Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 2212

WILL AND GRACE to Return, a New DC Comics Series, and More TV News

Happy New Year! I hope 2017 will be everything you want it to be. Why not kick your calendar off on the right note with an update on television news from the holiday weekend? Today’s TV-Cap has Will & Grace revival news, word about another DC Comics television series, and a few more tidbits.

They’re Back! After the enthusiastic response to the Will & Grace election video released in the fall, the topic of a revival has been flying around. And it turns out, yes, the comedy is coming back… at least, according to actor Leslie Jordan (who played recurring character Beverly Leslie on the series). He told KPBS more Will & Grace is a done deal. He said, “Here’s the way it works: [NBC] has ordered 10 [episodes]. It’ll be for next season, so they’ll go in in July.” Now that he’s let the news leak, perhaps we’ll get some official updates soon. [TVLine]

It's happening again…..this year….sooner than you think….

For Fun. Showtime’s revival of Twin Peaks is coming in the first half of 2017, though we don’t exactly know when. Actress Sherilyn Fenn shared the above tweet on January 1. What does “sooner than you think” mean?!

Don’t Wait. Season six of Homeland won’t be here until January 15, but if you’re a Showtime subscriber and dying to know what’s happening with Carrie Mathison, you can watch the premiere right now. It’s available on Showtime On Demand and Showtime Anytime. [IGN]

Fancy Eggs. Been wondering what goes into Archer’s Eggs Woodhouse? YouTuber Binging with Babish has you covered. He goes through the decadent recipe with all the sauces. I’m not sure if I could handle eating or making it. [Nerdist]

A Little Nod. The Wrap has a new photo from DC’s Powerless, arriving on February 2, and the image has a little Batman reference. It features a karaoke book from Kane and Fingers Pub, a nod to Batman co-creators Bob Kane and Bill Finger. See the pic at The Wrap. [CBR]

It’s All Relative. It seems like a gag that Benedict Cumberbatch would turn out to be related in any way to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes. But Ancestry.com put in the research and found the connection is legit. Read all the details here at Nerdist.

5) More #DCTV @CW_TheFlash @CW_Arrow @Gotham @TheCW_Legends @LuciferonFOX @TheCWSupergirl and many more! One which will be announced soon…

— Geoff Johns (@geoffjohns) January 1, 2017

Another One! DC Comics basically dominates The CW’s line-up with their comic book series, and they have other shows on Fox. They’re not done though. DC Comics president Geoff John teased on Twitter that another DC-inspired series will be announced soon. Any guesses as to what it is? [TVLine]

Spider Friends. Disney XD’s upcoming Spider-Man animated series, simply titled Marvel’s Spider-Man, will feature familiar friends and foes. Not a ton has been announced about the animated series, but We Got This Covered has come across some merch photos that feature Spidey with Miles Morales and Spider-Gwen and also Venom. See them right this way. [CBR]

Finally. Sherlock returned with series four on New Year’s Day. It’s been a while since seriers three. How was “The Six Thatchers?” Read Kyle A.’s thoughts right here at Nerdist.

Going Beyond. Heard of Freeform’s upcoming sci-fi/supernatural series Beyond? It’s debuting today, January 2, and if you’re curious about whether to add the show to your list, read Scott’s review.

How do you feel about a Will & Grace revival? Share your thoughts with me in the comments.

Featured Image: CBS

The Jackie and Laurie Show #53: Remember 40 Minutes Ago

This week Jackie and Laurie talk about bookers who book comic based on comment cards. They also agree that they have nothing left and we learn that sometimes it’s best to just like Jackie have it.

Comic of the Week: Chase Bernstein @Chase_Chase

Follow @jackiekashian and @anylaurie16 on Twitter!

