When it comes to World War I-era verisimilitude, Downton Abbey sure looks authentic. But what about the dialogue? We’ve certainly caught the characters using phrases that sound awfully contemporary — and we’re not the only ones. Linguist and writer Ben Zimmer has also noticed some anachronistic usages on the show, from “I’m just sayin’” to the use of “contact” as a verb, and has made a short video compiling his observations. For those who are curious to hear more about language on Downton, Zimmer will be discussing it in both the Boston Globe and in his Visual Thesaurus column, “Word Routes.”
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Sex on television can be fairly unrealistic. For instance, it’s not possible for someone as cute as Zooey Deschanel to bomb with someone as equally cute as Justin Long (see New Girl episode #8). That said, the bottom line rings true: sex isn’t always pretty. Time and time again we learn that scented candles and starfish lingerie straps prove useless in diffusing the awkwardness of human intimacy. Which is why this Valentine’s Day we’re cutting through the hoopla and spotlighting some of the biggest romantic misfires in television history (no pun intended). And since we’re not total curmudgeons, we’d like to point out that, sometimes, bad sex is beautiful. It can blossom into true love, bring a couple closer together, or even save a friendship. Just click through and see for yourself. And be sure to add your own favorite awkward couplings in the comments!
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Dr. House will not be on call after his eighth season on Fox. Medical drama series House is saying goodbye. Creator David Shore requested an early decision from the network to end the show so he could prepare a proper farewell for his misanthropic physician and friends. With several new dramas on the rise — a few the show even helped launch, including Kiefer Sutherland’s Touch, which hits this spring — and star Hugh Laurie’s contract deal done at the end of the season, the timing seemed right. When Universal cut salaries last year, fans saw co-star Lisa Edelstein (Dr. Lisa Cuddy — Dean of Medicine and House’s love interest) leaving early, which left a lot of devotees pretty bummed. Still, ratings have persisted. Deadline reports that there’s no word on where Shore will be heading next, as he does not have a continuing deal with the network. Were you biding your time until House left the building, or were you hoping the show would hold out just a little while longer?
Oh, Zooey. She’s one of those pop culture personalities who people are strongly divided on. But whether you adore or despise her, you have to admit that her Fox show, New Girl, is the only one of the much-heralded lady comedies that launched this past fall to actually connect with viewers. We’re guessing that the same gawky charming schtick that makes certain audiences love her as Jess Chase (which, let’s be honest, is basically just a slight variation on every other character that she has ever played) will also carry her through this week’s installment of Saturday Night Live. If that sounds absolutely perfect to you, then you’ll thoroughly enjoy the promos after the jump. If you bristle at the mere sound of her voice (especially when she’s singing), well, maybe don’t click through.
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Now that they’ve gotten their mid-season shows off the ground, it’s pilot-buyin’ time for the major networks. That means that, in the past few weeks, we’ve been deluged with news about shows in development, with headlines featuring such names as Louis C.K., Mindy Kaling, J.J. Abrams, and Roseanne Barr. Thankfully, for those of us who’ve had some trouble keeping up, The Hollywood Reporter was kind enough to post a full list of what we can look forward to from ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and The CW in the 2012-13 season. Since that roundup is still pretty daunting, we’ve narrowed the list to the 11 shows we’re most looking forward to; check them out and find out why we can’t to see them after the jump.
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When the first season of FX’s American Horror Story ended in a bloodbath, we wondered what was in store for Season 2. Would the same main characters return as ghosts, primed to haunt a new family? In fact, as creator Ryan Murphy confirmed in a call shortly after the finale, in December, the show will totally reboot this year, with a new set of locations and characters. While we thought he had the right idea, it was difficult to imagine the prospect of American Horror Story without a wonderfully campy Jessica Lange performance. But Murphy also allowed that some actors will return in new roles — and, thankfully, he confirmed to Andy Cohen on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live last night that Lange is slated for a comeback. He didn’t clarify what or how large her role will be, but hey, we’ll take it. [via Vulture]
Especially for those of us who were in high school at the time, the 1999 Columbine High School massacre is unforgettable. And perhaps because it’s tangled up in countless issues of teenage identity, parental responsibility, and art’s relationship to real-life violence, the incident has become a cultural monolith, inspiring everything from a raft of pop songs to Gus Van Sant’s Elephant. Now, Columbine is going to be a Lifetime miniseries.
As potentially terrible as this may sound at first, there’s reason to believe the miniseries could actually be great. First of all, it’s based on journalist Dave Cullen’s Columbine, a thorough, bestselling, and critically praised examination of the shootings that was published in 2009. We’re equally excited that the team behind the adaptation includes United States of Tara writer Tommy O’Haver, along with producers Christine Vachon and Pam Koffler, who head the indie powerhouse Killer Films. As long as we don’t hear anything about Justin Bieber playing Eric Harris, we’re optimistic about how this might turn out. [via The Wrap]
Time to brew the tea and pop the popcorn — it’s Season 2 of Britain’s beloved Downton Abbey! The men (well, except for the rich ones) are fighting, the women are pining (and becoming independent), and much of the show’s relentless intra-Downton intrigue has given way to the human drama of life during wartime. But that doesn’t mean that everyone’s pulling together for the common good. So, in the spirit of class-conscious competition and self-interested jockeying for position, we’re declaring winners and losers for each episode of Downton Abbey.
The Crawleys and their staff may have solemnly celebrated the end of World War I this week, but the end of the international conflict hardly spells the end of their ongoing drama. While most of America was glued to the Super Bowl, we watched an entirely different set of players compete — and met a new character who threatened to change the fate of Downton forever. See who scored points and who came up short after the jump.
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Saturday Night Live returned last night with a spotty show hosted by fighting/dancing actor and ex-stripper Channing Tatum, and featuring a musical performance by Bon Iver. We didn’t expect much out of Tatum — we think it’s safe to say he gets hired for his looks, not his subtle acting or comedic brilliance — but he managed to make us laugh more than once, and approached the whole show in a good-natured, charming way. Also, his Matthew McConaughey impression is spot-on. Who knew? Click through to watch clips of the best and worst skits from last night’s SNL, and let us know if we missed (or hated on) your favorite in the comments.
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NBC just picked up Star Trek director J.J. Abrams‘ Revolution, a new “high octane action drama … following a group of characters struggling to survive and reunite with loved ones in a world where all forms of energy have mysteriously ceased to exist.” Sounds about right for the Super 8 filmmaker. Fans of mind-bending television will be happy to know that Supernatural writer Eric Kripke and Lost‘s Bryan Burk will be writing the script alongside Abrams. This will be the second pilot that director is working on. The other project is Shelter at CW, which takes place at a historic New England summer resort and explores the comical and emotional relationships of its staff. Entertainment Weekly points out a previous synopsis for Revolution that details an empty American landscape devoid of computers, cars, phones, and even light. Spooky and Abrams-y enough for you?
In related news, Star Trek 2 producer and co-writer Roberto Orci posted this image from the set on his Twitter account, sharing: “Whole family, from in front and behind the camera.” Excited for more?
