Food Fun Family

General Hospital – Celebrating 55 Years of Daytime Television #GH55 #ABCTVEvent

Lolli — Tue, 15 May 2018 16:00:00 +0000

Can you believe that General Hospital is 55 years old?!

I was invited on an expense-paid trip to Los Angeles by Disney to attend the #HanSoloEvent and #ABCTVEvent in exchange for coverage on my blog. No other compensation was provided. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

FRANK VALENTINI (Executive Producer), me & JOSHUA SWICKARD (“Detective Harrison Chase”)

This past week, I had the chance to tour the set of General Hospital, the iconic American daytime soap opera that is celebrating 55 years on TV. It’s incredible to think that the writers and actors have been carrying this story line for longer than I’ve been alive. Daytime drama/soap operas are an American creation. To be carrying one evolving story line for 55 years is an incredible feat.

Warning: fun staged photos ahead. I had a ton of fun posing in different scenes!

We had the awesome opportunity to tour the set and then hang out in the green room with Executive Producer Frank Valentini and actor Joshua Swickard, who plays “Detective Harrison Chase” while we enjoyed some delicious mini bundt cakes. We also got an exclusive sneak peek of Josh’s top-secret performance at the Nurse’s Ball. Trust me, if you have watched General Hospital at all recently, you won’t want to miss the Nurse’s Ball (which airs May 16-21, 2018).

There’s something magical about being on a working set. I was fascinated to learn that they switch sets around regularly (ie, one week, they’ll have Maxi’s living room up in one spot, and the next week they’ll take it down to make room for another scene). They also use “frags” or fragmented sets to save space and time. Basically, they’ll set up a corner or a small section of a restaurant or another large setting when they only have to film a small portion of the scene.

Some of the hilarious set “secrets” that we learned were:

Snacks in vending machine have stickers on them so that they display fake names (“Cool Chips” instead of “Chips Ahoy”)
The snacks in the vending machines and drinks at the restaurant bar have been around for YEARS. Don’t eat or drink them! In fact, the vending machines don’t even work. There are snacks in the bottom just waiting for an actor to grab.
Elevator doors don’t actually work. They have prop guys physically open and close the doors each time
The pens in the pen holders at the nurse’s stations in the hospital are glued in place so that pens don’t accidentally walk off!
The drinking fountains don’t actually work! The actors just lean over like they’re drinking, and water sound effects are added later during editing.

It’s amazing how much the producers of General Hospital are able to do with a small budget. They often reuse or repurpose sets. For instance, in the hospital, they use the same set-up but change the floor numbers and signs. Throughout the set, they reuse walls and furniture and props.

One really “hot” topic of conversation during our tour was story lines with fires and earthquakes and other natural disasters. Natural disasters are really difficult, complicated, and expensive, so the writers try not to add too many of those types of elements in the story line. Remote shooting is really expensive, so they don’t do many location sequences anymore. Even outdoor scenes are limited to every 6 months or so, and those are often shot at a small park next to the studio.

Filming a day time drama like General Hospital is a lot of work. They film throughout the year, with only 16 “dark weeks” spaced out over the year (versus prime time shows that film the whole season in a few months). The shoot an average of 6 shows or so per week, and rarely work on the weekends, except for “extra” preparation like they needed for the Nurse’s Ball episode.

Filming a day time drama is a lot of work!

And because the story line is continuous, daytime actors tend to stick around for longer. It’s almost unheard of in the entertainment industry to go to the same job for 15-20 years, but it’s not uncommon for soap opera actors! Not only do the actors stick around for longer, but the fans do, too. Executive Producer Frank Valentini is proud of General Hospital’s strong Family connection – fans have watched when they were kids with their moms or grandmas and now they’re watching as adults.

Frank Valentini mentioned that he and the General Hospital team of writers feel a great sense of responsibility in the stories that they tell. They recognize that there are ways to tell stories that change people’s lives. They have recently been following an Alzheimer’s story line and have learned a lot in the process. For instance, did you know that 2 out of 3 people with Alzheimer’s are women? Most of the Alzheimers caregivers are women as well.

Are you a General Hospital fan? Did you ever watch it with your mom or your Grandma? I know I did!

Make sure to tune in to upcoming episodes! I know a few things that are going to be happening and you’re not going to want to miss a thing!

CONNECT WITH GENERAL HOSPITAL

Watch GENERAL HOSPITAL weekdays on ABC (check your local listings) or streaming or on the ABC app.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/generalhospital
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GeneralHospital

Hashtag: #GH or #GH55

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/generalhospitalabc/

Website: https://abc.go.com/shows/general-hospital

FRANK VALENTINI (Executive Producer): https://twitter.com/valentinifrank

JOSHUA SWICKARD (“Detective Harrison Chase”): https://twitter.com/josh_swickard and https://www.instagram.com/joshswickard/

The Real O’Neals Season 2 {Plus ABC’s Halloween Line Up} #TheRealONeals

Lolli — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 16:04:30 +0000

The Real O’Neals is back for Season 2, and I was able to visit the set while I was in Los Angeles last month for the #QueenOfKatweEvent and #ABCTVEvent. All travel expenses were covered, but all thoughts are my own.

I’ve been to the Walt Disney Studios lot dozens of times now, but it never ceases to amaze me how much goes on there! You never know what magic is happening behind each door you pass. In fact, ABC’s The Real O’Neals, which is back for Season 2, is filmed right there at Walt Disney Studios, and we had the chance to visit the set and a few of the people involved in the show.

David Windsor, Creator & Exec Producer, led us around the set, and actors Bebe Wood and Matt Shively, who play two of the O’Neal children (Shannon and Jimmy) joined us as well. They were all so generous and open. I loved seeing Bebe and Matt’s reactions to the holiday decorations, which had miraculously appeared in the 24 hours prior to our set visit. I can’t believe how quickly they can work their magic on a set and turn it into a winter wonderland…right in the middle of Los Angeles, no less!

Even though the Halloween episode will be airing this week (more details on that episode below), the cast was getting ready to film the Christmas episode while we were there. As you can see in the collage above, there’s something new in the O’Neals’ backyard – a tiny house! We haven’t seen the tiny house in the show yet, so I won’t say who’s living there….who do you think it may be for?

David Windsor let us know that it takes a crew of around 125 to make an episode happen, from start to finish. That’s a lot of people! It takes about 5 days to film on episode, and of course it takes even longer for the editing and formatting to be finished before the episode is ready to air.

I loved the “REAL” feel of the O’Neal’s home. No corner was left undecorated, the tree was filled with homey, handmade ornaments, there were family pictures and Christmas cards everywhere….It was really easy to imagine a real family living there (despite the fact that when we looked up, there was studio lighting instead of a roof!).

The Real O’Neals Season 2

The O’Neal family continues its journey of self-discovery and growth, resulting from Kenny coming out and his parents, Eileen and Pat, getting divorced. After finally coming out, Kenny will discover that life outside the closet isn’t that easy. Luckily for him, his older brother, Jimmy, will always be there to offer his often-misguided advice. And finally, there’s Shannon, the youngest O’Neal, whose unique views on life make her wise beyond her years. Eileen and Pat will continue to deal with starting their separate lives while still living under the same roof. Through it all, Aunt Jodi will be there offering her unusual brand of support, as the O’Neals continue to explore new relationships, friendships and acceptance of one another in the next, messier chapter of their lives.

“The Real O’Neals” stars Martha Plimpton as Eileen, Jay R. Ferguson as Pat, Noah Galvin as Kenny, Matt Shively as Jimmy, Bebe Wood as Shannon and Mary Hollis Inboden as Aunt Jodi.

The Real Halloween

THE REAL O’NEALS – “The Real Halloween” (ABC/Eric McCandless)
MARY HOLLIS INBODEN, MARTHA PLIMPTON

When Halloween arrives, or what Kenny refers to as “the gay Super Bowl,” he plans to go to Boystown to watch the festive costume parade. In an effort to prevent Kenny from attending, Eileen agrees to let him throw his own Halloween party at home. Eileen’s tolerance is ultimately tested when Kenny recruits Stuart and his gay friends to join the big party, and he makes a BIG costume change. Meanwhile, Jimmy and Shannon plan to pull off an epic Halloween prank.

THE REAL O’NEALS – “The Real Halloween” (ABC/Eric McCandless)
MARTHA PLIMPTON, CALEB PIERCE

Halloween Takes Over ABC TV!

Halloween is ‘spooktacular’ as the entire roster of ABC comedies, as well as “The Chew,” “General Hospital” and more, celebrate everyone’s favorite scary holiday. Other highlights include the holiday classic “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” celebrating its 50th anniversary. All times listed are EDT.

Starting MONDAY, OCT. 24

The Chew – Week of October 24-28 – Boo! All week long “The Chew” features recipes, cocktails and insider tips on making this year’s Halloween your best ever! Highlights include the world premiere of the newest Chew book, “The Chew Approved,” on Tuesday, October 25; Chef and author Ina Garten on October 27; and actor Colin Hanks (“Life in Pieces), on Friday, October 28. (1:00-2:00 p.m.) (Check local listings)

TUESDAY, OCT. 25

“The Middle” – “Halloween VII: The Heckoning” – As Halloween approaches, Frankie is taken aback when she discovers that if the circumstances ever arose where she and Mike got divorced, the kids would all choose to live with Mike. Meanwhile, Sue tries everything in her power to get her room back from Brick, and having to be so nice around girlfriend April (Greer Grammer) all of the time leads Axl to lash out at his family. (8:00-8:30 p.m.)

