Michelle Ryan recently did an interview with the UK’s Independant Newspaper:

If I weren’t talking to you right now I’d be…

On my way to meet the director of my new job for a coffee. I’ve just finished working on Mr Eleven for ITV2. It’s a cross between Bridget Jones and Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind. My character is Saz, a school teacher obsessed with marrying her eleventh sexual partner.

A phrase I use far too often…

“Actually I’ve been thinking….”

I wish people would take more notice of…

Global warming. If we’re not careful in 50 years time we’ll be in a lot more trouble. It’s something we all really need to be aware of.

The most surprising thing that happened to me was…

I was in LA last year doing a conference for Bionic Woman and somebody shouted out “Zoe.” It doesn’t matter where I go or what I do, I’m always going to be associated with Eastenders!

A common misperception of me is….

That I’m really tall but I’m actually 5ft 7in. Having been on Eastenders I was always one of the tallest, and I guess playing a role like Jamie on Bionic Woman, who is also big and physical, makes people think that but I’m about average.

I am not a politician but…

I think there needs to be more things for young children to get involved in, like drama classes or singing groups. If workshops were rolled out they could really help young adults with problems.

I’m good at…

Leading. I’m a good team leader, I’m a team player and want everyone to feel comfortable and at the same time work hard and keep focused.

I’m very bad at…

Over-analysing – it’s something I’m learning to do less of and live more in the moment.

The ideal night out is …

A meal with the girls at Hakkasan in London. The duck spring rolls and the lychee martinis are delicious.

In moments of weakness I…

Eat cheesecake or chocolate.

For the entire interview, go here.

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I’ve got a treat in store for you today - Lucy Hale, who plays Becca Sommers in Bionic Woman, has given Bionic-Blog an exclusive interview! My untimely laryngitis meant that it couldn’t be an audio interview, but it’s still great for an actress on the show to connect with the Bionic Community in this way:

Roco: I’ve enjoyed your performance in Bionic Woman, especially your interactions with your sister on the show, Jaime (played by Michelle Ryan). What was it about Bionic Woman that initially attracted you to the role?

Lucy Hale: First of all, thank you and sorry about your laryngitis! I remember first reading the script and thinking that it tied in different elements really nicely. By this I mean the sci-fi part of the show and family part, which is where I come in. Becca is a little edgier and more angry than any other character I had ever played before and that really drew me in.

Roco: Many fans of Bionic Woman will know you as an actress, but you’re also a very talented singer – which do you prefer, singing or acting? 

Lucy Hale: That is one question I will never answer simply because I love and adore them both! They each let me fulfil my creative side in different ways. With acting I get to be someone else and live in someone else’s mind for a bit and with singing, obviously I am myself.

Roco:  Bionic Woman is a very sci-fi orientated show, but it is also given a lot of humanity through the relationship your character, Becca, has with her sister, Jaime, and the ups and downs that they share. How have you approached this aspect of ‘sisterhood’ and do you draw any inspirations from real life?

Lucy Hale: My real childhood is very different from what Becca’s may have been like. I grew up with very supportive parents that were active in my life. Becca’s mom died and her father was completely out of the picture. I do have an older sister though and I drew from that to add to the character. I had to do some research and daydreaming.

Roco: You have a new film coming out in the summer – The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2 – would you be able to tell me a bit about that – what are your hopes for the film and what attracted you to the role? 

Lucy Hale: I was thrilled to be a part of this project since I was a HUGE fan of the first and of all the cast that was involved. In the film I play Effie, Lena’s little sister who is played by Alexis Bledel. My character is basically the complete opposite of Lena. She was a really fun character to play. I’d describe Effie as young minded and carefree. The movie should be out in theatres this summer and I’m counting down the days!

Roco: Many fans are eager to know whether Bionic Woman will return after the writers strike, what do you think the chances are of this happening?

Lucy Hale: We honestly don’t know what will happen. It will probably depend when the strike ends on whether or not we do more episodes this year.

