Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

There is quite a bit of news to share again, covering TV, movies and more. Check it out below:

TELEVISION

Larry King is leaving CNN this fall after 25 years as the host of Larry King Live. (Los Angeles Times and Televisionary)

SPOILER ALERT! Doctor Who show runner/head writer Steven Moffat has teased details about next season of the sci-fi drama, which stars Matt Smith and Karen Gillan. The secret behind just what that voice meant by “silence will fall” will be explored in the new season of Doctor Who, which will air in 2011 (after a Christmas Special, confirmed last weekend by BBC). “What is that, who is that, who are the silence, what’s coming? The whole point of the silence is next series,” Moffat told Doctor Who Confidential “Also, River Song… who is she really? That’s what we’re going to find out next year.” (Digital Spy and Televisionary)

Claire Forlani and Peter Mooney have joined the upcoming medieval drama Camelot from Starz. Forlani will play Queen Igraine, the mother of Arthur (Jamie Campbell Bower), while Mooney will play Kay, Arthur’s brother. The rest of the cast includes Joseph Fiennes, Eva Green, and Tamsin Egerton. Camelot is slated to launch in early 2011. (Deadline Hollywood Daily and Televisionary)

Drama-heavy FX is getting serious about comedy. The cable channel has successfully wooed Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) to headline its in-the-works U.S. remake of the hit Australian sitcom Wilfred. The project revolves around a guy (Wood), a girl, and a mixed-breed dog named Wilfred. This marks Wood’s first major foray into television. Production on the Wilfred pilot will begin later this summer. (Michael Ausiello at Entertainment Weekly)

Starz has decided not to renew critical favorite Party Down after just two short seasons. Starz executive vice president of programming Stephan Shelanski, who also announced the end of freshman series Gravity today, stated: “After careful consideration, we’ve decided not to continue on with subsequent seasons of Party Down and Gravity. We’re grateful to everyone involved in the shows, and are proud to have had them on the channel. Starz remains committed to aggressively expanding our original programming lineup.” (Kristin at E! Entertainment Online)

FALL TV SCHEDULE

THE CW NETWORK ANNOUNCES FALL PREMIERE DATES

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2010/06/30/the-cw-network-announces-fall-premiere-dates/20100630cw01/

FIRST LOOKS AT FALL TV

Pilot View: Fox’s new drama, ‘Lone Star’

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2010/06/pilot-view-foxs-new-drama-lone-star.html

Pilot View: CBS’ new drama ‘Blue Bloods’

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2010/06/pilot-view-cbs-new-drama-blue-bloods.html

Pilot View: CBS’ new drama, ‘Hawaii Five-O’

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2010/06/pilot-view-cbs-new-drama-hawaii-fiveo.html

Pilot View: CBS’ new drama ‘The Defenders’

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2010/06/pilot-view-cbs-new-drama-the-defenders.html

VOTING

Tater Tops Awards: Couple Showdown

http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b188176_tater_tops_awards_couple_showdown.html

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIES (provided by The Futon Critic)

‘FAIRFIELD ROAD’
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 (9 PM ET/PT, 8C)

Noah McManus (Jesse Metcalfe) is leaving his job with the Boston mayor’s office for a dream gig in Washington, D.C. But in a single day, he finds out his new boss in Washington is a corrupt Senator who can no longer employ him and that his girlfriend has been cheating on him. Devastated, Noah travels to a quaint Cape Cod town. When he falls into the middle of a heated local election and finds love with the local bookshop owner (Natalie Lisinska), he unexpectedly finds himself at home.

‘GROWING THE BIG ONE’
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23 (9 PM ET/PT, 8C)

Radio DJ Emma Silver (Shannen Doherty) is leading a chic life in Seattle when she finds her beloved grandfather has died. Traveling to Valleyville to take care of the details, Emma is stunned to learn her grandfather has left her his farm, along with a sizable amount of debt. To keep the bank from foreclosing, Emma decides to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps and enter Valleyville’s annual pumpkin growing contest with his prized seeds. She reluctantly teams up with her neighbor Seth (Kavan Smith) in hopes the prize money can save her farm and his business from going under. As Emma works to adapt to farming, grow the biggest pumpkin and win the prize money, she may actually find the greatest prize is one she can’t put a price on.

