You know her as Laurel Mercer on The Lying Game. I had a chance to sit down with Allie Gonino this weekend at the ATX Festival in Austin, Texas to chat about the show and it’s fate as well as her future and aspirations. Here are the highlights of this TVHackr exclusive interview.

TVHackr: People love The Lying Game.

Allie: It would be a shame if it didn’t get picked up. We love the show and love filming in Austin. I’m trying to live by the philosophy that easy does it – if it happens, great, if it doesn’t then there will be something better or something else that I’m meant to be doing other than that. I’ve got the music thing going on and luckily that keeps me busy while I’m not working on The Lying Game. Either way I’ll be fine, but I just spoke with the cast the other night at a party and we all feel the same way. We all really want to come back. They’ve kept our contracts open through July 15th to see how the new shows, Twisted and The Fosters, do. That’s what we’re up against at this time.

I think we have really good actors on the show. I’m always proud at the end of every episode at how we bring the story to life.

TVH: You got to sing on the show, which was also fun.

Allie: Getting to sing was also a highlight. It was such a passion and getting to record in Austin; I never had that experience before The Lying Game. The Good Mad’s music has such a unique feel.

I formed The Good Mad during The Lying Game and it just so happened that the creator said ‘we want to get Laurel a music storyline’ and I was like well, listen to my band. I already have a band, we’re already packaged and ready to go and we have songs. They liked the music, had them audition and they got it.

TVH: I was at the ATX Festival last year and wondered why The Lying Game, which actually films in Austin, wasn’t represented.

Allie: I know! We film in two distinct parts, the front ten and the back ten, so it probably just worked out that way.

TVH: I don’t like those long breaks. It breaks the momentum. Didn’t The Lying Game go about nine months between the two parts last year?

Allie: Yeah, but it’s still been fun. You know, you gotta toll with the punches in our industry and it’s so unpredictable and so fickle that I’m just grateful to get work. I like having a life that’s different around every corner.

TVH: If The Lying Game comes back, what do you hope happens with Laurel?

Allie: I can’t wait for the three sisters to really get some crazy sister triangle dynamics. I think we’ve seen the Emma side of Laurel and we’ve seen the Sutton side of Laurel. Sassy versus sweet. Laurel has both those sides, which I think is cool about her, so I’d love to see how it plays out with the three of them interacting.

TVH: How do you think it would play out?

Allie: I don’t know. I want to see some sister drama.

TVH: I imagine Sutton angry that she never took the time to form the bond that Emma did with Laurel and putting Laurel in the middle of a battle for her affections.

Allie: Yeah, Sutton might find that bond threatening. Triangles are always sticky. I could see Laurel getting into a situation where she’d have to stand her ground or play peacemaker a little bit. I don’t know, I just want sister drama. I never got to have that as a kid because although I had sisters, they were way older than me.

TVH: Why was Laurel always the sister who ended up with the guy who wanted somebody else?

Allie: I broke up with Justin after he came to avenge mother’s death and Jordan had Mads. I don’t know. Maybe Laurel is just on her own path. Maybe she just hasn’t found a guy who’s strong enough for her yet.

In her downtime, while not playing music with her band, The Good Mad, she has filmed a movie for Lifetime called Hidden Away and another for Hallmark titled Mom and Dad Undergrads, both expected to air in the fall.

If The Lying Game doesn’t get picked up, Allie hopes to travel and get a different perspective on American culture. Having just come from the ATX Festival Casting Deconstructed panel, everything on Allie’s to-do list was the advice they were giving to have a successful career. Living her life to the fullest.

The post A Chat with Allie Gonino About The Lying Game, Future Plans appeared first on TVHackr.

Instead, the secret was there wasn’t a secret at all. Amy Juergens was pregnant before the show even started. A 15 year old girl got in trouble with the bad boy Ricky Underwood at band camp her first time out of the gate. It being television, abortion wasn’t an option. Week by week, character by character, sex was discussed making it prime for the best drinking game on television if you wanted to be drunk 15 minutes into the hour. If you were taking a drink every time the word sex was mention, you would be trashed. Colleges around the country had to be playing it. Somebody, please tell me I’m right!

