Comic-Con: The decision

After months (maybe even years) of fanboy speculation and rumors out of control, the decision as to where Comic-Con would end up after 2012 has finally be answered.

And you hear that noise?

A few die-hard geeks died a little inside.

According to a just released press release from the Comic-Con organizers, the annual pop culture convention is staying in San Diego "for the foreseeable future."

"We are grateful for the tireless efforts all three cities put into to their proposals," said David Glanzer, Comic-Con's director of marketing and public relations, in the press release. "In the end, we feel this decision is the best for all those who attend Comic-Con and for the organization itself. We are happy that the community has worked with us to ensure that we remain here."

That means unbearable crowds for the "forseeable future" until San Diego finishes it's multi-million dollar upgrade to the convention center and surrounding area.

Now that is over, can we put 100 percent focus into fixing the horrific hotel situation?

'Top Chef: Just Desserts:' If it ain't broken don't fix it

"Top Chef" is one of the most popular reality shows on TV, so it's only natural that Bravo would want to capitalize on that success and create the spin-off "Top Chef: Just Desserts."

This show is "Top Chef" with the contestants cooking desserts. No, it is literally an exact copy of "Top Chef."

Regular "Chef" judge Gail Simmons serves as host and does her best Padma Lakshmi impression. The shows are so identical that I think the producers may be using "Top Chef" scripts where they've just crossed out Padma's name and written in Gail's.

Acclaimed pastry chef Johnny Iuzzini serves as the Tom Colicchio of "Desserts," acting as head judge and a mentor to the contestants. Other regular judges include chef Hubert Keller and journalist Dannielle Kyrillos.

While "Top Chef: Just Desserts" is fun to watch and the desserts are intriguing, the show isn't breaking any new ground so the format feels a little stale. It's always quickfire-elimination-judge's table. A new show could have been a chance for producers to break out of the "Top Chef" mold.

And then there's the contestants, who meet all the prerequisites for reality TV. They seem talented and somewhat creative, but again there's nothing new here. Unfortunately, there is also that one contestant who hogs the spotlight with unnecessary drama.

On "Desserts" it's Seth Caro, a pastry chef from New York, who's a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. Seth is one of those people who never seems to have enough time in the kitchen. He could have two days to prepare a dish and would still be running around the kitchen distracting the other chefs like an extra annoying Tasmanian Devil.

He also seems to think that his problems are more important than anybody else's and can't seem to understand why his overproduced, self indulgent creations always land him in the bottom three.

Unfortunately, he's the only thing that makes the show remotely interesting. When he is inevitably voted off, this show will get real boring real fast.

Candace's vlogs: 'Supernatural' - 'Exile on Main Street'

I loved the episode. I think it's a great blast off point for what is sure going to be a crazy season!!


Supernatural S6E1 analysis Part 1: Time jump and Dean from Candace Wilson on Vimeo.



Supernatural S6E1 analysis Part 2: Sam and Lucifer from Candace Wilson on Vimeo.



Supernatural S6E1 analysis Part 3: the Campbells, demons, and archangels from CTW on Vimeo.



Supernatural S6E1 analysis Part 4: Castiel from CTW on Vimeo.



Supernatural S6E1 analysis Part 5: Mirrors and reflections from CandaceW on Vimeo.

'Legend of the Guardians:' soars over all 3D competition

I almost hate to say it, but I have to give credit where credit is due. I'm thinking Zach Snyder should stick to animation, because he actually did something right for a change.

It might be because this story was already written for him and all he had to do was transfer it onto screen, but I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. I liked it even more than "Toy Story 3," which I thought would be the best animated feature of the year. But for me, "Legend of the Guardians" is the winner.

Based on the very popular children's books "Guardians of Ga'Hoole" by Kathryn Lasky, it is the story of a young Barn Owl, Soren, who grows up obsessed with the legends his father tells him of the great warrior owls, the Guardians.

He gets kidnapped with his older brother Kludd by a group of evil owls known as the Pure Ones, who are using young owls as slaves to gather special pieces of metal called flecks to create a trap for their enemies. During their capture, Nyra and Metalbeak, the leaders of the Pure Ones, poison Kludd against his brother and he is trained to be a warrior. During captivity, Soren meets a friend Gylfie, an Elf Owl, who learn to fly from Grimble, a member of the Pure Ones who wants to rebel against them. He teaches them to fly and dies helping them escape so they can warn the legendary Guardians of Ga'Hoole.

Along the way, they make a few friends. The Burrowing Owl, Digger, and Great Gray Owl, Twilight, (who are both hilarious throughout the film and voiced by David Wenham and Anthony LaPaglia) decide to join them on their quest to the great tree where the Guardians live. During training, Kludd is ordered by Nyra to bring his little sister Eglantine to her. After she refuses to live with them like her brother Soren, Kludd "moon blinks" her, making her a slave.

In a dangerous flight over the ocean through a raging storm, Soren and friends are saved by Barran, a Snowy Owl and Queen of the tree of Ga'Hoole. After finding that the Guardians are indeed not just a story, Soren and friends wish to join their society and be trained to fight.

After hearing Soren's tale, the King of the tree, Boron, decides to send a recon group to make sure Soren is telling the truth. Soren is taught by an old, crazed and scarred Ezylryb, he teaches them to really fly. Allomere, the owl sent by the King, betrays them, leading them into a trap after he brings home the bait, Soren's sister still "moon blinked."

