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(L-r) ‘The Pact’ leads Abbie Hern, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Laura Fraser, Eiry Thomas and Heledd Gwynn.

As Wentworth was coming to an end on Foxtel, its originating screenwriter Pete McTighe was keen to create another female-led ensemble series, but one with a point of difference.

Having lived in Wales for three years, crafting episodes of the BBC’s Doctor Who and the Sky/AMC/BBCAmerica supernatural drama A Discovery of Witches, he came up with the idea of a contemporary crime thriller set in Wales.

He wrote the first episode of The Pact, Cardiff-based Little Door Productions pitched it to BBC Wales and it was quickly commissioned.

Now shooting, the six-part drama directed by Eric Styles (Hidden) and Rebecca Johnson (The Flash) and produced by Catrin Lewis Defis follows five friends who get mixed up in a sudden death and a web of lies.

The leads are played by Laura Fraser (Breaking Bad), Julie Hesmondhalgh,...

Matthew Byrd Sep 1, 2016

An all-star team of developers have joined forces to create the ultimate System Shock experience...

System Shock 3 is officially a go as OtherSide Entertainment has revealed that development has begun on this highly-anticipated sequel.

Even better, OtherSide Entertainment confirmed that Warren Spector (producer of the original System Shock, creator of Deus Ex, and all-around gaming genius) will be leading System Shock 3's development team. That team also includes tech director Jason Hughes (Wing Commander and Epic Mickey), design director Sheldon Pacotti (lead writer of the first two Deus Ex games), Art Director Arturo Pulecio (Dark Age of Camelot, Epic Mickey, Dungeons and Dragons Online), and a host of developers who worked on the original System Shock that include Creative Director Paul Neurathm and Lead Designer Tim Stellmach.  

To put it another way, OtherSide Entertainment has assembled a bonafide all-star team of gaming experts and series veterans to...

Matthew Byrd Sep 11, 2019

Here's everything we know about System Shock 3, including latest news, release date, trailers, and more!

System Shock 3 is officially a go as OtherSide Entertainment, as development begins on this highly-anticipated sequel.

Even better, OtherSide Entertainment confirmed that Warren Spector will be leading System Shock 3's development team. That team also includes tech director Jason Hughes (Wing Commander and Epic Mickey), design director Sheldon Pacotti (lead writer of the first two Deus Ex games), art director Arturo Pulecio, and a host of developers who worked on the original System Shock that include Creative Director Paul Neurathm and Lead Designer Tim Stellmach.  

To put it another way, OtherSide Entertainment has assembled a bonafide all-star team of gaming experts and series veterans to go to work on a sequel that is, roughly, 17 years in the making. 

Sadly, we know painfully little about this game, which would seem to indicate that...

Genre festival reveals masterclasses and film programme.

Horror Channel FrightFest (Aug 25-29) has unveiled the line-up of events and movies for its 2016 edition, set to be held at the Vue cinema in London’s Shepherds Bush.

Screen will host a panel on the future of the UK horror film industry, followed by the first Screen International Horror Rising Star Award [click here for the shortlist].

There will also be a horror writing master class with writer-director James Moran; a women in horror symposium; a special effects demo from maestro Dan Martin; and a discussion by filmmaker Paul Davis – who made John Landis approved doc Beware The Moon - marking the 35th anniversary of An American Werewolf In London.

The festival is also set to screen H.G. Lewis’ 1963 gore classic Blood Feast, which is getting a 4K restoration from Arrow.

The FrightFest audience will be the first in the UK to see The Neighbor, directed by Marcus Dunstan (The Collection).

The festival will also...

Welcome to a special retro edition of Mistresses!

Karen’s asking “What is a podcast?” like Downton Abbey‘s Dowager Countess getting befuddled by the concept of a weekend. April’s sounding out the word “transgender” like a kindergartener staring down a three-syllable word on the blackboard. And Kate’s biological clock is ticking so loudly that she can’t hear how ridiculous it sounds when she gets swoony over phone calls from an iPhone contact tragically known as “Taco Guy.”

RelatedElizabeth Mitchell Revisits Lost, Gia, Revolution, V and Other Roles, Teases Her Dirt-y Dead of Summer Secret

Hey,...

As Jason Hughes recounts: "Ellen DeGeneres invited the stars of 'Selma' to her show on Friday, sitting down with Oprah Winfrey, David Oyelowo and Carmen Ejogo. She talked about the power of the film, which tells the story of Martin Luther King Jr.’s voting rights marches of 1965, and how it impacted her emotionally. 'I would have marched with you,' DeGeneres said, adding that not only did she cry thoughout the film, but she could tear up just thinking about it … and in fact seemed about to do just that while talking about it." The Wrap -Break- Updated: Experts' Oscars predictions in 24 categories Pete Hammond observes, "This is still a very big weekend in the first phase of the season, with tons of parties, the BAFTA tea and Independent Film brunch both on Saturday, and of course the Golden Globes on Sunday. Those results will obviously have...

