Acting news for Los Angeles and the surrounding area

Tuesday was big night for TVI Actors Studio affiliated artists. On the January 6th episode of the new TNT dramatic series, Leverage, two TVI actors appeared. Both Stacey Moseley and George Williams were in the episode and as if that wasn’t enough, they were both cast by TVI teacher, Scott David. Scott works for April Webster Casting and starts his Auditioning for Prime Time TV class on Saturday January 21.

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I just don’t know what to watch these days.

Amazing Race is over, Survivor ends this week, Project Runway is lost in the court system.

I can’t find a single hour long scripted series to get into.

I still watch The Office and 30 rock and I’m crazy about Summer Heights High on HBO, but it’s only eight episodes long.

And now it’s the holidays. And I only get into holiday programming a few days before Christmas.

So I’m feeling a little lost. And what do I have to look forward to?
Lot’s of Jay Leno. It’s gonna be a long holiday season.

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I’ve had trouble staying involved in series TV lately. I start to watch a show, I like the pilot, but week after week, I can’t seem to find the time to tune in. Nothing grabs me.

The Shield series finale grabbed me and never let me go. But the whole series did that. Great acting, taut scripts, and a ominous, scary feeling seemed to be the hallmark of this now classic cop series.

But the finale just sent me right over the edge. They wrapped up every major character arc and left you with a four minute sequence that’s got to rank up the best in TV history.

Coming so close to The Sopranos finale, which seemed to disappoint nearly everyone in some way or another, this show couldn’t have left anyone angry.

Except Vic Mackey.

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Wow! This show is funny.

Summer Heights High is a Logie Award-winning, Australian television mockumentary series written by and starring Chris Lilley. It is a satirical parody of high school life epitomised by its three protagonists: effeminate and megalomaniac “Director of Performing Arts” Mr G; self-absorbed, privileged teenager Ja’mie King; and disobedient, vulgar Tongan student Jonah Takalua. It lampoons Australian high school life and many aspects of the human condition and is filmed in a documentary style, with lay people playing supporting characters.

It’s being broadcast on HBO on Sunday nights. Don’t miss it!

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Amazing Race
Survivor
Project Runway (great season just finished)
The Daily Show (election time, best material)
Countdown with Keith Olbermann
The Rachel Maddow Show (bright, funny, left leaning journalism)
Little Britain USA
Californication
True Blood
The Life and Times of Tim (fun adult animation)
Bizarre Foods
No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain
Baseball Playoffs (I hate TBS, prefer FOX)
The Office
SNL Weekend Update on Thursday (they have a hard time being funny once a week, but twice a week…)

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It’s fall.

Football season has started, the baseball playoffs are around the corner, and the air (everywhere but in Los Angeles) starts to get a bit crisp.

But most importantly, it’s time for the Fall TV Season to start.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll let you know what you should watch and what you should avoid.

Sunday night, things got under way with the sixth season premiere of Entourage. It was good, solid episode, with lots of Ari Gold screaming and yelling. Ultimately, it was a bridge to this season from it’s last season. I don’t have any real clues as to where it’s going, but I’m sure I’m going along for the ride.

Entourage was followed by the series premiere of Alan Ball’s new show True Blood. More on that tomorrow,

And there’s Fringe tonight. The only new show I’m actually excited about. Keep searching for the Remote Possibilities.

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As a teacher of comedy, I’m always hearing from my UK students, that their favorite program is Little Britain. Even though old episodes are broadcast on BBC America, I’ve never seen it. When I heard HBO was producing an American version, I was skeptical at best. British comedy is very British. It doesn’t always translate.

But funny is funny. And Little Britain USA is laugh out loud hilarious.

Matt Lucas and David Walliams are terrific writers and performers. Their character work is spot on and occasionally lapses into the area where the viewer is laughing so hard, they are gasping for breath. They are so wrong, they are right. They are so crude that every episode leaves me waiting for the next one.

Catch it and laugh.

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I love lists. They make people argue with each other.

Let me know if i’ve left anything off this list or if you think anything that I included shouldn’t be here.

1) All About Eve
2) Sunset Blvd.
3) Tootsie
4) Waiting for Guffman
5) The Producers
6) Bullets Over Broadway
7) Network Broadcast News
9) Adaptation
10) The Player

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