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Coming this fall to a TV near you (maybe): bionic women, hot nurses and Lena HeadeyNext week, the networks are expected to announce their fall lineups to advertisers at the annual upfronts, and leading up to the upfronts is the inevitable speculation about which pilots are going to make it into prime time. I have no idea which pilots will be picked up, but I can tell you this much: The outlook is poor for lesbians and bisexual women. More on that later, but first, there are a number of pilots that look like they'll include quite interesting women as lead characters. Here are the ones that give me the most lesbianish vibe: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox) — Word is the Fox execs are very happy with this pilot that follows Sarah Connor and her son John from the Terminator movies as she fights to save the world from those evil machines. Even better? Sarah Connor is played by Lena Headey of Imagine Me & You, and Summer Glau (from Joss Whedon's Firefly) plays the role of Cameron, a fellow student at 15-year-old John's high school. The buzz says this is one pilot that will surely be picked up for a series. Here's Headey with Thomas Dekker, who plays John:
Babylon Fields (CBS) — Amber Tamblyn (didn't you love her in Joan of Arcadia?) stars in this comedic drama about a town where the dead are resurrected and resume their former lives. Yeah, sounds weird, but the pilot reportedly turned out well, and you know that supernatural comedic dramas have a much higher chance than any other genre of including queer women!
Them (Fox) — This sci-fi thriller from David Eick (Battlestar Galactica), about a sleeper cell from another world operating in Los Angeles, is generating lots of good buzz. But there's only one thing you need to know about this: Tricia Helfer is in it. Yeah, she plays a woman who is as "seductive as she is free-spirited, using her powerful sexuality to gather information on unsuspecting human males," but whatever. I think "free-spirited" is code for "sweeps-period lesbian threesome." The Bionic Woman (NBC) — Another potential series from David Eick, this reimagining of the 1970s show about the bionic Jaime Sommers stars Michelle Ryan (EastEnders) as the title character. More importantly (for me, anyway), Katee Sackhoff (BSG's Starbuck) has been cast as Sarah, an evil bionic woman who becomes Sommers' nemesis. Count me in! Here's a cute photo of Helfer and Sackhoff together at this year's AFI Awards:
Football Wives (ABC) — This trashy, campy British dramedy is finally making its way over to American shores. There's no guarantee it'll get lesbian on us, but you can all take heart: Lucy Lawless plays the series' ruthless diva, Tanya Austin. Here's a pic of her from the set:
Swingtown (CBS) — This pilot sounds a bit adventurous for procedural-heavy CBS, as it centers on the effect the sexual revolution had on American households in the 1970s ("wife swapping" is often mentioned in press releases about this show). To me, this just sounds like an excuse to exploit sweeps lesbianism throughout the entire season, and I just hope that there's more to Swingtown than swinging. Nurses (Fox) — This one-hour drama about nurses has one thing going for it (at least for lesbian and bi viewers): It stars Eliza Dushku, who played Faith on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the awesome butchy cheerleader in Bring it On.
There are also a few pilots with lesbian or bisexual women as recurring characters, but Sarah will update you about the status of those in her BLWE column on Friday. As you all may recall, now that Laura Innes has left ER, there are no (as in ZERO) lesbian recurring characters on prime time scripted network TV. There will likely be lesbians and bisexual women on reality TV as well as on cable, but we all know where the prestige and the press focuses: scripted prime-time network TV. Not having any lesbians or bisexual women as recurring characters is inexcusable. Shape up, networks! Submitted by on May 7, 2007 - 1:39pm. |
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News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media
Touched By an Angel Zombie Goodness
Still Upset
Is it wrong that I'm still upset about my poor Joan of Arcadia, one minute she's about to battle some evil dude (at least I think that's what they were aiming for) and the next I hear it's being cancled out of the blue. There's been a small piece of my heart that has cbs since. However, they aren't as bad as fox. I didn't even watch a single new series from them this year. Part of that had to do with the fact that none of them caught my interest, the other that Fox pulls shows like its nobodies business. The only show I watched on Fox at all was The OC and that was basically because it showed up on my DVR each week and I sometimes had nothing better to do.