. Anne Thompson reports on a fascinating conversation with her dinner companion at Tuesday's American Cinematheque Ball honoring Matthew McConaughey, star of the upcoming "Interstellar": "CalTech astrophysicist Kip Thorne worked closely with Christopher Nolan and his VFX people to create a scientifically realistic wormhole and black hole so that the film's use of relative time would be as accurate as possible. Thompson on Hollywood -Break- As Esther Zuckerman observes, "John Goodman has some words for Mark Wahlberg in the teaser for their upcoming film 'The Gambler,' and since it’s a red-band teaser, it’s probably evident that the words aren’t exactly pretty. (Get ready for a lot of “f–k yous” to be uttered.)" EW Oscars predictions update: Experts still backing 'Boyhood,' Michael Keaton, Julianne Moore, ... Jason Hughes teases Air New Zealand's “The Most Epic..."'...

The-Sicilian-Defence.-Midsomer-Murders. Rlj Entertainment/Acorn Media

Midsomer Murders is back on Acorn DVD with three all-new mysteries that debuted in the UK last year. If you haven’t been keeping up to speed with the long-running drama then you should know that these three stories feature Neil Dudgeon as John Barnaby rather than John Nettles as his cousin Tom. While the identity of the principal investigator has changed fairly recently, it seems like a long, long time since anyone other than Jason Hughes served as the top man’s sidekick. The good news is that Hughes does feature in the these three stories. The bad news is that this is the last you’ll see of him as he left the show in 2013.

Written in the Stars is the first mystery in Midsomer Murders Set 24. As the story begins, the whole community are giddy with excitement about an upcoming solar eclipse.

Midsomer Murders The Christmas Haunting

Midsomer Murders returned to ITV tonight with a new story that was set in Britain’s “most haunted” town. In the opening minutes of The Christmas Haunting, the first unfortunate victim of the night had a brief and fatal encounter with an antique sword. Some of the locals were horrified while others tried to cash-in by linking the killing with the ghouls that are at the heart of the local tourist trade. Ever the realist, Barnaby quickly dismissed the supernatural links and began identifying suspects who stood to gain from the victim’s death. As something of a lady’s man with a penchant for married women, the slain man had no shortage of enemies. Things got ever more complicated as the local pub landlord was revealed to be a rival Casanova but before long he too was bludgeoned to death. As the investigation progressed...

TruTV has reportedly renewed Container Wars for a second season of 13 episodes, down from the first season's 16 episode order.

The first season of the reality series, which debuted in January, is still airing. The finale is scheduled for Sunday, September 22nd, at 9:30pm.

Container Wars follows "treasure hunters" as they go to commercial shipping ports to bid on what they hope are containers filled with big-ticket items. Participants include John Kunkle, Jason Hughes, Matthew Gaus, and Deana Molle.

What do you think? Do you enjoy this series? Are you looking forward to watching season two?...

Midsomer Murders ITV

Kieran Kinsella

It is midsummer which means blood is flowing in the streets of England’s most dangerous county – Midsomer. Over the next few weeks, Acorn Media are releasing not one, not two but Six boxsets of the beloved hit series Midsomer Murders on DVD. Not only that, but they are also releasing the Alec Guinness classic Smiley’s People on Blu-ray. So without further ado, let’s begin.

Midsomer Murders Set 22

The four stories in this set were originally broadcast in the UK in late 2011 and have never been shown in the U.S. All four feature Neil Dudgeon as Barnaby and Jason Hughes as his ever-reliable sidekick. The first of the stories is Sleeper Under the Hill. It centers around a group of Druids and a Stonehenge-like monument that they use during rituals. A local farmer plans to plough up the surrounding meadow, an endeavor...

Gwilym Lee has joined the cast of 'Midsomer Murders'. The 29-year-old actor - who has starred in 'Fresh Meat', 'Land Girls' and TV movie 'Restless' - will take on the role of DS Charlie Nelson, the new partner of Dci John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon), in the ITV detective drama following the departure of DS Jones (Jason Hughes). Gwilym said: ''I am delighted to be joining such a popular and long running series as 'Midsomer Murders'. I have always watched it and can't wait to start work on it now, as a regular character. ''It's a bit of a...

