Guest Post: Piper Perabo in New TV Series COVERT AFFAIRS Plays a Realistic CIA Field Agent

In the new drama series “Covert Affairs” on USA Network, Piper Perabo stars as Annie Walker, a 28-year-old CIA trainee yanked from her training at “The Farm” for a critical mission in D.C. and then kept at CIA headquarters rather than finishing her training.

What makes this spy thriller believable (as a TV drama) starting with the first episode is the scene in which Annie is hauled in to speak with a trainer and she believes she is about to be cut from training.

She blabbers that she’ll take retake the exercise.  She asks if it was the driving course or the deception training.

The reply is that she was better on the driving course than any woman they’ve ever had and better on the deception training than anyone in a decade.

Then she is told she is being yanked from training to immediately report to Langley – CIA headquarters.

And, yes, she does silly newcomer things and is then introduced to her new secret world by Auggie Anderson (played by Christopher Gorham), a Langley analyst blinded on a special ops mission.  (His computer has a Braille keyboard.)

What I like best about this new series is that it is relatively realistic.  Perabo is not Angelina Jolie in the new movie “Salt,” a CIA operative who functions more like Spider Man than a real CIA field operative.

Perabo’s Annie Walker is an active field agent but she doesn’t do any superhuman feats.

What’s more, during her polygraph exam in the first episode it is established that she speaks six languages.  (Thanks to having traveled around the world in search of herself.)  And this language ability is integrally woven into the episodes.

Although “Covert Affairs” takes the usual TV dramatic license with the realities of jurisdiction between the CIA, the FBI and local police, it does provide an interesting insider’s look into CIA covert operations.

I highly recommend this show for its entertaining plots and for its realistic portrayal of a female action heroine.  And the show rightly takes its place alongside a sister show on USA Network that I also highly recommend – “Burn Notice” – in which a female operative is also realistically portrayed.

Learn more at www.usanetwork.com/series/covertaffairs/

Phyllis Zimbler Miller writes about social media and military-related topics.  She is the author of the novel Mrs. Lieutenant and co-author of two other books.  Read her blog at Miller Mosaic Power Marketing.

The Legacy of Moonlighting

This guest post is brought to you by Susanna Carr. To learn more about Susan, see the end of this post and the guest blogger section of our web page.

My favorite TV shows right now are Castle and Bones. This is no surprise since I grew up watching Remington Steele and the occasional Moonlighting. I like shows about a mismatched pair falling in love while solving crimes. I especially enjoy the show when the characters grow as the partnership goes through the ups and downs.

What I don't like is the push together-pull away scenario. For example, it really gets on my nerves when the detectives are about to kiss and are interrupted by an urgent phone call. Or when they are about to confess how they feel and a long-lost lover walks in. Once is fine. Three hundred times, not so much.

Every writer, producer and actor claims that the push-pull is an important element in these stories. They are quick to point out the mistake Moonlighting made when the main characters fell in bed together. They claim that the ratings plummeted once the relationship was consummated. That may be true, but they forget one thing: the entire relationship between Maddie and David in Moonlighting was based on sexual tension.

I like the flirtation between Rick and Kate in Castle. The push-pull was entirely appropriate during the first season when the characters were getting to know one another. But the relationship has to evolve more in Season 3 or it will be stunted. They shouldn't drop and pick up a budding relationship, which happened in "The Late Shaft" (season 2, episode 20). This would have been a great time for Kate to get a little jealous, but she seemed more amused than threatened of Rick's fling.

Bones, on the other hand, is going to start its sixth season and there shouldn't be any push-pull or the travesty that was "The End in the Beginning" (Season 4, episode 25) where the characters are suddenly a married couple in a coma-induced dream. The let's-put-the-main-characters-in-bed-together-without-really-putting-them-in-bed-together set-up was disrespectful of the viewers who are loyal to the show and are invested in the storyline.

