Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

NBC has picked up the TV rights to the action series Crossing Lines and is set to air the 10-episode series this summer. The show is set in exotic locations, tapping into the charter of the International Criminal Court to investigate serialized cross-border crimes and to hunt down global criminals. The series stars William Fichtner (24) and legendary actor Donald Sutherland (among others). (TV By the Numbers)

CBS has renewed CSI for a 14th season. [Shock and awe, folks; shock and awe!] (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Michael Angarano will co-star alongside Jason Statham in the movie remake of the 1986 film Heat. Statham will play Nick, a recovering gambling addict working as a for-hire tough guy while Angarano will play Cyrus Kinnick, a tech billionaire who hires Nick as a bodyguard and gambling tutor. (The Deadline Team)

BOX OFFICE TRAILERS

Watch: DreamWorks Animation’s Speedy Theatrical Trailer for ‘Turbo’

Hot Trailer: ‘Welcome To The Punch’

Q&A SECTION (with Team Watch with Kristin at E! Online, Natalie Abrams and Adam Bryant at TV Guide and Sandra Gonzalez at Entertainment Weekly)

Question: I really hope Beauty and the Beast gets renewed for a second season! Got any scoop for us Beasties?! – Matthew

Team Watch with Kristin: Things will get (even more) complicated for Catherine at work thanks to her feelings for Vincent and her desire to protect him, something Gabe is picking up on.

Question: Is winter here yet? I need some Game of Thrones scoop to hold me over until the premiere! — Philip

NATALIE: Watch out, Khaleesi! When Daenerys visits Slaver’s Bay to recruit help for her quest to reclaim the Iron Throne, another attempt will be made on her life. Never fear though. We won’t lose the dragon mother that easily. A familiar face arrives unexpectedly to save her, and this person could provide important insight into her enemy.

Question: I can’t believe Klaus and Haley hooked up! Will that continue on The Vampire Diaries spin-off? — Charlie

NATALIE: Not so fast. While we loved the fact that Klaus finally got some, Joseph Morgan says this is not a story line that will continue on The Originals. “Because we were the first people cast — myself, Daniel Gillies and Phoebe Tonkin — it’s easy to assume that it’ll be a love triangle with Haley and the two brothers, but it’s something so utterly different,” Morgan says, adding, “That would be a cheap shot to have a carbon copy of The Vampire Diaries, which [the spin-off] really isn’t.” Well, it was fun while it lasted.

Question: What can you tell me about Deacon’s new love interest on Nashville? — Heather

ADAM: Although the character, played by Susan Misner, is a veterinarian, she is also a West Coast Nashville transplant — which means she’s not intimidated by Deacon’s celebrity status. And although Deacon is drawn to her “outsider” ways —a tour of the city ends in Deacon’s bedroom — she’s none too impressed by the way he just drops everything for a gig.

Question: Do you have any scoop on the Arrow season finale? — John

NATALIE: The finale will include a “seminal moment in Oliver’s evolution on the island,” executive producer Marc Guggenheim tells me, noting that the climax of the season in flashback will be as pivotal as the one in present day. “What’s Fyres up to, where do Yao-Fei’s allegiances lie, why is Shado on the island, the missile launcher that you saw at the end of Episode 16; all these things will get paid off in the last episode of Season 1.”

Question: What can you tell me about Ryan’s undercover episode on Castle? — Brittney

ADAM: When the team’s murder investigation leads to an Irish crime family Ryan once infiltrated, he dusts off his old tough-guy persona (and clothes), which comes as a major shock to his colleagues. “He’s mild-mannered and he’s a family man. We always see him in the sweater vests and the ties,” Seamus Dever jokes. But perhaps worse, Ryan has to reconnect with an old flame, which he can’t tell his wife. “It cuts close to the bone,” Dever says. “He can’t explain all the things and he doesn’t want to scare her and tell her that he’s walking back into the hornet’s nest.”

Question: Do you know when we’re going to see the showdown between Neville and his son on Revolution? — Terri

Sandra: In the first episode back! “There is this sort of unforgivable schism between father and son. And from that point on, their paths diverge,” says executive producer Eric Kripke. “Jason makes some radical changes and Neville is left to deal with them.” It’s so bad, says Kripke, that it “sets them on different paths for really most of the season.”

Question: I’m so excited for the return of Revolution. Anything new you can share about the return? — Anne

Sandra: In this second half, don’t expect the heroes to be traveling in one big happy bunch. According to Kripke, there’s a split-up coming. “I don’t want to say who goes where, but in our classic Lord of the Rings-way, different epic quests end up evolving and our little fellowship ends up having to split up and head off into different directions in the most emotional and fraught way possible to accomplish their goals,” he says. These quests will take them into the two new lands that have been teased — Georgia Federation and Plains Nation.

Question: I’m going to marathon Revolution this weekend to prepare for the return. I’m hoping the lights don’t go out because I need this refresher course. Anything juicy to share to help me get through my quest? — Melissa

Sandra: “If the first half of the season was to find Danny, the second half of the season, this war really begins,” teases Kripke. “It’s about this rag-tag group of rebels up against the evil empire — it’s as fun as that. It’s the good guys versus the bad guys and overwhelming battles and love and romance and loyalty.”

Question: The April 6 episode of NCIS is getting a lot of buzz. What can you tell us about the episode, especially on the Tony/Ziva front? Can we expect some explosive moments with these two? — Cheryl

Sandra: Explosive? In a literal sense, not so much. Incredibly sweet? Yes. (…and there’s more than one!) Also, prepare yourself for the ending. In one word: Cliffhanger. In three words: Oh. My. God.

Question: When’s the next time Liv and Fitz see each other on Scandal? Or really ANYTHING on these two would help me get through these last few days until the new episode! — Gina

Sandra: Fitz and Liv have another one of their famous phone calls in this week’s episode, but it’s definitely more business than pleasure. And you won’t have to wait too long for their next face-to-face meeting — but the circumstances are less than ideal.

Question: I hope this makes it in, but WHAT’S IN THE BOX?! (Re: NCIS: LA) – Samantha

Sandra: I know you all were dying to find out what’s inside, but I promise your patience will pay off. So does exec producer Shane Brennan! “Deeks will look at Kensi in a slightly different way now,” he says. “And without giving too much away, we haven’t seen the last of the box. Even though the box returns, it isn’t the last time we see the box.”

Question: Any word on The Lying Game renewal? This delay is making me nervous! — B.A.

Sandra: No word yet, according to Andy Buckley, but he is feeling confident. “Technically they have a month to tell us, but I tend to think they will pick us up,” he says. “I would be very surprised [if we didn’t].”

That’s it. Enjoy!