Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Congrats to all of the winners of the 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards that were presented last night, including Jean DuJardin, Christopher Plummer, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, The Help, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Steve Buscemi, Jessica Lange, Boardwalk Empire, Alec Baldwin, Betty White, Modern Family, Paul Giamatti, Kate Winslet, Game of Thrones and Mary Tyler Moore

TELEVISION

Actress Shiri Appleby (Roswell and Life Unexpected) will appear in a multi-episode arc of the TNT series Franklin & Bash this summer. She will play the smart and sassy associate of an Infeld-Daniels senior partner, who comes to town to investigate possible misconduct on the part of the titular attorneys; but she’ll quickly realize she’s in over her head when romantic feelings begin to develop between herself and Jared (Breckin Meyer). (Megan Masters at TV Line)

Academy Award winner Shirley MacLaine will join the cast of Downton Abbey for its third season that will premiere on ITV in the U.K. this fall and will air on PBS’ Masterpiece Classic early next year. She will play a new character, Martha Levinson, the mother of American-born Lady Grantham (Elizabeth McGovern). (The Daily Beast)

Actress Annette O’Toole (Smallville) and actor John Ashton (Beverly Hills Cop) will appear as Elaine and Franklin Sherman, the mother and father of Walter Sherman (Geoff Stults) on the new FOX drama The Finder. Real-life brother George will play Walter’s older brother, Langston, who turns up at the Ends of the Earth Bar at the behest of their father, who is dying of emphysema. Franklin’s dying wish is to say goodbye to Elaine, who has been missing for years after she and her new husband joined a cult and disappeared. (Adam Bryant at TV Guide)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

ABC has ordered a pilot for a potential series called Americana, which is a soap set around a legendary fashion designer and his family and business. (Variety and The Futon Critic)

The new FOX drama pilot Guilty about a brilliant, morally questionable defense attorney who, after being falsely convicted of fraud and stripped of his legal license, uses his unorthodox methods to solve the cases he’s been banned from handling and to exact revenge on the men who set him up will be executive produced and directed by McG. (Deadline and The Futon Critic)

Another FOX drama called Hieroglyph being billed as an adventure soap has been given an order for a pilot; but no other details about the project are available. (Deadline and The Futon Critic)

ABC is on the move with another pilot – another soap opera – called Nashville that follows one star at her peak and one on the rise. (Variety and The Futon Critic)

The USA Network has greenlit a six-hour mini-series from Greg Berlanti (Brothers & Sisters) called Political Animals that will focus on Elaine Barrish, a divorced former First Lady and current Secretary of State as she struggles to keep her family together while simultaneously dealing with the crises of the State Department. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

BOX OFFICE NEWS
Here are the top 10 box office movies for this past weekend from BoxOffice.com:

1. The Grey, $20 million
2. Underworld Awakening, $12.5 million
3. One for the Money, $11.8 million
4. Red Tails, $10.4 million
5. Man on a Ledge, $8.3 million
6. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, $7.1 million
7. The Descendants, $6.6 million
8. Contraband, $6.5 million
9. Beauty and the Beast 3D, $5.3 million
10. Haywire, $4 million

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Tonight is the big night, folks!! Chuck comes to an end with a 2-hour series finale. I hope you will be watching and enjoying (and crying) along with me and the millions of other fans who will be pinned to their TV’s tonight.

In the meantime, here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Kevin Weisman (Alias) will have a recurring role on the as-yet-to-be-schedule NBC drama Awake, playing a mysterious character named Mr. Blonde, who has details on the car accident involving lead character Detective Britton (Jason Isaacs) that leads to the parallel worlds in which Britton lives. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

BBC America has committed to co-produce and air a four-episode third season of the cop serial Luther, which stars Idris Elba. (The Chicago Tribune and Dark Horizons)

Looks like actor Matt Bomer (White Collar) just might be showing up in an April episode of Glee, playing the older brother of Blaine (Darren Criss). And for those naysayers, Bomer CAN sing so expect a duet for sure. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actress Bebe Neuwirth (Cheers and Frasier) will have a recurring role on The Good Wife, playing Judge Friend, who is assigned to a case involving a battle for control of a large equity group and is placed in a rather awkward position when the top witnesses for both sides appear to be totally guilty of perjury. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

Actress Sarah Jane Morris (Brothers & Sisters and NCIS) and actor Taylor Kinney (The Vampire Diaries and Dating Rules From My Future Self) will appear in a fairytale based episode of Castle. Morris will play Leslie Morgan, a woman whose sister, Amy, is found dead in Central Park. The fairytale part of the story is that Amy was dressed as Little Red Riding Hood and the victim of an apparent wolf attack. Kinney is expected to play Leslie’s husband. (Megan Masters and Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Actor Matt Lauria (Friday Night Lights and the short-lived The Chicago Code) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Person of Interest. He will play a sharp, young trader at a major investment bank. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

CONDOLENCES

Robert Hegyes, best known for playing Juan Epstein in the 1970’s classic comedy series Welcome Back, Kotter, passed away today after an apparent heart attack. He was 60. (E! Online)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

CBS has picked up three more drama pilots: 1) the untitled period piece from Ralph Lamb, 2) a PI show and 3) the character-driven procedural called Quean. The Ralph Lamb project is set in the 1960s and is based on the true story of Ralph Lamb, a rodeo cowboy turned longtime Sheriff of Las Vegas. The PI show is based on the Ayelet Waldman mystery series Mommy Track Mysteries about a former public defender who becomes a private investigator to keep from being bored to death as a stay-at-home mom. Lastly, Quean centers on an edgy and independent Millennial hacker girl who teams up with an Oakland police detective to solve crimes. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Paul Giamatti has joined the cast latest film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. He will play the mentor-like Friar Lawrence. Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes wrote the script with actress Hailee Steinfeld and actor Douglas Booth playing the ill-fated. Actors Ed Westwick and Kodi Smit-McPhee also star. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a terrific weekend!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items, few though they may be, for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Colin Hanks, who just appeared on Dexter, will guest star in an upcoming episode of Happy Endings; oddly (or not) enough he will play Colin Hanks, a new celebrity friend of Dave (Zachary Knighton). (Dan Snierson at Entertainment Weekly)