Gwilym Lee has joined the cast of 'Midsomer Murders'. The 29-year-old actor - who has starred in 'Fresh Meat', 'Land Girls' and TV movie 'Restless' - will take on the role of DS Charlie Nelson, the new partner of Dci John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon), in the ITV detective drama following the departure of DS Jones (Jason Hughes). Gwilym said: ''I am delighted to be joining such a popular and long running series as 'Midsomer Murders'. I have always watched it and can't wait to start work on it now, as a regular character. ''It's a bit of a...

Midsomer Murders has cast Gwilym Lee as a new regular.

Lee replaces Jason Hughes, who recently exited the ITV drama as DS Jones.

The Restless actor will play DS Charlie Nelson, the new partner of Dci John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon).

"I am delighted to be joining such a popular and long-running series as Midsomer Murders," said Lee. "I have always watched it and can't wait to start work on it now, as a regular character.

"It's a bit of a dream come true and I am even looking forward to the various stunts that lie ahead of me - I know Barnaby doesn't like jumping into freezing lakes!"

Dudgeon added: 'We've met and got on really well and I really look forward to working with him this year. It will be good to bring a new character into the series - and keep Barnaby on his toes!"

Dudgeon himself replaced...

Jason Hughes took a chance on "Container Wars" when he paid $32,000 for a container. But when he opened it up, he immediately knew that he would be getting his money's worth from the contents. The container was filled with premium audio equipment and instruments.

"I don’t know what band died recently, but I got all their gear," Jason laughed.

As he started going through his purchase, he found more reasons to be excited. "A Les Paul. Oh nice, amps! I’ve got drums upon a drums," he marveled. "It’s like they went on a drug bender and forgot all their equipment in the middle of the desert or something."

Their so-called "drug bender" left a tidy pile of cash for Jason. He scored $35,800 in profit, more than doubling his initial investment.

You never know what's inside on "Container Wars," Sundays at 10:30 p.m. Est on TruTV.

TV...

Midsomer Murders ITV

By Kieran Kinsella

Amazon.com Widgets

Back in the UK, Neil Dudgeon has well and truly established himself as the face of Midsomer Murders. Now fans of the show in the U.S. can get their first look at the man who replaced John Nettles (remember him?) with the release of Acorn Media’s Midsomer Murders set 21. The four stories in this four-disc set were aired in the UK just last year and have never been broadcast on U.S. TV.

Death in the Slow Lane is the first feature length story in Midsomer Murders set 21. The episode begins with John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) arriving in Britain’s most dangerous village as the heir apparent to his cousin Tom. DS Jones (Jason Hughes) isn’t exactly enamored with his new Dci who mocks his attempts to restore an old race car. Their differences are quickly forgotten when...

The Sicilian Defence. co. ITV Midsomer Murders

B Van Heusen

Midsomer Murders was back on TV tonight with a baffling murder mystery involving members of a chess club. In case you don’t know – The Sicilian Defence is actually a chess strategy. In this story, the killer brought chess pieces to life as the unfortunate pawns of Midsomer were knocked off one by one. While the killing strategy might sound quite cunning the down side to such a scheme is that it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the killer might be an avoid chess fan. Not sure if Baranaby ranks as a genius but he and Jones were astute enough to solve this one.

At some point they are going to run out of English village cliches to keep Midsomer Murders going but for now at least the good folks over at ITV seem to have...

Guest Column by Alice Maltin When actor John Nettles decided to hang up his badge as Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby and walk into the sunset (or wherever they told us he was going), that ended one of TVs most enjoyable British murder mystery series. Then they had the audacity to return with Neil Dudgeon as Dci John Barnaby—Tom’s cousin! I wished they hadn’t done that…but they did, and you know what? He’s really good. They pulled it off. Tom Barnaby was a smart, likeable and easygoing Dci who never lost a case, or his temper. He had a devoted wife and daughter and a trusty sergeant, Ben Jones (Jason Hughes). His cousin, Dci...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]...

Acorn.s top series, Midsomer Murders, debuts Set 21 on January 8. British TV specialist Acorn Media has the newest episodes of Midsomer Murders, Set 21 on DVD/Blu-ray. The cozy villages of Midsomer County reveal their most sinister secrets in these contemporary British television mysteries. Inspired by the novels of Caroline Graham, modern master of the English village mystery, the series stars Neil Dudgeon (Life of Riley) as the capable Detective Chief Inspector John Barnaby, with Jason Hughes (This Life) as his young partner, Detective Sergeant Ben Jones. Guest stars include Samantha Bond (Downton Abbey), David Warner (Titanic), Edward Fox (Ghandi), Phyllida Law (Love at First Sight), and Pam Ferris (Rosemary & Thyme). Called .Simply the most entertaining...