THE MIDDLE – “Halloween VII: The Heckoning” (ABC/Michael Ansell)
PATRICIA HEATON, EDEN SHER, CHARLIE MCDERMOTT, GREER GRAMMER

“American Housewife” – “Westport Zombies” – Katie, jealous of Taylor’s friendship with neighbor Viv (Leslie Bibb), reluctantly competes in the Westport Halloween “Zombie Run” after she finds out they’ll both be running. Meanwhile, Greg and Anna-Kat get a little too much in character for the zombie part of the run’s obstacle course. (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE (ABC/Tony Rivetti)
JULIA BUTTERS, DIEDRICH BADER, DANIEL DIMAGGIO

“Fresh Off the Boat” – “Louisween” – It’s Louis’ favorite holiday, and he makes every attempt to scare Jessica into the Halloween spirit, but she is buried in her word processor, drafting her first horror novel. Meanwhile, Emery and Evan debate costume choices, and Eddie and his crew are excited to party with high schoolers at Nicole’s house.(9:00–9:30 p.m.)

FRESH OFF THE BOAT – “Louisween” (ABC/Eric McCandless)
CHELSEY CRISP, CONSTANCE WU

“The Real O’Neals” – “The Real Halloween” – When Halloween arrives, or what Kenny refers to as “the gay Super Bowl,” he plans to go to Boystown to watch the festive costume parade. In an effort to prevent Kenny from attending, Eileen agrees to let him throw his own Halloween party at home. Eileen’s tolerance is ultimately tested when Kenny recruits Stuart and his gay friends to join the big party, and he makes a BIG costume change. Meanwhile, Jimmy and Shannon plan to pull off an epic Halloween prank. ESPN sportscaster Neil Everett guest stars. (9:30–10:00 p.m.)

THE REAL O’NEALS – “The Real Halloween” (ABC/Eric McCandless)
MARTHA PLIMPTON, RAMONA YOUNG, NOAH GALVIN

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 26

“The Goldbergs” – “Stefan King” – Adam’s love of Stephen King inspires him to try his hand at horror writing. After learning the monster in Adam’s story is based on Beverly, she forces Adam to stay in on Halloween and rewrite it, hoping he depicts her as a better mother. Meanwhile, Erica is desperate to find a date to the costume dance and forces Barry go with her. (8:00–8:30 p.m.)

“Speechless” – “H-A-L- HALLOWEEN” – Jimmy is upset that the kids no longer want to participate in the family tradition of dressing up for Halloween. Maya tries to cheer up Jimmy by allowing him to take things off the family “Dead to Me” list. Meanwhile, Ray recruits Dylan to help work the school’s haunted mansion, while Kenneth is scared of losing his job when JJ gets drunk at a party. Even though Maya is furious, she is thrilled to see JJ having a “normal” life. (8:30–9:00 p.m.)

“Modern Family” – “Halloween 4: The Revenge of Rod Skyhook” – Luke’s Halloween party isn’t the monster bash he dreamed of, and he is at risk of having the worst party of the year. Sensing trouble, the rest of the Dunphys realize that all his party needs is a visit from Rod Skyhook, a little promotion and some adult supervision to get it started. Meanwhile, at the Tucker-Pritchett home, Cam faces off with his Halloween nemesis, while Lily and Mitchell try to save the day and work to keep him from going to the darkside. Finally, when Jay finds out that Manny is going to a party at the home of an old enemy, he enlists him to deliver a trick he will never forget. (9:00–9:30 p.m.)

“black-ish” – “The Purge” – After Junior embarrasses Dre during a basketball game, Dre decides to remind Junior of his master pranking skills so he’ll never challenge him again. Meanwhile, the neighborhood participates in a “mischief night” during Halloween, where petty crimes become legal, and Ruby takes it too far with the kids. (9:31–10:00 p.m.)

FRIDAY, OCT. 28

“It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” – (Full-length version) The 50th anniversary of “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” features the full-length special, including the bonus cartoon, “You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown,” which features the Great Pumpkin. (8:00–9:00 p.m.)

MONDAY, OCT. 31

“The Chew” – It’s an hour of food, frights and fun when “The Chew” celebrates its 6th Halloween in ghoulishly delicious style. Co-hosts Mario Batali, Michael Symon, Carla Hall, Clinton Kelly and Daphne Oz reveal the costumes they selected for each other and welcome country superstar Kellie Pickler also in full masquerade! (1:00-2:00 p.m.) (Check local listings)

“General Hospital” – On “General Hospital,” residents of Port Charles celebrate Halloween at the Metro Court hotel. Franco and Jason clash, while Sonny has a big reaction to one of the Halloween revelers. (2:00-3:00 p.m.)

“Dancing with the Stars” – “Dancing with the Stars” treats viewers to a thrilling ‘spooktacular’ night filled with scary and chilling performances, live. The remaining couples will perform an individual Halloween-themed routine. (8:00-10:01 p.m.)

“Jimmy Kimmel Live” – Jimmy, Guillermo, Dicky, Cleto and the Cletones and all of the show’s guests will be dressed for the occasion. The 11th Annual Half & Half Halloween Costume Pageant will be part of the evening’s festivities, where the show takes half of one costume and half of another, weaving them together to form one amazing hybrid costume. Past creations include Trumpty Dumpty, EmoJesus, The Walking Bed and Wilmer Valder-llama, to name a few. Kimmel will ask parents to join in on the YouTube Challenge ‘I Told My Kids I Ate All Their Halloween Candy,’ one of the show’s most cherished holiday traditions with over 200 million combined views on YouTube. (11:35–12:30 p.m.)

Why Moms Will Relate to American Housewife #AmericanHousewife

Lolli — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 19:42:51 +0000

I was invited to Los Angeles as part of the #QueenOfKatweEvent and #ABCTVEvent in September. While in LA, we had the opportunity to screen American Housewife as well as meet 4 of the show’s main characters – Katie Otto (Katy Mixon) and her best friends, Angela (Carly Hughes) and Doris (Ali Wong) plus Viv (Leslie Bibb). Travel and accommodations were covered by Disney/ABC but all thoughts are my own.

Me…the ultimate American Housewife!

Did you tune in to the series premiere of American Housewife on ABC last week? Episode 2 airs tonight, and take my word for it (as someone who has seen the first three episodes and met the cast) – you should definitely watch it tonight!

One thing I’ve noticed as I’ve watched American Housewife is that it has gotten even better with each episode. Episode 3 even made me cry!

AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE – ABC’s “American Housewife” stars Daniel DiMaggio as Oliver, Meg Donnelly as Taylor, Katy Mixon as Meg Donnelly, Diedrich Bader as Greg and Julia Butters as Anna-Kat. (ABC/Craig Sjodin)

Here’s a little about American Housewife:

“AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE” (Tuesdays from 8:30-9:00 p.m. ET)

Katie Otto, a confident, unapologetic wife and mother of three, raises her flawed family in the wealthy town of Westport, Connecticut, filled with “perfect” mommies and their “perfect” offspring. Katie’s perfectly imperfect world is upended when her neighbor’s decision to move notches her up from her ideal social standing and sets her on a path to ensure that doesn’t happen, regardless of the consequences.

AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE – “The Nap” – All Katie wants is a good, long nap after the kids keep her up all night. But when Greg gets the flu, she doesn’t get a minute to herself. Her exhaustion reaches critical mass with a confrontation with the school’s officious crossing guard (guest star Kate Flannery, “The Office”), on “American Housewife,” airing TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18 (8:30-9:00 p.m. EDT), on the ABC Television Network. (ABC/Tony Rivetti)

Luckily, her husband, Greg Otto, supports her in every way possible, but with a dash of reality thrown in as they work to ensure their children do not end up like everyone else. However, that isn’t going to be easy when her oldest teenage daughter, Taylor, is already set on the “perfect” path; middle son Oliver has one goal in life: to be rich; and her youngest, Anna Kat, needs a little extra help navigating life. Then there are her friends, Angela and Doris, who help Katie keep it all in perspective and are the allies she needs in a town where “keeping it real” is not a compliment.

AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE – “The Nap” – (ABC/Tony Rivetti)

Despite her flaws and unconventional ways, Katie ultimately only wants the best for her kids and will fight tooth-and-nail to instill some good old-fashioned values in them, if it’s the last thing she does.

“American Housewife” stars Katy Mixon as Katie Otto, Diedrich Bader as Greg Otto, Meg Donnelly as Taylor, Daniel DiMaggio as Oliver, Julia Butters as Anna-Kat, Carly Hughes as Angela and Ali Wong as Doris.

“American Housewife” is written by Sarah Dunn (“Spin City,” “Bunheads”) and produced by Kapital Entertainment and ABC Studios. Sarah Dunn, Aaron Kaplan, Rick Wiener and Kenny Schwartz are executive producers. Ruben Fleischer directed and was executive producer of the pilot.

AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE – “The Nap” – (ABC/Tony Rivetti)

About Episode 2: The Nap

“The Nap” airs October 18 at 8:30 pm ET

All Katie wants is a good, long nap after the kids keep her up all night. But when Greg gets the flu, she doesn’t get a minute to herself. Her exhaustion reaches critical mass with a confrontation with the school’s officious crossing guard (guest star Kate Flannery, “The Office”).

AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE – “The Nap” – (ABC/Tony Rivetti)

I could relate so well with Katie’s desire to take a nap and how the entire world seemed to be rooting against her. But in the end, Katie recognized something even more important than a nap.

