Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

It’s over the hump day and it’s also the first day of the TCA (Television Critics Association Press junket with the networks). Wish I were there covering it, but I haven’t made the cut quite yet, but I’m hopeful that will change one day.

Anyway, there are some interesting items to share with all of you today so here goes:

TELEVISION

Hawaii Five-0 has been given the timeslot after the NFL AFC Championship game on Sunday January 23. Mark your calendars. (The TV Addict)

Debra Messing will guest star Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in February, playing a television journalist working to expose pedophiles. The SVU detectives must step in when her own life is put in danger. (The Futon Critic)

Actor Grant Show (from the original Melrose Place) will make a surprise appearance in the premiere episode of Big Love on January 16. He will play a spiritual marketing guru who shows up just as Margene (Ginnifer Goodwin) is having a meltdown over her jewelry business. (Lynette Rice and Tim Stack at TV Guide)

Buffy alum Adam Busch will guest star in at least one episode of Grey’s Anatomy, playing a first-year resident who must shadow Dr. Cristina Yang. (Kristin and Jennifer at E! Entertainment Online)

MORE OF THE BEST OF 2010 TV

The 50 Best Episodes of 2010: #40-31

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Gemma Arterton will play the sister half of the titular duo in Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, a dark twist on the classic fairytale siblings. Jeremy Renner is apparently still attached to the project as Hansel. In this version, we follow Hansel and Gretel some 15 years after that whole gingerbread house incident with the brother and sister known as famed witch hunters. (Heat Vision and First Showing)

John Goodman will appear alongside Sandra Bullock and Tom Hanks in the adaptation of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. Goodman is set to play a doorman for 10-year-old Oksar, who embarks on a journey around New York City after losing his father (Hanks) in the September 11 attacks. (The Hollywood Reporter and Entertainment Weekly)

Sam Rockwell has signed on to join Brad Pitt in the comic crime saga Cogan’s Trade, which has Pitt playing Jackie Cogan, a professional enforcer who investigates a heist that takes place during a high stakes poker game held under the protection of the mob. Rumor has it that Casey Affleck may possibly participate. (Mike Fleming at Deadline)

James Badge Dale and Dallas Roberts (both from Rubicon) will join Liam Neeson in the upcoming film called The Grey, a thriller that follows a group of Alaskan pipeline workers being hunted by wolves in the frigid wilderness after their plane crashes on their way back home. The cast also includes Dermot Mulroney and Frank Grillo [among others]. (First Showing and Deadline)

Q&A SECTION (with Adam and Natalie from TV Guide AND Michael Ausiello from TV Line)

Question: Have you heard anything more about the new character on Hawaii Five-0? — Mark

ADAM: The show is still on the lookout for what’s now being described as a young version of Jack Ryan from The Hunt for Red October. (That doesn’t rule out the ladies though, as we’re hearing the character could very well be a woman.) Further, we’ll first meet the character as part of a protection detail enlisted for McGarrett. But we’ll soon learn that he or she also has a score to settle with Wo Fat.

Question: Anything good coming up on Blue Bloods? — Lisa

ADAM: When Frank gets shot (yes, shot), his kids kick things into overdrive trying to find the assailant. More surprising will be that their main suspect has a history with Frank, and his attack is of the eye-for-an-eye variety. Revenge is a dish best served cold, like nearly 40 years cold.

Question: Any scoop on Nikita’s Alex now that she’s staying at the agency? — Harry

NATALIE: An upcoming mission will find Alex on a date with a wunderkind techno kid who is developing a device that will make the iPhone look like an eight-track. The mission takes a turn for the worse when Alex has a run-in with the head of the Russian sex trade ring into which she was once sold.

Question: It seems like Erica is becoming a better leader on V. Could the Fifth Column have a chance at defeating the Visitors? — Sam

NATALIE: Erica will make some major missteps as the leader of the Fifth Column this season. “The [mistakes] have a massive effect, and people get hurt,” Elizabeth Mitchell tells us. But she’ll learn from her mistakes. “Some other things that she does are quite effective,” she says. “As the season goes on, she’s willing to risk more and more.”

Question: Any new stuff on Supernatural? —Christy

Ausiello: As you may or may not have heard, a late winter episode will obliterate the fourth wall by transporting Sam and Dean to an alt-universe where they are actors named Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki starring in a cult TV show called Supernatural. Wait, it gets wink-winkier: In this other dimension, Sam/Jared has a wife — and it’s none other than Padalecki’s real-life bride (and former Supernatural costar) Genevieve Cortese.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

I have a lot more links than usual to share with everyone today. There were just too many good things to share to shorten them down. You have to see and/or read them as they are intended. So those will be first:

THE BEST OF TV FOR 2010

The 50 Best Episodes of 2010: #50-41

PREPARATION FOR NEW TV TONIGHT

Show 101: V

Show 101: Southland

ARTICLES/VIDEO ABOUT TELEVISION

More TV viewers may be cutting the cord this year

First look at Starz’ ‘Camelot’: ‘One word? Fleshy.’

