Isaiah, Oh the Places You Could Have Gone

As I write this, I’m trying not to let my blood boil. Trying, not succeeding. I’m disgusted with the debacle that is “Isaiah-gate.” Of course, I’m referring to the now much discussed and media-covered allegations that Isaiah Washington called his Grey’s Anatomy co-star and “fellow human being” T.R. Knight a faggot. Not once, but twice. The first was on-set, and quickly covered up by the powers-that-be. Stupidly, they didn’t know the power of crewmembers and non-homophobes that heard the slur and forced it into the public eye. The second incident was a clumsy, hubris-filled declaration of innocence at the Golden Globes: “No, I did not call T.R. a FAGGOT.” Oh, Isaiah…when will you learn!

But before I rant, I’d like to take a trip down a happier Isaiah memory lane.

I am a huge fan of Grey’s Anatomy. From day one, I was all over this show like a cheap suit. The casting on this show deserved an Emmy. I sympathized with Meredith, was charmed by George and Izzie, cracked up at Cristina and Bailey, and Dr. Shepard (Patrick Dempsey) haunted my dreams with those eyes (and still does…yummy). And who was this revelation that was Isaiah Washington? He was dignified, handsome -elegant almost. I knew I had seen him in other movies, but never like this. I really, really dug this guy. I dug his character Burke, and his on-screen relationship with crazy Cristina. And then, I got to see him in person. Wow.

Every year my writer friends and I go to the Paley Television Festival at the DGA in Los Angeles. There, they screen the season’s hottest new shows, and then have the executive producers/writers and the whole cast on stage for a lengthy Q&A session. As we waited in line, we could see the press buzzing, and cameras snapping away as the cast arrived. They filtered past, smiling, laughing and enjoying their success without ego or envy. Right then, Isaiah came into the front of the press, looked over at all of us in line and waved with a huge smile flashing across the room. My jaw dropped. What a hottie! And he seemed so sweet too! My friend Alex and I swooned.

We were the LAST two to get in the door. I almost cried I was so happy as I watched the episode with the other fans/industry people. We laughed, cried, and clapped when it was over, some even giving a standing ovation. Then, the Q&A. Everyone was fun, self-deprecating, happy, shiny and seemingly just grateful to be there. Isaiah spoke at length about the gift of acting, and what it meant to him. I sat there as he spoke and thought, this guy could be the next Sidney Poitier.

Cut to over a year later - egos have grown, movie deals have been made, bonuses are being handed out, storylines are changing and tensions have obviously boiled over climaxing in this alleged confrontation between Patrick Dempsey and Washington. I didn’t believe it at first. Not possible coming from the man I saw at Paley! Unfortunately, the evidence became overwhelming…and then, the Golden Globes happened. Furthermore, there was Washington’s endless denials, or bald-faced lies to save his job. Finally, unable to keep quiet, Katherine Heigl publicly stood up for her friend T.R., and T.R. himself, went on Ellen to set the record straight. Insert nails into coffin.

Oh Isaiah, the places you could have gone! You could have been Sidney and now you’re no better than a schoolyard bully. You’ve embarrassed yourself, the network, and sponsors. Finally responding to public scrutiny, ABC forced Washington to do public service announcements, go for a stint in Gay-Hab, and apologize to the cast and crew. He will now be harassed by every reporter in the world for the rest of his time at Grey’s.

Little did we all know how short that time would be.

Isaiah was just fired by ABC. It was clear to me in May he wouldn’t be back when I watched the finale. His character was ruined. I found myself not being able to separate the character from the anger I felt at his big mouth. I was actually relieved to hear he was going. I don’t agree with how he was fired…he did everything they asked him to do, and they still let him go. But as he went on a rampage of defensive interviews, even crying on Larry King, all I could do was shake my head and mourn for the guy I saw at the Paley Festival.

Thank God I still have Patrick Dempsey.

End O' the Season

Well, another season has come and gone. The finales are over, the networks are airing new show promos, the summer shows are in full swing. Looking over my post from the beginning of the season, I can now see that I was right about most of the new 2006 shows...they didn't make it on to my TiVo season pass. Here's my list of goodbyes (mostly good riddance) and what lies ahead for the fall premieres.

