TV Calendar: My Picks For January 2012

Well, it's Sunday evening and I was just about to hop in the shower to get ready to watch the Golden Globes when I realized that January is usually the month when the winter schedule for TV shows start! Starting with the Golden Globe Awards, here is a list of shows I'm looking forward to seeing! I included the date, time, and channel as well as a brief synopsis for each. Enjoy!


GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS
Sunday, Jan. 15th 8pm (NBC)

Multi-talented Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner Ricky Gervais ("The Office," "The Ricky Gervais Show") returns for the third time as host of NBC's "The 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards" on Sunday, January 15, 2012. This year's show will again be broadcast live coast to coast from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. (PT) and 8:00 - 11:00 p.m. (ET) from The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. "The 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards" will be seen in more than 160 countries worldwide and is one of the few awards ceremonies that spans both television and motion picture achievements.

My Thoughts: I'm really looking forward to seeing who wins in some of these categories, especially best actor. I am a huge Michael Fassbender fan, and I also wish Brad Pitt luck since he is always the underdog. I'm hoping George Clooney doesn't walk away with the win but he is the crowd favorite. :(

WEBSITE

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ALCATRAZ (from the creator of LOST)
Monday, Jan. 16th, 8pm (FOX)

Years after every prisoner on Alcatraz mysteriously vanished, Detective Emerson Hauser and Rebecca Madsen are drawn into the case of Jack Sylvane, who is on a killing spree. They later find out that Sylvane was in fact one of the inmates on the prison, and joined by Alcatraz expert "Doc" Soto, Hauser and Madsen race to stop Sylvane and solve the mystery of Alcatraz.

My Thoughts: Not much to say, really. I never watched the insanely popular LOST (I know! Don't throw tomatoes at me!) I like JJ Abrams, so I guess we shall see what Alcatraz brings!

WEBSITE

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BEING HUMAN: Season 2 (US version)
Monday, Jan. 16th, 9pm (SyFy)

MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED SEASON 1 YET! A vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost, oh my! Season 2 picks up in the aftermath of the first season, with Aidan trying to deal with the mess left behind by his now (fully) deceased mentor Bishop. This means looking out for the vampires Bishop had assembled for a secret army, and trying to protect them from the higher-up vampires. Josh and Nora are dealing with his wolfish condition in the wake of Nora’s miscarriage. And last season, Sally missed her door, which was to take her to the afterlife. This might mean she’s stuck in ghost-form and unable to move on indefinitely.

My Thoughts: I haven't finished watching season 1 of the US version but I am a huge fan of the UK/BBC version. Season 1 can be purchased HERE. Check out the BBC version which started it all HERE!

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LOST GIRL (originally aired in Canada)
Monday, Jan. 16th, 10pm (SyFy)

Lost Girl follows supernatural seductress Bo, a Succubus who feeds on the sexual energy (sometimes called "chi") of humans. Growing up with human parents, Bo had no reason to believe she was anything other than the girl next door - until she drained her boyfriend to death in their first sexual encounter. Now, she has hit the road alone and afraid. She discovers she is one of the Fae, creatures of legend and folklore, who pass as humans while feeding off them secretly and in different ways, as they have for millennia. Relieved to find out that she is not alone, yet horrified, Bo decides to take the middle path between the humans and the Fae while embarking on a personal mission to unlock the secrets of her origin.

With the help of her human sidekick, Kenzi, and Dyson, a sexy Fae working as a human police detective, Bo takes on a challenge every week helping a Fae or human client who comes to her to solve a mystery, or to right a wrong.

My Thoughts: This show KICKS ASS! I watched a few episodes of it when it aired in Canada and I guess I wasn't the only one in the US that noticed how awesome this series is! Lost Girl also is kind of a ground breaker-- it's one of the first shows that features a bi-sexual female character. Yup, that's right! Bo is torn between her love for the sexy wolf shifter Dyson and the female doctor of the fae, Lauren.

WEBSITE

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JUSTIFIED: Season 3
Tuesday, Jan. 17th, 10pm FX

MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED SEASONS 1 and 2!

This season, Boyd and his crew will find they aren’t the only ones making a play to rule the Harlan underworld. Now Raylan finds himself facing off against dirty politicians, hidden fortunes, a mysterious man named “Limehouse” and an enterprising and lethal criminal from the Motor City.