During a training session, Soren finds out that Ezylryb is actually Lyze of Kiel, the legendary warrior Soren's father used to tell him about. He flies off to war with the rest of the Guardians, too soon to hear of Allomere's betrayal from Eglantine. Soren and friends fly off at once. Soren is able to destroy the device that Metalbeak and Nyra have been creating that targets an owl's gizzard, or their soul, and forces them to be immobile. Then the real fight begins. Lyze flies off to face Metalbeak once again as Soren faces off with his brother Kludd.

In an epic battle, Soren is able to defeat his brother and flies off to help Lyze against Metalbeak. Metalbeak rushes into his own death, and Nyra escapes with the few warriors she has left. Soren, Digger, Gulfie and Twilight are given helmets of their own, and made warriors. Rumor has it, that Kludd is still alive because his body was never found.

I smell a sequel. Considering these are a series of books, that doesn't really surprise me. This story has the perfect fantasy formula. Snyder didn't have to try very hard to make this an epic animated film. Considering it's a children's novel, the story transfers perfectly onto screen, like it was meant to be a film all along.

I decided to see the movie in 3-D, knowing that it was actually made and filmed that way to begin with, and I was not disappointed. In most films, 3-D often takes away from the experience of a movie. However, in this case, like "Avatar," it enhanced the experience.

The sheer vastness that the 3-D was able to accomplish was astounding. I think they should leave 3-D only to the epic fantasies, like this film and "Avatar." The colors and graphics of the world that we see is awe inspiring and worthy of childhood dreams.

I'm not a kid, and I want to read these books. Soren is a dreamer, and pure of heart. He would do anything to keep his family safe. A young hero thrust into a world he barely understands. Reminds me a lot of Harry Potter. Anyone can see the appeal.

I have to give credit to Snyder. He did good on this one. It seems funny to say that he should stick with animated features, but if this is any proof of it, he really should. It's his finest, or perhaps, only fine film to speak of. I would instantly take a young nephew or niece to go see this movie again. I may even see it again by myself. I even had fun guessing who voiced all the characters. A voice cast with the likes of Hugo Weaving, Helen Mirren, Jim Sturgess, Sam Neill, David Wenham, Geoffrey Rush, Anthony LaPaglia, Joel Edgerton, and more, who couldn't help but be awe inspired.

For any nerd, I know the name Zach Synder brings scoffs and maybe even a little pain, but for the sake of great storytelling and a great movie experience in 3-D, I would cut him some slack on this one. Especially if you know a kid that would love it. I know I loved owls when I was little.

New episode up...

The nightmare is over, NBC fires Zucker

There's a scene at the end of "The Wiz" where the evil witch has been killed and all her slaves celebrate by breaking into the upbeat "Everybody Rejoice (Brand New Day.")

Now that news has broken on Jeff Zucker's imminent departure, that must be how it is at NBC this morning.

The man who single-handedly ran the network into the ground and made it an industry laughingstock is finally being fired.

Let's take a quick look at NBC under Zucker's reign of terror.

• The Jay-Conan debacle.
• The destruction of "Heroes."
• The continued airing of "The Apprentice."
• The loss of "Southland."
• Awful Olympics coverage (he shares blame with Dick Ebersol)
• He ruined the hilarious "Coupling."
• Constantly greenlights terrible shows like "Outsourced."
• Canceled "Law & Order" after 20 years without a proper sendoff.

That's just a small taste of his terrible decision making skills. Frankly, I could spend all day listing his failures, but I don't have enough time.

Bottom line, this guy is the definition of failing upwards. Without him at the helm maybe NBC can once again have a fighting chance at relevancy. Of course the fact that he's getting $30 million in severance is deplorable, but I suppose we should just be happy the nightmare is over.

I'm doing a little happy dance just thinking about the possibilities. "Everybody Rejoice!"

Fall TV: 'Mike & Molly' and 'Running Wilde'

Basically, a waste of comedic space. I'm not sure how else to put it.

I can see some hope for "Mike & Molly," if they drop all the not-so-funny jabs making fun of each other's weight. But then, there would be about five minutes of air time left. The only good thing this sitcom even has is Billy Gardell, who has great comedic sarcasm. I just wish it was written better.

Honestly, the jokes were almost offensive. All they did was make fun of overweight people, junkies, and cops. It has nothing a great sitcom needs. It was neither witty or smart, and had no shining moments of laughter to speak of. Not like "The Big Bang Theory" which at times leaves me gasping on the floor. All in all, CBS has fallen short with "Mike & Molly."

I couldn't imagine anything worse, than "Mike & Molly." I was very quickly proven wrong with FOX's new comedy series "Running Wilde."

I can't even bring myself to tell the plot, because it is so ridiculous. This show actually made me feel like I lost a few points of my IQ. It offends me that Hollywood thinks they are dealing with such an unintelligent audience. Will Arnett and Keri Russell have absolutely no chemistry on screen, and I almost gagged in disgust when I found out the girl's name narrating the story is Puddle.

I mean, really? How in the world is that funny? Once again, there is nothing smart and witty about this show, which is something that audiences look for and love today. Frankly, the acting is horrible, and the writing is nothing to marvel over.

I'm thinking I should write a letter to every major studio in Hollywood, begging them to realize that their audience isn't a bunch of mindless zombies that think a depressed overweight man eating a bare hot dog on a diet he found in a bride magazine is funny. Well, most of us anyway.

I beg of you, do not waste your time with "Mike & Molly" or "Running Wilde." My guess is they will both be canceled before Thanksgiving. Halloween if we are lucky.

Frankly, I would rather watch reruns of "House" and "The Big Bang Theory" in their time slots. The ratings would definitely be better.

Fall TV: ABC becomes predictable

In our ongoing fall TV project, I picked two new ABC shows, "Detroit 1-8-7" and "Better With You."