Buh-bye:

ABC
Day Break
Six Degrees
The Nine
What About Brian

CBS
3 Lbs.
Close to Home
Smith

Fox
Drive
Justice
The OC
The Wedding Bells
Vanished

NBC
Crossing Jordan
Kidnapped
Studio 60
The Black Donnellys

The CW
7th Heaven
Gilmore Girls
Runaway
Veronica Mars

ABC Family
Falcon Beach

HBO
Deadwood
Rome
The Sopranos

Lifetime
Angela's Eyes
Lovespring International

TNT
Saved

And for now, let's just look at the comedies. For a complete guide, see:
http://www.thefutoncritic.com/guide.aspx?id=fall_2007


NBC:

• Chuck
  An hour-long "comedic thriller" about computer geek Chuck Bartowski, who becomes an important government spy.

• The Bionic Woman

• The IT Crowd
  Sitcom based on the British comedy about the computer nerds in the basement of a big company.
• Lipstick Jungle
  From Candace Bushnell of Sex and the City. Dramedy about three friends, successful in their careers, who are there for each other.

ABC:

• Cavemen
  The one you've been waiting for (or, perhaps, dreading). Inspired by the Geico commercials, this sitcom is about three modern cavemen friends who are trying to lead normal lives in Atlanta, despite prejudice.
• Sam I Am
  Christina Applegate returns as Samantha, a victim of amnesia who discovers not many people liked her before her accident.
• Carpoolers
  Four very different guys who share a carpool to work discuss life, the women in their lives, and their careers.
• Miss/Guided
  Airing after the run of Dancing With the Stars. A guidance counselor gets a job at her former high school, only to find her old enemy, a cheerleader, is now the English teacher.

CBS:

• The Big Bang Theory
  A beautiful girl moves next door to a pair of physics geeks who know nothing of love and the opposite sex.

Fox:

• Back to You
  Sitcom with Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton, who play evening news co-anchors from the 1990s who are reunited to work together again.
• The Return of Jezebel James
  Parker Posey and Lauren Ambrose star as two very different sisters who move in together when one agrees to carry the other's baby.
• The Rules for Starting Over
  The Farrelly Brothers bring us a single-camera comedy about a group of singles in their thirties who are looking for love after bad breakups.

CW:

• Aliens in America
  Teen comedy about a high school student who befriends the Pakistani Muslim exchange student staying with his family.

Premieres…Sweet, Sweet Premieres…

THANK GOD...at last the new season of TV begins. Although I loved seeing new episodes of Rescue Me and The Closer over the summer, I've been going nuts without Grey's Anatomy, House, Family Guy, and - wait, that's not very many shows at all. That, my friends, is the scary state of TV these days. Is there hope for a fuller TiVo schedule this fall? Let's take a peak at what's to happening now.

I've already seen Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (could you ooze anymore of your neurotic personality off the page, Sorkin?), Smith (cool cast, and feature-like), Shark (another variation of the crooked lawyer switching to the good guys' side), and Jericho (dear God, the cheese...the cheese! But the beginning mushroom cloud scene is terrifying if you like that kind of panic attack after your dinner). All of which I'm willing to give another shot, but don't hold out much hope for clicking the thumbs up on my season pass. I'm further ahead on the Fox shows since they start so early. My friend's hubby is the EP and director on Justice...which is glossy and fun and you just gotta love Victor Garber. And Standoff is growing on me, but the jury is still out on that one...there were some seriously huge "OH NO THEY DIDN’T" moments.

So what's next? The only thing I'm truly looking forward to is Grey's Anatomy's premiere on Thursday. I'm not excited about whether Meredith will pick McDreamy or McVet - I could actually care less. I'm just happy to have all the characters and some of the best ensemble writing back on TV. A lot of my writer friends think Grey's has hit their second season slump already, and maybe it has. However, no other show on TV makes me look forward to a certain day of the week more than Grey's. I love reading the writers' blogs, love reading the TWoP snarky recaps, I love the music, and I love the over-the-topness of it all. Bring it on...Seriously.

