D.B. Woodside Movies

Heaviliy promoted by CBS before its "preview" unveiling on October 18, 2007--and its subsequent "official" debut on October 21--Viva Laughlin was based on the British series Viva Blackpool. The nominal hero was Ripley Holden (Lloyd Owen), a minor-league casino owner who hoped to hit it big with a lavish new gambling emporium in Laughlin, Nevada, the celebrated "mini-Las Vegas" located some 20 miles south of Sin City along the Colorado river. Alas, no sooner had Ripley arrived at his still-under-construction hotel-casino than he learned that his biggest investor had pulled out all his money. Shortly afterward, the investor turned up dead, placing Ripley under the close scrutiny of two somewhat shady characters: casino mogul Nick Fontana (Hugh Jackman, also one of the series' executive producers), who dearly coveted our hero's property; and detective Peter Carlyle (Eric Winter), who suspected Ripley of murder. Peter in fact was so determined to get the goods on Mr. Holden that he pretended to fall in love with Ripley's vacillating wife Natalie (Madchen Amick). Ever lurking in the background was Bunny (Melanie Griffith), the sexy widow of the dead investor, who dropped subtle hints that she knew more than anyone else of what was really going on. Perhaps because the CBS ad campaign misleadingly suggested that Hugh Jackman and Melanie Griffith were the stars of the show instead of secondary characters, or perhaps because viewers were confused by the series' heady blend of mystery, comedy, sexual intrigue, fantasy and out-of-left-field musical numbers, Viva Laughlin failed to win its timeslot. Truth to tell, it didn't even place or show, and was the first big casualty of the 2007-2008 season, cancelled after a scant three episodes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The threat to the United States in Season 5's white-knuckle day is Russian separatists armed with weaponized nerve gas and led by Vladimir Bierko (Julian Sands). Inciting their ire is an arms and mutual defense treaty that Russian president Yuri Suvarov (Nick Jameson) plans on signing with the U.S. and duplicitous president Charles Logan (Gregory Itzin). As Day 5 begins, Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland), who faked his own demise at the close of last season, is working at an oil refinery in California under the name Frank Flynn. He returns from his self-imposed exile to fight the good fight after an assassination rocks the nation and he finds himself framed for it and several other crimes. Jack is also reunited with former love interest Audrey Raines (Kim Raver), but tumult continues to follow them. Meanwhile at CTU, there's a new man brought in to oversee operations, Lynn McGill (Sean Astin), and once again, there's a mole in the ranks. A significant subplot centers on Christopher Henderson (Peter Weller), Jack's mentor-turned-nemesis who has information that can help Jack thwart the Russians. Another thread follows First Lady Martha Logan (Jean Smart), who grows increasingly disdainful of her husband's actions in office. ~ Fred Mitchell, All Movie Guide

Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) interrupts her tender reunion with Angel (David Boreanaz) long enough to dispatch Caleb (Nathan Fillion) quite violently once and for all. Afterward, Angel says he can smell Spike (James Marsters) on Buffy. The Slayer admits that Spike now has a soul and is "in her heart," but she professes no desire for a relationship with either of her undead suitors. Instead, she wants to discover the person she's destined to become -- if, that is, she makes it through the impending conflict. To that end, Angel hands over a magical champion's amulet to be used against The First, then heads back to L.A. to form a second line of defense. Back at home, Spike is apoplectic with jealousy about Angel's return, but he accepts the amulet and shares another chaste, tender night with Buffy. A visit from The First, however, interrupts the Slayer's sleep -- and gives her a brilliant idea about how to defeat her nemesis. The Scoobies, the slayers-in-waiting, Faith (Eliza Dushku) and Buffy head to Sunnydale High to open the Seal of Danzalthar and wage war on The First's Turok-Han army. As Buffy and the slayerettes stream through the Seal, Willow (Alyson Hannigan) and Kennedy (Iyari Limon) complete a powerful spell to release the immense energy inside the Scythe and "call" every potential slayer in the world at the same time. Their potential now realized, the junior slayers join Buffy and Faith in kicking some serious Turok-Han butt. Injured in battle, Buffy once again receives a visit from The First, but the being's triumph is short-lived. Spike's amulet suddenly kicks in, punching a hole through the Hellmouth and turning Spike into a sort of magical magnifying glass for the sunlight that shines through. The Turok-Han army goes up in smoke and the entire town of Sunnydale begins to collapse into the Hellmouth. As the slayer brigade flees, Buffy professes her love for Spike even as his shining body begins to disintegrate. Cackling joyfully, Spike orders Buffy to save herself, and she does -- running across the tops of crumbling buildings and leaping onto the school bus that has become her army's unlikely rescue vehicle. Buffy and her allies are left to stare at the ruins of Sunnydale, mourn their losses -- including Anya (Emma Caulfield), who died protecting Andrew (Tom Lenk) from The First's bringers -- and contemplate their future in a world full of slayers. Originally broadcast May 20, 2003, on UPN, "Chosen" marked the 144th and final episode of the cult-favorite series. Although star Sarah Michelle Gellar officially pulled the plug on the show when she decided against renewing her contract, creator Joss Whedon said in interviews that he preferred to go out on top rather than allowing the series to linger past its creative peak. Fans were left with one final mystery: How would James Marsters join the cast of spin-off series Angel when his character, Spike, had died saving the world? ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

