By Sarah Skilton

 

 

State of the TV Union

Every fall we're bombarded with dozens of new shows to choose from, but how do you decide which ones are worth watching? And how can you tell which ones will still be around by November?

If you've been waiting on the sidelines before offering your loyalty to a show that might get yanked off the air, wait no longer.  Fire up your TiVo and take note of which shows have gotten the ax and which shows will be around 'til spring:

Gone Daddy Gone:  "Kidnapped," starring Jeremy Sisto, Dana Delaney and Timothy Hutton, has been cancelled -- but NBC promises to air all 13 episodes, possibly on Saturday nights. "Smith," CBS's sleuth drama with Ray Liotta, Virginia Madsen, Amy Smart and Simon Baker ("Devil Wears Prada") has been yanked entirely.

Still Here, But Just Barely: Fox's "Standoff," starring Jon Livingston and Rosemarie DeWitt as FBI hostage negotiators who are in love with each other, and "Justice" starring Victor Garber ("Alias") as a cutthroat lawyer, as well as NBC's football drama "Friday Night Lights" (which, oddly enough, airs on Tuesdays), have all received orders for 2-3 more scripts, so they'll be around at least another month after baseball season ends.

Winners: ABC's "Ugly Betty," the remake of the telenovela "Yo soy Betty, la fea," starring America Ferrera and Vanessa L. Williams, is making a killing in the ratings and has received a full-order pick-up. "Jericho," the apocalyptic drama starring Skeet Ulrich ("Scream"), will also be around for a full season. And the biggest winner for struggling network NBC is "Heroes," which averaged 13.5 million viewers for its first two episodes and earned a full season, as well.

Speaking of Heroes…

Robert Downey, Jr. has been cast to play Marvel comics' "Iron Man" in the upcoming feature film of the same name. The title role concerns an ultra-intelligent billionaire who uses advanced technology body armor, initially designed to keep him alive after being shot in the heart, to fight crime. Terrence Howard ("Hustle and Flow"; "Idlewild") is set to play Iron Man's best friend, War Machine.

Rachel Bilson is heavily rumored to be the new Wonder Woman in the Joss Whedon-written and directed flick, though Warner Brothers is neither confirming nor denying this point. Humorously enough, it wouldn't be the first time Bilson donned the famous red, white and blue costume. During the first season of "The O.C." she cheekily wore it for onscreen boyfriend Adam Brody.

"Big Day" to debut in November

What if Fox's adrenaline-fueled action show "24" were a chick flick? It would probably look a lot like ABC's "Big Day," which uses an entire season to present one hectic wedding day from start to finish.  It stars Marla Sokoloff ("The Practice") as the bride, Josh Cooke as the groom. Wendie Malick ("Just Shoot Me") also stars. Twists and turns involving relatives, bridesmaids, caterers and other wedding participants will abound before the would-be marrieds can walk down the aisle. The series debuts on November 28th at 9/8 central.

(What will they do for a second season? The Honeymoon?)

 
"Illusionist" vs. "The Prestige"

Two big-budget movies about magicians were released this year.  While both are period pieces that take place in Europe and contain love triangles, "The Illusionist," which opened in August and stars Edward Norton, Jessica Biel (best known from "Seventh Heaven") and Paul Giamatti, is pure romance, stemming from a childhood infatuation between a young, poor magician, and his high-society crush. Once they reach adulthood, they must find a way to defy their roots and escape together.

"The Prestige," on the other hand (opening this month), concerns two dueling Magicians (Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale, yum) who are obsessed with besting each other on stage and off. Though they vie for the affections of Scarlett Johansson, the focus of the film remains on the rivalry between the two men. 

Magic fans will be pleased with both films, but don't expect to learn too many secrets; many of the extraordinary feats are CGI, not sleight-of-hand.

 

 

 

 
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© Melt Magazine 2006