Follow the show! @JackieandLaurie

Doctor Strange Will Team Up with Hulk and Thor in THOR: RAGNAROK

Happy New Year, film lovers! Hopefully y’all had a chance to catch up on this last year’s cinematic offerings over the holiday break, including the wonderful Doctor Strange. In the first Movie Morsels of 2017, we’ve got confirmation on when you can see Marvel’s mystic mage return to the big screen. Plus, we have new footage from Disney’s live-action Beauty and the Beast and the creepy-looking A Cure for Wellness, and much more to start your New Year off on the right foot!

Thor: Ragnarok

As those of us who saw Doctor Strange discovered in the film’s mid-credits stinger, the superhero sorcerer will indeed play a role in reuniting Thor with his estranged brother Loki in Thor: Ragnarok. But we now hear that that role may be even bigger than we at first imagined, per a new description of the film on Disney’s D23 website: “Thor: Ragnarok in November brings together Thor, the Hulk, and Doctor Strange to face off against intergalactic baddies both familiar and new.” So does this mean that instead of a mere cameo appearance we’ll actually get to see Benedict Cumberbatch’s Strange in combat alongside Chris Hemsworth’s Thor and Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk? It sure as hell sounds like it!

[Coming Soon]

Beauty and the Beast

Hot on the heels of the video we saw of Hogwarts graduate Emma Watson singing “Something There” in the live-action Beauty and the Beast comes two more promos offering fresh footage of Watson’s heroine Belle in the Beast’s castle, alongside some of his enchanted servants. Feast your eyes on the following TV spots, appropriately titled “Be Our Guest” and “You Can Talk”…

[Comicbook.com]

Cars 3

Hey, speaking of Disney TV promos, a new television commercial is teasing that the first trailer for Pixar’s Cars 3 will appear during the College Football Playoff National Championship game on January 9th. As for which teams will be playing in that event, well, since I’ve never actually seen a football game in my entire life, I’m probably the wrong person to ask.

[RCCars5]

A Cure for Wellness

Director Gore Verbinski’s return to big-screen horror, A Cure for Wellness, is looking creepier by the minute, even as it celebrates the New Year in its latest advert. Take a peek at the following promo, which encourages us to “take the cure” in 2017…

Every year we promise to improve ourselves, but we never do. Stop treating the symptom. In 2017, take the Cure. #CureForWellness pic.twitter.com/Zo8RdTlBER

— A Cure For Wellness (@CureForWellness) January 1, 2017

[Twitter]

Fifty Shades Darker

And since we’re talking about creepiness, another new TV ad shows entrepreneur Christian Grey’s reckless past coming back to haunt him and endanger his relationship with Anastasia Steele in Fifty Shades Darker. Go on, give it a watch — this is a safe space…

[Fifty Shades]

Logan

Finally today, 20th Century Fox gets the award for Most Innovative Movie Marketing Thus Far in 2017 with a cool publicity stunt for Hugh Jackman’s farewell to Wolverine in James Mangold’s Logan. Last week, the studio gave away 1,974 frames from the film’s upcoming final trailer in the form of postcards to fans who signed up to receive them via 1974framesoflogan.com. Upon receiving the images, the fans are expected to share them online before the trailer debuts. Why 1,974, you ask? Because 1974 the year that ol’ Wolvie first appeared, in the pages of The Incredible Hulk #181.

[ScreenCrush]

What do you think of today’s top stories? Let us know below!

Featured Image: Marvel/Disney

Images: Marvel, Disney, Fox

How 2017 Will be Better Than 2016!

Finally, 2017 is here and we can put 2016 in the rear view mirror as we head into the future! There are plenty of reasons that we won’t miss that garbage fire of a year, but there’s also a lot of things coming up in 2017 that could make the next 12 months worth looking forward to. Today’s Nerdist News is breaking down the reasons why 2017 is gonna be a year to remember!

