DirectTV adds 'Hit and Miss' with Chloe Sevigny to its slate

DirectTV's Audience Network continues to build its slate, serving as U.S. broadcaster of the new British series "Hit and Miss."

"Hit and Miss" stars Chloe Sevigny ("Big Love," "Boys Don’t Cry") as a contract assassin who also happens to be a pre-op transsexual. Making for a more chaotic life, she learns she fathered a son more than a decade ago. Such a concept could only come from Emmy winner Paul Abbott, the man behind the unconventional family of "Shameless."

Audience Network might mostly be known as a destination for struggling acquired series. It rescued NBC's "Friday Night Lights," airing first-run episodes of the series after its second season, and taking on FX's "Damages" as it entered its fourth season. But "Hit and Miss" marks yet another original series picked up by DirectTV that was produced in another country -- others include Canadian entries "Call Me Fitz" and "Less Than Kind" and past series "Rake" and "Underbelly" from Australia

"Hit and Miss" is set to first air in Britain on Sky Atlantic in January and to kick off its DirecTV run the following month.

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-- Yvonne Villarreal
Twitter.com/villarrealy

Photo: Chloe Sevigny in Beverly Hills on Jan. 11. Credit: Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times

Is TV getting so complicated we need CliffsNotes to keep up?

If you've spent any time with "Damages," a legal thriller so complicated it defies a thumbnail description, you might've wished you had someone feeding you background so you could sort out its frequent flashbacks, double crosses, and ripped-from-the-headlines plots.

And if you haven't seen it yet but might want to jump into its tangled web, you could surely use a primer on its antihero Patty Hewes and her morally suspect minions.

Done and done!

DirecTV has started airing episodes of "Damages" with info bites that appear at the bottom of the screen to give viewers a primer of sorts on the layered drama. The enhanced episodes, on the satellite service's 101 Network, mean to bring the audience up to speed and nurture it along as the twisty storylines of the Emmy-winning series unfold.

ABC pioneered the on-screen tactic -- which works like a cross between "Pop-Up Video" and CliffsNotes -- with "Lost," and now other networks are putting it to use for sophisticated dramas that can be tough to follow.

This may be just the beginning of the trend. Networks, cable channels and premium services are experimenting with on- and off-screen tactics intended to grab viewers and keep them coming back. Given the fierce competition for eyeballs and the sky-high cost of TV production, expect to see everything from tickers on the bottom third of the screen to live question-and-answer sessions via Twitter.

Read more about networks' efforts to pull entertainment fans away from their iPads and back to the TV screen.

-- T.L. Stanley

2010 TV Characters We Lost: We'll Miss You

 

It proved impossible to rank the beloved characters that died on TV this year, so we are respectfully listing them in alphabetical order.

Amy (Emma Bell on "The Walking Dead"). Didn't you scream "Nooooo!" at the TV. We did.

David Hale (Taylor Sheridan on "Sons of Anarchy") Uh. That came out of nowhere.

Ida (Randee Heller on "Mad Men"). Bert Cooper said it best: "She was born in 1898 in a barn. She died on the 37th floor of a skyscraper. She was an astronaut." No one answered a phone quite like Miss Blankenship. 

Jin (Daniel Dae Kim on "Lost"). The most heart-breaking death on "Lost" of the year. Ultimate sacrifice.

Marlene (Phyllis Sommerville on "The Big C"). We were so upset when the show went there, but we understood the move later. Still, we will miss her very much.

Renee (Annie Wersching on "24"). Jack Bauer finally gets to have sex and minutes later his girlfriend is shot by a sniper. Man, it sucks to be Jack.

Sayid (Naveen Andrews on "Lost"). Another self-sacrificing moment but the romantic hero went out in a big way.

Sun (Yunjin Kim on "Lost"). Watching her drown with her husband still brings tears to our eyes.

Talbot (Theo Alexander on "True Blood"). Russell mourning Talbot is almost as sad as watching Talbot die. We liked that sexy vampire very much.

Tom (Tate Donovan on "Damages"). We knew that mess would not end well but we're sad you're gone.

Honorable Mention: He was, unfortunately, not a fictional character but we need to salute Capt. Phil Harris who died while filming "Deadliest Catch." We really miss you.

-- Maria Elena Fernandez and Yvonne Villarreal

Twitter.com/writerchica

Twitter.com/villarrealy

Video: The tragic "Lost" scene in which Jin and Sun died together. Credit: YouTube

TCA Press Tour: Critical acclaim doesn't always bring Emmy love for FX shows

FX's popular "Sons of  Anarchy," "Rescue Me" and "Justified" rank among the most acclaimed shows by TV critics as well as viewers. But the edgy dramas were snubbed by Emmy voters, who declined to give the show any nominations.

