Question: I am writing to you because I have faith (as much as I can in TV executives) that they read your columns because you have a lot of influence on viewers. I can only hope. Although I am crying tears of happiness that the CW executives found it in their (Grinch-like) hearts to renew Veronica Mars, I am disappointed to learn that Pepper Dennis will not be back. I don't believe they gave the show enough of a chance, putting it on WB (whose younger demographic probably didn't respond to it well) and on a night when so much else was going on. I watched the show initially with skepticism because it looked like it was going to be just silly, but the characters and story lines grew on me, and Rebecca Romijn is unexpectedly fabulous in the role. I will be sorry to say goodbye to WEIE. Another one bites the dust. I hope all the wonderful actors (and writers!) on the show get another chance on a network that won't dump them without giving them a decent break.
Answer: Looking purely at
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Question: Apologies if you've already touched on this subject, but I'm wondering if you've seen Pepper Dennis and, in particular, the absolutely wonderful Brooke Burns. Pepper is kind of a half-baked show with a lot of potential it hasn't yet realized. But Brooke Burns as Pepper's lovelorn younger sister suffering through a divorce is just delightful. She brings real pathos and depth to her character. It's a career reinvention along the lines of Jaime Pressly's in My Name Is Earl. As the ratings for Pepper Dennis would seem to spell doom, I wanted to at least make sure Brooke Burns' work gets some deserved attention.
Answer: Consider it done. I was pleasantly surprised by both her and Rebecca Romijn in the few episodes I've seen (haven't been keeping up; the ratings are dreadful and there's too much else on). I agree with you that the show is only about half there in terms of what it could be, but that's not the fault of its two leading ladies. Given how terrible I thought Brooke Burns
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With a brand new series, another X-Men movie and impending nuptials to Crossing Jordan's No. 1 hottie all on tap, Rebecca Romijn is walking on air. TV Guide invited the star of WB's Pepper Dennis (Tuesdays at 9 pm/ET) to comment on all the top stories going on in her life.
TV Guide: On your comedy series Pepper Dennis, you play a TV news reporter who'll humiliate herself if it means getting her story. Share some memorable real-life press encounters.
Rebecca Romijn: Once I went to Rome to do press for X-Men 2. I was sitting on a dais, answering questions, and this guy starts throwing roses at me from the sideline and shouting things in Italian. I don't speak Italian.
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Question: I watched the premiere of Pepper Dennis on the WB and have to admit (with guilt, I suppose), I enjoyed it. It stumbled around a bit, literally, but I think it has promise. With WB morphing into CW, is this show dead on arrival, or could we possibly see more?
Answer: Again, a little early after just one week. But the first night's results weren't particularly positive. I'm sure WB would have liked Pepper to hold on to more of the Gilmore Girls lead-in, but Tuesdays are very tough. Pepper Dennis is at best a guilty pleasure, forgettable and harmless, cotton-candy eye candy. If it doesn't show any growth over the next month, I'd be surprised if it conveys to the CW. But if it picks up at all, it seems to me to be very commercial and promotable, and as such, a potentially fresh asset on a lineup that looks for now to be heavy on shows that are closer to the end of their run than the beginning ...
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If Murphy Brown and Ally McBeal had a baby, she'd probably resemble the title character of WB's new Pepper Dennis (premiering tonight at 9 pm/ET). But as pretty as series star Rebecca Romijn may be, the top story here, in this intrepid reporter's opinion at least, may be Brooke Burns, cast against type as the sexy newscaster's wholesome sister, Kathy.
TVGuide.com: I have to say — and I hope this doesn't forfeit me any dinner invites from Rebecca Romijn — you are the most fun thing about this show.
Brooke Burns: Oh, stop! You say that to all the nurses! [Laughs]
TVGuide.com: No, really! What a fun role for you.
Burns: It's such a great role, is
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