Huh? That eyepatch caught me completely off guard at the end. And its hard for me to get a feel for the show when after every joke theres a canned laugh. But I did like Neil's blinking of the eyes. We'll see..

eddy | June 14, 00:33 CET

Yeah, I can't quite get a handle on it either. My primary reaction was, "Wow, what a weird shot to end that clip on." I'll watch, there's no doubting that, but boy am I still lamenting the sitcom turn. Drama, Aly! Say it with me. Draaaamaaaa ...

Jet Wolf | June 14, 00:52 CET

Yeah...the eyepatch thing was weird...hopefully it's just part of a short storyline...
and after seeing "Kitchen" w/ no laugh track, this one kinda bothered me...it's just irritating, someone telling me when I should laugh...if I think it's funny, I'll laugh

two_guns | June 14, 00:57 CET

Ungh, not my thing. That laugh track is painful.

ringworm | June 14, 01:00 CET

About a third of the way through the clip you get a glimpse of most of her face and she isn't wearing an eyepatch.

I don't like the laugh tracks either.

rkayn | June 14, 01:05 CET

I have nothing against them, but as far as eyepatches go... isn't that one rather - I don't know - large?

Daromaius | June 14, 01:30 CET

Don't like the laugh track, but this looks interesting to me.

I just wish Alyson wasn't playing the "friend" part again.

kdavid323 | June 14, 01:37 CET

C'mon, guys. The eyepatch is an obvious nod to Xander.

And you know I am SO just kidding.

Willowy | June 14, 01:44 CET

I really wish they'd give Aly some kind of starring role instead of always trying to make her the buddy. She can carry a show guys, we've all seen it. I don't care if she does comedy or drama or a Buffy spinoff, I just want her in the spotlight, darnit. Also, She and Neil Patrick Harris (Is that who that Was??) had WAY more presence than the main guy. Your eye was just Drawn to them.

pixxelpuss | June 14, 03:14 CET

I thought the eyepatch was funny. But, the rest was not really my thing.

Koos | June 14, 03:34 CET

Doesn't look like my thing, i don't think. I may give it a shot when it actually airs, but it wrings of the awkward humor followed by the canned laughter. Bah.

And i have to politely disagree with those who feel that AH can carry the lead of a show. I'm sorry, but she's not a strong enough actress to pull that off. I find her to be rather one-note and the note grew very flat and weak towards the end of Buffy, as well as the other roles I've seen her in. And her stint on "Veronica Mars" was painful to me.

syd | June 14, 04:15 CET

One note? One note?

Aly wrung more emotion out of me than ANY of the other Scoobs at any time during the run of the series. She can bring the funny, make you feel her agony, be a wicked bad-ass, or the nerdy high-school achiever.

In what world is that considered one-note?

Willowy | June 14, 04:25 CET

I watched it all and I'm sorry, but i didn't feel that much from her. Whenever i was supposed to be feel sad for her, i grew bored and i have to say, I've always found Wicked Willow to be hilarious and so incredibly poorly done, both with the writing and the acting.

For *me*, in *my* world, she never developed beyond the breathy delivery that has always irked me and has just become more awkward now that she needs to develop beyond the awkward teen to the adult and can't. And her character, again for *me*, never developed beyond the insecure girl she once was, she just got older.

But again, this is *my* opinion. It's fine to see it otherwise, of course.

[ edited by syd on 2005-06-14 02:33 ]

syd | June 14, 04:31 CET

Well *you* can have *your* world. I prefer mine, where folks aren't so closed off. And since Aly is considered by many to be BtVS's finest actor, I'd say I'm not alone in *my* opinion.

Willowy | June 14, 04:41 CET

I hate laugh track too ¬¬

This, like Kitchen Confidential, is not my thing, but I´ll see them just for Aly and Nick.
And well, maybe this one will be a funny great show.

And you´re not alone, Willowy :p
I love Willow´s evolution, as a character (in every aspect), and Aly´s evolution as an actress.