Midsomer Murders ITV

Grey Feeney

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Sharon Duce, Georgia MacKenzie and Sam Callis are among the guests stars as Midsomer Murders returns to ITV on 21 March at 8 p.m. InMurder of Innocence, a sleepy town is shocked when a local barrister is brutally killed. The finger of suspicion immediately falls on a recently released convict who was prosecuted by the man in question and just happened to be released from jail on the day of the murder. Midsomer’s finest cops soon discover that the suspect has a water tight alibi but could he be working with an accomplice? Or is he also on the real killer’s hit list?

Neil Dudgeon (Barnaby) and Jason Hughes (Jones) resume their usual roles in Murder of Innocence which is the second feature length episode of Midsomer Murders...

Midsomer Murders ITV

N Conrad

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Click Here To Win A DVD Or Blu Ray Of Midsomer Murders

The Dark Rider saw Midsomer Murders regulars Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) and Jones (Jason Hughes) investigating a seemingly supernatural headless horseman. Was the horseman really 17th century aristocrat Geoffrey DeQuetteville? Or was it someone else using the wealthy DeQuetteville family’s past to literally scare the living daylights out of the current inhabitants of Quitewell Hall? Basically, the Dark Rider was kind of a grown up version of the old Look and Read story Dark Towers only with better special effects and a bit more blood and guts. While the locals were taken in by tales of spooks and hauntings, it didn’t take Barnaby and Jones too...

Midsomer Murders

B Van Heusen

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Midsomer Murders returns to ITV with an all new episode on 1 February at 8.00 p.m. Neil Dudgeon who replaced John Nettles last year and Jason Hughes, resume their roles as the South of England’s top detectives. The guest stars for The Dark Rider include veteran William Gaunt (Without You) and Eleanor Bron (Doctor Who). Former BBC drama chief Jo Wright (Lovejoy) produced the story. The episode was largely filmed at Knebworth house in Hertfordshire and features members of the Sealed Knot war reenactment society.

The Dark Rider centers around the wealthy DeQuettevilles who regularly host civil war reenactments on the grounds of their home. The family and the mock battles are disrupted after a number of people claim...

Midsomer Murders

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Kieran Kinsella

On 6 September, Acorn Media are set to release Midsomer Murders: set 18 on DVD. This set contains three stories that have never aired in the United States and if you are a fan of the series you will not want to miss out on these episodes. Each of the stories is 100 minutes long which means that you get five hours of top notch drama when you buy the set.

Former Bergerac star John Nettles resumes his role as Dci Barnaby while Jason Hughes returns as his able assistant DS Ben Jones. When you buy this set you get to learn more about the latter because the third disc includes a fascinating 23 minute interview in which Welshman Jason Hughes talks frankly about how he broke into acting and what it is like working with John Nettles.

“We just don’t have ethnic minorities involved. Because it wouldn’t be the English village with them. It wouldn’t work. Fans love the perceived English genreel eccentricity. It’s not British. It’s very English. We’re the last bastion of Englishness and I want to keep it that way.”

That’s what British producer Brian True-May said in an interview with Radio Times about his popular TV show Midsomer Murders–airing on the ITV1 Network in Britain–that ultimately resulted in his suspension. He also stated that multiculturalism “would just look out of place” in the show.

The show, a suspenseful whodunnit series, is based on books by Caroline Graham. It’s one of many shows on the network that, as The Hollywood Reporter states, “…hark to a bygone era of all-white Englishness despite their contemporary setting.”

True-May understood his comments were not politically correct and believes...

Details of John Nettles's final episode of ITV1 detective series Midsomer Murders have been revealed. Nettles's character Dci Tom Barnaby will make his final appearance in 'Fit For Murder', which will air on Wednesday, February 2 at 8pm. Nettles has played the role for over 14 years and 80 episodes. Co-stars Jane Waymark and Laura Howard, who have played Barnaby's wife and daughter, will also bid farewell to the show next month. Guest stars in 'Fit For Murder' will include Geraldine James, Lesley Manville, Jason Durr, Ronni Ancona and Shaun Dingwall. It will also feature the first appearance from Neil Dudgeon, who will take over as the lead in the show, playing Dci John Barnaby, Tom's cousin. Jason Hughes will continue as sidekick Di Ben Jones. Speaking about his departure, Nettles said: "I wanted to die in noble fashion (more)...

Filed under: Reality-Free, TV News

Do you ever find yourself watching TV and thinking "I could write that"? Or dreaming up new scenarios and dialogue for your favorite characters? Are you a knowledgeable fan of zombie dramas? If so, then Frank Darabont may have an opening for you.

