More fun "24" facts

I am a faithful subscriber to Entertainment Weekly magazine, which I anxiously await every Saturday and read often in the car while I drive Wendy from store to store. Although the magazine is usually fairly celebrity-gossip-free (People or US Weekly it ain't, thank goodness), what really interests me is the fascinating focus in many of its feature articles about the entertainment business and behind-the-scenes peeks at some of my favorite TV shows and movies. (This week's edition, for example, dishes some fun stuff about Heroes.)

Having said this, the following article doesn't come from Entertainment Weekly, but rather from Zap2it.com, another TV & movie-centric website that serves as a source for interesting news from time to time. I'm including the link because it includes a little more juicy 24 news (related to my previous post) as well as an interview with one of the show's producers. For 24 fans, it's a must.

Click here to read Zap2it.com's article

Just like some of the great feature stories in Entertainment Weekly, this story includes some fun facts about 24 that helps illustrate a little better the huge phenomenon this show has become. Someday, when I have a booming career as an entertainment columnist (I understand that they are all ridiculously wealthy...), this is the type of article I will write.

Chocolate + popcorn movies = Summer 2008

As if we needed more reasons to anticipate the upcoming Indiana Jones and Batman movies, I found this article that discusses some of the fascinating upcoming candy-bar cross promotions for next summer:

Even Mars is getting into the act with its Snickers Adventure bar containing a hint of chai and coconut. The limited edition offering ties in with Lucasfilm's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The Indy tie-in also extends to M&M's, which will offer limited-edition Mint Crisp flavor...The silver screen continues to figure big in the marketing of sweets, and among the flavor fits unveiled during last week’s All Candy Expo was Hershey’s hook up with Warner Bros.’ next installment of the Batman series The Dark Knight coming to theaters next July. The Reese’s line will include bat-shaped chocolate and peanut butter pieces, and Kit Kat wafers bars will be stamped with the bat signal.

Suddenly I'm feeling like a Batman-flavored Symphony bar.

Shocking piece of "Lost" news...

Yes, it's been a slow workday. So it's a welcome coincidence that on the heels of 24's big news, I find some interesting Lost news as well. Although not as potentially shocking as the 24 news, this post nevertheless gives us the hope that one of the more frustrating loose-ends from Lost's Season 2 will finally be addressed. It's not as surprising as it is satisfying, so unless you want to go into Season 4 completely blind, feel free to click here.

This is a welcome announcement, and makes the February premiere seem even further away. I can't wait to see what the producers have got up their sleeves.

Shocking piece of "24" news...

Those of you who love being surprised by 24's shocking twists and turns will undoubtedly want to avoid looking at the link below, but for those of you that need a compelling reason to return to the show after last year's underwhelming season, go ahead and click on. Don't be mad at me for spoiling this for you; you've been warned!

Click here for more details.

24 has been one of my favorite TV shows of all time, and has provided some of the most thrilling moments of any recent entertainment I can think of. Having said that, I've always felt that the show's restrictive format has limited the producers' ability to fairly resolve all of the show's many characters and storylines (with the exception of the main ones). Inevitably, some characters get the shaft. Such was the case with this character, who deserved better than what he/she got. Though I was already a fairly die-hard 24 fan, this just got me really excited for season 7.

"Survivor," anyone?

I am a very casual Survivor fan. I have only seen three complete seasons of the show (Marquesas, All-Stars and Guatemala), and have only occasionally caught episodes of other seasons. My lazy attitude toward the show (really one of the major pioneers of today's reality TV craze) stems mostly from the fact that there were usually so many other shows on that I'd rather spend my TV-time on.

Not so this time. With the exception of The Office (which returns next Thursday), I can't think of another show this fall that I'm excited to watch. Yes, I'm mildly curious about Back to You with Kelsey Grammar and Patricia Heaton--I've always loved a well-done traditional sitcom--although the jury's out on this one. I'll give it another week or two to decide if it deserves a timer on my DVR.

I'm also mildly curious about ABC's Pushing Daisies, which critics are unanimously declaring to be the best new show this year. Having said that, critics' also praised Studio 60 last year, and it ended up crashing and burning in a most spectacular fashion. So I'm a little reserved about jumping on the critics' "best" bandwagon.

At least Survivor is a proven brand, which season after season continues to attract people around the watercooler. Although its ratings have waned since the show first premiered, it still does huge numbers up against some other very popular shows, and has "outlasted" almost all of its clones (despite what NBC keeps trying to make us believe, The Apprentice is running on fumes). I think part of Survivor's success has been the exciting locations, which change each season, as well as producers' ability to recruit some very unique TV personalities (who, though almost always "beautiful," seem a little less desperate and shallow than, say, the creepy girls of The Bachelor).

As for the game itself, the challenges, rewards, and twists have evolved, sometimes in a thrilling fashion, and sometimes in a "all that hype for nothing" way (remember the racial division a couple of seasons back, which ended shortly and quietly after the premiere episode?). Having said that, I don't feel like there's anything else to watch on Thursday night, since I don't get into Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy, ER, or CSI. Yes, I'm back to Survivor by default.

Come January, my TV schedule gets a little more exciting, with the return of 24, Lost, American Idol, and The Amazing Race. But until then, I'm a Survivor fan again. Who's in with me?

The "Indy 4" official title is...

So we have Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom, The Last Crusade, and... The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull? Well, it doesn't really roll off my tongue, but I guess it will grow on me. Having said that, I'm so excited about this movie that I'd still go see it if it was named Indiana Jones and the Quest for Britney Spears' Dignity, so I guess the title is irrelevant.

KOTCS arrives in theaters on Memorial Day weekend in 2008. What do you think of the new title? Do you have any better ideas?

The Return of "V"???

I stumbled across an interesting rumor today, indicating that there are talks of reviving the 1980s classic miniseries "V" (and its fantastic sequel, "V: The Final Battle"). While I'm certain that any revival would likely be gorier and racier than the original, I still have to say that I'm pretty curious about the idea of returning to one of my childhood's most fascinating TV fetishes. My parents would warn us about watching it; that it might give us nightmares. And of course, we'd be glued to that TV screen, even if it meant nightmares later on that night. I can still remember being completely creeped out about seeing the guy in the red suit being spied behind the dumpster while consuming a live mouse. Or Diana, the leader of the alien lizards, screaming "I WAS IN CHAAARGE!!!" Or when they'd peel off their skin to reveal that creepy green skin underneath. Or when that girl who mated with a lizard gave birth to twins...one human, one lizard. Man, I'm getting excited just thinking about it! Check out the full rumor here.

Who knows what will really happen, but given Hollywood's current fascination with all-things nostalgic, I wouldn't be surprised to see something happen. All I can say is that I'm sufficiently intrigued. How about you?