Torchwood: Crossing the Pond?

News has been floating around about Torchwood coming to American televisions on a main stream television station. It would not be a direct transition, where the episodes already made and aired on BBC America would be re-aired. Sources say that FOX is developing an American version of the show.

FOX is supposedly working with Russell T. Davies, who revived Doctor Who for the BBC and created Torchwood as a spin-off of the revered British programme, to create the American version. Rumors state that star John Barrowman may be lured back across the pond to continue his portrayal of Captain Jack Harkness. (Note: Barrowman was originally up for the part of “Will” in Will and Grace. He lost out to Erik McCormack). The linked website also suggests that other British stars may be lured to the American version.

I’m honestly not very optimistic about this development. Torchwood wouldn’t lend itself to an American translation as it is too tied with Doctor Who, particularly with Jack. In England, the audience came in to the series with some background on Jack from Doctor Who—his con man days, his journeys with the Doctor, how he first came back from death—that the team didn’t have. It was a bit of dramatic irony and it was fun to watch the team learn something new about their leader. However, it could be interesting for American audiences to learn the new information along with the team. Jack himself would probably have to undergo a transformation for the transition. Jack is well-known to be “omnisexual”—having sex with women, men and aliens. For mainstream American television, this would have to be severely toned down and may cause Jack to lose what makes him…Jack.

Also, it would seem that despite the ending of Torchwood’s third season finale, Children of Earth Day 5, the series is gearing up for a fourth season. Articles quote Davies as saying that he has storylines for the surviving members of Torchwood Three—Gwen, Rhys and Jack. Would Barrowman be able to do both seasons—as the British season generally runs about 13 episodes while a full American season is approximately 22 episodes. Or would it be wiser just to leave Jack across the ocean where he could just be Jack?

Thoughts?

Down in New Orleans

The Walt Disney Company returns to its traditional 2-D animation roots with a modern take on the fairy-tale “The Frog Prince.”

Set in New Orleans in the midst of the Jazz Age, the fairy-tale finds its heroine in Tiana (Anika Noni Rose, Dreamgirls). She works two jobs and has no free time, saving money to buy her own restaurant—her late father’s dream. Tiana certainly has the skills to run one, but the cash just isn’t flowing in. Her best Friend, Charlotte (Jennifer cody), then tells her of the impending visit of Prince Naveen of Maldonia (Bruno Campos). He is a party Boy prince who was cut off from the royal funds for his carefree lifestyle. He needs to marry someone with money, like Charlotte—whose father, Big Daddy (John Goodman) is one of the richest men in New Orleans—but he just wants to play Jazz music. He and his butler Lawrence get mixed up with Voodoo magician Dr. Faciler (Keith David), who transforms the prince into a frog and Lawrence into the prince!

Tiana is one step closer to reaching her dream when it is yanked out from under her at Charlotte’s party. Ruining her costume, Charlotte sends her friend up to borrow a clean dress while the Southern Belle dances with “Prince Naveen.” Tiana runs into Naveen the Frog in Charlott’es room and agrees to kiss the cursed prince. But the spell backfires and Tiana ends up as a frog as well before both end up in the Louisiana Bayou. There, they meet Louis (Michael Leon-Wooley), an alligator who just wants to play his trumpet in a jazz band. He agrees to take Tiana and Naveen to Mama Odie (Jenifer Lewis), a Voodoo magician as well. The trio gets some help from firefly Ray (Disney Stalwart Jim Cummings) and his family. Mama Odie helps Naveen see that what he wants is Tiana, but the waitress needs a little more encouragement. As Dr. Faciler chases after Naveen, Tiana is about to learn an important Lesson.

While some have condemned “The Princess and the Frog” for the use of Voodoo, it is a rather unique way of retelling the fairy-tale. Setting the story in New Orleans around Mardi Gras added to the supernatural feel the city seems to conjure up. Tiana is a worthy addition to the line of Disney Princesses. She is independent, a hard worker and kind—if a bit too much of a realist and not much of a dreamer. Prince Naveen is in the line of Disney princes—kind at heart, if a bit immature. But like Tiana, he too makes a journey of growth in the bayou. Ray and Louis keep in the tradition of Disney side-kicks.

The movie does have a dark undertone and some parts may frighten young children. Voodoo spirits play a prominent role in the film and part of the climax takes place in a New Orleans’ cemetery, which due to the sea level are above ground crypts. There is also a character death, which may also upset children in the “They shot Bambi’s mom!” vein. The music, composed by Pixar stalwart Randy Newman, mixes a blend of jazz and other Louisiana music to create a feel of New Orleans. This is also the first Disney animated movie since “Beauty and the Beast” where the voice actors also provided the singing voices of their characters. The film is a good time and a must-see for all Disney princesses out there.

Bella: A Review

Would you be able to walk away from your job and just spend a day with someone who needs help?