Roco: You have recently launched your official website – LucyHale.com – I think it’s a great site and a very good way for your fans to get exclusive Lucy Hale content. Could you tell me a little bit about the site and what fans can expect to find there?

Lucy Hale: I really am excited about my site because I put some input in creating it. You can find information about the shows and movies I have appeared in and will appear in. You can also find out information about my dog =) Silly, I know, but it is just so fans can get to know me better. They can also post questions in the Message Center and I answer them myself.

Roco: I interpret Bionic Woman as being about a young woman trying to find her role in a modern society and having to deal with the internal and external expectations placed on her. As a young woman, how do you see Bionic Woman, and do you think that it provides any important messages to young people in today’s society? 

Lucy Hale: It provides a message of finding yourself and dealing from the pressures of everyday life. Of course no one is bionic, but it can be applied to the average person. Many people have trouble accepting who they are and I believe this show gives a positive view on how to go about living your life. It also has a strong message that family is what should come first. Family is your rock. They are the ones who are there for you no matter what the situation.

=======================

My thoughts:

I thought that Lucy answered the questions very well and it’s great to see her perspective on the show. It’s interesting that the ‘edgy’ side to Becca’s nature appealed to her, because whilst watching to first 8 episodes I got the impression that she enjoyed that aspect. Becca is such a snarky and witty character and she’s fun to watch because of those characteristics.

It’s also interesting to see how Lucy distinguishes between her love for acting and her passion for singing - she’s clearly passionate about both, and as she said, both acting and singing allow her to explore her creative side. I think that being able to act AND sing is always a bonus in Hollywood, although I do hope that she is able to explore ‘both’ without one impinging on the other. I certainly think she can dovetail both, if given the right opportunities.

It’s interesting to consider the amount of research that Lucy must have to do whilst playing the role of Becca. I guess it goes without saying, but sometimes it’s easy forget the level of research and creative exploration that the actors must go through in order to visualise the character and make that character ‘believable’. I think Lucy’s done an excellent job in making Becca ‘believeable’ - In my view, she’s one of the most consistently believable characters on the show, and we shouldn’t forget that there are a lot of top notch actors in Bionic Woman, so credit to her!

OK, so I had to ask whether she knew anything about the future of Bionic Woman - you would’ve done the same right? ;) Although Lucy didn’t give much away, it certainly does seem that the future of the show depends on the writers strike and when (if!) it ends. This is what myself and many of you have predicted for sometime now, and whilst we shouldn’t think it’s a given that it is going to return, it’s a good sign that NBC haven’t cancelled the show yet! Of course I’m only reading between the lines here - I don’t think Lucy knows whether or not it will return.

As I’ve said before, I really like Lucy’s official website. It looks great and has some superb content! Her message center is already buzzing with fan interaction - you can check it out by clicking here!

I think that Lucy saved the best for last - her answer to the final question was quite inspirational for one so young. I think she’s right - Although Bionic Woman is a show filled with fantasy, it actually relates on many real levels. In a world were everyone is trying to fit in, isn’t it fantastic to celebrate the things that make us different and unique? There’s a moment in Bionic Woman, where for the first time since ‘being bionic’, Jaime seems to relish being ‘different’. Although there is some irony in the fact that this was forced upon her, it’s still valuable to consider that it’s Jaime’s unique DNA which ‘allowed’ her body to accept the bionic implants in the first place. So yeah, go Lucy for reminding me that this show has a lot of depth and relevance for today’s society. She’s also right about family - another reason why the show has so much potential depth; the chemistry between Lucy and Michelle Ryan is very good in my view. Wouldn’t you agree NBC!? :)

I’d like to thank Lucy Hale for taking the time out to answer my questions, and hopefully we’ll be seeing alot more of her in The Sisterhood in the Travelling Pants 2, Bionic Woman(!) and whatever else the future holds for her! She’s still young and is clearly talented, I think she’ll go far.

So what did you think of Lucy’s answers - were there any questions that you think I should have asked? If so, what would you have liked to have asked Lucy? let me know. Also, as mentioned above, you can ask Lucy questions directly by using the Messaging Centre on her new site.

