The Remote Island : The O.C.

George Lucas Digitally Inserts Hayden Christensen Into "The O.C."

Jake Kalish — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:59:00 GMT

Young Anakin Skywalker recently got engaged to Rachel Bilson of The O.C. Yay! Although she should kinda be warned about the Dark Side, and future dramatic changes to his appearance. Regardless, the announcement was occasion for the yuksters at Best Week Ever to make a very funny little video...

George Lucas Digitally Inserts Hayden Cristensen Into The O.C. @ Yahoo! Video

PREVIOUSLY:

An "O.C." Retrospective

"Robot Chicken Star Wars: Episode II": Like "Empire", Better Than The First One

Today in Terrible Ideas: Bravo's "Gossip Girl" Reality Show

Lindy Parker — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 19:00:00 GMT

File this one under: "It was just a matter of time." No sooner had the cast of The O.C. appeared on TRL, then we found ourselves ambushed by Laguna Beach, and The Real Housewives of Orange County. We feel like in this age of foregoing the original in favor of the built in audience, these kinds of reality ripoffs have become inevitable, but that doesn't make us less annoyed by them...

Gawker's take:

Hey good, sounds like just the thing for a new season of hating on rich high school kids and probably, for a lot of people, secretly being attracted to them, because TEEN SEX SELLS. Should be a good time for all and a perfectly healthy endeavor for the kids involved, particularly from the perspective of not turning them into egotistical media monsters who quickly become utterly unfit for life in the normal world, and ultimately crash and burn when the cameras stop trailing them and they realize the futility of their gain versus the epic nature of their loss—namely, the voluntary sacrifice of their souls. (Gawker)

Call us selfish, but we're less concerned about the participants souls, and more unnerved by the idea of living in a world where every artistic endeavor is eventually watered down to a infinitely less poignant "reality show" version of itself. Imagine if you will how atrocious a reality version of Pushing Daisies would be. We're just saying.

An "O.C." Retrospective

Lindy Parker — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:00:00 GMT

The thing is, our relationship with The O.C. is complicated and dysfunctional. Being from Southern California, we hate it for several reasons too petty and esoteric to get into right now. And yet, somehow we still can't keep from stopping whenever we find ourselves channel surfing past a re-run on the Soap Network, and inevitably, we find one or two moments of oddly satisfying pathos usually backlit by an alterna-garage band soundtrack that is Josh Schwartz's bread and butter.*

Case in point, yesterday we came across what is arguably our favorite scene from the entire series, possibly because we're suckers for both well-placed slo-mo and Finley Quaye -- Damn, Josh Schwartz and his penchant for a well-constructed coda.

*This experience, by the way, is exclusive to the first season (we like to forget about anything that came after that).

Josh Schwartz Talks Up "Rockville"

Lindy Parker — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:20:00 GMT

Perhaps, having created such primetime powerhouses as The O.C., Gossip Girl, and Chuck, CW wunderkind Josh Schwartz thought it time to try his hand at something new. His latest project, Rockville, is a series of mini-webisodes (3-4 minutes long) about the up's and down's of a music club where indie bands perform live -- essentially Josh Schwartz has created "The Peach Pit: The Show"...

Want more? Here's a little Q and A from Schwartz's sitdown with The Live Feed:

Q: If episode is only four minutes, and somebody performs a song, then where the rest of the song?

"The band performance might be 15-20 seconds," he says, adding that viewers will be able to watch the entire music performance separately online as part of the site. The production is also considering a DVD version.

Q: But what if the CW and other networks get the idea that you're willing to work and produce a project for so much less than the cost of a regular television show?

A: "The people at Warner Brothers will ensure that doesn't happen."

Asked after the panel if the show could, if successful, become a TV series, Schwartz says he wouldn't rule it out, but notes "Rockville" was designed with single-set and narrow storyline focus appropriate for a low-budget series with a short running time.

"If we were going to do that, it would have to be re-conceived," he says.

"I don't know this is the final result, that we're going to make five-minute episodes of things," Schwartz adds of the series' next-generation format. "But that's what makes this exciting."

Marisa Tomei: Hotter Now Than Before!

