Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Goran Visnjic (ER) has joined the cast of the new ABC fall drama Pan Am for a 4-episode arc. He will play a sexy Yugoslavian immigrant torn between his communist Eastern Bloc homeland and the potential freedoms and opportunities of the West. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

Actor Ryan Rottman (the TeenNick series Gigantic) will guest star on 90210 this fall, playing Shane, a smart, handsome gay 20-something who is confident in his identity and is committed to fighting for marriage equality. The show is back with all new episodes starting on September 13. (Sandra Gonzalez at Entertainment Weekly)

Supernatural fans rejoice – as well as Buffy and Angel fans. Charisma Carpenter and James Marsters will be playing husband and wife named Don and Maggie Stark in the fifth episode of the new season. The episode is called “Shut Up, Dr. Phil and is about a successful man (Marsters) who is married to a witch (Carpenter); but he made her angry and now the whole town is paying the price. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

With the success of Game of Thrones on HBO, Hollywood seems interested in developing other properties by author George R.R. Martin for the screen. It looks like a film adaptation of Martin’s werewolf tale The Skin Trade looks to be in the works. The story centers upon a female detective on the trail of a serial killer linked to an underground werewolf clan ruling the remains of an economically decaying city. (Dark Horizons)

Fox has given a pilot commitment to the as-yet untitled spy drama project from writer Josh Friedman (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles). No other details on the project are available at this time. (Cynthia Littleton at Variety)

TNT has given a pilot order to the western pilot called Gateway, which is an action/adventure set in a town of the same name in Colorado in the 1880s. The story chronicles three brothers who step up to save their town when their sheriff father is murdered, pitting them against a corrupt cattle baron determined to make the town his own. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Hugh Jackman will star as P.T. Barnum in the contemporary musical The Greatest Showman on Earth. A focal point of the movie is Barnum’s infatuation with opera singer Jenny Lind, called the Swedish Nightingale. So far, no actress has been cast for the role. (The Hollywood Reporter)

Looks like director Ridley Scott is committing to direct and produce a “new installment of Blade Runner,” but at this time it’s unclear if this will be a sequel, a prequel or something else. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

‘Underworld: Awakening’ Trailer: Everything’s Blue!

NOTE: Theo James from Bedlam, Kris Holden-Ried from Lost Girl and Michael Ealy from FlashForward are in this with Kate Beckinsale. I’m SO there!!

First Full Trailer for ‘Texas Killing Fields’

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items to share with all of you for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Carlos Bernard (24) will have a recurring role on CSI: Miami, playing a ruthless politico who uses his power to keep his depraved serial killer son safe from the law. The show will be back starting September 25 at 10 PM on CBS. Bernard’s arc is slated to kick off in late October. (Adam Bryant at TV Guide)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

It would seem a “teen version” (yes, you read that right) of Sex and the City – otherwise known as The Carrie Diaries , based on the Candice Bushnell book about Carrie Bradshaw’s high school years is a candidate for a new TV show on…wait for it…The CW. No deals are in place, as talks are only in the preliminary stages, but Gossip Girl executive producers Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage are being courted to helm the project. The young-adult novel for which the show would be based chronicles Carrie’s senior year of high school in a small New England town. (Deadline)

Actress Viola Davis (who can be seen in the box office film The Help) is eyeing the lead role in a new HBO drama that centers on the corruption of a city as seen through the eyes of the headmaster of an exclusive prep school. Davis is also poised to executive-produce as well. (The Hollywood Reporter and TV Line)

Bruckheimer TV – yes, Jerry Bruckheimer – has set up a Navy SEALs drama pilot at ABC with Life creator/executive producer Rand Ravich. The story is based on the lives of Navy SEALs and their families. (Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Dakota Fanning has signed on for the title role in the Emma Thompson-scripted biopic called Effie about Euphemia ‘Effie’ Gray, who was a teenager when she married famed London art critic John Ruskin (Greg Wise) in the 1850s. The marriage turned out to be a disaster with Ruskin refusing to consummate it. Effie eventually turned her affections to Ruskin’s protégé John Everett Millais (Tom Sturridge). Thompson will portray Effie’s mentor Lady Eastlake. Also starring is Julie Walters and Derek Jacobi as Effie’s parents and Edward Fox as Lady Eastlake’s husband. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

Rosamund Pike (An Education and Pride & Prejudice) has been cast as the leading lady opposite Tom Cruise in the film adaptation of Lee Child’s novel called One Shot that features the author’s recurring character, former military policeman-turned drifter Jack Reacher. The story follows Reacher as he investigates a case in which a lone sniper murders five victims before being captured. But Reacher soon learns the apprehension of the alleged sniper isn’t the end, and this case won’t be closed that easily. Pike is playing Helen Rodin, a local defense attorney defending the man arrested for the shootings who may not be the man they’re looking for at all. She then works with Reacher to apprehend the true culprits behind the murders. (Deadline and First Showing)

BOX OFFICE TRAILERS

The Woman in Black Trailer

First Official Trailer for Legal Drama ‘Puncture’ Starring Chris Evans

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

Question: Any Chuck scoop. —Laura

Ausiello: An upcoming episode will feature Chuck and Sarah going on their first Buy More business trip. “It doesn’t sound exciting at all,” executive producer Chris Fedak acknowledges, “but let’s just put it this way — it involves an Embassy Suites.” Still underwhelmed? Fedak reveals that “we will learn much more” of Sarah’s back-story when the show returns.

Question: Chuck spoilage, please? —Jaime

Ausiello: Ellie and Awesome are going to get more immersed in the spy world in Season 5. “They know about Chuck’s spy life now,” Fedak explains. “They know about the [freelance spy] company. Things have changed. It’s much more of a family story.”

Question: Since Tamala Jones recently announced that she has become a series regular on Castle, what does that mean for Lanie and Esposito? —Danielle

Ausiello: Ironically, it could mean their relationship is (done). While Jon Huertas (Esposito) confirms that we’ll see “a lot more of [the pair] interacting as a couple” this season, he adds that producers “want to go all the way to where we may break up. It may be because of Ryan and Jenny and their relationship and where they’re going as a couple into marriage. It might make Lanie or Esposito say, ‘Maybe I want to get married’ — and maybe the other person doesn’t.”

Question: Enough beating around the bush: Is Castle going to put Beckett and Castle together this season? — Kelsey

ADAM: Signs point to “won’t they.” Why? I’m hearing that a certain gorgeous female art insurance investigator will catch Castle’s eye and their chemistry will be instant. Do I have to paint a picture for you of Beckett’s reaction to said chemistry?