———–

I’d also like to give special thanks to Ripple Portal Official Websites for making this interview possible.

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The adorable Lucy Hale, who plays ‘Becca’ in Bionic Woman, has just launched her very own official website. She’s also given a short question and answer session, where she touches on Bionic Woman:

Q: How would you describe yourself and how do you want people to think about you?

I really want people to see me as both an actress and a singer. I got my first big break in “American Juniors” and that was such a great experience. That was five years ago. The past couple of years I’ve done a lot of acting. I’m pretty versatile in that sense and I think that it’s worked out for me.

In terms of my image as a “celebrity” (I really still have a hard time using that word in referring to myself), I think that I make pretty good, responsible decisions and I have a great family that keeps me grounded. I’m not afraid of making mistakes because I know that I’ll learn from them.

With the “Bionic Woman” currently on NBC and “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2” due out next year I think that I’m beginning to build a good body of work. I hope to keep that up and maybe do a musical someday—that would be ideal!

Q: Tell us why you enjoy working on the “Bionic Woman” so much.

When I first got the part I really couldn’t believe it. I thought wow the “Bionic Woman.” It was a challenge that I was definitely ready for. I really love working with the actors and actresses. You probably get that a lot, but since I’m the youngest in the cast I really love to just watch and listen and learn from Michelle, Miguel, Katee, and Molly. I think that I’ve developed a bond with Michelle because most of my scenes are with her. I like hanging out with Katee because she has a dog too. Miguel is a really great, down to earth man and he’s done so much that it’s an education just watching him work. Molly is great as well—her character always looks serious on the show but she’s funny. Yeah, you can say that I really have a dream job! Being cast as Becca really marked a turning point in my career. NBC has just been wonderful to me—and I thank them for the opportunity.

It will be a shame if she doesn’t get the opportunity to continue with BW - she was just beginning to come into her own, I feel. You can read more here, and be sure to check out Lucy’s official website over at LucyHale.com 

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 I’m a big fan of Nathan “The Tech Guy”, the man in charge of Jaime’sbionics down at the Burket Group. The actor who portrays him, Kevin Rankin, has been speaking to MediaBlvd about Bionic Woman:

Rankin on getting the role of Nathan on BW:

“All I knew is that he was going to be the bionics guy and ultimately was sort of a test run, so nobody knew what was going to happen with the character, and I just got up there and they all responded well to what I was doing, and you know, he was really just a crap shoot.  I didn’t really know exactly how to play him.  I didn’t want to play him too much of a techie geek…because I know there’s a possibility of a romance, but it was a fine line, because there’s a dark, serious tone to the show and I didn’t want to take it too far out there, but I also wanted to give it a little bit of lightness - also ground the humor in reality somehow.”

Rankin on his input in Nathan’s development as a character:

“they’re actually letting me run free up there and do a lot of stuff, you know, just how I see it in my head, and just really run free, and I would do it as long as they would let me.”

On the writers strike and it’s impact on the show:

Rankin saysthat he believes that the show could be a lot more affected than others, because they are fairly far behind in filming. At the beginning of the season they shot about four or five episodes, including the pilot, and for whatever reason the network didn’t like a good bit of it, so they reshot about fifty percent of it. They even took the second episode and completely tossed it out. He went in and shot three episodes in a matter of days, and then they placed his scenes into what they had already shot, which made it look like he was around the whole time, even though he wasn’t. Rankin says that they are also farther behind then other shows, because it is so effects and stunt heavy, and that they have really long shooting schedules. They usually work Monday through Saturday, with Sundays off. He also said that he does not know how many scripts they even have past the one that they are currently shooting. Rankin did however say that he supports the writers.

