Ellen Leventry: July 2009 Archives

It may have already been dubbed "The Fatchelor," but "More to Love," FOX's new reality show that sets out to prove that "love comes in all shapes and sizes," transcends its shortsighted, condescending nickname. In fact, it does the impossible: Provides a fresh take on the dating reality show genre and giving FOX the opportunity to produce reality tv with, dare I say it, heart.

Produced by Mike Fleiss, who brought audiences the slim, well-coiffed women and square-jawed, six-pack men of "The Bachelor," the show stars Luke Conley, a 26-year-old, 6'3", 330 lb., sub-contractor/real estate investor, and his search for the perfect woman, who doesn't happen to be a perfect size 2. Or as the publicity materials explains, this one-time college football player "is searching for one curvy Cinderella to take on the romantic adventure of a lifetime."

According to most statistics, the average American woman is now a size 14 and the CDC reports that 66% of U.S. adults over 20 are overweight or obese. While there are arguments to be made about whether a size 14 is a healthy size or if super-thin and healthy are synonymous as media seems to instruct, there is no argument to be made about voluptuous gals not being deserving of the fairy tale romances their size 2 reality show counterparts get. It's refreshing to see these confident, non-skinny minnie, real people working it.

Discovery Channel's new post-apocalyptic reality show, "The Colony," is an intriguing mix of "Survivor" and the "Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook." Touted as a "controlled experiment to see if society can be rebuilt in the wake of a catastrophe," the show takes place after a fictitious global viral outbreak modeled on historical catastrophes and future scenarios.

For ten weeks, ten people will live in seclusion and off-the-grid in a Los Angeles warehouse. The participants are first kept awake for 30 hours without much food to create the mindset and physical exhaustion they would likely be experiencing during such a crisis.

Then the first six volunteers are let into an abandoned department store to loot for 15 minutes after which time other marauders are let in to steal their supplies. After lugging 200 lbs of supplies eight miles down the Los Angeles River, they come across their new home, an 80,000 square foot abandoned factory dubbed "Sanctuary."

You've been able to fax or email your prayers to the Western Wall, or The Kotel, for a few years now, but the tradition of placing written petitions in the crevices of the ancient temple wall has become very 21st century thanks to Twitter. (And you thought Facebook had a wall. The Western Wall is thought to provide a direct line to the Almighty.)

The Associated Press reports that Alon Nil, a 25-year-old, Jerusalem-based economist started the @TheKotel service after recognizing the power of the microblogging social network during the recent election-related riots in Iran. "There are an infinite number of uses for Twitter," Nil told the AP, "and I thought 'What can I do that is new and creative and might benefit the people of Israel?'"

"Torchwood: Children of Earth," the "Doctor Who" spinoff miniseries currently playing on BBC America, is so good that I have practically forgotten the mediocrity that was "Torchwood's" second season and can forgive all of its distracting stunt casting and convoluted story lines. With this five-night event, the series about a super-secret evil alien fighting, Cardiff-based unit led by the charismatic, and immortal, Captain Jack Harkness reincarnates itself as truly riveting drama. It is reminiscent of the days when miniseries were appointment television; the kind of TV you rearrange your schedule to watch.

When the children of the world simultaneously begin to stop in place and fall into catatonic states, Torchwood awaits the call from the British government to spring into action. But, as things get worse, the government doesn't ask for help, instead they set out to destroy Torchwood. You see, this threat has visited Britain before and Captain Jack knows all the incriminating details.

Recounting the rest of the story would simply give away too much of the delicious plot, but suffice it to say that "Children of Earth" seriously addresses the current political climate, exploring the complex issues of a government in a secret war while trying to project normality to the populace. It's chilling to watch the scenes of government officials discussing what portion of the population is most expendable, because it is completely realistic. You can easily imagine those conversations taking place in London, in D.C., in Moscow, and it becomes clear that the real monsters may not be alien invaders, but the frailty of the human condition, the vulnerability of emotional connection.

Revelations about the lives of each Torchwood member swirl around the core drama, making for a rich and often moving experience. Plus, it maintains its scifi/horror bona fides in spades with children acting most oddly. Nothing creepier.

The conclusion airs tonight at 9:00 p.m. on BBC America, with an encore presentation of night four at 8:00 p.m. If you haven't been glued to your TV the past four nights, the DVD will be released Tuesday, July 28.

Dear Jon,

Once upon a time, I sympathized with you, cringed with you as Kate commanded your every movement (to the point of telling you not to breathe so loudly) and browbeat your every decision. With reports of Kate off on extended book tours while you tended to the brood, it looked as if things remained status quo, but then came the nagging rumors of an impending separation. When the confirmation came, I expected you to do what you had always done, continue with the lovably-schlubby, laid-back caring father routine to which we had all become accustomed.

Sure, you spoke of new-found freedom and had two brand new hard-not-to-notice diamond studs in your ears, but I didn't expect you to be traipsing around Saint-Tropez with your new girlfriend, Hailey Glassman, the daughter of the plastic surgeon who performed Kate's tummy tuck, mere weeks after splitting with Kate. OK, so you've moved on, and perhaps you've been moved on for a while as all the tabloids have been reporting, but maybe you could keep it under wraps for a bit. Ya know, for the kids.

And now, after many protestations of wanting to reclaim some privacy, you sign a deal with Ed Hardy designer Christian Audigier to create your own line of children's clothing. The kids are signed on to model, natch. I had noticed you sporting M. Audigier's bombastic, Hollywood scenester-wear in recent episodes and in the pics in the magazines, but I simply put it down to dirty laundry and lots of free swag, not some cliche post-divorce player awakening. (By the way, I think Ed Hardy has officially jumped the shark with this move.)

When I read yesterday on TMZ.com that ultimate pitchman Billy Mays would be posthumously pitching for Mighty Tape, my initial reaction was that it was a bit tacky, that the company behind the product, Media Enterprises, was potentially profiting from...

I still haven't quite forgiven HBO for canceling the brilliance of "Rome" only to perpetrate the anemic "John from Cincinnati" on viewers. Last year's launch of "True Blood" put a better taste in my mouth, and now I find myself...