Tag Archives: Fox8

Drama, Foxtel, FRONT, TV

Pretty Little Liars Goes Black & White For Shadow Play

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Spencer (Troian Bellisario) and Toby (Keegan Allen) Go B&W for PLL

 

A constant on all forms of social media, teen drama Pretty Little Liars (FOX8 on Fridays) is offering up a tribute to the classic noir style films with an episode filmed largely in black and white.

Airing this Friday on FOX8, the episode titled “Shadow Play” will see our favorite liars transformed into tough guys and brassy bombshells reminiscent of a look post World War II and it’s all thanks to a pill popping Spencer Hastings (Troian Bellisario).

After taking another hit of prescription no doze pills, Spencer (in between studying and discovering Ezra could be A) watched The Narrow Margin a black and white film from the 1950’s and her mind, all hopped up on pills, transports herself and her friends into a Pleasantville type setting.

The liars’ noir alter-egos bear their same names and similar traits as their normal everyday selves, but the story ultimately leads Spencer to discover a much sought after clue allowing her to decode a very modern day journal.

Not a stranger to paying homage to classic films (Pretty Little Liars has also used references from Hitchcock’s Psycho and The Birds as inspiration for earlier episodes) executive producer Joseph Dougherty (who wrote and directed the episode) said “We do a lot of references to classic movies and our show is darker and the shadows are a little more scary.  ABC Family suggested the black-and-white episode and provided research ‘that younger audiences now do not have a prejudice against black-and-white films the way audiences slightly older did. … They see it as an artistic choice.“

Pretty Little Liars Black and White ‘Shadow Play’ episode airs this Friday 7:30pm on FOX8.

 

Comedy, Drama, Foxtel, FRONT, TV

Is This The End For The Carrie Diaries?

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AnnaSophia Robb as a young Carrie Bradshaw

This Tuesday (Feb 11th) will see FOX8’s The Carrie Diaries season two finale air, and among all the questions that need answering, the biggest question is, will the show be back for a third season?  The show, based off the popular Sex and The City, follows a young Carrie Bradshaw (AnnaSophia Robb) in the 1980’s, attending high school while trying to make her mark in Manhattan.

Where the first season focused on introducing Carrie, her sister Dorrit, father Tom and her friends and an emerging life in Manhattan working for Interview Magazine, the show’s second season offered up more mature themes including an AIDS scare, unwanted pregnancy, Carrie moving up at Interview magazine and introduced a young Samantha Jones (played to perfection by Lindsay Gort).

Season two felt more like the Sex and the City we knew yet still keeping issues and topics relevant to the younger audience that were watching.

Without giving too much away, the second season finale wraps up a lot of story-lines and characters leaving season three as a blank canvas for Carrie and her life in Manhattan allowing the show to bring in new characters and bring in Sex and the City characters Charlotte York and Miranda Hobbs, but with dwindling ratings in the US, there is talk Carrie may not be back for a third season (the fact we even got a second season still bewilders most).

The Carrie Diaries Season 2 finale airs Tuesday 8:30pm on FOX8

 

Comedy, Foxtel, FRONT, PayTV, TV

Review: The Crazy Ones

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Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar – Photo Credit: Robin Williams Twitter

You know how Robin Williams can sometimes be a little too Robin Williams?  It’s annoying isn’t it?  What starts out funny turns into a 10 minute gag with multiple characters and accents and lots of uncomfortable laughter from those on the receiving end. Thankfully, Robin Williams is only slightly Robin Williams in The Crazy Ones.

This show seems like the perfect fit for Williams’ return to series television.  As legendary advertising agency exec Simon Roberts, he still gets to flex his funny bone but there are some serious undertones in Roberts’ back history (divorce and possibly depression) that keep Williams grounded enough to ensure he doesn’t fly too much into the crazy Robin Williams category.

Playing the perfect polar opposite is Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) as Simon’s straight-laced and all professional daughter and co-partner Sydney Roberts.  Gellar easily holds her own with grim professional determination playing opposite Williams and the two bring a believable father/daughter relationship on screen.

There’s also some great casting in the co roles with Hamish Linklater (The New Adventures of Old Christine), James Wolk (Mad Men) and Amanda Setton (The Mindy Project) who all get their fair share of laughs.

This first episode brings us straight into the action with a wayward Simon and a worrisome Sydney desperately trying not to loose their biggest client in McDonald’s.

The Crazy Ones premier’s on Sunday October 20th on FOX8 via Foxtel.

BTW  – keep and eye out for singer Kelly Clarkson playing herself in this episode.  She’s piss funny and should be brought back for more!

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Comedy, FRONT, Local TV, PayTV, TV

FOX8 Picks up The Crazy Ones

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Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar star in the new comedy The Crazy Ones

I had been waiting to hear which free-to-air channel would pick up new comedy The Crazy Ones due to premiere in the USA shortly and in a surprise move, Fox8 have picked up the rights to air the comedy starring Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar.  The comedy set inside an advertising agency sees Williams playing father to Gellar and is William’s return to series television since Mork and Mindy.

Oscar-winner Robin Williams returns to his television roots with his signature brand of humor in the inspired workplace comedy from 20th Century Fox TV, The Crazy Ones. As a renowned advertising genius whose unorthodox methods would get him fired – if he weren’t the boss – he heads a powerful agency with the biggest clients and brands in the world. The office is staffed with an eclectic group intent on keeping his antics in check, including his daughter Sydney (Sarah Michelle Gellar), who often questions her father’s sanity while trying to make a name for herself in the advertising world.

The Crazy Ones is set to premiere Sunday October 20th on Fox8

 

ausANTM, Local TV, Reality Television

New Season: Australia’s Next Top Model

                                          New Host Jennifer Hawkins

There’s new judges, new contestants and a new host in an all new season of Australia’s Next Top Model airing tonight on FOX8 at 7:30pm.

New host Jennifer Hawkins, who next year, celebrates 10 years since wining the Miss Universe title, has taken over the role left vacant by previous host, Sarah Murdoch.

Joining Hawkins on the judging panel are the regular (and possibly freshened) faces of Charlotte Dawson and designer Alex Perry along with new judge, model Didier Cohen.  Says Cohen “winning has more to do with street smarts than looks” and states that contestants who treat the industry like a business, network and treat others with respect will go far.

Tonight’s first episode will see the top 50 head into a ‘convict boot camp’ before two mass eliminations take place, quickly dwindling down the numbers of wannabe models.  We’ll also see a make-up free head-shot photo shoot take place *cue tears*.

Australia’s Next Top Model premiere’s tonight on FOX8 at 7:30pm

Make sure you follow me of twitter for my live tweets during the show!

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