It's been reported that Darabont, executive producer of AMC's hot new show, 'The Walking Dead,' has fired -- or "let go" to put it more politely -- the entire writing staff. What's more, he's apparently considering not replacing them for Season 2, instead assigning scripts to freelancers.

Is he completely crazy, or what? Only this week our own Jason Hughes called 'The Walking Dead' "the best show on television" and said he could see it getting an Emmy nomination for writing. So what's up?

 

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Dead Long Enough

Stars: Michael Sheen, Jason Hughes, Angeline Ball, Mercedes Grower, Douglas Henshall | Written by James Hawes and Tom Collins | Directed by Tom Collins

Despite being made in 2005, Irish/Welsh comedy-drama Dead Long Enough has only just been brought to DVD, most likely due to its star Michael Sheen gaining a much larger fanbase since doing career building films like The Queen, Frost/Nixon and, er, The Twilight Saga: New Moon. That said, if a film gets a DVD release five years after it was made only because of belated star power, what does that say about it?

The film, based on James Hawes’s novel, revolves around two estranged Welsh brothers, Harry (Sheen) and Ben (Jason Hughes), who are polar opposites – Harry is a loud, womanising TV personality, Ben a grounded, dull lawyer – who are brought together by Harry’s ill-advised and paparazzi-haunted wedding. When Ben’s girlfriend proposes to him,...

DVD Playhouse—August 2010

By

Allen Gardner

Black Orpheus (Criterion) Winner of the 1959 Best Foreign Film Oscar and that same year’s Palme d’Or at Cannes, Black Orpheus is a modern-day update of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice reset in 20th century Brazil during Carnival in Rio. Director Marcel Camus offers up a visual feast with some of the decade’s most ravishing color cinematography. A classic. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Archival interviews with Camus and actress Marpessa Dawn; Interviews with Brazilian cinema scholar Robert Stam, jazz historian Gary Giddins, and Brazilian author Ruy Castro; Documentary on the film; Trailer. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono.

The Last Song (Touchstone) Sentimental adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ (by Sparks and Jeff Van Wie) sentimental novel about a father and daughter attempting to repair their damaged relationship. Greg Kinnear, as the dad in question, comes off best, while tween sensation Miley Cyrus...

Filed under: Features

We've entered the third installment of The TV Squad TV Club's 'Battlestar Galactica' viewing marathon. This week, we talk about Season 1, episodes 9-13, including the shocking season finale.

In a vidcast, I discuss the assignment with AOL TV editor extraordinaire Kelly Woo. And, via the magic of Skype, TV Squad writer Jason Hughes chimes in on the how Col. Tigh is more than just a cantankerous drunk, and Sandie Angulo Chen discusses the finale, and how shocking it is even now.

Below, Jason, Sandie and myself furthered the discussion in an e-mail exchange from earlier in the week.

Stay tuned for what we'll be covering during the next club meeting, which we're hoping to schedule for later in August.

Questions and discussion points can be directed to us on Twitter (@aoltv, use the hashtag #tvsquadtvclub), on our Facebook fan page or by e-mail at tvsquadtvclub At gmail Dot com.

Filed under: Features

The TV Squad TV Club is chugging along, as we've entered the second week of our 'Battlestar Galactica' viewing marathon (though I still want a gavel to open the meetings). This week, we talk about Season 1, episodes 2-8.

In a vidcast, I discuss the assignment with AOL TV editor extraordinaire Kelly Woo. And, via the magic of Skype, TV Squad writer Jo Garfein chimes in on the show's strong female characters, and Jason Hughes discusses what the Cylons' grand plan might be. Below, Jason, Jo and myself furthered the discussion in an e-mail exchange from earlier in the week, where we go a little more in-depth about those issues, the still-obvious 9/11 parallels, the "relationship" between Roslin and Adama, and more.

The next Club meeting will be on Friday, July 25, where we'll discuss 'BSG' Season 1, episodes 9 through 13 (the rest of the season). We'll publish a viewing...

DVD Playhouse—April 2010

By

Allen Gardner

Ride With The Devil (Criterion) Ang Lee’s revisionist take on the Civil War is awash in moral ambiguity, along with some stunning cinematography, production design, and fine performances. Set during the Kansas-Missouri border war, Tobey Maguire and Skeet Ulrich star as two friends who join up with the Confederate-sympathizing Bushwhackers, finding an odd ally in a former slave (Jeffrey Wright). While it’s fascinating to see America’s bloodiest conflict through the eyes of a foreigner, thereby allowing much of the previously mentioned ambiguity a certain latitude, the film never loses the bad taste it leaves for one simple reason: it asks us, the audience, to side with not just the Confederates, but some of the lowest trash that made up the dregs, and the fringes, of the movement. Big points for audacity, but snake eyes on the story itself. Singer Jewel is impressive in her film debut.