"Better With You" is a comedy airing Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. It stars Jennifer Finnigan and Joanna Garcia as sisters in two different stages of their relationships. Finnigan's Maddie is happily unmarried to her boyfriend of nine years Ben, while Garcia's Mia is rushing into marriage after just seven weeks with the out there Casey.

Maddie and Ben over think and thoroughly plan everything which makes them predictable and a little too crazy. Mia and Casey are the generic young, spontaneous couple, which also makes them really predictable.

What saves this show from becoming a mediocre mess is Kurt Fuller and Debra Jo Rupp as the girl's parents. Their comedic timing and experience makes every scene they're in better and lifts the quality of the whole show.

For the show to get better it needs to make the couples and jokes less predictable.

On Tuesdays at 10 p.m. the cop drama "Detroit 1-8-7" tries to blend the grittiness of "NYPD Blue" with the feel of "Southland." It has a stellar cast that includes Michael Imperioli, James McDaniel and Aisha Hinds.

Unfortunately, the best thing about this show is the soundtrack. It tries a little too hard to be edgy and ends up coming off as a by the book procedural.

Compared to "Sons of Anarchy" which airs at the same time on FX, this show is about as edgy as an episode of "Glee."

The ratings weren't great, but I don't think ABC has anything to replace it with. However, I wouldn't get too attached.

Fall TV: Thursdays

As part of our big Fall TV project, I was tasked with watching two new comedies. CBS's "$#*! My Dad Says" and NBC's "Outsourced."

"$#*! My Dad Says" is based on the popular Twitter account of the same name. William Shatner plays a plain-talking father whose younger son moves in with him after he loses his job.

While Shatner had some funny moments in the pilot, I was distracted by the terrible acting of Jonathan Sadowski. He plays the son who moves back home and frankly he was unlikable and annoying. His older brother and sister-in-law is played by "Mad TV" vets Will Sasso and Nicole Sullivan.

For actors who are usually funny, they were surprisingly uninteresting in the pilot. Plus, Sullivan's low cut outfit was extremely distracting to every scene she was in.

Bottom line, the show was mediocre, however, it will probably be helped by the strong lead in of "The Big Bang Theory."

"Outsourced" was one of the worst things I've ever seen on TV. The silence was deafening as I was forced to sit through this ridiculous dreck. Hopefully, NBC will realize the mistake it made and cancel this monstrosity and bring back "Parks and Recreation" soon.

Candace's Anniversary Tribute to 'LOST'

I'm not sure how many people realized it yesterday, but September 22, 2010 was the sixth anniversary of the series premiere of "LOST."

And to celebrate that, I made a tribute music video. So get your tissues ready. I cried the last few hours I was making this video...

Welcome to the L.A. Season 2 Viewing Party of "The Vampire Diaries"

Here it is, the party that me and my Twitter pals Tiffany, Julie, Ariel, and Kelsey got together for.

You want to see what exactly "The Vampire Diaries" does to their fans?? Here is the evidence...

Enjoy the insanity.

Fall TV: 'Hawaii Five-0' make a splash with vampires, cylons, and Losties!

I figure it's one of two things. Either, I am just loving all the nerd alum on the screen, or this series is just that good.

Personally, I'm thinking it's just that good.

Bursting onto screen with a high powered and intense hostage action sequence, this series wastes no time diving in. Navy Seal, Lt. Commander Steve McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin) has captured one of the notorious Hess brothers in Korea, wanted for terrorism. His older brother, Victor Hess (James Marsters), kills Steve's father for the death of his brother.

In light of his father's murder, Steve returns home to Hawaii with a vendetta against Hess. At his father's house, Steve meets Detective Danny "Danno" Williams (Scott Caan), a new resident from New Jersey who moved to the islands to be closer to his daughter. I think it's safe to say it's hate at first sight. To legally investigate his father's death, Steve takes the Governor's offer and is sworn in as a Detective and head of a new investigative unit in a quite amusing scene while on the phone with her in his father's garage in front of a very annoyed Danny. To annoy him even further, Steve makes him his partner.

Can I just say that I think Danny's ring tone is bloody brilliant. It doesn't matter what kind of heavy situation they were in, I laughed every time.

Danny and Steve may hate each other, but they are a great team. Immediately they know how to push each other's buttons. Danny is great with children, where Steve not so much. On the other hand, Steve constantly teases Danny about what his daughter calls him: "Danno". Danny tends to be a little more sensitive and Steve is annoyed at the fact that Danny seems to be as good a detective as he is. In other words, they are a perfect partnership. Alex O'Loughlin and Scott Caan have fantastic chemistry, playing off each other remarkably well. In fact, throughout the episode, I couldn't help but compare them to David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel of "Bones", who are one of the best duos on television.

To get closer to the underground, Steve seeks out old friend Chin Ho Kelly (Daniel Dae Kim), and former Detective trained by Steve's father. Chin left the Force after being accused of being paid off. Steve, taking his word that he didn't take any money, reinstated his badge and gun. They also brought to the team, soon to graduate from the Police Academy, Kona "Kono" Kalakaua (Grace Park).

I'm sure the decision to recast Kono from the original series as a woman, is much like the one to make Starbuck a woman in the new "Battlestar Galactica". Will it be as great of a decision on this series as it was that? Considering I completely fell in love with a female Starbuck, and completely adore Grace Park, I'm going to venture a "Yes!".

After an pulling down a trafficking ring with a successful undercover sting, Steve and Danny release a group of slaves and find out that there is a mole in the Hawaiian Police Department. Finally discovering Hess's whereabouts, Steve and Danny get there quickly, while Danny has a friendly argument with his wife and confesses to Steve why his daughter calls him "Danno".