Question: Happy for the McGee family back-story coming up on NCIS, but when are we going to get the Abby arc we were promised? — Tory

ADAM: Soon — like, in-the-first-few-episodes soon! “We’re going to actually get into a story line that’s going to reveal something about Abby’s past and her family that people aren’t going to see coming,” executive producer Gary Glasberg teases. “It’s a revelation that she makes on her part… and it’s going to tee up a mini-arc.” Speaking of family, Glasberg also confirms that both Ralph Waite and Robert Wagner will return this season as Papas Gibbs and DiNozzo, respectively.

Question: Got any scoop on the new season of Vampire Diaries? — Amy

NATALIE: It may be a supernatural show, but executive producer Kevin Williamson says the story is and always will be about family. “We’re going to dive more into the relationship [between] Damon and Stefan,” he says. “You’re going to see them confront each other.” Plus, there’s that pesky family of original vampires whose diluted lineage will cause a lot of trouble for the Salvatore brothers. “This year, with the original family afoot, it’s going to be about the hybrid and about Klaus and what he’s up to, because he’s the bastard child of the original family. We’ll see his agenda and how Stefan plays into it.”

Question: Any Nikita scoop? What’s in store for Michael and Nikita? — Sammy, via Twitter

ADAM: Look for a powerful lady from Michael’s past to re-emerge: the sexy, smart first lady of Belarus, who, as luck (and the writers) would have it, first met Michael when Division was trying to overthrow her husband. Now fearing for her life, she’ll cash in on their past spark and ask Michael to help her seek asylum.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here is the news for today:

TELEVISION

The new MTV comedy Awkward has been picked up for a second season. (The Futon Critic)

Actress Morgan Fairchild, who was last seen as Captain Awesome’s mom on Chuck, will guest star on Bones this fall. She will appear in the third episode as Bianca, the intelligent, impeccably dressed CEO of Dillio Toys. Bones is back on November 3. (William Keck at TV Guide)

Actress Cassidy Freeman (Smallville) will play the recurring role on the new drama The Playboy Club. She will play Frances Dunhill, a Chicago socialite with a secret who feigns a relationship with Nick Dalton (Eddie Cibrian) while he runs for public office and so she can please her father. The series will debut on September 19 at 9 PM on NBC. (Joyce Eng at TV Guide)

Actor Dominic Chianese (The Sopranos) will guest star in six episodes of the upcoming new season of Boardwalk Empire. He will play Leander Whitlock, a contemporary of Dabney Coleman’s Commodore. The show will have its season premiere on September 25. (TV Guide)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

The Mexican drama called Terminales is being adapted by the ABC Family Channel as a possible new series for the cable network. The show chronicles the life of young and successful publicist April Marquez who is diagnosed with terminal cancer. In addition to Terminales, the company also has a Miranda Lambert PI series in development at ABC Family. (Deadline)

MINI-SERIES NEWS

Actor Bill Paxton has be tapped for the second lead opposite Kevin Costner in the History’ Channels mini-series The Hatfields and McCoys, which will chronicle America’s most infamous family feud. The saga centers on “Devil” Anse Hatfield (Costner) and Randall McCoy (Paxton), who were close friends and comrades during the Civil War, but when they returned to their neighboring homes — Hatfield in West Virginia, McCoy just across the Tug River border in Kentucky – it was to increasing tensions, misunderstandings and resentments that soon exploded into all-out warfare between the families. As hostilities grew, friends, neighbors and outside forces joined the fight, bringing the two states to the brink of another Civil War. (Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Bradley Cooper has left the reboot of the box office movie The Crow. Two potential replacements – Channing Tatum and Mark Wahlberg – have emerged, but now decisions have been made yet. (Heat Vision and Dark Horizons)

Actors Danny Glover and Taylor Handley (The O.C.) and actresses Beverley Mitchell (7th Heaven) and Tiffany Hines (Nikita) [among others] have joined the cast of the sci-fi thriller called Mentryville, which is set at an off the grid pharmaceutical testing facility where renowned scientist (Glover) is hired to create a vaccine for a lethal airborne virus. Handley’s character and his friends cause complications when they help clean out the house of his hoarding grandmother and save her from eviction. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Actor Reeve Carney (the star of the Broadway play Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark) has signed on to play Jeff Buckley in an untitled biopic about the late musician which should not be confused with the rival project called Greetings from Tim Buckley that stars Penn Badgley in the lead role. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

Actor Walton Goggins (Justified) has joined the cast of the upcoming film/sequel G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation. He will play a character named Warden Nigel James, but little else is known about his role. It was also recently learned that Bruce Willis will play General Joe Colton, the original G.I. Joe, in the film. The film is anticipated to open on June 29, 2012. (Variety and First Showing)

Actor Chiwetel Ejiofor (2012) is set to star in the independent film called 12 Years a Slave, which tells the true story of Solomon Northrup, a New York citizen who was kidnapped in Washington in 1841 and rescued from a cotton plantation in Louisiana in 1853. (Showblitz)

Actor Nolan Gerald Funk (Warehouse 13) has joined the cast of the independent thriller called Evidence that revolves around a detective who hunts down a killer using video footage shot by the victims of a massacre at an abandoned gas station. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Q&A SECTION (with Kristin at E! Online)

Question: @Katemadeleine: Caroline and Tyler are the best characters on TVD. I neeeeeeeed to know what that one second clip in the promo was about?

Kristin: Let’s just say a green little monster whose name rhymes with Melousy becomes Caroline’s (Candice Accola) friend when she sees Tyler (Michael Trevino) dancing with another girl at Elena’s (Nina Dobrev) party. Looking ahead, their Romeo and Juliet-esque relationship takes a truly Shakespearean turn when someone we know—and kind of trust—aims to hurt our favorite blonde.

Question:  Jody in Crown Point, Ind.: Anything TVD or about my favorite baddie, Klaus!

Kristin: Joseph Morgan told us that Klaus and Stefan are just having a splendid time together. “[They’re] out having fun, painting the town red,” he says. “Going dancing. Shopping. Going to garden centers. Picking out curtains. Trying out couches. Just trying to get to know each other.” Oh, how we wish he wasn’t kidding about all that. Best bromance ever. But seriously, Stefan and Klaus are up to absolutely no good. “They’ve been on a killing binge, quite frankly. Just wreaking havoc. I’ve been slowly trying to corrupt him and bring him back to the dark side,” he tells us. Since the season premiere takes place months after the season two finale, will viewers ever see what happened in the days we passed over? “I’m not sure if we’re going to flash back to that period, but [the killing] certainly hasn’t stopped,” Joseph assures us. “Things are only going to escalate from here, so we’re going to see how far these guys are willing to go. And Klaus is willing to go as far as it takes.”

