Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Happy Over the Hump Day! With it being Administrative Assistant’s Day, I was out of the office for lunch so today’s update is a little late; but there are some interesting news items to share with all of you:

TELEVISION

Actor John de Lancie (Star Trek: The Next Generation and Stargate SG-1) has been cast in Torchwood: Miracle Day. What his role will be has not been confirmed. Torchwood: Miracle Day will premiere on July 8. (Geeks of Doom)

The CW dramas Gossip Girl, Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries and 90210 have all been renewed for next season. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

Actor William Forsythe (The Untouchables) has been cast in the second season of Boardwalk Empire, playing gangster Manny Horvitz. (The Futon Critic)

BOOK NEWS WITH TV TIE-IN

Late author Robert B. Parker’s estate has announced that his signature Spenser and Jesse Stone mystery novel series will continue. Michael Brandman, who has co-written and produced the CBS TV movies that feature Tom Selleck as the tortured alcoholic detective Stone, will write the first Stone novel. Titled Robert B. Parker’s Killing the Blues, it will be published September 13, 2011. Brandman has also produced three Spenser novel adaptations for A&E. The new Spenser novels will be written by Ace Atkins, who has written such novels as White Shadow, Infamous and Wicked City. His first Spenser novel will be releases spring of 2012. Parker’s 39th and final Spenser novel, Sixkill, will be released by GP Putnam in May. (Mike Fleming at Deadline)

MADE FOR TV NEWS

Actors Sarah Paulson (Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip) and Peter MacNicol (Ally McBeal and Numb3rs) have joined the cast of the HBO film Game Change that follows John McCain’s (Ed Harris) 2008 presidential campaign, from his selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (Julianne Moore) as his running mate to their ultimate defeat in the general election. Paulson will play McCain’s senior campaign advisor Nicolle Wallace. Meanwhile, MacNicol will play McCain’s campaign manager Rick Davis. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Newcomers Kalia Prescott and Ian Nelson have been chosen to portray the unnamed tributes of District 3 in the upcoming adaptation of the Suzanne Collins novel The Hunger Games. The District 3 duo is known for being explosives experts, using that skill throughout the match. (Dark Horizons and the Hunger Game’s Facebook page)

Actor Paul Walker will star in the upcoming thriller Vehicle 19 that centers on an unsuspecting traveler (Walker) in a foreign country who picks up the wrong rental car and becomes tangled in a web of corruption by the local police. (Heat Vision and Dark Horizons)

Jeremy Renner, Wanda Sykes, Keke Palmer, Jennifer Lopez, Aziz Ansari and hip hop star Drake will lend their voices to the upcoming animated sequel Ice Age: Continental Drift. Ray Romano, Queen Latifah, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo, Seann William Scott and Josh Peck are all returning for the story in which a cataclysm sets an entire continent adrift. Using an iceberg as a makeshift ship, our animal gang launches themselves on an epic seafaring quest. Renner will portray Gutt, a self-styled master of the high seas while Lopez will play Shira, a sabre toothed who melts the heart of Diego. Roles for the others have not been announced. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Must Watch: Badass HD First Trailer for Tarsem Singh’s ‘Immortals’

Watch: Second Full Trailer for Matthew Vaughn’s ‘X-Men: First Class’

Q&A SECTION (with Adam Bryant and Natalie Abrams at TV Guide and Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Question: Any more teases about the end of Castle’s season? — Greg

ADAM: There may be yet another familiar face we see less of next year. But this one doesn’t involve the Grim Reaper: Castle’s daughter Alexis may be leaving the city. “[Her boyfriend] is going off to college — he’s going to Stanford,” creator Andrew W. Marlowe reveals. “So how is the long-distance relationship going to work? When we leave Episode 23, Alexis has vowed to go to college early, because she has the credits, so she can be with Ashley.” Someone should tell the Grim Reaper Castle might have a special job for him.

Question: I am obsessed with The Killing. What can you tell me? — Brandon

ADAM: In Sunday’s episode, all eyes will continue to be on Bennett, including those of a couple different neighbors who saw Rosie at her teacher’s house after the dance on the night of the murder. But the person who’s really staring a hole through Bennett is Rosie’s grief-stricken father.

Question: Anything cool coming up with Rizzoli’s family on Rizzoli & Isles? — Sam

NATALIE: You bet. Colin Egglesfield (Melrose Place) has booked a recurring role as Jane’s youngest brother, Tommy, a lovable screw-up whose back home after a stint in prison. Sasha Alexander’s Maura offers Tommy her couch while he sorts his life out. But that kindness quickly comes into question when her apartment is found ransacked and burglarized, leaving Jane to find her brother before the cops do.

