Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

AWARDS

Congrats are extended to the winners at the Academy of Country Music, which were presented last night, including (but not limited to): George Strait, Kacey Musgraves, The Band Perry, Miranda Lambert, Jason Aldean, Justin Moore and Florida Georgia Line.

TELEVISION

Actress Amy Jo Johnson (Flashpoint and Felicity) has landed a recurring role on Covert Affairs, playing Hayley, an investigator with the National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC) who knows how to stand her ground; a persistent woman who’s an expert at taking control, she goes head-to-head with Auggie (series regular Christopher Gorham) when the intelligence community faces a united threat. The fifth season of Covert Affairs will return to the USA Network sometime this summer. (The Futon Critic)

Syfy has picked up a 13-episode order for the new zombie series Z Nation that will debut this fall. The action-horror series depicts the epic struggle to save humanity after a zombie apocalypse. The story will be three years after a zombie virus gutted the country with a team of everyday heroes who must transport the only known survivor of the plague from New York to California, where the last functioning viral lab waits for his blood. Although the antibodies he carries are the world’s last, best hope for a vaccine, he hides a dark secret that threatens them all. With humankind’s survival at stake, the ragtag band embarks on a journey of survival across three thousand miles of rusted-out post-apocalyptic America. (The Futon Critic)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

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

1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier – 96.2 million
2. Noah – 17 million
3. Divergent – 13 million
4. God’s Not Dead – 7.7 million
5. The Grand Budapest Hotel – 6.3 million
6. Muppets Most Wanted – 6.28 million
7. Mr. Peabody & Sherman – 5.3 million
8. Sabotage – 1.9 million
9. Need for Speed – 1.8 million
10. Non-Stop – 1.79 million

Q&A SECTION (with Leanne Aguilera at E! Online and Matt Roush at TV Guide)

Question: I need some Caskett scoop from Castle pretty please. – Dianna

Leanne: In an upcoming episode, “For Better or Worse,” our couple is going to take one step closer to tying the knot. We’re not saying that there is going to be a bachelor party, but we are saying that there is going to be a stripper named Sapphire in attendance. Trust us, she’s a gem.

Question: Please tell me that I’m not the only one who loves Devious Maids? It helps fill the Desperate Housewives hole in my heart. Got something for this summer’s season? – Marcia

Leanne: Hey, no judgment! We all have our guilty pleasure shows and Devious Maids is definitely helps keeps the drama of Wistera Lane alive. Get ready to meet Molly, she’s an aspiring writer in her mid-thirties who has previously assisted some of the richest and most famous celebs in the industry. The only problem? She loves to gossip about her employers. So when she starts working for one of our Beverly Hills residents (we’re not saying who!) all hell breaks loose when we catch her spreading secrets.

Question: The new NCIS: New Orleans is so much better than the NCIS: Red team that they tried to spin off last time, with the exception of Scott Bakula’s fake accent. What do you think of it? I would love for the show to be on the lineup next year if they can get rid of that. I know sometimes shows are modified before they premiere, and hopefully they will realize everyone loves Scott Bakula for his own uniqueness and nothing needs to be added to him. — Susan

Matt Roush: They did lay on the Big Easy clichés a bit thick, starting with Bakula’s self-consciously drawling accent, but I imagine we will get used to that, and he’s otherwise perfect as a CBS series lead. I was even more impressed by the casting of Lucas Black (whose Southern accent, courtesy of Alabama, is authentic) as Agent Pride’s No. 2. Generally speaking, it’s hard for me as a critic to get excited about almost any franchise spin-off, preferring the networks to try new things, but I will agree that the introduction to the New Orleans team was far more promising than anything about the Red concept and casting.

That’s it. Enjoy!