Recently in Chicago Code Category

Today's cuppa: coffee from beans I ground myself (in a blender!)

On Monday night, Fox airs the last episode ever of the freshman drama "The Chicago Code," which came on at midseason and didn't manage to earn a berth for the fall (to be fair, lots of shows that were on the bubble didn't get berths on the Fox fall schedule).

The episode, called "Mike Royko's Revenge" -- Royko was a famous Chicago columnist -- resolves the season-long pursuit by Police Superintendent Teresa Colvin (Jennifer Beals) and Detective Jarek Wysocki (Jason Clarke) of corruption charges against powerful Alderman Ronin Gibbons (Delroy Lindo).

(Click here for a promo.)

On this chilly but sunny January day, series creator Shawn Ryan is huddled in a windowless room in a fanciful building on the 20th Century Fox lot -- which he says used to house actress Shirley Temple's dressing room and dance studio, and also was where the episodes of "M*A*S*H" were written.

Ryan and his team are at work on editing the next-to-last scene of the last episode of the series, a montage backed by music, the style of which may seem familiar to viewers of Ryan's earlier show, FX's "The Shield."

While writers, directors and actors get a lot of well-deserved credit for TV shows, a great deal of what gives an episode its shape and distinctiveness comes in the editing room - and sometimes that requires a little magic.

In one part of the scene being worked on, a bit of surgery needs to be done so that the biggest dramatic moment happens when it should. That includes repeating the same actor reaction, but in two different places in the scene and from two different angles.

"Don't tell the dirty little secret about how we double the same moment from different angles," quips Ryan.

"It's this one-night-stand pickup scene," he continues, "but the way they filmed it, the hottest moment comes in the middle of the scene.

"So what we've done is we've moved the lines around. So what was this moment in the middle of the scene -- what we've created editorially is making it the end of the scene, taking some lines from the end of the scene and moving them before this.

"The audience would never know, the way they've done it."

Underneath the montage is a hauntingly lovely song called "I Dream of Chicago," by a band from Des Moines, Iowa, called Parlours. A little extra work is also required on that, stretching instrumental passages and moving lines of the chorus to make sure they hit perfectly on all the emotional high points on the screen.

"This is a song our guys found," says Ryan, a native of Rockford, Ill., near Chicago. "They're completely sort of art-school indie. Des Moines is where the Cubs Triple A team is, so there's that connection."

So, while "The Chicago Code" is coming to an end, it stays on the air just long enough to give this song a network-TV debut. If you can't wait until Monday, the video is embedded below.

Farewell to "The Chicago Code" ...

Today's cuppa: Fortnum & Mason breakfast-blend tea

As Twitter followers of "The Chicago Code" executive producer Shawn Ryan ( @ShawnRyanTV ) and "White Collar" executive producer Jeff Eastin ( @jeffeastin ) know, the two have been engaged for some time in an all-in-fun Twitter war, or "twar," hurling insults and practical jokes at each other in a quest to be the first one to reach 15,000 followers and make a charitable contribution.

(HCTV has served as the unofficial war correspondent for the conflict, click here for the previous installment, which contains links to reports on earlier incidents. Photo at right shows Ryan infiltrating the "White Collar" offices on Super Bowl Sunday.)

Last Friday, Ryan indicated that the next volley -- a reaction to his "arrest" during lunch by "White Collar" cast member Tim DeKay, in his TV role as an FBI agent -- was at hand. But a problem cropped up, and Ryan's plan was delayed until today. Here is the series of tweets that announced it, rendered into three paragraphs:

Have to admit, when I started my Twitter War with @jeffeastin (pictured below) I knew very little about him, so I decided to do some research...But even now, a few months into my TWAR with @jeffeastin, I still know very little about the man...Wikipedia and the Internet provide scant details on exactly where this @jeffeastin came from and who he really is...How can someone we know so little about be handed an hour of primetime programming, to hold so much influence over American minds? The fact that @jeffeastin presents his ideas through the attractive visiages of Matt Bomer and Tim DeKay only makes me more suspicious. We've seen this kind of subversive wolf in sheep's clothing act before. Is it time to bring @jeffeastin out into the light?

Now, I don't have any smoking guns on @jeffeastin. Does that mean none exist? Of course not. So how to figure out the truth? For those of you seeking context for this Twitter War between @jeffeastin and myself, check this out... http://bit.ly/fuw4Ge (that's a link to the same HCTV post I linked to above.)