Grace Bowman, daughter of the local doctor, dating the son of the local preacher and self proclaimed chastity queen (she wore a ring!) didn’t take long to fall asunder. Soon she was best friends with the town slut, Adrian, had sex with the preacher’s son Jack and thought her sinful act killed her father in a plane crash. All of this happened while saying “sex” at least three times a minute for 42 minutes out of an hour for about 120 episodes over five years.

Ben Boykovich never had a girlfriend, but like all boys his age, he fell in love with the pregnant Amy and wanted to marry her and raise her baby. As if that story wasn’t enough, after it had been played out, the exact same story was written into the show in the fourth season. A second boy fell in love with a random pregnant girl and wanted to be with her forever. These kids had sex indiscriminately and against advice of the worst parents on the planet (yes, that’s you former teen siren Molly Ringwald). There were marriages and divorces and more pregnancies and miscarriages and false alarms and stupid mistakes and a revolving door of relationships between a very close group of friends (teens and adults) that almost seemed incestuous.

The point of this rant is that it was one of the most unrealistic programs on television. The only thing fans waited for was the day that Amy and Ricky finally became a couple. Once they did, their marriage seemed inevitable and, despite the many times exes Ben and Adrian tried to break them up, they kept going for the sake of their son. Ricky wasn’t the bad boy after all. He was full of heart and responsibility and love. He was a perfect mate for Amy, even at that tender young age.

Season after season we watched as the two of them played the mating ritual and grew together and learned to communicate and became adults. Above all others on the show, they continued a steady path toward something. A future.

Tonight, in what could go down as the worst season finale ever written, that path was broken.  For reasons unknown the route to the end was riddled with flashbacks of how the characters got to the finale. Anyone who watched the show already knew that, thank you very much, and we could have used more attention paid to the main characters to close out their five year arcs. There was no closure to the adults and… Amy? She chose New York. She left Ricky and her son John behind to go to school. The irony here is that this is the first good decision she has made during the series. 

But it’s too late for good decisions. After five years, viewers didn’t want what was best for Amy. We had been screaming at our screens for her to do the right thing for years. Now we wanted closure for us. Instead, the writers had a change of heart and ended the show on a level of reality heretofore unseen on the show.

Yes, this may make me a big baby. But I sat through years of some of the most horrid storytelling known to mankind. I deserved my happy ending. Amy had her chance and she lost it. That’s my two cents.

The post The Secret Life of The American Teenager Takes An Awkward Bow Out appeared first on TVHackr.

What’s fun about the festival is the relatively laid back atmosphere in correlation to other festivals. Someday, ATX might become a king among festivals, but for now it’s a prince and the size is perfect, giving attendees the ability to mingle and meet people you otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity. If you’re in the Austin area, definitely try to make it.

Not only are there more formal, scheduled events, but community events, as well, such as the Friday Night Lights episode airing with special guests milling around, screenings of AMC programming such as a preview of the August premiere episode of Low Winter Sun and a season 2 Hell on Wheels, cast chats with Boy Meets World and Friday Night Lights and those are just the things you can do without a ticket. Without further ado, the latest press release and more information on the festival. Keep an eye out for posts and photos starting this week!

ATX TELEVISION FESTIVAL OPENS WITH

THE NETFLIX SERIES “ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT”

Austin, TX- Monday, June 3, 2013 – ATX Television Festival is thrilled to announce Opening Night Programming courtesy of Netflix.  To open Season Two of ATX Television Festival, Netflix will feature the return of the beloved series Arrested Development, followed by a Q&A with members of the cast. Netflix is the premiere destination for original programming, making the platform a perfect partner for ATX Television Festival, which takes place June 6-9 in Austin, TX.

In addition to hosting the opening night festivities, Netflix has joined ATX Television Festival as a premiere sponsor of the festival.

“As a growing television festival, entering into our sophomore year, we couldn’t imagine a more perfect opening night (and festival) partner than Netflix,” said ATX Television Festival Co-Founders Caitlin McFarland and Emily Gipson.  “Our goal is to have an event that showcases ALL of television — from past favorites, cancelled-too-soon series, current hits, and ground breaking new programming, and Netflix has set the standard for providing that and beyond.”