‘SOMETHING TO BE THANKFUL FOR’
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6 (9 PM ET/PT, 8C)

Claudia (Daphne Zuniga) is an ambitious attorney striving to become partner at her law firm. But when Claudia has a run in with Gina (Faye Dunaway), a stranger who introduces herself as a Transpersonal Psychologist, Gina steps in providing Claudia an opportunity to see how the other half lives. Bumping her head, Claudia wakes up in an alternate reality as a wife and mother of two. She unexpectedly finds great joy in having a family and, after being pulled back into the real world, is far less fulfilled as a single woman living only for her career. Realizing how much she is sacrificing, she sets a new direction in life to make room for love and family.

‘THE GOOD WITCH’S GIFT’
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13 (9 PM ET/PT, 8C)

Catherine Bell continues her role as the enchanting Cassie Nightingale in “The Good Witch’s Gift,” the third in the series from Hallmark Channel’s highly-rated original movies, “The Good Witch” and “The good Witch’s Garden.” Cassie Nightingale has settled comfortably in Middleton with a successful boutique and is now engaged to Sheriff Russell (Chris Potter). But with only two short weeks till Christmas, the Sheriff is desperate to find the perfect gift. With no wedding date set, the Sheriff wants to give Cassie a family for Christmas this year and suggests they get married on Christmas Eve. But, as usual, things don’t always happen as planned and Cassie must use a bit of magic to give her new family that special Christmas.

‘THE NIGHT BEFORE THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS’
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20 (9 PM ET/PT, 8C)

Angela Fox (Jennifer Beals) and her husband (Rick Roberts) are too busy with their jobs to pay attention to the Christmas season, let alone their two kids, Hannah and Toby. The night before Christmas Eve, they are startled when Santa Claus crash-lands onto their roof, dropping his sleigh and reindeer in the backyard. Santa hits his head in the fall and can’t remember anything about Christmas, including himself. With Santa’s journey around the world in jeopardy of being cancelled, Toby, who still believes in the magic of Christmas, begs this family to get in the holiday spirit to help jog Santa’s memory. As the fate of the holiday rests in their hands, the Foxes must work together to get Santa, and their family, back on track.

DEBBIE MACOMBER’S MRS. MIRACLE 2′
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27 (9 PM ET/PT, 8C)

Based on the book by acclaimed author Debbie Macomber, Doris Roberts reprises her role this Christmas as the enchanting Mrs. Miracle. When a group of troubled New Yorkers are each down on their luck, it is Mrs. Miracle (Doris Roberts) who arrives in town to single-handedly restore the true meaning of the holiday season.

INTERVIEW (from Michael Ausiello at Entertainment Weekly)

Emily VanCamp confirms ‘Brothers & Sisters’ exit: ‘Rebecca has run her course’

http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/06/30/emily-vancamp-brothers-sisters-exit/

MOVIES

Dominic Cooper (Mamma Mia) will star as Howard Stark in the Captain America: The First Avenger movie opposite Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan and Stanley Tucci. In the film, Cooper will portray the younger version of Howard Stark, the character which John Slattery portrayed in Iron Man 2. (Movie Web)

Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) will star in the movie Rise of the Apes as the lead ape Caesar the, “chimp who leads the simian revolt.” The cast already includes James Franco, John Lithgow and Freida Pinto. (Movie Web)

Elias Koteas has been cast in the movie Winnie, the Winnie Mandela biopic. He will play De Vries, an overzealous officer in the apartheid police state who rises in power and becomes intent on stopping Winnie and the black anti-apartheid activists from gaining power. (Dark Horizons and The Hollywood Reporter)

Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Asa Butterfield, Chloe Moretz, Jude Law, Ray Winstone, Christopher Lee, Helen McCrory, and Richard Griffiths have joined the Martin Scorsese 3D adventure film Hugo Cabret, which is based on the Brian Selznick novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret. The story follows an orphan boy living a secret life in the walls of a Paris train station. He is soon caught up in a magical, mysterious adventure that could put all of his secrets in jeopardy. The film is set to open December 9th 2011. (Dark Horizons)

Angela Bassett has joined the ensemble comedy movie Jumping the Broom. The movie is set around a weekend wedding in Martha’s Vineyard and follows the class struggle between two quite different African-American families. Bassett will play a Washington heiress and the mother of Paula Patton’s wealthy family matriarch character. Also joining them are Romeo Miller as Patton’s Yale student cousin and Laz Alonso as Patton’s love interest. Loretta Devine also stars. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

Peter Sarsgaard (Knight & Day, An Education) is set to star in a biopic of bluegrass musician Bill Monroe. The story will follow the life of Bill Monroe from his childhood on a farm in Kentucky as the youngest of eight children. Similar in tone and style to Johnny Cash’s story in Walk the Line, Monroe didn’t lead the simplest of lives with both of his parents dying before he was 17 years old, but he managed to have a career spanning 60 years which got him inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (The Wrap and First Showing)

Q&A SECTION (with the TV gurus from TV Guide)

Question: Will Bailey’s boyfriend Ben be back next season on Grey’s Anatomy? — Sheena

ADAM: Jason George’s role on Off the Map, Shonda Rhimes’ midseason show, doesn’t necessarily mean the end of Bailey’s romance, according to Chandra Wilson. Whatever happens, she says the relationship is important for Bailey’s growth. “How many of us go through long-term relationships that end and then you have to sit there and figure out what to do now?” Wilson says. “That’s her journey. … It was about that discovery and how it will change her personality.”

Question: Any scoop on the new season of Glee? — Amy

MICKEY: Jayma Mays tells us how she heard that John Stamos had been cast to play a dentist/Emma’s love interest. “I got a text message from a friend and all it said was: ‘Uncle Jesse?'” she recalls with a laugh. The season finale set up a pretty clear love triangle among Mr. Schu, Emma and Dr. Teeth, but what if it’s actually a square? The cutie-pie clean freak may be getting competition on all fronts from Jessalyn Gilsig’s dastardly Terri.

Question: What have you heard about next season of NCIS: Los Angeles? — Trent

ADAM: The team is getting some extra help: Look for them to sign on a tomboy-ish intelligence analyst who often speaks before she thinks. But she’s also unflappable in a crisis.

Question: Will Debbie Pelt be as crazy on HBO’s True Blood as she was in the books? — Tommy

MICKEY: I’m hearing yes, but not initially. Brit Morgan’s debut will be somewhat restrained, and her character’s quick temper and jealous streak will unveil themselves gradually. But once they do, watch out. “I’m going on a rampage against Sookie,” Morgan tells us. “I’m not too happy with her.”

Question: Anything cool coming up on The Good Guys? — Kyle

ADAM: How about a Homer Simpson cameo? Dan Castellaneta, who voices the Simpson patriarch, will play a bank robber with whom Bradley Whitford’s Detective Stark has some history. The episode has an Ocean’s Eleven vibe; the heists are never what they seem.

Question: I can’t wait for the new season of White Collar — where will it pick up? — Whitney

MICKEY: We’ll see that plane explode once more, but then there will be a time jump that allows Neal to move on fairly quickly from Kate’s death — yes, I said death. Plus: Diana (Lost’s Marsha Thomason) is back!

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Lots of news to share with you today, including some great movie trailers, so let’s get this thing started, shall we?

