What Would Mary Ann Do?

This past weekend, I was excited to have the opportunity to interview Dawn Wells -- aka Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island -- about her role on the classic comedy, and her new book What Would Mary Ann Do? A Guide to Life.  For nearly an hour on stage at the Santa Monica Public Library in California, Dawn and I spoke about her life, her career, and the pieces of wisdom she's picked up along the way.

For a big Gilligan fan like me, the afternoon was a dream come true, and Dawn did not disappoint, speaking to the crowd with wit and charm -- and looking gorgeous.  Gilligan's Island just celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in September -- and if you do the math, that makes Dawn now an incredibly youthful 76 (!)  One of just two surviving cast members (the other being Tina Louise, aka Ginger), Dawn reminisced about her now-departed co-stars, and told some fun tales from behind the scenes.  You can check it out in the video below.  Enjoy!


 

RIP Mrs. Wolowitz

Carol Ann Susi, 1952-2014

I was so sad this afternoon to hear about the death at age 62 
of Carol Ann Susi, the actress who voiced the unseen character of Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg)'s harridan mom on The Big Bang Theory.  I've long been a fan of Carol Ann's, and was thrilled a few years back when I got the chance to interview her for a CBS Watch! magazine story about the secretaries of Murphy Brown.

With a long resume in both TV and film, Carol Ann was one of those character actresses with such perfect comic timing, you knew the moment you spotted her in something you'd be in for a laugh.  She was Michael J. Fox's secretary Jean in The Secret to My Succe$s, and a psychiatric patient in Death Becomes Her.  She made her TV debut with three episodes of Kolchak:  The Night Stalker in 1974, and never stopped working since, popping up in all my favorite comedies of the last few decades.  I still laugh out loud when I think back to her hilarious appearance as Maya's (Laura San Giacomo) crazy neighbor Mrs. Boukidis on a 1998 episode of Just Shoot Me.

I had the pleasure of running into Carol Ann quite a few times since my move to LA last fall, including just a few months ago, immediately following a live taping of Big Bang on the Warner Brothers lot.  Her death comes as a shock to all of us who loved her work, including her millions of Big Bang devotees around the world.

Meet The McCarthys

Growing up in a suburb of Boston, Brian Gallivan committed a huge sin in the eyes of his sports-crazed, Irish-Catholic family.  It wasn't that he is gay; it’s that he knows nothing about basketball.

In fact, says Tyler Ritter, who plays Gallivan’s alter-ego Ronny on his new CBS sitcom The McCarthys, “The fact that my character is gay isn’t even a driving characteristic.  Our characters are all different but loveable, and the show is about how we learn to get along.”

“The McCarthys is a good combination of traditional family comedy and progressive, edgier stuff,” says former New Kid on the Block Joey McIntyre, who along with Jimmy Dunn and Kelen Coleman were cast as Ronny’s three siblings.  Jack McGee, who plays high school basketball coach and McCarthy patriarch Arthur, speaks from experience when he states that “a lot of Irish families don’t know how to talk to each other – they talk at each other, and it comes out unfiltered.”

It’s that kind of political incorrectness that makes for good comedy, Gallivan says – even if his own real-life family may sometimes bristle at the depiction.  Gallivan’s own clan is bigger – he’s one of six – and of course his own mother isn’t TV royalty as is Mrs. McCarthy, aka Laurie Metcalf.  “But the show is peppered with details from real life.  And so, my family can’t wait to see it,” he explains.  “But then again, every time I go home, they all say, ‘Don’t say anything to him – it’ll end up in an episode!’”

The McCarthys

CBS

Thursdays at 9:30PM

beginning October 30

NBC Wants More "Laura"

This morning, NBC announced the first full-season pickup from among its new fall series.  Debra Messing's The Mysteries of Laura has been scoring in the ratings since its debut on September 17, and has helped the network build a female-centric night of crimefighting and action, leading into Mariska Hargitay's veteran Law & Order: SVU and Sophia Bush in Chicago Fire.  See announcement from NBC below.

NBC ORDERS FULL SEASON OF ‘THE MYSTERIES OF LAURA’

Debra Messing Starrer Improves 8 P.M. Wednesday Timeslot by 58% Vs. Last Season

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. — Oct. 28, 2014 — NBC has given a full-season 22-episode order to its 8 p.m. Wednesday drama “The Mysteries of Laura.”

Emmy Award winner Debra Messing stars as NYPD homicide Det. Laura Diamond, who manages to balance her time between being a police officer and that of a harried mom with two unruly young boys.

“Debra has effortlessly infused Laura with a relatability that is captivating audiences,” said Jennifer Salke, President, NBC Entertainment. “We can’t wait to see how Laura will continue to evolve throughout the entire season.”

Through its first six telecasts, “The Mysteries of Laura” has averaged a 1.8 rating, 6 share in adults 18-49 and 10.4 million viewers overall in “most current” figures from Nielsen Media Research. In “live plus same day” results, “The Mysteries of Laura” has improved the Wednesday 8-9 p.m. ET/PT hour by +58% or 3.3 million persons versus NBC’s results in the hour one year earlier.

