Back in the day the special effects that we take for granted in movies and TV took MONTHS for what worked out to be about a minute of footage.

In 1982 HBO created an introductory segment for its special movie events and they spared no expense. Check out this mini behind the scenes feature:

Granted, the techniques were “state of the art” and required back then, but it blows my mind how simple it is to do a lot of these effects that they had to labour for ages to do what your average Highschool student can now do on his dog’s website.

Imagine how people will mock what we do now in 25 years?

Computers? Seriously? They used computers for that? I had my virtual reality hologram handle that job for me!!

I am a heartfelt and passionate closet Browncoat. If you don’t know what that is, then you are missing out. One of the most bitter cancellations in TV history was Firefly, and due to fan response and begging for closure to the series we got the feature film Serenity. But ever since the fans have been itching for more, and little is done to move forward on it.

A story about a fan response campaign at Whedonesque says:

The purpose of the campaign is to show Universal that producing a sequel to Serenity is a smart and profitable business decision. To convince Universal of this, our campaign will show them exactly how much Browncoats are spending on Serenity- and Firefly-related products. From multiple copies of BDCE DVDs to Companion Books and action figures, from theater tickets to CD soundtracks and iTunes downloads, we will explicitly list every purchase and price thereof related to our ‘Verse, thus showing Universal how much money they stand to make by expanding our ‘Verse via the Serenity sequel we all so long to see.

Now I am as eager as any to see a return to the Serenity ‘Verse. But I don’t see myself participating in this particular campaign.

I wrote my letter to save Angel and Buffy. I wrote to insist they cancel Charmed. But I won’t be taking part in this campaign and I will tell you why.

The effort is to illustrate how much money Universal stands to make off the merchandising of a continued franchise. This is smart on the surface, but lacks any real substance. Despite the rabid fanbase, Serenity was considered a “failure” at the box office, but a huge success in DVD sales. The movie even caused a resurgence of new fans buying the collected TV series DVD set. So yes, attempting to appeal to the studio on grounds that will make sense to them is valid.

Just one problem: Universal is perfectly aware of just how much money is being spent on merchandising.

So as much as I would love to attend a hijacking of the national anthem at a hockey game and replacing it with the Ballad of Jayne, this campaign road seems to be paved with good intentions (for which I applaud them) but seems to be telling Universal what they already know.

You can check out the campaign effort at Faces of Serenity

The time is upon us retro movie geeks. The Knight Rider TV Movie airs tonight.

It might just suck balls, and the retro purists will hate the voice (Val Kilmer digitized) and the car not being a TransAm, but we will have to see. If this actually gets good reviews, rumour has it they will base an ongoing TV Series on it.

Check your local listings.

And in case you missed the teaser trailer:

Alan Tudyk’s “Wash” was likely my favourite character on Firefly/Serenity and a real classy guy. So when MovieHole got Tudyk on the phone to chat, of course the topic of a sequel to Serenity was brought up. Alan is pretty hopeful that there will be a sequel despite the slap on the wrist he got for suggesting it would happen.

Moviehole quotes Mr Tudyk

“My opinion – I have to couch it that way – is yes”, says Tudky, on the line from Los Angeles. “But I can’t give you anything beyond that. I had heard something, that there was going to be one and said so, and got in sooo much trouble. I was in Melbourne when I said it, and I got back to the States and I had a message from Joss Whedon asking how I was planning to finance it. … But in my opinion there will be one.”

The interesting thing of course is that this is one actor who would have little to do with a sequel if it did happen but by some sort of insight he is confident it will eventually happen.

The fanbase is being fed a video game that lets you travel the ‘verse Firefly style, conventions still happen and very strange fanfiction is being written daily about this stuff. Frankly the Browncoats are keeping the dream alive.

All this over a 13 episode season of a show? I thought the show had insane potential and was happy to see the fans were given a Serenity movie to wrap it all up.

With the way TV is headed during this strike and how studios are reconsidering series, you would think they would pony up to the fanbase to get a show on the road. People were not hopeful of Firefly being uncancelled, but they got a movie. Animated series like Family Guy and Futurama were uncancelled due to popular demand. Why not Firefly?

Any series that can include a preacher saying “If you take sexual advantage of her, you’re going to burn in a very special level of hell. A level they reserve for child molesters and people who talk at the theater.” has my vote!

