Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Zachary Levi (Chuck) will play a key role in this summer’s NBC event mini-series Heroes Reborn, based on the NBC series of the same name that will take a new look at the show that was once a big hit for the network. (The Futon Critic)

The new drama The Royals on E! has been given a second season order before the first season has even debuted. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

The BBC has decided not to give their mini-series In the Flesh a third season order. (Matthew Jackson at Blastr)

Q&A SECTION (Matt Mitovich at TV Line and Natalie Abrams at Entertainment Weekly)

Question: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. fans needs some SkyeWard hope after a certain shot(s) heard round the world in the winter finale. Got anything on their future? –Brooke

Mitovich: It would seem that any last shred of affection ‘tween the two took its hits as well. As Brett Dalton tells me, “Ward had a hell of a time in the cage by himself for six months, he had some suicidal tendencies, and once he comes to the end of wrestling with all of his demons, he makes a promise – to reunite Skye with her dad. And that went on for 10 episodes. But her shooting me three times kind of answers the question of, ‘Are you into this? Is this gonna work?’ It was a big statement for her to make. Things can never be the same.” That said, Dalton hinted at a “new chapter” ahead for his character.

Question: Ratings be damned, I’m loving Revenge more than ever. Have anything for the faithful fans? –Deb

Mitovich: “There’s something hugely big for Nolan that we’re literally on the precipice of,” Gabriel Mann reveals. “I think it changes the course of Season 4 for him.” Mann hints that it might have something to do with a certain new houseguest, as his character is “going to delve into Louise’s world and see all the baggage she brings with her.” As for Nolan’s love life (or lack thereof) this season, Mann hints at a major turn of the tide: “This season, I thought Nolan needed to take a little bit of a break … but [his love life] is not going to be dry for a whole lot longer.”

Question: Is there anything Castle-related you have to share? –Mandy

Mitovich: I know we kinda swore off teasing the upcoming two-parter any further — especially now that this spoilery cat is out of the bag, sigh — but I could not abstain from relaying what Tamala Jones had to say about the February sweeps event. “You’ve never seen a Castle episode like these. It’s completely outrageous,” she effused. “You’re going to cry, you’re going to think someone died…. Your mind and your heart are going to be one.” Jones went on to say that Part 1 ends with a cliffhanger that will leave you “pissed that Part 2 isn’t coming on the next day,” while the actual conclusion is “emotionally driven” with regards to, among others, Lanie’s best friend, Kate. “There’s some serious, serious ish going on!”

Question: I saw on Twitter that TV Line visited the Jane the Virgin set. What scoop did you get? –Meaghan

Mitovich: File this under muy curious: The freshman hit’s beloved narrator “is definitely connected to the narrative, and at a certain point in the show, I would plan to reveal who it is, but not now,” executive producer Jennie Urman shared. As for one fan theory floating around the interwebs about his identity — he’s Sin Rostro! — “Who knows? I like it,” the EP replied with a laugh. “It’s a funny theory.”

Question: Do you have any Scandal or How to Get Away With Murder scoop for us? –Colleen

Mitovich: Scandal‘s Jon Tenney told me that POTUS won’t take kindly to his veep’s “ballsy” move against Olivia (“You don’t mess with Fitz’s lady!”), while Andrew cheating on Mellie with LizzieBear will be dealt with as well (“There’s a lot to be explored there, which I think people will enjoy”). As for Murder, Alfred Enoch says that Wes and Annalise will be “bound ever closer by the secret that they share,” adding: “The writers find new and genius ways to put a lot of strange things in our relationship.”

Question: What’s going on with Haven? Is the fifth season the last season? –David

Mitovich: Syfy president Dave Howe told me this morning that the second half of Season 5 will premiere during Q3 (this means roughly early fall). As for anything beyond that, “It depends on how it does.” (Ain’t that always the case?)

Question: Can you get some info on The Flash? Will Iris reciprocate the feelings Barry has for her? Will we see them get together this season (hopefully)? –Brenda

Mitovich: Noting that Barry’s midseason finale confession “really changed the world, and there’s no going back,” EP Andrew Kreisberg says the next few episodes back will be “dealing with the repercussions.” And Barry might just “deal” by moving on. “As he gets a new love interest in Linda Park (played by Malese Jow), Iris’ reaction to that is going to be interesting,” Kreisberg previews. “Certainly, there is no shortage of amazing women in Barry Allen’s life, including Caitlin and Felicity. Which girl actually gets to land him will be one of the surprises of the back half of the season.”

