Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Sherry Stringfield (ER) has joined the cast of the CBS summer series Under the Dome, which will be back on June 30 for the start of its second season. She will play Pauline, a mysterious woman who may be connected to the origins of the dome. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Bravo Media has greenlit its first original scripted series; an hour-long drama from writer-producer Marti Noxon called Girlfriends’ Guide To Divorce that will star Lisa Edelstein (House). The 13-episode series will follow Abby (Edelstein), a self-help book author who hides the fact that she’s separated from her husband, as she starts to navigate her life as a single woman in her early 40s in Los Angeles. She finds herself seeking advice from her divorced friends instead of her married ones, which leads to some unexpected and life-changing experiences. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

NOTE: Ironic or not, I have a friend who directed a webseries this past summer with nearly an identical storyline, based on a popular online blog. Funny how that happens and that bigger names prevail with the networks.

Actor Ryan McPartlin (Chuck) will guest star in the upcoming USA Network comedy series Playing House [NOTE: I usually don’t cover comedy, but when it comes to anyone from Chuck, I’ll excuse it]. The series will revolve around mom-to-be Maggie (Lennon Parham from Best Friends Forever) and her childhood best friend, Emma (Jessica St. Clair also from Best Friends Forever), who abandons her blossoming business career in China to help Maggie raise her baby. McPartlin will play a hunky officer who helps the women install their baby seat. (Vlada Gelman at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actress Kathleen Munroe (Alphas and Stargate Universe as well as the upcoming ABC drama Resurrection) has landed a role on the ABC drama pilot called Clementine that is about Clementine Ross (newcomer Sarah Snook), a habitual criminal who digs into the mystery of her origins after she becomes the target of a group of zealots who fear she possesses latent supernatural abilities that she will one day harness for either profound good or monstrous evil. Munroe will play Lydia Tomas, the practical, regimented, and protective fiancée of Charlie (Kevin Alejandro from Arrow and Ugly Betty), who is often at odds with Clementine. Actors David Strathairn and Edwin Hodge also star. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline and The Futon Critic)

Veteran actor Judd Hirsch (Numb3rs) has joined the cast of the ABC drama pilot called Forever that is about Dr. Henry Morgan, a 200-year-old man who spends his days working in the New York City Morgue trying to find a key to unlock the curse of his immortality. Hirsch will play Abe, Henry’s best (and only) friend. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline and The Futon Critic)

Actors Nathaniel Buzolic (Kol on The Vampire Diaries) and Lucien Laviscount (Episodes and Skins) have joined the cast of The CW’s spin-off series Supernatural: Tribes. The series will follow the various mafia-esque monster families that unknowingly-to-humans “run” the underbelly of Chicago, who are being tracked by a newly-minted Hunter trying to stop them and rid Chicago of anything or anyone supernatural. Buzolic will play David Hayden, a shape shifter from one of the ruling monster families who’s been living as a human, having given up the monster life years ago. Laviscount will play Ennis Roth, a resolute police academy trainee (and the newly-minted Hunter) whose fiancée is killed in the crossfire of the monster war. The tragedy leads him to the truth about what lurks in the shadows and becomes a monster-hunter himself. They will both appear in the April 29 episode of Supernatural. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Veteran actor Treat Williams (Everwood) has joined the cast of the NBC drama pilot called Odyssey that centers on three families whose lives are torn apart when a stranded female soldier (Anna Friel from Pushing Daisies), a disillusioned corporate attorney (Peter Facinelli from Nurse Jackie) and a disrespected political activist (Jake Robinson from The Carrie Diaries) are pulled into the same shocking international military conspiracy. Williams will star as Col. Glen, who has a significant role in covering up the assassination of the 24th Special Ops unit. (Vlada Gelman at TV Line)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

The cast members of the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot were announced last night with the following taking on the iconic roles: Miles Teller (The Awkward Moment and Footloose), Kate Mara (House of Cards) Jamie Bell (Billy Elliott) and Michael B. Jordan (Fruitvale Station). Mara, of course, will play Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman with Bell expected to play Ben Grimm/The Thing, Teller to play Reid Richards/Mr. Fantastic and Jordan to play Johnny Storm/The Human Torch. (Justin Kroll at Variety)

Q&A SECTION (with Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Question: You had mentioned that Episode 14 of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. would introduce two recurring characters. One of them seems to be Bill Paxton’s character, but what about the African-American role? Do you know who’s playing that, and if he is a Marvel character or not? –Andy B.

Mitovich: B.J. Britt (One Tree Hill, Being Mary Jane) wound up scoring the role of Agent Triplett, an associate of Bill Paxton’s character, who appears in the March 4 episode.

Question: Have you got anything on the Reign episode “The Consummation”? Specifically, something Mary and Francis-related? –Bree

Mitovich: Do I have anything on “The Consummation” aka the March 6 episode I watched just this morning? Oh yes. Most simply said, a lot happens. For one, Nostradamus has a new vision that, as he puts it, “changes everything.” Also, news of a significant death sets in motion events that will force Mary to make an impossible decision, and pronto, all while her deliciously devious mum (Private Practice‘s Amy Brenneman) plays puppet master in a way that must even impress Catherine.

Question: At the end of Once Upon a Time’s midseason finale, why did Emma end up in New York City, Neal’s recent home, rather than Boston, her most recent place of residence outside of Storybrooke? –R.T.

Mitovich: Hook poses that exact question in the March 9 midseason premiere – and Emma does have an explanation.

Question: Can you give us a hint as to what Belle’s “plan” might be on Once Upon a Time? –Intarr

Mitovich: Belle’s plan to get the definitive 411 on Rumple is sparked by something she has come to realize about her man’s epic clash with Pan.

That’s it. Enjoy!