Category: TV

PBS Brings Inspector Lewis Season 3 to DVD

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The very awesome mystery series, Inspector Lewis (a spin off of the Inspector Morse series), is coming to DVD this fall. This series has wit, charm and great characters and is a must watch for any fan of the mystery genre. Inspector Lewis, Series 3 is set for a DVD release on October 12.

Inspector Robert Lewis (Kevin Whately, Inspector Morse) and his partner, the enigmatic Detective Sergeant James Hathaway (Laurence Fox, A Room with a View, Becoming Jane, Elizabeth: The Golden Age), return to the idyllic Oxford countryside and university in five new thrillers, forcing the pair to revisit the past—and to reconsider the future.

To order a copy of Inspector Lewis 3 or other PBS titles, please call (800) PLAY-PBS or visit shopPBS.org. To purchase DVDs with public performance rights, please visit ShopPBS.org/education.

We all Just Wanna be Big Stars… (Entourage)

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Growing up in Los Angeles you learn one thing: everyone wants to be famous. Anyone who tells you differently is probably lying or has seen the reality behind being famous – it’s a lot of work. But really, who doesn’t want their creative and/or work recognized with fame and celebrity-dom?

Entourage is a pretty popular show because it shows the lives of Vince and his friends who, no matter what, always got each others backs in the end. The scripts are snappy, witty and show the charmed life with a sense of realism (it’s not always big houses and fast cars).

Fame has always been a two edged sword in my mind. Of course, I’d love to walk a red carpet for a movie premiere of something based off my best-selling novels. I’d love to have some fun celebrity friends (Zachery Levi? Call me). I’d love to spend all the hours of my life just doing what I love to do – being creative. I probably would never want to be an actor, but the call of the Hollywood scene is still rather appealing.

Unlike Vince and the boys I probably wouldn’t want to live together with some of my best friends (as much as I love them all). But I would love for some of my best friends to move to Los Angeles so we could all work together. We’re already doing fun things like Between the Lines Studios — imagine if we had money! Could you imagine the Between the Lines studios folks relaxing in a large pool in the Hollywood Hills hashing out our next adventure packed movie? Fantastic.

One of the things I’ve always wanted to be able to do is just enjoy talking the creative process with folks who are my heroes. Being able to sit in a room with writers and actors as colleges instead of me being merely perceived as a fan girl would be fantastic. Not to mention the fun of signing autographs and inspiring other people to write or create.

Of course, there’s a lot to do before my name is up on a big screen or small screen, so until then we’ll watch Entourage and live vicariously through the show. Upside? I have to deal with a whole lot less drama that way.

Watch “Entourage” five nights a week!  Check your local listings here: http://www.entourageweeknights.com/

“I have been hired by Warner Bros WBWord division to raise awareness for ‘Entourage.’

The Vampire Diaries: Quotable Quotes

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(Photo: CW)

I don’t know about you, but I love funny/sarcastic and just plain profound quotes from my favorite TV shows. The Vampire Diaries has some great ones thanks to the dueling brothers Damon and Stefan. Damon plays the perfect sarcastic, dark and teasingly evil bad guy to Stefan’s nearly Superman pure goodness.

Here’s just a few of my faves:

Damon (to Stefan): It’s Founder’s Day. I’m here to eat cotton candy and steal your girl. (“Founder’s Day”)

Damon: I do believe in killing the messenger. Know why? It sends a message. (“Isobel”)

Elena: I’m not gonna be one of those pathetic girls whose world stops just because of some guy. (“You’re Undead to Me”) [This one cracked me up, especially in light of Buffy, Twilight, and other tween vampire novels]

Damon: We’re a team. We could travel the world together. We could try out for The Amazing Race! (“The Turning Point”)

If you’ve watched Vampire Diaries, what’s some of your favorite quotes?

Leave them in the comments below!

If you are digging the show make sure you check out the books! A new series is coming out from Harper Collins. Find out why the love of a dangerous girl turned brothers Stefan and Damon Salvatore into deadly enemies in The Vampire Diaries: Stefan’s Diaries #1: Origins! You can pre-order for your Kindle on Amazon by clicking here: The Vampire Diaries: Stefan’s Diaries #1: Origins

I have been hired by Warner Bros WB Word division to raise awareness for The Vampire Diaries: The Complete First Season – which arrives on Blu-ray/DVD on August 31. Discover which vampire is your love type by taking this matchmaking quiz: http://bit.ly/aPyuq2

Vme Launches New 24/7 Channel, Vme Kids (for Latino Preschoolers)

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(Via press release).

