Cancellation, Charlie’s Angels, Dish Column, Future Comeback, New Setting

"ABC To Cancel Miami Version of Charlie’s Angels. Look for Future Comeback Set in New City" by v. johns

I’m disappointed to read in the news, over the weekend, that after only four shows, the Miami-themed incarnation of “Charlie’s Angels” has been cancelled. According to Liz Smith’s “The Dish” column, the show was ABC’s first cancellation, this season, and that an 8 p.m. time slot (against NBC’s comedy lineup) may have been an ill fit. Furthermore, says Smith, the show may potentially return on a different night, set in a different city, with a more “adult spin.”

I would loved to have seen many a season filmed right here in Florida, but as a fan of the show, now that I’m into the characters and their stories, I just want the show to return… period! I loved the show when I was a kid and I’d love to see it live on now that I’m well into adulthood. I had no idea that filming in Miami could be considered to be “expensive.” (Maybe for ABC.) I can live with that, but what I can’t live with is the idea of anywhere in the state of Florida, somehow being devoid of stories to tell. Now, THAT’S funny. But so far, no indication of such a notion.

Florida’s legislature has done a fantastic job in beefing up the state’s incentives, and there was no mention of bad ratings, so I’m assuming that a lack of economies of scale in the film industry here, may have played a role in the Charlie’s Angels’ cancellation. Still, it was a worthy effort and an indication of what needs to be in place, in the future, to host other efforts. All said and done, however, even shows set in New York and L.A. get cancelled. All the time, as a matter of fact. So, good luck to my Angels and bravo to the city of Miami for landing a big one!

© 2011 LostParadiseFL.us.  

Charlie’s Angels

"Charlie’s Angels - Miami Style! ABC’s Remake Brings Big Budgets and Potentially Big Production Values to the South Florida Region" by v. johns, 9/22/11, 9:31 PM

I just finished watching the premiere episode of the new Charlie’s Angels TV series on ABC (local news channel WPBF 25). How fitting that on the day that Jennifer Lopez’s upcoming thriller, Parker (based on author Donald Westlake’s Flashfire), wraps up shooting in the town of Palm Beach, this evening, another South Florida-based drama makes its debut on network television, tonight. (ABC, WPBF-25; Ians, filmicafe.com).

The pilot episode of Angels begins with the ultra-smooth, optimistic voice of Charlie (Robert Wagner) giving us a brief background of our Angels, while a short, updated hint of the original series’ theme plays in the background. In this episode, the ex-cons turned detectives of the Townsend Agency (played by Rachael Taylor, Annie Ilonzeh and Minka Kelly) along with Bosley (Ramon Rodriguez) take on human traffickers as they avenge the loss of their fallen Angel and car-bomb victim, Gloria. ABC’s slow and steady, high-gloss cinematography captures Miami’s nighttime skyline with splendid big-city magnitude – making the fabled “Magic City” look larger than life. Which it often is. (Hanks, Miami Herald).

The premiere of the new Charlie’s Angels series follows on the heels of two other recent and successful TV dramas shot entirely in South Florida: USA Networks’ Burn Notice and A&E’s The Glades. According to the Miami Herald, however, while Burn Notice and The Glades have enjoyed phenomenal success on cable, the new Charlie’s Angels is the first network-television “broadcast series” to be shot here since Miami Vice. Furthermore, the reigning South Florida-themed champion, CSI: Miami, while wildly successful, and at one time the number one TV show worldwide, is shot mostly in L.A. with occasional production in Miami. It’s 10th season starts on Sunday at 10 p.m., by the way (CBS 12 locally). Finally, what makes Charlie’s Angels a real grab for the Miami area is that network television shows have substantially larger budgets and reach more viewers than cable shows do. (Hanks, Miami Herald).

With promising, less-than-perfect characters, a glamorous locale and butt-kicking action, this show looks like a winner! For more information on the new Charlie’s Angels television series, please click on ABC.go.com/shows. Better yet, tune in to your local ABC news station every Thursday at 8 p.m. Good luck, Angels!