Now, it could just be the nerdy part of me, but was I the only one squealing with absolute delight as James Marsters and Alex O'Loughlin smashed each other to bits on top of a train container? I know every "Buffy", "Angel", and "Moonlight" fan was thinking the same thing I was: "Vampire on vampire action...LEGENDARY!!"

Of course, Steve wins the day, shooting Victor and he falls into the ocean. But I have a feeling that's not the last we'll be seeing of him. After all, why cast a fabulous actor like James Marsters to play a villain that is on everyone's Most Wanted list? Please. He wouldn't go down that easy.

I'm sure Alex O'Loughlin couldn't WAIT to say "Book 'em Danno!" the first time. Even I had a little squee moment and clapped after he said it.

Overall, a great pilot episode for what I honestly think is going to be a great series. With two vampires, a cylon, a legendary thief, and a Lostie on the cast, this show is bound to be a hit. Even if the writing wasn't witty, smart and fresh, the audiences that love and miss Alex O'Loughlin in "Moonlight", James Marsters in "Buffy" and "Angel", Daniel Dae Kim in "LOST" and Grace Park in "Battlestar Galactica" will watch the show regardless. But just because the creators know how to win their way into a nerd's heart, doesn't mean that all they have going for them.

The dialogue was witty, funny and sharp. The action was intense and believable. At times, I felt like I was watching a movie rather than a one hour primetime series. But with creators like Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, the writers of "Star Trek" and co-creators of "Fringe", I expect nothing less.

People think "The Event" is going to replace "LOST"? Unlikely. All the Losties, Whedonists, and BSG fans are going to be watching "Hawaii Five-0". Who in their right mind would make time for "The Event"?

Fall TV: This blog is not 'The Event'

After months of rampant speculation and, seemingly, millions of dollars worth of advertising "The Event" finally aired on NBC Monday.

Was the hype worth it?

Meh.

If you saw the commericals or the trailers before movies you basically saw the pilot episode.

There are a group of people being held at a facility in Alaska. They are led by Laura Innes from "ER." Some parts of the government want to keep them locked up... for some reason.

But, the President of the United States played by Blair Underwood wants them freed.

All the while there is a conspiracy building that has to do with an airline pilot, his family and his daughter's boyfriend.

Very run-of-the-mill conspiracy stuff.

It's not until the very end where the show takes off in another direction. With a passenger jet headed toward a collision course with the president's compound, suddenly a wormhole (I think) opened up and swallowed the plane.

Innes's character states "They saved us."

Candace and I are both in agreement at this point it's probably aliens.

So, let's break it down:

The Good - The acting is top notch. Innes and Underwood are both excellent along with Zeljko Ivanek, Jason Ritter and Ian Anthony Dale. The directing and visuals are also very well done. It is a pretty show to look at.

The Bad - No answers. I know, a show like this is going to take more than one episode to answer all of our questions. Maybe I have "Lost"-itis and can't stand to devote hundreds of more hours to something like that. Also a bit obvious that the couple that the boyfriend saves and be-friends are bad guys.

The Ugly - Time jumping. Not like "Lost" where it's back and forth. I'm talking all over the freaking place. They go from hours to days to weeks and months, all intermixed throughout the entire episode. Toward the end I had no clue what time it was supposed to be.

If that exact same time jumping is going to happen in each episode; count me out. I also think that audiences won't be able to hang onto something like that.

Overall, better than "Hellcats" at least.

'The Town:' Affleck gives a new definition to authenticity

"Inception" has a contender for best film of the year.

Honestly, I have been sitting here, staring at this screen for a while now, wondering where to start talking about this film. I am still so overwhelmed by how fabulous it is, that I can't decide about what to rave about first.

A story about the families and the family business of Charlestown, a part of the big metro area of Boston, this drama takes on the story of two men who grew up together, and continue to grow apart. Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck) decides he wants to leave Charlestown forever. But it's not that easy, leaving the only life he's ever known behind him. The architect and brains behind the heists of his four-man crew, Doug struggles to find a way out. James "Jem" Coughlin (Jeremy Renner) refuses to let him go. These Charlestown brothers were raised under the same rules, but both have different plans in their sights.

When Doug falls for the bank manager, Claire (Rebecca Hall) that they took hostage, it gives him a way out. Jem, on the other hand, gives him every reason he should stay. Though at odds with each other, there is one thing they always agree upon: protect what's yours. Bank robbery may be a way of life for the men of Charlestown, but its family that you are willing to die for.

This movie was so entertaining, and so artfully pieced together, that I can't find it in myself to spoil the end for you. You, my dear readers, will have to experience the life of Charlestown for yourselves. I just might tag along with you a second time.

There is not enough I can say to praise Ben Affleck. Stephanie, Tim and I had a fleeting conversation in the past week, wondering if Affleck has the chops and vision to become another Clint Eastwood. A fabulous actor, but even more fabulous director. Considering his performance in front of and behind the camera in "The Town", I will have to say that it is a definite possibility. We already know that Ben Affleck can write, having won an Oscar with pal Matt Damon for the screenplay of "Good Will Hunting". However, in this film, Affleck gives a new definition on what is true authenticity.

We all know that Ben Affleck is a Boston native. It's hard to miss, considering that he finds some way to throw it into every project he participates in. But I'm sure having the opportunity to tell a story about the families and people in one area of his beloved hometown, humbled him to a degree, that he refused to present a story with anything but perfection. With every subtlety of his direction when it comes to character, story, and editing, Affleck makes it clear that he cares about this film and the people he is telling a story about. He wasn't going to settle for anything but true authenticity, which I have always appreciated as a viewer. Having spent a year living in New England, I can see and truly acknowledge the truth that this film tells. Affleck even took the true stories of actual bank robberies that happened in the city in the last decade, and wrote them into the film, including the big shootout robbery that takes place at Fenway Park at the end.