So I started to think about WikiLeaks and how successful they were at bringing secrets to light. Could we apply this concept to @jeffeastin? What if we had a clearinghouse where people could share dirt on @JeffEastin, and once verified, be shared with the world? We will be starting small, but this will be an evolving organism, open to interactive involvement...But I needed just the right domain name for such a site. And what were the odds that the one I would want would actually be available? So I present to you the humble beginnings of what I hope will turn into something much bigger and important with your help...JeffEastin.com http://jeffeastin.com/

Eastin responded with a tweet, which Ryan retweeted ...

@ShawnRyanTV Make an offer. RT @jeffeastin Impressed that @ShawnRyanTV got jeffeastin.com. I shouldn't have ignored those GoDaddy renewal requests.

Comments and replies from Ryan have continued, so check out Ryan's Twitterfeed for those.

As before, I shot an email off to Ryan, who kindly answered some questions about the ongoing hostilities.

Q: Where did this idea first begin?

A: I had the idea while ago and even bought the domain name before the "FBI arrest" (pictured at left) that Jeff pulled off. My show is on hiatus at the moment, so I don't have the benefit of a staff of writers to bounce ideas off daily. I also don't have my actors around to pull off a dramatic stunt the way that Jeff did. I figured it would be fun to start a little website with Jeff's name. Something that can live on even after this Twar was over. Will also provide me a platform for quick response should Jeff strike again.

Q: What was the technical snafu that delayed your attack after you first announced it on Friday?

A: The website didn't look right on some browsers. Looked like a mish-mash. Web design, as someone on Twitter pointed out, is not my strong suit. Took a little while to get it sorted out and by the time we did, it was late on the East, so why not wait to unleash it on everyone on Monday and help generate some interest in the encore pilot episode of The Chicago Code at the same time?

(HCTV: Indeed, the pilot episode of "The Chicago Code" re-airs tonight, Monday, on Fox at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The new season of "White Collar" starts on Tuesday, June 7.)

Q: Do you plan to crowdsource most of the Jeff Eastin dirt on your site, or will some of it be generated in-house?

A: I don't expect there will be much dirt, and it's more in fun than real. We'll generate some humorous bits and see if there's anything useful in the tips we get from people.

Q: Do you have any worries about him launching a denial-of-service attack?

A: The moment he does that, I'll go after his people for impersonating Federal Agents and False Arrest.

Q: Have you registered all permutations of your own name as domains just in case?

A: I do have a few. Someone else has Shawnryan.com. I'm sure he could come up with some useable combination if he wanted to, but if he counter-attacks I anticipate it will be an original idea.

Q: You're so close to 15,000 - will you miss the Twar when you hit the milestone, or could it continue in some form? 

A: I'll miss it some, but hopefully I'll be back working on a TV show soon. Don't think I would have put this much effort into it if I had been as busy as I usually am.

Q: On Sunday, you tweeted, "So apparently the show 'Swamp People' is one long alligator snuff film." Why the heck are you watching "Swamp People"?

A: Saw an ad that intrigued me yesterday, then came upon it and thought I'd give it a try. By the time I saw the 4th alligator getting killed I'd pretty much figured out the show.

UPDATE: During the Eastern time airing of "The Chicago Code," Ryan tweeted:

Wow. Only 7 followers away from VICTORY! Thanks everyone. And all while #TheChicagoCode is playing on Fox! Nice.

Then, a few minutes later ..

Read it and weep @JeffEastin http://twitpic.com/4egk7d

With this picture attached:

Today's cuppa: Iced coffee -- hotter 'n blazes in L.A. today

Yesterday, the ongoing Twitter war, or "twar," between showrunners Shawn Ryan ("The Chicago Code," "The Shield," "The Unit") and Jeff Eastin ("White Collar") hit a new level, as Eastin responded to Ryan's invasion of his office on Super Bowl Sunday.

Click here and here for previous posts chronicling the conflict thus far (with pictures).

Each of the two is trying to be the first to get to 15,000 Twitter followers. A charitable donation is at stake, with Ryan giving to Autism Speaks, and Eastin giving to the ASPCA (not the "Charlie Sheen Future Defense Fund" or "Sober Valley Lodge," as Ryan has previously tweeted).

On Tuesday, Eastin signaled on Twitter that something was up ...

@JeffEastin Revenge is a dish best served cold. And today, our revenge on @ShawnRyanTV is upon us.

Ryan was enjoying lunch with executive David Madden of Fox TV (which produced "The Shield" and produces "White Collar") when "White Collar" star Tim DeKay, dressed as his character, FBI Agent Peter Burke, entered the Beverly Glen Deli with TMZ cameras in tow (HCTV: SEE UPDATE AT BOTTOM OF POST). Ryan was handcuffed and led from the scene.