Why Moms Everywhere Will Love American Housewife

American Housewife celebrates moms – working moms, stay at home moms, fit moms, non-so-skinny moms, lazy moms, hard-working moms, single moms. And frankly, I think there is some of each of us in the characters.
American Housewife recognizes through humor how hard our jobs as mothers are, and how much we sacrifice for our families (most of the time with a smile on our face).
Katie Otto is flawed and far from perfect but she loves herself. She’s a good reminder to women like me who are also far from perfect moms that we’re not alone.
The Otto family is so relatable! They could be your next door neighbors
American Housewife is FUNNY. And heaven knows that moms need some time to unwind and decompress at the end of the day.

AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE – “The Nap” – (ABC/Tony Rivetti)

And did I mention that I got to be ON SET (on location) with Katie, Leslie, Angela, and Doris?? They were a hoot!

Be sure to check out the rest of the Tuesday night lineup on ABC tonight!

The Middle at 8:00/7:00C
American Housewife at 8:30/7:30C
Fresh Off the Boat at 9:00/8:00C
The Real O’Neals at 9:30/8:30C!

The Middle Season 8 Premiere & Behind The Scenes Look #TheMiddle

Lolli — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 18:00:09 +0000

I LOVE The Middle, so I was thrilled to be able to visit the set, meet the stars, and screen the Season 8 premiere episode while I was in Los Angeles last month for the #QueenOfKatweEvent and #ABCTVEvent. All travel expenses were covered, but all thoughts are my own.

THE MIDDLE – ABC’s “The Middle” stars Patricia Heaton as Frankie, Charlie McDermott as Axl, Atticus Shaffer as Brick, Eden Sher as Sue and Neil Flynn as Mike. (ABC/Craig Sjodin)

Have you heard? The Middle has moved to a new night!

I love The Middle – it’s a show that my whole family can enjoy with a few of my favorite actors – I’ve loved Patricia Heaton (Frankie Heck) for years, and my husband is a huge fan of Neil Flynn (Mike Heck). The Heck family is quirky and hilarious and so relatable!

Part of our blogger group on the set of The Middle. Photo credit: Deanna of HoneyAndLime.Co

One of the things that struck me on our quick visit to the set of The Middle (just as they were about to film an episode for the new season, in fact!) was that the Heck house looks like a real, lived in, middle-of-America, middle-income house. There are old family pictures on the walls, books and magazines lying around, and junk in the corners. So real!

I also loved that both Patricia Heaton (Frankie) and Neil Flynn (Mike) were wearing pajamas when we met them, since the scene they were about to shoot was in their pjs. Again, if you’re a fan of The Middle, the fact that they were wearing pajamas on set won’t come as a surprise.

We were also able to stop by wardrobe and see the clothes for the entire Heck family – from past seasons and upcoming episodes as well. I had to laugh when we were told that they do a lot of shopping for the show’s wardrobe at stores like Kmart.

It was cool to see the racks full of clothes for each of the characters. It was easy to spot Mike’s rows and rows of flannel (my daughter would be jealous!) and Brick’s rows of stripes. It was easy to spot which clothes belonged to which actors because the show’s characters are so recognizable.

Are you ready to hear about the Season 8 Premiere episode, airing tonight??

THE MIDDLE SEASON PREMIERE – The Core Group (10/11/2016)

THE MIDDLE – “The Core Group” (ABC/Michael Ansell)
CHARLIE MCDERMOTT, GREER GRAMMER, ATTICUS SHAFFER, PATRICIA HEATON, CASEY BURKE, NEIL FLYNN, WILL GREEN, EDEN SHER

On the season premiere episode, “The Core Group,” Frankie and Mike are excited to meet April (Greer Grammer) – the love of Axl’s life – but discover that love may indeed be blind when April reveals a quirky personality trait. Meanwhile, after getting bit by the acting bug while working at Dollywood over the summer, Sue wants to change her major to theater, and Brick is starting high school and making it his mission to try for a fresh start and not be considered one of the weird kids.

THE MIDDLE – “The Core Group” (ABC/Michael Ansell) EDEN SHER

My favorite quote from the season premiere episode was something that Frankie said at the end: “Maybe we shouldn’t plan at all. Maybe we should just be in the moment we’re in. Enjoy the time we have with the people we love.”

That is some good advice!

THE MIDDLE – “The Core Group” (ABC/Michael Ansell)
PATRICIA HEATON, NEIL FLYNN, EDEN SHER, ATTICUS SHAFFER, CHARLIE MCDERMOTT

As a mom to whose oldest daughter recently got married, with another daughter who is a high school senior this year….and my baby just graduated from elementary school last year, I can really relate to Frankie’s desire in “The Core Group” to hang on to the moments we have as a family. It’s rare that we’re all together anymore, and I often think about the special family moments that will never happen again. It’s interesting to see the Heck family going through some of the same things (although it’s much more fun to laugh with (and at) the Hecks!

THE MIDDLE – “The Core Group” (ABC/Michael Ansell)
GREER GRAMMER, CHARLIE MCDERMOTT

“The Middle” stars Patricia Heaton as Frankie, Neil Flynn as Mike, Charlie McDermott as Axl, Eden Sher as Sue and Atticus Shaffer as Brick.

“The Core Group” guest stars Greer Grammer as April, Casey Burke as Cindy, Will Green as Jeremy, Brock Ciarlelli as Brad Bottig, Matt Cornett as Duncan, Crystal Shannon as freshman girl, Ted Stavros as freshman boy and Martha Thatcher as girl.

About The Middle

Middle-aged, middle class and living in the middle of the country in Orson, Indiana, Frankie Heck is a harried wife and mother of three who uses her wry wit and sense of humor to get her family through each day intact. Frankie works as a dental assistant, and her unflappable husband, Mike, is manager at the local quarry and her sardonic partner in the daily grind that is raising their average – yes, most definitely average – family.

This year, the kids will find themselves breaking out of their comfort zones and navigating new situations than what they’re used to – which may or may not be very comforting to Frankie and Mike.

How cool is it that I met the family? Sadly, Sue wasn’t there, but the boys made up for it in friendliness.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Tuesday night lineup on ABC tonight!

The Middle at 8:00/7:00C
American Housewife at 8:30/7:30C
Fresh Off the Boat at 9:00/8:00C
The Real O’Neals at 9:30/8:30C!

Once Upon a Time Returns for Season 6: The Savior #OnceUponATime

Lolli — Sun, 25 Sep 2016 13:00:20 +0000

I’ve been a fan of ABC’s Once Upon a Time since the beginning, so I was thrilled when I heard we’d have the chance to screen the Season 6 premiere episode before it aired as well as sit down with Once Upon a Time Co-Creators and Executive Producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz. Travel, accommodations and photos are courtesy of ABC TV and Disney, but all thoughts are my own. This post is spoiler-free so you don’t need to wait to read it before watching the episode!

This new season of Once Upon a Time brings the characters we have grown to love on the show along with a host of new characters back to Storybrooke. In the last few seasons, we’ve seen our characters go on journeys to Neverland or the Underworld. This season, they’ll be sticking around Storybrooke and trying to build their lives again at home. Of course, they’ll still have the classic flashbacks from other times and places.

Co-creator Adam Horowitze said, “We’re trying to dig more into what daily life is, what normal is. In an early episode you’re going to see Snow White ask the question, ‘What is normal? And how do we get back to it?'”

JOSH DALLAS, LANA PARRILLA, JARED S. GILMORE in ONCE UPON A TIME Season 6 – ‘The Savior’ (ABC/Jack Rowand)

In Season 5, we explored the Dark Ones and darkness…while this season, we’ll be exploring saviors and light, and how they got to where they are.

After seeing the season premiere, I can’t wait to see the rest of the season!

About Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 1: “The Savior”

THE HEROES FACE OFF AGAINST A DANGEROUS NEW ENEMY, AS EMMA COMES TO TERMS WITH WHAT IT MEANS TO BE THE SAVIOR, AND RUMPLE ENTERS BELLE’S DREAMSCAPE, ON THE SEASON PREMIERE OF ABC’S ‘ONCE UPON A TIME’

GILES MATTHEY, ROBERT CARLYLE in ONCE UPON A TIME Season 6 – ‘The Savior’ (ABC/Jack Rowand)

As “Once Upon a Time” returns to ABC for its sixth season, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 (8:00–9:00 p.m. EDT), on the ABC Television Network, so does its classic villain — the Evil Queen. Creators Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz (“Lost,” “Tron: Legacy”) invite you to join everyone’s favorite fairytale characters as they face-off against this supercharged enemy.

In the season premiere episode, “The Savior,” as our heroes set out to stop Hyde, Emma develops a mysterious side effect, and Storybrooke becomes a haven for people from the Land of Untold Stories. Meanwhile, Regina and Zelena embrace their newfound sisterhood by becoming roommates, while Rumple tries to free Belle from the sleeping Curse with the help of a stranger. In flashback, Jafar confronts an afflicted Aladdin in Agrabah, and a secret about the Savior is revealed.

HANK HARRIS, JENNIFER MORRISON, JOSH DALLAS in ONCE UPON A TIME Season 6 – ‘The Savior’ (ABC/Jack Rowand)

“Once Upon a Time” stars Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White/Mary Margaret, Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Lana Parrilla as the Evil Queen/Regina, Josh Dallas as Prince Charming/David, Emilie de Ravin as Belle, Colin O’Donoghue as Hook, Jared S. Gilmore as Henry Mills, Rebecca Mader as the Wicked Witch/Zelena and Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold.