“The Mysteries of Laura” is the only new drama on the Big 4 networks so far this season to remain with 0.2 of a rating point in 18-49 of its regular-slot debut through its next four telecasts in L+SD results.

The series also stars Josh Lucas, Laz Alonso, Janina Gavankar and Max Jenkins.

Writer Jeff Rake (“Boston Legal”) and director McG (“Supernatural”) serve as executive producers with Greg Berlanti (“Brothers & Sisters”), Aaron Kaplan (“The Neighbors”), Todd Lituchy and Sarah Schechter. “The Mysteries of Laura” is a production of Warner Bros. Television, Berlanti Productions and Kapital Entertainment.

CW Announces Full Season Orders for "The Flash" and "Jane the Virgin"

Just a few weeks into the new fall season, it appears as if the CW Network may have two brand-new hits on its hands.  Both The Flash and Jane the Virgin have earned decent ratings and critics' approval, and so this morning, the network announced full-season renewals for each.  The press release is below.

THE CW ANNOUNCES FULL SEASON ORDERS FOR"THE FLASH" AND "JANE THE VIRGIN"

October 21, 2014 (Burbank, CA) — The CW has given full season orders to its two hit freshman series, THE FLASH and JANE THE VIRGIN, it was announced today by Mark Pedowitz, President, The CW.

THE FLASH debuted as the most-watched series premiere ever on The CW, scoring 6.1 million viewers in Live + 3 Day Nielsen ratings, and was the network's highest-rated series premiere among adults 18-49 in more than five years, since THE VAMPIRE DIARIES debuted in 2009.

The most critically acclaimed new series of the season, JANE THE VIRGIN, bowed with The CW's most-watched and highest-rated show in its time period in two years. TV Guide called JANE THE VIRGIN the "#1 Must-See" new show of the season, and named star Gina Rodriguez the "most inspiring young actress on TV today." Tim Goodman of the Hollywood Reporter said JANE was "by far the best network pilot –drama or comedy" this season.

"We have had a fantastic start to our season this year, with THE FLASH launching as our most-watched series premiere ever, and JANE THE VIRGIN recognized as the best new show this season by critics across the country," said Pedowitz. "Over the past three seasons, we have made it our mission to grow and to broaden out our audience, and to keep raising the bar with the quality and impact of our new shows, and THE FLASH and JANE have both exceeded our expectations on all counts. I'm thrilled to announce full season orders for both of these terrific new series."  

THE FLASH is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television, with executive producers Greg Berlanti ("Arrow," "Everwood"), Andrew Kreisberg ("Arrow," "Eli Stone"), David Nutter ("Arrow," "Game of Thrones") and Sarah Schechter.  This series is based upon characters published by DC Entertainment.

JANE THE VIRGIN is produced by CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television, in association with Electus, with executive producers Jennie Snyder Urman ("Emily Owens, M.D."), Ben Silverman ("The Biggest Loser"), Gary Pearl ("10.5: Apocalypse") and Jorge Granier ("Que el Cielo Me Explique").

More Grist for The Millers

When Sean Hayes got the call from TV legend James Burrows about joining The Millers, “it was probably the easiest ‘yes’ I’ve ever said,” the actor recalls.  Already a fan of the Thursday night sitcom, Hayes relished the chance to reteam with his former Will & Grace director  Burrows (and former W&G  guest star Beau Bridges; papa Tom Miller was once Jack McFarland's dad, too)  and to join friend Will Arnett on screen. 

This season, Hayes’ character Kip becomes Miller matriarch Carol’s new friend – and thus a nascent rival for her son Nathan.  “It’s been really fun turning our friendship into an adversarial relationship,” Arnett says.

“Just the thought of Sean and Margo Martindale as BFFs makes me smile,” adds Millers creator Greg Garcia.  “We’re only getting started, and writing this season’s stories has been a blast.”

The Millers

CBS
Returns Monday, October 20

8:30 PM EST

Follow "Stalker"

“It’s a dance,” Maggie Q says of her character Lieutenant Beth Davis’ work on CBS’ new crime thriller Stalker.  Stocked with the nail-biting suspense for which its creator Kevin Williamson (Scream, The Vampire Diaries) is famous, Stalker depicts the duties of the LAPD’s Threat Assessment Unit, as they work to save the targets of obsessive criminals before the worst might happen.

But the job is tricky, the former Nikita star explains, because as no-nonsense unit commander Davis has learned first-hand as a victim, “stalking is one of those subject areas we don’t know a lot about. We know there’s a high correlation with mental illness, but it’s hard to predict which lines get crossed, and when, and why.” 

Her co-star, Hostages’ Dylan McDermott, reveals that years ago he himself used to get threatening letters from prisoners.  “But the problem is, the threat has to become real. Someone can follow you all day long. But the law can’t really prosecute until he or she does something that physically harms you.”