Question: SalgronQuick: Will Glee be revisiting the Puck/Quinn storyline as Shelby is returning?

Kristin: Based on this bit of casting info, I’d say definitely! Glee is looking for twin blonde baby girls to be “very, very featured extras.” Who thinks baby Beth will finally be seen again? Um, we do! And if the love child of Puck (Mark Salling) and Quinn (Dianna Agron) is coming around, it’s pretty safe to say that that the couple formerly known as Quick might be having a “remember when we had a kid?” conversation.

Question: Jennifer in N.J.: I love Mercedes! Is she graduating at the end of this season with the others?

Kristin: Officially, we don’t know if Mercedes (Amber Riley) is a senior or not. But don’t think she’s sweating the idea of graduating. While other cast members might be biting their nails in anxiety at the thought of leaving Glee, Riley is taking it all in stride. “I may not be coming back for the fourth season, so who knows? Whatever happens this season is just up in the air,” she tells us. “I am about to be 26 years old. I don’t want to play a high school student anymore. Glee was a good run. I think it’s smart to keep having new students come in and hear their stories. I think it’s good and I am really excited about the

Question: Glenn in Playa del Rey, Calif.: I did not like all the talk about roadblocks for Michael and Nikita in last week’s Spoiler Chat. Give me better news!

Kristin: Sorry, but even Maggie Q is admitting there will be tough times ahead for Nikita and Michael (Shane West.) “It’s going to be hard. They have no money!” she tells us. “They’re like a new married couple, just starting out. Except they’re trying to save the world, too.” Think they’ll survive to see their first anniversary?

Question: Emily in Pa.: Scoop on Nikita!

Kristin: The stars of Nikita want you to strap in, because the second season is going to be a wild ride. “Everything is different. It’s the same good characters, but everything has changed. I think the fans will be real into it,” Lyndsy Fonseca predicts to us. Shane West agrees with his costar, and even reveals how the first episode will be set up. “It’s basically going over what happened in the last episode of season one, and seeing where these characters might actually be now,” he says. “Obviously Michael and Nikita are on the run. Division is turned upside down. It’s nuts right now! It’s entertaining and all the actors are back, so that’s exciting, too. Knowing how Craig writes, so much will happen in four or five episodes.”

Question: Martucacomayuca: What can u get for us Castle fans?

Kristin: Penny Johnson Jerald, who’s joining the cast of Castle as the new Captain, tells us that in the season premiere (which takes place three months after the finale), she doesn’t know if she sees Beckett (Stana Katic) in the office…at all! She played it real coy, but it sounds like Beckett survives the shooting physically, but maybe not emotionally or mentally. Jerald also offered this tease on season four: “[Fans] are going to be like, ‘Wait a minute? That’s never happened on this show before!'”

Question:  Mperfectmistake: Any Fringe scoop not related to Peter? He’ll be back, that’s all I need to know for now.

Kristin: How about we check in with Walter? “He doesn’t function very well in the first couple of episodes,” John Noble tells us. “Without Peter, he’s insane. He won’t leave the lab. He hears voices and has hallucinations…he’s crazy! He still can solve problems, but he has to get Astrid (Jasika Nicole) to go out with a special [camera] so he can see the crime scenes because he won’t go out himself.” Geez, Walt. Pull yourself together!

Question: MafaldaNeto: Anything Fringe please!

Kristin: OK, now we’ll talk about Peter (Joshua Jackson). “What’s happening is we’re going to bring Josh back in as Peter, but not in the same way. Not as a person that’s been there with us all the time, but as a person that comes in our lives at this stage,” John reveals to us. “That’s very different, because the relationship that the audiences know won’t be there. Olivia (Anna Torv) won’t be in love with him, at least to start with. So we’ve started a whole possibility for relationship growth.” Sounds like season four of Fringe is going to be downright awesome, right?

Question: MrsDeWinter_2 Pam: SDCC was lacking Dean spoilers. Any word yet on an overdue storyline for Dean on Supernatural?

Kristin: We went straight to the source with your question—Supernatural star Jensen Ackles himself, during our set visit in Vancouver last week. Unfortunately, the two-time Alpha Male Madness champion said the spotlight won’t be shining specifically on the eldest Winchester brother: “Sam [Jared Padalecki] is dealing with more of a personal issue than Dean,” the dishy star dished. “Essentially the big topic [this season] is there’s a new evil in the world and the boys are going to have to combat it by pooling their [meager] resources…It’s going to be a difficult situation for both guys.” (Stay tuned for more scoop from the Supernatural set, including whether the Winchesters will get lucky in love—and life without Castiel (Misha Collins) Sniff.)

Question: @lanaya_salim: Any scoop on the Pretty Little Liars hottie Jason DiLaurentis? Is he really bad news bears?

Kristin: First of all, you get a gold star for using the phrase “bad news bears.” Well done. Your other prize? The scoop on Jason straight from the man who plays him: Drew Van Acker! We just got off the phone with Drew and he told us we’ll definitely get an explanation from Jason for all those creepy pictures of Aria (Lucy Hale) in tomorrow night’s episode. Check back with us tomorrow for more PLL intel courtesy of the show’s new bad boy.

Question: Ovaltine_Jenkins: Got any Psych scoop? I’m going through some serious withdrawal.

Kristin: So are we, Ovaltin, so are we. Although Psych doesn’t return until Oct. 12, we got some delicious deets on William Shatner’s guest gig as Juliet’s (Maggie Lawson) con-man father. “My relationship with my father has been estranged—we’re sort of reconnecting and it’s really rocky and uncomfortable, and Shawn (James Roday, Maggie’s real-life BF) gets in the middle,” Maggie told us on set. “That’s really uncomfortable for us, and we have to work through it. It’s a very a very complicated case—it involves theft—and a complicated episode.” When we suggested Juliet has daddy issues—after all, Shawn’s essentially a con man himself—she laughed and said, “It’s interesting and eyebrow raising that Juliet would choose somebody very similar, but she doesn’t know Shawn’s a con man. She believes [in him] through and through, so this could get interesting.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Breaking Bad has been picked up for a 16-episode fifth and final season by AMC. (E! Online)

Actress Jessy Schram (Falling Skies) will appear as Cinderella in an early episode of Once Upon a Time, the new ABC fairytale series that will debut on October 23 at 8 PM. Actor David Anders (The Vampire Diaries) will also appear as a doctor who dates Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin). (Zap2It)

