Blog Entries by Maureen Ryan from 05/2012

Amy Poehler Talks 'Parks And Recreation,' Pawnee, Directing, 'Wet Hot' Reunion, 'You Are Here' And More

Publication 05.02.2012

Amy Poehler, who wrote and directed last week's hilarious debate episode, talks about Leslie's election chances, the show's approach to politics, and whether ascending the Pawnee ladder could change the town's most ambitious parks bureaucrat.

'Spartacus' Season 3 Casting: Three Actresses (And One Whedon Vet) Cast In Starz Drama

Publication 05.02.2012

Three actresses have been cast in the third season of the hit Starz drama "Spartacus," and one of them has a Joss Whedon connection. Anna Hutchiso...

'Sherlock' Season 2: Steven Moffat Talks Sherlock Holmes, Watson And Comparisons To 'Doctor Who'

Publication 05.03.2012

When it comes right down to it, Sherlock Holmes is famous for thinking. He doesn't boast a superhero physique or wield overwhelming firepower. His...

'Doctor Who' Details: Steven Moffat On Amy Pond And Rory Pond's Exit And What's Coming Next

Publication 05.03.2012

Spoilers! River Song hates them, but even "Doctor Who" head honcho Steven Moffat can't resist them now and then. I recently interviewed Moffat to ...

'Avengers' Fans: Thank TV For That Awesome Movie (And What Joss Should Do Next)

| Publication 05.06.2012

For devoted followers of Joss Whedon's TV shows, the success of "The Avengers" is all the more sweet. Everyone who's ever championed Whedon's work probably spent half this weekend saying: "See? I told you he was a frakkin' genius!"

'Game of Thrones' Recap: It All Hits The Fan In Westeros (And Beyond)

| Publication 05.06.2012

The first eight minutes of "The Old Gods" was a masterfully choreographed sequence of tension, chaos and dawning horror. The entire sequence was shot through with a genuine sense of menace and dread.

'Mad Men' Recap: Tomorrow Never Knows In 'Lady Lazarus'

| Publication 05.07.2012

Emptiness, missed connections, lies and not getting what you want -- those were the recurring ideas, but overriding all that was the sense that someone was going to die or something terrible was going to happen.

TV Redheads: The 19 Most Awesome Gingers

Publication 05.07.2012

We have "Game of Thrones" to thank for a lot of things: It's given us epic vistas, fine acting and a notable uptick in the number of dragons on our sc...

'Suburgatory's' Dalia Speaks: Carly Chaikin On One Tan And Funny Chatswin Resident

Publication 05.09.2012

This hasn't been a notable season for memorable new characters on broadcast network shows, with the exceptions of Nick and Schmidt from "New Girl," No...

'Cougar Town' To TBS: Cable Network Saves ABC Cul-De-Sac Comedy

Publication 05.10.2012

This isn't just time to open a bottle of wine. It's time to break out Big Carl and call all your neighbors over for an impromptu party. "Cougar T...

'Once Upon A Time' Renewed Along With 'Revenge,' 'Grey's Anatomy' And More By ABC

Publication 05.10.2012

Is your favorite in the first batch of ABC renewals? It's not a surprise that ABC granted the wish of "Once Upon a Time" fans and gave the show a s...

'Common Law' And TV's Tired 'We're Not Gay' Cliche

| Publication 05.11.2012

It might have been funny, a long time ago, for two straight men to constantly fend off the suggestion that they are gay. Not anymore.

'Mad Men' And 'Game Of Thrones' Comparisons: Are The Characters Separated At Birth? (PHOTOS)

Publication 05.11.2012

Sunday nights are chock full of good television, but let's be honest, they're all about "Mad Men" (10 p.m. ET on AMC) and "Game of Thrones" (9 p.m. E...

'Fringe' Finale Thoughts And A Few Reflections On Season 4

| Publication 05.12.2012

It was a relief that the end of the Season 4 finale didn't involve yet another massive alteration or reset for the characters. I'm glad that as the show heads into the home stretch, I can watch the final season with at least a modicum of anticipation.

'Game of Thrones' Recap: The Return Of The Kingslayer

| Publication 05.13.2012

Most people stick to the system they've always known -- and hate Jaime as a result -- because the alternatives are terrifying. But change can't be held back, no more than the Wall held back the Wildlings.

'Mad Men' Recap: Worst Episode Of The Season ... And Not Just Because Of Betty

| Publication 05.14.2012

Any episode that prominently features Betty is a lesser episode of "Mad Men." She just isn't as interesting as the show thinks she is, and when she turns up, "Mad Men's" ability to tell stories about bitterness and dissatisfaction becomes noticeably unsubtle.

'Smash' Finale: Does The Show Learn From Its Mistakes?

| Publication 05.14.2012

When it comes to group hate-watching, "Smash" is the gift that keeps on giving ... I thought, "Smash's" team is correcting the problems that have long plagued this drama. And then I watched the "Smash" season finale.

'Once Upon A Time': How To Keep The Magic Going In Season 2

| Publication 05.15.2012

There's a line between simple and simplistic, and there are times when "Once" errs on the wrong side of it. But when it gets its own peculiar mixture of romance, earnestness and hope right, it is pretty magical.

'Community,' 'Suburgatory,' 'HIMYM' And 'New Girl' Finales: Rating The Laughs

| Publication 05.18.2012

"Community" is at its best when it ties pitch-perfect concepts to themes that touch on how hard it is to get perspective on your life or to reach some kind of cockamamie maturity.

Dan Harmon Fired From 'Community': How TV Executives Britta'd It

| Publication 05.19.2012

I will stipulate that Harmon can be a hard guy to get along with. But I don't require him to be my friend, nor should the executives at Sony and NBC.

'Game of Thrones' Recap: Little Brothers (And Sisters) In Harm's Way

| Publication 05.20.2012

Enjoyable as it was, there was a slightly scattered quality to the episode, as the pieces were put into place for the Giant Battle They Have Been Talking About Forever.

'Mad Men' Recap: Flirting, Forging And A Face From The Past In 'Christmas Waltz'

| Publication 05.21.2012

I've had some trouble with some other character evolutions previously in the season (Pete is that unhappy? Peggy is that dissatisfied?), but Lane's has been the hardest one for me to accept.

'Grimm' And 'Person Of Interest' Finale Reactions And Podcast News

| Publication 05.24.2012

A lot of shows are ending their seasons or getting new leases on life right now -- including Grimm and Person of Interest -- so writing about the transition of the Talking TV with Ryan and Ryan podcast feels appropriate right now.

'Hemingway And Gellhorn' On HBO Review: Nicole Kidman And Clive Owen's Crime Against TV

| Publication 05.25.2012

Why is hate-watching the only realistic option? Because loving or even liking this expensive misfire is simply not possible. Don't let the fancy names in the cast fool you: "Hemingway and Gellhorn" is a stupid, stupid movie.

'Game of Thrones' Recap: Bloodshed And Bravery At The Battle Of The Blackwater

| Publication 05.28.2012

No more time for courtly chatter and brave words; what do these people actually do when the enemy is at the gates? They were true to their natures.