When Knox’s knickers become Panettiere’s panties!

The story of convicted murderer Amanda Knox, nicknamed Foxy Knoxy by certain parts of the media, is to be turned into a film, with “Heroes” actress Hayden Panettiere set to play the lead role.

US student Knox, 23, is serving a 26-year sentence after being found guilty of murdering her British housemate Meredith Kercher in 2007.

The film’s producers say Knox’s story includes the perfect elements to be transformed into a movie as it features an all-American girl involved in sex, drugs and murder.

The screenplay is being written by Wendy Battles who has worked on scripts for US TV shows such as “CSI New York”.

Telly Visions: Kristen Bell

“Heroes” seems to have the knack of casting attractive female leads. It’s better at it than, say, the revamped “Doctor Who”! Ouch!! But, it’s true. The obvious names to mention, regarding the American show, are Hayden Panettiere and Ali Larter. And, I’ve already discussed Nora Zehetner and Katie Carr in previous posts. For me, I’m sorry to say, Billie Piper will always be the female forerunner of Lil’ Chris! Although, admittedly, the Swindon lass is nowhere near as cringe worthy and tedious as that pint-sized pin brain. I can imagine Russell T. Davies mistakenly casting him, in the role of companion, had the executive producer stayed on with the Brit series. And, that would’ve been a fate worse than Adric!

The latest sex kitten on the “Heroes” block is Kristen Bell, playing cunning little vixen Elle Bishop, introduced during Season Two, and I’m pleased to see she’s to continue into the next season. I was already aware of the actress from “Veronica Mars”, which I’d wanted to see but have only recently started watching. Kristen played the title role for three seasons before it was cancelled due to poor viewing figures. Joss Whedon, best known as creator and lead writer of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, praised the writing standard of “Veronica Mars” and the pilot episode is certainly a clever little construct.

Following the cancellation of “Veronica Mars”, Kristen voiced an interest in appearing in “Heroes”, because she was a fan prior to being cast. She’s also friends with future Mr. Spock Zachary Quinto (Sylar), as well as Hayden, which no doubt wasn’t going to go against her! For my money though, Kristen has a far more interesting face than her cheerleader co-star. That’s not to say I don’t like Hayden. I do. But, Kristen is just that little bit more quirky. It was Ms. Bell’s aspect that had me interested in “Veronica Mars” in the first place! Here’s hoping “Volume Three: Villains”, of “Heroes”, will be saved by the Bell!!

Warden’s Watch: Out of Time

While “Out of Time” is the title of one of the better episodes in the first series of “Torchwood”, it is also the name of the most recent chapter, to be broadcast on BBC Two, in the continuing epic that is “Heroes”. The seventh instalment of this increasingly surreal drama bore witness to both separation and reunion. While Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) and Caitlin (Katie Carr) were heartbreakingly ripped asunder, clinging to each other’s fingertips through wire fencing, and while Hiro (Masi Oka) felt duty bound to leave the love of his life in feudal Japan, it was life-affirming to see best mates Ando (James Kyson Lee) and Hiro back together again in the present day… and about bloody time! I’m not sure keeping these two wonderfully harmonious characters apart for a seeming eternity was such a wise idea. But, without their prolonged separation, their reunification wouldn’t have been half as joyous.

Though it has clearly slowed down the series’ progress a little, I haven’t disliked entirely the strand set in the seventeenth century, that curious ménage à trois involving Hiro, Yaeko (Eriko Tamura) and Takezo Kensei (David Anders)! This bizarrely beautiful love story is quite clearly a reworking of Edmond Rostand’s “Cyrano de Bergerac”… but without the big nose! The cliff-hanger revelation, at the end of “Out of Time”, that Takezo and Adam Monroe, one of the founders of the company, are actually one and the same caught me completely by surprise. For those who are interested, I’ve posted ten screen caps of cheerleader Claire Bennet (Hayden Panettiere), from series one of “Heroes”, on TimeWarden’s Jukebox. I look forward to watching the remaining four chapters of this series hoping for a return to full length come season three.

The End of the World?