Question: Any clue as to who (or even what) Agent X is on Chuck? —Chris

Ausiello: It’s someone we know. How can I be sure? ‘Cause exec producer Chris Fedak told me so! Fedak also revealed that the Season 4 finale (airing May 16) is both “epic” and one of “the most expensive episodes.” The last scene also sets up a doozy of a fifth season. Now all we need is that pesky pickup from NBC!

Question: What can you tell us about the upcoming Glee death? —Katie

Ausiello: The dearly departed is female. And not named Emma.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

The news isn’t too voluminous today, but there are still some items that should be found to be interesting:

TELEVISION

Actress Elisabeth Harnois (Miami Medical) will be joining the cast of CSI as a regular. She was originally signed to guest star in the May 5 episode as the estranged daughter of Conrad Ecklie (Marc Vann), who works for the Los Angeles Police Department and helps the Las Vegas crew hunt down serial killer Nate Haskell (Bill Irwin). The guest stint grew into a bigger role on the show. She was expected to return for more episodes and has now been upgraded to a full-blown regular status on the show. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

The new Showtime period piece The Borgias has been given a second season order for 10 episodes. Production of Season 2 will begin in the summer for a 2012 premiere. Oscar-winner Irons stars as Rodrigo Borgia, the cunning, manipulative patriarch of the Borgia family who builds an empire by bribing, buying and muscling his way into the papacy. Along the way, the family commits virtually every sin in the book and invents more than a few of their own. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Lauren Stamile (Grey’s Anatomy) will have a recurring role in the upcoming season of Burn Notice, playing a CIA agent looking into the murder of a fellow operative. Her investigation leads her to cross paths with Michael (Jeffrey Donovan). (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actresses Alison Pill and Olivia Munn are in negotiations for supporting roles while actress Marisa Tomei is closer to agreeing to play the lead in the HBO pilot by Aaron Sorkin tentatively called More As This Story Develops. The pilot centers on cable news anchor Will McCallister (Jeff Daniels), who has his own show, and the show’s female executive producer and staff. Tomei is poised to play the executive producer, MacKenzie, for whom producing the news is what she does best and everything else is tied for last place. Pill would play Maggie, an associate producer on the assignment desk. While Munn would play a sexy financial analyst on the same cable network as McCallister. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

CONDOLENCES

Phoebe Snow, a singer and songwriter who gained fame with her 1974 self-titled album that featured the hit single Poetry Man has passed away. She was 60. (LA Times)

ME: Rest in Peace, Ms. Snow. Deepest sympathies to her family, friends and fans.

MOMENT OF SILENCE, PLEASE…

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Mireille Enos (The Killing) is set to play the wife of Brad Pitt in the upcoming film World War Z, which is an adaptation of the Max Brooks novel that is set ten years after a global zombie epidemic. Brad Pitt is playing a U.N. worker collecting testimonials from various people around the world about the events of the war. Enos would play his wife, a mother of two girls. (Heat Vision and Dark Horizons)

Meanwhile actor Joel Kinnaman (also from The Killing) has a part in the upcoming thriller called Safe House where he will play the key role of a man who operates the titular CIA safe house which comes under attack. The only surviving agent (Ryan Reynolds) must then transport a lethal prisoner (Denzel Washington) to another destination before the attackers kill them both. Shooting on the film is currently underway in South Africa. (Heat Vision and Dark Horizons)

Actor Johnny Depp will indeed make a cameo in the long-in-gestation box office adaptation of the TV series 21 Jump Street, which stars Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube and Alison Brie (among others). (First Showing)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Happy Monday Everyone! Hope you had a wonderful weekend and for those who celebrate it, Happy Easter! The news is a little on the short side today, but there were still a few items of interest:

TELEVISION

Actor Ron Livingston (Band of Brothers) will appear in the HBO film called Game Change, that is being produced by Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman’s Playtone. The movie follows John McCain’s (Ed Harris) 2008 presidential campaign, from his selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (Julianne Moore) as his running mate to their ultimate defeat in the general election. Livingston will play Mark Wallace, a senior adviser to McCain-Palin 2008. He led the debate-preparation team for Gov. Palin, who ended up exceeding expectations in her face-off with Joe Biden. (Deadline)