Actress Nathalie Kelley (The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift) will have a recurring role on Body of Proof when it returns to ABC on September 20. She will play Dani, the confident, street smart driver of the M.E. van who has a real interest in forensics and ultimately wants to be a part of the team. (The Futon Critic)

The Secret Life of the American Teenager will complete its summer run on ABC Family on September 5 at 8 PM with the new ABC Family series The Lying Game taking over that time slot starting on September 12 and continuing through October. Meanwhile, Pretty Little Liars will air its mid-season finale on August 30. (The Futon Critic)

Actor Josh Duhamel has joined the cast of the Disney Jr.’s flagship animated series called Jake and the Never Land Pirates. He will voice the recurring role of Captain Flynn, a dashing young pirate who is well-known for his legendary adventures on the Never Sea with his boat The Barracuda. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

Actor William Sadler (Roswell) will return to Fringe as Dr. Sumner in the third episode of the fourth season. (Give Me My Remote)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actress Julianna Moore is considering to appear in the potential HBO mini-series based on the Sara Gran novel called Dope. The story takes place in New York around 1950, centering on a woman who re-enters her life after being away at the farm to treat her heroin addiction and becomes a private eye. (Deadline)

The show-runners behind the short-lived ABC series Detroit 1-8-7 are working on a pilot project for ABC Studios called Two Roads, which centers on a young woman who struggles with doubt on her wedding day whether to go through with it or not. (Deadline)

A script written by Josh Berman (Drop Dead Diva) and Peter Tolan has been picked up by ABC Studios. The story is about a female FBI profiler who teams up with a homicide detective for the first time since he left her at the altar after coming out of the closet. Tolan also has a script in play at FOX for an ensemble comedy with producing partner Michael Wimer and DJ Nash. (Andrew Wallenstein at Variety)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

British singer Cheryl Cole has landed a role in the upcoming film What to Expect When You’re Expecting starring alongside the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Cameron Diaz. There is no word what character she will be playing, though. (E! Online)

Aussie actor Sullivan Stapleton (Strike Back) has joined the cast of the upcoming film Gangster Squad where he will play a mob enforcer-turned-police informant who is the childhood friend of the character to be played by Ryan Gosling. (Heat Vision and Dark Horizons)

It looks like Disney has shut down production on The Lone Ranger, which was set to star Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer. It seems the remake was dumped due to the film’s $250 million budget. (Deadline and TV Guide)

Here are the top 10 movies for this past weekend, according to Exhibitor Relations and E! Online:

1. Rise of the Planet of the Apes, $27.5 million
2. The Help, $25.5 million
3. Final Destination 5, $18.4 million
4. The Smurfs, $13.5 million
5. 30 Minutes or Less, $13 million
6. Cowboys & Aliens, $7.6 million
7. Captain America: The First Avenger, $7.1 million
8. Crazy, Stupid, Love, $6.9 million
9. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, $6.88 million
10. The Change-Up, $6.2 million

NOTE: The Glee movie placed in 11th place on its opening weekend, earning only 5.7 million in the box office receipts.

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

Question: I just finished watching the season finale of Falling Skies and I am very happy the show got renewed for another season. I just hate that we have to wait until next summer before the show comes back on again. I have seen where people have described the show as boring. Did you think it was boring? I found it interesting and suspenseful that the audience did not know any more than the characters did about what was going on in their world. When we saw the bipedal aliens for the first time, it was a shock. We thought the Skitters were in charge, but it appears they were just drones. That was shocking to me. What did you think? The cast is great! Noah Wyle did an excellent job as Tom Mason. Colin Cunningham was perfectly cast as Pope, who’s such is an interesting character. I was so happy to see Fringe’s Blair Brown on the show. I hope Falling Skies continues for a long time. The summer shows are so good. I am not nearly as excited as I once was about the fall shows coming back. Which shows do you look forward to more, summer or fall? — Susan

Matt Roush: Let’s start with Falling Skies, which I never found boring. Overly earnest and preachy at times, yes, but there was always a tension afoot given the way the series was set up, thrusting us directly into the resistance movement against the aliens, and not stalling in the build-up to the attack the way V did. I agree that the reveal late in the season of the new aliens (presumably in charge) and the harnessed nature of the Skitters were good surprises. I was even OK with the Close Encounters nature of the season cliffhanger, though I gather some were put off by it. And you called out my favorite characters. This is by far Noah Wyle’s best TV role since the glory days of ER, and Pope is a great foil. Hoping in Season 2 for there to be more unsettling cameos like the one Blair Brown performed so memorably. As for summer-vs-fall, it’s not really an issue for me, because TV pretty much goes year-round anymore with barely a pause (except around the holidays), and there are high and low points in each period of the year. Summer is especially critical for cable networks to present many of their best signature shows while attempting to launch new ones, and there was a glut of them this year, while network TV takes a step back with very little to recommend. But soon, network TV will be back in full force, and as much as I enjoy many summer series, I’ll be happy to welcome back the shows (from Modern Family to The Good Wife) that take us through much of the rest of the year. But back to Falling Skies, which has been especially prominent in my mailbag lately.

Question: The more I watch Falling Skies, the more excited I get about its future. The way the first season ended opens a tremendous amount of potential directions for this show to move towards. I still believe that, at its heart, it’s a mediocre show that is elevated by some wonderful performances and a creative over-arching storyline. Most of the supporting characters are one-dimensional archetypes: the empathetic doctor, the motorcycle chick, the hardened criminal who’s never at a loss for clichéd wisecracks, etc. But at the same time, I can’t imagine a better pick for the heart of the show than Noah Wyle. His character and performance are the highlights of the series. And surprisingly, I find myself enjoying Will Patton’s Capt. Weaver, who at the outset looked like he was going to fall into a typical gruff commander stereotype, but was given some great development in the last few episodes. Nothing about the first season excited me enough to think that I needed to watch the entire series, but every episode made me want to watch the next one (if that makes any sense). What has been your opinion of the first season, and what is your outlook for the second? — Chris

Matt Roush: What you’re expressing here is ambivalence that accentuates the positive, and I get that. It’s pretty much how I felt about the show through most of the season. Completely agree about the wooden acting in many of the stock supporting roles, which only accentuated the hokeyness at times. This never actually became appointment TV for me — in part because I moved around a lot this summer, and there are very few shows I’ve been able to keep up with regularly — which meant I tended to watch Skies in multiple-hour blocks, like a miniseries, and in that regard, it played well for me. I’m very curious where the show will go in its second season in the aftermath of Tom’s Close Encounters experience, which I hope won’t defuse the tension in the story’s next act.

