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Post by Dave on Aug 25, 2007 13:36:11 GMT 1
Seems like there are a few UK actors starting in new US series this coming autumn and as well as Anna in PD, that wonderful cockney sparrow Michelle Ryan is in the remake of the Bionic Woman... from what I've read the hype hasnt been as great for this as PD ...
.... myself I couldnt stand Michelle in EastEndurrssss (sic), and she was average in Cashback (a wonderful film where everyone except Michelle seemed to give a unique performance... think Michelle was just there for "eye-candy"...)
anyone else have any thoughts on how well MR will do compared to AF ?
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Post by davec on Aug 25, 2007 16:12:11 GMT 1
I've only ever seen Michelle in EastEnders and even then only very rarely. I find the soap to be full of unattractive characters and story lines that leave me cold at best. As eye candy Michelle's never done anything for me and I'd be reluctant to judge her as an actress, but she's never seemed to me to have the intellect or emotional intelligence to amount to much. Obviously the casting director and/or producer of the Bionic Woman see more in her than I do - or maybe Hugh Laurie is right and the Yanks are casting Brits 'cos they're cheap! I'm not sure the Bionic Woman will require any more acting from its cast than Pushing Daisies. My guess it will be all action plots and special effects and naughty baddies getting outsmarted and outfought by our all-conquering, immaculately coiffured and dentally enhanced heroine - but I could be wrong, again! I've no doubt the Bionic Woman will take off again, thanks to her hydraulically reinforced thighs, no doubt  but competition on US TV seems to be much more intense that when the original series aired and audiences have been spoilt with recent super-heroines such as Jessica Alba in the Fantastic Four, (now that's one seriously sexy lady) so I have my doubts as to how well the Yanks will take to Michelle, and if their response is not favourable I see a very short comeback. My guess is that Anna's show will last longer, as will her career  |
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Post by joe17 on Aug 25, 2007 18:58:56 GMT 1
'Eastenders' is a show I've always loathed. (Indeed I use it as a litmus test. If you like 'Eastenders', I probably won't like you.) Yet somehow I seem to have managed to have absorbed enough of it through some kind of cultural osmosis to actually know it's major actors and characters. Must get the pop-cultural spam filters checked.
Must admit, albeit reluctantly, that I actually find MR quite attractive , unlike Jessica Alba, davec, who is too buff for me. Suspect MR will have undergone some heavy Hollywood buffing-up of her own for this 'Bionic Woman' part.
Don't rate MR as an actress. As davec says she seems a bit lacking up top. 'Bionic Woman' will be totally reliant on production values, editing and direction. Kept fast and flashy it might have a chance but I doubt it. (Lest we forget, Alba's TV SciFi show, 'Dark Angel' was it?, pretty much tanked in the States.) Remaking a show which was I believe pretty duff in the first place is not exactly a recipe for success. I think you have MR down dead pat, Dave, she is 'eye-candy' and not much else. (She had a fleeting role in that Billie Piper, Jane Austen adaptation recently. They didn't let her speak very much, which says a lot.)
Still, if Keira can 'make it'.......... Have you seen the picture on the front cover of today's Daily Mail TV mag? Now that is the best KK sneer-pout I have ever seen. The expressive range of the woman is breath-taking.
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Post by Dave on Aug 25, 2007 19:15:10 GMT 1
With EastEnders , I'm sort of with you on this one joe - watched it for a while when it first was on "Dirty Den" etc (never a truer nickname could have been used !!)... but tailed off watching it as the acting became worse and the storylines repetitive, boring and somewhat nauseous.... I would never go near it now with someone else's bargepole....wouldn't recognise the vast majority of characters or actors in it if you asked me to name any. From what I see in papers and the web it seems to be a haven for ex-Bill bit-part actors and any other ex "cok-er-ney type" series or shows.... I knew MR was in it as obviously saw news stories and pictures of her while she was in it.... her role in Cashback is severely limited - 1 or 2 sentences delivered with remarkable indifference ... almost seems like she's "non-acting"... she's mainly seen in slow-motion wonderfully operatic-scored moments... they are very well cinematographed and filmed scenes but her presence is pure "eye-candy".... my guess is Bionic Woman will have v v limited shelf-life - what puzzles me is why they didnt think of remaking The 6-Million Dollar Man first ? or have a I missed that 1 ?  |
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Post by joe17 on Aug 25, 2007 19:38:42 GMT 1
Launching a career from a soap role is as difficult today as ever. What separates Anna from most who have tried is that she has stuck to acting without once drifting into the 'light entertainment' or 'pop' world. She has stuck to trying to slug it out in the 'luvvie world' without once going 'turn'. No 'Celebrity Dancing With Sharks', no pop singles, nothing that might have paid off in the short-term. Whatever else I might think of her, I'll always admire her for this. MR has done her fair share of celebrity stuff and doesn't exactly have 'potential serious actress' tattooed on her forehead.