As the BBC’s screening of the First Season of “Heroes” draws to a close, I was saddened to discover that the future of this imaginative series might be in jeopardy. Firstly, the writers’ strike in America may cause the next run to be cut short. Whereas the First Season is comprised solely of Volume One, the Second is supposed to include both Volumes Two and Three. I believe work is completed on the first eleven episodes, that comprise Volume Two, whereas work has yet to start on the next eleven or twelve “chapters”, that make up Volume Three and the second half of the Second Season. Creator Tim Kring is considering shooting a new ending to episode eleven, “Powerless” (pictured), which may yet turn out to be the Season cliff-hanger if the strike is protracted. Secondly, Season Two has seen a massive decline in ratings in the States, accompanied by poor reviews, and the strike may just provide NBC with a convenient opportunity to “pull the plug” on a show now perceived to be performing badly.

I think it would be a shame to lose “Heroes” after such a short run. A similar fate befell “Twin Peaks”, cancelled after a brief opening Season followed by a much longer meandering Second, whereas “The X-Files” went on and on interminably, well after it had run out of ideas! “Heroes” has definitely not run out of ideas. It is “Peyton Place” for the 21st Century, post 9/11. The relationships are infinitely better-handled than in 21st Century “Doctor Who”, and this comes from someone who, these days, dislikes most American drama. The central relationship between Claire (Hayden Panettiere) and her Dad, H.R.G. (Jack Coleman), is one of the most affecting I’ve seen in a long while and superior in every way to that of Rose (Billie Piper) and her Mum (Camille Coduri) in the British show. “Heroes”, for the most part, treats its audience as intelligent. It resists the easy opportunism of inserting obvious pop songs into the melodrama. “Heroes” by David Bowie and “No More Heroes” by The Stranglers would’ve been on the soundtrack in the hands of a lesser Executive Producer! However, word has it that the Season One Finale, “How to Stop an Exploding Man”, is a bit of an anti-climax, after so much expectation, and it may well be this that proves to be the series’ ultimate downfall.

Wild Child Claire Bares!

H.R.G. (Jack Coleman) needs to control that adopted daughter (Hayden Panettiere) of his a little better! She looks to be in need of some serious discipline!! I could help out, there, if he gives me a call!!! True, he grounded her a while back and, like all naughty teenage daughters, she got out through her bedroom window with the aid of a ladder and her doting Romeo. In the hair stakes, she seems to be sporting a bit of a Phil Oakey. Perhaps she’s getting down to “Open Your Heart”? She and her Dad certainly did exactly that in a “Railway Children” moment at the conclusion of the most recent chapter of “Heroes”, “Company Man”, in which Ted Sprague (Matthew John Armstrong) held the Bennet family hostage before going nuclear… but didn’t die. Claude (Christopher Eccleston) was shot repeatedly, turned invisible, and fell from a bridge… but, as we all know, because it was in black and white, and because it was a flashback and he is still alive in the present day, he didn’t die! And H.R.G. himself had the Haitian (Jimmy Jean-Louis) shoot him in X-marks-the-spot in order to effect Claire’s escape… and guess what?… Noah Bennet didn’t die either. All that violence without any casualties is more amazing than, say, possessing the superpower of retro-metabolism! Below, the lovely Hayden exposes the true power of self-healing!!

“Heroes” Catch Up Weekend

Running from 9.00pm (to 1.30am) on Saturday 15 September 2007, on BBC TWO, is the first of two evenings of programmes devoted to “Heroes”, the sci-fi series about a group of people with amazing abilities. The marathon begins with “Heroes Unmasked”, the first in a series of short documentaries, interspersed between episodes of the series itself, looking behind the scenes on the show. The first six episodes follow…

9.15pm “Genesis” - In the wake of an eclipse, a genetics professor in India is led by his father’s disappearance to uncover a secret theory that there are people living with extraordinary powers. Across the globe individuals are beginning to come to terms with their unique gifts but, unbeknownst to them all, their ultimate destiny is nothing less than to save the world.

9.55pm “Don’t Look Back” - As people find their lives disrupted by their new, extraordinary abilities, authorities investigate several bizarre, gruesome murders. A policeman discovers he is the only person at a crime scene who can hear a girl crying in the distance.

10.40pm “One Giant Leap” - While the Heroes continue to test their extraordinary abilities, Claire tries to maintain a normal social life, and Hiro is convinced he is destined to travel to America to save the world. A frightened Niki follows instructions from a mysterious source that directs her to the middle of the desert, and Nathan uses Peter’s accident to propel his political campaign. Meanwhile the elusive Sylar is being hunted by Matt, the FBI and Suresh, whose father’s journal leads to potential clues.