TELEVISION

Broadway star Cheyenne Jackson will in at least one episode (if not more) of Curb Your Enthusiasm. No details seem available as yet on what part he will be playing. (PaperMag)

Looks like when Vampire Diaries returns in the fall, viewers will be introduced to the “much younger and cooler brother of recently deceased Mayor Lockwood (Robert Pralgo) who has “been estranged from the family.” The brother will introduce a lot of questions about what is so special about that creepy Lockwood family. (William Keck at TV Guide)

The rejected FOX pilot Breakout Kings has found a new home: A&E. The cable channel has picked up the highly regarded hour-long drama for 13 episodes. The series, created by Prison Break’s Matt Olmstead, revolves around a group of U.S. marshals and ex-cons that team up to apprehend escaped criminals. It stars Jason Cerbone, Domenick Lombardozzi, Laz Alonzo, Malcolm Goodwin, and Nicole Steinwedell. (Michael Ausiello from Entertainment Weekly)

Janeane Garofalo (24) may be joining the Criminal Minds spin-off, aptly titled Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior. The series already stars Oscar winner Forest Whitaker as the leader of an elite team of agents within the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit. Garofalo would play one of those agents. (Michael Ausiello from Entertainment Weekly)

Steve Carell has confirmed that he will leave the NBC comedy The Office following the conclusion of next season, the series’ seventh. (Kristin at E! Entertainment Online)

Mitch Pileggi is officially returning to Supernatural as Sam and Dean’s presumed-dead grandpa on a recurring basis throughout season 6. The show is also looking for an actor in his late-30s to mid-40s to play the recurring role of Christian, who is “capable, calm under pressure, and very good at his job.” Christian has a special relationship to Sam and Dean. (Michael Ausiello from Entertainment Weekly)

Shawn Spencer (played by James Roday) on Psych will meet his match – and then some – when Nestor Carbonell (Lost) joins the series for a multi-episode arc. Carbonell has been cast in the role of Declan Rand, a criminal profiler who over the course of two episodes will shape up to be Shawn’s professional – as well as romantic – rival. So savvy is Declan at what he does that Gus (Dule Hill) will dub him “Shawn 2.0.” Psych premieres on July 14. (Matt Mitovich at Fancast)

Want to Join the ‘Glee’ Club? Audition on New Reality Series

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/29/want-to-join-the-glee-club-audition-on-new-reality-series/?src=tptw

VOTING

Tater Tops Are Here! Vote Now For Breakout TV Star

http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b187767_tater_tops_are_here_vote_now_breakout.html

Tater Top Awards: What Was the Best TV Shocker?

http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b188136_tater_top_awards_what_was_best_tv.html?

MOVIES

You can expect to see Katie Holmes and Guy Pearce in the remake of the 1973 horror movie “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark,” which opens on January 21st 2011. The story centers on a young girl (Bailee Madison), sent to live with her father (Pearce) and his new girlfriend (Holmes), who discover sinister creatures that live in a formerly sealed off basement fireplace. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Tyler Hoechlin (“7th Heaven”) and Agnes Bruckner (“24,” “Private Practice”) have signed on for the indie film noir “Open Gate”. Hoechlin plays a rodeo clown and bull fighter in a small East Texas town, who discovers that the bulls are being used to smuggle drugs. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

Alexander Skarsgard (“True Blood”) is attached to star in the action thriller “The Elephant”. Based on Magnar Jonsgaard’s novel “Black Rain”, the blond hunk will play a Norwegian roustabout who tangles and then bonds with a redneck American driller as they attempt to stop a building oil rig explosion in the frigid North Sea. Casting is currently under way for three American stars. Shooting will kick off either in late Fall or early 2011. (The Wrap and Dark Horizons)

MOVIE TRAILERS

First Trailer for final Harry Potter

http://scifiwire.com/2010/06/first-trailer-for-harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows.php?

Julia Roberts’ Eat Pray Love Final Official Trailer

http://www.firstshowing.net/2010/06/28/watch-this-julia-roberts-eat-pray-love-final-official-trailer/#ixzz0sG0MNwKl

First Teaser for Johnny Depp’s Animated Rango

http://www.firstshowing.net/2010/06/29/must-watch-first-teaser-for-johnny-depps-animated-rango/

MUSIC INTERVIEW

A genuine piece of Sarah McLachlan

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/music/la-et-sarah-mclachlan-20100629,0,5311977.story

Q&A SECTION (with Kristin from E! Entertainment Online)

Question: Do you have any other info on that lost Lost scene?