Actor Sebastian Stan (Captain America) will guest star in an episode of Once Upon a Time; but details are scarce on just who he will be playing. He is slated to appear in later March or early April. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Actress Frances Fisher (Titanic) will guest star in an episode of A Gifted Man, playing Blanche, the overbearing mother of a photographer pal of Dr. Michael Holt’s (Patrick Wilson). (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

CBS has given a pilot order to a drama called Widow Detective that centers on a decorated police detective who, after losing three partners in the line of duty, becomes surrogate husband, lover and father to their families. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Margaret Colin (Gossip Girl) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Blue Bloods as a love interest for Frank (Tom Selleck). She will play Melanie, a high profile investigative reporter for an international cable news network who has been involved with Frank in a largely long-distance and very discreet romance. The lovers’ private and professional lives collide when Melanie is targeted by a dangerous assailant and Frank is tasked with hunting the bad guy down. (Michael Ausiello and Megan Masters at TV Line)

Actress Morena Baccarin (Homeland and Firefly) will guest star in a March episode of The Good Wife, playing a high-powered executive who gets entangled with weirdo Colin Sweeney (Dylan Baker). (Tanner Stransky at Entertainment Weekly)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

The CW has ordered a pilot for a potential medical drama called First Cut that focuses on a newly minted doctor who is glad to leave her nerdy past behind for a fresh start but soon discovers that, sadly and comically, life at the hospital where she works is no different than high school. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

Actress Paula Malcomson (Deadwood and Caprica) has landed the female lead opposite Liev Schreiber in the drama pilot called Ray Donovan from Showtime. The series is being described as a dark family drama with comedic undertones, centering on Ray (Schreiber), a professional “fixer” for LA’s rich and famous, the go-to guy in Hollywood who deftly solves the highly confidential problems of the city’s most intriguing personalities but can’t quite escape the damage in his own troubled family. Malcomson will play Ray’s wife Abby, a Boston tough girl who is still finding it hard to assimilate into the fast lane of Hollywood. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

ABC has greenlit a pilot for Beauty and the Beast (not to be confused with the pilot that The CW has ordered as a remake of the CBS TV series of the same name). This ABC version will be period/fantastical reimagining of the classic fairy tale set in a mythical, dangerous world wherein a beautiful and tough Princess discovers an unlikely connection with a mysterious beast. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Alan Ball (the series creator of True Blood) is getting a new series, but this time with Cinemax called Banshee. The series is to center an ex-convict and master thief who assumes the identity of the sheriff of Banshee, PA, where he continues his criminal activities even as he’s being hunted by the shadowy gangsters he had betrayed years earlier. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

CONDOLENCES

Actor James Farentino, best known for his roles in Dynasty and as George Clooney’s estranged father on ER, has passed away at the age of 73 from heart failure. (Associated Press)

NOTE: RIP, Mr. Farentino. Deepest condolences to his family, friends and fans.

MOMENT OF SILENCE, PLEASE…

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Catherine Zeta-Jones will star in the box office film called Side Effects, a thriller that is expected to also star Blake Lively, Jude Law and Channing Tatum. The film is being described as a potboiler in the Jagged Edge-Basic Instinct mold with Zeta-Jones to play Dr. Erica Siebert. Lively would play a troubled and depressed woman who is taking serious amounts of prescription drugs, which leads her into a relationship with another doctor (Law). Her intake is ostensibly designed to help her deal with the anxiety surrounding the pending release of her husband (Tatum) from prison. (Mike Fleming at Deadline)

Actor Liam Hemsworth (soon to be seen in The Hunger Games film) has signed on to star in the box office film Timeless, which follows a recently married man who inherits a fortune from his late wife. Plagued by an unresolved issue between he and his wife, he uses the money to build a time travel device to see her one last time and clear the air between them once and for all. (Moviehole and First Showing)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Summer Glau (The Cape and Firefly) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Grey’s Anatomy; but there are no details about what character she will play just yet. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actress Madchen Amick (Twin Peaks and Damages) will guest star in an upcoming episode of the final season of In Plain Sight, playing Associate Director Lisa Ruffino, the second in command at WITSEC. In Plain Sight will return to the USA Network on March 16. (Sandra Gonzalez at Entertainment Weekly)

Actress Tia Carrere (True Lies and Wayne’s World) will also guest star in an upcoming episode of In Plain Sight. She will appear as Stan’s (Paul Ben-Victor) dance instructor girlfriend, Lia Hernandez. She will appear on the March 23 episode. (Kate Stanhope at TV Guide)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

NBC has ordered two dramas pilots; one from Dick Wolf (the man behind the Law & Order franchise) and the other from Jason Katims (Friday Night Lights). Wolf’s pilot is called Chicago Fire that explores the complex and heroic men and women of the Chicago Fire Department. While Katims’ pilot is called County – and is to star Jason Ritter (The Event) – will take viewers into the lives of a group of young doctors, nurses, and administrators in a frenetic underfunded and morally compromising LA County Hospital. (Variety)

CBS has given the green light to a new drama pilot from Greg Berlanti (Everwood, Eli Stone and Brothers & Sisters) called Golden Boy that is about one cop’s meteoric rise from officer to detective to Police Commissioner. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Young actress Jadin Gould (the made-for-TV movie The Wishing Well and box office film Battle: Los Angeles) has been cast in the much-anticipated box office film Man of Steel that is currently under production, starring Henry Cavill as Superman. Jadin will play a young Lana Lang in a flashback scene. (Coming Soon and Blastr)

Actress Lena Headey (Game of Thrones) has landed the female lead in the upcoming sci-fi thriller film Vigilandia alongside Ethan Hawke. Plot details are being kept under wraps as well as details about the part for which Headey will play. (Justin Kroll at Variety)

Q&A SPOILER SECTION (with the Team from Watch With Kristin at E! Online)

WARNING! Tread lightly if you don’t want to be spoiled!!

