Category Archives: Carlos Bernard

Series Eight: The Final Day?

According to Rodney Charter’s recent twitter messages, it looks like Season 9 of 24 will NOT happen. The original tweets of the show’s director of photography reads as follows:

“Celebrating with Kiefer the extraordinary gift of 24. mindful that our continuance not expected, nor even discussed or in contractual talks.”
and
“At a fine restaurant debating how we will cope with the demise of 24. It’s family, unimaginable to walk away from 9 years of camaraderie.” Continue reading Series Eight: The Final Day?

Carlos Bernard’s Pilot: 101 Ways To Die

From AlmeidaIsGod[dot]com

The new animated mobile comic “101 Ways To Die” stars Carlos Bernard doing the voice of the lead character Eddie Luck, a veteran of the war in Iraq who awakens from a two-year coma to discover that his family has been kidnapped by a shady organization known as “Sleeping Giant”, who is using the family as leverage to coerce Eddie into becoming their assassin.  This is the side project I mentioned yesterday in the post about the SCI FI Wire interview.  I received an e-mail personally from the project’s creator, Marcello Picone, letting me know it was now available for viewing and asking me to spread to word to all of Carlos Bernard’s many fans who visit this site.  Apparently, if the mobile comic becomes popular enough, there is a chance it could turn into a live action series, so if you like it, pass it on!

This project of Bernard’s has been mentioned in an interview earlier this week, which can be found here:

Interview with Scifiwire

Check out the video below. Personally, as a Tony-addict, I loved hearing his voice and loved seeing him doing something other than Tony Almeida. Hopefully this will get picked up as a series, so please go check it out and like Kasia of AIG already asked, pass it on!

101 Ways to Die Pilot from 101 Ways to Die on Vimeo.

The Return of Real Time: An Immediate Response to Episode 6

I’ve just this minute finished watching Episode 6. Downloaded from itunes. Watching on a 25 inch HD TV. It’s the easiest way for me to watch it in a timely manner, and in good quality.

I wanted to give my reactions to the episode while they where fresh in my mind, before they faded, because thats what this episode was all about. The very real sense that the situation is evolving and changing, and that the facts and scenarios this second could be different in the next. You dare not miss a beat, or you’d be lost. This firmly re-established 24’s true premise, that we see a story unfold one piece at a time, nothing skipped, or abbreviated or summarised.

You didn’t watch this episode, you witnessed it. The cabinet meeting scene made be me feel as if I was an aide sitting in the shadows, whose opinion maybe sought at any second – and if it was, the episode prodded – what would your opinion be. Many people won’t have known what their answers would have been, but I betting a lot of people thought about what their answers would have been. And thats the point, it made you think, forced you to try to form an opinion, and then forced you to re-evaluate it based on new information and thoughts presented.

Right here I have to stop to make an apology, because in the cabinet meeting scene, Cherry Jones as President Taylor suddenly made sense, as if a reveal has been made, a new depth to the character has been unveiled. She gave a terrific performance in that scene. Perhaps it’s only now we’re seeing her give the performance that was apparently always in her as she’s suddenly being given something to work with, and is more than just an explanatory device.

She truely conveyed the sense on conflict in her mind, but also the resolve she felt that the course of action she was taking was indeed the right one. Even as I came to the conclusion that the only logical conclusion in this situation would be to withdraw the invasion force, she explained her own logic and even though I disagreed with her, I couldn’t call her naive or hopelessly idealistic, all I could think in reply to her argument, “Then your braver than I am”. Continue reading The Return of Real Time: An Immediate Response to Episode 6

“Sit Back & Enjoy The Ride”

I’ve been sitting, watching a blinking cursor for half an hour, trying to figure out how best to describe my thoughts on the first four episodes. To coherently present thoughts I’m sure many of you have been having about the episodes we’ve seen so far, that moves beyond “That was awesome!”

But in truth i’ve run out of time, so this review isn’t going to be as comphrensive as I’d like, more simply an overview of why it was so good, using as few cliches as possible.

I’ve already written up my thoughts on the first 17 minutes, but in brief when I saw the first 17 minutes on the 24: Redemption DVD I loved them, I couldn’t imagine how they could have been any better. And so in the manner of those first minutes episode 1 and 2 continued, solid, subtle, with slowly building tension creeping up on you, all created by masterfully crafted dialogue.

The first two episodes have so much to love, Jack’s testimony to the Senate, and in general how the episodes very slightly changed the shows position on torture. They’ve received a fair amount of criticism for the shows use of torture in the past, and rightly so in my view, but whatever your opinion on torture you couldn’t have failed to notice how the writing had grown lazy in using torture as a way out of every corner. This left them with a bit of a condundrum, continue as before and it sends a clear message to a legion of fans who are tired of the repetition that the writers aren’t listening – do a complete u-turn on torture, and it would be seen as a cynical move. But they managed to negiogate the minefield well by being slightly more open about it, not being as defensive, and airing various different sides of the argument. All this added up to some interesting and dramatic moments, how far would Jack have gone after Agent Walker appear to give him the green light?, and how far was Walker prepared to let Jack go?

The most intelligent writing the series has had in a long time means the episode 1 and 2 are extremely entertaining and engergetic, but in reality are just a good solid foundation for the rollercoaster ride that was to come in 3 and 4.

Continue reading “Sit Back & Enjoy The Ride”

“Everything We Wanted” – An Addict Reviews The Premiere

So, you’ve watched the first four episodes of the new season and you’re still shaking with excitement? I promise you, you’re not the only one! Everywhere I look, the general opinion seems to be “WOW! I can’t believe they’ve pulled this off!”

As someone who has been hurt in her heart by Almeida’s disgraceful exit in 5×13, who hasn’t cared about Season 6 at all, and certainly didn’t expect 24 to pull her back in at any point in the future, I am admitting it right now: I am an addict again. I didn’t think it was possible for the show to return from the abyss that was season 6 and climb to a greatness that I haven’t seen since Season 3, but it has. It’s back, it’s strong and it’s alive.

And I’m loving it.

Let me get this out of the way first: these first four episodes have given us EVERYTHING we wanted, everything we screamed for – in forums, chats, on websites, and I bet on conferences, meets and greets and in the streets, when bumping into anyone involved with the show. I am convinced that the writers have been reading and listening to us this time around, and this is their way of apologizing, trying to make amends – quite clearly, they’re seeking redemption. And boy, have they done a great job!

From an Almeidaist point of view, this is pretty much Paradise. Tony is back in play and getting as much screen time as Jack, and each and every scene between them is picture perfect! Not only that – the Brotherhood between them is spelled with a capital B this season as the show lives and thrives on it. Their chemistry is what is carrying the story, with tension so strong it’s palpable, dialogue that makes my blood run hot and then freeze, and an energy like we haven’t seen it in years. The writers have done a very good job of keeping both Jack and Tony in character and I am grateful for that.
Continue reading “Everything We Wanted” – An Addict Reviews The Premiere