Kristin: As a matter of fact, we’ve confirmed reports from our pal over at PopWrap that the unseen story of Hurley and Ben will be called “The New Man in Charge”—how exciting is that?! The DVD extra will run exactly 11 minutes, 40 seconds long…just enough time to find out what went down between Jacob’s reign and the end of our beloved Lost. Also, we’ll get the scene on the Season Six DVD and also the complete compilation, so you can drop to your knees and thank whatever deity you like (Jacob?).

Question: I’m in love with Pretty Little Liars. Please tell me there’s hope for more after this season?

Kristin: Why wait? ABC Family is loving it as much as the fans and just this morning upped the first season episode order to 22—that’s 12 more hours of Pretty Little Liars for your viewing pleasure!

NOTE: The remainder of the Q&A Section contains spoilers – SPOILER ALERT! – so please tread lightly:

Question: Alright, give it to me straight. What’s the deal with Sam’s little brother on True Blood?

Kristin: What, you mean little ol’ Tommy? He’s harmless—in the sociopath, crazy-person sorta way! Marshall Allman, aka Sam’s little bro Tommy, is in it for the long haul this season, and a source tells us he intends on “bringing Bon Temps to its knees.” Sounds fun, right? “I go in and have a lot of fun,” Marshall tells us. “There’s not an impulse that I don’t act on. I’m tons of fun. And then I’ll take your wallet, [and] I’ll also steal your girl.” Yes, we’re hearing some girl-stealing is afoot. Any guesses as to which lovely lady Tommy might have on his arm?

Question: True Blood, please.

Kristin: Marshall tells us he’ll be around well into the “shocking” season finale, and that even though he’ll do some pretty terrible things to Bon Temps during his stay (yep, he’s moving in!), don’t judge too quickly. “People will see that I have a heart, but they’re just going to be frustrated that I’m not being who I was meant to be,” he says, “I suffered a lot of dysfunction, and I just need a lot of love.” Sources have also revealed that Tommy might be working to Sam at Merlotte’s soon enough, so watch out for that, ’cause that seems to be where all truly terrible people end up at one time or another. (Note: Hands off Arlene, too, buddy. She’s with child.)

Question: Anything good coming up for Tara on True Blood?

Kristin: That depends on your definition of good. Rutina Wesley tells us our ever-troubled bartender “is gonna struggle with this vampire lover named Franklin Mott. He’s very psychological and very hard. So this relationship is not necessarily by choice.” Probably not your definition of good, huh? One thing you don’t have to worry about? Tara becoming a vamp herself. “Probably not,” she says. “I love being human. It’s like I’m one of the only humans on the show!”

Question: I’m intrigued by USA’s new series Covert Affairs. Piper Perabo and Chris Gorham would make a cute couple! Got scoop?

Kristin: Do I ever! But it will burst your Piper/Chris hookup bubble, so gird your loins. Chris Gorham says that while Auggie “takes Annie under his wing” right from the get-go, the prospect of a romantic pairing is not in the cards for these two. At least not yet. “There’s a real connection. And it’s definitely a big part of the show,” Chris tells us. “I think when they first met, he kind of assumes that they’re going to hookup. But the relationship with her for some reason quickly moves past the casual hookup and into a real friendship.”

Question: Are Jack and Allison finally going to hook up for real in season four of Eureka?

Kristin: Um, remember that heartbreaking alternate timeline in Eureka’s first-season finale when Sheriff Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson) and Allison (Salli Richardson-Wakefield) were married with a baby on board? The opening of season four involves another Jack and Allison time-travel hookup. This time they both remember their encounter, but as usual (sniff) circumstances conspire against them—and everyone else involved in their blast to the past. As new cast member James Callis (Battlestar Galactica) told us, “It’s a reset button for this series…it’s exactly the same and everything’s different. Everybody in the show now has things that they can’t quite cope with.” At least Jo and Fargo finally got the promotions they deserve (and how!).