Rankin on his hopes for Nathan:

“They’re training Nathan how to fight, and so I think they’re just really taking his character and they’re going to take him out of the underground world and just really let him be a part of the team more, as opposed to just sitting in front of the computer or fixing Jaime’s toe whenever it gets broken. The reason why they’re training Nathan to fight in this episode, is because his big brother got a little physical with him, and I show up with a black eye, and so my big brother beat me up, and I show up and ask Will [Will Yun Lee who plays Jae Kim] to train me. I’d like to see a little bit of Nathan’s home life actually and so people can get a little clue into why Nathan’s the way he is”

Rankin on the possibility of a Jaime/Nathan romance:

“I do know that Nathan, he loves his bionics, and he loves women, and you put them together, you can’t go wrong. I definitely think he is fascinated with Jaime, and I think that it’s just the combination of his two favorite things, like having peanut butter and jelly in the same jar. There was always that possibility when I came on the show that they wanted there to be some sort of trajectory there, but you never know when that ship is going to land. So, I think that if there is a romance, that you’ll always touch on it, but I don’t know how long it will be until you would actually see that.”

Rankin on Miguel Ferrer:

“I think Miguel Ferrer is just the coolest man I’ve ever met. He’s a great actor and just great to have on set, and just great to be in a scene with, and actually I’m glad that he’s taking Nathan out of the lair and kind of making me his sort of right hand man when he goes out on a mission and stuff,”

Rankin on Michelle Ryan:

“She’s just such a wonderful, beautiful young lady, and she never has a second to herself, because she’s in every scene and she rarely gets any time off, and God bless her, she’s just the biggest trooper.”

Rankin also talks about his personal hopes and his upcoming movie roles. You can read the entire interview here.

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TV Guide have an excellent interview with Miguel Ferrer who plays Burket boss Jonas Bledsoe. I’ve posted the Bionic related parts below: 

TVGuide.com: Already we have seen some evolution in Jonas. He started off as such a hard-ass with Jaime, and now he’s more like a father-figure type.
Ferrer: Yeah, yeah — and he’s catching himself surprised by that. He’s got more humor, and you’ll see more humanity, but at the end of the day, the guy is a pragmatist who is forced to make difficult decisions for what he believes are the right reasons.

TVGuide.com: Are we going to get any more backstory on him?
Ferrer: His wife died and he’s got a daughter who no one has seen yet but has been alluded to. They have a difficult relationship. I learn more every episode.

TVGuide.com: The teaser for this week’s episode says, “Becca ends up in jail, and Jonas must bail her out.” What’s going on there?
Ferrer: [Laughs] Jaime goes away to do a mission in Paris, and before she leaves, she gives Becca Jonas’ phone number, saying, “If there’s an emergency, call this guy.” Becca winds up in a ton of trouble and calls Jonas, and they have a very….

TVGuide.com: Is Becca like, “Who are you?!”
Ferrer: Yeah. “Who are you? Is my sister really selling timeshare condos?” [Laughs] It’s a couple of nice scenes with the most unlikely pair on the whole show. It was a lot of fun.

TVGuide.com: Are things starting to “settle down” now with Jason Cahill coming on?
Ferrer: Jason hasn’t started yet, but he’s about to. They’re in the middle of the changing of the guard from Katims to Cahill. This is our third Jason! [Laughs] But seriously, even before that, it really is starting to normalize finally. The scripts are finding a voice and finding a tone. This kind of show, in the beginning it’s just so big and expensive there are going to be growing pains, a learning curve. We’re coming to the tail end of that.

TVGuide.com: Have you started shooting, or have you seen the script for the two-part episode that will serve to “relaunch” the show in January?
Ferrer: I have not seen a script. We started shooting the episode before that one [on Nov. 1]. We’re still a good week and a half off from that.

TVGuide.com: Are there still secrets we have yet to learn about the Berkut Group?
Ferrer: I think so…. I can’t tell you what they are, though!

TVGuide.com: Do you think Jaime is fully committed at this point, or is there still a part of her that wants her old life back?
Ferrer: It seems like she is onboard with reservations at this point.

TVGuide.com: Everybody wants to be a hero.
Ferrer: Yeah. She likes that idea. But it’s not like, “Hey, I’m bionic! This is bitchin’!” It’s not quite there yet, not that I think it should ever be there.