"The Emmys live in their own separate universe," said FX President and General Manager John Landgraf. Even though he noted that those shows, which all fall within the FX brand of edgy, raw material,  all received "universal acclam," he noted that "Damages" was the only FX series to receive any marquee nominations from Emmy voters.

Landgraf said that while "Damages" takes place in the world of upper-class Manhattan and involves mostly wealthy characters, "we have a tendency to do the literature of the common man or the common woman. Nobody is going to get any lessons on personal grooming from 'Sons of Anarchy.' But it's literature, and it's entertaining. And we have had great fortune and great success with that."

While the cable network established itself with hard-edged dramas such as "The Shield" and "Rescue Me," FX is developing more comedies. "Louie," the sitcom starring Louis C.K. which premiered five weeks ago, has been renewed for a second season, and it has ordered a new comedy pilot, "USS Alabama" from "Reno 911" producers Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon.

--- Greg Braxton

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FX's 'Damages' rescued by DirectTV [Update]

Saved by the satellite provider?

DirecTV is quickly becoming TV’s saving grace, rescuing yet another series from a premature death. 

The satellite provider is teaming up with “Damages” producer Sony Pictures Television to bring back the Glenn Close legal drama with an order for 20 new episodes--two seasons consisting of 10 episodes--to be produced early next year; they will air on DirecTV’s 101 network.

The deal comes after months of negotiations. Producing the struggling show was reportedly too expensive for FX.

“We’re excited to partner with Sony Pictures Television as we breathe new life into this outstanding drama,” Patty Ishimoto, general manager of The 101 Network and vice president of entertainment for DirecTV, said in a statement.  “It’s a win for our customers because only they will be able to see these new episodes and another great step forward for DirecTV as we continue to build our growing portfolio of exclusive, award-winning programming.”

The partnership is unlike DirecTV’s current deal for "Friday Night Lights," in which the episodes first air on DirecTV and then are broadcast on NBC. New episodes of “Damages” will air only on DirecTV. The satellite operator has also acquired the rights to the show’s first three seasons, which appeared on FX.

[Update 4:26 p.m.: In a statement, John Langraf, president and general manager of FX Networks, who also heads FX Productions, had this to say: “FX was very proud to have developed one of the best scripted series on television, but in order to have a future, the show needed DIRECTV and we are thrilled they stepped in.... Sony Pictures Television is a great production partner and we at FX Productions are excited for these next two seasons.”]

--Yvonne Villarreal

Photo: Glenn Close as stars as Patty Hewes. Credit: FX

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'Damages' finale: Patty stands alone

In the season (and possibly the series) finale, “Damages” does a good job of wrapping up the season and other open questions from the series itself. There were parts that made me feel the producers had made some cheap teases throughout the season that ended up being throwaway details in the finale. If the series does get picked up, I hope the producers try to keep their flash forwards relevant to the mysteries at hand. After all, they don’t want to lose those of us who have been willing to play along this long. As a whole, though, the episode was a good one.

Joe in the bathroom with the toilet
We’d known Tom was dying since the first episode, and still we had no clue how. Now we know he fights to his last breath. I’m interested to hear what you think of his demise. Though I felt he fought valiantly, at the same time, he went against Patty’s orders to abort mission and deceived Ellen about it. In the end, Joe Tobin reached him and drowned him in, of all places, the toilet bowl. How terrible was the sight of Tom’s body sticking out of a toilet bowl? Is that where you end up if you don’t listen to Patty?

Lenny is off to con another day
Leonard Winstone, as we noticed last week, has an interesting code of ethics. First, he saved Tom’s life (and gave him a fighting chance) from Zedeck’s henchman. Then, after apparently being strangled to death, he coughs back to life and into the protective arms of the hobo. We last see him boarding a plane, no doubt embarking on yet another new life and identity.  Do you think by trying to save Tom’s life and turning the evidence in on the Tobins that he earned his free pass?

'Damages': Whom can you trust?

After watching Monday's “Damages,” I’m fairly certain the only thing we know for sure is that no one is who they say they are.

For those of us who thought this season took a horrible dip in the drama department and pace, this week and last week’s episodes should have put a smile on our faces. The season’s speed has apparently picked up, and now it’s careening toward its gory end.

In this episode, we saw the mask fall on several characters, which set us up for a very intriguing finale as Patty sets out to destroy the Tobins’ inner circle.

Leonard 'Wiggins' out
Isn’t it peculiar to find that Leonard, the strangest one of the Tobin team, may actually be the one with a moral center? I wrote that and instantly I knew I’d probably be taking it back next week. For now, humor me.