If there was one worry I had about this film, it was that I hoped the love story would not be too overpowering. However, Affleck finds a great medium and does not cross the line with the romance. Instead of love story tanking this film's great quality, it enhances it. Giving the life of Charlestown its rough and jagged edges, but with a whole lot of heart. Like I said, these men lead a sometimes not so noble life, but they truly do understand what it means to love and stand by your family.

Many critics have been comparing this film to "Heat" and "The Departed". I can't disagree with them. It definitely follows in the legacy of great heist and investigation films. Fantastic storytelling, acting and directing. There is however, one difference that I have to note. A huge part of me wants to say that I loved this film even more than "The Departed" because of one simple thing. When you are watching "The Departed", you know you are watching a film. But when you are watching "The Town", it is a completely different experience. You feel like you are witnessing a piece of someone's life. That is how true and authentic this film is. And considering how much truth Hollywood has lost in their storytelling over the years, it is a very big accomplishment.

I have no doubt that this film will get a handful of big Oscar nominations. It deserves nothing less. If I had a say in the nominations at all, I would hand out the following: Ben Affleck for Best Actor, Jeremy Renner for Best Supporting Actor, Ben Affleck for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and of course, Best Picture. Maybe even a nomination for Rebecca Hall for Best Supporting Actress. That is how fantastic this film is. There is no doubt in my mind that Ben Affleck should be considered among directors like Clint Eastwood, Ridley Scott, Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg. He has the eye, the subtly and the talent of being a true visionary.

I know I raved endlessly about "Inception" this summer. But "The Town" has claimed the spot of the best film of the year.

(Oh, and a quick little side note: the first time I saw "LOST" alum Titus Welliver on screen, I couldn't help but think that the Man in Black must have moved to Boston after dying on the Island...)

New episode up...

Winter is coming: 'Game of Thrones' updates

There has been mounds upon mounds of news surround HBO's new fantasy series "Game of Thrones" in the last week, including a new trailer, a production reel, a brand new behind the scenes website, new set photos, and even rumors of meetings talking about a second season.

Let's start at the beginning shall we. Last Sunday before the season finale of "True Blood", HBO showed a number of new trailers for their returning and new series this fall and next spring, including one for "Game of Thrones."

In the preview we get our first look at the characters Jon Snow, Cersei Lannister, Robert Baratheon and more looks at Ned Stark. In a preview that has been titled "Raven", these few quick peeks into the Seven Kingdoms is getting me more and more anxious for spring, or rather Winter, to arrive. Take a look.

A production video was also released that gives us a preview of much more of George R.R. Martin's world, along with a conversation from series creators David Benioff, D.B Wiess, the author and series star Sean Bean. We get our first looks the Lannister banners, Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, Emilia Clark and Harry Lloyd as Daenerys and Viserys Targaryen, the Dothraki, training of the Night Watch, the Knight of Flowers, the stag hunt, who looks to me as Commander Mormont of the Night Watch, Ser Jorah, the direwolves, and some details of Winterfell. It is certainly a fantastic tease to what will be a fantastic series. Take a look.

In Production

Series creators, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have also created a behind the scenes blog that seems like it's going to be updated regularly. There is already a few posts on it, including a lovely story of when they were sent all four books that are finished so far in what will be a seven books series.

"Fans of ASOIAF (A Song of Ice and Fire) will understand what happened next; the fans know how dangerous the books are – crack on paper, an utterly addictive reading experience that takes precedence over food, sleep and work. Reading George's novels reconnected us with the deeper reasons why we do what we do for a living."

You can read more at the website and stay updated on all behind the scenes news here: www.makinggameofthrones.com

Courtesy of fellow blogger website and fellow Thrones fans who took a stroll of the set, we get our first up close and personal look at Winterfell:


To see many more set photos from Winterfell and other sets, visit the Winter is Coming blog: www.winter-is-coming.net

Being the "Game of Thrones" fan that I am, be sure that I will be keeping you up to date in all the news and rumors that are flying around about the series. If you are on twitter, be sure to follow the official "Game of Thrones" twitter at twitter.com/GameofThrones.

'Merlin' returns to BBC

Season two of the hit series from the United Kingdom may have only just aired on SyFy Channel this summer, but season three began to air on BBC this past Saturday.

As one of the lucky few that got a sneak peek at season three this summer at Comic Con, I'm sure I am one of the many Americans that is wondering when we are going to have the opportunity to watch it. As of this moment, I haven't heard a peep about whether SyFy Channel is going to air the new season. And if they do, it may not happen until next summer. Those of us that do not have the BBC channel have to find other "secret" ways to watch it. I'm sure you know what I mean.

Fortunately, I have knowledge of one of those secret ways and did watch the premiere of season three this morning thanks to a fabulous internet friend that lives in the UK. If you are not interested in spoilers, I would skip the next few paragraphs.

I'm sure I wasn't the only one astonished to find that almost a year has passed since the end of season two. A year spent searching for Morgana. After miraculously finding her, Merlin has right to be worried. He poisoned her. There is no knowing what Morgana will do. Fortunately, she assures him he has little to fear. She understands the wrongs that she has done and will make up for them.

Or will she? It seems, that the Morgana that was taken by Morgause is not the same that has returned. She has become instead, the evil sorceress that legend will remember her as. Though, it is still unclear whether she has taken control of her magic, however she is taking the orders of Morgause, who she believes to be her elder sister.