Question: Any details on the new season of Warehouse 13?

Kristin: Like Eureka, time travel is also the theme (it is Syfy, after all!) of Warehouse 13’s second-season premiere. Instead of retrieving an artifact, the team is after a person: original time-traveler H.G. Wells (Dexter’s Jaime Murray). She (it is Syfy, after all!) has been released from the Warehouse by Artie’s (Saul Rubinek) nemesis, MacPherson (Roger Rees). Will they ever defeat this guy? Yes. Soon. The beautiful Wells, however, will probably be back to torment the agents.

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

There is a lot of interesting news to share with you so let’s get started.

TELEVISION

David Anders (Vampire Diaries, Heroes and 24) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Warehouse 13. He will play Jonah Raitt, “a suspected serial killer with a dangerous object who escaped Warehouse capture back in the 1960’s, whom Pete (Eddie McClintock) and Myka (Joanne Kelly) set out to hunt down and recapture once and for all. Warehouse 13 returns for its second season on July 6, at 9PM. (The Futon Critic)

Funny lady Judy Greer has joined the CBS pilot Mad Love, replacing Lizzy Caplan. The series now stars Sarah Chalke (Scrubs), who replaced Minka Kelly (Friday Night Lights). (Deadline Hollywood Daily and Zap2It).

Katie Cassidy (Melrose Place) will have a multi-episode arc on Gossip Girl, playing a student at Columbia and a love interest for fellow undergrad Nate (Chace Crawford). She will appear in the season four premiere. (Michael Ausiello from Entertainment Weekly)

David Strathairn is in talks to star in the Syfy action-adventure pilot Alphas, which revolves around a team of people with extraordinary abilities. He would play the “the overseer/team leader/prescribing doctor and all around mother hen to the team: an eccentric, absent-minded professor at times, who is also a cunning and manipulative power-player willing to bend the rules in pursuit of his objectives.” Ryan Cartwright (Mad Men), meanwhile, would play a team member with Asperger’s Syndrome who is able to receive wireless transmissions. (Deadline Hollywood Daily and Televisionary)

It looks like the fan efforts to support recently “fired” Criminal Minds cast member A.J. Cook paid off – at least a little bit. The network has closed a deal for Cook to appear in two episodes early in the new season to tie off her character’s storyline. Her co-worker Paget Brewster will appear in 17 out of the 22 planned episodes of the new season. (Deadline Hollywood Daily)

Sam Witwer (Smallville) has signed on to play vampire Aidan in Syfy’s in-the-works U.S. remake of the U.K. supernatural dramedy Being Human. Also, Meaghan Rath (The Assistants) has inked a deal to play ghost Molly, and Sam Huntington (Superman Returns) is up for the role of werewolf Josh. Being Human revolves around three twentysomething roommates who attempt to blend in despite, you know, being a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost. (Michael Ausiello from Entertainment Weekly)

Marvel Entertainment created a new Television division, to be headed by Jeph Loeb, an iconic comic book writer with a lengthy TV resume. The new division is still in the early stages however. (Entertainment Weekly)

AWARD WINNERS

Congrats to the following winners of the Daytime Emmy Awards:

Outstanding Drama Series: The Bold and the Beautiful
Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Maura West, As the World Turns
Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Michael Park, As the World Turns
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Julie Pinson, As the World Turns
Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Billy Miller, The Young and the Restless
Younger Actor in a Drama Series: Drew Tyler Bell, The Bold and the Beautiful
Younger Actress in a Drama Series: Julie Berman, General Hospital
Drama Series Directing Team: General Hospital
Drama Series Writing Team: The Bold and the Beautiful

Congrats to the winners of the BET Awards, who include the following:

Best Female R&B Artist: Alicia Keys
Best Male R&B Artist: Trey Songz
Best Female Hip-Hop Artist: Nicki Minaj
Best Male Hip-Hop Artist: Drake
Best New Artist: Nicki Minaj
Best Collaboration: Jay-Z & Alicia Keys – “Empire State of Mind”
Video of the Year: Beyoncé featuring Lady Gaga – “Video Phone”
Viewer’s Choice: Rihanna featuring Young Jeezy – “Hard”
Centric Award: Monica
Best Actress: Mo’Nique

Best Actor: Idris Elba

Young Stars Award: Keke Palmer

Best Movie: “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

Subway Sportswoman of the Year: Serena Williams

Subway Sportsman of the Year: LeBron James

Humanitarian Award: John Legend
Lifetime Achievement Award: Prince

Thanks to TheWrap and E! Entertainment Online for the above lists.

MOVIES

Here are the box office results for this past weekend courtesy of E! Entertainment Online:

1. Toy Story 3, $59 million
2. Grown Ups, $41 million
3. Knight and Day, $20.5 million
4. The Karate Kid, $15.4 million
5. The A-Team, $6 million
6. Get Him to the Greek, $3 million
7. Shrek Forever After, $2.9 million
8. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, $2.8 million
9. Killers, $2 million
10. Jonah Hex, $1.6 million

Jon Tenney will star as the father of Ryan Reynolds’ title character in next summer’s Green Lantern. His scenes as Hal Jordan’s dad, Martin, will take place early in the film when the future Green Lantern is just a young boy. (Entertainment Weekly)

Carey Mulligan (An Education) is in talks to star in the family drama Stoker written by Wentworth Miller (yes, the actor from Prison Break), which follows an eccentric teenager “whose enigmatic and estranged uncle returns to the family after the death of the girl’s father”. Jodie Foster is in talks to co-star, while Ridley and Tony Scott’s Scott Free Productions in talks to produce. (Dark Horizons)

Alice Eve (She’s Out of My League) will appear as Emma Frost, the “White Queen” in the prequel movie X-Men: First Class. It has also been confirmed that Michael Fassbender (Hex and 300) will play Magneto in this movie. (Heat Vision, Deadline Hollywood Daily and First Showing)

DVD ANNOUNCEMENTS

Being Human

http://tvshowsondvd.com/news/Human-Season-2/13980

Doctor Who (Matt Smith Version)

http://tvshowsondvd.com/news/Doctor-Series-5/13981

FIRST LOOK

First Look: Summer Glau Takes Off As Supergirl

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Look-Summer-Glau-1019973.aspx

MADE FOR TV MOVIES

Lolita Davidovich and Kathleen Quinlan have joined the cast of HBO made-for-TV movie Cinema Verite, which revolves around the making of the landmark reality series An American Family. (Deadline Hollywood Daily and Televisionary)

Emily VanCamp (Brothers & Sisters) has been cast in CBS’ upcoming Hallmark Hall of Fame made-for-TV movie Let Them Shine, where she will play a novice teacher who makes a difference in the lives of several homeless students. Project is written by Camille Thomasson and directed by Jeff Bleckner. (Variety and Televisionary)

MUSIC INTERVIEW

Pat Benatar for the Sunday Conversation

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-0627-conversation-20100627,0,3916088.story

Q&A SECTION (with Matt Roush from TV Guide)

Question: I know you’re not a fan of Criminal Minds, but I was wondering what your thoughts are about the situation with the producers’ decision to write AJ Cook out of the show and reduce the number of episodes for Paget Brewster. On Twitter, Brewster says she believes these moves are being made for financial reasons. I feel bad for both actresses as they obviously didn’t see this move coming. In the end, I think the producers along with CBS are to blame for this debacle. — Allan

Matt Roush: It’s not unusual for a long-running show to make cast changes and adjustments along the way, but it does seem especially odd for this show to be doing away with its primary female leads (excepting good old Garcia, that is, one of the few characters I’ve ever enjoyed on a show that tends to sap the life force from any actor who comes aboard). If it is a budget issue, which seems to be the case, my suggestion would be to scrap the spin-off — which looked pretty terrible from the “backdoor” pilot that aired last season — and focus the financial resources on shoring up the original series. Selfishly, though, I’ve always been a Paget Brewster fan (up until this role), so am happy to know she’ll be back on the market and could end up on a show I’d be more likely to watch. A comedy, perhaps?