Joe has gone off the deep end, inadvertently had his own daughter killed and showed his most major feat of stupidity in telling Mr. Zedeck that he was no longer calling the shots. Marilyn allowed Joe to kill her granddaughter. Carol killed Danielle Marchetti and then went off the deep end. And Louis, well, he created this entire mess. So, a couple weeks ago when I was sure Leonard would get rid of his extorting father, he decided to pay him off.

'Damages': When family is relative

This week’s “Damages” toyed with the idea of family. First, how does one define family? Then, who belongs to that group and who doesn’t?

Ellen gets disowned
When we last left Ellen, she was on her way to discover the woman from her dreams, Annie. In this episode, she finds her. I think she was going there fully expecting the woman to be her real mother. That would then explain why Ellen felt so different from the family she had always known. In the end, she found out that Annie wasn’t her true mother. Instead, she discovered that her mother had almost given her away when times were rough at home. I’m not sure what’s worse. I couldn’t quite tell what her emotional response was. Was she disappointed that Annie wasn’t her mother or relieved? Was she hurt that her mother tried to give her away or happy that her mother changed her mind? What do you think?

'Damages': Will DirecTV save the struggling show?

Talk of “Damages’” imminent cancellation started all the way back with this season’s premiere, which only averaged 1.43 million viewers. The ratings that followed continued to be disappointing, with the show averaging less than a million viewers. But has Sony, the company that produces "Damages," found a lifeline for the struggling show?

According to Entertainment Weekly, Sony has approached DirecTV to partner with them on a fourth season. The arrangement would be similar to the NBC / DirecTV deal that saved “Friday Night Lights.”

Reportedly, producing “Damages” is just too expensive to shoulder alone with such low viewership. If the satellite TV provider assumes some of the cost of producing the show, DirecTV’s 101 Network would air the episodes first, then they would run on FX.

'Damages': Knee deep in this mess

If you’re one of those “Damages” fans who dislikes the nonlinear format and flash-forwards, this was the episode for you. I don’t believe there were any in this episode. I’m sure you’ll correct me if I’m wrong.

I have to say that I agree with some of your comments regarding the quality of this season’s storylines. The writing has been uneven and the storylines lack the dynamics of previous seasons. I fear that with only three episodes left and the possibility that this may be the last season of “Damages” due to low ratings, we’re trading all of this character development for a rushed solution of the Tobin case and the series that we’ve all become addicted to since Season 1. I should have more faith, right?

In this episode, many of the characters realize it’s time to pay up for past wrongs – not necessarily their own but also for those of the people close to them.

'Damages': It's all about Patty

This week’s "Damages" emphasized something we’ve known since Season 1. It’s all about Patty Hewes.

All Patty’s talk about redesigning her home and the decision being a big one couldn’t have been more obviously significant.

There’s no way that even the most casual of viewers could have missed the lingering shots of the small scratch Patty made when she threw a bowl at the wall and then the hole she broke open trying to figure out what lay behind it. Has even Patty realized that the wall she has built around her may have chased everyone she loves away? Does the dream of her desired horse sitting on the other side of that wall mean there’s a deeper need in Patty to find another version of herself?

By the way, those lingering shots on the wall are courtesy of Tate Donovan, who stepped away from Tom Shayes a bit to direct this episode.

Michael Hewes climbs the wall
Patty’s son, Michael, is turning out to be just like his mother: Manipulative. After all, very few people can get away with tricking Patty into believing a lie. And in the last episode, it was clear that Patty had figured out his deception.

'Damages': If Patty offers you a carrot

In this week’s “Damages,” everyone is on the lookout for Carol Tobin, who has disappeared for several days. Patty Hewes’ ability to sniff out a lie from miles away doesn’t work on her own son. And Tom Shayes and Ellen Parsons continue to strengthen their bond as they work to solve the Tobin case together.

On the hunt for Danielle's killer
Everyone is pretty much in the know that Carol killed Danielle Marchetti. This week, though, we find out what happened. Joe orchestrated the whole thing, playing on Carol’s hatred of Danielle. His motive, of course, was to keep Danielle from spilling what she knew.

I was surprised that the Tobins found her before Tom and Ellen. They were definitely hot on the trail. Yet even though they didn’t find Carol first, they came across another discovery that’s just as good.

The homeless man tipped Tom off that the person who threw Tobin’s boots and the phone in the dumpster has just reappeared. It’s Leonard Winstone. Tom doesn’t know it yet, but that clue allowed us (and the show’s producers) to open the door further into Tom’s death.

We now know that three months into the future, and right before his death, Tom and Leonard were working together. It was Leonard who gave Tom the bag of money (which is later found in Tom’s car after his death). The exchange didn’t seem friendly and Leonard was clearly unhappy about doing it. Has Tom figured out that Leonard Winstone was covering up whatever went down on Thanksgiving and blackmailed him?