Junk TV Round-Up – PERCEPTION, HEMLOCK GROVE, DAMAGES, THE CLOSER

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Premiering tonight on TNT is Perception, the next in a long line of procedurals where a by-the-book law enforcement agent is paired with a nutty nut-nut who brings a new perspective to cases and helps us learn to laugh about love again (The X-Files, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, even House–you get the idea).  In the case of Perception, we have late-’90s sweetface Rachael Leigh Cook, a name I’ve given little thought to since I worked at a video store in my early 20s.  I can’t really form an opinion on her, therefore (not that that’s ever stopped me), but given that Anna Chlumsky has managed through Veep to get me to take her seriously, I don’t see why Cook couldn’t do the same.  As her outside-the-box partner is Eric McCormack as a schizophrenic yet brilliant professor of neuroscience.  McCormack is most well-known of course for his titular role on Will & Grace, but I always thought the guy was a bit wasted on a sit-c0m, even an above-average one like that.  TNT has been trying hard to maintain at least USA Network levels of quality, so though I’m not on pins and needles over Perception, I remain optimistic.

Netflix is still burning the midnight oil to throw its hat into the TV series ring.  After its debut scripted series, Lilyhammer, failed to make any resounding splash, it seems Netflix has doubled its efforts to hit on a winner yet still taking their time, not trying to rush something onto the market (which might not have helped Lilyhammer, come to think).  The latest project in development over there to make any waves is Hemlock Grove, which leans a bit more towards the horror side of things (especially with overrated director of the decade, Eli Roth, slated to direct the debut episode), but seeing as how it centers around the murder of a young girl and all the creepy-creep suspects in town, the crime elements of the the gothic genre remain well in place.  Hemlock Grove stars a couple more names you ain’t heard much since the turn of the century, Famke Janssen and Dougray Scott, but just added to this cast is Aaron Douglas, best known for his role on Sci-Fi Channel (or SyFy, if you must) sleeper hit Battlestar Galactica.  Douglas was also in a very interesting sounding Canadian cop show called The Bridge, which sounds right up our alley but was cancelled before we could eve hear about it.  Anybody out there got the goods on that show?

Damages, the show that DirecTV really wants you to watch, enters its final season this Wednesday, and bridesmaidzilla extraordinaire Rose Byrne dishes on these final ten episodes over at TVLine.  Well, she doesn’t dish so much as plead the fifth (can an Australian do that?) as regards the fate of her character, Ellen, who may or may not be dead.  Byrne also tells TVLine that, although her feature film career has certainly been picking up (I myself just watched Bridesmaids again for the umpteenth time, and still feel that Byrne is more than just easy on the eyes), she would absolutely be up for another long-term TV gig.  Here’s hoping it’s on a channel I have at least some kind of access to.  As it is, I don’t think I even know anybody with DirecTV.

And finally, the Kyra Sedgwick vehicle, The Closer begins it final season tonight, also on TNT.  Sedgwick also had a nice chat with TVLine, but unlike Rose Byrne, Sedgwick would like to give TV a pass for a bit, maybe get into the movies again, which I would like to see, since I still feel she’s the best part of Singles.  Sedgwick also talks aboutTwilight heartthrob Billy Burke, and the major role his scumbag character will play in this final season, especially as relates to her character.  Personally, I haven’t been paying close enough attention to this show, not even realizing it was still on the air.  But you simply can’t go wrong with J.K. Simmons.  It’s just not possible.

And that’s all for now, you TV addicts.  This is your personal closer, Jimmy Callaway, saying: Go read a book.