Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Erica Gimpel (Fame, Veronica Mars and Roswell) will appear in a two-episode arc of Nikita for February sweeps. She will play the important role of Carla, a mysterious woman who has a deep connection Nikita. Much like how Nikita helped Alex (Lyndsy Fonseca) get clean, Carla is the woman responsible for taking Nikita off the streets. (E! Online)

Actors Michael Eklund (Fringe) and Eric Johnson (Smallville and Rookie Blue) will play escaped prisoners on the new FOX drama Alcatraz. Eklund will play Kit Nelson, a terrifying kidnapper who always returns his victims to their homes… after he’s killed them. While Johnson will portray Cal Sweeney, a smooth talking bank robber whose interests lie in safety deposit boxes and the secrets they contain. (Natalie Abrams on TV Guide)

The new Canadian series The L.A. Complex, which stars Firefly and Stargate Atlantis alum Jewel Staite – which is set to debut in Canada this month – is looking to air on The CW here in the States this summer. Currently there are only six episodes of the new drama that revolves around twenty-somethings living in the same LA apartment complex as they try to make it in Tinseltown. The L.A. Complex is expected to be a key piece of the full-fledged summer original programming by the network. The cast includes Jonathan Patrick Moore (the Australian soap Neighbours); Cassie Steele (from the hit Canadian series Degrassi) and Chelan Simmons (Kyle XY) [among others]. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Bianca Lawson (Pretty Little Liars and The Vampire Diaries) will appear in at least four episodes of the MTV series Teen Wolf this summer when the show returns for its second season. She will play Ms. Morrell, the guidance counselor at Beacon Hills High School, who becomes an ally to several characters. Additionally, actress Gage Golightly (Ringer) will appear as a tough girl who transforms from ugly duckling to swan and actor Michael Hogan (Battlestar Galactica) as Allison’s grandfather. (Tierney Bricker at E! Online)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

A new drama from The Shield creator Shawn Ryan and feature writer Karl Gajdusek called Last Resort is staffing up while waiting for a formal pilot green light from ABC. This potential series is a thriller set in the near future when the country is very fractured and revolves around the crew of a U.S. nuclear submarine who become hunted after ignoring an order to shoot nuclear missiles. They escape to a NATO listening outpost where they publicly declare themselves to be the world’s smallest nuclear nation with 24 nuclear warheads. (Nellie Andreeeva at Deadline)

Farscape creator Rockne O’Bannon has secured a pilot order for a new crime drama on The CW called Cult with executive producers Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage on board. The tagline for this potential series is: “After a rash of disappearances and a likely murder, an inquisitive, young female production assistant on a wildly popular television show called Cult joins a journalist blogger in investigating the rabid fans of the series who might be re-creating crimes seen on the program, in real life.” (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actors Benedict Cumberbatch (the BBC’s Sherlock) and Noel Clarke (Doctor Who) have landed roles in the upcoming Star Trek sequel. Cumberbatch has landed the villain role in the sequel while Clarke will have a smaller role said to be that of a family man with a wife and young daughter. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Looks like actor Liam Hemsworth (the upcoming The Hunger Games) will be starring in the independent heist movie called Chris that may also feature Dwayne Johnson. The film is based on the true story of a 1982 NYC armored car company robbery thought at the time to be the largest cash heist in U.S. history. (Nikki Finke at Deadline)

A BLAST FROM THE PAST – CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD

Doris Day back in the spotlight

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

The USA Network dramas Fairly Legal and In Plain Sight will be teaming up for Friday night airings starting on March 16. This is the first time in 2 ½ years that the network has scheduled programming on that night of the week. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Michael B. Jordan (Friday Night Lights and Parenthood) will guest star in an upcoming episode of House. All that is known right now is that he will play a patient. (Philiana Ng at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actor Josh Stamberg (Drop Dead Diva) will appear in a February sweeps arc on Castle, playing an intelligence officer that ends up being very important to the case that will feature Jennifer Beals as a CIA agent who helps Castle and Beckett search for a fellow operative who has gone rogue. (TV Line)

Actor Jonathan Groff (Glee) will guest star in an upcoming episode of The Good Wife, playing Jimmy, a plaintiff suing a software company after his sister disappears during a peaceful protest in Syria. The episode is slated to air during February sweeps. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

The upcoming BBC America police drama called Copper has added the following cast members: Tom Weston-Jones (MI-5), Anastasia Griffith (Damages and Once Upon a Time), Kyle Schmid (Blood Ties) and Franka Potente (The Bourne Identity). The series will follow an Irish-American cop in 1860’s New York City as he solves crimes with the assistance of friends from his time as a Civil War soldier. (Variety)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

ABC has ordered a drama script from film director Roland Emmerich. The project would be set in New York City against the backdrop of the presidential race of 2012, when a young astrophysics student learns his destiny lies not in science but somewhere between heaven and hell. (Variety)