I think someday someone will get the idea that the fans are waiting for this and figure they can make some money on it. Alan is probably right.

It will happen, someday. We’re still flying.

Looks like NYPD Blue is showing crimes of a different kind. It is ABC that is being charged by the FCC for showing nudity during an episode of NYPD Blue. A heavy $1.4 Million fine was slapped on the network.

TVGuide.com says:

The episode in question showed Charlotte Ross’ Det. Connie McDowell startled by a young boy as she was about to take a shower, and in doing so showed “multiple, close-up views” of Ross’ “nude buttocks,” the FCC says.

I have seen the shot and I can say that many TV Movies that warn of “adult situations” may show more than this clip does, however the camera work comes into question.

The exact same scene could have been presented with suggestive nudity without actually showing the beautiful Charlotte Ross’ bare bottom. In most of the scene you see her naked with her arms conveniently blocking her breasts and the camera showing from the hips up. It’s pretty clear that she is nude, which is the context of the scene. But then there is a moment we see her drop her robe and they deliberately show her bottom, and then again when she is starting the shower, there is a deliberate dip in the camera giving Ross a full overview.

Completely unneccessary. I think they crossed the line and deserve it. I have seen suggestive nudity on TV many times and its done appropriately, but this was blatantly saying “Look at her ass… see… ass!!!”

Click here to see the “offending” shot yourself.

Michael C Hall is better known to most of you boobtube fans as Dexter. The HBO’s twisted murder drama star is also slated to appear in Game next year, and long story short, he found out that Serena at TheMovieBlog.com was a fan, so he gave her a call to say thanks.

Serena says:

I can honestly say Michael C. Hall is truly probably one of the most humble celebrities out there, because the man personally called me a few days ago to thank me for being a fan and just to say hi! (He did this from a unblocked number nonetheless!)

Let me tell you, I have interviewed celebrities, (even been hit on by a few) and it has never phased me. However,when I got that call from Michael, I was caught completely off guard and transformed into an embarassing starstruck fan who spouted out the obligatory fan responses and ultimately ended up rushing the man off the phone. (D’oh!)

Right now it may seem like I’m writing this story to brag about this experience, but that’s not the case at all. I’m writing this for the fans of Michael C. Hall to let them know that the man is truly as great as he is onscreen. (Honestly, it’s always nice to know how humble a celebrity really is in real-life.)

This is one of the best examples of Fanservice since the Cast of Firefly show up at a cancelled Firefly Con

Now THIS is the way celebs should treat their fans.

Cheers Serena!

It would seem that the Strike has been heating up at the Fox Camp for a while now with escalating confrontations between legally striking picketers and the frustrated staff of the studio.

Recently, Rene Balcer (runner of Law & Order and co-creator of Law & Order:Criminal Intent) was forced out of the way of a worker and this resulted in a shoving match.

TVGuide Says:

The white collar worker, who was driving a black SUV, drove into Balcer, pushing him with his fender, which eventually evolved into a shoving match with the writer.

According to a witness’ account: “It’s Mr. SUV’s turn to wait for us to cross. He does not wait. He plows into us, knocking Rene Balcer back several feet. Then the guy leaps out of his car and takes a swing at Rene, and then shoves him out onto Avenue of the Stars. Thankfully, there was no traffic at that moment.”

Now I am going to approach this from both sides.

Mr.SUV has to be continually frustrated arriving for work at a place that just might let him go at any moment because these striking picketers are thinning out just how much work needs to get done around the studio. The fact that Mr.SUV is still going to work implies to me he wasn’t low level (many grunts have already been laid off pending strike negotiations)

I can see how he would be getting upset. It is a very frustrating thing for everyone involved. Especially those who are NOT striking, but forced to take the burden of their cause with them to work. Or not to work for some people.

Personally, I have ZERO respect for picket lines when you make me suffer. Yes, you have the right to protest. You have the right to stand about with your signs chanting your cause. But you have no right to stop me from entering the grounds or even detaining me. Why should I suffer for your cause? Especially while I say goodbye to co-workers who are going into debt for their lost jobs… because of your cause.

