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« Men in Trees Blog
Welcome Back to Elmo!
After an interminably long wait, Men in Trees is back, and please allow me to begin by thanking all of you for sticking with us! I can say on behalf of everyone in the cast that we really appreciate everyone hanging on during almost eight months off the air, a decision I won't question because I know the gods at ABC are benevolent and all-knowing. My trips to Starbucks, airports and the grocery store have rung with a resounding cry from viewers: "Where is Men in Trees? When is it coming back!?" By the way, if you ever run into me on your morning coffee run, this is a gentle reminder that while I understand your outrage, I am not responsible for our show's hiatus. And also please remember when you are tempted to exclaim with bewilderment, "But you're thin and pretty in real life!" that the person on TV is also me.
Luckily everyone's patience will be rewarded by a stellar premiere episode, "A Tree Goes in Elmo." We actually traveled back in time to shoot this episode. At the end of our last season, we still had five episodes that hadn't aired, and the next episode in the rotation was resolving some big, ongoing issues. Some of these issues may or may not involve a certain love triangle, and I'm not talking about the one between Chief Celia, Officer Dick and her SAD machine. However, you'll have to wait to see how that unfolds. Our creator, Jenny Bicks, decided we needed a great season-opening episode to reintroduce new and old audiences alike to the folks of Elmo. So before we get right back into the juicy stuff, she penned a fantastic exploration of what it's like when you finally get to know each other in a relationship.
I must admit, after a whole summer off, and after inhabiting an entirely different character in another movie, I was nervous that Annie might not come back to me so easily. What if I opened my mouth and Annie's voice, which is several decibels higher than my own, was nowhere to be found? What if nothing came out but a gruff James Tupper whisper (sexy for him but not so much for me)? But as soon as we got back to work, it was like we never left off, which was comforting but also a little depressing when we were all still at work at 5 am Saturday. Everyone on our crew calls the end of the week "Fraturday" because by the end of the week we're usually working well into Saturday morning.
"A Tree Goes in Elmo" is marked by an arctic cyclone, which is a literal and metaphorical test to the relationships of Elmo. Marin is still struggling to move on after Jack's engagement to Lynn. I know that I risk more viewer anger by bringing up this subject, but them's the brakes, kids. Let us not feel too badly for Marin, however, as her grief will be assuaged by the return of Cash. I'm going to warn you ahead of time that this is one of the few episodes where he keeps his shirt on, so don't be disappointed. Cash and Marin take a spiritual journey into the woods, only to be threatened by the oncoming storm. Perhaps Jack will have to rescue Marin once again? Buzz and Mai are tested when Mai finds out a dirty little secret from Buzz's past, and Theresa is still struggling with Ben and Sara's now platonic relationship. Although they don't appear in this episode, this isn't the last you'll see of Jane and Plow Guy. And to top it all off, Chief Celia and Officer Dick have to cross one of the hardest thresholds of any relationship: farting in front of each other.
It was somewhat bittersweet for me to travel back in time to where Annie and Patrick's relationship used to be before our next five episodes. I can't give too much away, but there are hard times ahead for the two of them. In this episode they are still in the honeymoon phase of getting to know each other before the big wedding, or at least for a little while, before they discover that Annie has a dark side. A dark side that involves checkers. It all comes to a head with a crazy game of Twister. For some reason I have the tendency to always make things a little harder than they should be, so I decided that at the end of the game I absolutely had to be in a full back bend. It was almost fun on the first take, but virtually unbearable by the 30th. But that didn't compare to the difficulty of having to say, as Annie, that I don't like cheese. I may be permanently banned from my fondue club, The Fondue Preservation Society.
Well, I must close this blog because, quite frankly, I'm still recovering from all the parties and festivities surrounding the Emmys! Even though none of my New York theater friends actually won (shout-out to Neil Patrick Harris and T.R. Knight!) I know that this is just the first step to their world domination. I'm not just licking the hand that feeds me when I say that the TV Guide party was the best of them all. I finally got to meet Matt Mitovich, the dapper and erudite gentleman who makes these blogs readable. There was even a surprise performance by Kanye West! Although I must say, Kanye, when the time you spend listing the statistics of your album sales exceeds your actual performance time, it may be time to rethink priorities. I'm thinking of taking a page out of Kanye's books and creating a East/West Coast-type publicity feud with other quirky actresses. I may limit it to redheads only, so Alyson Hannigan, you're going down!