Still incensed that Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) had the anti-violence chip removed from Spike's head, Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) shows up with a mystical means of tracing The First's hold on the re-ensouled vampire. Spike (James Marsters) therefore reluctantly submits to the insertion of a magical slug into his eye socket. Once inside his skull, the creature shakes loose all sorts of memories. Spike recalls the close relationship he shared with his crippled mother (Caroline Lagerfelt) and his disastrous decision to sire her once Drusilla (Juliet Landau) entered the picture. He also finally remembers the identity of The First's post-hypnotic trigger: "Early One Morning," a folk tune his mother used to sing to him, is the song that now summons the beast within. Meanwhile, Principal Wood (D.B. Woodside) recalls his troubled relationship with his own mother, slain slayer Nikki Wood (K.D. Aubert), and reveals to Giles that he's out for vengeance against Spike for killing her. Giles conspires to keep Buffy busy while Wood takes his best shot at Spike, but their unholy alliance backfires. The result? An indignant Buffy turns her back on her former Watcher, while Spike finally comes to terms with his past -- and with The First's hold on him. Originally broadcast March 25, 2003, on UPN, "Lies My Parents Told Me" marked episode 139 of the cult-favorite series. Willow (Alyson Hannigan) appears in this episode only long enough to head off to Los Angeles to help out another of Buffy's vampire-with-a-soul boyfriends (see Angel, "Orpheus"). ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

As a broken-down Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) searches for someplace to sleep, Faith (Eliza Dushku) struggles to find her voice as leader of the potentials. Eventually, she assumes the mantle of command and settles on a scheme to kidnap one of The First's weakest breed of minions: the blind, mute acolytes known as Bringers. Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) locates a spell to communicate with the captive enemy, who reveals the location of this brethren. Meanwhile, Spike (James Marsters), having learned of Buffy's ouster, locates the distraught Slayer and soothes her wounded psyche. Buffy confesses doubts in her ability to lead, but Spike professes his admiration for her power -- and his undying love. With Sunnydale nearly deserted and the electricity no longer running, the two hole up and share a chaste but tender night together. Back at the house, Kennedy (Iyari Limon) convinces a skittish Willow (Alyson Hannigan) to share an altogether racier evening with her. Faith, too, finds sexual solace -- in the arms of Principal Wood (D.B. Woodside); even exes Xander (Nicholas Brendon) and Anya (Emma Caulfield) get in on the act. The next morning, Faith leads a team to the catacombs where the Bringers have sequestered themselves, unaware that a time bomb ticks away at their destination. Meanwhile, Buffy completes the mission the others wouldn't support, but she does so with agility and grace rather than brute strength. Instead of engaging in a slug-fest with Caleb (Nathan Fillion) at his winery, she dances out of his reach and discovers the secret entrance to a chamber where a powerful weapon lies hidden. Originally broadcast May 6, 2003, on UPN, "Touched" marked episode 142 of the cult-favorite series. Fans of the various Buffy comic-book series will recognize the mysterious weapon the Slayer unearths: it is a Scythe, first introduced in a comic called Fray about the adventures of a future vampire slayer. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