Question: I just saw the promo for ABC Family’s The Lying Game and it looks an awful lot like the storyline for the CW’s Ringer, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar. Are they THAT similar? And which do you recommend? Thanks! — Diane

Matt Roush: There’s no explaining it, but yes, within the space of a few weeks, two shows will premiere (The Lying Game this week, Ringer in mid-September) involving identical twins from wildly different backgrounds: one rich, one poor, and the poor one takes over the rich twin’s life, with ensuing complications. The circumstances are different — in The Lying Game, the twins were separated at birth (one adopted, one in foster care) and only just learned of each other’s existence, while Ringer’s twins are merely estranged — and Ringer is more of a mystery/suspense thriller while I haven’t quite figured out the tone or direction of The Lying Game from the pilot. They’re not carbon copies, but it’s weird for two such similar shows to arrive at the same time. Still, these things do happen. In terms of preference, both seem like solid enough melodramas, but I’m a Sarah Michelle Gellar fan and enjoy Ringer’s more deluxe and sinister tone, while Lying Game saddles its main character (well played by Alexandra Chando, a dead ringer, so to speak, for The Vampire Diaries’ Nina Dobrev) with generic clique-ish rich brats who feel interchangeable with any number of ABC Family or CW dramas. Not exactly my thing.

Question: I’ve been a fan of Eureka since the beginning. It got off to a great start, but I’m confused about the number of episodes in each season. For the last two seasons, Syfy has had 8-10 episodes in the summer and then the 2nd half of the season the next summer. Instead of calling it season 4.0 and 4.5, wouldn’t that be seasons 4 and 5 since there are around nine months between each half-season? Will they get back to a normal summer season of 13 episodes, like Warehouse 13, or 10 episodes in the summer and then 10 episodes in the winter, like the Stargate shows? — Ryan

Matt Roush: This question came in before it was confirmed that Eureka’s fifth season, currently in production, will be its last — with an extra episode tacked on to the original order to allow the writers to bring the show to a close. It isn’t yet clear when and how Syfy will present the final episodes of Eureka, but it would be nice if the network didn’t try so hard to confuse the audience with its bizarre scheduling. Syfy has done Eureka no favors in the way its last few seasons were split over such a long period of time. Ryan is absolutely correct that to run one half of a season in July of one year, and then to finish the run the following July, it’s basically two separate seasons. Which may take some of the sting out of the recent news, if we pretend that seasons 3 and 4 were actually two seasons each, that would mean next season will be in some ways its seventh. (Got that?) Either way, it has been a nice run for what is currently my favorite Syfy series.

Question: With the news of the cancellation of Eureka, it seems like Syfy is sliding even further out of its SF niche. While Eureka has had a good run and I don’t think Syfy is making a mistake with canceling it (besides not deciding a little earlier to give them enough time to wrap it all up), the lack of any news about a replacement show is concerning. For a die-hard SF geek like myself, the fact that there are only 2-3 shows on Syfy that I watch is indicative of the lack of focus from that network. I compare that to USA, which is under the same corporate umbrella, where they have put together a great track record of solid shows from Psych to Suits, and I realize I spend more time watching USA than Syfy these days. Is there any reason why one branch of the NBC (now Comcast) umbrella is doing so well with their series and another is doing so poorly? — Jason

Matt Roush: In this case, it does seem an apples-and-oranges type of comparison. USA Network is doing very well at programming for the broadest possible audience, hewing to an escapist formula popularly described as “blue sky” while working just enough tweaks in most series so it doesn’t feel like you’re sitting through the same show hour after hour (some more successfully than others). Whereas Syfy is trying to find variations within an expansive genre, with a mix of scripted and non-scripted (quasi-reality) shows that, in the scripted arena, have tended to veer toward the whimsical light-fantasy side of late, because that’s what’s been working best for them. And while the purist may be disappointed by Syfy’s current slate, from a business point of view they’re doing pretty well, all things considered. And don’t be surprised when USA broadens out to include comedy and reality in its portfolio, which will surely earn it some critics. Personally, I’m putting almost an absurd amount of hope on the Battlestar Galactica prequel (Blood and Chrome) to return Syfy to classic form and improve upon the disappointing Caprica, because I’ve also missed the weightier (read: risky), more allegorical and less earthbound dramas that some of us tend to associate with sci-fi.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Warehouse 13 just got renewed for a fourth season. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

Actress Erica Durance (Smallville) will guest star in an episode of the new fall ABC series Charlie’s Angels, playing Samantha Masters, a tough-as-nails, Glock-toting CIA operative who has a bit of a romantic history with Bosley (Ramon Rodriguez). The new series will debut on September 22 at 8 PM with Durance’s episode to air in mid- to late-October. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Psych is coming back for its sixth season on Oct. 12 at 10 PM (Twitter)

The USA Network has cancelled In Plain Sight, but it will have one final season with an eight-episode order. The final season will air in spring of 2012. (Variety)

The TNT series Leverage has been picked up for a fifth season. (Twitter)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Summit Entertainment are interested in having former Smallville show runners Alfred Gough and Miles Millar direct an adaptation of the popular young adult novel series called Homelanders by Andrew Klavan for the big screen. The story follows the plight of a teenager who awakens one day to find himself tied to a chair after a whole year has passed him by. Once he escapes, he sets out to find those who put him in that terrible situation. There are four books planned for the series, with two having already been published. This potential franchise could possibly fill the hole left by The Twilight Saga franchise for the film studio. However, there is no set start date or cast information at this time. (Movie Web)

It looks like another Bridget Jones movie will be coming to cineplexs, but no specific details have been announced yet except that Universal and Working Title Films want the sequel to happen. (Lynette Rice at Entertainment Weekly)

Plans are underway for a new film adaptation of Cinderella to be filmed with director Mark Romanek (who directed Never Let Me Go and One Hour Photo) at the helm. The pitch for this reimagined version of the fairytale is about a prince who is forced into a politically-arranged marriage, until the evil plan is threatened when he meets Cinderella. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Watch: Second Official Trailer for Craig Brewer’s ‘Footloose’ Dances In

NOTE: It is interesting (at least to me) that the song used in this trailer – “Sour Cherry” – is from the duo The Kills. This song was used in a very sexy scene between Bo and Dyson on the Canadian series Lost Girl. It’s a great song; but this remake, well; I’ll hold my judgment until I see it.