Jake Kalish — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 16:11:00 GMT

This one isn't even close. If you argue, you are wrong.

The above is a scene from The Wrestler, co-starring Tomei as a stripper. We will be there, in part because, against all sense, we love Mickey Rourke, and always have. Yes, even through the boxing career, and Harley Davidson and The Marlboro Man. Shut up, we just do. Anyway, here's Tomei before, from 1987:

What, not fair to use a 1987 A Different World sweatshirt shot? Fine, here's this, by way of comparison:

No evidence of plastic surgery! Trust us, we looked, and so did some creepy people on the internet! Anyway, it turns out 44-year-old Tomei is now making out with some 32-year old dude named Logan Marshall-Green, who was on The O.C., and, we reluctantly have to admit, is pretty good-looking. But not deserving of Tomei! If you don't know how stupidly lucky Logan Marshall-Green is, watch this completely NSFW clip of a smoking-hot, unfathomably fit Tomei in Before The Devil Knows You're Dead. [Ed.: Warning, it's a bit of a spoiler if you haven't seen the movie. Just saying.] Foxy quadragenarian Tomei knocks out lovely vicenarian Tomei - it doesn't even go to the judges for a decision.

PREVIOUSLY: Jennifer Beals: Hotter Now Than Before?

"Gossip Girl" Creator to Write New X-Men Flick

Lindy Parker — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 18:20:00 GMT

Since it seems there's hardly anything new under the sun at the movies anymore (we swear, we went to see Quantum of Solace tonight and every preview we saw was a sequel, a prequel or a remake), it's not that surprising that a new X-Men movie is on it's way. Turns out the newest installment will focus on the younger generation of X-Men, so who better to write about the antics and angst of teenage mutants than the king of TV teens himself, Gossip Girl and O.C. creator Josh Schwartz.

Truth be told, we're kind of psyched about this news since it feels like Josh Schwartz is the only one writing watchable teen drama episodes these days. Maybe he could try out some script ideas on the Gossip Girl characters as kind of a test run -- we could totally buy Jenny Humphrey as a mutant and even Artist Aaron might be mildly interesting if he could take and develop his photographs telekinetically. Just think about it, Josh Schwartz -- this could work out well for everyone.

Come and Get Some Juicy "Chuck" Spoilers

Ben Kallen — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:25:00 GMT

Executive Producer Josh Schwartz just gave Chicago Tribune TV critic Maureen Ryan a bunch of scoops about the spy comedy's new season, from a 3-D episode to meeting Captain Awesome's mom. Here's what's coming up on Chuck:

-- In the big Christmas episode, some guy will hold everyone hostage in the Buy More.

-- Arrested Development's Tony Hale will play the Buy More's new assistant manager.

-- The episode that airs right after the Super Bowl will be broadcast in 3-D.

-- Captain Awesome's parents will be played by Morgan Fairchild and Bruce Boxleitner, which sounds about right.

-- Ellie and Awesome will prepare for their wedding (whether it actually happens or not, we don't know).

-- We'll also meet Sarah's dad, played by the great Gary Cole.

-- As we mentioned a while ago, Jordana Brewster will play Chuck's ex-girlfriend, Jill -- the one who cheated on him with frenemy-turned-fellow agent Bryce, who's also back this season.

-- Other various good guys and bad guys will be played by John Larroquette, Michael Clarke Duncan, The O.C.'s Melinda Clarke, and somebody named Nicole Richie.

The new season starts September 29.

Photo: NBC

Previously:
Jordana Brewster To Try On Some Chuck

Are the CW's Ultra-Rich Kids Destroying Our Nation's Youth?

Ben Kallen — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:25:00 GMT

According to Salon.com TV writer Heather Havrilesky, pervasive sex and violence aren't what's harming our TV-watching teens -- it's pervasive wealth. On shows such as Gossip Girl, 90210 and Privileged, she writes, admiring depictions of the richest among us "make aspiring to own designer jeans and nice cars look hopelessly middle-class, compared to the fully serviced, spa-polished, couture lives of the truly wealthy."