ATX Television Festival will showcase Netflix throughout the festival in various ways, and encourages festival attendees to stream Netflix to discover and watch series featured at the festival both before coming to the festival, and after discovering hit series like The Riches, Scandal, Hart of Dixie, Friday Night Lights, Hell on Wheels, Vampire Diaries and of course Arrested Development.

Tickets to ATX Television Festival are available for purchase here.  Weekend Badges are $225, Panel Only Badges are $150 and Screening Badges are $99.  Day wristbands to ATX Television Festival are available for $75.

The post We’ll Be Live from the ATX Festival Later This Week! Arrested Development Featured Opening Night appeared first on TVHackr.

Jump starting as the top drama to his BBC 2 in eight years, The Fall stars Gillian Anderson (X-Files, Hannibal) as Stella Gibson, as a special detective called into Belfast to look into a murder that she quickly ties into a second murder, believing they have a serial killer on their hands. Stella is a cold, calculating woman who is greatly flawed, with a seemingly insatiable need for sex.

Jamie Dornan (Once Upon a Time) co-stars as the killer. Yes, this is one of those shows that tells you right up front who the killer is and the mystery is in why he does it and how he gets away with it. Gorgeous, happily married with a family and working as a grief counselor, he’s the least likely candidate for a serial killer and that makes him the best character to be one.

Essentially we have two stalkers, equally as effective at their job, on a collision course. Of what nature and how and when they will meet is all part of the fun in watching this otherwise intense drama.

The rest of the cast is recognizable from many different sources, depending upon where you watch your television. Many come from UK soap operas and three gentleman can be found on Game of Thrones. Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife) even makes an appearance as the medical examiner.

Watch The Fall. And like all Netflix series, be prepared to hunker down and lose a good stretch of time because once you start watching, it’s going to be hard to stop.

The post The Fall: Available Today on Netflix appeared first on TVHackr.

Robb and Catelyn seem prepared to take someone down, but exactly who their target is appears uncertain via this particular clip. I don’t think they’re ready for the big game yet.

As Dany makes battle plans, she also has her hand intertwined with Daario’s, which might be going unnoticed by Jorah, who has always had a candle lit for the girl he protects. What difference might a new love interest make to Dany and can she really trust him fully at this juncture?

Jon Snow is poised and ready to take on some crows in a battle and his little brother Bran is circling Castle Black with his squadron of oddball friends.

This is, as we like to say, a preview to the penultimate episode of season 3 of Game of Thrones. The story hardly seems prepared for an ending in just one more episode does it? Check out the preview and let’s hope for the best. Second 4 will be a long way off. Maybe they’ll get more than 10 episode to finish up this chapter of the saga. Catch it  June 2 at 10:00 ET on HBO.

The post Coming up on Game of Thrones “The Rains of Castamere” appeared first on TVHackr.

When Cathy decides it’s time to go to hospice on the penultimate episode of The Big C: Hereafter, she also decides driving there like a bat out of hell as her last hurrah might be kind of fun. Of course she was pulled over the by the police, and he issued her a ticket with a court date way past her expiration date. Her mouthy questions of the officer were all the things a non-dying person would wish to be dying to ask of someone who pulled them over. The perks of dying are few, and taken when you can get them.

Adam’s behavior at the hospice was heart wrenching. Watching his progression from the bratty kid who hated his mother, like any normal teenager, to a caring, concerned young man who wanted to ensure the people who would take over the care of her as she faded into death knew she would play down her pain and how to recognize the signs of her pain and when to be forceful with her.

Adam also took the collage she had on the ceiling at home and painstakingly recreated it so that when she awoke on her first morning, it would be above her, staring down at her with love.

They have shown it in many other pieces featuring the dying, but the hospice had roaming the floors a cat named Dethany/Bethany that smells death, seeking out the next to go, and snuggling up to them for the night. Of course, this enraged Sean and he smuggled the cat out for two reasons. To give Bethany a rest from all the death and to keep her from pointing out the next to go.