Now from the other side, we have Mr Balcer, the victim of this hit and run. Why this escalated into a shoving match is just an example of just how pathetic this situation is becoming. Sure, show your support and hold up a sign, but why do more than that? Mr Balcer will spin this as “I was just performing my legal right to picket” and MrSUV who is just as wrong for fighting will be the sole victim here. Just because Balcer pissed this guy off to the point of going postal doesn’t mean the other guy is right for doing it.

Balcer hasn’t said if he will press charges.

As mentioned before, the public opinion or even inconveniencing the few employees that the studios have left is NOT going to change the outcome of this strike. They (both parties) are already hurting their opposition as badly as they can right now. We just get to go without while they figure it out.

The Golden Globes were on TV last night and despite the lack of any actors, production, lighting, celebrity hosts, there were still winners.

TVGuide Lists:

Best Television Series - Drama
Mad MenBest Television Series - Musical or Comedy
Extras

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Longford

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Jim Broadbent, Longford

Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Queen Latifah, Life Support

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy
David Duchovny, Californication

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy
Tina Fey, 30 Rock

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
Jon Hamm, Mad Men

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama
Glenn Close, Damages

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Jeremy Piven, Entourage

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Samantha Morton, Longford

I was happy to see my most recent obsession Pushing Daisies get mentioned up there, however disappointed that it didn’t win, perhaps it was against stiff competition.

Question for the International Friends, when a movie you hear a LOT of positive reviews about DOESNT win, does it make you want to go and see the winner?

The following is a video about Bill Gates. This was played at the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas. No, that isn’t an actor playing Bill, its Money himself playing Bill. That is what makes this so genius. The ability to laugh at yourself is a virtue. Bill’s got that in spades.

I also love the cameos by all the stars. Bono, George Clooney… so perfect.

It looks like the midseason has officially kicked off for me. My wife dragged me into watching One Tree Hill and I am man enough to admit that I am totally sucked into this show.

One thing I really like is that they are taking a step to avoid the shark. Most of these teen highschool dramas that last to the end of highschool make the mistake of trying to carry the story over into the college years. Tree Hill seems to have avoided that bullet. It is a death sentence.

Now One Tree Hill cannot take ALL the credit for this move. This was to be the one saving grace for Veronica Mars, which the CW passed on. But they saw the wisdom of the skip ahead and applied it to a different show.

Its not all sunshine and peaches for the Tree Hill gang, and I am happy to say that they are glossing over the adult cast of the previous season. That is important since they are establishing this as an adult drama now. The cast are adjusting to being adults.

Now that it is an adult drama, I don’t feel so shy about admitting I watch it.

Today I received an email from a loyal TVShow Blog and Movie Blog reader “Slushie Man” talking about one particular actor who has expressed some concern about the strike. And it isn’t support. Smallville’s Allison Mack speaks about her concerns for her future and how the strike could impact it.

Allison Mack says on her personal blog:

With the Writers’ Strike forging ahead and our last episode coming up the end of January, I’m actually able to see the end of the rope as far as “Smallville” is concerned. If the writers don’t return until after February, the season will end at 15 episodes… And then what?

So far all we see is actors backing the strike, joining their writers on the picket lines. So it is refreshing to see something more personal from an actor in this conflict.

We have already talked about how this Writer’s Strike is torturing the regular joes who have jobs that rely on these shows. The grips, camera operators, caterers, sound crew and more. But wait, those overpaid actors are out of work too. Boo hoo, they have money right? But think about it, they are still losing out.

But what about those actors who actually LOVE their jobs. What about actors who may face early ends simply because they dont have the rest of the season to go forward with.

I love Miss Mack’s personal approach to this. She is actually considering where her future will be once Smallville ends. But does it mean the end of Chloe? If she has to find another job because of a premature end to this season, it might mean she has to leave Smallville.

That also makes me wonder about DC Comics who recently announced they were adding Chloe Sullivan to the comic’s continuum. If her character is gone from Smallville, will they still write her into the comics?

Allison Mack is my favourite part of Smallville, and though she is one ingredient in the recipe, she might just be the chocolate chips in the chocolate chip cookies. The writers strike might be taking my chocolate chips away.

End this strike NOW. Nothing good is coming from it.

A while back we learned of a series across the pond on BBC that featured popstar turned actress Billie Piper taking on a roll of a high class hooker. Secret Diary of a Call Girl features Piper recollecting the events in a diary of Belle de Jour.