Havrilesky points out that TV has always given us escapist wealth fantasies, from Dallas to Dynasty to, let's say, Dirty Sexy Money. But "we were meant to pity these lost, soulless, trashy people, squabbling in their enormous but somehow claustrophobic mansions." With these new CW shows, on the other hand, being rich just makes people happy.

"While Chuck, the poor little prince of Gossip Girl, may pace and swill fine bourbon in his lonely hotel room at the Palace, while Blair nibbles on chocolates in the fluffy confines of her four-poster bed and laments that 'Lady Godiva' is her only friend, these are rare low moments in otherwise fabulous, fun-filled lives that include glamorous parties in the Hamptons, dinner out at the best restaurants every night and a phalanx of handmaidens who quietly fulfill every whim. From the warmhearted, loving, McMansion dwellers Sandy and Kirsten of The O.C. to the spunky, good-natured grandmother lounging about in her Mediterranean-style villa on 90210, the filthy rich aren't the cartoonish demons they once were, and the benefits of their exorbitant lifestyles are paraded before our eyes at every turn. TV writers have abandoned the notion that heart and spirit might win out over money in the end, instead choosing to show us just how many things money can buy."

Still, it's just TV, right? But Havrilesky more or less blames a bunch of issues on this sort of wealth envy, from the mortgage crisis to a middle class drowning in credit-card debt. "Can these dramas -- which are made for young people, after all -- really be written off as harmless fun when so many of us aspire to throw money around like young barons and dukes with demonstrably tragic consequences for the entire country? As a growing percentage of families lose their homes and taxpayers are forced to foot the bill for the mortgage industry's indiscretions, while millionaire executives and private investors remain unscathed, should we feel so comfortable celebrating the growing divide between the haves and have-nots?"

We say, that's a lot to ponder. Which we intend to do shortly, but first we need to go buy a bunch of lottery tickets and try out for Who Wants To Be a Millionaire.

Image: The CW

Previously:
Salon Declares "The Summer of the Sensitive Slut"
All of Gossip Girl
All of 90210

Totally Meta: "Gossip Girl" Characters Confronted by Their Own Audience

Ben Kallen — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:25:00 GMT

We never thought we'd say this, but last night's episode of Gossip Girl contained a hilarious bit of meta-satire. While walking in the park, Dan and Serena were confronted by a trio of tween girls who knew everything about their lives and had extremely strong opinions about the couple's relationship. Yep, the show was basically dramatizing its own loyal but highly demanding target audience. (And maybe, for that matter, TV blog commenters.) It was a level of self-parody worthy of the film Stranger Than Fiction, or at least the first season of The O.C.

Watch the video below, and be sure to check out the perfect Serena clone.

Previously:
Gossip Girl: Light My Candle
Does Gossip Girl Hate Blake Lively?
Gossip Girl Actress' Real Family More Interesting Than Her Show Family

TV Guide's Most Annoying Couples: Hey, You Missed One!

Ben Kallen — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:28:00 GMT

The latest issue of TV Guide contains an interesting list of the "Top 10 Most Annoying TV Couples." For the most part, we're down with their choices, which are as follows:

10. Rob & Amber, Survivor
9. Sara & Grissom, CSI
8. Ryan & Marissa, The O.C.
7. Trista & Ryan, The Bachelorette
6. Kate & Jack, Lost
5. Billy & Alison, Melrose Place
4. Clark & Lana, Smallville
3. Boris & Natasha, The Bullwinkle Show
2. Tom & Lynette, Desperate Housewives
1. "Gizzie" (George & Izzie), Grey's Anatomy

Sure, these are all pretty annoying. (Except maybe Boris and Natasha -- they may be outdated Cold War stereotypes, but we've got nothing against 'em.) George and Izzie, in particular, were the most nausea-inducing pairing since wine and asparagus, and they almost brought all of Grey's Anatomy crashing down with them.

And yet the magazine completely missed one pair, which we consider to be the most egregious example of all. Here's our choice of the decade's most annoying TV lovebirds:

Yes, it's (ugh) Ross and Rachel. When the producers of Friends decided this soulful nerd and recovering princess were made for each other, they couldn't possibly have imagined the tortures the couple (and the audience) would go through before their long-awaited, completely tacked-on "happy ending."

