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Old 04-28-2008, 02:13 PM
  #16
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I know that The Return of Jezebel James is dead and buried but I found this article which also had a bit about the new Tina Fey movie which is very similar.

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An Incubator with TiVo

Can two single sisters share a womb without driving each other crazy?

As I was watched two episodes of Amy Sherman-Palladino’s new sitcom, The Return of Jezebel James, just one line made me laugh aloud. Not a grand beginning for a comedy, especially since the line was not intended to be funny. Children’s book editor Sarah (Parker Posey) has just taken her lover, Marcus (Scott Cohen), to her apartment for the first time. Impressed by the loft’s endless square footage, expansive terrace, and sparking skyline views, he asks, “How can you afford all this? Are you pole-dancing on the side?” Sarah cheerfully responds, “It’s Brooklyn, baby!”
cover art

Ha, riiight. Clearly the writers haven’t checked the real estate market in Brooklyn in the last five years, where the going rate for palatial lofts (even fixer-uppers) is about a bijillion dollars. But if sitcoms aren’t required to be realistic, they should be funny. Most of the jokes in this one fizzle and evaporate, as much as the tired laugh track tries to convince us otherwise.

To start, the show’s premise—infertility—isn’t exactly a knee-slapper. After 30something career gal Sarah learns she can’t conceive, she asks her estranged sister, Coco (Lauren Ambrose), to carry a child for her. In contrast to Sarah, the younger Coco is broke, without direction, and crashing at a friend’s cramped and grungy apartment. Sarah insists Coco will “enjoy” the surrogacy experience, as well as the lavish compensation she can provide: cash, a guest bedroom with a private bathroom and a walk-in closet, maid service… “[You think I’ll] enjoy being knocked up with your baby, like I’m an incubator?!” Coco explodes. “An incubator with TiVo,” Sarah corrects.

Groan-worthy one-liners like these make Sarah—allegedly desperate to have children—seem glib at best, unsympathetic at worst. By centering their show on a surrogacy arrangement, Sherman-Palladino and co. may be attempting to put a “fresh” or “relevant” spin on what’s essentially an Odd Couple-type pairing. But this is dicey subject matter (especially for those viewers who have struggled to become pregnant or know someone who has), and at times the tone seems blasé, even offensive.

Consider the money. The pilot episode makes clear that Coco agrees to the arrangement not only out of sympathy and love for her sister, but also to escape her own dire financial straits. When Sarah and Coco hammer out the legal details of their arrangement in a later episode, the exact fee is not specified. Since Sarah insists on dropping $5,000 alone on Coco’s maternity clothes, we can assume the sisters are discussing a serious chunk of change. The compensation comes at a price, however. According to the contract, Coco would be legally obligated to follow the medical guidelines set for expecting mothers: no heavy lifting, no nitrate-laced foods, no unprotected sex “with losers.”

The arrangement points out the disparity between the sisters’ means and the options that wealth affords. Sarah believes surrogacy is “like a job,” but under terms of this employment, she is angling to be the boss of Coco’s body. If their roles were reversed (i.e., if the cash-strapped Coco were the one having trouble conceiving), she would have far fewer avenues to pursue than her sister does.

After she learns about the contractual restrictions, Coco bristles and soon the negotiation devolves into bickering and petty name-calling. The show frames their fight as a matter of mere sibling dysfunction, but this scene introduces some sticky questions about class dynamics and reproductive freedom before summarily dismissing them with jokes. An hour-long dramatic format may have served this fraught material better. Or maybe a feature-length movie: in April, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will tackle a similar theme in their upcoming movie, Baby Mama. Perhaps they’ve figured out a way to make it funny.
The Return of Jezebel James: Series Premiere - PopMatters Television Review
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Old 04-29-2008, 10:13 AM
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Bringing this over from the Reality thread. Thanks to Fuzzy

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Originally Posted by FuzzyCerts (View Post)
Has this already been posted ??

Eonline

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Casting sources connected to some other show (does it really matter which one?) have informed me that Scott Patterson is now being classified as "available for a new project next season."
Thank god that found an end
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Old 04-29-2008, 10:21 AM
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cool thanks! im not going to get too excited until i find out what this new project is
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Old 04-29-2008, 05:30 PM
  #19
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Thanks for that Capp!

I was reading an article about the CW earlier... it was kind of interesting. If I can find it, I will link it.
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Old 04-30-2008, 10:11 AM
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Originally Posted by agiepagie07 (View Post)
cool thanks! im not going to get too excited until i find out what this new project is
Hopefully something where he can bring back the stubble
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Old 04-30-2008, 11:09 AM
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omg yes!!!
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Old 04-30-2008, 01:45 PM
  #22
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I like Aliens but wouldn't mind Scott in something other than a sitcom.
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Old 05-01-2008, 06:06 AM
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A new Traveling Pants 2 trailer (thanks to Nadine):

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 trailers and video clips on Yahoo! Movies
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Old 05-01-2008, 08:44 AM
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Thanks I can't wait for it
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Old 05-01-2008, 03:09 PM
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AA

Quote:
Question: Has there been any news from Amy Sherman-Palladino about the Gilmore Girls TV-movie? — Tammy

Ausiello: No, but here's something fun: One of my Broadway spies spotted Team Palladino in the audience at Xanadu last Saturday night. Amy and Dan apparently loved the show so much that they bid $300 for a Xanadu teddy bear at a charity auction immediately following the performance — and they didn't even take the prize! And before you ask, yes, Amy was wearing one of her ginormous Dr. Seuss hats.
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Old 05-01-2008, 05:29 PM
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Thanks for the latest, guys!
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Old 05-01-2008, 08:59 PM
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Anita thanks for the AA "ginormous Dr. Seuss hats" And no picture, damn shame.

Last edited by lancer1993; 05-01-2008 at 09:20 PM
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Old 05-05-2008, 05:52 PM
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I know most of you know, but there is a 'musical' GG card at Hallmark for Mother's Day, but yet it's not on the first page. It's a Lorelai/Rory quote, but for the life of me, I can't figure out the episode!!!
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Old 05-05-2008, 06:52 PM
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Originally Posted by Gymtig (View Post)
I know most of you know, but there is a 'musical' GG card at Hallmark for Mother's Day, but yet it's not on the first page. It's a Lorelai/Rory quote, but for the life of me, I can't figure out the episode!!!
What's the quote?
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Old 05-06-2008, 02:42 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gymtig (View Post)
I know most of you know, but there is a 'musical' GG card at Hallmark for Mother's Day, but yet it's not on the first page. It's a Lorelai/Rory quote, but for the life of me, I can't figure out the episode!!!
OMG are you serious? Thats so cool! Whats the quote? I'm sure us freak obsessed GG fans can figure out which episode it's from.
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