Question: I read that there is going to be some interaction between Arrow‘s Felicity and Thea. Any idea how that will come about? –Emmy

Mitovich: You read that here in my column, in fact. But EP Marc Guggenheim tells TV Line that those scenes have since been “pushed off a bit” and will air later in the season. Still on the immediate horizon, however, is “Felicity having scenes with Laurel that are really terrific,” he shares. “As Felicity said in Episode 3 of this year, she didn’t even think they were friends, so it’s kind of fun to watch these two women who are so different from each other interact. Felicity’s got some words of wisdom to impart to Laurel, and has a perspective that is somewhat unique.”

Question: Is Manu Bennett returning to Arrow in flashbacks, or for real? –D.L.

Mitovich: “Slade is definitely [resurfacing] in the present day,” showrunner Andrew Kreisberg affirms. And his disposition remains unchanged. “Not that he’s ever happy, but he’s particularly unhappy,” says the EP. “When he comes back, he’s out for blood.” Bonus scoop: Speaking of baddies, Vinnie Jones (who on Wednesday begins an arc as Danny “Brick” Brickwell) teased for me a fight scene in which a stunt woman jumped out a high window and grabbed a rope dangling from a helicopter above. Hmm, which character could that be?

Question: Do you have scoop on the upcoming CBS series Supergirl? –lilslim

Mitovich: Only that casting for, among other roles, the lead remains ongoing. “There’s only one person [right for the role], that’s the thing. So you’re looking for that person,” EP Greg Berlanti explains. Is he leaning toward a familiar face or fresh one? “We have no preference,” he asserted.

Question: Please, please tell me that Hersh will return to Person of Interest! –Nick

Mitovich: Hersh? His fate seemed pretty sealed in the Season 3 finale. That said, showrunner Jonah Nolan told me that over the winter/spring run, “We’re going to meet some new friends, and we’re going to revisit some old ones.”

Question: Can you give me anything on The Messengers!? Love the premise and the cast, but I’m quite let down that The CW gave them the Friday night death slot. – Marko

Mitovich: I would venture to say The CW knows precisely what it is doing with that one. Sorry.

Question: Can you say whether Rachel is dead or alive on Orphan Black? — Bellamy

Natalie: “She’s alive,” executive producer John Fawcett says, noting that Rachel will struggle with her new imperfections after being shot in the eye with a pencil during the finale. “How do you take someone like that and then f— them up? How do they respond to that? This is someone who has a ton of power, really, and thrives on [being above the other clones]. Now to be less than perfect and to have her authority and power stripped from her, that’s an interesting journey that character could be on this year.” Who will step up at DYAD in her place? You will be surprised by that answer.

Question: Will Team Arrow actually tell Laurel that Thea killed Sara? — Brian

Natalie: That’s the big question once Laurel joins the team. “Laurel will find out who killed her sister,” Katie Cassidy tells me. “The audience will be surprised by her reaction. I feel like I wouldn’t be surprised if Laurel lost it on Thea, but people will be surprised and excited.” As for the big “Canaries” episode coming up, Cassidy says, “There’s going to be some crazy badass scenes of the Canaries fighting.” Make of that what you will.

Question: Now that Peggy found Howard Stark’s inventions, where does Agent Carter go now? — Veronica

Natalie: Peggy will still be attempting to clear Stark’s name, but Leviathan will take a more prominent role in the coming episodes. “Why did they steal Howard Stark’s stuff? And what’s Howard Stark’s secret agenda?” executive producer Michele Fazekas says. You may find a clue to that in the comics.

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a great, holiday weekend!!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for most of this week:

TELEVISION

Actor Eric McCormack and actress Debra Messing will reunite together (they starred on Will & Grace together back in the day) when McCormack makes a guest appearance on Messing’s new drama The Mysteries of Laura, playing her ex-fiancé who also happens to be a murder suspect. (Lauren Piester at E! Online)

The Fosters has been picked up for season three by ABC Family. (The Futon Critic)

Actor Richard Armitage (The Hobbit franchise) will join Hannibal for the show’s third season, playing Francis Dolarhyde (The Tooth Fairy), a serial killer. (Michael Slezak at TV Line)