In “Bella,” Eduardo Verastegui plays Jose, who works as a chef at his brother’s restaurant in New York City. When Manny (Manny Perez), his brother, fires a late waitress, Nina (Tammy Blanchard), Jose follows her into the subway. She confides in Jose that she is unexpectedly pregnant. He offers to stay with her and talk about it. They spend the day wandering throughout New York City and Long Island, where they eat dinner with Jose’s loving and vibrant family. Over the course of the film, Nina decides not to keep her child and tells Jose about her father’s death and the subsequent grief her mother suffered. In return, he confides in her the tragic accident that ended his soccer career.

In the end, both Nina and Jose make life-changing decisions.

The movie sculpts a beautiful and moving story, told in past, present and future. The director weaves these flashes into the “present” story, creating a tapestry of Nina and Jose. It’s a story about redemption, about death, about life but above all, how one person can change your life.

If you can find this movie, I suggest you watch it. Have tissues nearby, though.

“But, um…” SHOT!

Just a little FYI: iTunes has "Nothing Suits Me Like a Suit” from last week’s episode as either a song or a music video for FREE download. I suggest you get it.

Future!Ted talks about living in New York City. Marshall takes Ted to a college bar, where he worries about being cornered by his students. Marshall is apparently the skeeball champion there, by the name Big Fudge. Marshall tells Ted he also invited Jenkins, a rather funny lawyer that Marshall works with. From dares to inappropriate things behind the boss’ back to a striptease. Barney comes in and says he wants to get with Jenkins. Ted is surprised to hear this until Jenkins comes in. Turns out, Jenkins is a girl. Namely, Amanda Peet.

CREDITS!

Tim is surprised but entirely impressed with the peeing out a cab window now that Jenkins is a woman. Marshall tells about meeting Jenkins—she’s from Minnesota and a Vikings’ fan as well. Ted gets suspicious and threatens to kick Marshall’s ass if he is thinking about another woman who is not Lily. But Marshall only feels a sibling connection with Jenkins, but he never got around to correcting Lily’s assumption that Jenkins was a “he,” going to great lengths to hide this fact. Robin comes in to hear that Marshall is hiding something from Lily and Marshall freaks, saying it’s a horse. Robin is cool and then realizes a college kid is staring at her. She and Ted then argue over who he really is staring at. The winner: Robin! He loves her morning show! Ted dismisses “Scotty.”

The next day, Lily makes a surprise visit to Marshall. He tells Jenkins the story and she agrees to hide the fact she is Jenkins. Lily comes up and Jenkins does a good job until Marshall gives up.

Lily, though isn’t upset or jealous. Marshall is upset that she isn’t upset or jealous. Robin and Ted explain that Marshall is a “reacher” and Lily is a “settler.” Marshall tries to argue the opposite. Meanwhile, Robin stops at Ted’s class to learn she is a local celebrity. When she leaves, Ted asks why they like the show. One of his female students explains that Robin’s show is on so early, they are still at the bar. They’ve turned it into a drinking game. Every time Robin gives an interview, they take a shot every time she says “But, um.” Ted and Barney give it a try and end up totally wasted, with Ted wearing his tie around his head.

At the apartment, Marshall and Lily talk about “reachers” and “settlers.” After a long debate, Lily finally says she is the “settler.” Marshall is upset. Barney decides Marshall must make her jealous by sleeping with Jenkins, but only after Barney does. Marshall starts to spout something in Shakespearean language, fails and leaves as Robin comes in. She offers to give one of Ted’s lectures for him so that his class learns something and Ted tells her she is a drinking game. Robin doesn’t believe it. Ted says that if it’s not true, then he didn’t end up wasted and throwing up on himself last night. Oh wait, he did. “FACE!”

At work, Marshall invites Jenkins back to the college bar after Ted tells him she was checking out his skeeball game. Jenkins kisses him.

Marshall freaks out after the kiss and runs from the office. He goes back to the apartment. He tells Lily that Jenkins kissed him. Lily doesn’t believe him, thinking he was just trying to make her jealous. Lily keeps taunting Marshall as he keeps telling her it happened.

At the lecture, Ted is invited to join his students for the Robin drinking game. We see the bar. “So, but um…”

“BUT UM!” They take a shot.

“So, but um…”

“BUT UM!”

Robin keeps saying “but, um” and finally Ted realizes it’s a trap. But they have to take the shots every time, though she keeps saying it over and over.

Jenkins apologizes to Marshall, saying she was drunk. Turns out she was playing the Robin drinking game. She also has to apologize to whoever she slept with. Marshall tells her he told Lily. She says she now has to apologize to Lily. Marshall supports that, telling her to stress the fact that “IT. HAPPENED.” She does so. Lily takes off her scarf, slugs Jenkins and proceeds to beat Jenkins up. Barney moves Marshall to get a better shot. “And kids, your Uncle Marshall never tried to make your Aunt Lily jealous again,” Future!Ted says.

Tag: Everyone is hung over in Ted’s classroom. Robin stops by with a megaphone. Awesome.

That was funny. I liked this episode, particularly the Jenkins subplot. But especially the Robin drinking game. It reminded me of one I made about a friend’s IM conversations. Too bad when I made it, I was still underage and not drinking.