TVGuide.com: Do you think it unfair to Michelle Ryan that fans keep comparing her to Katee Sackhoff? Obviously, Sarah Corvus is supposed to be splashier….
Ferrer: Sarah Corvus gets all the sweet lines! That’s why I’ve enjoyed my long career of playing many bad guys.

TVGuide.com: If you’re quotable, you’re memorable.
Ferrer: Absolutely. That’s what they’re there to do — stir things up. They don’t sit there and wait for things to happen.

TVGuide.com: Do you think that as Jaime gets more comfortable in her own skin, the character might gain some attitude?
Ferrer: Probably. That’s definitely already happened to an extent, especially when she and Isaiah Washington’s character faced off. There were some pithy exchanges there. But in terms of it being unfair that Katee is getting some nice attention, who said that any of this s–t was fair? [Chuckles] That’s just how it is.

TVGuide.com: Any interest yet from Lindsay Wagner in swinging by for a cameo?
Ferrer: I haven’t heard a word.

TVGuide.com: I think there was an interview with her a few weeks ago where she wasn’t liking the show. She had some self-righteous take on it.
Ferrer: Oh, god, I love that. A couple of months ago I was in L.A. and Richard Anderson, the guy who played Oscar [Goldman on the original Bionic Woman], was driving by. His license plate still says “BIONIC.” [Laughs] All I can tell you is if in 30 years my license plate says BIONIC, you have complete permission to cut my throat.

TVGuide.com: Obviously there are a lot of sci-fi shows out there, a lot of characters full of crazy powers…. What do you think it will take for Bionic Woman to have legs and survive and fulfill its promise?
Ferrer: First and foremost, it’s got to be on the page. It starts with the writing. It’s got to be drama that can be taken seriously, with elements of sci-fi and action. But if it’s cheesy on the page, we don’t have a chance. There’s a lot of talent, and Jason Cahill comes with an extraordinary pedigree. I’m hoping for really good things.

Interesting stuff, especially the regarding ”2 part episode” which will serve as the relaunch. I’ve been wondering what they meant by ‘relaunch’. Also, he’s right about the foundations of good sci-fi - the writing.

You can read the entire interview here.

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Jae Lee and Sarah Corvus may have ‘made-up’ in last weeks episode, but according to Katee Sackhoff, Jae shouldn’t be getting too comfortable:

“I just try to think of a person that’s completely misunderstood,” Sackhoff says, “that has her own set of goals. Everything she does, there’s an ulterior motive. So as long as I keep that in mind, there’s always something going on in her eyes that is completely separate from what is going on in the scene.”

I think that Sarah had an agenda in sleeping with Jae. Not that she doesn’t still have feelings for him, but I think she has a bigger goal in her sights than a night at the Yellow Rose hotel.

Katee goes on to tell us more about the inner workings of Sarah Corvus:

“I see her as a woman who has seen a lot of tragedy in her life. She’s had a lot of things taken away from her. She was a soldier, so she’s seen a lot of death. She’s seen a lot of things that have changed her and made her hard. “So everything that she does is a means to protect herself, whether it be physically or emotionally.”

She also reveals how she dislocated her leg whilst going toe to toe with Michelle Ryan (Jaime Sommers) in that rooftop battle, seen in the pilot episode:

When I straightened my leg,” she says, “I popped it back. It was, like, three months of rehabilitation, so the first couple episodes of ‘Battlestar’ were kind of a nightmare.”

Perhaps we’ll find out more about Sarah’s true motives in tonight’s episode?

Source

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It’s been such a busy week what with the premiere and all, so i’m a bit behind on my ‘Fans Perspective’ Interviews. Anyway, here’s the next batch courtesy of Margie and Ryan from watchingbionicwoman.com: 

Roco: What are your hopes for this re-imagined Bionic Woman Series?

Margie: Great character development is always what pulls me into the show, and there
is the potential for amazing character development in Jamie Sommers and the
rest of the cast.  Jamie is so unsure of herself in the pilot, always
reacting instead of instigating actions and events herself.  I hope that we
can see her mature as a woman, and as a hero, as the show progresses.