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

CBS is developing a new pilot called Ralph Lamb with GoodFellas writer Nicholas Pileggi. The pilot would be set in Las Vegas, revolving around the former Clark County sheriff, who from helped form the Las Vegas Metro Police Department from 1961 to 1979. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

Show runners Shawn Ryan and Simon Mirren are working on an untitled pilot that has been sold to CBS that would be a procedural about a genetic scientist who uses his newfound discovery that he has the psychopath gene to help the FBI catch killers. (Deadline)

CONDOLENCES

Former lead singer of the 80’s metal rock band Warrant, Jani Lane, was found dead in Los Angeles last night. (E! Online)

ME: Rest in Peace, Mr. Lane. Condolences to his family, friends and fans.

MOMENT OF SILENCE, PLEASE…

Q&A SECTION (with Sandra Gonzalez from Entertainment Weekly)

Question: I know how much you love Castle and that you MUST have something good up those sleeves. So spill! — Christie

Sandra: You know me too well! While roaming around the ABC party last Sunday on my last day at TCA, I got a chance to talk Penny Johnson Jerald, who was so sweet I couldn’t believe she was the one playing the new no-nonsense captain! She revealed to me that while her character (Victoria ‘Iron’ Gates) doesn’t have a dark past like Capt. Montgomery (at least, she doesn’t currently have one), she’s not there with completely pure intentions. “I think what’s interesting with this character is that she’s aspiring to be more than a captain. So any case that comes through the office is of utmost importance — anything to help cushion that launch pad she needs for the next level she’s looking for,” she said. “She’s politically driven. I think that hopefully we’ll learn she has another agenda.”

Question: Any Glee-scoop would be much appreciated! — Becks

Sandra: Remember Tina’s random crying scenes last season? There’s probably more on the way as Tina and Mike Chang will deal with being a year apart. Mike’s thinking about graduation, while Tina, a junior, is stuck in school one more year. At the Glee 3-D movie premiere in Los Angeles, Jenna Ushkowitz contemplated the possible drama and her reaction to seeing some of her fellow cast members don their cap and gowns. “I don’t even want to think about it. I will cry so hard. Those are my best friends,” she says. “Right now we’re just trying to get through 22 episodes. That’s so far in the future for us.”

Question: Supernatural! Any nugget will do. Saw on Twitter that you were talking to Jared Padalecki! – Isabell

Sandra: Indeed! And we had a rousing conversation about Sam’s hair that I’ll share with you soon. (This is mostly true, except I might never share it with you because it was hilariously random.) But the real scoop came from head honcho Sera Gamble, who dished about a very fun upcoming episode where the boys travel to Lily Dale, N.Y., which is a “true-life town with the highest concentration of psychics and spiritualists in the country.” “It’s a little tricky to go ghost hunting where everyone is calling ghosts,” she teased. “But it’s a good place to have a conversation about the difference between fake psychics and true psychics.”

Question: I’d love some spoilers for Suits, especially something on my new summer TV crush, Harvey! C’mon, a little spoiler reward to celebrate the renewal? – Angie

Sandra: I like how you think! Luckily, Mandi Bierly just spoke with Gabriel Macht, who stars as hot-shot attorney Harvey Specter, who dished on the Sept. 8 finale (which was penned by creator Aaron Korsh). In the episode, titled “Dog Fight,” Human Target‘s Chi McBride guests as a new district attorney who isn’t eager to help Harvey free an innocent man Harvey sent to jail years ago by unknowingly burying evidence. “He feels really guilty, and he needs to fix that,” Macht says. “That weighs heavy on his shoulders because he is a man of integrity, and he feels like he’s always doing the right thing, whether or not the way he does it is the right way.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a terrific weekend!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress A.J. Langer (My So Called Life alum) is joining the ABC medical drama Private Practice in a recurring role, but details on the character she will play is limited except that her character’s name is Erica. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actor Jamie Bamber (Battlestar Galactica) will guest star in an upcoming episode of CSI: Miami, playing Robbie, one half of a freelance storm-chasing duo who is questioned by Sgt. Tripp (Rex Linn) when a piece of his equipment is linked to a murder. The show will be back on September 25 at 10 PM on CBS. (Denise Martin at TV Guide)

Actress Vanessa Lengies (Hawthorne) will appear in the FOX series Glee in the recurring role of Sugar, a new student who was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, but can’t carry a tune to save her life. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

The USA Network has returned their new legal drama Suits for a second season. (Kate Stanhope at TV Guide)

Actress Jeananne Goossen (best known for the Canadian shows Falcon Beach and Wild Roses) will appear in a two-episode arc on CSI: NY as Officer Lauren Cooper, a young rookie police officer who will work with Danny (Carmine Giovinazzo). (William Keck at TV Guide)

HBO has announced they are renewing True Blood for a 5th season. (Twitter)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

An untitled drama pilot from Jerry Bruckheimer and writer Aron Eli Coleite (Heroes) is being considered for pick up by CBS. The drama would center on a common-sense mother who becomes a New York State Trooper. (Deadline)

Alan Ball is working with Cinemax on a new series called Banshee that follows an ex-con who poses as a murdered sheriff in a small Pennsylvania Amish town where he enforces his own kind of justice while developing plans to serve his own ulterior motive. (Robyn Ross at TV Guide)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Eddie Murphy is set to voice Hong Kong Phooey in a feature film based on the classic 1970’s Hanna-Barbera animated TV series. The film will be a combination of live-action and animation, revolving around a dog Penry (Murphy) who is granted mystic powers, including the ability to walk, talk and do kung fu. Donning a costume to become Hong Kong Phooey, he sets out to combat criminals. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

Director David Yates and screenwriter Steve Kloves (the men behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II) may be working with Warner Bros. on a multi-film adaptation of the Stephen King novel he Stand. (Hit Fix and First Showing)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Watch: Official Release Trailer for ‘Tanner Hall’ with Rooney Mara

NOTE: Rooney Mara is the same girl who will appear in the lead role in the US version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – yes, the girl in pigtails in this film is the same girl with the tattoos and heavy makeup that you’ve seen in trailers. You can also see here for character details and a picture of Rooney in her Lisabeth Salander role to see the STARK difference!

