'One Tree Hill' prepares for its final show

Sure, it was never going to win awards by the critics, but when "One Tree Hill" wraps up its run on Wednesday, it will do so with its head held high.

Like any show that involved "young people," it had its share of flaws. (Like, for instance: How can a small town like Tree Hill, N.C., produce an NBA player, not one but TWO international music recording stars, a nationally-known author and a well-known TV "evangelist?") But it should also be commended for figuring out new ways to do things. For instance: Why pull the "90210" stunt and have all the main characters attend the same college, when you can just skip ahead four years (and then skip ahead another few years later on)? Sounds kooky, but it actually worked.

At its heart, the show meant well. Like any show that has had a long run, it had to introduce new characters and replace old ones -- sometimes it worked; sometimes it didn't. But I always appreciated the effort. In addition, I think the storylines have been some of the best on TV for many years -- and I say that admitting I didn't watch many of the first few seasons.

This is a site devoted to "North Carolina" things, and "One Tree Hill" has brought great attention to the state, especially the Wilmington area -- even if the show only slightly referenced the Old North State (Nathan considering playing basketball for Duke; the state championship game being played at the then-RBC Center; Mouth having a UNC flag in his apartment; Nathan conveniently playing for the Bobcats, etc.). But the show developed a legion of hardcore fans that flocked to the Port City to find the River Court, or Karen's Cafe. And since "OTH" has found a niche on SoapNet, you can bet the fans will continue to make pilgrimages for years.

The last episode will air this Wednesday. Here is a preview of the 2-hour finale.

Two N.C.-filmed TV pilots will continue shooting ... in L.A.

According to the reports, two television series that filmed pilots in North Carolina won't be returning to North Carolina to film regular episodes.

The StarNews of Wilmington reports ABC's "Revenge" and The CW's "Hart of Dixie" will film in the Los Angeles area.

EUE/Screen Gems Studios executive vice president Bill Vassar says the stars in the shows wanted to stay on the West Coast to be near their families. Vassar is waiting to hear about a feature film that could open production offices in Wilmington next week.

The HBO comedy series "Eastbound & Down" begins filming a third season in Wilmington in July.

Quick hits: One more season for 'One Tree Hill,' and Screen Gems (sorta) moves to Atlanta

Some Wilmington-area entertainment news for ya ...

An eighth and final season for 'One Tree Hill'
"It's unconfirmed, but insider rumblings have begun that the Wilmington-filmed ‘One Tree Hill' may return for an eighth -- and yes, final -- season," says the Star-News.

"E! Online and Entertainment Weekly are reporting that CW execs are 'strongly considering' giving ‘OTH' a 12-episode run. Though only a half season, it would provide the show with ample time to wrap up its storylines.

"An official announcement is expected to come at the CW's annual fall TV programming lineup on Thursday, May 20. ..."

For those that don't watch the show, last night's episode (which I can only guess is the season finale), was perhaps the most shocking season-ending episode of any show I've ever watched. And yes, I'm not ashamed to admit I watch it. Good writing; good cast; good show.

Screen Gems opens Atlanta studio for more 'urban' settings

"The North Carolina studio where such stars as Michelle Williams and Chad Michael Murray got their start is expanding to Atlanta, partially because movie companies have asked for cityscapes that Wilmington can't provide.

"EUE/Screen Gems has begun the process to lease the former Lakewood Fairgrounds in Atlanta for a new studio lot called the Georgia Film and Television Center," says the AP. ...

"EUE/Screen Gems plans to build a sound stage of up to 40,000 square feet, about the same size as Wilmington's "Dream" Stage 10 which opened a year ago, said Bill Vassar, the executive vice president of the Wilmington studio. ...

"Vassar said that movie and television producers had asked EUE/Screen Gems to consider building in Atlanta for several reasons, including that they need cityscapes for some productions. Wilmington works well for country and suburban settings, but it does not have a background that substitutes for large urban settings.

"NBC, Vassar said, had 17 pilots this year that were all based in big cities. None came to Wilmington because it could not stand in for such places as New York or Chicago. ..."

Filming heating up in the Port City

The Wilmington area is getting busy with several new TV shows and a (not-so) new movie being filmed there.

A new TV pilot called "Playing With Guns" is slated to start filming soon. "If the show is picked up it will air on Spike TV," says the Star-News.

Danny Masterson (“That ‘70s Show”) and Joey Kern (“Cabin Fever”) will likely star in “Playing With Guns,” according to TheWrap. Its story line revolves around two high school buddies who become cops. They do the police work, but they also like the idea of getting paid to hang out, carry loaded weapons and hit on women.

We have already mentioned the as-yet-untitled medical drama from John Wells that is filming around Wilmington. But since then some new names have joined the cast, notably UNCW alum Skeet Ulrich and Sissy Spacek. As the paper's Jeff Hidek writes, having Spacek on board means that the "project’s chances of pick-up are slightly better." I would agree.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Spacek will play the cancer-stricken leader of a mobile medical team that travels around the country helping in times of emergency. Spacek will play the mother of “Twilight” actress Rachelle Lefevre’s character.