Question: (I’m) loving Klaus and Caroline’s chemistry. Awesome twist! What’s going to happen with them? Anything? – Annalisa

WWK Team: I hear it’s also one of The Vampire Diaries’ writers’ favorite scenes of the season, but don’t expect a sudden relationship to be born. Caroline (Candice Accola) is still holding strong to her faith that Tyler (Michael Trevino, who will be MIA from Mystic Falls for the next five episodes) will come out the other side of his sire bond issues. However, don’t expect Klaus (Joseph Morgan) to back off, either. Word is we see more of his interest in Caroline in the Feb. 9 episode “Dangerous Liaisons”—which might explain the stills of the two of them dancing together.

Question: Stefan and Elena—is there any hope for them? – Heathmonterrey

WWK Team: The triangle definitely heats up in the next few episodes as Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder) try to rebuild their relationship in spite of both brothers being in love with the same girl.

Question: Any chance Stefan will end up being badder than Klaus, and Klaus a big old softy? I like bad Stefan. – FrankLewis97

WWK Team: The producers told me they swear that Klaus won’t go soft, but that doesn’t mean we won’t start to see a more human side of him—except where his war with Stefan is concerned.

Question: When will we see Jeremy again? – Nicole_Gutierrez

WWK Team: Word has it that Steven R. McQueen is still in Atlanta, so hope is not lost for Jeremy fans!

Question: Any Revenge spoilers you can provide? – Dave_idP

WWK Team: We chatted with Christa B. Allen and Connor Paolo about episode 15, which finally reveals who was murdered on the beach. But will it reveal who the murderer is? “I think we allude to who done it but we don’t confirm,” Allen teases. Paolo adds, “There are a couple people who could have done it.”

Question: (It’s) your fault that I’m obsessed with Revenge! What’s going on in the Hamptons?! – Totallychristie

WWK Team: Now that we know Charlotte is Emily’s (Emily VanCamp) half-sibling, will she be getting in on some of the revenge? “I think Charlotte and Declan could get their hands dirty at some point if we were recruited,” Allen tells us. For now though, the couple will be keeping their hands clean. “Only so many people can be involved in this scheme without it being crazy,” Paolo explains. “You can’t have six people all trying to bring down the Graysons. I want to see them find their own line of things.”

Question: Please (provide) some info on The Secret Circle! – Pandorarevolt

WWK Team: Prepare for some good ol’ teen angst when it comes to Jake (Chris Zylka) and Cassie (Britt Robertson). “A whole lot of ‘please forgive me’ and do I need to grovel and will I grovel? That’s a good question: is Jake a groveler?” As for his rivalry with Adam (Thomas Dekker), “They’re always going to be trying to one-up each other in front of Cassie,” he says with a laugh. “It’s a nice little kindergarten war.”

Question: The other Blackwell sibling hints? – ClumsyHibz

WWK Team: Sorry, but no one is spilling details…partly because they don’t know! “I don’t. I mean I can’t wait to find out,” Zylka tells us of the Blackwell sibling. So will Jake tell the circle that two of them are related? In a word: no. “That would just cause chaos. If you were a part of a circle of witches and you had powers and you used to have a bit of individual magic and someone said, ‘Look, you could be just like her,’ I think everyone would figure out a way to be just like her. She’s the witch of the land.”

Question: Any Once Upon a Time scoop? It’s my new favorite show! – Elizabeth

WWK Team: Everyone’s dying to know what happened between the Evil Queen (Lana Parrilla) and Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) back in the fairy-tale world, so when we chatted with Parrilla we had to ask for anything and everything about that backstory. “I have some idea. I cannot reveal that clearly. That’s the biggest question everyone wants to know the answer to,” she teases. “I will say that you will learn soon enough.” We’re thinking it’s pretty soon considering we’ll meet Snow White’s father (aka the Queen’s husband) King Leopold in the next episode.

Question: When will Mikita reunite on Nikita? They’re meant to be and have been apart too long. – Mikitajam

WWK Team: Well, prepare to wait even longer. According to Shane West, Michael and Nikita (Maggie Q) are just not meant to be together…right now. Don’t worry, there’s a plan. “I think the focus isn’t there, honestly, for the writing,” West tells us. “I think the focus is figuring out lot of the other subplots that are very important to the show. I think they’re enjoying keeping them apart, because they know the longer that that happens, when they bring them back together, the better the reaction.” Is your reaction to this news unfathomable rage, by chance?

Question: (I’m) already obsessed with Smash now that I’ve downloaded the pilot from iTunes for free. Great cast, dialogue, etc. What’s to come this season? – Hannah in Arlington, Va.

WWK Team: More of the above! Seriously, NBC made the mistake of sending us the first four episodes of Smash, because now we are crazy-obsessed with this show. Around episode three is when you’ll see Ivy’s (Megan Hilty) true colors. In the first two episodes, you’re not so sure how you feel about her: she’s not exactly the villain, but she’s not really a good girl, either. By episode four, you’ll most likely have a rock-solid opinion about her. Regardless of how Ivy acts, Hilty continues to kill it. So does Katharine McPhee. And Jack Davenport. And Anjelica Huston. And everyone else on that show. Like we said, obsessed.