Assisting the spell that makes Uther begin losing his mind, Morgana remains undiscovered, until Merlin follows her into the woods and she meets with Morgause. But of course, he gets caught and trapped by the seasoned sorceress. Luckily, they are still unaware that Merlin himself has magic. They only believe him to be foolhardy and a loyal servant. Morgause leaves him bound and in the woods to die. As Merlin is being surrounded by giant spiders and scorpions, Camelot is being surrounded by it's enemies, thirsting for a kingdom that has been weakened by a king gone mad. In a desperate attempt, Merlin calls the Dragon to him, and is rescued.

I believe this is a fabulous start to what is the most underestimated fantasy series on television. Arthur and Merlin are going to be forced to take the places they were born for. Camelot is in need of a leader, a King. And with Uther under Morgause's spell, Arthur must take his father's place, no matter how reluctantly. Camelot is surrounded, and Arthur's strength is their only hope.

However, there is one thing that remains a big question. Merlin is definitely going to have to use powerful magic to defeat Morgause and her allies. I have a feeling that he is not going to be able to keep his magic secret from Arthur much longer. What will Arthur do when he finds out that his servant, and perhaps his closest and most trusted friend and ally, is a wizard?

We will find out soon enough.

Fall TV: The CW kills with 'Nikita'

The CW has another big hit series on their hands.

Once again they have found, or rather, renewed a story that both young and older women love. Even the men are in the very capable hands of the sexy lead, Maggie Q.

I have been dying to see Shane West in another series, since he left "ER." I think he has found a very nice and comfortable home as the lead male character Michael, in "Nikita."

Where as the original series "La Femme Nikita" was at times a little campy, the CW re-imagining looms in the shadow of the great spy and assassin films like "The Bourne Trilogy," the new James Bond and "Ninja Assassin."

After three years in hiding, Division has to deal with a rogue former recruit, Nikita, the best they ever trained. As Nikita makes her plans to bring down Division, Michael begins the training of brand new recruit, Alex, who they picked up out of prison accused of murder. Always a step ahead of Division, Nikita is able to thwart their planned assassination of a foreign ambassador. Ready to make her war against them, she faces Michael and Percy (played by Xander Berkeley) at a party.

Once she makes her threats, she leaves the party with a bang, only to be pursued by Michael. Face to face in the alley, Nikita refuses to believe that Michael is still working at Division because he believes in the mission. A company once contracted out by only the CIA, now they have become mercenaries, selling themselves to the highest bidder. Michael only remains to protect the recruits, as he tried to do for Nikita.

After letting her escape, I think there is more going on between Nikita and Michael than we actually know. How exactly did he protect her? Or try to? I'm hoping we are going to see some flashbacks of her time in Division.

In the final moments, we find out who exactly Nikita is getting her inside information from. It seems, she has set up Division better than they, or even we thought. She hasn't been spending the last three years in hiding, she was in fact training a recruit of her own. Nikita implanted Alex inside Division.

I think this is going to be a great series, as long as the writers can keep up the same intensity. The characters are intriguing and likable. Well, Nikita and Michael are likable anyway, as they should be. Maggie Q and West do have a particular chemistry on screen that I am excited to see more of.

The action is also clever and not choreographed as much as it tends to be in many action series today. I felt like I was watching a film. And for this to be a CW series, that is very impressive. This is going to be a series that young women want to watch. There are not enough female action heroes, or even strong female leads in Hollywood today. Simply because of that, this series is going to be a hit.

The only questions is, will "Nikita" take the No. 1 spot from the CW's newest hit "The Vampire Diaries?" That remains to be seen, but I certainly will be there to see the blood on Thursday nights.

Fall TV: Stephanie's top 10 returning shows

We've spent a lot of time on the show talking about new fall TV, but I thought I'd take a few minutes and discuss the shows I can't wait to see again.

1. "Glee"-From the infectious musical numbers to the quirky comedy to the heart breaking emotional moments, "Glee" is the show that I get most excited for each week.


This season, our favorite glee club is gearing up for nationals in New York City, so everything is more important. Plus, Rachel and Finn are a couple now and Will and Sue must team up against the new football coach. Throw in Cheyenne Jackson as rival Vocal Adrenaline's new coach and a "Rocky Horror" themed Halloween episode and I might burst into song while I wait.

2. "NCIS"-When we left off Gibbs and his crew, they had just defeated a Mexican drug cartel and Ziva was finally becoming a U.S. citizen. Unfortunately, the head of the cartel survived to make a visit to Gibbs' father, and then the dreaded "to be continued."

"NCIS" is one of the most consistently good shows on TV. It never disappoints and is still interesting eight seasons in.

3. "Castle"-Since Tim and I interviewed the cast at Comic-Con, we have become even bigger fans of the show, if that's possible. In season three Castle returns from the Hamptons, but the team is not happy with him because he hasn't kept in touch.

Other developments this season include, a possible romance between Lanie and Esposito, Alexis' first love interest and Castle and Beckett go to Los Angeles for a case and get involved in the Nikki Heat movie.

4. "Bones"-This show is all about the chemistry between David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel. As Booth and Brennan, they are the anchors that keep the show grounded.

After seven months apart, the team gets back together to work on a case and there are a few changes, most notably Booth's new girlfriend. Though no one wants to see this show fall victim to a "Moonlighting" curse, the constant will they or won't they romance is starting to feel redundant. Hopefully, this season the producers make a definitive choice.

5. "Community"-While this show started slow, it really hit its stride towards the end of the first season with episodes like "Contemporary American Poultry" and the instant classic "Modern Warfare."