Separately, they were both likeable characters. Together? He was no picnic, but she was just awful. Here's what their relationship looked like, season after endless season: They'd fall in love and seem happy. Then she would always find a reason, sometimes good, sometimes not, to break up with him. Ross would fall into a deep depression, until finally, after some time, he'd meet someone new and seem happy again. Right at that point, Rachel would decide she still had "feelings" for him, and make sure he broke up with the new woman. (Wasn't it fun when she surprised him at his wedding and he blurted out her name, thus humiliating his bride's entire family?) And then the whole stupid cycle would start all over again.

Even worse, these immature jerks went and had a child together. Not that it helped their relationship any, seeing how she accepted what she thought was a marriage proposal from Joey just hours after giving birth to Ross' baby. Or how she barely thought twice about taking a job in Paris, almost completely removing the young child from its father's life. When she decided not to go, of course, it wasn't because either of them were considering little Emma, but because the audience demanded that they get back together before the show went off the air. We imagine that by now, a few years later, they would be divorcing for the third time, and Emma would be well on her way to becoming a teenage alcoholic.

Now, Monica and Chandler, that was a pair. They were funny together and had complementary neuroses, and they just about always supported one another, the way a couple should. Unfortunately, by the time the writers thought of putting them together, it was too late to do anything about their idiot friends.

So good riddance, Ross and Rachel. You were far worse than even George and Izzie, in every way but one: At least you weren't doctors.

Photos: ABC, NBC

Previously:
Top 10 Ways Gray's Anatomy Should Kill Off Izzie

Phew! Friends Movie Not a Go

Remake Me Over: We Make Old MTV Stars MTV-Friendly Again

C'mon, Admit It -- You Watch Teen Shows

Ben Kallen — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:15:00 GMT

So a couple nights ago we were watching the season finale of Greek....

Okay, maybe we'd better stop right there. Yes, we'll admit it. We sometimes watch Greek, the show about college fraternities and sororities that's like Animal House run through a niceness filter. And no, we're not anywhere near the main demographic for this show, or anything else on the ABC Family Channel.

(What's the deal with that channel, anyway? A Disney-owned company originally spun off from the Christian Broadcasting Network, it now produces shows like Greek -- which prominently features underage drinking and barely-of-age sex, just like on a real college campus. And an ad for its upcoming airing of That '70s Show reruns consisted entirely of a pot-smoking scene. When they say "A New Kind of Family," they must really mean it.)

Anyway, we'll say it, even if nobody else will: Greek is a good show, a guilty pleasure with barely any guilt attached. The cast, led by Spencer Grammer (Kelsey's daughter), is attractive and not half-bad, acting-wise. The characters are more complex than you'd expect, and the plot lines -- mostly about romantic complications, but also about leadership and group dynamics and breaking down stereotypes -- are simple and fun. On the finale, everyone goes to spring break and learns some life lessons, and the worst problem anyone ends up with is a sunburn.

So sue us. Sophisticated adult fare is great most of the time, but once in a while you just want to see some kid stuff. We also enjoy Gossip Girl (though not as much as some bloggers), we think Kyle XY is a much better superhero show than Smallville, and we thought the first season of The O.C. was one of the best things on TV ever. (It doesn't hurt that these shows are hiring ever-more-beautiful people to play the parents, too. Hellooo, Kelly Rutherford!)

So what about you? Are you looking forward to the remake of 90210 far more than you should be? Did you continue to watch Degrassi High long after you were out of high school yourself? Do you actually know which Chuck star was in Saved By the Bell: The New Class? Tell us in the comments: Which shows about young people did you continue to enjoy even when you were well past that age yourself? (The more embarrassing the admission, the better.)

While you're pondering that question, we'll leave you with the promo for ABC Family's upcoming show The Secret Life of the American Teenager. From Seventh Heaven creator Brenda Hampton, it's about a high school band geek who gets pregnant. (Yes, it's Juno run through a niceness filter.) And her mom is played by Molly Ringwald, so there's really something for everyone.

Photo: ABC Family