Have never seen 'Cashback'. It slipped past my radar.
'The Six Million Dollar Man' remade? Nah, where could they possibly find the next Lee Majors? (What do you mean 'he was a poor man's Burt Reynolds'??)
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Post by joe17 on Sept 8, 2007 19:25:27 GMT 1
There is still a laughable amount of coverage/hype for this show in the British media. I notice that it is due to be shown on ITV2 (so hasn't even got a non-digital network slot) and the exact date of transmission in the UK hasn't even been set. Questions need to be asked!
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Post by Dave on Oct 1, 2007 9:04:11 GMT 1
just watched the first episode of this - for me seems like another formulaic US drama series - a poor-man's "Alias" in some respects.
MR is OK - if you like an average-level of acting ability - the rest of the cast are on the same level. Nothing out-standing to see here, move along everyone.....
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Post by joe17 on Oct 2, 2007 18:29:45 GMT 1
just watched the first episode of this - for me seems like another formulaic US drama series You must have a lot of spare time on your hands, Dave, or is there something you're not telling us....... Is an MR fansite on the way? |
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Post by Dave on Oct 2, 2007 18:50:42 GMT 1
You'll be extremely saddened to hear that a MR fansite is not on the way - yes I know , harrowing as it is to hear, I wont be pushing myself to create the ultimate database to good ol'Ms Ryan...  Just wondered after all the supposed hype how bad it would be... it is bad.... will be spending my time on watching PD from now !!! ;D |
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Post by joe17 on Oct 3, 2007 9:37:10 GMT 1
You can never overestimate the lack of taste of the viewing public, so what's the betting that 'Bionic Woman' outlasts 'P.D.'?
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Post by joe17 on Mar 11, 2008 9:52:53 GMT 1
As an aside, did anyone see Michelle Ryan on the J Ross show? She looked absolutely terrified of him (and probably with good reason). To think some wanted to see Anna on this show with him. The radio interview was bad enough, imagine him gimping around with her on national TV and coming out with those wincingly fake compliments.
(Interesting that not once was it mentioned that 'Bionic Woman' has been cancelled in the US. The world of PR is a wonderful thing.)
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Post by Dave on Mar 11, 2008 13:15:43 GMT 1
As an aside, did anyone see Michelle Ryan on the J Ross show? She looked absolutely terrified of him (and probably with good reason). To think some wanted to see Anna on this show with him. The radio interview was bad enough, imagine him gimping around with her on national TV and coming out with those wincingly fake compliments. (Interesting that not once was it mentioned that 'Bionic Woman' has been cancelled in the US. The world of PR is a wonderful thing.) I did catch Ms Ryan's interview and Wossie was at his most loathsome and suggestive. I dont think "subtlety" and "innuendo" are in his vocabulary... he's just too brash and "creepy-old-man" , particularly more so with young attractive females..... and I agree - the way he ends each interview with the most insincere platitude really makes me cringe...(I suppose most mainstream interviewers (both UK and US) are of the same ilk though...) I dont think the best way to publicise the UK screenings was ever going to involve mentioning that the series had been scrapped....it's probably what you want from a good interviewer though (if the PR team had told them to steer clear of it, you'd expect a good one to throw it in right at the last minute in some subtle form...) |
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but competition on US TV seems to be much more intense that when the original series aired and audiences have been spoilt with recent super-heroines such as Jessica Alba in the Fantastic Four, (now that's one seriously sexy lady) so I have my doubts as to how well the Yanks will take to Michelle, and if their response is not favourable I see a very short comeback.