Guest starring are Raphael Sbarge as Archie Hopper/Jiminy Cricket, Beverley Elliott as Granny, Oded Fehr as Jafar, Deniz Akdeniz as Aladdin, Tarun Keram as Emir, Peter Marcin as Chief, Farris Tyab, Jordan Ashley Olson as Young Nurse/Oracle, Giles Matthey as Morpheus, Thomas Gasior as Musketeer #1, Ingrid Torrance as Nurse Ratchet, Hank Harris as Dr. Jekyll and Sam Witwer as Mr. Hyde.

Oded Feher Guest Stars as Jafar and Deniz Akdeniz as Aladdin

“The Savior” was written by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, and directed by Eagle Egilsson.

Once Upon a Time Q&A with Co-Creators and Executive Producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz

Once Upon a Time Co-Creators and Executive Producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and the #ABCTVEvent bloggers. Photo by Marshall Weinbaum

It was so interesting to sit down with Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz to discuss not only the series as a whole, but also the plans and inside information about the upcoming season. I wish I could share EVERYTHING we talked about, but I promised I’d keep this post spoiler-free!

Once Upon a Time is a show without a period. Without a “the end.” In fact, the classic fairy tale “once upon a time” and “happily ever after” concepts are based on leaving the bulk of the story unfinished. Happily ever after is not the end. And the show Once Upon a Time is a story about journeys, not happy endings.

In this season, they’ll be getting inside Emma’s head even more and looking at how she will react in her role as the Savior if she doesn’t think she will ever get her own happy ending.

Creators and executive producers of “Once Upon a Time,” Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis (ABC/Todd Wawrychuk)

Edward Kitsis said, “What if someone can undo all the happiness you’ve done; would your life matter? So if you can’t get your own happy ending, and you’re faced with somebody out there that’s trying to undo the ones you have done, what does that do to you?”

One of the most interesting concepts for me that was introduced in the Season 6 premiere episode was the Land of Untold Stories.

Adam Horowitz said, “In the past we’ve seen the characters within Storybrooke who have been effective by the curse, whose stories intersect with our (main) characters, in the case of characters whose happy endings have been ripped away by the Evil Queen and her curse. With the Land of Untold Stories, it’s a little bit different, and what we’re exploring is characters who have run away from their stories, who have left them and gone to this other place. Now they find themselves in Storybrooke in stories that may have been put on pause and resumed. So rather than stories that necessarily that have ended in a certain way, these are stories that were kind of midstream that for whatever reason the characters didn’t want to see it continue.”

I’m excited to see who these untold story characters are.

COLIN O’DONOGHUE as Hook in ONCE UPON A TIME Season 6 – ‘The Savior’ (ABC/Jack Rowand)

I loved the question that one of the bloggers asked Edward and Adam. She asked, “Six seasons into the show, you guys are at the point where true love is not just a romantic love, it can be between a parent and a child, or between siblings. Can you talk about sort of exploring and moving away from what a traditional happy ending or true love story would be?”

The answer was profound and gave me a lot to think about in the way that I perceive my own life and my wish for my own happy ending.

Edward replied, “I think this show has always been about a family. There’s a lot of romance and I think you’re going to see the first few episodes (of Season 6) have a lot of that romance in them, but at the end of the day, the curse was broken between a son and a mom. Family comes first on this show, and that is important to us. I think that also we try to do real life, like (for example) Neil. Neil is Emma’s first boyfriend. We all have them, and you don’t marry them usually; you move on and you learn from them. And they become a ‘how to’ of what not to do or what to do, but that’s what they were, and that was real to us.”

JENNIFER MORRISON as Emma on ONCE UPON A TIME Season 6 – ‘The Savior’ (ABC/Jack Rowand)

He continued, “That’s the question we’re going to ask, or you’re going to see Snow White ask, ‘What is a happy ending?’ Everyone kind of expects it to be like, ‘if only I got here I would be so happy.’ And then you get there and you look up and you go, I actually want what’s there. And I think that in these stories, they end with happily ever after, which means they go on. They very rarely say the end. There is no period at the end, so how do you live your life like that? If I’m waiting around for the three things that are going to make me happy and then I can just sit down and go, ‘I’m happy,’ it doesn’t work like that. And I think the characters have to slowly start to realize that as well, because I think that a lot of them just believe that after true love’s kiss, we wake up and we go off into the sunset….except for there’s another episode the next week and a new marshmallow monster comes to town.”

Disclaimer: there is no marshmallow monster coming to Storybrooke any time soon (at least not that they told us), but there WILL be a ton of new and exciting things and people to introduce, like Captain Nemo and The Count of Monte Cristo. And the very first thing that my OUAT-fan daughter asked….yes, we WILL be seeing more of Cinderella this season! I can’t wait to see how their stories play out in the coming weeks!

What are you most excited to see or learn in Season 6? Who are your favorite characters?

Connect with Once Upon a Time

Visit abc.com/Once for more information
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OnceABC
Twitter: @OnceABC and @ABC_Publicity Hashtag: #OnceUponATime

I’m Heading to the Queen of Katwe Red Carpet Premiere #QueenOfKatweEvent #ABCTVEvent

Lolli — Tue, 13 Sep 2016 02:53:07 +0000

I’m so honored to have been invited to attend the red carpet premiere of Disney’s QUEEN OF KATWE, coming to theaters on September 23. Travel and accommodations are being covered by Disney, but my excitement is authentically my own.

In just one week, I’ll be hopping on another plane for the Red Carpet Premiere of Queen Of Katwe, based on the true story of Phiona Mutesi & Robert Katende. I’m excited to have the chance to interview David Oyelowo (Robert Katende), Lupita Nyong’o (Phiona’s mother), as well as newcomer Madina Nalwanga, who plays Phiona in the film. We also get to interview Martin Kabanza, who plays Phiona’s brother in the movie, and Director Mira Nair.

But perhaps even more exciting, we’ll be interviewing the real Phiona Mutesi and Robert Katende.

I’m currently reading The Queen of Katwe (Amazon link to the book) and in case you missed it, I’ve teamed up with some of the other bloggers heading on the trip to give away not one but TWO Queen of Katwe prize packs (which include a copy of the book and a gorgeous chess set!).

If you are unfamiliar with Phiona’s story, check out the trailer:

While we’re in LA, we’ll also have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and visit the sets of ABC’s “The Middle” (love that show!) and the new series, “American Housewife.” If that wasn’t cool enough, we also get to have an amazing ONCE UPON A TIME experience!

Once Upon a Time is one of our family’s favorite shows, and our group in LA will be among a select few to get a Sneak Preview of the Once Upon a Time Season 6 Premiere, “The Savior,” which will be followed by a Q&A with co-creators and executive producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz.

About “American Housewife” (premieres Tuesday, October 11 at 8:30/7:30c): Katie Otto, a confident, unapologetic wife and mother of three, raises her flawed family in the wealthy town of Westport, Connecticut, filled with “perfect” mommies and their “perfect” offspring. Katie’s perfectly imperfect world is upended when her neighbor’s decision to move notches her up from her ideal social standing and sets her on a path to ensure that doesn’t happen, regardless of the consequences.
Check out the official trailer:

About “The Middle” (premieres Tuesday, October 11 at 8/7c): Two-time Emmy-winner Patricia Heaton stars in this warm and witty single-camera comedy about raising a family and lowering your expectations. Middle-aged, middle class and living in the middle of the country in Orson, Indiana, Frankie Heck is a harried wife and mother of three who uses her wry wit and sense of humor to get her family through each day intact. Frankie works as a dental assistant, and her unflappable husband, Mike, is manager at the local quarry and her sardonic partner in the daily grind that is raising their average – yes, most definitely average – family.

Mark your calendars and make sure to follow along next Monday through Wednesday, 9/19-9/21! We’ll be using hashtags #QueenOfKatweaEvent, #ABCTVEvent, #TheMiddle, #AmericanHousewife, and #OnceUponATime

Curious George on Hulu #CuriousGeorgeOnHulu

Lolli — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 14:38:46 +0000

I’m excited to be able to offer my readers a fun giveaway to celebrate Curious George on Hulu! Prizing and samples are courtesy of Hulu. #CuriousGeorgeOnHulu Amazon affiliate links may be used in this post.

Curious George was a staple in my house when I was growing up and so it was natural to “welcome him” back into my home when my kids were little. We have so many fond memories of reading Curious George books together as well as watching the shows together on TV. We have loved the new generation of Curious George episodes, and we are so excited that all 9 seasons of Curious George are streaming exclusively on Hulu.

Your favorite monkey is swinging into your home. All 9 seasons of Curious George, as well as the animated film Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey, are now streaming only on Hulu. As with all Kids programming on Hulu, Curious George streams commercial-free.

Curious George is an animated series based on the popular books by Margret and H.A. Rey. Aimed at preschool viewers (ages three to five), the goal of the series is to inspire children to explore science, engineering, and math in the world around them. And what better guide is there for this kind of exploration than the world’s most curious monkey?

Why we LOVE Hulu

Hulu is THE streaming destination for the best of TV, and a great selection of films! Plus, you can stream almost anywhere, on any device, including gaming consoles, set-top boxes, tablets, mobile phones, and more. Visit Hulu.com to start a free 1-month trial, for a limited time only.

Not only does Hulu have the shows and the movies that we love, but I especially love Hulu when I’m traveling because I can watch all of my favorite shows on the device that travels with me.