As for the upcoming pilots, I'm hoping Fox can hold on to at least one of the two and Amber Tamblyn must be one forgiving person to go back to them.
Well well well
I certainly am going to watch out for anything undead related, Eliza Related and Lena related. That just... *thud*
I hope Eliza will get her chance at a LASTING tv-series... or at least longer then what she's been doing so far (besides of course Buffy), coz that would mean a weekly fix of Eliza and for me nothing can top that... well okay, a weekly fix of Eliza playing a lesbian character, now THAT wouldn't be able to be topped by anything.
Because Visibility Matters - The AfterEllen.com Fanlisting - http://aefan.alrightstill.net
Mesmerizing - The Lauren Blitzer Fanlisting - http://lbfan.alrightstill.net
Lena and Summer...
My only regret about the possibility of The Sarah Conner Chronicles being picked up is...I'd have to watch it on Fox. They are notorious for canceling shows I love and making shows I hate last forever.
Bionic Women- I hope it get picked up.
I'm split 50/50 on Babylon Fields and Them. I will give them a shot, it will all come down to execution.
hmmmmm
someone has a very definite love for pics of hot women in tank tops, eh?
so...thank you for that!!!
lena headey as sarah connor?!?!?! if they were gonna replace linda hamilton with anyone, that's one i can handle fo sho!
Fox
talk shows
I hope all these ladies get picked up for at least a pilot season. If for no other reason than the talk shows will be hosting them for a round of press.
I love how Eliza was last. I was making myself not scroll past everyone looking for her. Thank you for not dissappointing. I really wish Nurses wasn't going to be on FOX but I guess I'll get over it. I'll give anything Eliza tries out a chance. I'm almost nervous to watch it. I kind of want to wait until it survives a season and then join in for number 2. I don't know why I'm scared of this show... I just am. Okay its the hope. I'm scared of hoping for something good. I don't wanna be disappointed. I suppose as long as I get to see those dimples a few times I don't care what the show is about really. I'm easy when it comes to her.
Finally...
WOW, a show about Nurses... what a relief! Thank goodness for a TV pilot that ISN'T another medical drama (ER, House, Grey's). As much as I may love these shows, doctors dominate most of the storylines, nurses are practically non-existent, and they've inaccurately portrayed the delivery of health care in hospitals. (Note to people in the entertainment biz, I'm available as a nurse consultant, lol)
I'm just wondering about the direction they're planning to take with this. Will the show lean more towards the comedic side like Scrubs has, turn out to be more of a drama, or something in between? Either way I'm interested! (plus Eliza Dushku has her chance to carry her own TV show) Please, FOX... don't ruin an otherwise good idea. And don't give the ax to the shows with actual potential. I'm still trying to remain hopeful here....
The idea of Lena
...on my TV for a regular slot each week has me salivating, the show has great potential and I can't wait to see where they take the storylines. Having an awesome actress in a show will definitely keep me watching even if the writing (and the show's entire premise) stinks...probably why I kept watching Tru Calling for so long! So, given that, it's nice to see Eliza in something that might have a wee bit of originality about it...although I'm hard pressed to see how a show about Nurses could be original, I will hold my opinion until it comes out.
The English version of Footballers Wives is the trashiest camp crap I'm ever seen I and I dont think I'll be watching it despite Lucy's presence, will stick to my Xena DVDs I think!
The networks are notorious
V. Mars and Wonderfalls
Wonderfalls wasn't ever revamped.
And, I think it was Rob Thomas' idea to retool V. Mars for the forth season. He is trying anything to keep the show alive. The network is the one to decide if or what version is to be picked up.
TSCC
Just watched the season premier of The Sarah Conner Chronicles and it looks damn good! It's good to see Summer again and the guy is in heroes as well, in which I loved him. So: good acting, beautiful women and loads and loads of guns.
What more can you ask for?
Who you gonna be if you can't be yourself,
you can't get it from t.v., you can't force it on
anybody else.-- Ani Difranco
;)
Think I know where you found that * wink* and I agree. Though just Lena would have been enough for me to like it already! :) Looking forward to January !
"call me old fashioned but I prefer feminism that leaves a little something to the imagination!"