Videoage International March 2018

8 By Susan L. Hornik Media Critics’ Views Of The Television Critics’ Press Tours March 2018 Road To L.A. Screenings M ore than 200 U.S. television critics came together in Pasadena, California in January for The Television Critics Press Tour, the Television Critics Association’s (TCA) semi-annual conference, which featured two weeks of non-stop panels, industry parties, and production set visits. All the major U.S. TV networks were in attendance, as were Public TV (PBS), the streaming service Hulu, and over 30 cable TV networks. There, they faced the critics without fear. The TCA press tours provide TV writers with an opportunity to talk one-on-one with celebrities, studio executives, and network bigwigs at the forefront of their latest, high-profile TV content. Even though the TCA mainly showcase talents andproducers fromupcomingTV series, VideoAge surveyed many reporters who were covering the event to get their view of the story. “At its best, the press tours are places where TV critics and reporters can push executives, producers and stars to be accountable for the images they present to the world and the stories they tell,” said Eric Deggans, NPR’s television critic. “We also have the ability to ask the talent to comment more on evolving news stories.” To that end, during a discussion on AT&T Audience Network’s (formerly DirecTV) new conspiracy thriller series, Three Days of the Condor , Deggans asked one of the show’s stars, actress Mira Sorvino, to elaborate on her recent open letter to Dylan Farrow, in which she acknowledged her regret over working with Woody Allen. “I’ve written several pieces from the beginning of the fall to now. I wrote a piece for Time magazine, and then I did a piece in the Hollywood Reporter, and then I published my op-ed for Dylan Farrow. And I think it’s evolving for all of us. I am very excited that this movement of #MeToo and ‘Time’s Up’ is taking place, not only for myself, but, honestly, for my daughters, because I cannot stand the idea that they would have to suffer what I and just about any other woman that I’ve ever met has suffered at some point in her life, if not multiple times,” Sorvino responded. Inspired by Paramount Pictures’ 1975 political thriller, Three Days of the Condor , the new series is produced by MGM Television and Skydance TV, and will follow a young CIA analyst who stumbles onto a plan that threatens the lives of millions. It will premiere on Audience Network in June 2018. TCAs have becomemuchmore of a “multimedia adventure” for many journalists, said Canadian TV critic Eric Kohanik. “There was a time when it was all about writing stories for newspapers and print magazines. Now, critics also have to blog, tweet, post videos, and do so much more in creating new and innovative content.” Also, there are “valuable previews” to much-discussed TV series, said Kohanik, who moderated press conferences at the Toronto International Film Festival. “I really liked HBO’s The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling , an outstanding look at the life of an outstanding comedic force. Judd Apatow, Shandling’s mentor and friend, produced and directed it. And after seeing the trailer, I am also excited for the next season of Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale.” Press tours give TV fans opportunities to hear from the big players on their favorite shows, as well as from future favorites, noted Deanna Barnert, news editor of Soaps in Depth. “While talent and creators share quite a bit on social media, there’s just something to be said for face-to-face interviews. You can have deeper conversations with the talent and creators and thus, walk away with a better understanding of their vision for their show — which benefits the fans and the networks trying to promote their slates.” With so many series on broadcast, cable, and streaming, Barnert believes press tours help bring viewers to shows that could have been lost in the onslaught of content. “Watching all those screeners, we find some surprises. If not for the TCA, I would never have watched LA to Vegas [on Fox network] — which I’ve deemed my favorite surprise of the winter 2018 screener season!” she enthused. Quipped TV critic John Griffiths: “Press tours are like ComicCon meets an endless White House press conference, but no one’s dressed as Thor, unfortunately! “Reporters overwhelmthe talent with questions — fluffy to hard-hitting — about the characters, plots, regrets, why LGBTQ characters are often killed off, etc.” Griffiths continued: “In a way, TCA members are like the House of Representatives; they can air out their readers’ or viewers’ concerns about TV’s more irksome trends, i.e., ‘Another show with an all-white cast and writing staff?! Really?’ “And while Hollywood has rightfully poked fun at the TCA’s showbiz geeks in episodes of shows like Showtime’s Episodes and HBO’s The Comeback , we geeks provide a check-and- balance, reminding people who are running TV that they can be a little self-entitled and out of touch with the real world — and can often try harder and do better.” Plus, it’s always interesting to see what celebrity insight starts trending,” said Griffiths. During ABC’s Roseanne panel, this VideoAge reporter asked actress Roseanne Barr what she thought of the notion of OprahWinfrey as president, and her response got a lot of attention. “I love Oprah, like everybody else,” Barr said. “But you know what? I think it was time for us as a country to shake things up and you know, try something different.” “What about Susan Sarandon for president?” Griffiths asked. “Actually, I think I’d be a better president than Oprah and Susan Sarandon, probably even President Trump. And I did run in 2012.” Indeed she did! From l. to r.: Charlie Walk, Meghan Trainor, DJ Khaled and Sean “Diddy” Combs, host Fergie and executive producers David Friedman and David Eilenberg of The Four Three Days of the Condor ’s Mira Sorvino and Brendan Fraser “The press tours are places where TV critics and reporters can push executives, producers and stars to be accountable for the images they present to the world.”