I found that funny considering he was in the process of giving away one of his kidneys and concerned about his own potential demise on the operating table. How Sean went up and down with his decision to donate an organ was such typical behavior for him. At one moment he wanted to save a live, and the next he believed the recipient was an elitist pig and decided it would be better if he died.

As a pacifist, he was not only determined to deny his kidney to an elitist, but willing to drive to a far off location to score some suicide drugs so he could help kill Cathy before she withered and died without having a say in how she went. While I completely understood where she was coming from in making her decision to take her own life, it was still very hard for Sean to go agree to go along with it.

It was also good to see Cathy see a spirit again…even though it meant Nan had to die. I knew when her oncologist showed up that it would turn out like it did. Cathy’s getting so perceptive as she nears the end. But there is that nagging thing she didn’t expect when at first she felt so much comfort upon entering hospice.  “People die here every day. Ugly brutal dramatic deaths…every day.”  The screaming never stopped. Rest became more futile. Finding a happy place was more difficult knowing you might be next.  That you were there to see it through to the end.

Adam, meanwhile, was being the man of the house at home, and fired Amber while Paul was holed up in bed. Adam said if Paul wasn’t going to be the grown up, then he’d have to make the tough decisions for the family and discovering Amber was planning on doing an expose on their family for her dissertation was more than Adam could take.

t of sad and unhappy things. She got pissed at the nurse for calling the patients by their room number and had all of her fellow hospicees wear their images around their neck., proving to him that they, too, were once just like him. Young and full of life. Never believing they would end up where they were.

Everything fell into place and Cathy realized she couldn’t ask Sean to help take her out of the world. Angel made an appearance as Cathy tried to drown out the sound of death by playing the Entertainer on her keyboard. That was her solace. She would take what she could and make her happy from what was available. Sean’s reaction to his own strange behavior – a pacifist ready to take out not one, but two lives in the span of a week had him laughing at himself. It was a perfect Sean moment of self-recognition. He couldn’t kill Cathy any more than he could deny an elitist pig his kidney out of spite.

It was time for Andrea’s big fashion show for the art institute, and her model didn’t show up. It’s because Cathy took a huge amount of morphine and snuck out of hospice to make it to Andrea’s show to model her own funeral dress. She was brilliant and the hit of the runway. But I know how difficult it had to be for her to detach and put forth so much energy for the show. And so did Sparkles. The hour ended out with Bethany (renamed Sparkles by Sean) escaping his clutches and finding her way to Cathy.

One episode left to The Big C, and it’s a doozy. I’ll be here to knock it out for you. Long Live Cathy Jamison!

The post The Big C: Hereafter “Quality of Death” Review appeared first on TVHackr.

The filming in London will  be the first time the show has ventured outside it’s regular filming location of New York and should be a thrill for the fans and the characters alike. While Sherlock rediscovers the case, Watson will learn what his like was like pre-recovery and the friends he had before he left for New York.

“We couldn’t be more excited to have this opportunity to see Sherlock’s old stomping grounds and take a closer look at a life that, until now, we’ve only been able to glimpse through the lens of his recovery,” said Executive Producer and Creator Robert Doherty. “By meeting old friends and revisiting prior cases, Watson will gain even more insight into Holmes. She’ll have to keep up with a Sherlock who is both more comfortable in his surroundings and even bolder in testing the limits of those around him.”

With all of the attention on BBC’s production of Sherlock, Elementary was somewhat of a wildcard coming into the 2012/13 season. With winning portrayals of Sherlock by Jonny Lee Miller, Joan Watson by Lucy Liu and Aidan Quinn as Capt. Thomas Gregson, the bet played off extremely well for CBS. Elementary is not only a ratings success in the United States, but globally, as well, hitting the #1 series on Sky Living in the UK, the #1 drama on Network Ten in Australia and the #1 U.S. Series in Spain proving there is room for more than one Sherlock to survive and thrive in the modern day.

The post Elementary to Film Second Season Premiere in London appeared first on TVHackr.