[ edited by Angel TheVampire on 2005-06-14 02:47 ]

Angel TheVampire | June 14, 04:44 CET

Um, okaaaay. I don't think it's fair to say I'm closed off simply because i don't agree with you and do not extol Alyson hannigan with praise. But clearly you are of that attitude, so I'd rather not waste more time defending my own thoughts.

Oh, but btw, there are MANY people who share my opinion as well, so no worries. I've plenty of friends to keep me company :)

[ edited by syd on 2005-06-14 02:48 ]

syd | June 14, 04:47 CET

I'd have to respectfully disagree with you there, syd. Aly pulled more emotions out of me than any other actor in the Jossverse. I completely agree that she could be a show's frontliner. Though I personally have no problem with her being the "best friend", I must admit – I suppose because I typically find the secondary characters so much more interesting than the primaries, but that's me.

I didn't find Aly to be painful on Veronica Mars at all, though I did find her character to be predominently one-dimensional. I chalk most of that up to lack of appearance time though, not Aly herself. And I thought the hint for more was definitely there. I most fervently hope that How I Met Your Mother won't prevent her from exploring Trina. (Though I'm afraid it will.)

Jet Wolf | June 14, 04:49 CET

Well, it's great that we can enjoy a healthy debate about such things . . . but seriously, although we shouldn't be wary of expressing (in a respectful manner) our opinions - and I think that syd's post was reasonable in its tone, - I don't see such criticisms bearing much fruit for discussion purposes. If actor X bothers the hell out of you, probably better to avoid threads that focus exclusively on X. Especially since it's more than likely that the actor's fangroup will be particularly engaged in that thread.

(G-d knows, each of us has one or two actors in the 'verse that we can't stand - I know I have. AH, safe to say, is not one of them. Not my most favorite, but in the top three or four.)

SoddingNancyTribe | June 14, 04:50 CET

Fair enough, SNT. I didn't come to the thread with the intention to start anything and though i stand by my opinion, I do apologize that it DID start a small something. I know how it feels when those actors that i DO appreciate from the 'verse get picked on and though i don't think i did that and only shared my opinion respectfully, i can also understand the reactions.

[ edited by syd on 2005-06-14 03:58 ]

syd | June 14, 05:04 CET

This Looks B! A! D! I didn't laugh once, in fact the only reaction I got was an overwhelming compulsion to run away! Quick Alyson, run back to Veronica before it's too late!!! (Where is that sarcasm font when you need it?)

Zoic_Fan | June 14, 06:52 CET

I adored Willow and think that Allyson Hannigan is a fine actress. But, I didn't quite buy the Dark Willow bit. I thought Aly did fine leading all up to that but when she went totally bad I didn't feel she pulled it off. I thought she did an excellent job as Vamp Willow though. That said, I do think she could definitely be the lead in a show but a significant role as a best friend would be fine with me too as long as it isn't some little part where she only walks on the set, says something quick and disappears.

And yes, some of the most heart wrenching moments on that show were with Willow (but Buffy still is the all time winner for me). The scene when Oz leaves breaks my heart everytime I see it and when Tara gets shot and the shocked look on Willow's face as she stunned says "Tara?" just kills me. And she was fantastic in Hush. So maybe she isn't so great on being really evil but she nails everything else (and I'm sure people will disagree with me on her not pulling off the being evil bit too).

Firefly Flanatic | June 14, 07:40 CET

I can already see that I won't be watching this. It's painfully unfunny and I despise laugh tracks.

Melisande | June 14, 08:06 CET

I didn't mind the kiss. However yea, it's not the best but I'll watch it just to see Aly. I actually love Aly, and everytime that girl crys it makes me cry my eyes out, she was my favorite scooby. I hope Joss does develop something with her again.

[ edited by nixygirl on 2005-06-14 08:20 ]

nixygirl | June 14, 10:15 CET

If this show is as painful to watch as this clip was, then it won't be getting my attention after the first airing. I'm not a fan of sitcoms, anyway, so it would take something very special to get me to watch. This? Looks terribly derivative. And, no, I don't like the laugh track, either.

palehorse | June 14, 10:32 CET

Firefly Flanatic, I have to agree that Willow was a better bad vamp than Evil Willow. But Evil willow alone was overall okay. I loved the flaying of Warren. She at least pulled that one off beautifully! :)
As for laugh tracks... well, they are fine if you are watching Gilligan's Island or the Brady Bunch. I can deal with them on maybe Will & Grace or Seinfeld but that's it. I find them incredibly insulting. And usually insincere. But hey, like everyone else, she needs to get paid.