Spacek, who just wrapped a winning supporting role on “Big Love,” is the biggest name in a cast that also includes Janeane Garofalo, Skeet Ulrich, Amy Smart, Michael Beach and Jay Hernandez.

By the way, Spacek has worked here twice before, on “Marie: A True Story” in 1984 and “Crimes of the Heart” in 1986.

Ulrich will play a Harvard-educated cardiologist with a junkie ex-wife he still loves and a 6-year-old daughter.

And, finally, "Bolden" is back in the area and will begin filming in June.

"Bolden!” follows the life and times of musical legend Buddy Bolden, who turned the New Orleans music scene upside down with his loud, often improvisational cornet style that would later be known as jazz.

The movie filmed in the Wilmington area from March through September 2007 and gained notoriety in the local film community for its elaborate sets and costuming. The movie is rumored to have cost $10 million. Writer/Director Dan Pritzker was reported by Forbes magazine to be worth $1.7 billion in hotels and investments.

Notable cast and crew include Anthony Mackie, Jackie Earle Haley, Omar Gooding and executive producer Wynton Marsalis. No word yet on if any of the main cast members will be back in town.

While “Bolden!” was filming, the cast and crew also simultaneously made a silent film called “The Great Observer,” which focuses on Louis Armstrong's role in jazz history. It's still listed as being in production.

Some N.C. film news

According to the Citizen-Times, Asheville resident and film star Andie MacDowell will be in Flat Rock on Jan. 16 to screen the documentary “The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo.”

The movie will be shown at the Flat Rock Cinema, followed by a reception with McDowell. Tickets are $7, with all sales and any donations going to Mainstay, Henderson County’s domestic violence prevention agency.

The Emmy-nominated film shows atrocities against the Congolese women and girls by militant soldiers in the Congo of Africa and documents the mass rapes of women and girls as a tool of intimidation in an effort to profit from the mining of minerals such as tin, tantalum and tungsten.

In addition, the News & Record in Greensboro reports that TV icon Ed Asner is in High Point making a feature film based on the script by High Point U. professor Ed Simpson.

Asner plays the lead character in “Elephant Sighs.”

On Wednesday, Asner and other cast and crew filmed in a warehouse-turned-movie set in town. It has become a community center in a fictional Pennsylvania town, where Simpson set his comedy/drama. The “bromance” tells a story of loss, loneliness and the healing power of friendship.

Asner said the film attracted him because “it was a boy flick. I was busy in it. I had some interesting things to say.”

“It’s a sweet film,” Asner said between takes. “It’s a film about people who need each other and fulfill each other. If we do the right job on it, people will feel good when they see it.”

Familiar actors play the four other main roles.

David Wells, a Guilford College and UNCG alumnus, has appeared in films and a list of TV shows, including “CSI” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

John Cariani has appeared in “Numb3rs” and “Law & Order”; Jack Kehler, in films “The Big Lebowski” and “Men in Black II”; and Mark Fite on television in the sitcoms “Friends” and “Seinfeld.”

“They are so talented and great guys to work with,” Simpson said.

Filming is expected to wrap up fin High Point and Thomasville on Jan. 23. The movie should be out in the spring.

Simpson, Carr and Wells attended Guilford College together in the 1970s.

Fate of HBO shows filmed in Wilmington?

The Star-News is reporting that HBO's "Eastbound and Down," which is filmed in the Wilmington area, has been renewed for a second season. Unfortunately, HBO's "Little Britain USA," also filmed in the Port City, likely will not return in the same form. Instead, it will likely return as a special or series of specials.

More likely is the return of 'Eastbound and Down' to the Port City. The raunchy half-hour comedy starring Danny McBride filmed in Wilmington last fall and aired on HBO this spring. That show has been renewed for a second season, which could start production as soon as this fall. And though it is not definite that season two will film in Wilmington, the creators have said they want to return.

No more 'Earl' but 'OTH' renewed

NBC's "My Name is Earl" has reportedly been canceled, meaning no more TV presence (for now) for Kinston's Jaime Pressly.

It's been reported before that the idea for the show "just came" to creator Greg Garcia several years ago while he was vacationing on the Outer Banks.

GogoRaleigh.com stated that "Earl" is co-produced and co-written by Raleigh native Bobby Bowman, so it's a double boo-hoo for the Wolfpack State.

In other N.C. TV news, "One Tree Hill" has reportedly been renewed; however, a couple of the main stars (not going to give it away) will not be back.

In addition, NBC has renewed "Parks and Recreation," which features Asheville native Paul Schneider as Mark Brendanawicz.

'Eastbound' is 'Hicksploitation'

Randomly came across this Variety review of the North Carolina-filmed and -based HBO series, "Eastbound and Down," which we discussed last week.