Both Rayna and Juliette were nominated for CMA nominations, and they handled it very well. They’re both wrapped up in so much personal stuff that being angry or jealous of each other took more of  a back seat.

With the recent news that the season finale of Nashville will include two deaths, I couldn’t help but hope that we would get closer to Teddy taking a fall tonight. Coleman quit his position by his side after the allegations of impropriety from Tandy. Teddy went on to threaten Rayna and her resumed relationship with Deacon because he’s afraid she will reveal to him that he’s Maddie’s real father.

The funny thing was that with the way Maddie was feeling about Teddy, she might have considered it good news. Little girls don’t like their daddy’s hurting their mommy’s and by taking up with Peggy Kenter, that’s exactly what Teddy did in Maddie’s eyes. The father daughter dance did a lot to heal their relationship, and now it will be Rayna’s turn to be on the bad side of her eyes if she brings Deacon into their world.

But I don’t think it’s possible to stop the Rayna/Deacon train/ Even though Rayna was taking it slow and keeping motherhood in mind, Deacon had to break up with Stacey and he let her take Sue with her.  It was killer when mentioned to Rayna that they could have had their own family by now. There’s still a chance he’ll be left with a broken heart again, and if so, he could fall off the wagon.

Speaking of wagons, Juliette was traveling in her mother’s footsteps by tying on to celebrate her CMA nomination. Or so she said. She was really in pain over Dante and covering it first in mimosas and then in vodka, the one thing she told Jolene a true alcoholic drinks instead of mimosas.

Juliette managed to alienate Deacon and he quit, opening the door for Avery to take the stage with her. He’s been working his ass off and really deserved the opportunity. Will Juliette be too drunk to remember him again or will he be her new right hand man? Considering Juliette was completely tanked, she put on a great show. Avery taking care of Juliette was very sweet, and turning her down was even better. His character development has been incredible and life affirming.

I couldn’t tell who Deacon was more angry with at the end, Juliette or Rayna for supposedly pulling away. For being such a smart man, he really isn’t seeing the full picture of her life and taking the time to understand why she needs to take it slow. They just got together the night previous and he wanted to sing it to the rafters.

Deacon knew Rayna was hiding something, and facing her with it was shocking. He didn’t care if she told him or not, as long as they were together. Watching them kiss, I totally bought that they love each other more than either of them has loved anyone else. But taking it slow with the public until they get themselves accustomed to their new feelings would be highly advised.

I totally missed that Gunnar’s song that went down so well last week was one of his brother’s. No wonder he was so concerned about the recording session. He tried showing some of his own ballads to the producer, and they fell flat. Showing his brother’s work brought sparks. Who knew Will kissing him would be nothing in comparison to the realization that he couldn’t write a song that would get him a deal of his own. Scarlett found his brother’s song book. Will Gunnar be sent down another spiral because his secret is out? Will his new friend be able to keep him afloat?

The post Nashville: “Why Don’t You Love Me” 1.19 Review appeared first on TVHackr.

Dean: How ya feelin?
Sam: Honestly? My whole body hurts, I feel nauseous and like I’m starving at the same time and everything smells like rotting meat.
Dean: I’ve had that hangover. Jager, man. Whew.

Castiel: The final test, do you know what it is?
Sam: I have to cure a demon.
Castiel: Of what?

Dean: Soups on! And, here we go. I think this is, uh…yeah. It’s still good.
Sam: A half drunk beer, some jerky and three peanut butter cups?

Dean: That’s not gonna cut it. Not this time. You can take your little apology and cram it up your ass.
Castiel: Dean, I thought I was doing the right thing.
Dean: Yeah, you always do.

San: So, we have a dungeon.
Dean: Finally.

Dean: Well, that was weird, with three exclamation points.
Sam: That wasn’t a normal exorcism. They changed the words.

Castiel: Sam is more damaged than I am.
Dean: Yeah, well, even all banged up, Sammy comes through.

Metatron: Put the virgin down Castiel. We need to talk.

Cas: You’re Metatron? The Metatron?
Metatron: In public it’s Marv.