ME: This is a really a terrific cast!! I may just have to figure out how to get Starz since that is one of the few channels I don’t already receive.

JUST HAD TO SHARE (TOO FUNNY!!)

James Van Der Beek launches James Van Der Memes

ONLINE FANDOMS

Which Show Has the Strongest Online Fandom? Science Attempts to Measure

ME: Okay, now for some sad news:

CONDOLENCES

Character actor Bill Erwin, who has appeared on several episodes of Gunsmoke, The Fugitive, Perry Mason, Growing Pains, Highway to Heaven, and Just the Ten of Us, as well as more recently appearing on episodes of Monk, The West Wing, Just Shoot Me!, and My Name Is Earl has passed away. He was 96. Viewers will best know Mr. Erwin from his Emmy nominated role in Seinfeld as Sid “The Old Man” Fields and as the knowledgeable bellhop in the 1980 film Somewhere in Time (his character helped Christopher Reeves time travel to find love). (Entertainment Weekly)

ME: And, now the remainder of the news for today:

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Olivia Wilde has joined the cast of the family drama film called Welcome to People, follows a struggling twenty-something junk dealer (Chris Pine) who returns home to Los Angeles for the funeral of his estranged record-producer father. His late dad’s last will stipulates that he delivers $150,000 in cash to a 30-year-old alcoholic sister (Banks) he never knew existed. Determined to keep the money, he makes contact with her and her troubled teenage son anyway but doesn’t reveal who he really is. Wilde will play Hannah, his character’s girlfriend. (Reuters and Dark Horizons)

Actress Jodie Foster will join Matt Damon and Sharlto Copley in the sci-fi feature called Elysium to directed by District 9 director Neill Blomkamp. Story details are still being kept under wraps, though. (Dark Horizons)

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

Question: Alison O. (via Twitter): Can you please clear up a mix-up? It seems that the press release for Medium’s next episode states that David Arquette and not Ryan Hurst will be playing Michael Benoit?

Kristin: Sadly, it’s true. Patricia Arquette’s real-life brother David Arquette will be replacing Ryan Hurst, who originated the part of Allison’s half-brother Lucky Benoit, in the “Half-Lucky” episode of Medium. A show insider whispers that Hurst was not available to reprise the role, and we inquired with Hurst’s people about that, but haven’t heard back. Mysterious, no?

WARNING: Remainder of this Q&A Section is a SPOILER ZONE. Tread lightly – SPOILER ALERT!!

Question: @TooCool_2012 (via Twitter): Is Bonnie gonna hook-up with Jeremy or the new guy Luka?

Kristin: Yes! That’s a pretty safe answer to your question because Katerina Graham herself just told us this about what lies ahead: “Bonnie does get a kiss.” So which guy will seal the deal? She’s not saying, but she did spill some other details on Jeremy and Luka and the possibility of Damon and Bonnie, so stand by for more from Katerina soon.

Question: @jvento (via Twitter): What’s coming up when Chuck returns?

Kristin: Chuck (Zachary Levi) is about to get all Casanova-like with Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski). And by “Casanova-like,” I mean trying to create a romantic getaway out of a mission that takes him to a French vineyard. Not the same, but at least Chuck is attempting to play double-duty. And that usually goes so well for him.

Question: Schemingstar05 (via Twitter) Any spoilers for Supernatural?

Kristin: Did you know Supernatural is the best show of 2010? You did? OK, how about some scoop from the first episode of 2011? A dragon (we’re talking a dragon with ginormous wings) is breaking into people’s houses and snatching up local girls wearing purity rings. For those who are interested in the cool monster factor of demon-hunting, this will be the episode for you. If you just want to see Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) working together and everything returning to sunshine and puppy dogs…maybe not the episode for you.

Question: Penny: I’m way excited for new episodes of Royal Pains! What do we fans have to look forward to?

Kristin: Tom Cavanaugh guests in Royal Pains’ first episode back on Jan. 20 and reminds us: Dude is adorable and seriously needs his own show. In other news, two key employees tender their resignations to HankMed CEO Hank Lawson (Mark Feuerstein)—and since HankMed only has two employees, we’re pretty sure you can guess who they are. Gasp!

Question: Bear: I’m missing my man Marshal Marshall on In Plain Sight—any news on my second-favorite ABQ show after Breaking Bad?

Kristin: You have fine taste in New Mexico-based programming, my friend. When season four of In Plain Sight launches, look for a new local lady cop who is… dating Marshall (the relentlessly fantastic Fred Weller). Aaah! Mary (Mary McCormack) instantly hates Det. Abigail Chaffee, of course, but all things considered, Abigail is a good woman who wouldn’t be a terrible long-term match for Marshall. Any thoughts on who should play the new girl in town?

