Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Grace Gummer (The Newsroom) has joined the cast of this summer’s new CBS drama Extant that will star Halle Berry as Molly, a female astronaut trying to reconnect with her family when she returns after a year in outer space. Gummer will play one of the principal partners in building robot prototypes with Molly’s husband John (Goran Visnjic). Camryn Manheim will also star. (Entertainment Weekly and The Futon Critic)

Actor Colin Salmon (Arrow) has joined the cast of the FOX event series 24: Live Another Day that will pick up the story four years after the series finale, which left Jack Bauer (series lead Kiefer Sutherland) as a fugitive from justice, this time in London. Salmon will play General Coburn, an intelligent, powerful and fiercely loyal man who does not suffer fools no matter what rank. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Willie Garson (White Collar) will guest star in an upcoming episode of the TNT legal series Franklin and Bash, playing Dr. Alex Schwartzman, a plastic surgeon who loves what he does, primarily because his skills allow him access to women normally out of reach. Dr. Schwartzman is sub-leasing space from Franklin & Bash and is stunned to discover that their newest client is his wife, Gretchen, who wants a divorce. However, Alex doesn’t want to lose his wife and is hoping her attorneys (aka his landlords) can dissuade her from pursuing any legal action. (Kate Stanhope at TV Guide)

TV TRAILER

24: Live Another Day: First Promos

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actor Jack Davenport (Smash and Pirates of the Caribbean) has taken one of the lead roles opposite actress Jennifer Carpenter (Dexter) in the ABC drama pilot called Sea of Fire. The pilot is about what happens when three teenage girls star in a pornographic film that ends up tearing their families apart and leading to a disappearance, a murder and host of other secrets boiling under the surface in a small town. Davenport will play Marty Kesowich, the local sheriff who teams with FBI Agent Leah Pierce (Carpenter) to unravel the mystery of the girl’s disappearance. But as their investigation deepens, dark secrets emerge and the list of suspects grows ever larger. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actor Scott Bakula (Star Trek Enterprise and Quantum Leap) has been cast as the lead in the new NCIS spin-off NCIS: New Orleans. (Cynthia Littleton at Variety)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Zachary Quinto (Heroes and Star Trek) will appear in the box office sequel to the 2007 film Hitman that will star Rupert Friend (Homeland) in the lead role. (First Showing)

Here are the top 10 box office films from this past weekend courtesy of Box Office Mojo:

1. Ride Along – $12.3 million
2. Frozen – $9.3 million
3. That Awkward Moment – $9 million
4. The Nut Job – $7.6 million
5. Lone Survivor – $7.2 million
6. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit – $5.4 million
7. Labor Day – $5.3 million
8. American Hustle – $4.3 million
9. The Wolf of Wall Street – $3.55 million
10. I, Frankenstein – $3.52 million

BOX OFFICE TRAILERS

Super Bowl Ad: Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier Trailer

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Trailer

CONDOLENCES

It was announced on Sunday morning that renowned actor Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead in his apartment in New York City by an apparent drug overdose. And, legendary actor Maximilian Schnell also passed way this weekend in Austria. Condolences are extended to their families, friends and fans.

ME: Moment of silence, please…

Q&A SECTION (with TV Scoop Team at E! Online)

Question: What’s going on with Spencer in Pretty Little Liars? I’m starting to really worry about her.

TV Scoop Team: You should be! We’ve all seen our Spencer fall down the crazy hole in the past, but the stress of uncovering Ali’s secrets have put her on a very dangerous path. In the highly anticipated noir-themed episode, executive producer Joseph Dougherty tells us that Spencer’s struggles are “very different from her troubles with Toby.” The PLL boss continues, “Where Aria’s danger has always been being possibly too romantic, Spencer’s danger may be being too analytical.” We’re only going to say two things about the noir episode: First, it’s amazing and incredible and you’re going to want to watch it over and over again—especially the scenes with Ali. And second, Spencer struggles with whether or not she should reveal the truth to Aria.

Question: So excited Roy is finally part of Team Arrow, even if Oliver doesn’t want to call it that!

TV Scoop Team: So are we. Colton Haynes, too, who tells us it’s “fun to work with all the different personality dynamics between everybody” on the team, adding that Roy adds a new dynamic as “everyone’s kind of sassy and quippy,” and he’s, well, not. Of course, Haynes, who is BFFs with Emily Bett Rickards, says having Roy and Felicity in the same room is “fun” and quite comedic.

Question: Loved that Mary’s ladies got more to do in last week’s episode of Reign! What’s coming up for Lola, Greer and Kenna on Reign?

TV Scoop Team: How about some fresh spoilers on each lady-in-waiting? For Lola, Laurie McCarthy teases, “she’s the first of our girls to be really driven to find a husband,” so expect some new love interests. Greer, of course, will “continue with Leith…their affection for each other will deepen into love and it really becomes just more impossible the deeper they go, with explosive results,” McCarthy previews. As for Kenna, well, the former mistress to the King will “continue to get herself into trouble. She remains involved with the king,” but an “arranged marriage” is on the horizon.

Question: I’m in desperate need of Once Upon a Time spoilers please!

TV Scoop Team: It’s time to get to know Daddy dearest a little bit more. We all know that Snow White is the daughter of the great King Leopold, but have you ever wondered what the ruler was like before he became the father to the fairest lady in the land? When the magical drama finally returns after it’s wickedly long hiatus, we’ll be treated to a flashback starring young Prince Leopold. Did we mention that he’s single in these scenes? Get ready to watch the charming lad’s quest to find a suitable queen for the kingdom.

That’s it. Enjoy!