Question: Grimm!! I need to know what else is coming up! – cmcaguilera

WWK Team: We’ve already seen so many awesomely creative monsters on Grimm this season, but in episode 16 we get to meet two more: Robin Steinkeller is a very rare birdlike creature and although she is frail, she can produce an extremely valuable egg that many would go to great lengths to get. Oh but we should mention they’d have to get past her vicious alley-cat-like husband, Thomas, who won’t stop bullying his wife until she gives him what he desperately wants.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

British actor and relative newcomer Tom Riley has landed the lead role in the new original series from Starz called Da Vinci’s Demons that is being described as a historical fantasy following the ‘untold’ story of the world’s greatest genius during his turbulent youth in Renaissance Florence. Riley appeared in the play My City at London’s Almeida Theatre and had a role in the UK drama series Monroe. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

ABC has given the green light to the new drama pilot called 666 Park Ave based on the book series by Gabriella Pierce that is set at historic apartment buildings in New York City and centers on a young couple who become its managers. They unwittingly begin to experience supernatural occurrences, which complicate and endanger the lives of everyone in the residence. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actresses Maggie Gyllenhaal and Greta Gerwig as well as actor Rhys Ifans are in negotiations to join the HBO drama pilot called The Corrections that is set to star Chris Cooper, Dianne Wiest and Ewan McGregor. The pilot is based on the acclaimed book by Jonathan Franzen, revolving around the troubles of a Midwestern couple (Cooper and Wiest) and their three adult children as they trace their lives from the mid-20th century to “one last Christmas” together near the turn of the millennium. Gyllenhaal would play the youngest sibling, beautiful chef Denise. McGregor is set to play Chip, the middle child, a journalist and intellectual wannabe screenwriter who works for a Lithuanian crime boss (Ifans) defrauding American investors. Gerwig would play Chip’s soon-to-be-ex-girlfriend, who works for a film production company. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead) is in early negotiations with TNT to tackle the lead role of L.A. cop Joe Teague in Frank Darabont’s new drama L.A. Noir. (Ace Showbiz and Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Matt Dallas (Kyle YX) is among the cast of the independent sci-fi film called Life Tracker that is set in the near future and centers on a new device that has emerged to detect the time of death of every man’s life through DNA analysis, igniting fear and paranoia throughout the world. (Dave McNary at Variety)

Actress Reese Witherspoon and actor Ryan Reynolds will star in the upcoming film called Big Eyes. They will play Margaret and Walter Keane, whose paintings of large eyed children became one of the first mass marketed art sensations in the 50s and 60s, with prints sold in gas stations and every five and dime store. While Walter was the marketing genius, he also took the bows for doing the brush work, and was a regular on the TV talk show circuit, his shy wife was the actual artist in the family. When they split and she tried to get her due, they ended up in court, where a judge finally provided them with two easels and ordered them to prove it. (Mike Fleming at Deadline)

Here is a list of the top 10 movies at the box office for this past weekend courtesy of Exhibitor’s Relations and E! Online:

1. Underworld Awakening, $25.4 million
2. Red Tails, $19.1 million
3. Contraband, $12.2 million
4. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, $10.5 million
5. Haywire, $9 million
6. Beauty and the Beast 3D, $8.6 million
7. Joyful Noise, $6.1 million
8. Mission: Impossible—Ghost Protocol, $5.5 million
9. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, $4.8 million
10. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, $3.8 million

Q&A SECTION (with Matt Roush at TV Guide)

Question: This past week marked the 13th episode of the freshman series Revenge. I remember reading that the Labor Day engagement party previewed in the pilot was originally scheduled to be the 13th episode. Have the writers decided to take advantage of the series’ popularity and draw out the story by delaying that episode? Will we see the events of the engagement party before the season finale? — Tommy

Matt Roush: Yes, we’ll come full circle to the deadly events of the pilot episode very soon. Your suspicions are correct that when Revenge started strong out of the gate and got an early pickup, the producers decided to let things play out a little longer, and we’re expected to find out just who got shot and who the shooter is over the course of the next two episodes, airing Feb. 8 and 15. In this case, more is more — as in fun.

Question: Two questions for you regarding Once Upon A Time: Where did Henry get the fairy-tale book and the idea that everyone in Storybrooke is a fairy-tale character trapped there by his “mother,” the evil queen? I don’t remember this ever being addressed, yet Henry’s knowledge of and belief in the curse, and the book that has become a sort of guide to the characters, was never explained … was it? Also, if time stands still in this town, why hasn’t anyone noticed? Clock hands don’t move and nobody gets any older, but this too hasn’t been properly explained. I know, I know … nitpicking a show about suspending one’s belief and fairytales. But these two things have just bugged me all season. — K

Matt Roush: I think the reason I didn’t much enjoy Once Upon a Time until I got to the third episode (with the first major Snow White-Prince Charming back story) was that I couldn’t stop nit-picking at some of these same things, feeling that the concept was swallowing the show. Since then, I’ve relaxed and learned to just roll with it, and it’s become appointment Sunday viewing — although I much prefer the fairy-tale twists to the goings-on in Storybrooke. But to your specifics, didn’t the clock start moving again once Emma came to town? That was little Henry’s first win. And part of the overall premise is that the curse, which keeps them trapped in this town, also keeps them from noticing that they’re not aging among other things. As for the book, if its origin has been fully explained, I missed it. But it’s still early days, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we get a Henry-centric episode laying some of that out.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Lee Thompson Young (Rizzoli & Isles) will guest star in an upcoming episode of CSI: NY playing Kelvin, a Manhattan accountant who has become successful despite a troubled upbringing in the projects. Although viewed by many in his old neighborhood as a hero, when he becomes the victim of a violent armed robbery, the CSIs will have to dig into his new and old life for answers. (Adam Bryant at TV Guide)