"The premise isn't all that unusual," writes Cynthia Littleton, "but the setting is. You can tell that the show is shot [in] North Carolina with local extras. The tweens and teens in the middle school scenes don't look like L.A. kids who are angling for their SAG cards.

"McBride, Best and 'Eastbound' co-creator Jody Hill have talked about inventing a new genre dubbed 'Hicksploitation' that introduces the rest of the country to the best and worst of small-town Southern culture. In the same way that the small-town Texas setting of 'Friday Night Lights' was such a breath of fresh air, so is 'Eastbound's' Anytown, North Carolina. (Not that I am remotely comparing 'FNL' to 'Eastbound' in any other way. Not by a country mile.) ..."

'Eastbound and Down' is very much an N.C. creation

Was watching HBO in a hotel room while away at a conference a couple of weeks ago, and managed to see a sneak preview of the new Will Ferrell-produced series, "Eastbound and Down," which follows a washed-up Major Leaguer ("Kenny Powers," played by Danny McBride) as he adjusts to "normal" life back home in North Carolina.

The creators of this show were educated at the N.C. School of the Arts, and they commented that it just made sense to film it in North Carolina. ("Eastbound" is filmed around Wilmington.)

The show, I believe, starts next week. As with most HBO series, parental advisory is suggested.

"If nothing else, 'Eastbound,' set to bow Feb. 15, should have a ring of authenticity," says Variety. "McBride, who hails from small-town Virginia, co-created the series with two pals from film school in North Carolina: Jody Hill and Ben Best, who are both sons of small-town North Carolina (though Best bragged that his home town of High Point was 'the furniture capital of the world' and hosted a mammoth trade show every year.) And 'Eastbound' was shot in North Carolina using 'real Southern kids' as extras, 'not kids from Burbank,' McBride noted. McBride, Hill and Powers said they aim to update urbanites' view of life in the South beyond the 'Hee-Haw' stereotype. ..."

"We wanted to find new things to make fun of," McBride told the publication. "We wanted to get a little bit deeper into the South that we know," Best added.

'One Tree Hill' keeps on keepin' on

I'm only posting this because -- for whatever reason -- there seems to be intense interest (particularly across the globe) about the TV show "One Tree Hill." Enjoy.

When One Tree Hill debuted in the fall 2003, creator Mark Schwahn remembers, the ratings were so low that "even my mother didn't know we were on the air."

"We didn't even know if we would get a season two," he said. "We were the lowest-rated show on any channel the week we debuted, but we were the only show to pick up every week for the next six weeks. We were so low, we were like a test pattern."

But backed by an ardent fan base, who still travel from all over the world to coastal North Carolina in hopes of seeing one of the show's young stars, One Tree Hill survived to a sixth season, airing at 9 p.m. Mondays on the CW [according to the Associated Press]. It reached the magic 100 episodes needed for syndication in March, and with this season matches the tenure of Dawson's Creek -- the teen-angst drama that preceded One Tree Hill in Wilmington and on the WB.

The 'Dawson's Creek' effect

I'll fess up: I watched "Dawson's Creek."

Apparently, I wasn't alone. During it's run, the show about four angst- and hormone-filled youths from Capeside, Massachusetts, became the WB's signature TV show. And though the show's been off the air for several years now, fans still descend on Wilmington, N.C., the place where the show was actually filmed.

"I call it the 'Dawson's Creek' phenomenon," Connie Nelson of the Cape Fear Convention Center and Visitors Bureau told the Wilmington Star-News.

Over spring break in 1999, "we got hundreds of calls from people who wanted to know where Mollye's Market was, where Dawson's house was," she said. The visitors bureau soon published a Frequently Asked Questions sheet for the show. "We still put it out and people still pick it up," Nelson said.
...

Among the locations made famous:
— Hell's Kitchen, 118 Princess St.
— Water Street Restaurant, 5 S. Water St.
No "Dawson's Creek" pilgrimage is complete without a stop by the fish house Dawson's family owned, Leery's Fresh Fish. The building still looks just like it did when all the characters stopped by for a bite to eat after their high school classes. Water Street Restaurant can be spotted often through the show's early seasons.
— University of North Carolina Wilmington, 601 S. College Road
— Hewlett's Creek
So where, exactly is Dawson's Creek? Well, there's no such place. All those beautiful sunset shots of Dawson standing on his dock among the marsh grass were actually filmed along Hewlett's Creek, best viewed from Pine Grove Road between Masonboro Loop Road and Holly Tree Drive. Dawson's house was an actual private residence along the water. But it's not open for tours.
— Dockside Restaurant, 1308 Airlie Road, Wrightsville Beach
When Dawson and friends go to The Icehouse for a few beers, they are sitting inside a downtown bar called The Icehouse. But when the cameras pan from the bar to the outside where blue water sparkles and boats pass, you're actually looking at a view from Dockside Restaurant at Wrightsville Beach. The water is the Intracoastal Waterway.
...