My Thoughts: Justified is one of my favorite shows. I absolutely have the hots for Timothy Olyphant who plays deputy Marshall Raylan Givens. You can buy seasons 1 HERE and 2 HERE. Also, check out the website for more info!

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SPARTACUS: Season 2
Friday, Jan. 27th, 10pm (STARZ)

MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED SEASON 1 or the prequel! After the bloody escape from the House of Batiatus that concluded Spartacus: Blood and Sand, the gladiator rebellion begins to strike fear into the heart of the Roman Republic in Spartacus: Vengeance. Legatus Claudius Glaber and his Roman troops are sent to Capua to crush Spartacus' growing band of freed slaves before they can inflict further damage. Spartacus is given a choice between satisfying his personal need for vengeance against the man who condemned his wife to slavery and eventual death, or making the larger sacrifices necessary to keep his budding army from breaking apart. Advance word suggests that this sequel will continue the blood-soaked action, exotic sexuality, villainy, and heroism that characterized Spartacus: Blood and Sand.


My Thoughts: I'm nervous about season 2, I won't even lie! Since STARZ had to replace the main lead after the tragic death of Andy Whitfield (see my blog post about it HERE), I worry that the new Spartacus, played by Liam McIntyre, may not be able to bring the spark that Andy did. I've watched several of the season 2 trailers and...I don't know. I'm going to try to be open-minded and give this guy a chance!

WEBSITE

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Other Thoughts: Walking Dead Returns February 12th! Can't Wait!

Andy Whitfield: R.I.P.

I just found out the most devastatingly sad news. Andy Whitfield, at only 39 years old, has passed away from cancer. For those who have never heard of him, Andy was a virtually unknown actor with a small cult following (including myself) after playing the lead role in the indie flick Gabriel. It wasn't until the STARZ original series Spartacus that people started to take notice. Andy had the full package-- not only did he have the physical attributes to play such a vigorous character, but the man could truly ACT.

With the success of season 1 under wraps and fans around the world rooting for the underdog (in the show and in real life), Andy and the other actors of Spartacus began to prepare for season 2. During a routine checkup, Andy was diagnosed with non-hodgkin lymphoma. Production of show was put on hold while the actor focused on getting better. The chances looked good since they caught it in time. While Andy began treatment, the creators of Spartacus decided to move forward with a prequel.

After a few months of treatment, Andy was given a clean bill of health and began training to get back in shape for the grueling shooting schedule. No one expected the cancer to come back and this time with a vengeance. Knowing there was only one thing to do, Andy decided to pull out of Spartacus altogether, to focus his full attention on his family and his health. Holding no bitterness, he gave the show creators his blessing to recast for the lead role rather than canceling it altogether.

And that is the last bit of information we heard about Andy Whitfield until today. Other then 1 photo supposedly snapped of the actor with his family looking pale and gaunt a few months back, everyone in the Hollywood world seemed to respect his privacy as he battled for his life. In the meantime, after months of trying to find a replacement, the title role of Spartacus was finally given to Liam McIntyre which I wrote about several posts back.

I thought my next post about Spartacus would be my opinion on whether I felt Liam McIntyre's performance lived up to Andy Whitfield's brilliant portrayal. Never in a million years did I think I would be sitting here, fighting back tears of shock with the news of Andy's lost battle with cancer. I am saddened that his life was cut so short, that he leaves behind a beloved wife and two little children. I mourn his loss because we only got to see a small fraction of his acting abilities, talent that I knew was just under the surface, ready to be unleashed with his rapidly growing fame.

In his memory, I will put aside my reservations about the newly revamped season 2 of Spartacus and try to watch it with an open heart. Afterall, he gave his blessing for the production to move on. My heart goes out to his family and friends. And like those before him such as Heath Ledger and Brandon Lee, Hollwood has missed out on a truly talented actor.

Rest In Peace, Andy.

<3 Mia

Update: Liam McIntyre, the New Spartacus?

Back in September I wrote a post about my sadness over hearing that not only did Andy Whitfield's (right) cancer come back, but he would also be pulling out of Season 2 of Spartacus for good. Andy had a bit of a cult following after he starred in a low budget independent film called Gabriel and I was extremely pleased to see him get the role of Spartacus. With his piercing eyes, high cheekbones, strong jaw, deep but soothing voice, this was a man, an actor that brought something special to his characters. This was going to be his breakout performance and it was...