Eastin tweeted photos of the event (such as the one at left), and Deadline.com included a cellphone video. According to Eastin, footage could appear on today's (Wednesday) TMZ show (check local listings),

Ryan first tweeted about seeking a good bail bondsman, then said ...

@ShawnRyanTV Just got bailed out. Spending 4 hours in the FBI slammer allows for many mischievous ideas to emerge.

I sought reaction from both camps. Ryan came in first last night, via email. That exchange is below.

Q: Did you have any inkling that the "FBI" had its sights set on you?

A: No idea at all. He really got me. Well played.

Q: Describe the moment of the "arrest."

A: I heard someone ask if I was Shawn Ryan. I looked up and saw a man in a suit with sunglasses. When he took the glasses off I recognized him as Tim DeKay and then noticed a few people with cameras filming. I immediately realized what was going on, and when Tim announced that I was under arrest, I decided to play along.

Q: Did you have lunch companions, and what did they think?

A: I was having lunch with David Madden who is President of Fox Television Studios which produced "The Shield" and now produces "White Collar." He was in on it.

Q: Is this anything you expected?

A: Probably better than I expected. It was a good one. And if it's true that footage of it will be on the TMZ TV program tomorrow, you have to give Jeff even more points.

Q: Since you did "The Shield," "The Unit" and "The Chicago Code" - which are not really "blue sky" shows -- is this a direction Eastin should be taking the twar?

A: Jeff might be playing with fire.

Q: Did you find a good bail bondsman in Beverly Glen?

A: Same one that Charlie Sheen has on speed dial.

Q: What's the next step?

A: I've been planning things for awhile, waiting for Jeff to respond to my Super Bowl nuclear attack on his writer's offices. Now that he has responded I'll be able to act shortly. My next attack may not have the "theater" that today's arrest did, but it will live on much longer. And, of course, I intend on beating him to 15,000 Twitter followers and making a generous donation to Autism Speaks. 

Then I got on the phone this morning with Eastin.

Asked why he chose this as the next volley in the twar, Eastin says, "The day Shawn had broken into our offices, and left the ('Shield') poster, it was really classic. I was really impressed. I'd gotten tweets from friends saying, 'My God, man, you've got to do something. He's just waxing the floor with you at this moment.'

"His presentation, the build-up, everything was really well-done. I was actually at Tiffani Thiessen's Super Bowl party when this all went down. The actors were there, the writers were there, and we immediately began plotting our revenge. Tim DeKay actualy suggested that he arrest Shawn."

According to Eastin, they were going to spring the trap the first week of March, but Ryan was called into jury duty.

But when it did happen, Eastin says that Ryan's reaction "was very satisfying. I think he may have felt the slightest bit of fear for about two seconds, until he recognized Tim DeKay. Then, after that, it was just a big smirk on his face as we drug him out.

"We tipped off TMZ earlier in the day, and they sent a camera over. Hopefully it'll show up on the air today."

As to whether he is, indeed, playing with fire by bringing a show character into the mix, Eastin says, "If I was sitting in a restaurant with David Madden having lunch, and Vic and Shane (of 'The Shield') came up and perp-walked me out of the restaurant, that might go down as the single greatest day of my life, so I welcome the challenge."

Of course, Ryan has added more cop characters to his stable, in addition to rogue LAPD Detectives Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis, at left) and Shane Vendrell (Walton Goggins).

"The Chicago Code," airing Mondays on Fox, features Jennifer Beals (below) as Chicago Police Superintendent Teresa Colvin.

When the question is posed as to which would be better, being perp-walked by Vic and Shane, or being perp-walked by Teresa Colvin, Eastin says, "Hmmm, that's a good one. I think to be perp-walked by Vic and Shane and handed over to Jennifer."

Finally, when told of Ryan's comment above on his future retaliation plans, Eastin says, "Hmmm, right. Well, it's mostly bluster, mostly fear-based bluster. We caught him completely off-guard yesterday, and his only response at that point was to make up some claim that he's plotting a much bigger attack.

"They're sad, empty words."

UPDATE (4:10 p.m. PT): Ryan put out the word to his East Coast Twitter followers to see if his "arrest" footage made it on TMZ. He just tweeted this ...

Tonight's cuppa: English afternoon tea

As Cuppers know -- if they read this post -- Shawn Ryan, creator of FX's "The Shield" and Fox's new Monday drama "The Chicago Code," and Jeff Eastin, executive producer of USA Network's "White Collar," have been engaged in a friendly Twitter war, a k a "twar," through their accounts at @ShawnRyanTV and @JeffEastin .

Both producers are seeking to reach 15,000 followers, with the winner offering a charity donation.