Hulu offers thousands and thousands of hours of the best of current season programming of the shows you love on TV right now (from 5 of the 6 largest U. S broadcasting networks), amazing original content, films (blockbuster films from Paramount, MGM and Lionsgate), and full seasons of hit series (past and present TV shows that you love). Subscribers pay $7.99 per month for limited commercials or $11.99 per month for commercial-free viewing.

Don’t have Hulu yet? Visit Hulu.com to start a free 1-month trial, for a limited time only. And then enter to win a 6-month Hulu gift subscription below!

Enter to WIN a #CuriousGeorgeOnHulu Giveaway!

One (1) winner will receive:

6-month Hulu gift subscription
Curious George Youth Zip Hooded Sweatshirt

Prizing valued at $77.94 and is courtesy of Hulu.

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Connect with Hulu

That Time I Met Agent Coulson on the Set of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. #AgentsofSHIELD

Lolli — Tue, 12 May 2015 17:26:06 +0000

If you’ve been following along over the last month or so, it won’t come as a big surprise that I’m a big fan of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Despite the fact that we still have 7 months to go in 2015, I think it’s safe to say that spending an afternoon on the set of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. during my recent #AvengersEvent | #AgentsOfSHIELD | #ABCTVevent press trip will remain the highlight of the year. As always, travel and accommodations were covered, but all thoughts are my own.

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. Visiting the set of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was a dream come true. As a loyal fan who watches the show each week, the fact that I sat down with nearly the entire cast (hello! Everyone knows Agent Coulson!) and physically experienced the set is still unbelievable to me.

But when the day started with this? There are no words…

Ming-Na Wen tweets a pictures of the #AgentsofSHIELD #ABCTVevent Bloggers!

As we began our interview with Ming-Na Wen (“Agent Melinda May”) and Clark Gregg (“Agent Phil Coulson”), the very first thing Ming did was pull out her phone and tweet a picture of us. At the same time, Clark asked us if we had seen Avengers: Age of Ultron (we had). They hadn’t seen it yet.

Ming: “Is he in it? Seriously because I keep bugging him that he’s in it. And he’s not telling anybody.”

Clark: “No one believes me. ‘It’s like you’re secretly in it, and you’re not telling us.’ I’m not!”

We confirmed to Ming that Clark was officially NOT in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Despite the fact that they protested for half a minute and thought it was a better idea for them to interview us, we decided to carry on. I’m so glad we did! Both Clark and Min were hilarious (Ming is a complete opposite of her character in the show!).

Clark: “It’s hilarious to watch the taciturn and lethal Melinda May and then hang out with the giggly and hilarious super sweet Ming. I mean you don’t want to mess with Ming either…”

Ming-Na Wen & Clark Gregg – Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. | photo by ABC/Adam Taylor

Becoming Agent May in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

We were curious to know how much information about Agent May Ming received at the beginning of the show, before they started filmed Season 1.

Ming: “They gave me the name of my character and that I was an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and that she left the field for a reason and that’s about it. I didn’t get very much.”

Clark: “Even in the pilot, though, just from the script…The first scene where we meet May, is me going to find her where she’s behind stacks of boxes and paperwork having checked herself out of S.H.I.E.L.D. And we only gradually come to learn that she’s got this reputation as the Cavalry and that she’s a legendary warrior who quit and pushed away from the table because of a traumatic experience.”

Ming: “And I used my thing as an actor not wanting to quit. That’s what I draw from.”

Clark: “It was referenced a number of times. There were little hints of it in different episodes of what had happened. Eventually some pieces got filtered in that this involved a powered person and deeply scarring stuff, which I always really liked. It’s where the show kind of veers into something topical, the concept of people who do defend other people militarily, the scars they carry in PTSD. But it’s only been little piece meal hints.

So we were kind of excited three days before we started shooting when we found out that this was gonna be the reveal.”

Ming: “We’ve heard a lot about Bahrain. And there were always references to it. But the details of it weren’t really known until the episode (Season 2, Episode 17, ‘Melinda’). Or maybe a couple of episodes before there were some hints about that storyline but nothing very specific. A lot of times for us when we’re acting it’s almost as we’re the audience member because we’re discovering it the way an audience member would discover it watching the show. They don’t tell us anything.”

Clark: “They tell me some stuff.”

Ming: “That’s because you’re the director. You’re Coulson.”

Ming-Na Wen & Clark Gregg – Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. | photo by ABC/Adam Taylor

The Most Emotional Scenes to Shoot

There are some pretty emotional episodes in both Season 1 and Season 2, so we wondered which episode or scene has been the most emotional for either Ming or Clark to shoot.

Clark: “In Season 1, episode 11, I think. I think it was called Tahiti. It was when Coulson was put in the memory machine by Raina. And the people we did not yet know were Hydra and kind of forced to confront the fact that he had been dead that he’d been through this tremendously excruciating experience.

And also that stuff about the cellist and the things he had lost. And that part of the journey of someone who’d been a kind of no-questions-asked company man realizing that he too had been lied to by all kinds of people.”

Ming: “I think for me, there was this episode about this kind of ghostly figure that May had to fight with. It really brought back her own personal issues about having to let go. So it had a reference to Bahrain, and I think that particular episode, she was struggling with various things of just not wanting to engage but having to, to take care of a situation and allow herself to…yeah, there’s a lot going on over there, isn’t there?”

How Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Has Become a Family

Then Ming and Clark agreed on a scene that was really painful for the entire cast to shoot.

Ming: “Then of course, I think the other scene was when Skye was–“

Clark: “When Skye was shot. It’s the family. This is a show about a family. People who don’t get to have real families ’cause they work too hard. I suspect you know what that’s about. And how they become a family. And at the times when the bonds, the trust is questioned when people are hurt, we lose people on this show.

We lost B.J. Britt (“Agent Triplett”). And most of us are still recovering. You know, even some of the bad guys, we love them so much off screen. It’s a really fun– this is a really good set. We have fun and we take care of each other. And when we have to say goodbye to people it really is painful. And a lot of times you feel it in the scenes. And it’s just dark around here for a little while. We loved B.J. so much. And he was such a kind of discovery and such a buoyant person. I think we had five different goodbye parties just to keep him coming back around.”

{Does this mean we’re part of the family now?} Blogger Group Show with Clark Gregg – Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. | photo by ABC/Adam Taylor

Tackling the Stunts on Set

In a show that’s so physical, with lots of fighting and fancy stunts like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., we asked Ming and Clark about their experience preparing for stunts…and how much of the stunt action is done by stunt doubles.

Ming: “It’s a very collaborative effort between our stunt coordinator a lot of people who do rigging and special effects, and our stunt doubles. I have sometimes two or three depending on their levels of skills of what they can do. And it’s always an intense but really fun process. And I learn the entire choreography of every single fight scene.

The only thing that I don’t do are the more dangerous things where it’s the wire works. And you’re being pulled across a room or you have to smash into a wall.”

Clark: “She’s pretty remarkable. We both I think we can divulge this crossed a number with a five in it. It’s a huge motivator to stay in shape.

We both really love that part of it. She gets to do a bit more of it. But I’m always fighting for a little bit more. It gives us an excuse, when you really have worked late the night before and you don’t want to go to the gym. You remember that at any moment you’re gonna be thrown into one of these fights. And you’re gonna not want to have them pull you out ’cause you can’t do it. And we have amazing doubles who really make us look good in the moments where it gets too dangerous.

And I mean, people doubling for me get carted off a couple times this year. It’s for real. And yet they let us kind of work in. Matt Mullen (choreographer) and Eric Norris, they really do an amazing job of tailoring the fights to stuff that I do. They know that I practice Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as a workout. And every once in a while they’ll let me throw in a move of that ’cause I might have some practice at it.”

Ming-Na Wen & Clark Gregg – Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. {Yes, that’s my head right in the middle of the shot} | photo by ABC/Adam Taylor

Do S.H.I.E.L.D. Actors Ever Get to Ad Lib Their Lines?

Clark: “I have ad libbed a couple of them, but not a lot of them. I’d love to claim more of them. But a lot of them are (thanks to) our terrific writers. From the get go, Joss in the pilot and these writers, one of the reasons they brought Coulson back to life is that, to their surprise, in a super hero movie like the first Avengers and the ones leading up to it there was something that the audience really connected to in the super hero world, someone who was quite vulnerable, this was kinda their job. Like, what does this guy have for a super power? And, I got to have some kinda snarky lines.

It’s always been something that people really responded to about Coulson. And they give me some great ones. They’ve accepted the fact that at the end of most scenes where it’s appropriate I’m gonna do one extra pass and throw in a couple. ‘Boo-ya’ might’ve been mine.”

“I’ve always felt that Coulson was kind of the crazy uncle of the Avengers. And he never likes to choose favorites.” – Clark Gregg

Executive Producer and Co-Creator Jed Whedon and Executive Producer Jeff bell

Jed Whedon & Jeff Bell | Photo by ABC/Adam Taylor

I’ll shift gears a little as Ming had to go off to get “bruised” by the make up artist in preparation for the scene that she was shooting. I was sad to see her go (can we just go out to lunch and hang out for a while??) but I was thrilled to also have the chance to chat with the Executive Producers of the show, Jeff Bell and Jed Whedon (who is also co-creator).

We started out by asking them if they were limited in the TV show in what the could or couldn’t do because of the Marvel cinematic universe.