Ryan: I would like to see a much darker, technology critical sci-fi series that
isn’t afraid to use the series’ corporations/government as a critique of our
military industrial complex.

Roco: Margie, You also run a BSG Blog (watchingbsg.com) - do you think that the two shows will be similar considering they share the same creator?

Margie: I hope so, because great television these days is often television that
expects something from its audience.  Shows that expect people to pay
attention, like Lost and Heroes, seem to do very well with fans.  In the age
of the Internet you have to give people something to think about for a week,
you can’t fill in all the gaps or you deny fans the thrill of discovery as
they watch plots unfold and characters progress.  Battlestar Galactica is a
very smart show that expects a lot from its audience and I hope we see that
expectation with Bionic Woman.

Roco: Isaiah Washington..after all of the controversy, what do you think of
his addition to the cast?

Margie: I go back and forth on this one.  I did a fairly controversial post on our
blog about how I was glad the show gave him a second chance even though I
hate what he said.  Then all of these stories started coming out about how
the environment on the Grey’s Anatomy set is so much happier this year, and
it made me rethink what I said once again.  I have very strong opinions
about bosses and companies who allow toxic personalities to poison the
productivity of a work environment, because it happens so often … and if
you believe even half of what you hear, Isaiah Washington was a poisoning
presence on the set of Grey’s Anatomy.  You can tell something was wrong on
the set just by watching the dark and humorless tone of the last half of the
third season.   It’s no secret that hiring Isaiah was a network decision,
not one from the producers or anyone who is consistently connected to the
show.  And it is clear from watching the pilot that not all of the network
decisions are good ones (remember the little girl in the car?).  So given
that his presence may create extra tension in the fragile early days of an
already dark show, and the fact that it alienates some of the gay audience
which is never a good idea with an iconic show like this one, hiring Isaiah
may prove to be a giant mistake.

Ryan: He is a poor choice and one that personally disappoints me.  Casting a
serial bigot on a show that is inherently designed to appeal to a gay
audience serves as but one illustration why NBC is third among the major
networks.

As for Washington, I have no doubt that he will bring to his role just what
he did on Grey’s Anatomy, a manufactured brooding style that comes across as
flat and one dimensional.  If only they would make his character gay…

Roco: What themes or aspects of the new ‘Bionic’ series are you most looking
forward to seeing unfold?

Margie: David Eick has talked about how the show will explore whether expectations
are higher for women than for men, and I think every woman can identify with
that question!  Also, the frenemy relationship between Jamie and Sarah
Corvus and how that contrasts with the interactions between Jamie and Molly
Price’s character may be interesting.

Ryan: See number 1.

Roco: We’re you a fan of the original 1970’s Bionic Woman series? If so what
did you like (or dislike) most about it?

Margie: I liked the dog!  It is actually exciting to me that this Jamie Sommers will
not have a Steve Austin to overshadow her.  Even though I was a young fan,
that always bothered me a bit.

Ryan: God, yes!  Lindsey Wagner was my idol and the coolest teacher around.  The
slow motion editing to make her look like she was running fast is still
genius.

Roco: Which character (or actor/actress) are you most looking forward to
watching?

Margie: Wow, the cast is great so I don’t know that I can pick just one!  Katee
Sackhoff, of course, and Molly Price’s character really fascinated me in the
premiere.  Mark Sheppard is always good, and I actually found the character
of Jae much more interesting than I anticipated.  Here is a confession,
though:  I hate the boyfriend.  I kept hoping Katee’s bullet would hit a
little closer to home!

Ryan: Hands down, Katee Sackhoff.  After watching only one episode of her as Sarah
Corvus, I am hooked.

Roco: If you could have one Bionic ability..what would it be and would you
use it for good or for evil?

Margie: Hmm, bionic metabolism sounds too selfish huh?  Seriously if I could just
have one thing I would take the anthracites.  Think about how much good I
could accomplish if I never got sick!

Ryan: The bionic legs, but only if they came with a cool sound effect when I ran.