As geeky hostage Andrew (Tom Lenk) annoys Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and her army of acolytes with the cheesy documentary he's trying to film about the Slayer's adventures, Buffy learns of serious disturbances at Sunnydale High School. She explains to Principal Wood (D.B. Woodside) that the new school, like the old one, sits atop the Hellmouth, whose demonic energy sometimes seeps out, causing pent-up teenage feelings to take horrifying shape. The Scoobies hypothesize that such enchantments are on the upswing thanks to the blood sacrifices that were recently used to unleash the Turok-Han through the mystical Seal of Danzalthar hidden beneath the school. Because Andrew helped open the seal by murdering best friend Jonathan (Danny Strong) at The First's behest, Buffy decides he'll be the one to help close it. As Wood and Spike (James Marsters) stave off the ensorcelled hooligans who are rioting in the halls, the Slayer and her would-be biographer make their way into the bowels of the building. There, Buffy forces Andrew to come face-to-face with the horrible acts he committed -- and the made-up stories he's been telling himself to assuage his guilt. Terrified that the Slayer plans to close the seal with his blood, a tearful Andrew admits his sins. In doing so, he finds the real way to shut the portal down, thereby returning Sunnydale High to about as normal a state as it ever achieves. Originally broadcast February 25, 2003, on UPN, "Storyteller" marked episode 138 of the cult-favorite series. In addition to providing humorous flashbacks and references to numerous earlier episodes, this installment also offers a sort of unified field theory about the creature-of-the-week episodes that characterized Buffy's first season. Flashbacks and Andrew's stories once again allow Adam Busch and Danny Strong to appear as the other now-deceased members of season six's nerdy supervillain triumvirate. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

As Xander (Nicholas Brendon) recovers at the hospital from having his eye gouged out by evil preacher Caleb (Nathan Fillion), Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) licks her own wounds and deals with the emotional fallout of having dragged her friends and the potentials into an ambush. Meanwhile, the citizens of Sunnydale -- including friendly demon Clem (James C. Leary) -- stage a mass exodus from their apocalypse-plagued town. Stopping by the deserted high school to pick up her things, Buffy again encounters The First's bible-thumping minion. Once more Caleb proves stronger than the Slayer, but Buffy learns some valuable information in the process of getting her butt kicked. Meanwhile, Spike (James Marsters) and Andrew (Tom Lenk) gather additional intelligence when Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) sends them to the site of one of Caleb's earlier atrocities. Back in Sunnydale, the restless potentials get a break from their training when Faith (Eliza Dushku) takes them to the Bronze to blow off some steam. Things turn ugly, however, when sinister cops arrive to arrest -- or kill -- the fugitive slayer. When she learns of the incident, Buffy blows her top, but a surprisingly mature Faith keeps her cool. Later, at a huge strategy session at the house, Buffy tries to convince the others that it's imperative to stage another siege on Caleb's winery hideout. She gets shot down -- not just by the beleaguered potentials, but by Xander, Anya (Emma Caulfield), Willow (Alyson Hannigan), Principal Wood (D.B. Woodside) and even Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg); Spike, Buffy's staunchest ally, is still on reconnaissance. Despite her protests that there's no democracy during wartime, General Buffy finds herself deposed by a popular uprising. As for Faith, she's thrust into the unlikely role of replacement leader while her tearful fellow slayer strikes out on her own. Originally broadcast April 29, 2003, on UPN, "Empty Places" marked episode 141 of the cult-favorite series. The band playing during this episode's Bronze sequence is none other than Nerf Herder, the group that penned Buffy's memorable theme song. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

When Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) goes psychotically ga-ga over an attractive jock named R.J. Brooks (Thad Luckinbill), it's up to school counselor Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) to ferret out the origins of her sister's obsessive behavior. As it turns out, Dawn's lust is supernatural in origin, which sends Buffy into slayer mode and the Scoobies on a research mission. Xander (Nicholas Brendon) and Spike (James Marsters) connect with R.J.'s older brother, Lance (Brandon Keener), who, despite his current un-studly countenance, was also quite the high school chick magnet in his day. The Brooks brothers' irresistible sex appeal is soon revealed to be the product of their enchanted wardrobe. Unfortunately, such knowledge is of little help to Buffy, Anya (Emma Caulfield), and even Willow (Alyson Hannigan), all of whom fall madly in love with dreamy R.J. All three women embark on ludicrous missions to impress the boy, unaware that the despondent Dawn has chosen to attempt suicide rather than compete for boys with her super-sis. Xander and Spike come to the rescue, but Dawn's hurt feelings last long after the spell has been broken. Originally broadcast November 5, 2002, on the UPN network, "Him" marked episode 128 of the cult-favorite series. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

As Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and the Scoobies recover from the recent assault on the Summers' house (see "Never Leave Me"), Spike (James Marsters) suffers at the hands of his captor, who appears in the form of his long-lost love, Drusilla (Juliet Landau). Dru brags about using Spike's blood to raise the Turok-Han, a monstrous bloodsucker who resembles an amped-up version of F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu, The Vampire, and who assists in Spike's watery torture. Just as Buffy is putting the pieces together and revealing to her friends that their foe is none other than the shape-shifting First Evil (see "Amends"), Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) arrives with three trainee slayers in tow. He confirms the threat of the First and reveals that his charges are among the final remaining bastions of the recently obliterated Watcher's Council. Buffy and Giles head to the abandoned Christmas tree lot where Buffy first encountered the robed Harbingers of the First. There, Buffy barely escapes the monstrous Turok-Han -- no thanks to Giles, who sits out the battle with no explanation. Emotionally and physically fried, Buffy nonetheless heads to her day job and encounters the enigmatic Principal Wood (D.B. Woodside) in the catacombs beneath the school. Meanwhile, everyone else uses the daylight hours to fortify the house against the über-vamp's inevitable after-dark assault -- an event that actually occurs when one of the trainee slayers freaks out and flees right into the monster's grasp. Too late to save the girl, Buffy gets a royal thrashing at the Turok-Han's hands. Nonetheless, she vows to stop cowering and start taking the fight to the First's own doorstep. That would probably be good news to Spike, who sees through the First's Drusilla drag but continues to suffer as the big bad's prisoner. Originally broadcast December 18, 2002, on the UPN network, "Bring on the Night" marked episode 132 of the cult-favorite series. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

William Shakespeare's streak as the hottest storyteller in Hollywood continues with this modern-dress variation on Romeo and Juliet. In this loose adaptation, Hang Sing (Jet Li) is a former police officer from Hong Kong who comes to the United States following the death of his brother, the leader of an Asian crime ring. Hang Sing discovers that his brother had become involved in a turf battle with an African-American gang, led by Isaak (Delroy Lindo). But his blood lust begins to subside when he falls in love with Isaak's daughter Trish (Aaliyah) and finds himself torn between his affection for her and his desire for justice against the men who killed his brother. Romeo Must Die was the directorial debut of noted cinematographer Andrzej Bartkowiak; the supporting cast includes Russell Wong and Isaiah Washington. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This two-part NBC miniseries follows the rise of the Temptations, a quintet of black singers who came to rule Motown and the charts with their groundbreaking music. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Trace (Stephen Baldwin) is a cop who's just been assigned to a new unit led by Lt. Devon (Chazz Palminteri). Trace is alarmed at the tactics of his new partners, who shoot criminals to kill without warning and take bets on who will kill the primary target. The unit turns out to be a team assembled to dispatch drug dealers and mobsters, similar to the ruthless cops in Mulholland Falls or L.A. Confidential. When Trace protests, his teammates tie him up in a firing range and shoot near misses at him. Later, Trace spares a tough nightclub singer/prostitute (Tia Carrere), from a deadly raid, and both become hunted by the cops as well as the mob. ~ Jonathan E. Laxamana, All Movie Guide