Today Vme strengthens its commitment to Latino families with the launch of a new channel for preschoolers – Vme Kids, America’s first and only 24/7 channel to focus specifically on preschoolers for whom Spanish is the home language.

From the magical gifts of Dibo (the Dragon), to the vivid imagination of Los Disfraces de Dougie (Dougie in Disguise) and the creative introductions of colors, numbers and reading from shows like Los Supernúmeros (Numberjacks), Bruno y los amigos Banana (Bruno & the Banana Bunch) and Cinco Minutos Más (Five Minutes More), Vme Kids offers a vibrant and diverse lineup to capture the attention of our young audience. The Vme Kids schedule will also feature hits including LazyTown, Jim de la Luna, Musti, 7 Pets, Pororo and Connie la Vaquita (Connie the Cow), among others.

Vme Kids launches on AT&T U-verse channel 3058 on September 1, 2010 with additional distributors to be announced. Vme will support each of its distribution partners with significant on-the-ground marketing events such as book tours with Vme’s sister company, Santillana USA and a LazyTown Live! school-based tour. (More news on Vme Kids and events can be found on Vme Ninos page on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/vmeninos)

Since the successful launch of its broadcast network in 2007, Vme has built the largest library of educational Spanish kids programming in the US, making Vme the recognized network for quality programming for kids. In addition to the launch of Vme Kids, Vme continues to offer the only daily broadcast block of kids programming on its main network.

President and CEO Carmen M. DiRienzo said, “Building on the success of our kids block, Vme is uniquely positioned to offer this new channel for our littlest viewers and their caregivers. In addition to entertainment, the channel is designed to support the clear guidance of educators who emphasize how important it is for kids to learn in their first language…in order to be able to excel in learning other languages.”

In the development of Vme and Vme Kids programming, the network has consulted with leading policy makers, researchers and educators who share a unified concern about helping Hispanic preschool children overcome a widening language and literacy gap. Several research studies show that a strong early grounding in the language of the home – in this case, Spanish – builds fundamental language skills that facilitate and accelerate learning English.

Knowing that Latinos have a high level of co-viewing with their kids, Vme’s content goes beyond kids to offer information that helps parents reinforce the lessons from the screen into hands-on activities that can serve as the foundation for school readiness and success. Plus Vme Kids will offer programs and interstitials that help kids transfer Spanish language skills and vocabulary to English – strengthening their understanding, and even their parents understanding, of both languages.

Review Snippet: Season 1 of the Vampire Diaries on DVD

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I’ll be the first to admit it, I was skeptical when I first watching Vampire Diaries. It seemed a little too much teen angst and not enough compelling characters for me to stick with it. Apparently the series developer, Kevin Williamson, thought so too. He had little interest at first because he thought it sounded too similar to other vampire stories, but after reading the books he said: “I began to realize that it was a story about a small town, about that town’s underbelly and about what lurks under the surface.” I have to agree. I too was surprised at how much it brought the plot twists and surprises. Though you may be tempted to call it a Twilight spin off — don’t. The books started back in 1991 (even before Buffy). That said, romance abounds, but the show still manages to bring the scary.

One of the scenes that had me me sppoked was early on when Damon (played by the ever adorable Ian Somerhalder who you may know as Boone on Lost) snaps the neck of a victim after nursing her back to health. It’s done so casually it made my eyes pop. [To save the spoilers I won’t say who dies].

The killer scene happens in the sixth episode Lost Girls (only well-establishing in my mind the idea that you should give a TV series at least 6 episodes before you stop watching). Other great scenes include several great death scenes, some fantastic chase/hunt scenes and more that I don’t want to spoil.

Rewatching the series on DVD has only made me enjoy the show more. The DVDs, set to be released on the 31st, have over 8 hours of special features including a free download of the audio book of The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening. Another thing I LOVED about the DVDs is that the package listing of each episode contained warnings not to listen to the commentary because of season spoilers! Finally, someone is thinking.

Make sure you pre-order your copy and enjoy the vampy goodness this series has before Season 2 starts this fall!

I have been hired by Warner Bros WBWord division to raise awareness for The Vampire Diaries: The Complete First Season – which arrives on Blu-ray/DVD on August 31. Pre-order your copy, and receive free digital extras at http://bit.ly/9LSaVp

More Sheep Antics for Playhouse Disney as Timmy Time Lands in September

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Editor’s Note: The following is a press release, but being such a huge fan of Shaun the Sheep, I thought other folks might enjoy the news.

Aardman Animations’ Timmy Time is scheduled to air in North America from September 13, 2010 on Disney Channel’s Playhouse Disney, following a special sneak preview on the evening of September 7th. Timmy Time is Aardman’s first animated television project for the preschool audience, and the stop-motion series has already enjoyed great success in its first season of broadcast overseas.