I don't watch Bones for the mysteries. The crime-solving is just an excuse for the characters to interact. The main characters, Booth and Bones, are the center of this ensemble, and they had a great chance to take the characterization to the next level at the 100th episode (Season 5, episode 16). But they pulled back too far. In fact, they made a complete mess out of it. They hurt a central relationship and they made Brennan's character too dismissive of Booth's feelings. The show is going to lose its core audience if it doesn't make some adjustments.

When are the creators going to learn that push-and-pull is a storytelling device and not the basis for a relationship? Enough of bringing in other love interests, tragic pasts that have already been laid to rest, or distractions. The creators have missed so many opportunities because they are worried it will be another Moonlighting. It's not going to happen and this is why: the relationship between Booth and Brennan is not just about the sexual tension. If they just went out on a date it would be funny, sad, sexy and tense! It would be good and bad. It would be emotional. These characters are so solid that the interaction would entertain and engage the audience.

So to the creators, producers and writers of Bones and Castle: Take a few risks and stop basing your romantic storyline on an 80's TV show. It’s time to move on and create a legacy or your television series will become a cautionary tale.

 Bio: Susanna Carr is a bestselling author of sexy contemporary romance. Her teen years were heavily influenced by Remington Steele, Scarecrow & Mrs. King, and the occasional episode of Moonlighting. Visit her website at www.susannacarr.com

I'm Looking for Guest Bloggers

I'm currently looking for new guest bloggers to add some new perspective to this blog. Your entry could be a review, a news item, or a feature on why you love a Television show. If your interested in this shoot me an e-mail (or use the contact form below) pitching your idea as well as a link to your blog.

Also, new for this fall, I'm looking for people to be regular posters about specific TV shows I don't currently cover. If you interested in this, please send me an e-mail (or use the contact form), telling me what show you'd like to cover and why, as well as a link to your current job. From then we'll talk what your responsibilities are and I'll probably want to see a sample blog before you start.

Unfortunately, I can't pay for either positions because this blog doesn't make any money. If we do start to make money, I will determine then how to share the wealth with my guest bloggers.

You will, however, get your name, a picture (if you want) and a link to your blog permanently in the guest blogging section!

Happy Blogging!

Lazy Sunday

How has everybody's weekend been?

Mine's been alright. I haven't done much TV watching (half an episode of Secret life, some of my Life As Liz--I know. I'm pathetic). I've been watching movies instead, including Star Trek and The Hurt Locker.

Coming up this week I've got a myriad of guest posts I have to write, and a couple of upcoming blog posts on this blog.

Shows I plan on watching this week:

HIMYM
My Life As Liz
Parenthood
The Office

And I'm sure I'll hit something up on the web since I'm off all week for spring break. What show are you looking forward to this week? (Comment here and check out my poll!)

Edit: Can't believe I didn't mention it, but who's watching the Oscars tonight?

Just a few things....

I'm featured on Blabbergirl's blog! Go check it out at Blabbergirl Blog.

In other news, not quite so sure if I'm keeping this blog design or redoing it. This is pretty much the first layout I had. I feel it's kind of better then what I had before, but I'll probably still do some messing around with it until I'm completely happy.

What did you guys think of the Office? I was kind of distracted and talking through a lot of it, so I'll be giving it another view once its online.

