Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Ed Burns (Alex Cross) will play notorious mobster Bugsy Siegel in a recurring role on the upcoming TNT series Lost Angels and actor Robert Knepper (Prison Break and Cult), originally set as recurring on the series, has been promoted to a series regular. Lost Angels is based on the John Buntin book “L.A. Noir”, which follows the turmoil surrounding the LAPD and ruthless criminal activities led by gangster Mickey Cohen (Jeremy Luke). After moving from the East Coast to California, Siegel quickly established himself as the Los Angeles mob leader in the late 1930s and early 1940s, with Cohen as his chief lieutenant. Siegel also was a Hollywood fixture, throwing lavish parties for Tinseltown’s biggest names. Knepper will play Sid Rothman, a rank-and-file mobster working for Cohen. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Roger Howarth (General Hospital and One Life to Live) will appear in a multi-episode arc on Californication, playing a yoga teacher in the class of Karen (Natascha McElhone), Hank’s (David Duchovny) longtime, on-again/off-again girlfriend and mother of his daughter. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Jordan Wall (The Glades) and Josh Randall (Ed) will both guest star in an upcoming episode of Drop Dead Diva. Randall will play Stuart Kane, a world-renowned L.A.-based chemistry professor who has recently fallen in love with a beautiful model. But both his flourishing career and budding romance are threatened when he’s arrested at LAX for attempting to smuggle drugs out of the country. Wall is set to play Brad Pines, a grad student in chemistry and protégé of Kane. Brad is an ambitious young researcher who puts his work on hold to support his mentor following the shocking arrest. Drop Dead Diva will be back on Lifetime starting on June 23. (Kimberly Nordyke and Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actor Justin Bruening (All My Children) will be heading back to Switched at Birth for a guest appearance on the ABC Family series where he played Chef Jeff who had a fling with Daphne (series lead Katie Leclerc). Also, actor Larry Sullivan (CSI) will guest star in an episode of the series playing Leo, who may be the adopted father of Angelo’s (Gilles Marini) baby. (Philiana Ng at The Hollywood Reporter)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

The cable network Starz is developing a post-Civil War drama called Monsters of God that will be set in 1867 Texas during the Comanche Wars, following two powerful ex-Cavalry men — a war-hungry colonel and his seemingly by the-book executive officer — as they struggle to maintain order over the men in their command as they’re faced with the challenges of an uncivilized territory and their own inner-demons. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

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

Question: Deeks and Kensi: What happens after the kiss on NCIS: Los Angeles? — Moni, via Twitter

ADAM: Well, you’re assuming that Deeks makes it out of Sidorov’s torture trap alive. (Just kidding, that’s a pretty safe bet.) But executive producer Shane Brennan cautions viewers not to make too much of the liplock. “It wasn’t a candlelit dinner,” he says. “It was almost a challenge that he threw down to her. I think it surprised both of them.” But Deeks may feel differently about the kiss after his brush with death.

Question: Any scoop on Haley and Klaus’ future on The Originals? I need my Klaroline! — Liz

NATALIE: Yes, Haley and Klaus are having a vamp/hybrid/were-baby together, but their connection pretty much ends there. “Hayley is, by no means, the Cinderella in the Klaus love story,” executive producer Julie Plec says. “Hayley is a girl who’s pretty tough, fiery, an independent spirit, a survivor in her own right who got drunk, had sex and got knocked up. She’s going to have her own journey. She’s not really meant to be a threat to Klaus’ love life. If anything, she’s the portal into his redemption.”

Question: Do you have any scoop on the “home office” on Once Upon a Time? — Jennie

NATALIE: The home office wanted to destroy magic in our world, but that doesn’t mean that Peter Pan isn’t part of it. Speaking of the mysterious organization, executive producer Adam Horowitz promises pay-off. “We’re going to explain pretty quickly what it is and how, as we showed in the finale, Greg and Tamara were unwittingly working for Peter Pan, and how that all connects.” It was curious that they were so against magic, right?

Question: I need some Rizzoli & Isles scoop! — Andrea

ADAM: As the murder trial of Maura’s mob boss dad Paddy Doyle (John Doman) draws near, Maura finds out that her birth mom Hope (Sharon Lawrence), contrary to her previous claims, might have been in contact with Paddy while he was doing his dirty dealings. How does she find out? With some unwitting help from her half-sis Cailin (Emilee Wallace).