Timmy Time follows the adventures of Timmy, a little lamb with a lot to learn as he enters preschool. Fans of Aardman’s hit children’s series Shaun the Sheep will recognize Timmy as the baby lamb on the farm who is frequently drawn into all kinds of chaotic adventures by the mischievous older sheep. Used to having his way by being “the only lamb in the flock,” Timmy is now heading to preschool to graze on some important life lessons about playing nicely with others, namely his fellow classmates of the furry, feathered and spiky types.

Episodes portray all the aspects of a preschooler’s day that are familiar to parents—painting, puzzling, making music, building with blocks, napping, snacking and more—through strong but simple storylines that are told without human dialogue, instead using a unique combination of expressive character animation, gesture and reactions, comedy and slapstick, bleats, quacks, oinks and the like.
While being entertained by Timmy’s fun and fleecy antics, the young audience members will benefit by seeing important social skills in action, such as how to help someone in need, how to be good sports, and how to respect others. Creator/Producer/Supervising Director Jackie Cockle (BAFTA winner, producer on Bob the Builder, director on The Wind in The Willows, among other television credits) believes that “preschoolers can easily identify with Timmy as he learns universal lessons about himself, his friends and the world around him.“

Check local television listings for exact airtimes, and to find out more about Timmy, his classmates, and the show, visit www.timmytime.tv.

Timmy fans can look forward to his first DVD release in early 2011 from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment, who also distribute the DVD releases of Shaun the Sheep, the second fastest-growing children’s brand on DVD in 2009. Timmy toys will also be available in Spring 2011 from JAKKS Pacific.

Quadruple Z Episode #007 – Interview with Recording Actor Neil Hopkins

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Join Tabz as she interviews Neil Hopkins (Liam from Lost about Lost, his other projects and painting!

Links
Neil Hopkins IMDB page
Neil Hopkins on Facebook
Neil’s Artwork on Facebook
WalkenTalk
Clip of Neil Hopkins doing Christopher Walken in “My Big Fat Indie Movie”

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Zachary Levi Earns Pole Position in Qualifying for the 2010 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race

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(Photo: Albert L. Ortega)

Zachary Levi posted the fastest time of all celebrities to earn the pole position in the 34th-annual Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race. Levi, the star of the NBC sitcom “Chuck,” narrowly beat actors Adrien Brody and Brian Austin Green in the qualifying race. Levi will lead the pack tomorrow in what has become the world’s longest-running, most successful celebrity racing event. CART Champion Jimmy Vasser finished first among all drivers and won in the Pro category, followed closely by Formula Drift Champion Tanner Foust.

“Zachary put on quite a display this afternoon,” said Les Unger, national motorsports manager with Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. “The hard work and determination he displayed throughout our training sessions paid off. The commitment and enthusiasm of all the drivers competing in this event demonstrates exactly what the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race is all about.”

“I did it!” said an exuberant Levi at a news conference after the qualifying session. “This is a great race, with a terrific group of people, that benefits an amazing cause. I can’t describe how pumped I am for tomorrow’s race.”

As pole-position winner in the qualifying session, Levi designated his $15,000 donation in conjunction with the 13th-annual People Pole Award to the charity Operation Smile, which works to transform the lives of children who suffer from cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities.

Furthermore, Toyota will donate $5,000 to Racing for Kids in the name of each celebrity racer and an additional $5,000 to the winning racer’s charity of choice. Racing for Kids is a national nonprofit program benefiting children hospitals in Long Beach and Orange County, Calif. Toyota has donated $1.8 million on behalf of the race and its participants to various children hospitals since 1991.

Saturday’s race starts at 11:50 a.m. PDT.

Quadruple Z Episode #006 – Review of Ugly Betty 1×1 – “Pilot”

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Join Tabz, Kim and Val as they discuss Ugly Betty S1 Ep1 – “Pilot”.
This episode was edited by John N.

Find out more about Ugly Betty on ABC.com

TV.com Recap:
Betty has always dreamed of working in the publishing world, but it seems as though there’s no place for the non-thin and non-beautiful in the business. People already have their minds set on the idea that beautiful women are only the thin and perfect! Betty really wants a job in that wonderful, yet cruel, world. But can she really find a place in it?

Love Ugly Betty? Check These Sites:
Ugly Is In
Ugly Betty Blog

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode! Leave them below or email us at betweenthelinesstudios-at-gmail.com. We’ll read them on an upcoming episode!

(Photos: ABC/ugly-is-in.com)

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