Join host and Calendar Man’s personal nemesis, Jessica Chobot, as she runs down some of the highlights of the year to come. If you love comic book movies and TV shows, 2017 is gonna be a momentous occasion for both Marvel and DC fans. On the Marvel side, we’ve got Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Thor: Ragnarok in theaters, while Iron Fist, The Defenders, and The Punisher rule on Netflix. There’s even an Inhumans series coming to ABC, and perhaps Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will stick around for a fifth season. Meanwhile, DC’s bringing out the big guns in the Justice League movie, but we’re particularly excited to see Wonder Woman make her solo cinematic debut. And DC still has four superhero shows on The CW. Although we do have to wonder if The CW will add a DC show on Friday nights to complete the week.

There’s a lot more, of course. Gamers can look forward to the Nintendo Switch, while Xbox One Scorpio also has us excited to see where the future of console gaming is going. And then there’s Star Wars Episode VIII looming in December 2017 to close out the year, which is an annual tradition that we eagerly await!

What are you excited to see and experience in 2017? Let’s discuss in the comment section below!

The Jonah Keri Podcast #78: Mike Schur

Jonah Keri has a tremendous discussion with Michael Schur about Dustin Pedroia; the progression of his career from Harvard Lampoon to writing on Saturday Night Live and The Office to creating Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn 99, and The Good Place; what it takes for a TV show to gel; developing diverse casts; pitching new shows and carte blanche; Ted Danson; incorporating moral philosophy into a network show; badly dubbed swear words; Val Kilmer; judicious use of TV budgets; modern metrics of TV success; outlook for the Red Sox; 2004 Red Sox, 2016 Cubs, and 2017 Indians?; conjecture about others’ feelings; Theo Epstein; and Mike’s Life Tip.

Follow @jonahkeri on Twitter!

Half Hour Happy Hour #113: 2017 Bitches

It’s the the new year! Time for the team to check in on what’s to come and say “Goodbye 2016… you were kind of a Dick”

Follow @HalfHourHappyHr and hosts @alisonhaislip, @alexalbrecht and Tom “Super Volcano” Krajewski on Twitter

Disney Princesses Hit the Gym in a New Parody Video

Now that the new year has arrived, many men and women are heading to the gym so they can get back into the shape. But what if the Disney Princesses also wanted to work out in 2017? That’s the premise of a new parody video starring a few very familiar faces as modernized and a little bit hipster versions of Disney’s iconic Princesses.

Blogilates‘ Cassey Ho co-wrote and co-stars as Pocahontas in the recently posted “Disney Princesses Try Working Out” video. The short features one of our favorite musicians, Lindsey Stirling, as Ariel from The Little Mermaid; with Justine Ezarik (iJustine) as Aurora from Sleeping Beauty, Rosanna Pansino as Belle from Beauty and the Beast, and Lilly Singh (iiSuperwomanii) as Jasmine from Aladdin.

As it turns out, Pocahontas’ personal preferences clashed with the rules of the gym, while Jasmine’s tiger freaked out the front desk clerk (Casey Breves). Ariel was a bit too enthusiastic about the whole experience, and she may be a sneaker thief; while Aurora lived up to her nickname and slept through most of the experience. As for Belle, she was in true beast mode.

Kenta Seki also had a small role as Shang from Mulan, but the Disney Princesses were much too hard to handle even for this hardened workout warrior. It’s a very funny short, but we particularly loved Ariel’s tendency to breakout into song at a moment’s notice.

What did you think about the Disney Princesses workout video? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Image: Blogilates

This Website Makes THE OFFICE Characters Stare at You in Every Emotion

You’re watching an episode of The Office. Michael Scott and Dwight Schrute are discussing some sort of off-the-wall scheme. As they fall deeper down their likely illogical rabbit hole, they get so animated that Jim can’t take it anymore. As a way to ground himself in reality, he stares directly into the documentary crew’s cameras and reaches out for sympathy from the viewing public using only his eyes and facial muscles. That is the Jim Halpert stare that has become such a big part of the show and of pop culture as a whole. It’s so prominent that people think even Hillary Clinton pulled it out during a presidential debate with now-President Elect Donald Trump.

Over time, other Office characters couldn’t help but stare into the camera for one reason or another either, leading to a wide variety of emotions in the form of fourth-wall-breaking camera stares. And now, if you want a The Office character to empathize with you by staring into your soul, The Office Stare Machine has you covered.

