Undercovers stars grace cover of Jet Magazine

Undercovers stars Boris Kodjoe and Gugu Mbatha-Raw grace the cover of the October 18, 2010 edition of Jet Magazine.

I’ve been watching the show since it premiered. The pilot episode was somewhat slow but I try not to give up on a show based on the pilot.  I thought the episodes after the pilot were better.  But the ratings for the show haven’t been that great.  Undercovers usually ranks fourth on Wednesday nights in it’s 8:00pm timeslot.  I did read in Deadline Hollywood that NBC has ordered six more scripts for the show so hopefully that’s good news.

All remaining freshman series on NBC got some good news today. Three, The Event, Law & Order: Los Angeles and Outsourced, have been picked up for the rest of the season with back-nine orders. A similar pickup for Chase is said to be pending, while I hear Undercovers is close to receiving an order for additional scripts, said to be about 6.

At least it made it past the 2nd episode.  A couple of new shows on network tv have already been cancelled and they only aired twice. Nowadays if a new tv show doesn’t capture the number one rating in it’s time slot the networks cancel the show within a couple of weeks.

Anyway I’m sticking by Undercovers. I hope NBC doesn’t bail out on this show. It’s nice watching black folks in leading roles for a change instead of being relegated to the background as the best friend or shoulder to cry on.

 

Redskins lose to the Colts

Not much I can say about the game last night.  The Washington Redskins lost to the Indianapolis Colts 27-24.

Washington Redskins come up short against Peyton Manning and Indianapolis Colts in 27-24 loss

By Jason Reid
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, October 18, 2010; 2:14 AM

Seeking a championship-caliber quarterback, the Washington Redskins traded for Donovan McNabb on Easter Sunday and started a process, they hope, that will one day culminate in another Super Bowl appearance for the franchise.

Early in his Redskins career, McNabb has, at times, exhibited the leadership and clutch play so lacking in these parts for so long. On Sunday night, however, the Redskins and their fans watched the position of quarterback played in its highest form as Peyton Manning led the Indianapolis Colts to a 27-24 victory.

“He’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer,” said cornerback DeAngelo Hall. “I don’t think that was a secret.”

Manning provided the difference in front of an announced crowd of 87,883 at FedEx Field. He completed 66 percent of his passes for 307 yards with two touchdowns to help the Colts, who lost three fumbles and had to hold off the Redskins in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter.

The Redskins pulled within three points, 27-24, on McNabb’s eight-yard touchdown pass to rookie running back Keiland Williams with 2 minutes 46 seconds remaining in the fourth. Place kicker Graham Gano’s successful point-after attempt capped a 12-play, 92-yard drive – but the Redskins would get no closer. Colts strong safety Aaron Francisco intercepted McNabb’s final pass with 24 seconds showing on the clock.

There was one bright spot in watching this game and his name is Ryan Torain. The 24 year old running back ran for 100 yards last night. He replaced Clinton Portis who is out with an injury.

Torain punishes Colts’ defense for 100 yards

By Rick Maese
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, October 18, 2010; D10

When it was finished, a flock of cameras followed Washington Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb off the field and into the tunnel. Just a few yards back was Ryan Torain – like much of the night, with no one around him – quietly walking to the locker room after a strong outing in a losing effort.

For much of the night, Torain bounced off defenders and slipped tackles, but his team was unable to sneak by the Indianapolis Colts, losing 27-24. Despite the final score, Torain posted the best game of his young career, rushing for 100 yards on 20 carries. He scored the Redskins’ first two touchdowns of the game.

“When my number is called, I just try to do my best. It felt good out there, [but] I just wish we could’ve got the ‘W’,” Torain said.

Torain replaced Clinton Portis in the starting lineup in Week 5 against Green Bay and made his second start of the season Sunday night. While Washington Coach Mike Shanahan can at times be cautious when it comes to praise, he’s said Torain could be an elite running back in the NFL. Sunday night marked the first time the 24-year-old Torain showed that potential for an entire game.

He became the Redskins’ first rusher to crack 100 yards in the team’s past 13 games. Ladell Betts had 114 yards on Nov. 15, 2009, against Denver, which came just three weeks after Portis’s last 100-yard game.

Woodmore Towne Centre

Last Saturday I decided to drive over to Woodmore Towne Centre to see what’s going on.  I read that the new Best Buy is open. That’s the only store that’s open right now. When I got over to the Woodmore Towne Centre it looked like construction city. They’re still doing alot of work over there.  I did see that there’s gonna be a Petco store there. Other than that there’s not much driving around you could do.  They’ve got construction workers blocking most of the driving area with the exception of getting into the Best Buy parking lot.

I did go into the Best Buy and looked around. It’s nice, spacious and it’s huge. I also bought a new pair of ear plugs for my mp3 player since my old pair died on me last Friday.

I saw a one page ad in the Prince Georges Gazette that the new Costco will be opening on Tuesday October 26. Two days after the Wegmans grand opening which takes place next Sunday October 24.

Speaking of Wegmans I received this flyer in the mail.

I received my shoppers club card in the mail a few weeks ago. I applied as soon as I saw the first Wegmans ad in the back of the Washington Post Sunday Arts section last month. Check out the Wegmans Woodmore Grand Opening page at the Wegmans website here.

And there’s more news.  According to the site Citybizlist, the grand opening of the Woodmore Towne Centre is Friday, October 22.

Woodmore Towne Centre Grand Opening Set for Friday, Oct. 22

Petrie Ross Ventures will host “Leading the Way” on October 22 at the new Woodmore Towne Centre. The event will mark the Grand Opening of Prince George’s County’s first Wegmans and support The Prince George’s Community Foundation and Hospice of the Chesapeake.

The Centre is located just off I-495 and Landover Road,/Rte. 202 and is situated on 245 acres. The project will include 800,000 square feet of retail space, 1 million square feet of office space, two hotels, and 1,100 residential units. The retail complex will be anchored by a 140,000 square foot Wegmans grocery store – the county’s first – as well as a 148,663 square foot Costco and a 96,446 square foot JC Penney.  Best Buy and Petco are also tenants at the new center.

You can read it all here.

Idris Elba stars in Luther on BBC America

Last night the BBC America crime drama miniseries Luther premiered.

Idris Elba stars as the self destructive detective John Luther.

According to BBC America:

Luther is a gripping, psychological thriller driven by a brilliant and emotionally impulsive detective tormented by the darker side of humanity.

A self-destructive near-genius, Luther might just be as dangerous as the depraved criminals he hunts. In each episode, the murderer’s identity is known from the start, focusing the drama on the psychological duel between predator and prey.

Luther shines a light into the hearts and minds of psychopaths and killers, and the shadowy spaces of his own soul.

The six part miniseries first aired on BBC One in England earlier this year. A second series for Luther will air in England 2011.  It will air as 2 two hour long movies.

I enjoyed part one.  A nice change of pace to hear Idris talk in his native British accent.  The actress who plays Alice Morgan looked familiar.  Her name is Ruth Wilson.  After doing a google search I recognized her from a PBS miniseries I saw earlier this year starring Naomie Harris titled Small Island.

If you missed part one you can catch it again on BBC America on Thursday October 21 at 9:00pm.  New episodes of Luther air on Sundays at 10:00pm.