Actress Bree Turner (Rules of Engagement and Raising Hope) is joining the new NBC fairytale-based cop show Grimm on a recurring basis. She will play Rosalee, a former drug addict who has been successful at staying clean. She comes from a long line of “Fuchsbau” (fox-like creatures) apothecaries (sort of like pharmacists), but she left the family business to pursue a career in the real world and returns when a tragedy calls her back to Portland. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

Actor Victor Garber (Alias) will guest star in an episode of The Big C when the comedy returns for its third season on Showtime. He will play a man who causes trouble for Sean (John Benjamin Hickey) when an accidental phone call leads to a harassing situation. (The Futon Critic)

Actor James Purefoy (Rome) had landed a recurring role on the new ABC soap Revenge. He will play a new love interest for Victoria (Madeline Stowe). (Megan Masters at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

FOX has ordered the pilot of a spy drama/thriller that will center on the orphaned 17-year-old daughter of a CIA operative who is recruited to become an operative herself. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actresses Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace) and Andrea Riseborough (Never Let Me Go) will have the female leads in an as yet untitled sci-fi picture that is to star Tom Cruise. The picture is to revolve around a soldier stationed on a future Earth, the surface of which was destroyed by aliens. When he discovers a mysterious woman in a crash-landed pod, it sets off a chain of events that cause him to question everything he knows. (Jeff Sneider at Variety)

Actors James Marsden, Thomas Jane and Billy Bob Thornton have joined the cast of the upcoming box office film called Red Machine that will center around two at-odds brothers (Jane and Marsden) who attempt to mend fences over a camping trip. Yet, instead of putting things back together, they’re literally torn apart by a relentless grizzly bear nicknamed “Red Machine.” (First Showing and Variety)

Actress Diane Kruger (National Treasure) is negotiating to star alongside Saoirse Ronan, Max Irons and Jake Abel in The Host, the film adaptation of the Stephenie Meyer science fiction novel. The film takes place at a time when a parasitic alien species called The Souls has just about wiped out the human population. If the deal goes through, Kruger will play The Seeker, who is charged with overseeing the conversion of a young rebel soldier (Ronan) whose consciousness has been infiltrated by Wanderer, a soul that has taken control of bodies and minds but who is daunted by the young human’s spirit, and obsessed with the memories of her boyfriend and her brother, and sets out to track them down. The Seeker pursues her, knowing that the conversion of the rebel will lead to the discovery and eradication of the rebel movement. (Mike Fleming at Deadline)

CONDOLENCES

Very sad news broke this morning that legendary singer Etta James, most famous for the single “At Last” has passed away at the age of 73 after a battle with leukemia. Rest in Peace, Ms. James! Deepest condolences are extended to her family, friends and fans. (Twitter)

MOMENT OF SILENCE, PLEASE…

Q&A SECTION (with Sandra Gonzalez from Entertainment Weekly and The TV Addict)

Question: Hart of Dixie has layered in so much with each character that I can now not decide which couples I am rooting for or against. So a little inside skinny Sugar would be mighty kind! Thanks. — LA

Sandra: I don’t blame you for not knowing which pairs to root for. In fact, EP Leila Gerstein admits to being in our exact situation. “There’s lots of love triangle stuff going on [in the second half of the season],” she says. “I go from ‘Oh, I’m on Team George’ to ‘I’m on Team Wade’ to ‘I love Lemon and George!’” And look for the characters to be just as conflicted as the rest of us when the show returns. It picks up with a little bit of a time jump and not soon after, we’ll see Lemon and George hitting a rough patch in the back nine episodes as secrets (like the one regarding Lemon and Lavon!) start to come out. “I think that Lemon seeing her mom at the end of episode 10 changed her in fundamental ways,” says Gerstein. “She comes back a little bit of a different person. She’s tense and she’s snappy, and that will be the first thing that will really test their relationship. He doesn’t know what’s going on.” And as for the mad rapping Zoe Hart? “In the first episode coming back, Zoe finds out that by legacy, she’s a Belle. So she has to go thorough initiation to prove that she does belong here. She wears her whole plantation outfit, and gets hazed by Lemon.”

Question: I liked Alcatraz enough to stick around a little while longer. I’m really hoping they do something with the Doc/Rebecca friendship. She seems kind of cold as a character, but I really liked their scenes together. Any idea where they’re taking that? I just don’t feel anything for this group yet. — Eddy

Sandra: It will take a bit of time for the odd duo to come together, according to star Sarah Jones, who I caught up with during a set visit. “I like that Rebecca is not quick to trust people,” she says. “There are very few people in her life who she can trust and I like that the writers aren’t so quick to make Rebecca and Doc best friends. But there’s a relationship that’s built. Sometimes they have a moment together and sometimes she pushes him away. It allows them to get to know each other and learn how to trust each other.”

Question: Are we going to see any more Lost alums on Alcatraz? — Steph

Sandra: That’s sort of the million dollar question. But EP Jack Bender is definitely open to the idea. “I’m very protective of our family on Lost and I want them to continue to thrive … but you worry that with certain characters who were so iconic that you get screwed by the Seinfeld of it all,” he says. “If any of our other Losties want to show up down the road, great.”