But when cancer only allowed him to give us 1 perfect, addictive season of the hit STARZ show, the cable network had to make a decision: cancel the series or try to undertake the daunting task of finding another Spartacus. With Andy's blessing, representatives began looking for a new male lead, someone who not only had the look of a gladiator but could act as well. It wasn't an easy process and Andy's sandals were hard to fill. Rumors floated around the cyber world for months. At one point Wentworth Miller of Prison Break fame showed interest. While some fans were excited at the prospect, others were not so kind, saying that Miller did not have the muscular frame nor could he pull off the accent.

Around December it was confirmed that casting had been narrowed down to 3 actors: Liam McIntyre, Aidan Turner (of All My Children fame, not to be confused with Being Human's Aidan Turner), and Stephen Amell. I personally had been rooting for Aidan Turner since he had the look, the accent, and the build.

However, this past week took an interesting turn when suddenly there was news that Dominic Purcell might be up for the role, another Prison Break star who had a huge fan following and known for his muscular physique and deep, booming voice. While Liam was still the favorite choice, STARZ representives were worried that the lean actor would not be able to build up enough muscle in time for Spring of 2011 which is when Season 2 resumes filming.

Well just a few days ago the cable network finally announced that Liam McIntyre IS the new Spartacus. They feel confident that Liam, who has been working out nonstop since his first audition, will be physically ready by the time cameras start rolling this Spring.

So how do I feel about it? I'm a bit on the fence. I like unknown actors and I have no doubt that Liam will be looking like a gladiator by Spring since we have seen big physical transformations such as Taylor Lautner promising to pack on 40+ pounds of muscle in order to keep his role as Jacob Black in the Twilight Saga or Gerard Butler as King Leonidas in 300. I guess why I hesitate to embrace this new actor is because I can't help but still see Andy as Spartacus. We are not talking about a minor character that is being replaced. However, I am relieved that the show will continue on. I'll admit that my other favorite character is Crixus and the romantic in me is dying to see what lengths he will go to in order to find Naevia.

All I can do is wait and see. In the meantime, the 6 episode prequel called Spartacus: Gods of the Arena starts this Friday at 10pm on STARZ. I wish Andy Whitfield a speedy recovery and will be keeping an eye on his future projects because I REFUSE to believe that man will succumb to cancer.

So what do you think? Is Liam McIntyre the new Spartacus?

~~Mia~~

Andy Whitfield: This...is...SPARTACUS!

Cancer...freakin'....sucks! That is the first thing that popped into my mind after the news I just read. As some of you may or may not know, the STARZ cable channel embarked on a new, original, somewhat controversial tv series called Spartacus: Blood and Sand last spring. Headlining the show was a new face to American audiences, Andy Whitfield. He brought something special to the screen; honest, fresh, sexy, fierce. While most Americans may not have known Andy, as SOON as I saw those piercing eyes in the promotional ads and trailer before the show even aired, I knew who he was. He had starred in a little independent flick called Gabriel (2007) and I never forgot about him. When I realized he was taking on the role of Spartacus, I thought wow, great! This is going to be Andy's big break and he is going to go on to do even better things now that America has finally noticed him. After all, he is only 36 years old, at the prime of his life!

Well I couldn't have been more shocked to find out back in March that he was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and would be undergoing immediate treatment. But there was hope. The doctors said they caught it early and he would be as good as new. STARZ representantives were fully supportive and decided to halt the production of Season 2 while Andy went through treatment. In the meantime, to keep the sets in use, they created a miniseries called Spartacus: Gods of the Arena which is to be aired sometime next spring in hopes to keep fans satisfied until Season 2 is filmed and aired.

Things were really looking up until today. Today I learned that Andy's cancer has returned with a vengeance and due to doctors orders, he must pull out of the production of Season 2 so that he can focus on treatment and his health. This saddens me so much and is down right scary. It is just a reminder that life is so fragile and precious and you never know what hand you are going to be dealt.

Now in the wake of the tragic news, the representatives at STARZ send their love and support to Andy and his family while not rushing into a decision on what will become of the hit series. How can it go on without Andy Whitfield? How can he be replaced?

This post is dedicated to all those who are suffering and have suffered from this savage disease. I send my love to Andy and his family while he fights this battle. In my opinion, Andy IS Spartacus, so if anyone can beat it, he can!

xoxo
Mia