Actor Christian Campbell will be joining his sibling, actress Neve Campbell (Party of Five), in the two-hour Lifetime movie Sworn to Silence that is also a backdoor pilot for the network. The movie will be set in an Amish farming community that was shaken up by a series of brutal murders 15 years ago. It centers on Kate Burkholder (Neve Campbell), who as a young girl survived the terror and left the Amish life behind, and now returns to Painter’s Mill as its chief of police. Christian play Kate’s brother. This is the first time the two will play siblings. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Matthew Fox (Lost) will star in the Japan-set political thriller epic called Emperor that is inspired by true events and set amidst the uncertainties of the days following the Japanese surrender at the end of WWII. Fox will play Gen. Bonner Fellers, one of the leading Japanese experts of General Douglas MacArthur who served as the de facto ruler of Japan. Fellers is charged with reaching a decision of historical importance: should Emperor Hirohito be tried and hanged as a war criminal? The story also covers Fellers’ love affair with a Japanese exchange student he met years before in the U.S., and his quest to find her in the ravaged post-war landscape. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE MOVIE TRAILER

Indie Drama ‘Return’ Trailer with Linda Cardellini and Michael Shannon

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

Question: I can’t wait for The Vampire Diaries to return! What can you spoil? — Heather

NATALIE: When Klaus decides to take up residence in Mystic Falls, Elena will learn the hard way just how much danger she’s putting her brother in. “There has to be a big change,” executive producer Julie Plec tells us. “What that is, and what she does, is part of the first episode back.” Let’s just say we might not see Jeremy for a while.

Question: Anything good coming up on NCIS? — Katie

ADAM: The show is looking for an actress to play a quick-witted investigative journalist who, while charming on the surface, isn’t afraid to get scrappy in order to get the story. When she bulldozes her way into the NCIS team’s investigation, however, she gets more than she bargained for — namely, a reunion with someone from her past that brings up a flood of old emotion.

Question: I’m dying for some Justified scoop! Are Raylan and Winona going to stay together? — Tammy

ADAM: It sure looks like it. But where will they live? Now that the couple has a little gunslinger on the way, the motel room they currently call home isn’t exactly family-friendly — especially once it becomes a crime scene in the season premiere.

Question: How long will it take for Hank to figure out that it was Divya who prescribed Eric Kassabian (Wilmer Valderrama) the wrong medication on Royal Pains? — James

NATALIE: Her conscience will push her to come clean with Hank fairly quickly after the incident, and it will not only impact her relationship with him, but she’ll also lose her job at Hamptons Heritage. Hank will be fairly calm about the whole thing, but don’t expect things to go back to normal any time soon.

Question: Your Rizzoli & Isles postmortem says “we may get into” how Jane and Maura met. Does that mean a flashback episode? — Jacob

ADAM: Affirmative! Look for one in early Season 3. “I have always toyed with the idea of doing a scene about how they met and I think I’ve come up with an elegant way to do it,” executive producer Janet Tamaro tells us. “I think as they try to find their way [to being friends again] it will be interesting to see how they first became friends.”

Question: I’ve got Revenge on the brain! Anything good coming up? —Carol

Ausiello: The Takedown of the Week is returning with a vengeance! Exec producer Mike Kelley reveals that the Jan. 11 episode will find Emily zeroing in on a fresh target. “We decided to do a pretty elaborate takedown… and we found a really strong way to introduce a villain we quite like,” teases the showrunner, referring to the pretentious journalist character played by Desperate Housewives‘ Roger Bart. “Emily ends up using what she knows of Amanda from juvie to help her in her quest to destroy [him]. This takedown just so happens to open up a whole new vein of intrigue and surprise and possibility that will have a great impact on Emily’s quest. It paints villains in a softer light and makes people you like seem a little darker.”

Question: I want some Vampire Diaries scoop! –Philip

Ausiello: Things get very heated between Damon, Stefan and Elena when the series returns on Thursday. Look for all three to have dramatic confrontations with each other — and one of the showdowns even ends with a slap. Elsewhere, keep a close eye on Alaric’s new love interest, Dr. Fell (played by Paul Wesley’s real-life wife/Tree Hill alum Torrey DeVitto). Something tells us this is one character that’s going to be a lot more important than first thought.

Question: Please tell me there are some Caroline and Stefan scenes coming up on Vampire Diaries! I really miss their friendship! —Amy

Ausiello: Sadly, there’s nothing in this Thursday’s episode. Stefan’s a bit preoccupied with hiding coffins from Klaus. But I have to imagine he’ll find some time in his hectic schedule to wish Caroline a happy birthday next week.

Question: Scoop on Vampire Diaries’ Bonnie, please! Any details about the reunion with her mother? —Alta

Ausiello: It’s not going to be “all Hallmark cards and cookies,” warns executive producer Julie Plec. “There’s a lot of tension there. There’s [also a] surprising explanation about why [her] mother felt like she needed to walk away and never come back to Mystic Falls.” Plec adds that Bonnie’s back-story will “play an interesting role in solving a present-day mythology puzzle.”

Question: Joseph Morgan recently mentioned that he’d like to see Klaus have a love interest on Vampire Diaries. Is this happening anytime soon? —Amy

Ausiello: Morgan is getting his wish! While Plec wouldn’t tell us if the lucky (or maybe not so lucky?) lady is someone we’ve met before, she did confirm “someone will catch Klaus’ eye very soon.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

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