11.20pm “Collision” - Suresh finally tracks down one of his father’s fabled genetically-advanced supermen. In Las Vegas, Hiro’s plan backfires when he cautiously turns time to his advantage at the gambling tables. Nathan pays a visit to a wealthy Vegas contributor to raise additional campaign funds. Following a tragic turn at a bonfire, Claire’s uncanny healing abilities are put to the ultimate test.

12.05am “Hiros” - Confused after losing track of another block of time, Niki finds the police on her doorstep, searching for her fugitive husband DL Hawkins. Hiro and his friend Ando get jumped by some Vegas high-rollers. Peter receives a life-changing message from an unlikely source. Matt secretly uses his mind-reading ability to anticipate his wife’s needs. Suresh makes plans to return to India.

12.50am “Better Halves” - Hiro and his buddy embark on their journey to New York, where a Vegas high-roller offers them a deal they can’t refuse. As HRG sets up a meeting for his daughter Claire with her biological parents, she hopes that questions about her newfound indestructibility can be answered. Isaac receives another confusing call from Hiro, but Peter is there to pick up the phone and relay a life-saving message.

The “Heroes” weekend continues from 10.45pm (to 1.00am) on Sunday 16 with the next three episodes…

10.45pm “Nothing to Hide” - Facing a crisis involving her son Micah, a distraught Niki reveals her recent personal struggles to a friend. Pushing aside his own issues at home, Matt assists Audrey’s investigation into another bizarre murder, but their pursuit of mysterious serial killer Sylar takes an unexpected turn. After failing to act like a superhero when faced with danger, Hiro questions his heroism.

11.30pm “Seven Minutes to Midnight” - Back in India to mourn his father, Suresh encounters mysterious dreams of the past that force him to question what path to take. Continuing on to New York, Hiro and Ando stop at a diner and meet someone interesting. In crisis, Niki comes to a personal understanding. Determined to see one of Isaac’s paintings that Simone recently sold, Peter asks Nathan for help in finding a key to the future.

12.15am “Homecoming” - As HRG tries to protect his daughter by any means, Claire’s high school homecoming celebration turns into a frightening night for many. Nathan and Simone work together to find Isaac’s painting for Peter, but this key to the future could lead to tragedy. Hiro travels back in time to right an upsetting wrong. As Niki puts a goal in sight, Micah spends time with his dad.

Principal Cast

Mohinder Suresh - Sendhil Ramamurthy
Hiro Nakamura - Masi Oka
Micah Sanders - Noah Gray-Cabey
Nathan Petrelli - Adrian Pasdar
Noah Bennet - Jack Coleman
Peter Petrelli - Milo Ventimiglia
Claire Bennet - Hayden Panettiere
Niki Sanders - Ali Larter
Isaac Mendez - Santiago Cabrera
Matt Parkman - Greg Grunberg
Ando Masahashi - James Kyson Lee
DL Hawkins - Leonard Roberts
Simone Deveraux - Tawny Cypress

Synopses © radiotimes.com

Save the Cheerleader, Save the World!

The smash-hit US drama series “Heroes” makes champions - and villains - of ordinary people, by gifting them with extraordinary abilities: a Japanese office worker able to manipulate time; a cheerleader with incredible regenerative powers; a struggling single mother with a deadly alter ego; a drug-addicted artist whose work predicts a catastrophic future; and a serial killer capable of absorbing all their abilities. Meanwhile, geneticist Mohinder Suresh continues the work of his murdered father - have these gifted men and women entered a new phase of evolution, or are their abilities the result of something far more sinister? Hayden Panettiere is Claire Bennet, the high school cheerleader from Texas with a key role to play in uncovering the truth…

Of particular interest to fans of “Doctor Who”, ninth Doctor Christopher Eccleston joins the cast of “Heroes”, midway through its first season, as Claude for five of its twenty-three episodes. The former Time Lord appears in “Godsend”, “The Fix”, “Distractions”, “Unexpected” and “Company Man” (episodes 12, 13, 14, 16 and 17). And, of note to “Star Trek” fans, Sulu-actor George Takei also guest-stars in five episodes, as Kaito Nakamura, namely “The Fix”, “Distractions”, “Company Man”, “Landslide” and “How to Stop an Exploding Man” (episodes 13, 14, 17, 22 and 23). I draw your attention to the fact that three episodes (13, 14 and 17) feature both actors, though whether or not they are in any scenes together remains to be seen! “Heroes” starts on Wednesday 25th July at 9pm, on BBC TWO, with a double bill comprising “In His Own Image” (broadcast in the States as “Genesis”) and “Don’t Look Back”…