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Sarah Paulson (the remake of Cupid) will be back on Wisteria Lane reprising her role as Lynette’s loser sister, Lydia on Desperate Housewives. But Lydia is a changed woman, as she is now engaged and shows up with her new fiancé. (William Keck at TV Guide)

Actor LaMarcus Tinker (Friday Night Lights) will join the cast of the FOX musicomedy Glee, playing Marcus, a massive linebacker for the McKinley Titans and a love interest for Mercedes (Amber Riley)’s lovelorn diva. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actress Natalie Hall (All My Children) will appear in a story-arc on Pretty Little Liars, where she will play Kate, the step-sister to Hanna (Ashley Benson). (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actress Autumn Reeser will guest star in an upcoming episode of Hawaii Five-0, playing Dr. Akina, the curator of a maritime museum who lends her expertise when a murder investigation takes McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin) and Danny (Scott Caan) into the world of sunken treasure. This could be a potential recurring role. The series is slated to return on September 19. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actress Courtney Ford, who has appeared in Dexter, The Vampire Diaries and most recently True Blood, will guest star in a fall episode of CSI: NY when it returns with all new episodes on September 23. She will appear as Nicole, a car thief who only steals cars worth at least a quarter of a million bucks. (Megan Masters at TV Line)

Actor Sebastian Roche (who played Balthazar on Supernatural) will appear on The Vampire Diaries as the newest vamp hunter who even makes Klaus (Joseph Morgan) nervous. (Zap2It)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Looks like CBS is thinking about rebooting the classic TV series Bewitched. The network has ordered a script from Sony Pictures Television, but no other details are available yet. (The Live Feed and Dark Horizons)

MADE FOR TV MOVIE NEWS

Actress Natalie Hall (All My Children) has booked the lead in the Hallmark Channel mini-series Love’s Christmas Journey, which is part of the Love Comes Softly series of books by Janette Oke. In the two-hour, two-part mini, slated to air in November, Hall will play Ellie King, a young pioneer woman who has suffered the loss of her husband and daughter. Ellie visits her brother Aaron (Greg Vaughn from General Hospital), a sheriff in the small town of Haddonton and his two children during Christmas. When a corrupt attorney in town leaves an innocent young man to blame for Mayor William Wayne’s (Sean Astin) barn catching fire and burning, Ellie steps in to help. The cast includes Dylan Bruce, JoBeth Williams and Ryan Wynott [among others]. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Rose Byrne is set to replace actress Greta Gerwig in the upcoming box office film called The Place Beyond the Pines. Bryne will play the wife of Bradley Cooper’s police officer turned politician who finds himself in a showdown with a motorcycle-riding bank robber (Ryan Gosling). (Vulture and Dark Horizons)

Actress Stephanie Szostak (Dinner for Schmucks) is set to play the living wife of Ryan Reynolds’ deceased police officer in the upcoming film adaptation of the comic series called R.I.P.D. The story is about an officer murdered while on duty, who is recruited to the Rest in Peace Department. (Digital Spy and Dark Horizons)

Actor John C. McGinley (Scrubs) has joined the cast of the upcoming film called I, Alex Cross, which is the reboot of the character from the James Patterson novels. The film will star which Tyler Perry in the lead while McGinley will play Chief of Police Richard Brookwell and boss of forensic psychologist Cross who is tracking down a serial killer (Matthew Fox). (Showblitz and Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Watch: Intense UK Trailer for Ralph Fiennes’ Shakespeare ‘Coriolanus’

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

Question: How will House deal with Cuddy’s absence? Is there any chance Lisa Edelstein will come back to shoot a proper ending for her character? — Beth

ADAM: Though the show’s one-year time jump will skip Cuddy’s exit from Princeton-Plainsboro, creator David Shore says the show won’t overlook it altogether. “There’s going to be an acknowledgement, but it’s not going to be a big story about her because unfortunately we don’t have [Lisa],” he says. Does Shore think he will ever get to write Cuddy a proper send-off? “Down the road, that might be more appropriate. It didn’t seem right now,” he says. “Given that she was gone, we decided it was better to not just have her come back to leave again.”

Question: Will Finn and Rachel be happy when Glee returns? — Joshua

NATALIE: Yes! “You pick up with them as a couple,” Lea Michele tells us. “I have a feeling that they’re just going to be settled this year. They did talk a lot about Rachel in the final episode of last season, of her wanting to go to New York and not knowing where he’s going to go, so I think that’s going to be a lot of the issues between them this year, and not so much of the Rachel/Puck and Finn/Quinn stuff.” Gearing up for a possible career on New York City’s Great White Way, Rachel will join the school musical this season.

Question: Got any good scoop about Ziva on NCIS? — Rodney

ADAM: Cote de Pablo tells us that she wants to move away from the stories about Ziva’s father and introduce some motherly love to her backstory. Executive producer Gary Glasberg does too. “Ziva will be dealing with a Middle Eastern family and the matriarch of the family connects with her in a really interesting, personal way,” Glasberg says. “Sounds like Ziva will need the support based on Glasberg’s other plans. “Someone from her past who we haven’t met before is coming forward,” he says. “[In addition,] Ray will probably come back halfway through the season, and they will intersect.”

Question: What’s the latest on Sweets and Daisy on Bones? — Megan

ADAM: “Daisy is definitely a part of Sweets’ life,” John Francis Daley tells us, and we can confirm Daisy will appear early in Season 7. But Sweets may have bigger fish to fry. “He is more active in the investigations because Brennan is slightly less able to go on the scene and get herself into dangerous situations,” Daley says. “So, you’re going to see more of Booth and Sweets working together as FBI agents.” Even better, creator Hart Hanson tells me that for the first time ever, Sweets will be packing heat! [Cue the Aerosmith song.]

Question: How is Fringe going to handle Peter never existing? — Amanda

NATALIE: Au contraire, Amanda! Peter did exist, according to the man who plays his father, John Noble. He says the final scene of the season finale, in which the Observers appear to negate Peter’s existence “was a slight teaser in the wrong direction, because Peter did exist, but Peter died as a child; both Peters died as a child.” As a result, the Season 4 premiere might remind you of It’s a Wonderful Life, as we’ll find Walter in a familiar predicament. “When we meet him in Season 4, he’s still insane, locked into the lab with guards, and mad because he’s never had Peter to bring him out of it,” Noble says. “He won’t have had that motivation to repair himself, so he’s quite mad and neurotic and obsessive-compulsive. He’s agoraphobic, so he won’t go out of the lab.”

Question: I’m really hoping you have some NCIS: Los Angeles scoop? — Thomas

ADAM: How’s this? In an early Season 3 episode, all the agents will be forced to swap partners! “Hunter puts us in this situation… and it screws up the whole dynamic,” Eric Christian Olsen tells us of the super-covert mission. “Deeks ends up with Sam… and [he’s] really trying to jostle for position, because Sam’s the man. He’s the Navy Seal, but Deeks is like, ‘No, I got this!'” Anyone care to take a guess who wins that battle?

