Will You "Hate My Teenage Daughter"?

Don’t forget that tonight is the premiere of “I Hate My Teenage Daughter” on FOX…

Shockingly, I liked it thanks to a hilarious second episode. So watch this one to set the scene and then come back next week to laugh.

You can read the rest of my review from a recent column here.

“I Hate My Teenage Daughter” premieres tonight (Wednesday) at 9:30 on FOX…

Photo Credit: Greg Gayne/FOX

TNT Gets Ready to "Ricochet"

TNT continues its Mystery Movie Night series tonight with “Ricochet”…

Based on the bestselling novel by Sandra Brown, “Ricochet” tells the story of a detective (John Corbett) investigating a corrupt judge (Gary Cole). The twist is that the detective is having an affair with the judge’s wife (Julie Benz).

For Benz, working with John Corbett was a huge thrill because she is a big fan of “Sex and the City,” in which Corbett played one of Carrie’s most popular boyfriends, Aiden.

“I was always a Mr. Big girl,” Benz told me last week. “But Aidan is adorable, cute and loveable.”

When she found out she would be working with Corbett on “Ricochet,” Benz watched “Sex and the City 2” and then gave Corbett an earful for Aidan’s behavior. “You kissed her! You kissed Carrie!” Benz told him.

Personally, I love the fact that Benz is such a fan girl herself. I think it helps her relate to the rabid fan bases of “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” and “Angel”—two shows she is proud to have been a part of.

“It’s fantastic to be known for ‘Buffy’ and ‘Angel,’” Benz said. “People still recognize me from them. New audiences are still discovering that show. It still has that following.”

Benz also gets recognized as Rita, Dexter’s ill-fated wife on “Dexter.” “People come up to me shaking. They can’t believe I’m really alive,” she said. “They’re very loyal and gracious with their time. I feel very lucky.”

As for her part in “Ricochet,” Benz loved being a part of a mystery. “Just to play a character that doesn’t reveal a lot was a challenge,” she said. “I love exploring different types of characters…It has a film noir feel to it. The story is very interesting. You can’t predict what’s going to happen. There are real twists and turns. The end is a shocking, big revelation.

Benz also appreciates TNT bringing the mystery movie back to television. “My whole family growing up. That’s how we spent time together. I love watching TV movies,” she said. “TNT is doing the right thing.”

“Ricochet” airs tonight (Wednesday, November 30th) at 9 p.m. on TNT…

Photo Credit: Skip Bolen/TNT

The Latest on James Durbin...

I heard today from the publicist for James Durbin…

James released his debut CD, “Memories of a Beautiful Disaster,” November 21st on Wind Up Records.

You can see the official video for the first single, “Love Me Bad,” here.

I’m hoping to have much more later…

A Huntington Native Finds Herself In "Jeopardy!"

Tomorrow night (Tuesday, Nov. 29^th), Huntington’s own Mary Redling will try her hand at “Jeopardy!”

Redling is a 50-year-old operations manager from Huntington.

“Jeopardy!” airs in the Huntington-Charleston market on WSAZ at 7:30 p.m.

Photo Credit: Jeopardy! Productions Inc.

The Prospect Park Fallout: Devastating On So Many Levels

There’s a saying in the world of PR that if you want to bury something, you release it on a weekend or during a holiday…

I think that Prospect Park probably took that into consideration when they announced Wednesday afternoon that it had scrapped its plan to continue “One Life to Live” and “All My Children” online. But the timing no doubt ruined the holiday for a lot of people…

According to “The Hollywood Reporter,” the decision was made after struggles during negotiations with SAG, DGA and the other Hollywood guilds.

Here is part of the statement by Prospect Park’s Rich Frank and Jeff Kwatinez from the “Reporter” story: “After five months of negotiations with various guilds, hundreds of presentations to potential financial and technology partners, and a hope that we could pioneer a new network for the future, it is with great disappointment that we are suspending our aspirations to revive ‘One Life to Live’ and ‘All My Children’ via online distribution…It is now becoming clear that mounting issues make our ability to meet our deadlines to get ‘OLTL’ on the air in a reasonable time period following its January 13, 2012 ABC finale impossible…In the end, the constraints of the current marketplace, including the evolution and impact of new media on our industry simply proved too great a match for even our passion.”

The move online for “All My Children” had already been postponed as only two actors had signed on to continue.

Because of the lateness of the announcement and the holiday, “Soap Opera Digest,” the leading soap publication, was unable to cover the announcement. However, this week’s “Digest” does feature a story about the reluctance of some actors to sign on that cites many of the problems mentioned in the “Reporter” story.

As for the bottom line here, it’s devastating on a number of levels. First, it means that “Children” and “Life” are both truly dead. Second, it means that “Children” altered its original ending to create a cliffhanger for no reason. And third, it’s devastating for the number of “Life” actors that signed on for the online launch that will now have to find other jobs.

It makes me wish that Prospect Park and ABC had just kept their mouths shut until they were positively sure this could happen…

Photo Credit: Rick Rowell/ABC