Roco: OK..make a prediction - do you think that Bionic Woman will get a
second season?

Margie: It’s definitely possible … anything can happen between now and then.  The
backlash could change after Jamie gets used to her abilities and Isaiah
leaves the show.  Or Journeyman could flop, they could move Bionic Woman to
Mondays, the characters could become even more interesting and the show
could pull Heroes numbers.  The future is wide open, but if any show can do
it Bionic Woman has a good chance.  I personally like the fact that the
show’s creators are willing to change things when they feel they do not
work.  You can’t get crazy with stuff like that, but you also have to be
open to the possibilities of life.

Ryan: Yes, it will get a second season because the Friday reruns on Sci-Fi will
justify its return as these reruns allow NBC to “double dip” ad-revenue.

Roco: What are you favorite TV shows and where would you currently rank
Bionic Woman in terms of ‘potential’?

Margie: That’s tough because a lot of my favorite shows, like Firefly, are not on
the air anymore!  In terms of shows that are on the air right now my
favorites are probably Battlestar Galactica, Grey’s Anatomy, Heroes,
and Brothers and Sisters.  I think Bionic Woman has the potential of any of those shows.
Grey’s and Battlestar both got slammed pretty hard for their concepts and
creative choices when they first came on the air, but they had great writers
with a strong vision and they evened out after a few episodes and the fans
and critics caught up accordingly.  Brothers and Sisters had a huge creative
shift halfway through its first season that worked out great, they got rid
of big story lines and characters in a way that was well done and paid off
magically for the show.  Heroes had the opposite trajectory, starting off
strong and really disappointing a lot of people at the end of the season,
and we are not sure about how season two will go yet.  It is very rare for
any show to be perfect, you just have to like what you like and hope for the
best.

Ryan: I am a huge fan of The Office, 30 Rock, Heroes, Grey’s Anatomy, Dexter and
Weeds.  After watching the first episode, and comparing it to the other four
NBC pilots, it is weaker than I would have predicted.  The potential is
there, but it must improve.  For me at least, Ryan hasn’t done it for me,
and I am not sure she ever will.  After watching the pilot, I was more
interested in Sarah Corvus than Jaime Sommers.

——-

Many thanks to both Margie and Ryan for taking the time out to share their hopes and expectations for ‘Bionic Woman’! I have a few more of these planned and will be posting them over the next few weeks! Don’t forget you can always air your views by posting in the comments section, in the shoutbox or by emailing me! Also, if you have a theory or your own ‘Bionic Woman’ article that you’d like to see featured on the site, just send it to me and i’ll post it so that it’s shared with other BW fans (credit always given).

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Buddy TV’s Gina Scarpa has an exclusive interview with Lucy Hale. Lucy plays the role of Becca, the younger sister of Jaime Sommers. Some people who have seen the pre-aired Pilot episode are rather disappointed to see Lucy in the role, if only because she replaced the rather ‘popular’ Mae Whitman as the sister. This was after Mae was axed during the summer.

Here are a few of the best bits from the interview (Contains mild Pilot episode spoilers):

BTV: Now they revamped your character, can you talk a little bit about the changes that they made to Becca?

Lucy: Becca, yeah, they just wanted her to be a little more typical teenager. They just wanted it to be a little lighter. My character, she’s kind of witty, she kind of brings humor into some situations.
 

BTV: And your character is an up and coming hacker, right? Lucy: Yes, she knows all there is to know about computers.
BTV: Are you actually good with computers in life or is that more something your character does?

Lucy: Ah, I’m alright. I wouldn’t say I’m too bad, but definitely not hacker material.

BTV: The show is full of action. Will we see you doing any stunts or any action scenes?

Lucy: I still don’t even… I really hope so, because I’ve never done a stunt before. As of right now, I don’t do any, unless they’re not telling me anything. Hopefully!

BTV: Leading up to Bionic Woman, had you been trying out for lots of different pilots each year?

Lucy: Oh my gosh, dozens and dozens and dozens. But, this one really stuck out to me, that’s why it was such an honor to be in this, the remake of a hit show.