My new discovery (hello, where the frak have I been?) is the fabulous Battlestar Galactica. This show can make even the most rabid anti-Sci-fi person a fan. It’s just so completely addicting and well made. Everything is there: A slightly dirtier, believable world of Galactica, as opposed to the typical glossy, high-tech worlds in other Sci-Fi shows. And then there's the sex - not just run of the mill TV sex but some seriously hot Cylon(human-looking robots)/human sex. There's the complexity of the relationships between the characters: Father/son, commander/subordinate, chief/groundlings, Cylon/human, lover/co-worker, etc. And finally, it has an incredibly charged atmosphere, which is eerily reminiscent of the post-9/11 politics and panic – not to mention what happens when terrorism invades a culture. Battlestar does this a million times better than the forced and cheesy panic seen in Jericho.

And now, what's to come: I'm going to give Brothers and Sisters, What about Brian, the Nine, and Heroes, a whirl, and I'm sure something else I'm leaving off the list. But the moral of this story is I LOVE NEW TV!!!

Who the Frak do I have to Frak?

I have to come to a serious conclusion, and it's not pretty. I am...a Sci-Fi geek. How did this happen to me? I always loved the X-Files and Millennium, and was obsessed with V as a kid, but that couldn't mean I was a Sci-Fi geek, right? I don't watch Stargate, or Farscape, or travel to Comic Con. I love Grey's Anatomy, and House, and Weeds! I'm still okay...right? Right?!

Then I found out about Battlestar Galactica, and it's become my downfall. I was about two seasons late to the BG party, but a friend lent me the first season, and it wasn't long before the word "Frak" came into my vocabulary with ease. My husband is disturbed to say the least.

I even got my therapist hooked. You know it's bad when your therapist sends you an email about "Frak" parties being held for the season three premiere on October 6th, and you actually giggle. When was the last time you giggled? I had to - it's so crazy to imagine all these Sci-Fi fans holding parties for a TV show. I'm picturing people in spacesuits, carrying fake laser guns and downing green Jell-o shots. That's giggle worthy.

Soon, my Sci-Fi condition began to deteriorate. I heard BG season 2.5 was coming out on DVD on the 18th, and I was really excited. More excited than I should have been for a DVD set...like, planning my trip to Best Buy excited. Unfortunately, I got the stomach flu. Frak! I dragged my ass out of the house two days later, and it was SOLD OUT. What the hell? So then, my sweet hubby tried to find it at Fry's and a different Best Buy - All SOLD OUT. Who the frak do I have to frak to get these DVDs? During my search and recovery mission, it dawned on me. (There was no use in denying it any longer) I am Sci-Fi geek!!! I was actually seriously disturbed and pissed that I couldn't get my hands on these DVDs.

Finally, I remembered my secret weapon: Borders. Not as many people know about Borders and their selection of DVD sets. The prices aren't phenomenal, but selection is key. FINALLY, after a very long week with no BG, we made it to Borders, and my husband told me they were sold out. FRAK ME! Then I saw the twinkle in his eye and realized he was kidding. He, in fact, had snagged me the very last copy of BG 2.5 in the entire world...probably ripping it out of the hands of some 45-year-old, white-sneaker wearing, voice-cracking, romantically-challenged techie. I love my husband.

I need help.

THE GHOSTS OF GILMORE GIRLS PAST

I feel like a poser...a lot. I feel like more of a poser than Radio Shack Teri Hatcher, and I'm only 30. Here’s my deal: Although, I did just score my first paid freelance animation gig a few months ago, sans agent, I still haven't had a job in TV in five years. So every Hollywood/TV story I have is either five years old, or second hand from friends who are still in the assistant world. I seriously want to slap myself when I say, "On Days of Our Lives blah, blah, blah, happened," or "Josh Schwartz is a hack, I worked on his first pilot (6 years ago when he was 23 freakin' years old) and it was such a piece of garbage, the network didn't even give us notes." But for some reason, I can't stop myself. I think it's because my brain believes that if I stop telling the stories, it was like those years working and being happy on the NBC and Warner Bros. lots never happened at all. I know better than that...yet I persist.

And then, there's Gilmore Girls. Sigh. The fact that the show is still on is the only reason I can get away with telling the same stories from the Writers' trailer in season one. That's right, I only worked there the first season, and a few days in second season as a favor to the script coordinator/now producer. Did I mention this was five years ago? Hello, nice to meet you, my name is Poser Fox.