Actress Kelli Giddish (the short-lived Chase) will appear in the last two episodes of The Good Wife, playing an investigator for Lockhart Gardner who used to work with Kalinda (Archie Panjabi). There is a possibility for Giddish to return in the fall, though The Good Wife is yet to be officially renewed, so the show’s producers have not started working on storylines for Season 3. (Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Vera Farmiga (Source Code and Up in the Air) is set to star in the action thriller called Safe House that follows the only surviving CIA agent (Ryan Reynolds) after an attack at an agency Safe House. He must go on the lam with a dangerous prisoner (Denzel Washington) to get him back to safety. Farmiga will play a CIA operative supervising Reynolds’ character. Brendan Gleeson, Sam Shepard, Robert Patrick and Liam Cunningham also star. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

The top 10 box office films for this past weekend are as follows, according to Box Office Mojo and TV Guide:

1. Rio – 26.8 million
2. Madea’s Big Happy Family – 25.8 million
3. Water for Elephants – 17.5 million
4. Hop – 12.5 million
5. Scream 4 – 7.2 million
6. African Cats – 6.4 million
7. Soul Surfer – 5.6 million
8. Insidious – 5.4 million
9. Hanna – 5.3 million
10. Source Code – 5.1 million

CONDOLENCES

Famed screenwriter Kevin Jarre passed away at the age of 56 after suffering heart failure. He was the man behind the box office films Glory, Rambo, Tombstone, The Devil’s Own and The Mummy [among others]. (E! Entertainment Online)

ME: Rest in Peace, Mr. Jarre. Deepest condolences to his family and friends.

MOMENT OF SILENCE, PLEASE…

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

Question: I don’t understand why more people are not watching Fringe. I admit Season 1 was a bit rocky, but Season 2 was great, and so far this season has been the best, in my opinion. It’s the only show that seems to fill The X-Files void for me. Last Friday’s “LSD” episode was brilliant. I still crack up every time I picture the “How wonderful!” thought bubble above cartoon Walter. And how hilarious was tripping Broyles? He’s the only character I’ve never liked on the show, because he’s so rigid, but it was nice to see him loosen up a bit. Too bad it took a bad trip of LSD to do it. Anyway, I know it was renewed for a fourth season despite the poor ratings, but do you think that will be the end? I mean, how can they afford to keep such a low-rated show around? On another note, I just wanted to thank you for turning me on to The Killing, which I probably never would have watched without your recommendation. I usually don’t go for the dark, brooding style this show seems to have, but for some reason, I’m completely drawn in. And while I’m giving thanks, thanks again for turning me on to Justified last year. This season has been awesome. Is it just me, or is Raylan’s boss Art one of the funniest characters ever? His “You’re like the hillbilly whisperer. I think I’ll put you on Oprah” line to Raylan had me rolling on the floor. — Camille

Matt Roush: Thanks for letting me get this week’s column started on a positive note. There’s so much terrific TV happening right now — can’t believe Justified will be over after next week, but what a great ride that’s been, and thanks for giving me a chance to throw an appreciative shout-out to Nick Searcy (Art), who brings such a sharp and understated wit to the often stock role of the exasperated boss. These last few weeks, as Art expresses his disappointment and distrust of Raylan in the wake of the Winona money debacle, we feel for Raylan because who wouldn’t want Art’s respect? (When I chatted with Searcy at an FX party recently, he told me the recent bit about Art’s hearing aids came from him. They’re real, and Searcy suggested to executive producer Graham Yost that they be worked into his story.) Regarding Fringe: This is the very definition of a cult TV show, and we’re long past the stage where they’re making it easy for the casual observer (so to speak) to dip in and out. You have to commit fully to enjoy this one, and it’s not getting any easier to find and hold those kinds of viewers. Like Chuck, which has always lived on the bubble, Fringe can’t honestly expect to grow its audience significantly at this point from season to season, so it will likely be living on a year-to-year basis. Clearly there’s another full season’s worth of story left in this premise, and who knows where next week’s season finale will propel it. But Fox seems to appreciate the show for what it is, and probably knows it couldn’t do any better on Fridays than what Fringe is doing (and we all wish it were doing better). But despite its ratings woes on a tough night, the show is generating great buzz, and my hope is that the producers and the network respect each other enough to make a mutual decision about when it’s time to fold tent on this one, so a proper finale can be crafted. I’ll be OK if the fourth year is the last if the creative types are all on board. I’d be even more thrilled if they can somehow make it work even longer.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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