After a few stops and starts, we finally managed to get Tom Papa, host of NBC's 'The Marriage Ref,' to join us on the podcast. He talks with Jason Hughes, Danny Gallagher and me about the new show, who his favorite couple has been so far, managing a panel with Larry David, Ricky Gervais and Madonna, and exactly what he thought of the Leno-Conan debacle that gave his show that Thursday at 10Pm Et opening.

Tom joins us about 18 minutes into the podcast and stays with us for about 25 minutes. Before and after, Jason, Danny and I talk about:

How March Madness messes with our DVRs and why networks can't send out live DVR updates, The new cast of 'Dancing with the Stars' and the importance of Pam Anderson's breasts this season, Two shows that are finally getting killed off: one good ('Scrubs') one not...

After a few weeks off (my fault... don't ask), we're back in the swing of things, talking about everything going on this March on TV. This week, Jason Hughes, Danny Gallagher and Allison Waldman join me to talk about:

All the new shows that have started this month. 'Parenthood,' 'The Pacific,' 'Justified' and 'Minute to Win It' are discussed (we're especially flummoxed at why 'Parenthood' isn't at all funny), How Leno returned to 'The Tonight Show' and no one cared, What we think the Conan tour is going to look like, The return of 'Breaking Bad,' 'United States of Tara,' and 'Nurse Jackie,' (Warning: spoilers abound during this discussion), Picks of the week, and more.

Run time is 1:07:14.

You can listen to the podcast below, or download from here or by subscribing to our RSS podcast feed. It is also available via iTunes.

Here is a treat for all who love the genre of English village murder mystery. In the 14th set of Midomer Murders viewers will have a collection of four cases to be investigated by the intrepid Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) and his crew. Each of these four mysteries is a gem of production and story. Of particular interest to those who love this series, is that John Nettles has said that Barnaby will soon be retiring, so these may be some of his last cases. Joining him in these are Jane Wymark and Laura Howard and Joyce and Cully Barnaby, as well as Jason Hughes as Detective Sergeant Ben Jones. Guest stars include Gareth...

If it's snowing like crazy where you are, the best thing for you to do is sit back and listen to us talk about TV. This week, Jason Hughes and Bob Sassone join me to talk about what's going on in the TV world:

More on the Winter Olympics and how bad NBC is messing them up, The latest way the network morning shows are scaring parents (it has to do with the site Chatroulette), The crazy first week of March on TV this year, How most of the pilot casting news you're hearing about right now isn't going to matter in a couple of months, How quickly the Andrew Koenig story spread from Twitter and Facebook to 'Larry King' and other national coverage (we taped this before Koenig's body was found yesterday), Picks of the week, and more.

Run time is 1:17:05.

You can listen to the podcast below,...

We're back! After a month of technical issues and other starts and stops, we're geared up and ready to talk about TV again. This week, Jason Hughes, Kona Gallagher and Danny Gallagher join me to talk about what's going on in the TV world:

NBC's blanket coverage of the Winter Olympics, and how hard it is to get away from it, How the seasons of 'Lost,' '24' and 'American Idol' are going so far, How bad (and painfully obvious) product placement has gotten these days (I'm talking about you, 'The Biggest Loser!'), A quick talk about the Super Bowl ads and halftime show (couldn't resist talking about Dave/Oprah/Jay), Picks of the week, and more.

Run time is 1:26:51.

You can listen to the podcast below, or download from here or by subscribing to our RSS podcast feed. It is also available via iTunes.

John Nettles has insisted that there will be no "fuss" when he bows out from Midsomer Murders later this year. The 66-year-old actor announced last February that he had decided to quit his role as Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby in the ITV series. He is scheduled to shoot his final scene on August 19. Speaking to the Daily Mail about his plans for the occasion, Nettles commented: "There won't be a lot of fuss. I'll say my last line and when the director shouts 'Cut!', I'll shake the hand of my sidekick, Jason Hughes, and give any corpses laying around a farewell kiss." The star added that (more)...

I'm in Pasadena for the TCA press tour, and it's been one of the most news-packed tours in years. This week, Jason Hughes and Danny Gallagher join me to talk about what's going on in the TV world:

The Late Night Wars, 2010 edition, as we talk about Leno being pulled from 10:00, Conan's "hell no, I won't go to 12:05" letter, and more. We discuss Simon Cowell's departure from American Idol and what that means for the show and his new show, The X Factor. We talk about being at the TCAs, and some of the fun (and not so fun) things I've been doing here, and other news that has come out of the press tour. Our picks of the week, and more. Run time is 1:04:38

You can listen to the podcast below, or download from here or by subscribing to our RSS podcast feed. It is also available via iTunes.