Jed: “We definitely have free reign but it does limit us in that we can’t kill Captain America like we plan to each week. No, obviously there’s guidelines. They have these huge temples and we sort of move between them and there are things that are off limit to us for sure because they have either big plans for them or have already shot stuff that they’re going to use. But we don’t feel limited by it. It’s sort of a fun puzzle for us and, we get big toys to play with because of it. So, it’s sort of a privilege to live in that universe. We get the privilege of seeing what’s coming down the pipeline and sort of catering our stories to move between it. I think we have more fun with it than we do.”

Jeff: “The only challenge really was when we first launched we knew that Hydra was the big bad guy in Captain America 2 and there was one word we were not allowed to say on S.H.I.E.L.D. We called it the ‘H word’ and so we knew that was coming and we knew we were building to that and we knew we were gonna reward that way and we knew it was gonna blow apart the team but it might have been helpful to have said the ‘H word’ earlier for big comic fans. They’re going, ‘who are these bad guys?’

If we said, well, he works for Hydra, people would have been ‘oh, they’re doing Hydra, that’s cool,’ but we couldn’t say that. That was really the only limit, but the upside was it just exploded in our show and having the word turn like that and letting Brett do that and become that, that was awesome. And then it really depends on each movie. Like Guardians of the Galaxy didn’t have much for us to tie in with.”

Jed: “And you can consider it a limitation to have a film that literally destroys the organization that your show is named after. We took it and saw it as an opportunity and I think that us working around that and finding a way to make that (work) our show came up with some of the best story that we had. It generated things that we never would have thought of and put us in a tight corner that we had to ride our way out.”

How Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Has Changed Since Season 1

Jed: “I think that the big advantage we have now is that people know the characters. A huge disadvantage for us was that they were original characters, where most Marvel properties launch with something that you are familiar with.”

Other than Agent Coulson’s character, everyone else in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is new. Jed continued, “That was new for the Marvel fans so I think that initially people reacted to that. They were saying ‘okay, well I’m not seeing things I know of and this has a big Marvel flip at the top of it.’ But as time goes on and you get to know the characters you start to become familiar with them and Skye becoming who she became was more rewarding because you spent a year with her getting to know her and it wasn’t like the first episode, here’s this character you’ve heard of. You had to spend some time with them but I think there was a little barrier to entry because these were new names, new faces.”

Jeff: “And from our perspective, part of that was we’re an ABC network show. We’re not a sci-fi show. Our mandate was not just to do a show for hardcore Marvel fans. Our show was to try to get as many people in as possible and so it was an opportunity for a lot of people to come in, characters they didn’t know. And so if you’re not a big Marvel fan you don’t know that Skye or Ward were not part of that cannon but for the diehards they’re like well if Mike Peterson isn’t Luke Cage we don’t like him. And then we go ‘oh, but we’re building him to Deathlock and you have to be patient to do that because we’re doing 22 episodes and they were like ‘oh, that’s cool.'”

Jed: “So our approach hasn’t really changed. It’s just been easier. Initially, you have to spend time introducing the characters and now you can just throw them into trouble. Everyone goes ‘oh, no and they’re making their way into comics.’ You know, FitzSimmons are now in the comics which to us is so fun and it starts to just weave together and who knows where stuff started and where it ends.”

“Agent Laura” sitting at Agent Coulson’s desk on the set of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. | photo by ABC/Adam Taylor

The Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Writing and Production Schedule

Jeff: “We start June 1st and the writers room broke today (April 10) and then Jed and Marissa and I will be here until the second week of May finishing the episodes and then for two weeks we go crazy and sleep and then we come back June first.”

They discussed how challenging it is to keep up with 22-episode seasons.

Jeff described writing and shooting 22 episodes in such a short amount of time like a train wreck. “They say go and you start running down the train track and six weeks later they let a train behind you, all this and you try to stay ahead of that train until next week and you’re trying not to get run over by the train.”

Jed: “Also, you can plan, you can generate all the story you want but there’s always a bump in the road. Schedules. There’s a lot of actors. There’s rain. There’s things that you can’t anticipate that when those bumps in the road come you just have to deal.”

I’ll end our interview with a quick quote from Jeff about his favorite episode to make this season, “Honestly, one of my favorite moments of the season is (‘Melinda’). Okay, so this is a human story and then there’s this May flashback story and when you realize no, this one thing happened here and she says it was her daughter and the girl steps in. I still get chills but I love that moment for us and the fact that those two stories which I think hopefully felt separate came together in a surprising way.”

I am amazed at the job that they do – creating a story that is captivating and complex…and I can’t wait to watch the 2-hour season finale TONIGHT…except, of course, that it means I will have to wait months for more Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Season 2 Finale – “S.O.S.,” Part One and Part Two”

{MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. – “S.O.S.,” Part One and Part Two”} S.H.I.E.L.D. puts everything on the line to survive a war that blurs the line between friend and foe. Coulson and his team will be forced to make shocking sacrifices that will leave their relationships and their world changed forever, on the two-hour season finale of “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D,” TUESDAY, MAY 12 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on ABC. (Photo by ABC/Mitchell Haaseth)
IAIN DE CAESTECKER, CLARK GREGG, ELIZABETH HENSTRIDGE

ABOUT THE SEASON FINALE: S.H.I.E.L.D. puts everything on the line to survive a war that blurs the line between friend and foe. Coulson and his team will be forced to make shocking sacrifices that will leave their relationships and their world changed forever, on the two-hour season finale of “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D,” TUESDAY, MAY 12 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Be sure to tune in tonight on ABC from 9-11pm ET! I’ve heard amazing insider news about the episode…and while I was on set, I got to see Chloe Bennet (“Skye/Daisy Johnson”) and Luke Mitchell (“Lincoln”) film a scene. I can’t wait to say, “Hey! I was on the other side of that wall when they filmed that!”

{“MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. – “S.O.S.,” Part One and Part Two”} – S.H.I.E.L.D. puts everything on the line to survive a war that blurs the line between friend and foe. Coulson and his team will be forced to make shocking sacrifices that will leave their relationships and their world changed forever, on the two-hour season finale of “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D,” TUESDAY, MAY 12 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on ABC. (Photo by ABC/Mitchell Haaseth)
CHLOE BENNET

What are you looking forward to for Season 3? Is there a character that you hope to see more of or learn more about?

Be sure to read my interview with cast members Iain De Caestecker (“Leo Fitz”), Elizabeth Henstridge (“Jemma Simmons”), Brett Dalton (“Grant Ward”), Henry Simmons (“Alphonso ‘Mack’ Mackenzie”) and Adrianne Palicki (“Bobbi Morse”) and my set tour experience where I got to chat with Chloe Bennet (“Skye/Daisy Johnson”) and Luke Mitchell (“Lincoln”)….and then buckle up on the Quinjet.

Behind The Scenes: Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Set Tour #AgentsOfSHIELD

Lolli — Tue, 05 May 2015 15:11:08 +0000

I am totally engrossed in the world of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. So it goes without saying that I was ecstatic when I got to spend an afternoon on the set of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. during my recent press trip to Los Angeles as part of the #AvengersEvent | #AgentsOfSHIELD | #ABCTVevent. Travel and accommodations were covered, but all thoughts are my own.

Behind the scenes set visit on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

I remember when I was little, I would read books and watch TV shows or movies and imagine myself visiting the places described in the stories. I’ve always been one to become emotionally invested in the stories I read and watch.

It’s hard to describe how cool it was to walk through the set of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – one of my favorite TV series. The characters are alive for me. The places real. To be there, walking among the sets and the costumes, talking with the actors and the crew involved in putting it all together? Incredible!

Buckling up on the Quinjet? Done that.

In the Quinjet – MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. – Bloggers event (ABC/Adam Taylor)

Hanging out in the S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ? Totally.

MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters – Bloggers event (ABC/Adam Taylor)

Walking down the halls of the old S.S.R. (Strategic Scientific Reserve) headquarters? Been there.

The old S.S.R. HQ – MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. – Bloggers event (ABC/Adam Taylor)

Walking up to Chloe Bennet (“Skye/Daisy Johnson”) in the hall while she was getting the finishing touches put on her costume for the season finale…and having her reach out and hold me hand while she talked to me? Yes, that happened, too. After chatting casually with Chloe and Luke Mitchell (“Lincoln”), we even got to see them film one of the scenes from the season finale. Mind blown!

ABC’s “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” stars Chloe Bennet as Skye. (ABC/Florian Schneider)

Now I can be the geek who watches each new episode and says, “Hey! I remember when I was there! I walked through that lab! I talked with her! Oh, look! Those couches are SO soft! Coulson’s office? Oh, yeah. I totally sat at his desk…”

This is the stuff that geeky dreams are made of.

After we had interviewed the cast and then toured the set, we had the chance to meet with Ann Foley, costume designer for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Meeting with Ann Foley, costume designer for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

She started us off in her main office, the walls of which were covered with vision boards. I could see the styles of each of the characters I had come to know so well through both seasons of the show reflected in her vision boards. Ann said that the vision boards were created before they began filming the first season to show the producers and the cast where she envisioned going with each of the characters. Her goal was to create six really strong, identifiable characters.

Ann mentioned, “I have a few things up there for Season Two, and as most of you guys know, there was a big progression in the cast from Season One, towards the end and the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D., we went a little darker and everybody grew up. So Season Two, it was a little darker. It was a little edgier. And, it was actually fun, it was kind of a nice change.”

MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. – Bloggers event (ABC/Adam Taylor)
ANN FOLEY (COSTUME DESIGNER)

Ahead of us there were racks and racks full of clothes, sectioned off according to characters: the regulars and the day players. Ann told us that the Working Closet is where she pulls clothes for each episode. There is also a Permanent Closet, which houses the clothes from last season and some items from the current season that have already been shot. We saw Bobbi/Mockingbird’s custom-made jacket from the first time we met her on the show as well as Hunter’s fabulous leather jackets and a host of other clothing items for every character, big or small.

Every actor comes through Costuming

The main cast members probably spend quite a bit of time in and out of costuming, especially when they go off the usual set. Ann mentioned one of her favorite episodes…. “was when we were in Russia and we did a little Russian bar. That was amazing.”

She obviously has measurements for each of the main actors, but even the day players must come in for a fitting. Ann said, “Every single person on the show pretty much, whether they have one line or they have a big arc, they come in and I dress them all.”

Ann then showed us her workshop, where a lot of the custom costumes are made. Ann told us, “This is where we build a lot of the costumes on the show… Raina, the girl in the flower dress, is probably one of my favorite characters. We actually print (her) fabric and then we make each one of our dresses. What I did with her is I really worked with the writers and we sort of went into her head, and depending on where her head was in that episode. We tried to choose that color wisely. So, they’re all 100 percent custom made and that’s special to our show.”

We wondered if any of the costumes presented an extra challenge for her team. Ann remarked, “There’s always gonna be a challenge, even if they’re in street clothes. But I never really look at it as a challenge. It’s always just another aspect of it. I love building costumes. I love shopping them as well. So I’ve been very lucky in my assistant designer career. I’ve worked on some amazing films that all we did was build. We were in completely different worlds. And so it’s just kind of second nature to me.”

Costuming – MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. – Bloggers event (ABC/Adam Taylor)

Why Agent May needed five custom-made silver dresses

Ann then pointed out Agent May’s silver sequin dress from earlier in Season Two. Ann explained, “We made that in-house, too, which was so much fun. It was so much fun putting her in that. We had about a week to make five of those dresses. Those tiny sequins that you see on there? We were finding those sequins all over studio. They were everywhere.”

We made five because May was fighting herself in the episode, so we had one beautiful one for May, then we had one that she could fight in, so we sewed stretch panels inside so she could fight and do all of her movement. She had two stunt doubles and then Agent 33 was in one as well.”

After seeing May’s custom-made silver dress and Mockingbird’s custom suit, we asked what percentage of the costumes are custom made. Ann said that it varies a lot by episode, but she guessed around 30% or less. “It does feel like we’re making a lot of stuff back here, and I love to do that. It just depends on the needs of the character, ’cause sometimes you just can’t find it at Bloomingdale’s.”

How does costuming accommodate for stunts and doubles?

Ann said that because there is a lot of action on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. that making sure that the costumes are stunt-friendly is a huge consideration. She said, “That’s one of the most important things to me for the show. I always take the actors considerations into account when we’re building. They have to be able to do their stunts. They have to be able to fight. They have to be able to move really freely, do high kicks. And I mean with the (silver) dress, the challenge was making sure Ming could punch, so she could move so that nothing would pull here, and she could flip over a table. You don’t ever want the costume to get in the way.

And even with Deathlok’s costume, the base of it is a four-way stretch, very similar to what Mockingbird’s is made out of. So it’s a four-way stretch, and I print on top of it. It’s an ink, so the costume still moves with the actor, and that’s super, super, super important.”

Professional shoppers

Ann talked briefly about her system for finding pieces for each character. She said, “I have some fabulous shoppers on the show. And also I am a big online shopper. I’m gonna give a big shout out to Shopbop and Net-A-Porter and Mr. Porter. It’s great, because, we know the characters now, and I think the bigger challenge was at the end of last season and starting, and this season when we started going darker and edgier was trying to find that idea of all of the characters, for example Elizabeth Simmons, to me is probably one of the more challenging characters to shop for on the show because she is eclectic.

So it will be one piece from this store, one piece from that store, and it’s just about styling her and bringing her together without any of them going over the top, ’cause the challenge for me, I guess, going back to your original question is keeping it believable, keeping it real, and not having it be over the top. And (you never want) people getting distracted by what the cast is wearing.”

ABC’s “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” stars B.J. Britt as Antoine Triplett, Chloe Bennet as Skye, Iain De Caestecker as Agent Leo Fitz, Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May, Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson, Nick Blood as Lance Hunter, Henry Simmons as Alphonso ‘Mac’ Mackenzie, Elizabeth Henstridge as Agent Jemma Simmons and Brett Dalton as Grant Ward. (ABC/Florian Schneider)

Who is the easiest cast member to dress?

Ann said that she has gotten to know the cast members so well at this point that none of them are very hard to dress. She said, “I guess the harder part is maybe finding those pieces that identify each character, because, if you ask my shoppers, I can be a little picky. They’d probably be able to answer that question better than me.”

Then, speaking about dressing Coulson, Ann said, “I mean, and that’s the fun part, because, you know, Coulson is always in a suit, so when I get to get him out of the suit, it’s funny because Twitter loves it. They love seeing Coulson undercover. I think that’s probably one of the most fun things for me, is when I get those episodes and everyone’s under cover.

And, sometimes it makes me laugh. Last season, when Coulson and May went undercover as Fitzsimmons, (that was) probably the best fittings I’ve ever had in my life because Elizabeth has a very specific way of standing in her fittings, and Ming did that in the fitting photos for the cast. And you could hear her laughing across the studio. It was wonderful. I was really fun.”

Now that I’ve spent time in costuming, I am much more aware of what the characters are wearing each episode. How would you like a job to shop all day and dress actors?? Pretty amazing, if you ask me!

**Tune in for the latest Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., “Scars!”**

NEW EPISODE: “Scars” – May 5

“Scars” – Skye is torn between her loyalty to S.H.I.E.L.D. and her connection to the Inhumans as tensions rise between the groups — and Coulson reveals a secret he’s been hiding from even those closest to him, on “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” TUESDAY, MAY 5 on ABC (ABC/Kelsey McNeal)

WAR TEARS SKYE APART, ON “MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.” ON ABC

ABOUT THE EPISODE: “Scars” – Skye is torn between her loyalty to S.H.I.E.L.D. and her connection to the Inhumans as tensions rise between the groups — and Coulson reveals a secret he’s been hiding from even those closest to him, on “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” TUESDAY, MAY 5 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” stars Clark Gregg as Director Phil Coulson, Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May, Brett Dalton as Grant Ward, Chloe Bennet as Agent Skye, Iain De Caestecker as Agent Leo Fitz, Elizabeth Henstridge as Agent Jemma Simmons, Nick Blood as Lance Hunter and Adrianne Palicki as Bobbi Morse.

Guest starring are Henry Simmons as Alphonso “Mack” Mackenzie, Ruth Negga as Raina, Patton Oswalt as Sam/Billy Koenig, Kyle Maclachlan as Cal, Edward James Olmos as Robert Gonzales, Jamie Harris as Gordon, Christine Adams as Agent Weaver, Mark Allan Stewart as Agent Oliver, Maya Stojan as Kara/Agent 33, Dichen Lachman as Jiaying, Luke Mitchell as Lincoln Campbell, Alicia Vela-Bailey as Alisha, David Douglas as Michael and Crystal Coney as scientist.

“Scars” was written by Rafe Judkins & Lauren LeFranc and directed by Bobby Roth.

Follow Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on: Facebook www.facebook.com/AgentsofSHIELD and Twitter @AgentsofSHIELD or @ABC_Publicity and Follow Ann Foley on twitter @AFoley24

Be sure to read my interview with Iain De Caestecker (“Leo Fitz”), Elizabeth Henstridge (“Jemma Simmons”), Brett Dalton (“Grant Ward”), Henry Simmons (“Alphonso ‘Mack’ Mackenzie”) and Adrianne Palicki (“Bobbi Morse”) and stay tuned next week (May 12) for my exclusive interview with Clark Gregg (“Phil Coulson”), Ming-Na Wen (“Melinda May”)!

On the Set of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. {Cast Interview}

Lolli — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 13:27:39 +0000

I am totally engrossed in the world of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. So when I was told that part of my recent press trip to Los Angeles with Disney | Marvel | ABC TV was a visit to the set of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. I might have screamed a little.

Or a lot.

ELIZABETH HENSTRIDGE, HENRY SIMMONS, ADRIANNE PALICKI, BRETT DALTON, IAIN DE CAESTECKER (plus a few of us bloggers! (ABC/Adam Taylor)

As much of a Marvel fan that I’ve become over the last few years with the incredible movies that have come out, I hadn’t delved into the world of Marvel on the small screen until just recently.
And once I had a taste, I was completely hooked. If you can’t tell, although my travel was free, ALL enthusiasm is my own.

I was beyond thrilled when we walked onto the set, but when I had the chance to sit down with some of the cast – well, let’s just say it doesn’t get much better than that.

When we met with Iain De Caestecker (“Leo Fitz”), Elizabeth Henstridge (“Jemma Simmons”), Brett Dalton (“Grant Ward”), Henry Simmons (“Alphonso ‘Mack’ Mackenzie”) and Adrianne Palicki (“Bobbi Morse”), I felt like I was sitting down with old friends (strange side note: I really did feel like I knew Elizabeth, and not just because she is on my TV so often).

HENRY SIMMONS, BRETT DALTON, ELIZABETH HENSTRIDGE, IAIN DE CAESTECKER (ABC/Adam Taylor)

Betrayal and Double Agents

One of the first questions that we asked the group was about their reaction to Ward’s betrayal last season.

