Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today, which I think you will enjoy. Have at it:

TELEVISION

The final two episodes of the CW series Life Unexpected will air back-to-back on January 18 and yes, it has been confirmed by the show’s executive producer Liz Tigelaar that the show has been cancelled. (The Futon Critic)

More actors have joined season 4 of True Blood, including Christina Moore (Hawthorne), who will play Suzanne McKittrick, a WASPy Texas housewife who possesses certain special abilities. Neil Hopkins (Lost) will have a multi-episode arc as Claude, Claudine’s (Lara Pulver) mysterious brother while Chris Butler (The Good Wife) will play Emory, a prissy and conservative shapeshifter with his own agenda. (Michael Ausiello)

ARTICLE ABOUT NATHAN FILLION

Nathan Fillion on ‘Glee’: I Want to Play a ‘Mean’ Broadway Scout

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE NEWS

Procter & Gamble and Walmart will premiere their latest made-for-TV family movie called Change of Plans on FOX on January 8 at 8 PM. The movie demonstrates how our lives can be turned upside down with a single phone call. When Sally Danville (Brooke White – a formerly American Idol top 10 contestant) finds out that her best friend from college died in a tragic accident while serving in the Peace Corps, she also learns that she has been named the legal guardian of her friend’s four children three of whom were adopted from third-world countries. Now Sally and her husband, Jason (Joe Flanigan from Stargate: Atlantis), must quickly learn to parent this instant family and help the kids deal with culture clashes and life in America. Phylicia Rashad (The Cosby Show) also co-stars as social worker Dorothy. Three songs from the movie’s soundtrack are from star Brooke White as well as tracks from various recording artists. (The Futon Critic)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Rick Schroder (24) has joined the cast of the Molly Parker-led Lifetime drama pilot called Meet Jane, which is about an unhappily married mother of two daughters in the Washington, DC area who is suddenly re-energized and empowered when the FBI enlists her to spy on her husband, a computer technician the government suspects is selling top-secret information to Russia. Schroeder will play her husband. (The Futon Critic)

Easy come, easy go. It would appear that actress Eliza Dushku (Buffy and Dollhouse has departed the TNT drama pilot Bird Dog, which is about an unlikely partnership between two cops who happen to be father and daughter, due to creative differences. (The Futon Critic)

Starz has greenlit production on Magic City, a drama centering on the gritty side of Miami in the 1960s from executive producer Mitch Glazer (The Recruit). This project revolves around Ike Evans, the head of the Miramar Hotel who meets pressures from the mob, his own family, and the changes brought on by Fidel Castro taking charge of Cuba. The 10-episode series will begin casting soon, and is slated to premiere in 2012. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Anthony Zuiker, the creator of the CSI franchise has four dramas in the works; three for CBS and one for the CW. The CBS projects include:

Detail, loosely based on bodyguard Kim Maree Penn, is about a female bodyguard protecting a different high-risk client of the week. She’s not only a bodyguard to her clients, but also a de facto counselor. (ME: Sounds a little like the female version of FOX’s Human Target.) Next up is Desperado, which about a band of lawmen doling out very Texas-centric cowboy justice. And third is Treadstone, which is about spies in our daily lives. Then the CW project is called Spirits , which is about three women at a startup company who try to help people with otherwordly problems. (Tim Molloy at The Wrap)

AWARD WINNERS

Congrats to the winners of the first-ever American Country Awards, including Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts, Toby Keith, Easton Corbin, Josh Turner, Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins. (E! Entertainment Online)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Aaron Johnson (Kick Ass) and Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland) have joined the cast of the film adaptation of the 1980 Broadway play called Albert Nobbs, which is set around a luxury hotel in Dublin in the 19th century. Glenn Close will reprise her award-winning stage role of a woman who impersonates a man to survive. Michael Gambon, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers and Janet McTeer also star. (Dark Horizons and Screen Terrier)

Chris Colfer (Glee) will make his feature-film debut in an independent movie for which he also wrote. The movie is called Struck by Lightning and is a coming-of-age comedy. There is no studio or distributor attached yet, though. (Rick Porter at Zap2It)

Ryan Phillippe has joined the cast of the heist film Set Up, which stars Bruce Willis and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. Jenna Dewan Tatum (Step Up) also stars. The film is to follow a group of friends who are catapulted into the middle of a diamond heist that turns deadly. (Variety and First Showing)

Lucy Punch and Rich Sommer have signed onto the romantic comedy The Giant Mechanical Man that follows a quiet zoo worker (Jenna Fischer) who is torn between a street performer (Chris Messina) and a pompous motivational speaker (Topher Grace). Punch will play the street-performer’s girlfriend. Malin Akerman also stars. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Must Watch: Epic New Full-Length Trailer for ‘I Am Number Four’

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

Question from ChickenLady: No Ordinary Family?

Kristin: NOF is introducing a supervillain by the name of Roy Minor. He’s introduced as being the dad of one of Daphne’s high school friends, but he quickly turns capital-E EEEEeevil.

Question from Lauren: I heard that Autumn Reeser is pregnant. Any idea how that will affect her character on No Ordinary Family?

Kristin: Word on the street is that The Powers That Be over on No Ordinary Family are figuring that out as I type. It’s possible Autumn’s pregnancy will be written into the show, or maybe producers will go the way most TV pregnancies and just hide the bump behind megasized purses and kitchen counters. Which would you prefer?

Question from @timegoesaway (via Twitter): Psych! Specifically, Shawn/Juliet. More specifically, Yin/Yang finale angst.

Kristin: First, a metaphor: Juliet is Yin to Shawn’s Yang; now that they’ve connected, nothing will tear them apart. Not even the serial killer Mr. Yang (Ally Sheedy), who—to be specific—returns Dec. 22 in the conclusion to the Yin-Yang trilogy, “Yang 3 in 2D.” Star James Roday told us “everything comes out in the wash” and “we find out who Mr. Yin is”—with a little help from one of his alleged victims, Mena Suvari. Also returning are Shawn’s mom (the lovely Cybill Shepherd) and Mary Lightly’s Jimmi Simpson—in flashbacks? As Mary’s twin? (Yin?!) Roday refused to be more specific!

Question from Zoe: Tell me about Justified!!

Kristin: OK!! Good news for you fans of Raylan (Timothy Olyphant) and Winona’s (Natalie Zea) relationship. Raylan’s protective ex-husband/sometime-lover instincts are activated in episode six, when Winona happens to be at a bank during a robbery, and one of the bad guys roughs her up. Look for Raylan to deliver some delicious Southern vengeance on her behalf. Yummy.

That’s it. Enjoy!