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Posts with tag Holly Hunter

Cable detectives, lawyers and vampires quickly renewed

Raising the BarIn a time when networks are so quick to pull the plug on new series, it is absolutely stunning that two of this season's newest cable series have already been picked up for a second season. What's even more surprising is that one renewed show is Stephen Bochco's terrible Raising the Bar. After setting a record for a series debut on basic cable with 7.7 million viewers, 2.2 million people asked themselves what the hell they were watching, and the series settled into an average of 5.5 mil. But it's only been three weeks?

Surely, more of its viewers will realize that the show is absolutely terrible? From Gosselaar's bleeding heart crying to the bitching between his friends and Jane Kaczmarek's crazy judge, there's more leaps in logic and good sense than in Prison Break. The show makes Boston Legal look like a courtroom documentary. TNT also picked up Holly Hunter's Saving Grace after a respectable summer run.

Continue reading Cable detectives, lawyers and vampires quickly renewed

Raising the Bar -- an early look

raising the bar
TNT's original dramas are kind of hit or miss for me. I'm absolutely in love with The Closer, but have zero interest in Saving Grace, despite its good reviews and Holly Hunter's Emmy nomination. It was while I was watching The Closer that I saw the ads for Raising the Bar, TNT's newest series, which premieres on Monday, September 1 at 10 pm. I've got to say, I had the same reaction when I first saw promos for Saving Grace: "meh."

I love a good lawyer show, but there was something about Raising the Bar that just struck me as bland. I really didn't know if I'd even bother checking out the premiere. However, when I got the chance to see the first three episodes, I decided to jump on it. This way I could check it out at my leisure, but more importantly, I could figure out just what the hell is going on with Mark-Paul Gosselaar's hair.

Continue reading Raising the Bar -- an early look

TNT okays single-mom/nurse drama

logo tntIf you like strong women on TV, the kind you've been seeing on TNT in The Closer and Saving Grace, you'll be happy to hear that the network has more formidible females on tap. TNT has given the greenlight to a new drama called Time Heals. And with the kind of top notch talent behind the scenes, I can't imagine this drama not making it to air.

The guy who is creating the show, John Masius, is an Emmy-winning writer, having grabbed two Emmys when he worked on St. Elsewhere. So, yeah, this is sounding better and better because Masius knows about medical drama and Time Heals is the story of Nancy Hawthorne, a single mother who is the head of nursing at Mercy Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina. She's the type of woman who really cares about her patients and becomes emotionally involved in her job.

Continue reading TNT okays single-mom/nurse drama

Holly Hunter speaks about Saving Grace

Holly Hunter as Grace Hanadarko on TNT's Saving Grace

The cable networks have been very, very good to women over the last few years. Particularly strong, independent women who are on par, or many times above, the men in their lives. This has been exemplified by characters like Brenda Johnson in The Closer, PJ Franklin on My Boys, Nancy Botwin on Weeds, Patty Hewes on Damages, and the ladies from HBO's Sex in the City.

Last year, someone new joined Leigh, PJ, and the rest of the women of cable. Her name was Grace Hanadarko -- the smoking, drinking, and sexually promiscuous Oklahoma City police detective from TNT's Saving Grace. Grace is played by Holly Hunter, the award-winning actress who has appeared in such films as Raising Arizona, The Piano (for which she won an Academy Award) and The Incredibles. Late last week, Holly spoke to members of the press concerning the second season of Saving Grace (premiering tonight at 10 pm) and what's in store for the hard-living detective.

Continue reading Holly Hunter speaks about Saving Grace

Saving Grace season two: An early look

Saving Grace Season TwoI didn't watch the first season of Saving Grace, but over the weekend, I had an opportunity to screen the second season premiere, titled 'Have a Seat, Earl.' The show is gritty and heartbreaking, and it's shooting to the top of my Must-Watch List.

First of all, let's get this out of the way: I want Holly Hunter's body. The girl just turned 50 in March, and her body is as fit and toned as a 20-year-old triathlete. Only better, because she's got all the wisdom of a 50-year-old soul.

OK, on to the story. I won't give a blow-by-blow of the episode, which premieres July 14, 10/9c on TNT, but I will talk about key plot-points, so if you're averse to spoilers, you'd best quit reading here. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Continue reading Saving Grace season two: An early look

More episodes on the way for Saving Grace

TNT picks up Saving Grace for a second seasonWell, it looks like two of TNT's Monday primetime dramas are coming back for another season. Last week we reported that The Closer was returning for a fourth season. Now it looks like Saving Grace will be returning as well.