Joel McHale has really come into his own as the lead and Danny Pudi and Donald Glover steal every scene they're in as wacky best friends Abed and Troy. Current Hollywood It Girl Betty White guest stars in the season premiere and the Jeff/Britta/Annie triangle will be resolved. "Community" is one of the most unique shows on TV and I can't wait to see what new ridiculousness will occur in the second season.

The rest of the best:

6. "Supernatural"-My new summer favorite returns to the original formula with Sam and Dean Winchester battling demons and angels.

7. "Chuck"-Dolph Lundgren, Linda Hamilton and the Old Spice guy are among the guest stars. Need I say more.

8. "Dexter"-The new season picks up immediately after Rita's death, as Dexter tries to deal with being a single parent and a serial killer.

9. "How I Met Your Mother"-There are rumors that the newly casted Jennifer Morrison may be the elusive mother. Also more Neil Patrick Harris hilarity.

10. "One Tree Hill"-After eight seasons, I'm too invested to stop watching. The characters are still likable and have held up surprisingly well from what began as a teen show.

Honorable Mentions: "Fringe," "NCIS: Los Angeles" and "Smallville"

'Vampire Diaries:' 'The Return' Damon falls into pieces

Even with a three month hiatus, the intensity never faltered. The Season two premiere picked up right where the finale left off, with Elena waltzing into the kitchen to a bloodied John on the floor. And like the finale, the pace quickened with each scene, all the way up to the end and another cliffhanger that leaves us drooling!

Each scene brings a surprise, that never gives us a chance to catch our breath. In true Katherine fashion, she comes in, brings the chaos and steps back into the shadows. After leaving John on the kitchen floor, she flees before Elena can see her. And as it turns out, Jeremy doesn't die. For a ex-druggie, he sure doesn't know how to overdose well enough. It seems Anna's blood instead healed the damage the pills did to his system, and healed him. That however, didn't mean he was fine. Stefan charges in, with passion I have never seen before, and made him see the truth.

At the hospital, Caroline is in real jeopardy. But a surprise decision from Damon and Bonnie, Damon gives Caroline some of his blood to make sure she would survive. I know it's not just me, but I did not expect that from Bonnie of all people, told Damon to do it. Bonnie! Did I miss the part where she tried to have Damon killed the night before? All I know is this girl needs to make up her damn mind, because if she doesn't chose a side soon, she is the one that will be in danger.

When Damon confronts Elena about their kiss last night, we find that he indeed did not realize that he in fact kissed Katherine. Elena of course, waves it off as the typical snarky big brother of her oh so lovely boyfriend. But Damon refuses to let it go.

I have to say, his face when he realizes that it was indeed Katherine, is absolutely priceless! Which leads me to question, why is Stefan able to realize it is Katherine, where Damon had no idea? This leads me to believe that the theory some of us have that Stefan actually in fact did spend time with Katherine after they were turned in 1864. The fact that he can recongize her so quickly gives further proof of that.

Although Damon didn't actually kiss Elena, that not what Stefan is upset about. Damon was still kissing Elena, and that leaves Stefan in a major dilemma. Damon is kissing his girlfriend, but at the same time, Damon is actually CARING about someone other than himself. It leaves Stefan at a stalemate. He was to pummel his brother for going after his girl, but how can he, when after all these years, Damon has finally let in his humanity?

Am I the only one that's happy that Bonnie got owned by Katherine? I have to agree with Damon on this one. She was getting a little cocky. However, the main reason this makes me very, very happy is that finally, Bonnie is forced to realize that she cannot waltz around Mystic Falls and protect it's citizens all by her lonesome. She needs help, and for now, the only ones that are available for her to trust are the Salvatores. Being the very hardcore Damon/Bonnie shipper that I am, this made me squeal very deep inside. There is a promise for much more bad boy vampire and little witch hi-jinx to come. And that is just perfect! Ian Somerhalder and Katerina Graham have such fantastic chemistry on screen that any scene they have together will steal the show.

The next scene between Damon and Elena at the Lockwood Mansion is one of the most important. Stefan is able to pull Katherine out of the party so no one will be suspicious when Elena shows up. When she does, she doesn't take her time searching out Damon to have one of her "talks" that he so despises. Still considering him a friend, Elena still hasn't figured out that Damon doesn't know how to talk about his feelings, because he still doesn't understand them. Elena refuses to give up on having a conversation with Damon about the kiss.

Damon: "Why is it such a surprise that I'd kiss you?"
Elena: "It's not a surprise. I'm surprised that you'd thought I'd kiss you back."
Damon: "Now I'm hurt."

As Damon walks away, its actually surprises me that he truly does mean it. He is hurt. All this time, I was still thinking that Damon's head is screwed up enough that he is mixing up his feelings for Katherine and Elena. After this episode, I'm not so sure. In the last 145 years, Damon has had time to consider who is he going to be. What emotions truly matter to him. Despite what others may believe, Damon does hold love at a very high esteem. He has been holding on to his love for Katherine for a 145 years. But at the same time, Damon is afraid of pain, and it is the emotion that can cause the most pain. In the few occasions that the pain does surface and he can't keep it buried beneath sarcasm, he tends to lash out on the first person he sees. And after all the rejection Damon gets in this episode, it's basically a waiting game to who will be his victim.

Meanwhile, Stefan goes head to head with Katherine and gets a stab in the gut as a consequence. Stefan of course is adamant that he never had any feelings for Katherine, that they were never real because she was compelling. Katherine however, doesn't believe that he doesn't have anymore feelings towards her, and she admits that she has come back to Mystic Falls for him. However, I don't really believe that. Damon is right. Katherine will reveal why she really came back when she wants to. No one will find out before then. But it's clear that she really does have some ulterior motives. Damon of course, is always ready for a fight, picking one with Stefan. And for the first time, Stefan has truly impressed me. As I said before, Stefan is in a stalemate, and all he can do is hope that he and Damon can work together.

