horizon of warm days to be outside riding my bike (which I, of course, pretended was a horse) and making ‘cakes’ in my sandbox. I can’t properly describe the defeat I felt when I realized that summer was only temporary, that school was scheduled to be happening yet again. (I wasn’t ‘eat the paste special’, I was just hopeful!)

With the end of summer comes the summer finale of the comedic and cute TBS show My Boys. It’s Bobby’s wedding, so you know things won’t go smoothly! Tune in on Thursday (this Thursday!) August 7th at 10 p.m. to see John, Cougar, Newman Camp. (Let’s all admit that’s a pretty cute title, okay?) Series creator Betsey Newman directed this episode.

Here is a clip from the finale, along with the episode summary:

Synopsis from TBS: It’s the day of the wedding rehearsal, and with Jack missing in action, Bobby decides to make Mike, Kenny, Brendan and PJ his “best men,” while PJ is determined to set things right between the Newman brothers.  Kenny and Stephanie try to keep a secret from the rest of the gang.  Mike finds out that Maggie (Mimi Rogers), the woman he stayed with the night before, just got divorced.  And the entire gang confronts the reality that with Bobby’s marriage, they will be entering a new phase in their relationship with one another.

Popularity: 21% [?]

The New (7th!) Season of Monk and What’s to Come (A 100th Episode Awaits You)

The USA Network show Monk premieres Friday July 18th, 2008 at 9/8 central. Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG award winner Tony Shaluhoub returns as the title character, Adrian Monk. Joining the show this year is fellow Emmy award winning actor Hector Elizondo. He will be Dr. Neven Bell (hey, is he possibly related to Kristen Bell? Hehe), replacing Monk’s therapist as the former therapist played by Stanley Kamel (Dr. Charles Kroger) unexpectedly passed away in March of 2007.

In this, the seventh season, Monk will be marking the passage of a successful run with a fabulous 100th episode. Think you can’t become a fan of Monk now because there’s already been so many episodes? FALSE! From August onward, Monk will be airing 99 episodes that you can then vote for online to pick from. These chosen episodes will air as a marathon for the big 100th episode. If you’re marking your calendars (use a big, red, sparkly marker), the 100th episode of Monk will air on Friday, September 5th at 9/8 central.

Who is Monk? He is an OCD-ridden genius who was fired from the San Francisco Police Force as a homicide detective. That only cracks the surface of the character, but rest assured that Monk is an unusual character… You can catch up on previous full episodes HERE.

Are you a fan of Monk? You better subscribe to Sofachip, because I have lots to tell you about this and other great shows!

This is what USA has to say about the seventh season of Monk: (SPOILERS and pictures included!)

Popularity: 20% [?]

Benjamin Bratt is A&E’s The Cleaner

Fans of Benjamin Bratt have reason to be excited. Bratt will be starring in the new A&E Network drama The Cleaner. This original scripted show premieres on Tuesday July 15th at 10 p.m. EST.

What is the show about? Very good question. I do indeed have the answer! The Cleaner is based on the true story of a man who is an “extreme interventionist”. Benjamin Bratt portrays him as William ‘The Cleaner’ Banks. Once his daughter is born, Banks finds himself at the lowest point he can imagine, the kind of desolate hell you like to imagine can’t be real. Choosing to believe in hope, he decides to tackle reinvention by making a deal with God. We all like to believe in second chances. He gets his. Turns out, that might be the easy part.

Banks has promised himself, and God, to turn away completly from his former addictions. As if that weren’t enough to deal with, he decides that he will aid others in doing the same. Fighting your own personal demons isn’t easy. As someone who has been in the same sort of shoes (maybe a different size - sure), Banks (and some newfound friends) work as agents of hope in a world that leaves too many people believing the concept of hope doesn’t figure into their lives.

Bratt has said this about the show:

“I am always looking for good material to work with and The Cleaner is one of the best scripts I’ve read in a long time. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to portray such a complex and multidimensional character. A&E is the perfect home for The Cleaner and I’m proud to be working with them on bringing this emotionally compelling drama to life.”

Two more official pictures for The Cleaner are below the jump:

Popularity: 27% [?]