The website has catalogued “every single time a character speechlessly breaks the 4th wall and stares at the camera,” so it has 706 clips that were collected over the course of a year and a half. It’s an ambitious project, so we ran it through a quick litmus test, and it passed easily. Here’s what we got when we typed in “happy”:

Here’s sad:

Exasperated:

And horny:

There are plenty more where that came from—702 more, to be exact—so explore them all for yourself at The Office Stare Machine.

Featured image: NBC

SHERLOCK Review: ‘The Six Thatchers’ Offers Many Returns, Not All Happy (Review)

This review will give SPOILERS to the episode “The Six Thatchers.” Please be advised.

2017 is already a better year than 2016 for the simple fact that we have a full series of Sherlock episodes to watch! It’s been a very, very long time since we last had to worry about Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch), John Watson (Martin Freeman), and the rest of the Baker Street Gang; two years since series 3, which was all about Sherlock dealing with John’s newfound love with Mary (Amanda Abbington). Read my review of “His Last Vow” to get up to speed on that. And the 2016 New Year’s special (“The Abominable Bride“) connected to it, but was mostly a dream sequence.

Anyway, the point of all this is to iterate a point, which is that Sherlock will not coddle its viewers and let them get re-acclimated to the storyline. It dives right back in to the end of “His Last Vow,” and Sherlock having just murdered a person in full view of the police. And while that’s more or less swept under the rug, the nagging question is what the deceased Moriarty (who has, let me remind everyone, been dead since “The Reichenbach Fall” which ended series 2 in G-D 2012!) has in store for Sherlock in the weeks to come. That will surely be addressed in the third episode, “The Final Problem,” the actual Doyle story in which all the Reichenbach Falls story points happen.

Boy, lotta preamble. So let’s dive in. What I think a lot of people disliked about series 3 of Sherlock is that it sort of believed its own hype, got high on its own supply, and got much more into character drama–which fans love–without attaching it firmly to a Doyle plot. “The Six Thatchers” returns much more to that original style of storytelling, with writer and co-creator Mark Gatiss (who also plays Mycroft, of course) mixing together some lesser but still fantastic source material, “The Adventure of the Six Napoleons,” “The Sign of Four,” and some Holmeseian ephemera like Sherlock’s answer to the Kobayashi Maru test, “The Giant Rat of Sumatra.”

Gatiss packs in the plot, and in the show’s great tradition, uses disparate mysteries to connect to our main thread, but never really giving away which way we’re going. We’ve got several red herrings in this episode: first, the boy in “Tibet” dying while hiding in his car in his parents’ driveway; next, the idea that the breaking-and-entering simply to smash busts of Margaret Thatcher would have something to do with Moriarty; and failing that, the notion–which is actually the MacGuffin in “The Adventure of the Six Napoleons”–that the treasure inside the final bust was to be the valuable Black Pearl of the Borgias which Mycroft kept wanting Sherlock to find. All of these were to throw Mr. Holmes (and us) off the scent we couldn’t possibly have expected–that this episode would again tie to Mary’s past as a freelance assassin.

It’s long been reported that series 4 of Sherlock would more or less–save the odd TV movie or special–be the end of the show, owing to its stars Cumberbatch and Freeman becoming huge Hollywood names, both appearing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as of this year. It very much seems to be heading that way, both for the season ending with the ominously titled “The Final Problem” and also what happens in this episode.

AGAIN A SPOILER WARNING

If we’d been paying attention, “The Six Thatchers” was actually about the marriage and new parenthood of the Watsons, and the lies they told each other. Mary, while telling John of her assassinhood, didn’t explain the full meaning behind the thumb drive on which was written A.G.R.A.–in the last episode, it was just meant to be Mary’s real initials, but in actuality, it’s the initials of Mary (aka Rosamund) and her three compatriots. While this seems to again be a pretty one-sided case of Mary lying and John finding out about it, we learn that John has been carrying on some kind of relationship with a Scottish woman he met on the bus. Parenthood changes a relationship, and John Watson wouldn’t be the first husband/father to have a wandering eye, but we always expect John to be better; even Mary near the end calls him perfect, which eats at him.