Question: Now that Jack knows Emily’s real identity on Revenge, will they finally get together? — Robert

NATALIE: Not so fast. We asked (OK, begged) Nick Wechsler about the possibility. “I don’t think they will have them get together romantically, and if it happens, it’ll be further into the season,” he says. Instead, expect Jack to focus on his own plan for revenge. “This poor [guy] lost his dad, his dog, his wife, now his brother … it’s going to be the fire under his vengeful a–.”

Question: What’s up with Ali’s mom returning in the Pretty Little Liars premiere? — Jennie

ADAM: She’s a woman of secrets, that’s for sure. Executive producer Marlene King says that her return to Rosewood will spark even more debate amongst the girls about whether they really did see Alison during the fire last season. “She [was] redoing Alison’s room,” King notes. “Is she crazy or [is she] getting ready for Ali to come back?”

Question: Do you have any scoop on Longmire? — Joe

NATALIE: The race between Walt and Branch is heating up. Look for Cady to stump them both during a debate in which Branch definitely has the upper hand. But there will also be a more tangible test of their mettle: When gunshots ring out during the event, which candidate will come to the rescue?

Question: What’s going on with Mike and Rachel on Suits? — Linda

ADAM: Rachel still needs time to process his lie. In the meantime, look for Mike to have nightmares in which she exposes him. While those fears remain unfounded (for now), Rachel does give Mike an equally scary ultimatum: quit or suffer the consequences.

Question: Thrilled about Tatiana Maslany’s Critics Choice win! Any chance you coaxed some Orphan Black scoop out of her (and don’t tell me you didn’t speak to her — I’m armed with evidence that says you did.) —Missy

Ausiello: TVLine’s Vlada Gelman grilled the native Canadian on the red carpet (of the Critics’ Choice Awards) about one of Orphan Black‘s most enduring mysteries: Why the heck did Sarah abandon Kira in the first place? “I think she left because she didn’t know how to be a mother,” explains Maslany. “She just can’t handle that responsibility. For her, she’s always hustled and manipulated. That’s what she knows. And to have a little baby who’s reliant on her is the scariest thing that could ever happen to Sarah. I think she was in a relationship that led her down a road she wanted to get away from.” Speaking of which, who’s the daddy? Teases the actress: “[That] is a mystery still to be solved.”

Question: Please tell me Bunheads will be back for a second season. The pins and needles are starting to hurt. —Amanda

Ausiello: Breaking news directly from consulting producer Dan Palladino: The show’s still on the bubble. “There’s no official word,” AS-P’s other half tells me. “But if Bunheads is not renewed, Amy and I are going to force Sutton Foster to work with us again, at gunpoint if necessary.”

Question: Is there anything concrete yet about Hilarie Burton returning to White Collar? Not that I don’t love the idea of Bridget Regan wooing Neal, too! —Lanie

Ausiello: A White Collar source tells me “there’s discussion about bringing Sara back” but nothing is 100 percent official just yet. My gut says there will be something official in the next couple weeks.

Question: Klaroline shipper here. Please assure me that we’re not going to be forced to endure a full-fledged Klaus-Hayley romance on The Originals. —Kim

Ausiello: Why don’t I let exec producer Julie Plec assure you instead: “Hayley is, by no means, the Cinderella in the Klaus love story. Hayley is a girl who’s pretty tough, fiery, independent … a survivor in her own right who got drunk, had sex and got knocked up. She’s going to have her own journey. She’s not really meant to be a threat to Klaus’ love life.”

Question: Switched at Birth! Scoop! Go! —Val

Ausiello: Sounds like Daphne’s new love interest, Barista Jace, is going to be a bit of a slow burn. “They start off a little hesitant,” Katie Leclerc tells us. “We haven’t fully developed our relationship yet. There’s just been sort of a, ‘Oh, you’re cute.’ ‘Oh, you’re cute.’ Sparks fly.” As for Noah, he hasn’t popped up in the summer vacation episodes yet, but as Vanessa Marano points out, “He still goes to [Carlton High],” so a return is possible once class is back in session.

Question: I’d love anything you have on Pretty Little Liars. —Estee

Ausiello: Expect to see a lot more of the ‘rents this season. As exec producer Marlene King previews, “‘A’ decides that he or she has not been able to divide and conquer the Liars as desired. So, in addition to targeting them, ‘A’ is really going to put targets on the backs of their parents. They’re all under A’s thumb because of it. A big part of the mystery revolves around the Marin family.” Bonus PLL Scoop: The show is casting the recurring role of Travis, a high school-aged gas station employee who possesses a “reserved and rugged” quality and a “solid and moral” center. Which gal do you think will ding his bell?

That’s it. Enjoy!