Even former "The Shield" star Michael Chiklis weighed in on Twitter, writing today:

@MichaelChiklis Yo my friend and the creator writer genius behind the Shield @ShawnRyanTV in a twitter war for charity! Follow him so he gets 15000 to 1st!

After Ryan took the twar to a new level by invading the "White Collar" offices on Super Bowl Sunday (at left is one of the photos he tweeted), I put up a post (the one linked above if you haven't looked at it yet) chronicling the story thus far.

Jeff Eastin dropped by to add a comment, writing:

Tonight's cuppa: Peppermint tea (to mellow down after the "Super Bowl," "Puppy Bowl" and the "twar")

A few days ago, Twitter users started to notice that something odd was going between show-runners Shawn Ryan (a k a @ShawnRyanTV) and Jeff Eastin (a k a @JeffEastin). The creator of FX's "The Shield" and Fox's upcoming "The Chicago Code" appeared to have gotten in a dispute with the creator of USA Network's ongoing drama "White Collar."

The accusations and recriminations flew fast and hard across their Twitterstreams. It appeared a Twitter war -- or "twar" -- had broken out.

From Ryan:

Not sure why @jeffeastin doesn't support the troops, but I stand by our military men/ women 100%. If you too help me win this Twitter war.

BTW, I don't hold @jeffeastin's constant partying with Charlie Sheen against him. If Jeff can live that lifestyle and run WC God bless him.

From Eastin:

I have to wake up to this kind of abuse from the guy who killed Lem? I'm cooler than @ShawnRyanTV based on twitter icons alone

@ShawnRyanTV #ChicagoCode scripts are bound in orphan skin.

It all came to a head on Feb. 6, Super Bowl Sunday, beginning with this ominous tweet from Ryan ...

I am about to take the Twitter War with @jeffeastin to a WHOLE OTHER LEVEL.

Then Ryan started posting pictures of himself, captioned with taunts, in the offices of his rival's TV show, holding copies of Sunday's Los Angeles Times to prove the date. Click here to see all of them, but here's a sampling ...

Hanging out today in the White Collar writers lobby. Kind of quiet.

Kicking it at @JeffEastin's personal desk. Comfy.

The note I left on @jeffeastin's desk.


Eastin replied...

You win this round, @ShawnRyanTV. But revenge is sweet. Very sweet.

Tonight -- after the Super Bowl was over, of course -- I shot a few email questions to Ryan to find out how this all came to be (questions in blue and boldface; answers in italics).

How did the twar begin? Who threw the first tweet?

It started when I saw that Jeff had tweeted something very nice about "The Chicago Code" ads and how he was looking forward to seeing the show. I tweeted back, then I noticed that we were both within a hundred followers of each other. I casually threw out a joke that we should have a fake Twitter war to see who could end up with the most followers. Jeff quickly jumped on that and suggested we race to 15,000 followers with a donation to favorite charity on the line. Can't remember who took the first shot, but we were pretty close.

Were you inspired by any of the great show-runner/actor twars of the past -- such as this one, involving @HartHanson of "Bones," @DanHarmon of "Community" and @AzizAnsari of "Parks and Recreation" -- or did this spring from sheer imagination?

I was slightly aware of those, but this just blew up from our own imaginations and free time, I think.

This may be the first show-runner twar to be taken into the physical realm - as evidenced by today's Twitpic proof that you invaded the "White Collar" offices. Do you fear repercussion?

I'm sure Jeff and his staff will try very hard to wreak revenge. I expect it. Wouldn't say I fear it. Since my show's out of production now, hopefully it'll be hard to track me down and get me back.  

Can you share any secrets about how you achieved this covert insertion?

I did my research. Found Jeff's weak spots, exploited them. I did do a Special Forces show ("The Unit") for four years. This was a relatively easy operation.  

Do you believe @JeffEastin 's assertion that half his staff was out with the flu last week?

No. He was looking to save any kind of face he could. I don't blame him. He got owned in front of a Super Bowl crowd. Best part was they have a "Shield" box set sitting on a table in their writers' room. Made me feel good. 

Where does it all end?

Probably in anger and recrimination. Just kidding. Hopefully it ends with me getting to 15,000 followers first and a nice little donation to Autism Speaks. I'm sure it's not over and Jeff and his writers will come up with something imaginative.

Are you done editing "The Chicago Code" or what? You do seem to have some free time ... ;)

I'm done editing. We're still mixing and doing music choices.

BTW, don't forget that "The Chicago Code" premieres tomorrow night, Monday, Feb. 7, on Fox -- click here to see my syndicated feature -- and "White Collar" airs Tuesdays on USA. And keep your eyes on this space for a visit to the "Chicago Code" edit bay to watch Ryan at work.