Question: Thanks to your recent post pointing to a free download of the series premiere, I’m officially hooked on Smash. Which begs the question as to whether or not you have any scoop as to which actress the producers are going to reward with the coveted title role in Marilyn the musical? — Amanda

The TV Addict: Despite the fact that this by no means indicates whose name — be it Megan Hilty’s Ivy or Katharine McPhee’s Karen — will actually appear on the marquee when the Broadway musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe actually does premiere, we can assure you that the answer to your question will be known by SMASH’s second fantastic episode of the season.

Question: Huge Hart of Dixie fan here, please tell me there is any hope for those of us rooting for George and Zoe? — Jennifer

The TV Addict: Wait a second, you mean to tell me that people are actually out there shipping for George and Zoe? Alrighty then, against this Wade fans better judgment (Wilson Bethel FTW!), we’re going to throw all, err… seven (?) of you George and Zoe fans a bone by filling you in on a little secret. Not only will circumstances allow for George and Zoe to spend an awful lot of one-on-one time together when the twosome find themselves alone at a bar in Hart of Dixie’s 19th episode of the season appropriately titled “Destiny & Denial,” the episode will offer fans a glimpse of what could have been (and still might?) when the two pretend to be bright-eyed newlyweds with a couple they meet at a bar. Cooler still, the episode will not only also allow George’s portrayer Scott Porter to show off his real-life musical chops, sources close to production have let it slip that producers are hoping to snag American Idol winner Scotty McCreery for a musical performance.

Question: Noticed you tweeting about Switched at Birth this week. Now that you’re on the bandwagon might I trouble you for some scoop? —Meredith

The TV Addict: Gladly. After-all, following a week spent catching up on the fantastic first 10 episodes of this ABC Family gem, we’re as excited to find out about what happens next as you are. Or make that, was as excited, until we learned about the decidedly dark turn the Kennish’s lawsuit against the hospital is going to take when the medical institution accuses Daphne’s mom Regina of intentionally switching babies in an effort to ensure hers wouldn’t suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome as a result of her own struggle with alcohol.

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a terrific weekend!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items, few though they may be, for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Courtney B. Vance (FlashForward and Law & Order: Criminal Intent) will be joining the ABC series Revenge, appearing as Victoria’s new high-powered divorce attorney Ben Barnett. This recurring role will start in March. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actors/Actresses Andrea Parker (The Pretender and Desperate Housewives), Jud Tylor (That 70’s Show and Edgemont), Megalyn Echikunwoke (The 4400), Madisen Beatey (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Cody Christian (Pretty Little Liars) has joined the cast of the NBC drama pilot Beautiful People, which is set in the near future in a society where humans co-exist with mechanical androids that look like people but are treated like second-class citizens. It centers on the very wealthy Lydia (Frances Conroy) whose late husband founded the firm that makes Mechanicals. Parker will play the wealthy Roberta whose life is turned upside down when her rebellious teen daughter (Beatey) starts a romance with a Mechanical boy (Christian) who is the son of Lydia’s Mechanical servant David (Patrick Heusinger) and his wife Susan (Jud Tylor), also a Mechanical. Echikunwoke will play the boss of Lydia’s other son, attorney Gregory (James Murray). (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

The CW has greenlit three dramas: Arrow, The Carrie Diaries and a procedural take on Beauty and the Beast. Arrow is to be a contemporary retelling of the Green Arrow character. The Carrie Diaries is based on the Candace Bushnell book about Carrie Bradshaw’s high school years in the 1980s. And, Beauty and the Beast is to be loosely based on the CBS drama from the late 1980s that is to be a modern-day romancer with a procedural twist. (Variety)

Syfy has given the green light to Rewind, an action thriller which has received an order for a two-hour pilot. The story revolves around a team of military field operatives and civilian scientists who must use untested technology to travel back in time to alter past events in order to change the future and avoid a devastating terrorist attack. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

CBS has ordered to pilot a female-led law enforcement drama that will revolve around a common-sense mother-turned-New York state trooper. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Teri Polo (Meet the Parents) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Criminal Minds as a former high school history teacher who was sent to jail after molesting one of her students. Now out of prison, “Miss Hallman” is on a mission to reunite with her young “lover” — and will kill anyone who gets in her way. (Megan Masters at TV Line)

Actor Jeff Goldblum (Law & Order: Criminal Intent) and Broadway vet Brian Stokes Mitchell have been cast as the gay, adoptive dads of Rachel (Lea Michele) on Glee. They will play Hiram and LeRoy Berry, they will first appear in the show’s Valentine’s Day episode and they will sing. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actor Christopher Heyerdahl (Sanctuary, Hell on Wheels and the Twilight franchise) will have a recurring role in True Blood when the show returns for its fifth season. He will play Dieter Braun, an ancient, powerful vampire who plays a large part in the intelligence of the Authority and especially enjoys enhanced interrogation. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Melinda McGraw (Mad Men) will guest star in the USA Network series Fairly Legal, which is slated to return for its second season on March 16. She will play Judge Victoria Connors, a new addition to the San Francisco Supreme Courts. (Kate Stanhope at TV Guide)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actor Daniel Sunjata (Rescue Me) is set for a starring role in the USA Network untitled drama pilot from White Collar creator Jeff Eastin. The potential series follows four agents from various federal and local agencies (DEA, FBI, LAPD) who live at a former ganglord’s mansion-turned-safe house for undercover agents in Southern California. He will play Paul Briggs, an atypical FBI agent with a legendary past who has traded in his suit and tie for a more Zen existence. He is the senior agent in a house full of undercover agents. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