BBC says:

The station, (Showtime) also home to controversial shows such as lesbian drama The L Word and Dexter, plans to start running the first series in the Spring.Rival channel HBO, home of The Sopranos, had also expressed an interest in the securing the show.

The series was greeted with strong reviews in the UK and now that Showcase is picking this up, HBO is also considering getting their hands on it.

Piper will already be a familiar face to the fans of Dr Who which is already airing on US stations.

Reality TV can be entertaining. What draws us in is that these are real people accomplishing the unreal. Gaining a career, winning a prize, experiencing life like they never would. Its all bringing the unreal to the real world.

But not all that glitters is gold. Reality TV is spiraling into obscurity and is grasping at straws to provide the next big hit. Even Survivor is waning in its popularity. SO what do we have to look forward to? TVGuide has a peek at what is on its way

10. Pussycat Dolls 2: Girlicious (Date TBA, The CW)
9. Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew (Jan. 10, VH1)
8. Make Me a Supermodel (Jan. 2, Bravo)
7. Top This Party (Jan. 4, Lifetime)
6. My Dad is Better Than Your Dad (Date TBA, NBC)
5. Transamerican Love Story (Feb. 2008, Logo)
4. Millionaire Matchmaker (Jan. 22, Bravo)
3. Parking Wars (Jan. 8, MTV)
2. The Baby Borrowers (Date TBA, NBC)
1. Farmer Wants a Wife (Date TBA, The CW)

Now with this list, there is a LOT of potential for wasting a lot of time. None of this will change your life.

Pussycat Dolls is realizing how poor an idea it was to use Reality TV to being another member on board. They fired their chosen winner before the show even aired. So now they are going to make a spinoff group instead. I will watch it because it is sure to have lots of hot girls in tight skimpy outfits dancing sexy. That is all.

Celebrity Rehab we should have seen coming. Though don’t expect to see Britney or Amy Winebottle on it.

My Dad is Better than Your Dad has a tremendous amount of potential to shatter that hero worship kids have in their parents when these kids see their dads crumble under pressure.

Transamerica Love Story is a romance reality show with a woman who used to be a man looking for a date. It will surely cater to the overlooked transgendered demographic. Hey, chicks who had dicks need love too.

For a full description of all of these shows, go to TVGuide

Canadian Idol may be the clone of American Idol for us Canadians, but then American Idol wasn’t the original either. Audition locations are being announced onTVGuide:

Season 6 of the hit reality show returns in June but the 2008 Audition Tour kicks off Jan. 26 at West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton. The 10-city tour will hit malls in nine other cities from the end of the month through to mid-April.

Last year, we saw our own Hamilton Native Brian Melo won the gig and this has prompted Canadian Idol organizers to thinking Hamilton has more talent to offer. So instead of hitting up the Toronto auditions, those from the Hammer can check it out locally.

Interestingly enough, one of the former stops that yielded a Number Two contestant Theresa Sokyrka and consistently supplies top ten results was missing from the list. Saskatoon Saskatchewan is no longer on the Idol Trail.

Typically we try to avoid the whole celebrity gossip bit here at the TVShow Blog but this bit of recent scandal has left the future of the Tween hit Zoey 101in limbo as its 16 year old star has found herself unwed and pregnant. Hardly the rolemodel Nickeloeon would want for one of its highest rated shows.

Yahoo News gives us:

Nickelodeon has not yet commented on its plans for Zoey, beyond issuing a statement saying the network respects the star’s “decision to take responsibility in this sensitive and personal situation.”However, in the wake of Spears’ announcement, the network confirmed it is in discussions on a special for its young viewers about sex and love.

So in an effort to maintain the show it looks like they will make an effort of damage control to have little Miss Spears waddle her baby bump in front of the lens for a Public Service Announcement.

It sounds more to me like a community service sentence as part of a plea bargain to avoid the further penalty of having her squeaky clean image on Zoey 101 tarnished.

Philip B. Dusenberry was the director for such classic 80s revolutionary commercials that featured ads as an artform. The most notable of which was Michael Jackson’s infamous Pepsi commercial in which Jacko’s hair was set on fire by one of the pyrotechnic accents.