Grace, which stars and is produced by Holly Hunter, has received a network order for an additional 15 episodes. Since premiering on July 23rd the show has ranked tops among new cable shows. With its lead-in of The Closer the show has averaged 5.5 million viewers each week.

This leaves Heartland, which stars Treat Williams, as the only TNT Monday night drama yet to be renewed. Hopefully the curse of Everwood doesn't hang over this medical drama.

The most cringe-inducing interview you'll see today - VIDEO

merry millerI feel sorry for celebrities who have to sit in a chair and answer inane questions from journalists (like me). They answer the same question 400 times and probably aren't even sure who they're talking to most of the time because it's just one interviewer after another. And when you get someone who doesn't even know what they're doing...

Case in point: this reporter from ABC News Now, who has the born-to-work-on-an-entertainment-show name of Merry Miller. She's interviewing Holly Hunter about her new TNT show Saving Grace, and I have to agree with Best Week Ever when they say that it's like a teenager got into the press junket. You'll rarely see someone as nervous and ill-prepared, and thanks to the web you can watch it over and over and over again! My favorite part is when she tells viewers at the end to go to NBCnews.com. Video after the jump (original video on ABC is here, edited for less awkwardness.)

Continue reading The most cringe-inducing interview you'll see today - VIDEO

TNT moves Heartland to 8pm

Heartland

I'm not sure if this means that TNT doesn't have any faith in the show or if they have a lot of faith in the show. I sense the former.

The network has announced that they are moving the new Treat Williams medical drama Heartland from the cushy post-Closer spot at 10pm on Mondays to 8pm. That means it won't have a strong lead-in (The Closer is doing great in the ratings) and will have to kick off the night on its own. Heartland isn't exactly a hit with critics.

What's going in the 10pm slot? Glad you asked! It's Saving Grace, a new show starring Holly Hunter as an alcoholic cop who gets help from an angel after she causes an accident.

[via TV Tattle]

TNT adds miniseries and two new series

holly hunterAs Brett mentioned last December, TNT has two new series planned: Heartland, starring Treat Williams; and Saving Grace, starring Holly Hunter (the series was originally called Grace). In Heartland, Williams plays a brilliant heart transplant surgeon who struggles with his family life. Hunter plays a police detective who's visited by an angel.

Continue reading TNT adds miniseries and two new series

TNT dumps Saved, adds two new shows

Holly HunterWhile Saved garnered quite a few good reviews, and some respectable ratings, it's no The Closer. And apparently the press and numbers weren't enough to convince TNT that there should be a second season of the Tom Everett Scott drama. Instead, the network is looking to bring two different pilots to series.

Holly Hunter stars in Grace as an Oklahoma City police detective who is visited by an angel and given a chance to redeem her life. It also stars Tom Irwin (Related), and Laura San Giacomo (Just Shoot Me). I'll watch anything with Holly Hunter, or Laura San Giacomo, in it at least once, so I plan to tune in when this show takes off. But based just on the tag line, my expectations are low.

Also on the schedule is Heartland. This one stars Treat Williams as the brilliant surgeon, Nathaniel Grant. His dedication to his work causes problems with his health and his relationships. Now, if you are thinking, "Hey, that sounds a whole lot like Everwood." then you and I are on the same page. The show even stars Gage Golightly as his daughter Thea, who doesn't seem so far removed from Delia. Still, Treat Williams is always worth a look. And it has the bonus of Morena Baccarin (Firefly) as well. The show is currently planned to follow The Closer.

Grace coming to TNT

holly hunterHolly Hunter will be starring in a new pilot for TNT titled Grace. Hunter will play an Oklahoma City detective who is visited by an angel (played by Deadwood's Leon Rippy) who tries to help her redeem her life. Laura San Giacomo of Just Shoot Me will play Hunter's best friend, and Bokeem Woodbine will play a convict who can also see the angel. I don't know about the rest of you, but I can't recall any television series with an angel as one of the main characters that I actually enjoyed. I know that both Highway to Heaven and Touched by an Angel were about as interesting to me as watching an ice cube melt. Nevertheless, we all enjoy different things, so what do the rest of you think? Does this show sound interesting? I will admit that I've always really liked Holly Hunter as an actress, and still harbor a slight school boy crush on Laura San Giacomo, but other than that there's not much pulling me towards this show.

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