New ‘Fly Girls’ series cleared for CW takeoff
Friday, September 25th, 2009It’s tough to be grounded when you work 35,000 feet in the air. And CW viewers will enjoy an intimate peek into the lives of charismatic flight attendants in Fly Girls, a new reality docu-series debuting midseason. Five Virgin America stewardesses jet from one exotic locale to the next, while pursuing good times, great parties, adventure and love. Founded in 2007, the airline has “reinvented the experience of flying,” its vp notes, “with mood-lit cabins, concierge-like service, and a sophisticated vibe,” winning Best Domestic Airline honors two straight years. Think about this challenging occupation—long hours in the air, layovers in intriguing cities, demanding or sometimes fascinating passengers, split-second decision-making. Fly Girls will show us a rarely-seen perspective of the industry. Eight half-hour episodes have been ordered, and there’s a good chance they’ll be paired with another 30-minute midseason reality series, Blonde Charity Mafia, which chronicles three social mavens in the Washington, D.C. inner circle.
Eric Millegan, who plays forensic anthropologist “Dr. Zack Addy” on Bones, is coming to Cuyahoga Falls. The 26-year-old actor will greet fans, sign autographs and pose for photos at Blockbuster Video, 86 Graham Road, on Thursday, September 3 from 4:30-6pm, Ohio.com reports. Now entering its fifth season, the investigative drama also features David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel, and will premiere weekends on WBNX beginning Oct. 3. Eric’s character was involved in the series’ most controversial and shocking twist to date, landing young genius Zack in a mental institution for a crime he may have committed thru the mind-control of serial killer Gormogon. Off-screen, Eric is an accomplished stage performer and vocalist. Bones fans will want to take advantage of this rare chance to meet one of the key stars visiting Northeast Ohio.
From coast to coast, the reviews are in—and critics are raving about The CW’s new fall lineup, the network strategy, and individual shows. Here’s a small sampling:
The Beautiful Life finished shooting its series pilot this week in Montreal, and someone behind-the-scenes has posted nearly 50 short 
Two original reality series will debut this summer on The CW: Hitched or Ditched and Blonde Charity Mafia. Premiering after the May 26 finale of Reaper, Hitched centers on couples who’ve been dating for years—and are given an ultimatum to either set a wedding date within a week, or break up altogether. Of course, each featured couple will be put through a series of personalized exercises to test their relationship. The show is hosted by Tanya McQueen (pictured) from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Following its six-week run, Blonde Charity Mafia will then take over the Tuesday timeslot. It’s a docu-drama about Washington, D.C.’s most influential 20-something Alpha Girls, the ladies with the hottest ticket in town. From Congressmen to Capitol Hill staffers, everyone vies for an invitation to their social events—and Mafia exploits are played up Gossip Girl-style on latenightshots.com. Along with the summer announcements, the network decided against an early fall launch prior to September, Variety reports, and will likely follow the pattern of last year’s head start around Labor Day.
For Colin Egglesfield, the route to Melrose Place began on the Yellow Brick Road, winding across international runways, with a much-ballyhooed trek into Pine Valley. In fact, you’ve no doubt seen his face countless times without realizing he’d one day become a leading man on MP2. Colin has been on the network radar since his heroic role in Lost in Oz, an ambitious 2002 pilot for The WB which never advanced to series. Most recently, he gained a horde of fans while playing the long-lost son of Erica (Susan Lucci) on All My Children—in a weird soap twist, he’d unknowingly survived Erica’s controversial TV abortion in the early ‘70s. Between those projects, Colin continued his career as an acclaimed—and prolific—model for such designers as Ralph Lauren, Versace and Calvin Klein, both in print and fashion shows. 
More young people than ever became involved in the recent presidential election, so maybe the time is ripe for a CW drama set in the nation’s capital. The Body Politic filled out its primary cast with more familiar names, including Brian Austin Green (BH: 90210, Terminator) and film hottie Gabrielle Union. Joining them are Jenny Wade, currently Ben’s demon girlfriend on Reaper; Jay Hernandez (Crazy/Beautiful); and the previously announced Jason Dohring (Logan on Veronica Mars) and Minka Kelly (Lyla on Friday Night Lights). For veteran Tim Matheson, this is the third CW pilot he’s filmed. In 2006, he costarred with Christopher Egan in The Prince; and the following year, he joined The World According to Barnes. Neither show was picked up. However, having played the vice president on The West Wing, Tim knows his way around Washington. Back in 2000, The WB stepped into the political arena with seven episodes of a Dick Wolf midseason drama, D.C., featuring Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Gabriel Olds. Later, there were Kennedy overtones in the network’s young adult series, Jack & Bobby. Government always provides an intriguing backdrop for relationships, so it’ll be fun to see how this stellar cast fares when the fall schedule is finalized over the next seven weeks.
In 20 seconds, the promo for Tuesday’s episode of Reaper clearly illustrates the type of off-the-wall humor this series is known for. “Nothing’s more disgusting than bugs….and old people,” the announcer deadpans. Ha! What the spot really doesn’t do is alert you to a key mythology development: the introduction of the devil’s “other” son, Morgan. Armie Hammer makes his debut as the suave and spoiled offspring of Ray Wise, and Sam (Bret Harrison) is charged with showing his new half-bro the family biz. Expect a little sibling rivalry—and you just know that Wise is gonna have fun with this storyline. Hammer Time then continues next week on Gossip Girl, when the 6’5” jet-setter catches the eye of Serena (Blake Lively). It’s not long before the two begin a whirlwind romance that media accounts have likened to the real-life roguishness Anne Hathaway recently experienced.
Among the CW fall pilot contenders, A Beautiful Life grabbed the headlines this week with some blockbuster casting announcements. The drama is another project from network fave Ashton Kutcher, and centers around a group of young models struggling to hit runway paydirt in New York City. Storylines promise to unmask the industry’s rarely-seen dark side. Media magnet Mischa Barton (Marissa on The O.C.) was first to sign on, and is now joined by ‘80s supermodel Elle Macpherson—who’ll head the Focus Models agency with a rather fierce management style. High School Musical fans are abuzz with the news that Corbin Bleu is set to play a male-model with the Lenny Kravitz-type vibe, reports Zap2it; while Sara Paxton, fresh off rave film reviews for Last House on the Left, returns to TV as a novice poser in the Big Apple. Other roomies include Ashley Madekwe (Secret Diary of a Call Girl), Ben Hollingsworth (Cutting Edge 3; pictured), and newcomer Nico Tortorella, who could quickly become a breakout CW heartthrob. Off-camera, Hollingsworth shares an apartment with fellow Canadian Nina Dobrev, who he met on the set of Degrassi, IMDb notes. Nina recently won the female lead role in The Vampire Diaries series pilot. A cast this noteworthy will be difficult to keep off the schedule in September.