Veteran actor John Rhys-Davies (The Lord of the Rings franchise) has joined the cast of the upcoming MTV fantasy drama Shannara, based on the popular book series by Terry Brooks. The series follows the Shannara family that is set thousands of years after civilization’s destruction. He will play King Eventine, the grandfather of the lead character. The cast already includes Poppy Drayton (When Calls the Heart, the Hallmark Channel movie), Austin Butler (The Carrie Diaries) and Manu Bennett (Arrow). (Samantha Highfill at Entertainment Weekly)

Actor David Strathairn (Alphas) and actress Janel Moloney (The West Wing) will appear in the episode of The Blacklist that is set to air after the Super Bowl. Strathairn will play the recurring role of The Director, the high-powered and secretive leader of the US National Clandestine Service while Moloney will play Kat Goodson, the elegant, self-confident and cold liaison to the Director of NCS. (Natalie Abrams at Entertainment Weekly)

Actress Lucy Lawless (Xena) and Stuart Townsend (Betrayal and XIII) have joined the cast of the WGN thriller Salem for the show’s second season. Lawless will plays Countess Marburg, one of the last remaining survivors of the legendary line of ancient German witches while Townsend will have the recurring role of English aristocrat Samuel Wainwright, a doctor looking to uncover the secrets of Salem and keep his own from those who would seek to discover them. (The Futon Critic)

Actress Kristen Connolly (House of Cards) and actor Billy Burke (Revolution) will star alongside James Wolk (The Crazy Ones) in the CBS summer drama series Zoo that is based on the James Patterson book. The upcoming series is a global thriller about a wave of violent animal attacks against humans across the planet. As the assaults become more cunning, coordinated and ferocious, a young renegade biologist, Jackson Oz (Wolk), is thrust into the race to unlock the pandemic’s mystery before there’s no place left for people to hide. Connolly will play Jamie, a passionate young journalist intent on uncovering the story behind the mysterious animal behavior she’s been tracking. Burke will play Mitch, a straight-shooting large animal veterinarian who prefers the simple company of animals to navigating the complexities of humans. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Allison Scagliotti (Warehouse 13) has joined the cast of the upcoming ABC Family crime drama Stitchers where she will play a computer-science grad student recruited into a secret government agency. (TV Line)

TV TRAILER

Q&A SECTION (with Kristin Dos Santos at E! Online and Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Question: Super worried about Alison now that she’s in jail. Please tell me my Pretty Little Liars favorite will be okay! – Lauren

Kristin: Sorry, but we mustn’t tell lies. “I heard people are afraid we’re going to kill Alison. And nobody’s safe in our world,” Marlene King spills. “Nobody and that’s just the cost of living in Rosewood. Nobody is safe.”

Question: Please, Outlander scoop! – Kelly

Kristin: The first episode back starts off from Jamie’s (Sam Heughan) point of view, and we will be hearing a bit more of his perspective on things as the series goes on. It’s not just all about Claire. But this is: There’s also a lengthy upcoming sex scene that pretty much rivals the wedding night!

ME: Swoon! Picking my tongue off the floor and I haven’t even seen the scene yet. I’m going to be a mess when I do.

Question: I cannot wait to see my favorite fictional brothers Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell reunited on The Flash, so I’ll take any scoop you are willing to share! – Becky

Kristin: We’ve got good news as the Scofield brothers will be stirring up trouble as Captain Cold (Miller) and Heatwave (Purcell) on the CW series for more than one episode. “Everyone’s very happy with what we’re doing. We’re excited and the fact that Wentworth and I are in the show,” Dominic Purcell tells us. “I know that we will be in the finale. Maybe a few more before that. The possibility for us to keep coming back and forth is high.”

Question: Any info on Castle‘s mid-season two-parter, or any other episodes? —Sandra

Ausiello: So much has already been spilled about the February sweeps event, you instead get this: Matt Mitovich chatted up Stana Katic at HBO’s Golden Globes party, and she teased that Rick and Kate are “going to Mars,” as they (separately?) work a case involving “Mars, spacesuits and space travel.” The episode’s ominous title? “The Wrong Stuff.”

Question: I love Scorpion, and I’d love to hear any scoop you have about this show. —Sara

Ausiello: An origin episode is coming! “We’ve talked about doing an episode that takes place entirely in the past, where we’d get to see when Walter met all these guys for the first time and put together the team,” reveals EP Nick Santora. “Backstory is important to us, and we love that fans of the show care about it.”