Question: Do you think that the Emmy categories (or at least the series ones) should be expanded to 10 nominees, similar to the Oscars? It just seems with more channels and shows out there, there are so many deserving picks that get passed over, i.e. Friday Night Lights. Expanding the nominees would also be great press for the shows themselves. Your thoughts? — Nathan

Matt Roush: I wasn’t a big fan of the Oscars rule change, being of a mind that it dilutes the best-movie category to open it up to so many contenders, which ultimately results in populist pandering. It would be even worse at the Emmys, which already splits the series candidates into drama and comedy, giving a dozen shows (6 for each these days) a chance to break through. As bitterly disappointing as it is to see shows like Friday Night Lights be neglected year after year, I’m not sure that the flaws in the nominating system would be remedied by opening up the drama category to even more nominees. The ensuing clutter would likely make the honor of being nominated a lot less significant. I don’t see it happening at the Emmys — although I’m sure the networks, who feel so disadvantaged going up against cable series with less content restrictions, would like the playing field to be either expanded or leveled.

Question: I am surprised that ABC has been relegating Castle repeats to the dead zone of Saturday nights. I understand that truly serialized shows do not repeat well and do not make financial sense to rerun. However, Castle seems to be the type of show that would benefit greatly from the exposure since you don’t have to watch it in order. ABC should learn a lesson from two hits on CBS. The Big Bang Theory didn’t really seem to catch fire ratings-wise until it repeated last summer. Then it became a habitually viewed show by fall. And of course the biggest example is NCIS, a popular show that didn’t become a mega-hit until constant airings on USA made it so familiar to viewers that they began showing up during first-run episodes too. Summer is a time for light, escapist viewing and Castle could fit the bill perfectly. I just think it would make sound fiscal sense to bombard the viewers now so Castle could also become a habit for the public by the fall season. — Sheila

Matt Roush: Couldn’t agree with you more that Castle is exactly the sort of show that ABC should make a summer priority, especially knowing that it will be going up against one of the most hyped shows of the fall season in CBS’ Hawaii Five-O. The good news is that with the collapse (again) of the dreadful Happy Town, ABC is moving Castle into the Wednesday night 10/9c time period effective this week and, I’m hoping, for the rest of the summer. A charming and purely entertaining show like this will only benefit from increased exposure, and now’s the time to do it.

That’s it. Enjoy!

Lee Ann

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Hey All,

Today’s update is probably the shortest one I have done in a very long time, but most of the news seemed to be about reality programs (boring! – at least to me) and the Twilight: Eclipse red-carpet premiere last night in Los Angeles, making for a very meager update to share with all you kind folk. Hopefully that will change next week.

TELEVISION

Jonny Lee Miller (Eli Stone) will appear in a multi-episode arc on Dexter, playing a mysterious man who ends up tangled in a storyline with Julia Stiles. (Variety)

Jordana Spiro has fallen out of Love Bites, the upcoming romantic anthology series at NBC due to her contractual commitment to the TBS comedy My Boys, which returns for a 4th season on July 25. No official word has been announced on whether the pilot that was filmed with Spiro starring alongside Becky Newton (Ugly Betty) will be recast or reshot. (Michael Ausiello at Entertainment Weekly)

MOVIES

Channing Tatum is to star in the sci-fi romantic epic Ion, which revolves around a man who travels to different Earths and dimensions in order to find his reincarnated lover. As you can imagine, comparisons to Avatar are being loosely thrown around as the success of it and the likes of Star Trek and District 9 last year have lead to several sci-fi projects being put into development lately. (Heat Vision and Dark Horizons)

AWARD WINNERS

Avatar, Lost Rack Up Saturn Awards

http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b187630_avatar_lost_rack_up_saturn_awards.html

That’s it. Enjoy!

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