FOX has given a pilot order to a new project from Josh Freidman (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) called The Asset. The project is described as a character-driven drama set in the New York office of the CIA, which centers on a female agent. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Jamie Bell (The Adventures of Tintin and Billy Elliott) and actress Tilda Swinton (Chronicles of Narnia) have joined the cast of the upcoming box office film called Snow Piercer that will star actor Chris Evans (Star Trek). The film is set on a train in a future, post-apocalyptic sci- world covered entirely by snow. There are no details on what roles any of the actors will play at this time, though. (Variety and First Showing)

Actor Matthew Lillard (The Descendants) is negotiating to join Clint Eastwood in the baseball centric drama Trouble with the Curve, but it is unclear what role he will play. (Entertainment Weekly and First Showing)

Q&A SECTION (with Adam Bryant at TV Guide and Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Question: What’s Ziva’s reaction to meeting Tony’s ex Wendy on NCIS? — Linda

ADAM: Ziva gets her claws into Wendy pretty quickly, perhaps looking for dirt on Tony. “Ziva is fascinated by Wendy because of the history, and Tony is mortified by the idea of leaving them alone,” executive producer Gary Glasberg says, adding that both Tony and Wendy still have feelings for each other. But don’t look for Wendy’s visit to completely deflate this season’s Tiva tension. “By the end of this season, they’re both going to have a better understanding of what they want from the future,” Glasberg says.

Question: So glad Justified is back! Give me some scoop on the rest of the season. — Jack

ADAM: Boyd’s plan to get back into prison and exact revenge on Dickie may seem pretty smart, but Raylan may spoil the fun when he figures out what his old coal-mining buddy is up to. But that’s just the beginning of Boyd’s problems: Look for a member of his crew to sell him out to disastrous results.

Question: Any NCIS: LA scoop? —Amy

Ausiello: Is it too early to start teasing the season finale? No? Splendid. “Someone’s gonna die that we know well,” confirms exec producer Shane Brennan. “I’ve got the target, I’m just choosing which missile to fire. And there’s a character or two coming back to tie some things up.”

Question: It’s about time you gives us a scoop for NCIS: LA. —Gisela

Ausiello: There’s a big Kensi-centric double episode coming up titled “Blye, K.” that Brennan says “goes to the very heart of why she joined NCIS” and sets the stage for the big NCIS: LA/Hawaii Five-0 crossover during May sweeps. In possibly related news, the show is looking for an actress in her late 40s to play the estranged mother of one of the show’s female characters.

Question: I just watched the pilot for Smash and I’m dying for some more. Any scoop you can part with? —Ellie

Ausiello: The second episode is just as good. I’ve seen many a promising pilot crash and burn in Episode 2, so it was an enormous relief that Smash maintained its quality week-to-week — save for one glaring plot contrivance involving Katharine McPhee standing up her onscreen boyfriend. Note to producers: There’s still time to reshoot that scene!

Question: Any information about Ringer? —Mark

Ausiello: Bridget’s going to spill the beans to Andrew, the only question is which beans will she be spilling. “Bridget has to come clean to Andrew on some really major secret that deals with identity,” says exec producer Pam Veasey.

Question: There will be a huge hole in my life after Chuck ends on January 27. Any last bit of final season spoilers out there? —Chuck

Ausiello: Zachary Levi breaks down the two-hour swan song thusly: “The first hour is super-intense drama and action and some tears are shed. And the second half also has some drama, but there’s a lot of comedy, too.”

Question: Having recently devoured all the episodes of Grimm since the winter semester ended, I am left wondering one thing: Has the engagement ring Nick purchased in the pilot been forgotten about? According to the story, he was proposing to Juliet that night, but I haven’t spied a ring on that finger. —Erin

Ausiello: “Nick did buy the ring, but his newfound Grimm abilities have interrupted his romantic plans — and his life in general,” responds EP David Greenwalt. “Nick and Juliette’s relationship will be tested this season as Nick continues to hide his new abilities — yet Juliette’s suspicions keep rising after she finds something of Nick’s…and also finds herself in danger.”

Question: I loved the Alcatraz premiere! Do you have any scoop? —Lily

Ausiello: An upcoming episode will focus on the “segregated block” of prisoners, says EP Jack Bender. “All of the black prisoners were not allowed to mingle, eat with [the rest of the inmates]. This was 1963, so we’re starting to deal with those issues.”

Question: The official CW description for an upcoming episode of Vampire Diaries said Klaus holds a dinner party. Any intel on what goes down? —Julia

Ausiello: Sounds like there will be blood for dessert. “There’s always a little bit of violence
involved in anything Klaus does — even if it starts as a sit down meal, it’s all going to end in violence,” reveals the host himself, Joseph Morgan. “There will be some things which aren’t strictly within dinner party etiquette. Also, it’s incredibly charged. Imagine having this powerful hybrid hosting a little dinner party. Who will be his guests? And what will the conversation be? And what will he serve for dinner? What will his table etiquette be? It’s a really interesting idea. We’ve seen so much of him in physical confrontation with people, it’s interesting to see a little bit more of his cultured side, his charm and his elegance there at the dinner table.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

It has been confirmed that the hit BBC series Sherlock will be returning for a third season. While the announcement of the renewal of the mini-series for a second season also included a third season, it seems the media picked up on the news this week, making it a hot topic online. It is being reported the third season is in the early planning stages for 2013 while the second season will air her in the States in May. (Nancy Tartaglione at Deadline)

The hit TNT series The Closer will be coming to a conclusion this summer and the show’s spin-off series Major Crimes will pick up where The Closer left off this time with Mary McDonnell leading the cast as Captain Sharon Raydor. The cast from The Closer who will be moving over to Major Crimes will include actors G.W. Bailey (Provenza), Tony Denison (Flynn), Michael Paul Chan (Tao), Raymond Cruz (Sanchez) and Phillip P. Keene (Buzz) while actors Jon Tenney (Fritz) and Robert Gossett (Commander Taylor) will appear in recurring roles; but actors Corey Reynolds (Gabriel) and J.K. Simmons (Chief Pope) will not be back. (Dark Horizons)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