Marv: Kevin Tran told me about you.
Cas: He did?
Marv: Yeah. According to him, you and I have a lot in common. We’re both free thinkers and we’re both on heaven’s most wanted list. I thought we could socialize, maybe grab a bite.

Marv: Look, the angels are like a big dysfunctional family. We need to lock them all in a room until they work things out. All the factions. You, me…
Cas: You mean like a big family meeting?
Marv: Exactly. Which is why we need to shut down heaven.

Waitress: Cool coat.
Cas: No, it’s actually quite warm.
Waitress: Cute and funny. Okay.
Marv: Should’ve picked a better looking vessel.

Crowley: First things first, what are you wearing?

Crowley: What the hell. I’m sexting you an address. Check it out, and we’ll talk.

Dean: What the hell are you doing Crowley?
Crowley: Oh mercy. Isn’t it obvious? I’m killing everyone you’ve ever saved. The damsels in distress, the innocent whippersnappers, the would-be vampire chow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And that’s about it for this week. Crowley is chasing the boys big time and Sam’s about to run scared, enough to give up the trials. 

Cas and Marv are on their own set of trials. Maybe they can help with the Crowley problem if Dean would let Cas in.

How cute was it when Cas was shopping for Sam and Dean and getting all of Dean’s favorite things? Even a copy of a “Busty Asian Beauties” comic book. he really loves the boys and wants to atone.

One more ep to go before we hit Supernatural season 9! 

The post Supernatural: “Clip Show” Quotes appeared first on TVHackr.

When her therapist tells her to expect a curve ball, you can’t help but wonder just how curvy that ball will be.

What the hell was Isaac Mizrahi doing on The Big C? Not so much why was he on the show, but why were we lead to believe he would ever teach at a local college level for a ten student fashion course? That made no sense to me whatsoever. But, later it works so I’ll let it go.

Sean and Cathy have had such a strange and fun relationship during the last three seasons, and when she finally got him to admit he was growing his beard out and wanting to wish on falling stars in the hope that she might live it was one of the most touching moments they’ve spent since she first got him off the streets.

Cathy admitting outright that she’s dying was more difficult for me to take than it was for Cathy. She’s giving everything away to prepare everyone her for the future without her in it, but they aren’t as ready as she is, either. Cathy talks Paul into realizing she knows him better than he does himself, and how much he needs her to find someone after she passes. They have the greatest sex ever and immediately following she sees he has hits on the profile she made for him after he’s dead. Crazy, right?

Adam’s “date” with Lydia was strange, at best. Books about vaginas strewn around the bed and reports about the best chances for orgasm didn’t make it seem all that exciting, and even Adam knew sex should be exactly that for her – not just something to get out of the way. When he passed his test and they met in the hall, realizing they really were attracted to each other, it was a perfect moment for her to lose her virginity. Like she said, I’ll always remember that.

Andrea’s struggles with Mr. Mizrahi at the fashion school lead to him giving her pointers in using the Egyptian’s fascination with death and glitz to capture her own fashion sense, and it resulted in Cathy asking Andrea to make the dress she designed as her funereal dress.

The relationship with Andrea has also been all over the map since she was first introduced, and her induction into the family has been one of the most amazing aspects of The Big C. I can’t imagine the Jamisons without Andrea, but she couldn’t be a more unlikely daughter. It’s fabulous.

With Paul finally settling down and spending time with Cathy instead of running away, it was dead giveaway that something had to give. That curve ball was coming her way. After a night of sleeping together in bed, something Cathy and Paul hadn’t done in months, he awoke happy and content and Cathy had no idea who he was. She was making breakfast and understood the generalities of life, but the tumors were now pushing on an area that left her wanting for those she loved.

There are simply not enough shows on television that explore the realities of death and dying like we have been able to witness though The Big C.  Of course it’s not always been a perfect exploration and some of the decisions Cathy has made along the way have been far out. But they were her decisions and none of us will ever know what ones we’ll make until we get there ourselves.

Two episodes to go until this truly wonderful look at a woman’s battle with life comes to an end. I’ll be here to hold your hand.

The post The Big C: Hereafter “You Can’t Take It With You” Review appeared first on TVHackr.