Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Lifetime has picked up the drama series Un-Real for a 10-episode order. The dark comedy gives a behind-the-scenes look at the chaos surrounding the production of a dating competition program. The series comes from Marti Noxon and Sarah Gertrude Shapiro and will star Shiri Appleby (Life Unexpected and Roswell) as Rachel, a young staffer whose sole job is to manipulate her relationships with and among the contestants to get the vital dramatic and outrageous footage the program’s dispassionate executive producer (Megyn Price from Rules of Engagement) demands. The series co-stars Freddie Stroma (Pitch Perfect); and Arielle Kebbel (The Vampire Diaries) will guest star. (TV By the Numbers)

Actor John Benjamin Hickey (The Big C and The Good Wife) has joined the cast of the WGN America 13-episode drama series called Manhattan that is set during the clandestine mission to build the world’s first atomic bomb in Los Alamos, NM, following the brilliant but flawed scientists and their families. It centers on Frank Winter (Hickey), a brilliant and self-destructive physics professor tapped to help lead the Manhattan Project, a mission that will jeopardize his family and his sanity. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Nathalie Emmanuel has been promoted to series regular on Game of Thrones for the show’s fifth season NOT this upcoming fourth season that is set to start on HBO on April 6. She plays Missandei, the clever translator to Daenerys Targaryen (series regular Emilia Clarke). (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Paul Bettany has signed on to play the Vision in upcoming box office film The Avengers: Age Of Ultron. (The Deadline Team)

Q&A SECTION (with Matt Mitovich at TV Line and TV Scoop Team at E! Online)

Question: I can’t believe Revolution‘s Charlie hooked up with Connor! There’s no way I imagined the chemistry between her and Monroe. Does this mean there’s no hope for Charloe (that is Charlie and Monroe for those unfamiliar with all the nicknames) now? –Rosie

Mitovich: “Never give up hope,” executive producer Rockne S. O’Bannon responds. “Sure, Charlie and Connor are a natural hook-up. But there’s no denying that Charlie and Monroe have history. And certainly that’s on Monroe’s mind. Stay tuned.”

Question: Not sure if I’m the only one, but I can’t stop thinking about when Once Upon a Time‘s Regina is going to meet her true love (aka, Robin Hood). I’d like some inside info. –Diana

Mitovich: Already, I scooped for you that the “soul mates” will finally come face to face in the second episode back, airing March 16. But here’s a little something new, from co-creator Eddy Kitsis: “They meet under interesting circumstances – heightened, intense circumstances — as one does on our show.”

Question: Arrow is on fire! In TVLine’s January 9 interview, Stephen Amell teased an Oliver/Laurel encounter unlike one we’ve ever seen before on the show. Any idea which scene he was referring to, or if it has even aired yet? –Joanne

Mitovich: The aforementioned “encounter unlike one that we’ve ever seen” has not yet aired.

Question: Do you have any scoop on Arrow? –Ashley

Mitovich: The “Birds of Prey” episode airing March 26 finds The Huntress “consumed by this vengeance that she has for her father,” says EP Andrew Kreisberg, and as such she is now all but rid of her Helena identity and looking “very haggard.” When she goes to dispatch with Daddy dearest once and for all, “Laurel gets caught in the crossfire,” prompting Canary to fly to the rescue. “It’s a fun episode in that you get a lot of Laurel with the Canary, not realizing that it’s Sara,” says Kreisberg. “It’s really an episode about Sara realizing where she’s at in her evolution as a hero.”

Question: I really, really need some Pretty Little Liars scoop — possibly on the game changing season 4B finale.—Jon

Mitovich: The finale is titled “A is for Answers” and that’s precisely what fans will get. Some of the biggest questions y’all have been asking since Season 1 will be answered by none other than Alison D, in the flesh, as she finally (finally!) reveals intimate details of what happened the night she went missing.

Question: My favorite character from Graceland Season 1 was Abby, and it’s killing me that I don’t know if she’s going to be in Season 2 or not. –Sonja

Mitovich: While Mike Warren will have plenty to deal with on the romantic front in Season 2, a source says that at this point in time it’s only “possible” that Abby will resurface.

Question: How long will Scotty be sticking around on Suits? I think Harvey is better off without her (and with Donna!) –Kellie

Mitovich: She’d better be sticking around, seeing as the midseason premiere finds her grappling with a half-million dollar buy-in to join the firm.

Question: It is time on NCIS for Rule 38: “Your case, your lead.” Will we see Tony DiNozzo in the lead again? –Ann

Mitovich: Cross your fingers, because you just might get something resembling a Tony-centric Season 11 finale. As show boss Gary Glasberg told me at TCA, “I’d really like to focus on and come up with something for the season finale that has a strong Tony element to it – in fact, we’re about to sit down and talk about that.”

Question: Drop Dead Diva me please! – Alex

TV Scoop Team: Viewers will meet Seth, an old friend of Grayson’s who recently lost his wife. He turns to Grayson and Jane to help fulfill her last wish, but the two clash over the request.

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a terrific weekend!!