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Welcome to the first entertainment update of 2011. There are some interesting things to share with all of you so please read on:

TV ARTICLES

Keck’s Exclusives First Look: V Brings Back an Old Fave

Show 101: Pretty Little Liars

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actor Diego Klattenhoff (Men in Trees) has been cast in the Showtime pilot Homeland where he will play Mike Faber, a Marine colonel and the best friend of Scott Brody (Damian Lewis), the lead character who returns after years in exile in Iraq only to raise the suspicion of a CIA agent (Claire Danes) who suspects that Brody may now harbor anti-American, jihadist tendencies. Mandy Patinkin plays Danes’ boss, and Laura Fraser is Brody’s wife. (Marisa Guthrie at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

The following are the top 10 movies at the box office for this past holiday weekend according to Exhibitor Relations:

1. Little Fockers, $26.3 million
2. True Grit, $24.5 million
3. Tron: Legacy, $18.3 million
4. Yogi Bear, $13 million
5. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, $10.5 million
6. Tangled, $10.01 million
7. The Fighter, $10 million
8. Gulliver’s Travels, $9.1 million
9. Black Swan, $8.5 million
10. The King’s Speech, $7.6 million

The much-anticipated movie version of Kiefer Sutherland’s TV thriller series 24 isn’t happening any time in the foreseeable future. The script for the flick was turned down by executives at 20th Century Fox. The future of “24: The Movie,” is best-described by executive producer Howard Gordon as being “in suspended animation.” (Entertainment Weekly and Radaronline.com)

CONDOLENCES

Oscar-nominated British actor Pete Postlethwaite passed away in London at the age of 64 after a long battle with cancer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in the 1993 film In the Name of the Father and had recently been seen in the critically acclaimed film Inception and had worked on The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Amistad. (LA Times)

Actress Anne Francis, who co-starred in the 1950’s science-fiction classic Forbidden Planet passed away over the weekend. She was also known for her lead role in the 1960’s TV series Honey West, playing a sexy female private detective. She was 80. (LA Times)

NOTE: Rest in Peace Mr. Postlethwaite and Ms. Francis! Deepest condolences are extended to their families, friends and fans.

A MOMENT OF SILENCE, PLEASE…

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

Question: When Human Target premiered last season, I thought that this would be a good thing, especially since 24 was ending and Target seemed to have a bit of an edge to it, even though it was episodic. This season, however, Target has a totally different feel to it with the new cast members, which I didn’t think they needed, and new theme song. The show has even lightened up in its tone. It’s starting to look more like Burn Notice. Is this the producers’ attempt to gain more viewers? — Bill

Matt Roush: The simple answer is yes. Adding two female regulars was clearly a bid to broaden the show’s appeal — and while I think Indira Varma was a fine add as the new boss figure, I’m not sure what the Ames character is really bringing to the party, though I don’t mind her — but I’m not sure that likening it to a USA series is the insult you may intend it to be. For me, Human Target has from the start felt more like a caper series than a hard-edged action adventure, never intended to be taken as seriously as 24. Chance’s back story clearly has a dark side, and Guerrero always means business and has edge (though he’s as hilarious as he is lethal), but the show has always been much closer in tone to USA than FX, unless I’ve missed something. I’m not sure these tweaks will help the show find an audience, especially with the strategy of scheduling back-to-back episodes the next two weeks — too much of an OK thing, even for a fan. But I’m also not convinced they’ve done irreparable harm.

Question: The reader who wrote to ask what city we’re looking at when watching certain shows struck a chord with me. I have lived in the metro Atlanta area for over 20 years and have seen movie and TV productions come and go. Lately, there has been a large influx of productions due to some hefty tax incentives. Drop Dead Diva, The Vampire Diaries, The Walking Dead and all of Tyler Perry’s TV comedies are filmed around here. Diva is set in L.A., so it is odd to see the peach logo at the end of the credits. The best use of Atlanta locations that I have seen since Driving Miss Daisy was in the recent Lifetime TV-movie, Marry Me. It was set in Atlanta and featured a number of places that I love. It didn’t hurt to have Lucy Liu and Steven Pasquale at their most charming strolling, driving and jogging around the city and environs. When the story shifts to a French castle, they’re actually in neighboring North Carolina at the Biltmore estate. The only false note was Annie Potts carrying a Macy’s bag through a mall that doesn’t have a Macy’s store, but that was a minor quibble and was perhaps a product placement. I just wonder if I’ll get as jaded as the L.A. or Vancouver folks must be seeing my city used as a backdrop for stories that may or may not be set here. Marry Me was a real treat in any case. — Frank

Matt Roush: Thanks for that observation. It’s especially refreshing when a project filmed on location actually allows itself to be set there. (Why, when you think of it, couldn’t a show like Diva be set in Atlanta?)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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