Gift SubscriptionsMarcia Ann Burrs
- 2001
Skirmishes between Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and the three dorky would-be villains who have targeted her continue as the Slayer attempts to hit the books and find gainful employment. While auditing classes back at U.C. Sunnydale, Buffy literally brushes up against Warren (Adam Busch), with confusing results. The dorky inventor plants on her a device that speeds time up, resulting in lost hours and missed appointments for the Slayer. Just as she figures out what's going on, the tiny troublemaker self-destructs. The next day, Buffy reports to work at the construction site where Xander (Nicholas Brendon) has agreed to hire her. First her gender and then her super-strength and over-efficiency annoy her burly co-worker's, but Buffy doesn't last long at the new job, anyway; once again, Warren and his sidekicks send demons to attack her, and in protecting her fellow workers she causes thousands of dollars in damages. Soon Buffy finds herself working for Anya (Emma Caulfield) as a salesgirl at the magic shop; this time, the nerds pull a Groundhog Day on her, looping her through this particularly annoying afternoon until she is finally able to restore time to its normal flow by making her first sale. Later, during a drunken escapade with Spike (James Marsters), Buffy comes face to face with Jonathan (Danny Strong) in battle but doesn't even know it: the diminutive would-be arch-fiend is disguised as a much larger demon. He, Warren, and Andrew (Tom Lenk) make their getaway, having successfully taken stock of the Slayer's abilities. Originally broadcast October 23, 2001, on the UPN network, "Life Serial" marked episode 105 of the cult-favorite series. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2002
Upset over her breakup with her latest beau, Roger, Roz (Peri Gilpin) turns to Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) for consolation. One thing leads to another, and before the night is over, Roz and Frasier end up in bed. This leads to a hilarious denouement in which the guilt-stricken Frasier trails Roz all the way to her family reunion in Wisconsin. And on the subject of long trips, Niles (David Hyde Pierce) and Daphne (Jane Leeves) are on the verge of taking their long-delayed Hawaiian vacation -- until they get some bad news from Daphne's mom (Millicent Martin). ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Cox, Millicent Martin, (more)
- 2005
In this sequel to the extraordinarily popular 2004 cable movie Single Santa Seeks Mrs. Claus, Steve Guttenberg returns in the role of Nick, son of the soon-to-be retired Santa Claus (John Wheeler) and heir to the North Pole toyshop. Likewise, Crystal Bernard repeats her characterization of Beth Sawtelle, the widowed mom who has agreed to marry Nick so that his "destiny" will be fulfilled. Nick and Beth have only four days before the Christmas Eve deadline to tie the knot, lest the Santa Claus Legacy crumble into dust. Unable to handle the wedding plans herself, Beth makes the tactical error of turning to her society-doyenne mother Joanna (Mariette Hartley) for help--and as it happens, Joanna just plain despises Nick, and isn't about to let her daughter marry "beneath her station" (Nick of course could solve the problem by revealing that his dad is Santa Claus. . .if only Joanna believed in Santa Claus!) Also returning from Single Santa Meets Mrs. Claus are Armin Shimerman as the Senior S.C.'s head elf Ernest (who prefers the title "executive assistant") and Dominic Scott Kay as Beth's son Jake. Making its television debut on December 17, 2005, Meet the Santas broke the record set by its predecessor, posting the highest-ever ratings for a Hallmark Channel movie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2004
John Turturro guest stars as Ambrose, the agoraphobic older brother of obsessive-compulsive private eye Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub). The brothers have not spoken since Ambrose failed to contact Monk at the time of his wife Trudy's funeral. Their hesitant reunion comes about when Ambrose suspects that his neighbor Pat Van Ranken (Holt McCallany) has murdered his wife. And the motive? Well, it could be nothing more than a cherry pie--one of three such tasty confections that figure prominently (and fatally) in the proceedings. The episode's best line is delivered by Lt. Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford): "Step away from the pie!" ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
In the second episode of a two-part story arc (originally networkcast out of sequence), David (Bruce Willis) is still ga-ga over Maddie's cousin Annie (Virginia Madsen), even though she already has a husband. Meanwhile, Maddie (Cybill Shepherd) is placed in round-the-clock police protection after witnessing a murder. The "fun" begins when the detective assigned to watch over Maddie is suspected of the murder himself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A woman discovers that a part of her family history may be more complicated -- and more famous -- than she ever imagined in this comedy. Thirtysomething Sarah Huttinger (Jennifer Aniston), who has spent most of her adult life in New York City, is flying home to California with her long time boyfriend, Jeff Daly (Mark Ruffalo), for the wedding of her annoyingly perky younger sister, Annie (Mena Suvari). While Sarah and Jeff have recently announced they're engaged to be married, Sarah has been having second thoughts, and she isn't excited about the prospect of spending time with the family where she's always felt like the odd duck. As Sarah tries to decide what she should do with her personal and professional lives, she turns to her sharp-tongued and still youthful grandmother, Katharine (Shirley MacLaine), for advice, and Katharine shares a little-known bit of family history -- that Sarah's now-deceased mother left her father, Earl (Richard Jenkins), a few days before their wedding and ran off with another man for several days before coming back and marrying Earl. However, after hearing this Sarah is also treated to some long-simmering local gossip about a young man who ran off with a bride-to-be after he was seduced by her mother...and that the story became the basis for the hit movie The Graduate. Sarah begins to wonder, was Katharine the real-life Mrs. Robinson of this story? And if it's true, who was the man who had affairs with Sarah's mother and grandmother? Was it dashing and wealthy family friend Beau Burroughs (Kevin Costner), who has also turned Sarah's head? Rumor Has It... was produced from an original screenplay by Ted Griffin; Griffin was originally set to direct the film, but shortly after production began he was replaced, with Rob Reiner taking over the project. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Costner, (more)
A single mother whose faith in love died with her former husband learns that Christmas miracles can still happen in director Harvey Frost's warmhearted tale of winter magic. Beth Andrews (Crystal Bernard) is a devoted single mother and advertising executive whose current campaign could put her on the fast track to the big time. The holiday season is here, and in order to sell the latest in video game technology, Beth's campaign needs the perfect Santa Claus. As Beth burns the midnight oil night after night and attempts to convince her young son Jake (Dominic Scott Kay) never to have faith in fantasies, the wistful young man pens a letter to Santa asking for a new dad for the holidays. It seems that up in the North Pole the time has come for Saint Nick to pass along the seasonal responsibilities to his son Nick (Steve Guttenberg), but in order to take the position, Nick must have a Mrs. Claus before Christmas Eve. Upon receiving the Christmas request from young Jake, Nick sets his sights on Los Angeles, and Beth Andrews in particular. Despite his best intentions, it's going to take more than a Christmas miracle to convince the dejected widow that love can still conquer all. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Guttenberg, Dominic Scott Kay, (more)