BTV: Yeah, I was going to say, I mean, there’s got to be people who are partial to the original. What’s different about the revamped version?

Lucy: It’s a lot more modern. Basically the only similarities are the name Jamie Sommers, and her bionic powers – she’s got the hearing, the seeing, the arm, the leg. But how she obtains these powers is different, because she’s not in a parachute accident, that’s how she… I haven’t seen the original but from what I hear, but that’s how she got the powers in the original, but in this one she’s in a car accident. And they added some characters, me, which there wasn’t a sister originally. And it’s a bit different, people who have seen the original will find it a bit different.

BTV: What can we look forward to tonight from your character on the premiere?

Lucy: My character, well, so, Jamie Sommers, her going through the whole Bionic world, and then she comes home to me, which is another problem, because I complain a bit in this episode, I’m a little bit angry. I’m just your average teenager who thinks the world revolves around her, I guess.
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You can read the entire interview here - it mostly contains ‘other stuff’ but it does include the option of listening to the audio version of interview..Lucy’s voice is so squeaky! (Aww)

Coming up tomorrow I also have an interview with fellow bloggers Margie and Ryan from watchingbionicwoman.com.

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Michelle Ryan speaks to EW.com on her recent photoshoot. In the video she talks about Krav Maga, being a Tomboy and Katee Sackhoff, amongst other things. As a long time ‘Eastenders’ viewer (ok ‘fan’) it’s really interesting to see how far Michelle has come..she really holds herself with so much more confidence these days and she comes across so well when being interviewed.

Anyhoo, check it out here. Don’t forget you can vote on our latest Michelle Ryan Poll here.

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The nytimes.com have a great interview with ‘Bionic Woman’ creator, David Eick. Here are some of the juicy bits:

Eick on his hopes for the series:

“I’d like people to leave room for the possibility that a show called ‘Bionic Woman’ is going to reach deeper than they might expect. We’re not doing Chekhov, we know that. But I do think we’re definitely pushing the theme in some really compelling and sort of meaningful directions.

“In a way you want the title to work for you, to get people to watch the show, but at the same time you don’t want it to act as the kind of thing that makes people feel like you don’t deserve to go into that more serious territory. I hope people will leave room for the possibility that a show called ‘Bionic Woman’ can be great.

Eick on ‘Bionic Woman’ in comparison to ‘Battlestar Galatica’:

“When Ron Moore and I first started talking about ‘Battlestar,’ it was in December of 2001, right on the heels of 9/11. And we saw ‘Battlestar Galactica,’ at its heart, as a story about desperate people in the aftermath of a holocaust, searching for a way home. So our intention was to write a drama that reflected our times that just happened to be called ‘Battlestar Galactica.’ ‘Bionic Woman’ is a more sociologically contemplative idea, which is, simply: ‘Are the rules different for women? When their desire is to be a professional success and an emotional, domestic, interpersonal success, how do we judge that differently than we might a man?’ ”

Eick on his inspiration:

“I was raised by a single woman, who was an entrepreneur, so I knew the force of a successful female businessperson who’s also a successful mom. And I wondered why we hadn’t seen more of that on television.”

Eick on Sarah Corvus:

“Sarah was a good way of showing this as a cautionary tale. And if you look at the storytelling tools of the great science fiction writers, it’s all about be careful what you wish for. H. G. Wells and Ray Bradbury are always talking about that which we create eventually destroying us unless we heed the warnings. And Jaime will have to make moral choices that may or may not move her down the path toward becoming another Sarah.”

Eick on the ‘Dark’ themes of ‘Bionic Woman’:

“I never thought this series should be as dark as ‘Battlestar,’ it would be impossible to maintain the heaviness of the pilot, which is about a girl getting pulverized by a Mack truck, barely surviving and struggling to come to terms with this incredibly traumatic thing. You can’t do that story every week. Sometimes she has to feel that this is exhilarating, sometimes it’s terrifying and sometimes it’s just fun.”

Read the entire interview here.

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