Lost: Sundown Episode

Paula, once again, with her recap from the most recent episode of Lost:
     More flash sideways in this episode, I love these the most. In this episode Sayid walks into a house with Nadia and two children, thinking this is his family. (Nadia is the love of his life that was killed after they were rescued.) But she is married to Sayid’s brother. Sayid has just come back from Australia.
     Omar, Sayid’s brother, gets beaten up by some shady characters he had borrowed money from. Nadia pleads with Sayid not to do anything. (Sayid used to torture people in Iraq.) They force Sayid into a restaurant, not a good idea, and he ends up killing them all. Sayid can be one heck of a killing machine although he is trying to put that all behind him. Sayid then opens a freezer to find none other than Jin all tied up. Here they do not know each other and Jin can’t speak English. (He had learned on the island.) So now how is Jin tied into all this? He did work for Sun’s father before, a cold calculating Mafia figure.
    Meanwhile, back on the island, Claire is totally someone else, looking for Aaron her son. She is not that sweet girl anymore. Jin told her last week Kate took him off the island three years ago. John Locke, AKA smoke monster, tells Claire to go to the Temple and give them a message and she ends up in pit. In return Locke will help her get Aaron back.
    Kate goes back to the temple and tells Claire she took Aaron three years ago also. She looks very shocked like everyone is betraying her. Kate’s goal in going back to the island is to find Claire, bring her back to be with her son, who Kate left with Claire’s mom. And don’t forget Jack and Claire are brother and sister. (I think Sawyer had a little to do with Kate going back, too.) Where did Claire go when she wondered into the jungle? The smoke monster looks like her new best friend.
Dogen, the Temple leader, sends Sayid out to kill Locke after they have a cool fight. Sayid finds Locke, stabs him in the chest with a huge dagger. Locke pulls out the dagger and says “What did you do that for?” Priceless. Did you see the look on Sayid’s face? That is twice now Dogen has tried to kill Sayid. Locke sends Sayid back to the Temple with a message for the Others to follow him or die. Locke keeps his word and wipes out everyone who is not with him.
    Sayid, Claire, and Kate join Locke and the Others who left the Temple; Locke has now assembled his team. What is his real goal? Everyone keeps saying Locke will kill you. But he didn’t kill Sayid or Sawyer. Now Sawyer wasn’t in this episode. Jacob had gathered all these people together from Oceanic Flight 815 as candidates to take over as protector of the island for him one day. Locke has killed Jacob so he definitely has a plan of some kind.
    And I can’t wait for Sun to catch up with Jin on the island. They fell back in love on the island before and she had a child. I want them all to be one big happy family. And I want to see Sawyer next week; he is my favorite, the underdog. I think he would be perfect with Kate, although they are both very strong willed.

American Idol (The Boyz)

Another post from Paula guys! Enjoy:

March 2
     So it was the boys turn tonight. The girls are much better this year. Overall I thought the performances were pretty sad, there were a couple that shined, but most not hitting the mark. Casey is my favorite and with that eclectic guitar he was awesome.
    John Parks gave a depressing performance. I don’t know what’s up with his song choices? If he if there next week I hope he sings something upbeat. Alex Lambert, not Adam’s brother, says he is so nervous he throws up before each performance. (I don’t think I would share that.) The judges and I thought he did improve greatly from last week though.
   Patrick Hall, the dancer, did a Tina Turner song, so they won’t compare him to the original artist, he says. Well, not a chance of that. He has a knack for rearranging a song so much it is unrecognizable. (Like butchering it.) He can sing really well but just sing the song. Michael Lynche is a good singer, but I think he is getting a little too cocky and sure of his self. He is not that good.
    Aaron Kelly is only sixteen and that boy can sing. He has a lot of nerves also, but I give credit for anyone with the courage to go through that whole process of Hollywood week and the critiquing every week. Tim Urban was just plain boring. Dweezle, that’s what I call him, is another favorite. He has that raspy rock voice. I love to hear him sing. And even Simon liked him.
    So, how do you think Ellen is doing as a judge? At first I was wondering why she was chosen as a judge with no musical background other than listening to it. She does dance a little on her talk show. But she does bring an interesting change of pace with her comments and comedy, filling the nice shoes of Paula Abdul.

Sorry About Lack of Posts

It's been a busy week and I haven't felt that great as of lately so I'm sorry I've been pretty absent as of lately. I haven't been very inspired as of lately because of the Olympics taking up much of my television time. I'll probably be watching some of that tonight, as it's the last night I'll probably be in to see some of it. Maybe I'll also watch some of the movie Lost in Translation, and maybe even some of the Secret Life of An American Teenager (I watched another episode last night as I got continually angry at my lack of an internet connection).

Please check out my new poll! And my next post here will probably be about one of my upcoming guest blog I'll be doing!