Things Are Quiet and Peaceful in Small-Town Jericho…
By Julie Hochgesang on Thu 21 Sep 2006 |
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“Things are quiet and peaceful in small-town Jericho, Kansas, but when a baffling explosion occurs in the distance, Jericho’s residents are plunged into social, psychological and physical chaos. No one knows what to think, and fear of the unknown takes over the town, especially because its isolation cuts it off from outside help. When nearly everything they know seems gone, will the residents of JERICHO band together to face their unfamiliar and mysterious new world? Skeet Ulrich (”Scream,” “As Good as It Gets”) stars.”
So reads the synopsis of CBS’s newest show (or one of the newest fall shows) Jericho. What’s so special about this show? What warrants me writing a blog about it?
Shoshannah Stern.
A beautiful Deaf actress who plays Bonnie on the show. She will be a regular on the show, and already newspapers are touting her for the next possible love interest of the main character, Jake played by Skeet Ulrich.
After much pondering about what a show of people living after a nuclear blast could be about and curiosity of how the role of Bonnie (played by Shoshannah) would fare, I watched the hour-long series premiere of Jericho last night. Shoshannah only showed up in very short scenes. [NOTE: I just remembered that Shoshannah had a scene in the beginning of the show where Jake (Skeet) visits and says “Bonnie you’ve grown up.” Shoshannah’s on her sidekick and she looks up and smiles. That’s a nice one.] Most of them were close-ups of her reactions to the mushroom cloud, the uninterpreted phone message from a neighbor boy’s mother who apparently dies in the blast (she does sign “my boyfriend!” which isn’t captioned for the non-ASL users), and the mayor consoling a distraught town. There’s not much signing going on just yet, which leads me to wonder how Bonnie’s following all this. If it were me, I’d be demanding people tell me what was happening. But because the camera isn’t on Bonnie much, we could reasonably assume that people are talking with her off-camera (*ahem*).
As for the rest of the show, the premise is interesting. The writing isn’t all that original. Some of the acting isn’t that great. But it’s only the first show. There’s still time and room for improvement.
I have no doubt in Shoshannah’s ability to play the role well.
But I do have doubt in CBS’s ability to capitalize on her skills as an actress. I plan on being a faithful fan (Skeet… let’s admit it, is cute! And he even drove a bus when he was about to pass out from countless injuries. I was flinching while watching him drive the whole way home!! Okay I think the line between fiction and real-life has just been blurred…) and rooting for Shoshannah.
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Wow, shes cute enough for me to re-order my cable…
I was actually thinking the opposite.
With due respect and despite the awesome way her name sounds, Ms Stern just seems a bit too ordinary and unpolished. While watching the show, I couldn’t help but think that she was miscast and that Marlee would’ve been a better choice?
But I’ll be patient and see how she does in the other episodes provided the show doesn’t get cancelled on account of the weak story line and poor acting.
sho stern was cast to portray as a 17-year-old farm girl in the show. that’s why she looks so ordinary and unpolished, as you called it. marlee matlin as a 17-year-old? *laughing* that’d be the day!
but i’m heartened to see that you will be patient and wait for future episodes. i think it shows promise!
Skeet Ulrich is cute? Pulchritude is relative, I reckoned. I, personally, think Orlando Bloom is cute. Or George Clooney! (faint) Although he’s old enough to be my papa… =( Given being a rationalist, I had known that most of Hollywood fellows are superficial and narcissistic so it’s foolish for me to feel anything about them. Regular Joes (and Clooney!) are evidently better.
Anyway, I was planning to watch this show last night but I would rather to do it with Chris, my ASL tutor and Deaf friend. But baffled, I found out that when I asked Chris about the show that he wasn’t interested in watching Shoshannah Stern acting in the shows. He, apparently, had a bad history with Shoshannah Stern or something. Whereas we both had free time, I grabbed the opportunity by spending time with Chris learning some new ASL signs and facial expressions. So I missed this show.
Luckily, one of my ASL classmates taped the show and I plan to borrow it to watch whenever I can. I cannot wait.
The show will be aired again Saturday night, Sept 23rd, 8pm, PST, CBS
Saw Jericho last night (DVR’d it).
Not bad so far. I love the actor who plays the mayor. He was also on ‘Deadwood’.
Stern looks familar to me…is she someone from the L.A. area??? I swear I have seen her before somewhere…
Yes, Sho lives in Los Angeles right now. You’ve probably seen her around. She’s awesome! Tell her hello the next time you see her.
Nope, I don’t live in L.A. anymore….
Did she go to Riverside or something like that? She definitely isn’t my age..so not the same “circles”…so I am guessing I saw her at deaf expo or Riverside or something like that…
Skeet Ulrich is really a good-looking lad which his looks are very unique and interesting. He is not much look like his famous dad, Robert Ulrich of “Vegas” tv show.
I am much a fan of Skeet Ulrich from other cancelled tv shows like “Miracles”. He is a pretty good actor.
I really enjoyed watching “Jericho” tv show so far. Have anyone seen “Kidnapped” on NBC-TV last Wednesday night? It will be repeated on TV tonight. Excellent acting and writing!
Robert Urich is not Skeet Ulrich’s father. And he was much better looking than Skeet in any case.
hey…. that this tv show reminds me a of a book that John Steinbeck wrote but I cannot remember the name of it.