In the first podcast of the new year, Jason Hughes, Allison Waldman and Kona Gallagher join me to talk about what's going on in the TV world:

Which midseason TV premieres and returning shows we're looking forward to, What Lost might do during its last season, Has 24 run its course? And how will Jack Bauer not get delayed by packed subways and indifferent cabbies in New York? What we tried to do with our Best of the '00s lists, and what we left out. Picks of the week, and more. Run time is 1:15:10

You can listen to the podcast below, or download from here or by subscribing to our RSS podcast feed. It is also available via iTunes. Feel free to leave us feedback in the comments or drop us a line at tvsquadpodcast [at] gmail [dot] com.

As usual, the music at the beginning and end of the...

Merry Christmas! In this pre-holiday podcast, Brad Trechak and Jason Hughes join me to talk about our favorite holiday episodes (think Festivus, folks), as well as the following:

Brittany Murphy's death and how it caused NBC to pull a SNL Weekend Update bit from a few weeks ago, It's David Tennant's last days as Doctor Who, and we talk about his popular run and what's in store for his successor, Matt Smith, What TV-related items you can buy with the handful of gift cards you received during the holidays, How we might be watching TV during the next decade. Will the 30th season of The Simpsons be available telekinetically? Ask TV Squad, Comment of the Week, our picks of the week, and more!

Run time is 1:14:14.

You can listen to the podcast below, or download from here or by subscribing to our RSS podcast feed. It is also available via iTunes.

It was a very loosey-goosey podcast this week, as Jason Hughes, Kona Gallagher and Danny Gallagher join me to talk about some of the goings on in TV:

We talk about what we usually watch this time of year, whether it's holiday specials or just catching up on shows via DVD, The Golden Globes nominations came out last week, and we talk about how they got things (mostly) right, Something Danny has some experience with: When should you make like it's the 1990s and actually watch a show in real time to ensure you don't get spoiled (like the Dexter finale)? Ask TV Squad, Comment of the Week, our picks of the week, and more!

Run time is 1:11:23

You can listen to the podcast below, or download from here or by subscribing to our RSS podcast feed. It is also available via iTunes. Feel free to leave us...

As a holiday bonus, we have a super-sized podcast this week. The reason? Rich Sommer of Mad Men called in and gave us a solid half-hour of talk about the season just past, what he thinks is in store for his character of Harry Crane, how people used to yell at him for almost breaking up Pam and Jim on The Office, and how he loves doing commercials.

Rich's interview starts around the 37-minute mark. Besides the interview, Jason Hughes, Bob Sassone and I talk about the following:

The insane TV coverage of the Tiger Woods story, A discussion of shows that are returning in January (24, Idol, Lost) as well as those that are taking a break until spring (Glee, V, FlashForward), Our Comment of the Week! This is where listeners find out that we do not represent everyone in the TV industry, Our picks for the week, and much more.

It's our first four-way panel this week, as Jason Hughes, Kona Gallagher and Allison Waldman join me to talk about some of the goings on in TV this week:

We talk about the shows that have surprised us so far this season, including The Middle and White Collar, It's the end of the '00s as we know it, and we feel fine: we talk about the inevitable end-of-decade lists that will drip out this month (including ours!) and what we expect to see on them, A new feature: Our Commenter of the Week! Knowing our commenters, you can be pretty sure we didn't pick one that said how much they loved us. Our picks for the week -- including the last episode of Monk -- and much more.

Run time is 1:01:38

You can listen to the podcast below, or download from here or by subscribing to our RSS podcast feed.

Happy pre-Thanksgiving! Before you dive into the feast and football, dig in for some Chuck talk first. Vik Sahay, who plays Lester Patel on the NBC geek hit, joins me, Jason Hughes and Kona Gallagher to talk about the show's new season, which starts on January 10. Here's a hint about the season: Jeffster is mentioned a few times during the interview.

Before and after the interview, the three of us talk about:

Why Mondays, especially at 8, is such a brutal timeslot, Oprah's "retirement" and if she'll ever have that same kind of platform again, Our picks for the week, and more.

Run time is 1:15:52.

You can listen to the podcast below, or download from here or by subscribing to our RSS podcast feed. It is also available via iTunes. Feel free to leave us feedback in the comments or drop us a line at tvsquadpodcast [at] gmail [dot] com.