 

© 2011 lostparadisefl.us

Khloe and Lamar, Kourtney and Kim, Celebuzz.com

"Khloe Keeps Up With Lamar, in L.A., While Kourtney and Kim Take… New York? Say It Ain’t So!" by v. johns, 10/27/10, 7:07 PM

Well, looks like the Kardashian Sisters are taking their act on the road, leaving behind South Florida’s sun for New York’s bright lights. According to the drama unfolding on the show, Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami, a favorite show of mine, it would appear that Kourtney’s troubled relationship with her boyfriend (and child’s father) Scott would be the reason. Still, according to Celebuzz.com, they’re going to be opening a new DASH store in Manhattan… But one can’t help but to wonder whether or not they may feel that South Florida really just doesn’t have that much to offer…

I certainly hope not, but one thing is for certain, there will be more stars, where they came from, seeking South Florida’s shelter, for some reason or another. Low taxes make anywhere look attractive, but one would hope that there are other, more attractive assets as well, such as a good business climate, top-rated schools, supreme shopping, and so on, that would be of interest as well.

I say this because, whether anyone knows it or not, Southeast Florida, as a region, is somewhat incomplete. Here’s why…

First of all, when people hear the phrase “South Florida” or “Southeast Florida,” it's flagship city, Miami, immediately comes to mind. Not understanding that the “Greater Miami Vicinity” (my term) extends from the northernmost city of Sebastian to the southernmost Florida Keys and stretches across seven counties (Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe) with 300 miles of coastline, people who decide to invest here seem to miss out on the full potential of marketing themselves, their products or services, or their company as the product of a dynamic and diverse up-and-coming region. Instead, most choose safe, well-known locales like Miami and South Beach, or Palm Beach, to be affiliated with. Not realizing that Vero Beach and Hobe Sound are as much a part of “South Florida” as Brooklyn is a part of New York. The point being… We have an image problem. Please note: When the NFL labels its occasional Super Bowl here, “the South Florida Super bowl,” shouldn’t that be a clue to other entities to make use of regional-level marketing to add more stature to their brand? 

Second, we are awaiting the construction and completion of regional-level mass transit projects that will not only bring our region online and on par with its sister region, the great Northeast, but may threaten to pose a challenge to “Big Sister,” within the next 50 years, as America’s cultural center of gravity. I have nothing against New York. As an original “hip-hopper,” of the old school variety (Think RUN-DMC) I HAVE to pay homage to the place where my music was born. Still, it’s about time for the Miami area to mature. You ever look at TV shows like the “Today Show” or “30 Rock” and wonder why those shows can’t be filmed here? I do. And I believe that the introduction of regional-level mass transit will help our region’s institutions, resources and people mature in ways that only the Northeast can lay claim to at this point. Furthermore, the more walkable our largest cities and towns become, the more people will want to explore, and spend money, all throughout our region. Can’t do that with time-conscious people circling around in their cars, waiting for good parking spaces to become available.

Despite these two main points, however, there is some great news that has developed in the area of regional-level cooperation. I read in the Stuart News, over the summer, of the formation of The Southeast Florida Regional Partnership, between the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council and the South Florida Regional Planning Council, for the purpose of securing funds for the study and development of a regional master plan. A few days ago, I was pleased to read, in the Palm Beach Post, about the success of the Partnership in securing a 4.25 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to do just that! I’ll comment further on this article later, but for now, my point is that as the Partnership becomes more successful, more and more businesses, institutions, local governments, and individuals alike, will begin to understand the power of regionalism, and we’ll begin to see a more sophisticated regional character develop.

In the meantime, it’s up to key players and visionaries, with vested interests in various places throughout this region, to begin spreading the word and helping to put a more recognizable face on the entire Southeast Florida metroscape… Bathtub Beach, Dodgertown, Bal Harbor, A1A, Alligator Alley, Dolphins, Marlins, City Place, Galleria Mall, Tri-rail, Military Trail, Roosevelt Bridge, Freedom Tower, Flagler Street, Flagler Drive, etc. are all names that when mentioned should be just as fabled and recognizable as Brooklyn, Brooklyn Bridge, Yankees, Jets, Long Island Expressway, Statue of Liberty, Fifth Avenue, New York – New Jersey Tunnel, MTA, Coney Island, Jersey Shore, Empire State Building, etc. Am I right?

As far as the Kardashians go, I’m pretty sure Kim, Khloe and Kourtney will be back in South Florida before you know it. Our aquatic lifestyle is second to none. I just hope that whenever they’re here, if they haven’t already, perhaps they’ll look outside of Miami’s immediate vicinity and explore what the rest of South Florida has to offer…