Easily the biggest shock of the episode is the death of Mary, saving Sherlock from a bullet fired by the found-out MI-6 secretary and secret-seller, Vivian Norbury. I truly did not expect that to happen, not least because it seems quite cheap to kill off a love interest–and new mother–not long after introducing her. But the death of Mary will add some huge dynamic shifts between Sherlock and John, with Sherlock feeling guilty–enough to talk to a therapist!– not keeping his vow to protect the Watsons, and John wracked with guilt over his affair, such as it was. Naturally they won’t be estranged for long, because there’s an episode next week, but things are not fun and frivolity the way they usually are.

I’m fairly gutted at losing Mary, but again, if this is indeed the end of the show, upping the ante all the way around is a good dramatic turn.

Glad to see Sherlock mixing character and mystery together again so well.

4 out of 5 sleuthing burritos

Case Notes:

– The episode was directed by Rachel Talalay, who has quickly become the best director on TV in her already long and accomplished career. Following four buh-rilliant efforts on Doctor Who, a couple on The Flash, and turns for both Supergirl and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, she’s cemented herself as one of the best eyes in TV drama.

– The actor who played jaded assassin AJ is Sacha Dhawan. He’s one of the standouts in the episode for sure, and should be familiar to anyone who’s watched things written by Gatiss before, having appeared in both the Doctor Who docudrama An Adventure in Space and Time and the 2013 Ghost Story for Christmas, “The Tractate Middoth,” both also directed by Gatiss.

– “Sherrinford,” which Mycroft calls about after seeing the message “13th” on his fridge, HAS to be “the other one,” meaning the third Holmes brother. I refuse to believe it isn’t. Maybe it’s to do with Moriarty, but I sort of doubt it. But I’ve been wrong in the past.

What were your favorite parts of the episode? Do you think Sherlock REALLY didn’t know who Margaret Thatcher was? Let us know in the comments below!

Images: BBC/PBS

Kyle Anderson is the Associate Editor for Nerdist and an amateur sleuth of Encyclopedia Brown proportions. Follow him on Twitter!

Listen to what Gatiss told us about “the other one” in this video from Conival!

New High-End James Bond Figures Are Licensed to Bill (Your Account)

As both the longest-running action film franchise of the modern era and a series known for  product placement, the James Bond movies have had a surprising lack of toys overall. Exclusive Premiere Toys and Sideshow have both had a go, but it’s been over a decade–time enough for a new generation of collectors to want figures that are up to current standards. To that end, Big Chief Studios, who currently handle the 12-inch Sherlock and Doctor Who licenses, are making it a happy new year for those of us who do enjoy a little Bond-ing.

Big Chief’s first series will go up for preorder in February, and focus on Goldfinger, the third film in the EON series, and the one that really established a formula for what followed: archvillain with nukes, super-henchman, evil girlfriend swayed by Bond’s charm, hi-tech gadgets, and wonderfully awful one-liners. Here we see three of the principals: Bond, Goldfinger, and Oddjob, all with authentic likenesses. It’s not just the face sculpts that are impressive; rather, the fact that each man’s distinct body type is represented indicates that no expense was spared. Now, where’s Ms. Galore to complete the set? Was her first name too much of a marketing problem?

If all goes well this time, I really hope they’ll mine some of the less-popular Bond films that haven’t been touched on. I mean, we all know A View to a Kill isn’t the greatest (though its theme song is!), but figures of Christopher Walken as Max Zorin and Grace Jones as May Day would rule. Oh, and Bond in clown disguise from Octopussy too, please.

Check out better looks at the first three figures below, then tell us in comments who you’d like to see join the lineup!

Images: Big Chief Studios