ABC has greenlit a pilot for a period drama set in 1895 New York from Shonda Rhimes, the woman behind Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice. The series, called Gilded Lillys, revolves around the opening of Gotham’s first luxury hotel; and is said to have a touch of the PBS mini-series Downton Abbey and is being billed as a drama that will delve into all the intermingling of love, treachery and disdain between the classes. (Variety)

CBS has greenlit their first dramas for the new season: Baby Big Shot is a legal drama that centers on a working-class woman who uses her street smarts to compete with her more polished colleagues at a tony Manhattan law firm and Elementary, which is a modern-day Sherlock Holmes. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Grant Bowler (Ugly Betty and True Blood) has landed the lead role in the new Syfy series called Defiance that is set on a future Earth where humans and aliens live together on a planet ravished by decades of war and transformed by alien terra-forming machines. It centers on Jeb Nolan (Bowler), the law keeper in the bustling frontier boomtown of Defiance that is one of the new world’s few oasis of civility and inclusion. Nolan is a former Marine who fought in the alien conflict and suffered the loss of his wife and child in the war. The trauma transformed him into a lone wanderer in the wilds of this new and dangerous world. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Jaimie Alexander recently confirmed she was returning to play Sif in the upcoming Thor sequel; and now recent Golden Globe-winner Idris Elba (Luther) has confirmed he will reprise his role of Heimdall as well. (MTV News and Dark Horizons)

Actress Abigail Spencer (Mad Men) has signed on for the Joss Whedon film called In Your Eyes that is described as a supernatural romance tale about two people who are polar opposites who are spiritually linked. (Vulture and Dark Horizons)

French actor and recent Golden Globe winner Jean Dujardin (The Artist) and actor Vincent will appear in a remake of One Wild Moment, a 1977 French romantic comedy about two middle-aged best friends who end up in a strange situation when one of the men begins a secret romance with the other’s daughter. (The Hollywood Reporter and First Showing)

Actor Tommy Lee Jones will join Matthew Fox (Lost) in the box office film called Emperor, which is set amidst the tensions and uncertainties of the days immediately following the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II. Jones will portray General Douglas MacArthur, the de facto ruler of Japan as Supreme Commander of the occupying forces, and he leans on a leading Japanese expert on his staff, General Bonner Fellers (Fox), to reach a decision of historical importance: should Emperor Hirohito be tried and hanged as a war criminal? (Mike Fleming at Deadline)

Q&A SECTION (with E! Online)

Question: Anything on Once Upon a Time! – tiffanyrush

E! Online: Prepare to meet Jefferson, a former criminal in the fairy-tale world who is extremely handsome. (Aren’t all TV criminals?) In Storybrooke, he’s a mysterious figure who is in the know about a certain curse and attempts to sway Emma (Jennifer Morrison) into believing as well.

Question: Something about Once Upon a Time, about Snow and Charming! Any scoop? – fotreya

E! Online: David (Josh Dallas) is about to make a big decision regarding his love life that should make David and Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin) very happy.

Question: Revenge! – Brunettenoel

E! Online: Quick and to the point, we like that in a reader. In addition to casting that high-profile defense attorney we told you about last week, Revenge is also casting the role of a very serious judge for episode 16 and beyond, so it looks like the murder trial will be moving very quickly. Color us excited!

Question: Will Nolan from Revenge have another love interest that isn’t a crazy gold digger? – whorelips:

E! Online: Gabriel Mann told me he lobbies all the time for Nolan and Ashley to get together (much to Ashley Madekwe’s dismay!). Anyone else kind dig that idea? It’s almost as good as Nolan and Emily. Assuming they aren’t, you know, also somehow surprisingly related.

Question: Any scoop on Misha Collins’ return to Supernatural? I’m counting down the days! – Bridget

E! Online: You and us both, sister! We asked Jared Padalecki for the scoop on Collins’ return when we sat down with him for some french fries. “He doesn’t come back as Castiel per say. When he and the boys see each other, it’s not like, ‘Oh, Sam and Dean!’ ‘Oh, Castiel!’ It’s amnesia of sorts,” he teases. “He’s still got great powers and we seek him out because we have an inkling that something’s going on. I think Castiel, like Bobby (Jim Beaver), they can’t come back as the good ol’ Castiel and the good ol’ Bobby because the audience starts to not take seriously what’s going on.”

Question: Is Supernatural definitely coming back next year? – Frank

E! Online: While both Padalecki and Jensen Ackles are contracted through season eight, the CW has yet to make a decision about the fate of Supernatural…or anything other show for that matter. “We are considering everything for next year. We have made no determinations on any of our shows,” CW Boss Mark Pedowitz tells us. “I’m very happy with how Supernatural has done this year, in terms of ratings and production.” He also says if they have more “juice” in them, he could see it going on for “many, many years.” Our guess? It’s coming back.

Question: Can you tell us anything about NBC’s Grimm? – indigo_15

E! Online: Don’t you hate Skalengeck (lizard-esque creatures) who are addicted to drugs? The show is currently casting two Skalengecks who are addicted to “T” and will do anything to score their next fix.

Question: Can we please have some Ezria scoop? – irutter2011

E! Online: Pretty Little Liars’ fan favorite couple Aria (Lucy Hale) and Ezra (Ian Harding) are back to their secretive ways after spilling the beans to her parents. “It’s almost like they have to start back at square one. They’re very creative with how they are going to pursue this relationship,” Hale teases. “I think the fans will be pretty happy with it. These are two people who really love and care about each other.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

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