There is an article on Skeeth Ulrich in this week’s “Entertainment Weekly” issue.
Many surprising factoids about Skeeth Ulrich. He had the congentive heart defect as a kid which explained his unique look. Skeeth was not his real name which he took the surname from his stepdad, Robert Ulrich of “Vega$” tv show.
Skeeth grew up the turblent childhood in VIRGINIA! I don’t know where he raised in the Old Dominion state. He still don’t give any s**** about life in general. That explained his brooding personality and looks.
In case anyone didn’t know, but Ms. Stern is a regular on Showtime’s “Weeds” - a hilarious dramedy about a southern California widow struggling to make ends meet by dealing pot to the community. She plays the widow’s son’s girlfriend.
Worth a buzz.
Deaf actress still speaks instead of using her ASL. That stupid television show reminds me of Stephen King’s The Stand. CBS is so smart to hire the deaf actress instead of hearing actress since ABC of The Stand mini series had obtained lots of complains from the deaf viewers. I bet Jericho producers and writers have not taken the deafhood workshop yet. I wonder what they have learned from Shoshannah Stern who has the Bachelor of Arts degree from Gallaudet University. Maybe her hands are cuffed…
I can’t believe that s___.
The false deputy sheriff asks, “Is she deaf?”
Bonnie Richmond (Ms Stern) replies quickly, “Yes”….
Oh boy…nothing news. I bet Oralism Society and the Audism Society cheer miraculously for this….
Notice: I only watched Jericho show yesterday, as of Septermber 27, show first time.
I agree. It makes my flesh crawl to see deaf actors/actresses use their voices on television or film. It’s almost like an ingenue speaking in a bad Czech accent. Besides, what’s so damn wrong with them signing and having subtitles?!
It seems that no matter how hard they practice on their speech, they have no choice but to speak or they can kiss their careers good-bye. F***ing audism.
Bravo, Mookie and Cloak & Dagger! Any deaf performers attempt to speak orally on national television which could give the lasting bad impression on many people.
Look at I. King Jordan! Many parents of deaf children and Gallaudet students usually got the wrong impression that deaf people ought to speak verbally or learn how to speak.
One Gallaudet graduate got real upset with her foreign-born parents, who repeatedly pointed to IKJ’s speaking terms during the commencement. She had to remind her own parents that not all deaf people are capable of speaking orally.
Why not organize the boycott of deaf performers whose perform unnaturally as seals or dolphins (speak orally)
In the real nature of wildlife, seals do not roll the ball on hir nose or dolphins jump into the hoolas. Those creatures perform such acts to entertain and please the paid audiences.
Should we have been seen as seals or dolphins on national television to give off wrong impression for the television viewers?
We better demand that all the producers to insert the “disclaimer” about the clarification about the majority of deaf people engage conversation in ASL, not “crunching” on lips.
Nice to see “deafhood” working here.
It’s not that. What irritates me is that deaf actors/actresses are being denied opportunities to SIGN because it doesn’t seem to be “accepted” in the entertainment industry.
Besides, it confuses the audience and it would make people go, “Oh, deaf people do speak” and EXPECT deaf people in general to speak. That.
Is Sho denied opportunities to sign? Does she, as an actor, bear responsibility for the choices she makes? I find this whole conversation so interesting, considering her kin and the larger issues being discussed.
It is a double-edged sword. Sho wants to become a Hollywood actress but the powers that be probably prefer a deaf person who can speak.
I thought that the Sue Thomas F.B. Eye actress, Deanne Bray, did a fantastic job acting, but c’mon no deaf person believes that she understood everything that was being spoken to her. The show probably reinforced the belief that hearing people just have to articulate their mouth movement and speak louder in order to help a deaf person understand them.
Double edged sword is a good way of putting it. Each time she goes on an interview she has to make a decision. Not an easy one…
Deaf and hard of hearing people can speak.
Not all. I’m Deaf and I can use my voice, but is it intelligible to hearing people who aren’t used to Deaf speech? For the most part, it isn’t intelligible to them.
First: Skeet is VERY good looking, and George Clooney is old!!!
Second: Skeet is NOT related to Robert U.r.i.c.h. (notice no L)
Third: Skeet is related to Ricky Rudd a Nascar driver (he is Ricky’s nephew)
Fourth: Skeet did have open-heart surgery when he was 10 with only a 25% chance to live, and of course, he did.
Jericho rocks!
I think you have it right - Jericho is a cool show, the whole genre of “End of the World” is almost always great! I found this site about a new book that’s coming out in the spring that sounds like an even darker version of the Jericho theme. Check it out if you’re interested. http://www.the-judas-syndrome.com
Every time I watch Skeet Ulrich on “Jericho,” he strikes me as a hard-core degenerate drug addict. (This also explains his long absence from the town — five years? Unless this was explained elsewhere.) I keep on thinking, “Now that Jericho’s isolated from the outside world, where’s he going to get his next fix? No more heroin or cocaine or meth and the Chinese are unlikely to supply him with it.”
Skeet had a couple of two-year absences from Hollywood to be involved in raising his twins. He missed acting, and went back to Hollywood twice. Although he looks heroin chic, there’s no gossip out there about particularly hard drinking or drug use.