That’s an ironic loophole for McDermott’s character, Detective Jack Larsen, who has transferred from New York partly to pursue his estranged wife.  As he settles in among fellow detectives Ben Caldwell (Victor Rasuk) and Janice Lawrence (Mariana Klaveno), the usually confident Larsen will have to demonstrate dedication to the cause, all while keeping his own personal passions at bay.  As McDermott explains, “that’s a twist I found really interesting.”

Stalker

CBS

Wednesdays at 10PM

beginning October 1

NCIS returns to the Big Easy

After the high ratings and excited fan feedback NCIS scored after airing its two-episode arc set in New Orleans last spring, it was clear we had not seen the last of Special Agent Dwayne Pride, aka “King” (Scott Bakula), or his unorthodox ways in policing the Big Easy.

“King just loves this town so much, every aspect of it,” says Bakula, star of the new NCIS: New Orleans, in explaining what drew him to the character. “The real character he’s based on, Dwayne Swear, says ‘I don't care how we get it done.  I just want to work with the people. I’ll help them, they’ll help me, and we get it done.’”  As Bakula explains, King leads his team, which includes Special Agents Christopher LaSalle (Lucas Black) and Meredith “Merri” Brody (Zoe McLellan) and is aided by Jefferson Parish Coronor Dr. Loretta Wade (the venerable CCH Pounder) with an ethos typical of the laid-back city. “We don’t worry about rules, but we take care of business.’”

As New Orleans showrunner and captain of the NCIS flagship Gary Glasberg explains, King is very different from Mark Harmon’s NCIS leader Jethro Gibbs, as he’s “much more outspoken and emotional, reflecting the different rhythm and energy in that part of the country.”  Glasberg remembers that in conceiving the spinoff series, he was excited to discover that New Orleans has a real-life NCIS office, due to the significant military presence along the Gulf of Mexico.  “There’s so much color and vibrancy in this city, so it made sense to take some extraordinary characters and tie it all together.”

NCIS: New Orleans

CBS

Tuesdays at 9PM

beginning September 23

Enter "Scorpion"

When writer Nick Santora first heard about real-life genius Walter O’Brien and his think-tank company, Scorpion Computer Services, he immediately saw the potential for action.

His resulting show for CBS, Scorpion, casts Elyes Gabel as O’Brien, whose IQ is ranked the world’s fourth-highest, and surrounds him with other brilliant specialists in mechanics, statistics and behavior analysis.  As the brainy new team, guarded by federal agent Cobe Gallo (Robert Patrick), works each week to defend the U.S. against the high-tech threats of the modern age, Scorpion will be “a little bit of X-Men, a little bit A-Team,” Santora promises.  And with producers like Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (The Amazing Spider-Man 3) and director Justin Lin (The Fast and the Furious) behind the scenes, Scorpion will boast feature-level special effects that literally jolt these geniuses with a Big Bang.

Katharine McPhee, who plays the waitress mother of an autistic young boy whose gifted intelligence O’Brien discovers, says she was “enthralled by all the stories the real Walter was telling us on the set.  This show brings us into some real, top-secret areas we don’t necessarily know about.”

Scorpion, Santora adds, combines adventure with the dramatic, interpersonal workings of a group of outsiders striving to fit in.  “There will be self-doubt and self-discovery, because so many of these guys are insecure,” the writer explains.  “We’re going to see how being a genius can be tough.  Because when you’re 1 in 1.47 billion, that can be a lonely feeling.”

Scorpion

CBS

Mondays at 9PM

beginning September 22

Meet Madam Secretary

When Téa Leoni first read the pilot script for Madam Secretary, from renowned show creator Barbara Hall (Joan of Arcadia), “I knew right away who this woman was going to be.” In contemplating taking on her first regular dramatic series, Leoni admits that three role models immediately came to mind: Hillary Clinton, Madeleine Albright, and Condoleezza Rice.  So as an actress, “I’m in a great position, where I can steal from those women, and the show can imagine more.”

To that point, Leoni explains that Madam Secretary will show not only the high-stakes working world of brand-new Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord -- amid an administration boasting Keith Carradine as the president, and Emmy winner Zeljko Ivanek, multiple Emmy/Tony winner Bebe Neuwirth and Tony winner Patina Miller among his staff -- but the other half of her life as well, with husband Henry (Tim Daly) and two kids.

The highly-sought actress reveals she was already a big fan of the similarly multi-faceted The Good Wife (and indeed CBS' President Nina Tassler and the network's scheduling guru Kelly Kahl both joke that Madam Secretary is perfectly positioned among its new Sunday night neighbors, because "the show looks like what would happen if 60 Minutes and The Good Wife had a baby.")  With Julianna Margulies’ Alicia Florrick now following Leoni's Elizabeth McCord, the 48-year-old actress is excited that “we have strong, complex and dynamic women on television.”  So while in real life, Leoni hopes that Mrs. Clinton will leverage her years of experience into a presidential bid in 2016, for now, regarding her character, a former professor and CIA analyst, “This is the woman I want to see in office.”

Madam Secretary

CBS

Sundays at 8PM

beginning September 21