As usual,...

If you haven't seen The Prisoner yet, you may want to skip the first fifteen or so minutes of this podcast, because we talk about the whole damn thing this week. Jason Hughes and Allison Waldman join me to talk about the AMC remake of the British cult classic, as well as these topics:

After the deaths of Edward Woodward and Ken Ober, why '80s TV suddenly seems so old, Soap news, mainly a discussion of James Franco's guest stint on General Hospital, Another dip into our Ask TV Squad mailbag, where we discuss the use of laugh tracks and why multi-camera shows are written differently than single-camera shows, Our picks for the week, and much more.

Run time is 1:02:55.

You can listen to the podcast below, or download from here or by subscribing to our RSS podcast feed. It is also available via iTunes. Feel...

It was an eventful week in TV, especially for fans of Mad Men. This week, Jason Hughes and Bob Sassone join me to talk about the show's finale and what may be in store for next season. We also talk about:

Why November sweeps don't mean as much as they used to, Another dip into our Ask TV Squad mailbag, where we discuss why we promote SlashControl and other AOL-related ventures, Our picks for the week, and much more. Run time is 57:28.

You can listen to the podcast below, or download from here or by subscribing to our RSS podcast feed. It is also available via iTunes. Feel free to leave us feedback in the comments or drop us a line at tvsquadpodcast [at] gmail [dot] com.

By the way, the music at the beginning and end of the podcast is "Life" by Justin Trawick.

 

Filed under: Site Announcements, Podcasts, Reality-Free,...

We've got a new e-mail address for the podcast! If you have any questions or suggestions about the 'cast, please e-mail us at tvsquadpodcast [at] google [dot] com.

This week, actress Linda Purl joins me, Jason Hughes and Kona Gallagher to talk about her guest starring stint as Pam's mom on The Office -- she's on tonight's episode, by the way. She also chats about her long acting career (remember her during the waning days of Happy Days?), her work with the California International Theatre Festival and her current success as a touring lounge singer.

After the interview, which is about 30 minutes, Kona, Jason and and I talk about the following:

What constitutes a spoiler and what doesn't, An "Ask TV Squad" segment on PBS, Our picks for the week.

Run time is 56:00.

You can listen to the podcast below, or download from here or by subscribing to our RSS podcast feed.

Podcast time again! In this episode, Jason Hughes and Michael Pascua join me to talk about TV's doings this week:

The whole Balloon Boy fiasco and why the 24-hour news networks were so fixated on it, Reality news from Michael, including a flu scare on Dancing With The Stars, A discussion on why The Simpsons, especially the "Treehouse of Horror" series, is in decline, Another dip into our Ask TV Squad mailbag, Our picks for the week, and much more. Run time is 46:02.

You can listen to the podcast below, or download it by subscribing to our RSS podcast feed. It is also available via iTunes. Feel free to leave us feedback in the comments.

By the way, the music at the beginning and end of the podcast is "Life" by Justin Trawick.

 

Filed under: The Simpsons, Site Announcements, Podcasts, Dancing With The Stars, Reality-Free, TV Squad Apb Podcast...

As part of our ongoing efforts to infiltrate every one of your senses, we've decided to bring back the Apb Podcast, last seen in various forms around two years ago. In this first podcast, Jason Hughes, Kona Gallagher and myself discuss the following topics:

The Letterman scandal A minute (if that) about Jon and Kate How the fall season's going so far, including why Dollhouse's ratings are so bad, Ask TV Squad, where we answer a question submitted to Isabelle's column, Picks for the upcoming week. Running time is 42:33.

You can listen to the podcast below, or download it by subscribing to our RSS podcast feed. An iTunes link will be posted here shortly. Feel free to leave us feedback in the comments.

By the way, the music at the beginning and end of the podcast is from the fine folks at GrooveAddicts.com.

 

Filed under: Site Announcements, Podcasts,...

I think we all can agree that musical episodes are a bit passé these days, but if there's one show that can still pull it off, it's gotta be Eureka.

Syfy's quirky series already has that whimsical tone and vivid color palette we're used to seeing in Hollywood musicals; so it comes as no shock that Eureka will feature a two-part musical episode next season.

Eureka's Deputy Lupo, Eric Cerra, dropped the news in a recent interview with Sci Wire about the show's upcoming fourth season. Cerra complimented the singing voices of co-stars Joe Morton, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, and Colin Ferguson, but admitted that she has some trouble carrying a tune herself. "... I don't sing. I can't, and I don't, so I'm going to have to take some singing lessons. I'm a little nervous," she said.

Cerra also confirmed what our own Jason Hughes reported last month, Eureka's fourth...