Getting PRETTY All Over Again

Hi readers, new posts will be a bit sparse here for the next week or so as I am deep into production on a the third season of PRETTY - the hit, award-winning web series that I am one of the producers (and production designer) of. The new season stars 5 of the original cast members (Sam Pancake, Stacy McQueen, Dee Freeman, Terri Simmons and Michael Taylor Gray). Joining the regular cast fulltime is last season's guest star Kirsten Vangsness (CRIMINAL MINDS). Returning guest stars this season include Denise Alexander (GENERAL HOSPITAL, ANOTHER WORLD)), Melissa Peterman (REBA, THE SINGING BEE) and the hysterical stage actress Madeline Long. New guest stars include Genie Francis (GENERAL HOSPITAL, YOUNG & THE RESTLESS), Martha Byrne (AS THE WORLD TURNS), Mary Beth Evans (DAYS OF OUR LIVES, THE BAY), Melanie Hutsell (SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, BRIDESMAIDS), Anthony Anderson (ANACOSTIA), Brendan Bradley (SQUATTERS) and Kevin Stea (NAKED BOYS SINGING)! Plus more delicious cover versions of our award-winning theme song, "Gumdrop the Unicorn". There are plenty of twists and turns ahead for the Champagne family this season, so to catch up, you should check out the first two seasons here. Thanks!

All Things PRETTY

It's been a while since I've updated you all on PRETTY, the smash hit webs series that I am one of the executive producers of.

So, in case you don't know - PRETTY is a hybrid parody of kiddie pageant reality shows (TODDLERS & TIARAS, LITTLE MISS PERFECT) and soap operas. Created, written and directed by Steve Silverman and produced through Velvet Candy Entertainment.

The first 5-episode season followed the travails and triumphs of the Champagne family: pageant dad Michael (Sam Pancake), working mom Ribina (Dee Freeman), their 6-year old daughter Annete Lashondra (Stacy McQueen) and opportiist uncle Ethan (Troy Conrad). Joining them on their adventures were Miss Star Eyes pageantistas determined Parker Kensington Parker (Terri Simmons) and fame-whore Royce Adams (Michael Taylor Gray).

Season 2 brought in a whole slew of new characters and storylines as we met recovering Athesist and Champagne sister Meredith (Kirsten Vangsness of CRIMINAL MINDS), Michael's scheming ex-wife Lucy Devonshire (Jennifer Elise Cox of LOVESPRING INTERNATIONAL) and Lucy's adorable daughter Lily (Isis Silva). Newly crowned pagent director Royce welcomed his new aphenphosmphobic wife Ginger (Alison Quinn) and "his Patrick" (David Robert May).

Additionally, special guest stars this season include GENERAL HOSPITAL's Denise Alexander, KTLA MORNING SHOW's Allie MacKay, Melissa Peterman (REBA, THE SINGING BEE, WORKING CLASS), Madeline Long, Ray Proscia, Larry Michaelsen and Kalimba Bennett. For a complete cast list, go here.

The seventh and final episode of the season begins airing today on the PRETTY website and features our Special Guest Joan Van Ark of KNOTS LANDING fame, along with all the folks mentioned above.

Since our premiere in 2010, PRETTY has amassed dozens of great reviews, has made web series Top Ten lists, and has been nominated for (and has won) numerous awards.

Our PRETTY theme song, GUMDROP THE UNICORN (music by Bret Silverman, lyrics by Steve Silverman) is available for download on iTunes. In addition to the original versions, there are 6 kick ass covers from a batch of talented performers: Jennifer Kes Remington & Pakk Hui, Shelly Rann, Bobby Banuelos, That's What She Said, Naked Peasants and Mary Edwards.

Coming up next, a PRETTY event at The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences on February 7th. How awesome is that??? So there you have it, an quick update on all things PRETTY!

Mixing Comedy & Soap: A History of the Serialized Sitcom

Check out this article I wrote for WE LOVE SOAPS!
We Love Soaps TV: Mixing Comedy & Soap: A History of the Serialized ...: "Mixing Comedy & Soap: A History of the Serialized Situation Comedy By Doug Prinzivalli As one of the producers of the hit web series PRETTY..."

Return to Falcon Crest

When people think of the great primetime soaps of the 80s, there are two categories: the ABC/Aaron Spelling brand (which included DYNASTY, THE COLBYS and the non-serialized HOTEL) and the Lorimar stable (which included the CBS hits DALLAS, KNOTS LANDING and NBC's FLAMINGO ROAD). The classiest of the Lorimar sudsers, FALCON CREST came from an unlikely creator, Mr. Earl Hamner, Jr. - the novelist whose semi-autobiographical novel Spencer's Mountain became a 1961 film starring Henry Fonda as the patriarch of a large Wyoming family much like Hamner's. In 1971, the Spencers came to television as THE WALTONS in the acclaimed TV-movie THE HOMECOMING: A CHRISTMAS STORY - which led to the long-running Depression-era family drama which anchored CBS's Thursday-night schedule for the next decade.

As THE WALTONS was winding down, Hamner set out to create a new family drama, this one called THE VINTAGE YEARS based on his mother's half of the family. The original pilot was shot, but was soon molded into a more adult soap and re-christened FALCON CREST, after the fictional Tuscany Valley vineyard owned by the Gioberti/Channing family. 

The series, led by Jane Wyman as the driven matriarch Angela Channing ran for nine seasons on CBS, spending much of its time in the Top 40 thanks to it's initially convenient post-DALLAS timeslot. But FALCON CREST grew into an international hit with a European fan base that still thrives 20 years later.

The Warner Archive Collection recently released Season 2 of the series on DVD, and this coming Tuesday, October 12 (at 7PM) the prestigious Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles will host the first ever FALCON CREST Reunion featuring scheduled appearances by Earl Hamner, Susan Sullivan (Maggie Gioberti), Lorenzo Lamas (Lance Cumson), Abby Dalton (Julia Cumson), Ana Alicia (Melissa Agretti), Jamie Rose (Vickie Gioberti), Margaret Ladd (Emma Channing), William R. Moses (Cole Gioberti) and David Selby (Richard Channing). You can purchase tickets to this once-in-a-lifetime the event here. Let's raise our glasses for a toast to FALCON CREST!