Stefan: "We need to stay united against her. So yes, as much as I would like to kill you, I'm not going to fight you."
Damon: "I kissed Elena."
Stefan: "Because you feel something for her. Because you actually care. And I'm not going to let Katherine come in here and destroy that part of you, that is finally, after all this time, willing to feel something. She'll try to break you. She'll try to break us, and how we respond to that will define us."

Best line of the episode, and so completely true. Katherine is going to try to divide and conquer. Stefan realizes that, and knows that will need to stay united to beat her. Stefan understanding his brother is a real victory for their relationship. He spent most of the first season trying to get rid of Damon instead of stepping back and realizing why he is truly in Mystic Falls. It's for this reason, that they will be able to eventually overcome Katherine.

Before Katherine leaves Mystic Falls, she finally decides to face Damon back at the boardinghouse, which turns into much more than just a pleasant goodbye. Damon tries to resist her, but after 145 yeas waiting for her, he just can't help himself. Thank goodness Damon decided to stop before they got to the real business and that I was actually sitting on the floor watching this episode, because I just might have fainted. And finally, Damon gets the truth:

Damon: "I have a questions. Answer it, and it's back to fireworks and rockets red glare. Answer it right, and I will forget the last 145 years I've spent missing you. I'll forget how much I loved you. I'll forget everything and we can just start over. This can be our defining moment, so we have the time. That's the beauty of eternity. I just need the truth just once."
Katherine: "Stop. I already know your questions and it's answer. The truth is, I've never loved you. It was always Stefan."

All I could think at that moment was "My poor Damon." His face is completely and utterly destroyed. After all the years he has spent obsessed and in love with her, thinking she wanted him, he just broke apart. Damon shaped himself around his love and obsession over Katherine, only to learn he never had to. In short, let's just say that he is going to be pissed.

On the other hand, Katherine is underestimating the strength of the brothers, especially Damon. All she remembers is a innocent young boy that was still human. But Damon has been a bad boy vampire for 145 years, and he has been who knows where since then. He's not innocent anymore. I think she is going to be pleasantly surprised at how strong Stefan and Damon can be together, and even more with the allies they have made in Bonnie, Alaric and I'm sure eventually, the Lockwoods.

Speaking of the Lockwoods, let's say hello to the fabulous Mason Lockwood, Tyler's uncle and the Mayor's brother, who came back in time for the funeral. Played by Taylor Kinney, Mason is certainly not what I expected. I honestly thought he was going to be some up tight jerk, much like his brother. But what we got instead is perhaps an uncle that everyone would love to have. a laid back, world touring surfer, who has clearly learned how to control his anger, and the Lockwood curse. Personally, I'm not sure there is anyone better that I would rather see take Tyler under their wing. After falling into a rage that could have ended in attacking his mother, Mason is able to calm him down.

Tyler: "I don't know why I get like this?"
Mason: "It's the curse of being a Lockwood."
Tyler: "So how'd you get the chill gene?"
Mason: "I didn't. I've just learned how to manage it."
Tyler: "I don't want to be like this anymore."
Mason: "None of us do. That's why it's a curse, Tyler."

I believe that we are well on our way to finding out about the multi-layered curse of the Lockwoods.

After Katherine left, Damon went to the only place he could think of. To the house of the only other person in the world he cared about. Drunk and hurt, Damon confronts Elena. And knowing Damon's history, drunk and hurt is not a great combination.

Damon: "You're the liar, Elena. There is something going on between the two of us and you know it. And you're lying to me, and you're lying to Stefan, and most of all you're lying to yourself. And I can prove it." (he kisses her)
Elena: "Damon, don't. What's wrong with you?"
Damon: "Lie about this."
Elena: "Stop it. You're better than this, come on."
Damon: "That's where you're wrong."
Elena: "No, Damon, I care about you. I do, but I love Stefan, it's always going to be Stefan."

If only she could have known that those were the exact wrong words to tell her. Only a while ago, a woman that looked just like her told him the same exact words. "It's always been Stefan." To now be rejected by the only two women that he has ever had feelings for made him just take a million steps back to how far he had come in getting back his humanity. Because if Katherine, all of it has been erased, and Damon will bury himself once again in anger and sarcasm, lashing out at others as need be to protect himself from his pain. Just as he did to Jeremy when he interrupted them.

Damon: "No it's not okay Elena. He wants to be a vampire. You wanna shut out the pain? It's the easiest thing in the world. The part of you that cares just goes away. All you have to do is just flip the switch and SNAP!" (he breaks Jeremy's neck)

This of course, made me have a heart attack, knowing that Jeremy along with two other people have vampire blood in their system at this moment. Jeremy, John, and Caroline. Knowing that someone was going to be turned into a vampire, I really didn't think that they would turn Jeremy. But then again, I was right. They didn't. Before Uncle John left town, he gave Jeremy his father's ring. The ring that protects you from all supernatural danger. So Jeremy is okay, but Caroline most definitely is not.

Katherine visited her in the hospital and told her to give Salvatore brothers a message. "Game on," before she smothered her to death. HOLY CRAP!

So Caroline is the vampire. And here I was just hoping that she would be let in on the secret of the town. Now she is one of the secrets.

Next week, welcome to the Mystic Falls Carnivale, where I'm sure plenty of hi-jinx are going to ensue. At this point, all I'm hoping for is that Caroline isn't a "Vicki 2.0" as my twitter pal @IHeartTVD called her after our chat last Thursday night. And I know Damon is going to do something stupid, so I'm just waiting to see what that is.