Quote of the Episode:

“It happened! Do you have any…split pea left?” –Marshall

Barney’s Suits vs. Hot Bartender Barbie

It’s How I Met Your Mother’s 100th Episode and we still don’t know WHO the mother is! Will we come closer tonight? Maybe.

We see the kids STILL sitting on the couch after 100 episodes as Future!Ted says that one day they may meet someone special. He looks up and sees a frat boy. He then pans the camera to Rachel Bilson, who tells a kid that she’s not going to his frat party. Ted confiscates the beer but lets the Frat Boy keep his Mike’s Hard Lemonade. Ted and Rachel enjoy a beer. Turns out Rachel was in the class Ted made a fool of himself in during the premiere. Could she be the mother? Are they actually moving forward? Possibly, as she says she dates “cute idiots” exclusively.

CREDITS!

At the apartment, the gang tells him not to screw it up. Then they hear a commotion coming from MacLaren’s. Barney deciphers it—MacLaren’s has hired a hot female bartender. Barney immediately wants her, Robin’s jealous and Marshall thinks she isn’t as hot as Lily. That annoys Lily. Meanwhile, the guys keep falling over the new bartender. She is rude to Barney, though, confusing him.

Ted goes to visit Rachel’s apartment. Future!Ted says his picks up the mother’s cute little yellow bus. He asks Rachel about it. She says it’s her roommate’s. Meanwhile, my sister is doing a dance of joy as she called the mother being the roommate.

Ted asks Rachel (“Cindy”) for a description of her roommate. She responds: “Whore.” But then admits it’s because she’s jealous. Guys keep falling for her roommate. Ted promises to not fall in love with her roommate (Future!Ted: “Oops”). Meanwhile, Lily is still on about how Marshall is not interested in Hot Bartender Barbie. Barney asks Marshall why Hot Bartender Barbie isn’t interested in him. Turns out, Hot Bartender Barbie was dumped by three Wall Street execs and now hates people who wear suits. Barney vows to stop wearing suits, despite the fact he already wears them—we see a picture from Summer 2009 of Barney skiing in a suit—and Marshall and Lily gasp.

Rachel and Ted continue to have their date but she goes on about the Roommate. She paints robots doing sports and makes breakfast foods sing showtunes. Ted is enamored, but lies about it to Rachel. Meanwhile, Barney actually suits down. Hot Bartender Barbie is now interested.

The next day, Ted learns that the college has a strict policy regarding faculty-student relationships. She doesn’t want to risk her scholarship and breaks it off. He tries to get support from the gang to power on, but they tell him to let it go. But Future!Ted tells us that Barney is having trouble letting go as well. We see him practically molest a suit-wearing Marshall before he disappears into the bathroom where he has a suit hidden. He puts it on and…it rips.

Barney dashes through the streets of New York, trying to save his suit. However, his personal tailor, TIM GUNN, couldn’t save it. He asks Barney if another suit could use his’ buttons. Barney tearfully asks “Like an organ donor?” At TIM GUNN’S affirmative, he agrees.

Back at MacLaren’s, Barney holds an urn with the ashes of his suit. Robin thinks Barney will stop going after Hot Bartender Barbie. He says his suit didn’t die for Barney to give up. This inspires Ted to fight for Rachel, his house in Westchester, his two kids and three dogs named “Frank,” “Lloyd” and “Wright.” Hot Bartender Barbie comforts a grief-stricken Barney. They go out while Marshall realizes that Lily thinks Hot Bartender Barbie is hotter than him. Robin proves to them that Hot Bartender Barbie’s hotness is only circumstantial. She goes behind the bar and Lily gets all hot and bothered. The owner kicks Robin out.

Ted brings his yellow umbrella to Rachel’s. He tries to get a second chance, saying that the rules also states not to teach drunk but he does that “all the time.” He points out things that show they are compatible, but they are all Rachel’s roommate. She orders him out. Future!Ted says that was not the night he met their mother, but it was the night their mother got her yellow umbrella back.

At Barney’s, Hot Bartender Barbie discovers Barney’s closet of suits. She makes him chose between her or the suits. He thinks and then Neil Patrick Harris breaks out into a SHOWSTOPPING number about how he loves suits, complete with a suited dancing chorus and parts sung by suited Ted, Marshall, Robin and Lily. All I can say is if you missed it, YOUTUBE it and that the song better be on iTunes. After the song, Barney still chooses Hot Bartender Barbie.

No tag.

This was one of the best episodes in a while. I thought Rachel Bilson was great, but I’m glad she’s not the mother. And Barney’s song was lovely.

HAPPY 100th EPISODE HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER!

Exchange of the Episode:

“My name isn’t Boomer.”

“That’s funny because in my head, it’s Boomer.”

--Rachel and Frat Boy

Have a Happy, Have a Hap-Hap-Happy New Year

To everyone out there in cyberspace: Have a happy New Year. It's a brand new year, a brand new decade--time for fresh starts and good things to come! Here's to a new year of new Broadway shows, new movies, more "drama" to mock on Top Model, new songs to rock out to on Glee and new obsessions!