Question: I’ll settle for any Flash scoop you have. —Mason

Ausiello: Any Flash scoop is yours for the taking. “There’s an unexpected, accidental time travel coming up,” executive producer Andrew Kreisberg previews. “And it is played both for hilarity and darkness. It happens in an episode we’re really excited it — the first Weather Wizard episode with Liam McIntyre” (AKA Episode 15).

Question: Can you give this Original Team Arrow fan anything to look forward to? It really feels as though Diggle and Felicity are getting lost among this push for the “suits.” H.I.V.E.? Andy Diggle? Felicity’s father? Anything? —Trish

Ausiello: On the topic of Felicity’s dad (versus her returning mom), exec producer Marc Guggenheim tells TV Line that unraveling that mystery is something the show will do “probably further down the line,” rather than this season. “That said, if everything goes according to plan, we will learn a little bit more about dad” before Season 3 wraps. “But we haven’t gotten to the episode yet or written the actual scene, so no specific promises.” As for Dig, David Ramsey confirms, “You’ll see me back in the Arrow suit” after Oliver turns up missing. That same bleak twist also will raise the question, “‘Why does the team stay together?’ If we stay together. This crusade that began with Oliver has become our crusade, but why? What does Oliver mean to me? Why do I love this guy? Some of those questions will be answered during this emotional examination.”

Question: Any Revenge scoop? — Neil

Ausiello: Brace yourself, Neil… As Revenge showrunner Sunil Nayar revealed to TV Line last month, Ben’s ex-wife will soon be making an appearance in the Hamptons — and now, I’ve got more scoop: Her name is April, and she’s currently working as a waitress at a diner. Described as “pretty-but-scrappy,” she’s become quite independent since splitting from her ex. But the question remains: How will she re-enter Ben’s life?

Question: Bridget Regan’s “No. 1 fan” here, hoping you can tell something about her Agent Carter role! —Bill

Ausiello: The White Collar/Jane the Virgin actress debuts this Tuesday as Dottie Underwood, “another one of these kind of softly spoken women who comes along and starts to have a relationship with Peggy,” says Hayley Atwell. “But the thing with Peggy is that she can’t really get close to a lot of the people that are living and working outside of her secret life, so we see her struggling to really want to form intimacy with these women…. You see that she’s kind of missing out on being girly.”

Question: Ugh! I just binge-watched the first two seasons of Orphan Black and was reeling when I found out I would have to wait until April to see more of my favorite clones. Anything you can tell us about Cosima’s fate? Or what will become of Helena? Or scoop on the freaky-looking dude clone doing pull-ups? —Reva

Ausiello: Sarah and that freaky-looking dude AKA Rudy/Scarface are going to have an antagonistic relationship, especially given that he has the 411 on Project Leda while Sarah’s only just learned about Castor. “He knows who he’s talking to,” portrayer Ari Millen says of their confrontation. “He knows her story. And he knows why she’s there. He’s not giving her anything. He’s just going to play the game. He’s just going to have a good time.”

Question: Have you got any exciting spoilers from Grimm? I’ll take anything! —Larsen

Ausiello: Remember how Hank sorta easily accepted the fact that Wesen exist? Don’t expect the same reaction from Wu, portrayer Reggie Lee says, even once the sergeant has fully absorbed the idea. “How he deals with it now, and how [the gang] deal with him, is going to flesh out the next several episodes,” Lee tells TV Line, adding, “It’s so unlike anybody else that has gone through this situation on the show.”

Question: I want to know more about Sadie and Avery working together on Nashville. Please tell me this isn’t going to be a problem for him and Juliette. —Christine

Ausiello: I’ll let Laura Benanti field that one, Christine. “They have a good energy together,” she tells TV Line, but “it’s not romantic. I go on Twitter, and people are like, ‘Leave him alone!’ Everybody, calm down. Men and women can be in a room and no one’s genitals have to touch. It happens in real life.” Their “purely business” arrangement (you’ll remember that Avery is helping produce the new Highway 65 artist’s upcoming album) will result in “a very rootsy vibe that is different from what Rayna and Juliette have going on,” she adds. “It’s a little more Americana, which I appreciate.”

Question: Is Syfy’s 12 Monkeys worth watching? —Janet

Ausiello: Yep. If you’ve seen the 1995 movie, the new series is different enough that it’ll hold your interest. And if you haven’t, the show’s twisty take on time travel — as well as the chemistry between Suits‘ Amanda Schull, who plays a virologist, and Nikita‘s Aaron Stanford, as a man trying to avert a global plague — will quickly pull you in.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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