April | June 14, 16:04 CET

Love Aly so much. Think she's funny and delightful and could carry a show with one hand tied behind her back. But this show? It looks cliched, the leads are bland, and the canned "laughs" are rammed down your throat. Neil Patrick Harris is an excellent performer (have you heard him sing Sondheim?) but he's flailing around here. Pass.

cjl | June 14, 18:16 CET

It's only a short clip, but i have to say, this show looks painfully bad. Old rehashed jokes and canned laughter. Too bad. I love Aly, but that won't be enough to get me to see this. And, honestly, I've really only liked Aly as Willow – her stints in American Pie and Veronica Mars did nothing for me, but I've always figured she just hasn't found the right role/director/etc. I hope she does land on a great show, but my sense is this isn't it.

acp | June 14, 18:55 CET

Anyone know when this premieres?

GrrrAargh | June 14, 18:56 CET

ewwww laugh track... and that eyepatch, ehhh :(

PurpleYoshi | June 14, 21:00 CET

Hmmmm nothing special, unfortunately.

Simon | June 14, 21:08 CET

The eyepatch is a result of something you do not see on this short clip- there is a 6-minute clip that shows why she is wearing it. What happened is that her boyfriend proposes to her, she knocks him over onto the kitchen floor where they apparently have sex, and he later pops a bottle of champaign in celebration, but being a stupid boy he cannot do it properly and the cork hits Aly in the eye- hence the patch. She plays her role sort of broadly, sort of like what she did with Suzy Simpson. My initial thoughts, much as I love Aly, is that I wasnot impressed by what I saw, but it was the fault of the men in the show, none of whom save for Neil Patrick Harris, can act nor are they people we care about.

Aly can certainly sell a show or a movie, since they made her the focus of American Wedding, and whenever she was on screen in the first two movies she stole the show. I loved her acting on Buffy; nobody does pathos better, and scenes in episodes like New Moon Rising and The Body are simply superb. I think we can agree that all of us have likes and dislikes in the acting world (for example, I will not watch a movie with Brad Pitt in it, or Tom Cruise, but that is simply my dislike of these otherwise well liked actors), so I see little to be gained by bad mouthing Aly- many people like her acting, some don't and in the end, that is not what this thread is all about.

Dana5140 | June 14, 22:19 CET

Is it really possible to judge from such a short clip if the show is going to be good or not? I wouldn't personally want to base my judgement on what I've just watched. It seemed okay for what it was.

I am not particularly bothered about sitcoms in general, although I do watch 'Scrubs' from time to time. If this new show were to make it to terrestrial TV over here in Britain I would certainly give it a go, simply because it features AH.

I don't have any strong opinions about her. I thought she was wonderful in 'Buffy', something that could be said of all the main cast. She was probably the best thing about 'American Pie' (I haven't seen the second or third films). I've not had the opportunity to see her in anything else, unless we count 'My Stepmother Is An Alien'.

I think it's good to see the 'verse actors getting work and continuing to pursue their careers. Whether or not I personally want to watch all of it is irrelevant. I say good luck to every one of them.

alien lanes | June 15, 00:12 CET

There are plenty of reasons why Band Camp Girl is a cultural icon. ;)

April | June 15, 02:53 CET

April, I thought she was okay as Evil Willow too, just not great through all of it. I also liked the flaying of Warren bit too and actually cheered when he finally got what he deserved. I thought she did a much better job than CC as evil Cordy though!

I saw her on That 70's Show and thought she was quite funny. I thought she was okay on Veronica Mars but I suspect she wasn't great because the role wasn't too indepth. I was looking forward to her coming back but don't know if that will happen now.

Firefly Flanatic | June 15, 03:24 CET