Entertainment Extra - Your source for on screen entertainment from the Logansport Pharos-Tribune
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2 TV ENCORE By Meagan Sylvester TV Media I t's a question many film and television critics are pondering this month in lieu of the pre- miere of NBC's new political drama "State of Affairs": will Katherine Heigl's return to the small screen help boost her image and her career? Heigl, who will assume the program's leading role as CIA analyst Charlie Tucker, is gener- ating some buzz with her return to prime-time television follow- ing an abrupt departure from the popular medical drama "Grey's Anatomy" in 2010. She created a memorable stir among fans and members of the media, who extensively documented the actress's sour — even ostentatious — fallout with the show. "State of Affairs" will be the first time Heigl has appeared on the small screen since "Grey's," aside from a commer- cial for an over-the-counter cough and cold medication. This new political drama chronicles the exploits of Special Analyst Tucker, who is tasked with briefing the president of the United States — played by Alfre Woodard ("Desperate Housewives") — with the most vital homeland security issues at home and abroad. The highly anticipated espionage thriller, premiering Monday, Nov. 17, on NBC, has been described as a cross between ABC's political thriller "Scandal" and NBC's White House-based drama "The West Wing," and thus a notable stretch from Heigl's role as surgi- Graybeals Carpet 2 x 3" Pear Tree Gallery 3 x 2" Harrison- Metzger 2 x 2" On the Cover cal intern Izzie Stevens.While the actress maintains she left the long-running medical drama to spend more time with her young family and pop rock husband Josh Kelley, some critics argue she left to pursue a more desir- able career on the big screen. In fact, Heigl's own colleagues spoke out against her decision to leave the show, citing increased pay and "hurt feelings" as the leading factors in what would become Heigl's ultimate verdict. "You could understand why she wanted to go — when you're offered $12 million and you're only 26," said "Grey's Anatomy" star Ellen Pompeo in an interview with "The New York Post" in 2013. "But Katie's problem was that she should not have renewed her contract. She re-upped, took a big raise and then tried to get out of the show." Despite Pompeo's take on the dramatic altercation between Heigl and the producers of "Grey's Anatomy," Heigl main- tains she hoped to become a full- time wife and mother, thus spending more time at her pri- vate home in Utah. "I would come home angry and frustrated that I had missed everything with my kid that day; I didn't get to wake her up from her nap, or do bath time or bed- time," Heigl said in an interview with "Good Housekeeping" in 2010. "I'd have to sneak into her room and kiss her when she was sleeping, hoping not to wake her."v Heigl got her start in film as a teenager in the early '90s, but her first big gig after her breakout on "Grey's" was Judd Apatow's romantic comedy "Knocked Up" (2007), the hilar- ious story of two unlikely indi- viduals and the repercussions of their one night stand. "Knocked Up," racking in a whopping $149 million at the U.S. box office alone, would become an enormous success with the tagline: "What if this guy got you pregnant?" While voicing her reluctance for a bustling "show-biz" life- style, Heigl would find a niche in romcoms, taking up a number of leading roles in movies such as "27 Dresses" (2008), "Killers" (2010), "New Year's Eve" (2011) and "The Ugly Truth" (2009). Her initial success in some of these titles may have ignited her pas- sion for film, but the one-time high would ultimately result in a rock bottom low, at least in terms of her on-screen career. By 2012, Heigl had taken the lead role as Stephanie Plum in that year's action comedy "One for the Money," the story of a bounty hunter who works for a bonding company. In the pro- cess, she earned herself a Former TV star makes high profile return to prime time Golden Raspberry Award nomi- nation in the "worst actress" category. (Also known as the Razzies for short, this tongue- in-cheek awards ceremony is held annually the day before the Oscars to "celebrate" the worst in film and is intended to be low-end and tacky.) It's clear the Washington, D.C.-born actress has experi- enced her own ups and down over the past several years, but two questions remain as a result: Why did Heigl decide to make the move back to televi- sion, and should you, the viewer, watch the new pro- gram on NBC? To answer the first question, Heigl said at the Television Critics Association media tour in July that she's back because she stopped challenging herself and "exercising different muscles of [her] ability." Whether viewers side with Heigl's outspoken behavior and previous off-air antics, fans of the political drama genre will be able to scrutinize her second television debut when "State of Affairs" premiere Nov. 17. Alfre Woodard as seen in "State of Affairs" D&J Liquors 3 x 2" Animal Shop 2 x 2" www.ransfuneralhomes.com HARRISON-METZGER & RANS FUNERAL HOMES 304 S. Chicago St. | Royal Center, IN • 574.643.2265 123 E. Main Street | Kewanna, IN • 574.653.2265 • Funeral & Cremation Services • • Preplanning Options • Monument Sales • Offering compassionate services during your most diffi cult time of need. 3 Convenient locations for all your party needs! East - 3800 E. Market St., West - 1236 W. 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