Brett said, “I was very sad. And, no, I didn’t know before. They let me know the episode before and so there wasn’t a lot of heads up on that. I appreciate the Wikipedia entry where somebody said [that] they let me know in the beginning of the season, so I could subtly play it every scene. I don’t know who wrote that but I was like, oh, thank you for the credit in something I did not do. But, yeah, it was a big change but I think it really rounded out the character in a way. Because prior to that he had kind of a mask that he was showing to the rest of the team. And then after that you get this, all of the back story underneath it and all of the pain, danger in there. So it really fleshed him out. Made him really fun to play.”

Elizabeth piped in: “We were all mortified. We were shocked. And we could only speak to each other about it so we just had call up, be like, ‘How you doin’?’ ‘I don’t know, today’s hard.’ It was tricky.”

Iain admitted, “It’s still a pretty hard subject for me, so, I don’t want to bring back up [the] past.”

There seems to be a lot of betrayal and double-agent stuff going on since the end of the first season. I suppose that’s the nature of the job.

Henry joined in about his character’s involvement in the “other” S.H.I.E.L.D. While viewers might see Mack as on the “wrong side” he says, “I don’t see my guy as evil. I don’t. I think he’s doing what he thinks is best for S.H.I.E.L.D. The real S.H.I.E.L.D. But I guess evil people don’t see themselves evil.”

Henry Simmons as Alphonso ‘Mac’ Mackenzie (ABC/Florian Schneider)

Brett’s character, Ward, seems a lot more black and white. However, Brett sees Ward as a good guy who has made some misguided choices along the way. “I feel that he’s (Ward’s) also not an evil guy. He’s just made certain choices along the way. And some of those choices…some people might frown on. But, I really think that this guy’s had a really hard life and he’s doing the best that he can to move his life forward, even taking some other people under his wing as well. So it’s not just me twirling my moustache and petting a kitten. That will happen next season…no, I’m trying to move other people’s lives forward.”

Adrianne talked about her involvement with the other S.H.I.E.L.D. “She’s torn. You know, she’s been part of this other SHIELD since the beginning and she’s been with Gonzales, I mean, she saved his life. But at the same time she cares about these people. And she doesn’t think Coulson is a bad person, she just is concerned about where some of his loyalties stand and his alien blood and all that.”

“So she’s definitely conflicted and she’s trying to find her path through all that but at the end of the day she’s a soldier and she’s been thinking that she’s been doing the right thing the whole time, so now she’s starting to feel like maybe these people aren’t being treated the way that they should be treated. And she’s a little concerned. I think you’re going to see that girl a little bit more.”

The Ward Intervention Meeeting

When asked if he thought that his former S.H.I.E.L.D. team would let Ward back into the fold, Brett responded, “I don’t know. I don’t know what their policy is. I mean, it wasn’t just some nondescript agents that I took out, either. I did take out Hand. She was up there on the list.”

The four of them joked about this interview turning into a Ward-intervention meeting.

ELIZABETH HENSTRIDGE, IAIN DE CAESTECKER (ABC/Adam Taylor)

Iain said, “Yeah, the relationship with Ward is is irreparable. As much as Ward would like to be friends once again it’s just not gonna happen.”

Brett responded, “Oh great. In front of everybody?”

Iain changed his focus to Mack, “With Mack, it depends what’s gonna happen exactly with that story line, I suppose. I mean ‘cause for example with Ward, I think the reason that’s kind of irreparable is because he’s done some unforgivable things. I’m just being honest. This is actually an intervention, Brett, this is an intervention. We need to get everything out. (With) Mack, maybe he’s been misguided or misjudged. He’s not gone out and killed someone in cold blood like you (Ward) have. I don’t mean to keep on going on about it. You have.”

Brett: “A couple of times.”

Iain retorted, “The first step is admittance.”

Brett continued, “He seems to be on, uh, his own path this season. We’re not sure exactly where that path is headed. Or why he’s doing the things that he’s doing. He’s making some choices along the way that will lead somewhere. And hopefully at the end of the season there’ll be a kind of clarity about why he went down to see his brother again. That’s why he did the thing with Whitehall. That’s why he shaved his beard. Ah.”

Elizabeth asked a question this time, “Do you think he misses the team? Think he misses us?”

Brett answered, “Yes. I do. Because his weakness, as Agent Garrett has always said, is that he has compassion. He is sensitive as much as he pretends that he’s not.”

Elizabeth added, “He always wants to belong, doesn’t he? ‘Cause he didn’t as a child. Right?”

Brett agreed, “It’s true. It’s true. And I’m glad that we’re getting this out. I think this has been really good so far.”

Elizabeth, “For everyone.”

Favorite Scenes in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

I have several favorite scenes since season 1, but I have a hard time pinning down any favorites. I might have an easier time deciding which episode has been my favorite so far.

When asked about their favorite scene from either season, each actor had something different that had stood out to them. Brett had a favorite scene but couldn’t tell us about it because it hasn’t aired yet. I’m eager to see if I can tell which episode it is coming up.

Adrianne Palicki as Bobbi Morse. (ABC/Kelsey McNeal)

Adrianne was passionate about her favorite scene, “My favorite scene of the show? Oh, that’s easy. When Fitz confronts Ward. I honestly think that he should be nominated for an Emmy for that scene. I, I bawl every time I see it, I think that Iain is one of the best actors I’ve ever worked with and that scene is just beyond for me.”

Elizabeth said that her favorite scene was very early in Season 1. “I think it was episode 2 or episode…could have been the pilot. We were all sitting on the back of the bus and we were watching the first O84 go up and explode. And that was the first time that, as a character and an actor, I was like, oh my God I’m here. Oh, this is happening. Like we’re filming a TV show. And it’s still my favorite. Don’t know what that says about this season.”

Iain said, “Dropping downhill from there.”

Elizabeth turned to Iain and asked, “Yeah, Iain, what’s your favorite? Is it one with me?”

Iain responded, “I mean you’re probably – top five. You’d be top five. Whether or not you’re number one is…I can’t think. Usually just every episode, I have a new favorite scene so, I couldn’t name one. There’s too many to name.”

Henry piped in, “The one that stands out is the first scene I had with you (Iain), the very first, I really liked that scene. Just because the way it was written. Not when we met, but when we were in the lab and you were talking to me and…”

Iain took over, “Oh yeah, that’s one of my faves – yeah, that actually that might be my favorite. The one where I think I was imagining you (Simmonds) being there and we were talking and you and you kind of fancied him. In my imagination you fancied him.”

Elizabeth agreed, “Oh! That was fun. ‘Cause I could do anything…”

In the end Iain admitted what his TRUE favorite thing about Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is… “Henry’s arms. His whole, in fact, his whole body. His arm is bigger than my head, right? It’s like a pillow, man.”

Brett tried to have the last word, “He used to talk about me this way until Henry came…”

BRETT DALTON, MAYA STOJAN, J. AUGUST RICHARDS, CLARK GREGG from “The Frenemy of My Enemy” on “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” TUESDAY, APRIL 21 on ABC (ABC/Kelsey McNeal)

I loved seeing the easy and natural way that everyone interacted with each other. Did I mention how much fun these interviews were to do? Even those actors that came in to the established group in season 2, like Adrianne and Henry, said that the cast was like a family in just a short time. Adrianne said, “(Coming in to the show) was nerve wracking because (it’s like) you’re coming into high school second year and everybody is already friends and (you) don’t know people and it’s a huge cast, you’re like, I don’t know if people are going to be with me. And I honestly from day one it was the most giving loving cast. It was a table read (when) I met everyone and (there were) hugs everywhere, everybody was so genuine and sweet and happy to have me on the show. And I’d say probably it took me about an episode to feel like I had been there forever. And so now there’s so much trust here and friendships and I’m going to miss these guys for two months. You know. We’ll probably see each other anyway.”

I think I want to join the cast. These guys are so much fun!

“The Frenemy of My Enemy” – NEW Episode 18

Be sure to tune in TONIGHT for episode 18 entitled “The Frenemy of My Enemy.” We got to see the first 15 minutes of the episode on set and it looks like another amazing story. Yes, Ward is back….

CLARK GREGG, BRETT DALTON from “The Frenemy of My Enemy” “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” TUESDAY, APRIL 21 on ABC (ABC/Kelsey McNeal)

About Episode 18:

“The Frenemy of My Enemy” – A dangerous new alliance is formed as Coulson and Hunter turn to the last person anyone would expect – Grant Ward! As the war between S.H.I.E.L.D. factions continues, Skye and Lincoln will find themselves drawn into this conflict, on “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” TUESDAY, APRIL 21 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” stars Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson, Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May, Brett Dalton as Grant Ward, Chloe Bennet as Skye, Iain De Caestecker as Agent Leo Fitz, Elizabeth Henstridge as Agent Jemma Simmons, Nick Blood as Lance Hunter, and Adrianne Palicki as Bobbi Morse.
Guest starring are Henry Simmons as Alphonso “Mack” Mackenzie, Henry Goodman as Dr. List, Kyle MacLachlan as Cal, Jamie Harris as Gordon, Maya Stojan as Kara, Dichen Lachman as Jiaying, Luke Mitchell as Lincoln Campbell, Kris Lemche as Ethan, Staci Roberts as Paula, and Trenton Rostedt as Hoodie Guy.

”The Frenemy of My Enemy” was written by Monica Owusu-Breen and directed by Karen Gaviola. Don’t miss it!

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC)