Big Brother 14 – Recap & Review – Season Premiere

photo: cbs

Big Brother 14
Season Premiere

Original Air Date: Jul 12, 2012

Lauren A – Senior Reviewer
lauren@thetwocentscorp.com

Even with a Glass House in the neighborhood, Big Brother doesn’t face any threat of eviction from the top spot in summer television. The show’s 14th season premiere was one of the most action-packed in memory. A Hantz, Mentors, and a first night eviction? Oh my!

In the “house like no other”, 53 cam-eras (anyone else notice the awesome Jenna Maroney pronunciation??) and 98 microphones capture every moment in a 3-month competition for power, food, luxuries, and $500,000. Host Julie Chen introduced us to the season’s new houseguests (HGs), and this summer’s big twist: 4 veteran players will return as Mentors, playing their own game for a $100,000 prize. Before the new HGs even popped their champagne, BB favorites Dan (BB10 winner), Britney (BB12), Janelle (BB6 & BB7), and Boogie (BB2 & BB7 winner) entered the house to shake things up and coach the first Head of Household (HOH) competition. And the second twist? The 12 new HGs will immediately compete to earn one of the 11 keys and secure their spot in the house.

Comic-Con 2012: Beauty and the Beast the Remix

beauty & the beast

Comic-Con 2012
Beauty and the Beast the Remix

Patricia Morris Buckley — Sr. Staff Writer
pmb@thetwocentscorp.com

Moderator Dalton Ross got right to the point when introducing CW’s new show Beauty and the Beast.

“There will be no talking candlesticks,” he warned. “This is a return to the 1980’s series.”

But this certainly isn’t a series for those who remember the Linda Hamilton-Ron Perlman show. It’s definitely been retooled for the Vampire Diaries generation. In fact, the Beast looks nothing like a lion — instead, he could be a super model. The same goes for the Catherine Chandler character. This is a show filled with some of the prettiest people on TV and they’re directed as if they’re striking poses in a fashion mag.

Comic-Con 2012: Star Trek: TNG goes High Def

digital trek

Comic-Con 2012
Star Trek: TNG goes High Def

Patricia Morris Buckley — Sr. Staff Writer
pmb@thetwocentscorp.com

After seeing the panel about the transfer of season one of Star Trek: The Next Generation (or TNG for those who love it) to high def, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that it’s the only way to view this classic series.

With side-by-side comparisons, the panel for Before and After: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Star Trek” The Next Generation’s Journey into High Definition made me a believer. The colors were much more vibrant and some of the special effects were given a bit of an update. The result is worth of High Def.

But it almost didn’t happen.

Comic-Con 2012: Stan Lee Rules the Con

Comic-Con 2012
Stan Lee Rules the Con

Patricia Morris Buckley — Sr. Staff Writer
pmb@thetwocentscorp.com

Ah, the crush of bodies, the outlandish costumes and the fever pitch of fandom gone wild — there’s no place like Comic-Con!

This year, the Geek Fest started for me with the Stan Lee’s World of Heroes panel, which easily filled the three-room hall (there was a bit of a shouting match outside when about 40 convention goers skipped line, but the Comic-Con staff took control of the situation fairly quickly).

The panel announced the launch of Lee’s new You Tube channel that appears to be the You Tube version http://www.funnyordie.com. YouTube.com/worldofheroes will feature various input from other geek artists, such as Adrienne Curry’s Super Fans, Geek DIY, Geek Therapy, Fan Wars (fans fight for to prove their superhero is tops), Super.Model, Cocktails with Stars, Masks & Capes, and a new web series by author Peter David (king of scifi writers) that is the geek version of It’s Never Sunny in Philadelphia.

Suits – Recap & Review – Discovery

photo: usa

Suits
Discovery

Original Air Date: Jul 12, 2012

Wyner C – Senior Reviewer
wyner@thetwocentscorp.com

When you’re the best, people either want to defeat you or emulate you. This episode, we see Travis Tanner trying to beat Harvey and Louis wanting to be Harvey. It’s lonely and dangerous at the top; watch your step ‘cause the fall is long and the impact is deadly.

Travis Tanner is back and reopening one of Harvey’s old cases. Four years ago, Harvey proved the driver was at fault for a car accident and not his client’s product. Coastal Motors won the wrongful death suit but Tanner has resurrected it with a heavily redacted document showing CM knew about the problem.

Steven Tyler Leaves American Idol While J-Lo Hints She May Follow

photo: fox

Steven Tyler is leaving “American Idol.” Fox and the Aerosmith rocker made the announcement in a press statement.

“After some long … hard … thoughts … I’ve decided it’s time for me to let go of my mistress ‘American Idol’ before she boils my rabbit,” Tyler said in a statement. “I strayed from my first love, Aerosmith, and I’m back — but instead of begging on my hands and knees, I’ve got two fists in the air and I’m kicking the door open with my band. The next few years are going to be dedicated to kicking some serious ass — the ultimate in auditory takeover … On Nov. 6, we are unleashing our new album, Music from Another Dimension on the Earth, Moon, Mars, and way beyond the stars … “Idol” was over-the-top fun, and I loved every minute of it … Now it’s time to bring Rock Back. ERMAHGERD.”

Great Food Truck Race Returns For Third Season

host tyler florence

Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race returns for a third season this summer, with host Tyler Florence presiding over the cross-country culinary road trip with a brand-new twist: no longer a competition between current food truck operators as in prior seasons, this high-stakes battle is between eight teams who desperately want to be in the food truck business – they have a dream, a concept and insane culinary skills. Each three-person team is provided a vehicle for the race, but only the grand prize winner gets to keep their food truck and a $50,000 cash prize to start their dream business. From mobile mini-pies and authentic Aussie grub to specialty waffles, each team’s inspired cuisine and road strategy is put to the test in city-specific challenges that begin at a Long Beach, Calif. lighthouse and continue through the finale at the West Quoddy Lighthouse in Maine, the easternmost point of the United States. The seven-episode series premieres on Sunday, August 19th at 10pm ET/PT, after the finale of Chopped: Grill Masters, and beginning the next week will air in its regular timeslot Sundays at 9pm ET/PT.

Glee’s Kevin McHale Joins Lovato to Host Teen Choice 2012

Star of GLEE, Kevin McHale, is set to co-host TEEN CHOICE 2012, alongside Demi Lovato. The 14th annual special airs LIVE Sunday, July 22 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX. Also, Miranda Cosgrove, Zachary Knighton, Adam Pally, Hayden Panettiere, Zoe Saldana, Damon Wayans, Jr. and Shane West have been added to the choice list of talent scheduled to appear.

“Demi and I have been friends for years, and I’d like to thank her for letting me in on the fun co-hosting TEEN CHOICE 2012,” McHale said. “It’s exciting to finally be working together professionally and I’d like to welcome her to the FOX family. This is going to be a great show.”

TEEN CHOICE 2012 celebrates the hottest teen icons in television, music, film, sports, fashion, comedy and the web. Previously announced participants include Troian Bellisario, Ashley Benson, Miley Cyrus, Cat Deeley, Zooey Deschanel, Ellen DeGeneres, Jason Derulo, Zac Efron, Selena Gomez, Lucy Hale, Josh Hutcherson, Victoria Justice, Laura and Vanessa Marano, Bridgit Mendler, Lea Michele, Shay Mitchell, Tyler Posey, Gordon Ramsay, Dax Shepard, Sophia Grace and Rosie, Jordin Sparks and Taylor Swift.

TwoCents and Five Questions with Aaron Korsh (Suits)

why did he create suits?

Aaron Korsh, Executive Producer, Writer

Aaron Korsh is the creator is the USA Network’s hit show Suits. He also writes and acts as executive producer on the show. He got his start on television in comedy, writing for Everybody Loves Raymond and Just Shoot Me!. His first adventure into drama was ABC’s short-lived The Deep End, which I loved, by the way. Great cast. Combine the comedy and drama and you get Suits. Filling USA’s need for a legal procedural, the show is smart, witty and very well acted by a very diverse cast. Mr. Korsh was very happy to sit down and share some of his thoughts with us.

TheTwoCents: Can you talk about some of the changes this season, especially now that Hardman’s back?

Dallas – Recap & Review – The Enemy Of My Enemy

photo: tnt

Dallas
The Enemy Of My Enemy

Original Air Date: Jul 11, 2012

Karen Belgrad – Senior Editor
karenbelgrad@thetwocentscorp.com

Things are heating up at the Southfork Ranch. And with all the secrets being kept, it’s only a matter of guessing which ones will come out next. And second only to that, what pearl of wisdom will be dropped by one of our fearless Ewing men. This show is becoming infinitely more quotable by the moment! “An eye for an eye just makes both people blind”!?!? That is just incredibly awesome and corny at the same time!

Now that we’re firmly ensconced in Dallas v.2012, and the show has been renewed for a second season, it’s time to take a look at what is working and what isn’t working.