Yahoo News reports:

Dusenberry, who was 71, died of lung cancer Saturday at his Manhattan home, his advertising firm, BBDO, said in a news release.Dusenberry was named one of the Top 100 Advertising People of the past century by Advertising Age. At BBDO he helped create the Pepsi theme line “The choice of a new generation” and the General Electric slogan “We bring good things to life.”

A legend in his own little world. We no longer pay attention to commercials, and perhaps we might if they truely contained entertainment value.

This man was a visionary - one who’s name I did not know until this very moment when I read the article. Perhaps by some chance someone may pay attention to his passing and be inspired to do something revolutionary in change.

The TV commercial is a dying breed. In this digital age of TiVos and PVRs we gloss over the commercial breaks or take advantage of them to go pee. Gone are the days when people chatted about amazing commercials and TV Specials would give awards to commercials of impact.

Rest in Peace Dusenberry. The art of the commerical died before you did.

Greetings International Friends! Welcome to a brand New Year at the TVShow Blog.com.

I do hope that you and yours had a very safe and happy New Years Eve celebration and that your upcoming year is a great one.

Here at the TVSB studios I am tweaking the site to make it a little easier to read and navigate. I hope you like what I have done so far.

The mid season is about to hit us, and we will have our thoughts and feelings on it all right here!

The Ball that falls in Times Square and is aired around the world on TV has fallen for 100 times as of this year. The ball itself has been changed and updated, however the routine is the same years after year.

NewsWire reports:

The new ball is lighted with 9,576 energy-efficient bulbs that use about the same amount of electricity as it takes to power a single kitchen oven.

Philips Lighting, which created the light-emitting diodes, or LED bulbs, for the event, says they are more than twice as bright as the lights on last year’s ball, which were a mix of more than 600 incandescent and halogen bulbs.

The new lights can create more than 16 million colors against 672 Waterford crystal triangles arrayed in stylized, radiating sunbursts that cover the ball’s surface.

That is rather impressive considering the insane amount of power I would have assumed a ball of lights that size would have to consume.

Dick Clark looks great for his age, however his voice is certainly failing. I honestly don’t know if he will be doing this much longer. He seriously is struggling to get out a whole coherent sentence. He suffered a stroke in 2004 and obviously there were some side effects. It still pleases me to see him there year after year despite his complications. He is just as much a part of the traditions as the ball itself.

Cat Deeley hosts coverage from Times Square with Fall Out Boy in a string of performances and we just caught a very impressive cover of Michael Jackson’s Beat It. Only Fall Out Boy could do that and give it any justice. I actually like Fall Out Boy mostly because they have undeniable proof that people don’t watch them for their looks. It’s all about the music. Despite being less pretty.. well than anyone.. they put on a good show.

Seacrest is back and we caught up to that coverage just in time to catch Carrie Underwood. Again, not a demographic I am not big on the country scene, but I can see why she is popular. Super pretty, great voice, and bold enough to wear thigh high cowboy boots with a gold metallic motif. She tied off her set with Right Now, the only song I could have told you that she sung.

Well Dick is on his way because they are about to drop the big ball for the 100th time. No, that wasn’t sarcasm. This year is the 100th time they have had the Times Square ceremonial dropping of the ball to signify the passing of the year. The ball itself has been replaced and updated, but they always drop it right as midnight strikes.

Ok, now we are on to surfing and I hate to admit it but the Canadian show is pretty sad. The best they could do at the Niagara Falls Canada celebration was a performance by Styx. Don’t get me wrong, I think Styx is pretty cool but also a little dated. The Toronto Canada coverage had some hip hop group on that repeated “get yer hands up” about 15 times before I just skipped on in search of better performances. Like a route canal.

Then I found another coverage show from Times Square from CNN but they must have drawn the short straw as they have Kathy Griffin as a co-host. Seriously that girl is completely devoid of any screen appeal. I have to admit she did look prettier than I have ever seen her, then she opens her mouth. I don’t understand how she gets gigs. She must have some dirt on the producers.

They did have a nifty cheese band called “Lounge Against the Machine” who did a cover of Fight for the Right to Party by Two Live Crew in lounge style. They call the transition “swankifying” which I now have to include that in my vernacular.

Dick is back in 25 minutes, and with this competition I can’t imagine that as a disappointment.