I hope you're as happy to be back in Elmo as we are!
ABC's Men in Trees returns Friday, Oct. 12, at 10 pm/ET.
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Oct 4, 2007 11:34 AM
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I am so excited! I cannot wait for the 12th to get here!! By the way, I thought Men in Trees would be one of those chick flick type tv shows that i could watch when my hubby was busy, but he caught part of an episode last year, and he was hooked!!! It is actually one of his favorite shows!!
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Oct 4, 2007 7:40 PM
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Welcome back, and thank you. I am really looking forward to the new seasin FINALLY airing and just hope that enough people come back for it to be worth ABC's while. It kept getting better and better last year, and I have faith that it will continue to do so. Looking forward to next Friday and to hearing from you again after the premire.
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Oct 4, 2007 10:24 PM
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Don't let an idiot in the latte line get you down. You look good on screen too!
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Oct 5, 2007 11:36 AM
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Other than being completely thrilled that MIT is returning, I just had to say that Emily should take up a part-time blogging job b/c this was really a fun read! So, thanks Emily (and by editorial extension MWM)!
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Oct 5, 2007 11:57 AM
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Hi Emily - So glad Men in Trees is back tonight! I have missed your blogs and I'm glad you are back as well. Good luck with the new season!
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Oct 5, 2007 2:58 PM
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Great Blog - I have really missed this show. It is is my favorite and I feel like I know everyone personally on the show. I guess that is how silly fans can get. But I always enjoy your blog -you are great...I am sorry people have been rude to you because of missing the show but we all need our fix. Thank you for sharing all the info.
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Oct 5, 2007 3:11 PM
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What does "erudite" mean...?
"Hunky"?
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Oct 5, 2007 3:17 PM
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I love this blog! She teases just enough and makes it interesting.
And Matt...erudite means "highly knowledgeable"...so, yeah, I guess it does mean "hunky!"
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Oct 5, 2007 3:25 PM
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Fantastic comments Emily - you have a second career in writing if you choose! We are still here as fans of Men In Trees and we wil remain here as loyal fans! Bring on the new season!
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Oct 5, 2007 4:14 PM
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Hi Emily,
Thanks for starting up your celebrity blog again. I really missed it. I was hoping that you would continue your excellent commentary into Season 2.
We all can't wait for the new season to start. Thanks for the teasers about the opening show. I hope Annie and Patrick make it through the hard times you are eluding to.
And to you, welcome back to TV Guide. I will be reading your blog every week.
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Oct 7, 2007 3:25 PM
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I have watched since the first show. I can't wait to see the new shows.
With all the junk on TV you would think a show like this full of love and fun would have a huge audience. I have told all my friends to watch. I hope to be finding out about the inhabitants of Elmo for several more seasons!!!
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Oct 7, 2007 11:44 PM
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Thanks for the blog. We're all waiting, rather impatiently might I add, for the return of MiT.
Good luck on your new season.
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Oct 8, 2007 7:31 PM
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Woohoo!! Welcome back, Elmo!!! Good to see your blog again, Emily.....I literally clapped a little this morning when I saw you posted a new one after all these months!
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Oct 10, 2007 10:48 AM
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Hello Emily!
It's so nice to see your blog and can I also say, YOU'RE BACK, YOU'RE BACK!!!
I've missed MIT so much and have been re-watching the episodes saved on my DVR over and over.
Us MIT fans are extremely loyal and have faith that TPTB at ABC will renew MIT for years to come and treat you with the respect this show deserves!
You and your fellow actors on MIT are a true delight and here's to Friday nights starting the weekend off with a BANK!!
Take care!! Sue in Seattle
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Oct 10, 2007 1:14 PM
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