Credit goes to my Irish Sister.
David Duchovny And Sigourney Weaver Star In 'The TV Set'; Coming To DVD Sept. 25
CENTURY CITY, Calif. - A smart, brisk and engaging comedy chronicling the perilous journey of an idealistic television writer as he tries to steer his pilot to a coveted spot on the prime-time television schedule, The TV Set bows on DVD September 25 from Fox Home Entertainment.
Hysterically smart, the black comedy from television writer and director Jake Kasdan (Orange County, Freaks and Geeks) "gets high ratings for razor sharp writing and direction and a wonderful ensemble delivering terrific comic performances" (Maxim). David Duchovny (The X-Files, Trust The Man) stars as writer Mike Klein, who finds navigating his pilot through the often precarious network process of casting, production and airing is an uphill battle as he attempts to juggle the agendas of a headstrong network president (Sigourney Weaver, Alien quadrilogy, Holes), a contemporary counterpart asked to add a touch of class to his pilot (Ioan Gruffudd, Fantastic Four, Amazing Grace), an ever-optimistic manager (Judy Greer, Elizabethtown, The Village) and his concerned pregnant wife (Justine Bateman, Family Ties). "A shrewd, savvy satire" (People), The TV Set shows that there is as much entertainment behind the camera as there is in front. The DVD features top-rated bonus materials including audio commentary, deleted scenes and a making-of featurette.
Synopsis:
A deadpan David Duchovny and a "flat-out fabulous" (Rolling Stone) Sigourney Weaver topline a "crackerjack cast" (Entertainment Weekly) in this uproarious, edgy peek into the world of network television... where ratings are king, and big dreams don't always fit on the small screen!
TV writer Mike Klein (Duchovny) is in the Prime Time of his life: his show just got picked up by a network, his favorite actor is set to star, and his wife is about to have a baby. But even though his wife is sure to deliver, the Network President (Weaver) might not! After locking horns with the steely suit, the hapless scribe must scramble to maintain creative control, before his beloved project is altered irrevocably, and his entire career winds up in permanent hiatus!
The TV Set DVD Special Features:
- "The Making of The TV Set" featurette
- Audio Commentary
- Deleted Scenes
http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2007/08/29/david_duchovny_and_sigourney_weaver_star_25
And Yaffa does not seem to like the movie that much.
MOVIE REVIEW: Worth turning off
April 20, 2007 12:00 AM
“The TV Set” takes on prime time TV, and misses
By Ted Mills
Jake Kasdan, son of Lawrence Kasdan (”The Big Chill”), has never gotten a fair shake in Hollywood.
His 1998 film, “Zero Effect,” was originally all but ignored, but has slowly gained a cult following by those lucky enough to have seen it. “Orange County” turned out to be the one Jack Black comedy nobody went to see. And Kasdan directed episodes of the ill-fated but cult-followed “Freaks and Geeks,” before it was cancelled.
Some of his apparent bitterness comes across in “The TV Set,” which takes on prime time TV much like “The Player” or “The Big Picture” took on the studio system.
But maybe “The TV Set” isn’t bitter enough. There’s little rage directed at a system designed to reward mediocrity. Nothing stings as it should, even though all the pieces are in place.
David Duchovny plays Mike, who we meet just as the suits at a Fox-like network gather to consider casting the pilot he is writing and producing. The project is autobiographical, a tale of a young lawyer returning home after his brother commits suicide. And it’s a “dramedy.” Uh-oh.
Mike wants the humor low-key, but the suits, led by Lenny (Sigourney Weaver), want it big and broad. A young British executive (Ioan Gruffudd) brought in to oversee the show and give it a bit of that BBC touch, tries to defend Mike’s choices, as does Mike’s manager, Alice (Judy Greer). When Mike considers digging in his heels over script changes, his wife (Justine Bateman) points to her pregnant belly. They need the money.
The opening scene spells out a lot of what’s wrong with the film. Mike’s choice of actor is a nervous, bearded mumbler. But, well, so is Mike. His character is introverted and rarely angry. He stumbles through the film with a series of ailments, including a head cold and a slipped disc.
Instead of garnering sympathy, we look around for characters with more vigor, which is why Greer — among her many comedic roles, the crazy secretary/mistress in “Arrested Development” — steals her scenes, even while portraying a character type we’ve seen in many Hollywood-eats-their-own films.
Fran Kranz also grabs laughs as conceited actor Zach Harper. His character’s best performances come in rehearsal, but once the camera rolls, he chews the scenery. Cameos by Andrea Martin, Willie Garson (”Sex and the City”), and Philip Baker Hall should also be savored.
“The TV Set” doesn’t tell us much we don’t know about the creative bankruptcy of network television, and seeing Greer is just another reminder of how executives have no idea what to do with originality and intelligence (See: the pitch-perfect “Arrested Development,” cancelled after three seasons).
The target audience for this film has probably moved to HBO and DVD rentals anyway. Trouble is, it feels like Kasdan has given up on TV, too. Instead of a brilliant kiss off, his film feels like a resignation letter.
http://yaffahan.blogoday.com/2007/08/30/movie-review-worth-turning-off/