I didn't set out to be that girl...the one who tells and re-tells stories from years gone by, but I actually had a pretty decent time as GG's first (and best!) writers' p.a. After suffering through endless grocery runs, lunch runs, coffee runs, marathon 100 mile script delivery routes and 18 hour days, I settled in to a pretty decent gig. I went to amazing parties, met incredible people, went to the Paley festival with the show and attended the Golden Globe parties. Even more exciting, I got to hang out with the writing staff while they broke stories, and played games with them at lunch. It was kinda cruel actually, to be that close to the promised land of "The Room" and not be able to truly participate. The writers gave me the infamous and ubiquitous Story by Robert McKee for my 25th birthday, and I felt as if I had been inducted into a secret society: The, "We think you can make it in this business, kid," society. Stuff like that made all the crappy days seem…not so crappy.

Then at the end of the first season, I decided to leave. They wouldn't promote me because the current writers' assistant wasn't leaving. There was nowhere for me to go if I wanted to move up the chain. I foolishly thought that pre-WGA strike (that never happened), I'd jump onto another show as a writers’ assistant. No such luck, and then with 9/11, I was really screwed. Two words: Reality TV. Suddenly, there were no jobs at WB or anywhere, and I ended up having to go back into the "real world." Needless to say, the real world sucks.

As I've drifted through the last five years, I keep getting assaulted with ghosts of GG past. I run into actors at the Coffee Bean, the writers at Panera and Starbucks, and my fancy/scary/enigmatic boss Gavin Polone at Leonor's Vegetarian Mexican restaurant. Finally, the last link in the chain. A few days ago, my friend and fellow writer, Romi and I were walking out of the Arclight theater when who do I see? Amy Sherman Palladino (creator of GG, my old boss) and her husband Dan Palladino (EP of the first round of Family Guy episodes...I still bow down to him for allowing me to attend the last table read of the show before it was cancelled) standing right there before me. I haven't seen this woman in five years, and at the most tumultuous time in my life and career, there she was right in my face.

Let me preface this: I have a problem. When I see someone from my past, instead of letting it go or politely saying hello, I stare. Like a stalker. Or in this case, I blurt out "HEY AMY AND DAN!" when I have NO idea if I even register in their brains as the red-head who brought them Apple Pan, Extra Sugar Free Gum, and Starbucks at all hours of the day. Before I can control myself, I've spewed my perky little expectations all over them. Will they remember me? Will they ask me how I've been the last four years? Did they instantly regret not hiring me as their writers' assistant and letting me walk out the door forever?

Then in a nano-second, I shift to panic mode. My inner monologue starts spinning: "Crap, damn, crap. It's Amy and Dan who you haven't seen in years, and last time you saw them you were a friggin’ gopher, and now you're a bona fide, paid writer. Make an impression damnit! Be funny...no, witty...be so friggin’ witty you make her cry, okay not cry, but just don't say something stupid. "

I didn't make her cry. Basically, it was...okay. I didn't die, I didn't make a fool of myself. I'm sure she didn't remember my name, but she recognized me. They had just come out of "Lady in the Water," and I proceeded to do some shtick about them walking out of the theater do an "It Sucked Shuffle." Yeah, I know. Lame. But, they agreed and said they were going home to call everyone to tell them of said suckage. As I asked them what they're up to, I remember THEY AREN'T ON GG ANYMORE. They left after contract negotiations fell through. Now I'm panicking that I don't say something stupid and insulting. So, I change the subject to me. I managed to slip in the fact that I was writing freelance animation and they seemed genuinely pleased. So, near the end of our three minute exchange, I can see her ADD kicking in - I'm losing her, so I gracefully say "Nice seeing you, take care," and that was the end of it.

You might be asking, 'Why the hell do you even care?' Good question. It does sound a bit obsessive, even pathetic. But really, it was more about the age-old feeling of wanting to make your parents proud. And Amy, unbeknownst to her, was the first writer I really looked up to and wanted to impress...just like a parent. She may have a huge reputation for being crazy and a pain in the ass, but she was also really generous and never took advantage of me. Maybe I'm completely sentimental and delusional to care, but to say I didn't would be the biggest, fattest lie. I needed to see Amy and Dan. I needed them to know I’m a writer now. It was the perfect ending to my time with the ghosts of GG past. I've graduated to the big, gnarly world of Hollywood future, and all on my own. I'm looking forward to seeing how it all pans out.