Question: Will Damon and Elena go on the hunt to find Stefan on Vampire Diaries? —Sarah

NATALIE: They will both attempt to find him, but one is certainly trying harder than the other. “Damon loves his brother, he can’t deny that anymore, but at the same time, his relationship is building with Elena in a very nice way, so that maybe he’s not trying as hard as he should to find Stefan,” executive producer Kevin Williamson tells us, adding that Damon will feel guilt over that. As for Stefan, the ripper lifestyle will lend for some serious life contemplation on his part. “Will he ever be able to come back and how will Stefan and Elena save him if they do? It’s really going to be about the journey for Stefan: What’s Klaus up to? What’s Klaus’ use for him? It twists and turns in a bunch of different ways that are surprising.”

Question: Someone’s been stingy with the Glee scoop of late. And that someone would be you. —Lisa

Ausiello: Someone’s about to make up for lost time. And that someone would be me. I heard through the grapevine that Quinn gets back in touch with her inner bad girl when Season 3 starts. Also, word around town is that several cast members will be taking a crash course in tap-dancing in preparation for the Sept. 20 season opener.

Question: Any scoop on Chuck? —Dani

Ausiello: Chuck and Sarah are taking full advantage of their new professional autonomy, particularly when it comes to the design and look of their new spy shingle. I hear the offices of Carmichael Industries will look like the cool rec room you always wanted as a kid but never had. We’re talking pinball machines, candy-filled jars and other kitschy goodness. It’s the kind of set-up that would make General Beckman lose her will to live, so it’s probably best she’s only around part-time this season.

Question: Got anything about ABC’s Once Upon a Time? —Danny

Ausiello: Two things: It’s so good I watched the pilot twice (and that almost never happens). Also, the show runners told TVLine’s Matt Mitovich that they initially reached out to Lady Gaga to make a cameo as The Blue Fairy in the pilot, but they never heard back. Mother Monster’s loss is Canadian actress Keegan Connor Tracy’s gain!

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today, including some interesting development news as well as casting announcements and more:

TELEVISION

Actor Michael Graziadei (The Young and the Restless) has booked a recurring role on the upcoming FX drama series American Horror Story, which is about a couple (Dylan McDermott, Connie Britton) moving into a 1920s house and their new nosy neighbor Constance (Jessica Lange). He will play Constance’s new, young boyfriend. (Deadline)

Actor Ashton Holmes (The Pacific) has landed a recurring role on the upcoming ABC drama Revenge, which stars Emily VanCamp (Brothers & Sisters) as a young woman who goes to the Hamptons to exact revenge on the rich Grayson family who destroyed her father. Holmes will play a high-society bad boy who is a Harvard classmate of Daniel Grayson (Josh Bowman). (Deadline)

New Zealander actress Simone Kessell (Underbelly) will have a major recurring role on the upcoming prehistoric drama Terra Nova from FOX. She plays Alicia Washington, the tough second-in-command to the Terra Nova colony’s Commander Frank Taylor (Steven Lang). (Deadline)

Actress Mariana Klaveno (True Blood) has been cast in the TNT movie Innocent opposite Bill Pullman and Marcia Gay Harden. The movie is based on the novel by Scott Turrow, which takes place twenty years after the events in best-seller Presumed Innocent. Klaveno will play a court clerk whose relationships with both Rusty Sabich (Pullman) and his son come into the limelight after Sabich is charged with the murder of his wife. (Deadline)

Actor Roy Dotrice (best known for his work on Beauty & the Beast) and actress Hannah Murray (Skins) have joined the cast of Game of Thrones for its second season. Dotrice will play Pyromancer Hallyne, chief of the Guild of Alchemists while Murray will play Gilly, one of the many women living with Old Craster who wants to escape his oppression. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Actor Scott Wolf (V and Party of Five) will appear in the season premiere of NCIS, playing FBI Agent Casey Stratton. This role could potentially be recurring. The long-running CBS series returns with new episodes on September 20 at 8 PM. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Actor Zachary Abel (Make It or Break It) will guest star on The Secret Circle, the new drama from The CW that debuts on September 15. The premise of the show is orphaned Cassie (Britt Robertson) moves in with her grandmother after the death of her mother. She soon learns that she’s a teen witch destined to bind powers with five others to complete a new generation of the Secret Circle. Abel will play a “hot jock” named Luke who asks Cassie out in episode 3. (Mandi Bierly at Entertainment Weekly)

Actress Claire Holt (Pretty Little Liars) will appear in The Vampire Diaries when the show returns this fall to The CW. She will play Rebecca (aka Bex), a beautiful vampire who had the pleasure of Stefan’s company back in the early days when he was feasting on human blood. (Zap2It)

Actors Justin Hartley (Smallville) and Jeff Fahey (Lost) will guest star in the second episode of the final season of Chuck when it returns this fall. Fahey will play Karl Sneijder the boss of a diamond company with mines in South Africa, who has been investigated by the CIA in the past for alleged criminal activity. Hartley will play Wesley Sneijder, Karl’s handsome younger brother, who is a Dartmouth and Oxford-educated anthropologist. (Zap2It)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

It looks like the 1980’s classic film Dirty Dancing is in for a remake treatment much like Footloose and countless other movies. Kenny Ortega, the movie’s original choreographer and the man behind the High School Musical franchise will be directing. No cast has been set yet. (Marc Malkin at E! Online)

Actress Kim Fields (The Facts of Life) has joined the cast of the ensemble romantic comedy What to Expect When You’re Expecting. She will play a social worker who helps out a couple with an adoption. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

Brit Marling, one of the indie film circuit’s newest faces, will appear in the new political thriller The Company You Keep from Robert Redford. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Neil Gordon. Redford will star in the film as a former Weather Underground radical wanted by the FBI who must go on the run when his true identity is exposed by an ambitious young reporter (Shia LaBeouf). It’s not clear what role Marling will play in the story. Nick Nolte co-stars. (First Showing)

Actress Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air) and Mark Strong (Sherlock Holmes) have joined the Russia-set period drama film called Closer to the Moon. Strong plays Max Rosenthal, the former head of a Bucharest police criminal investigation unit. He and four prominent Jews pulled off a bank robbery while assuring the crowds they were filming a movie. The group are tried and sentenced to death, but only after the communist government forces them to re-enact their crime in a propaganda film. Farmiga plays Max’s former lover and mother of his child, who returns from studying in Moscow. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

The Odd Life of Timothy Green Movie Trailer

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Amy Sherman-Palladino, who created Gilmore Girls, is working on a new project for ABC based on the New York Times best-seller The Nanny Diaries, written by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus. (Michael Schneider at TV Guide)

The film The Lincoln Lawyer is also being considered for a TV adaptation. (Michael Schneider at TV Guide)

NBC has ordered a drama script for a modern-day take on the legend of Frankenstein to be written by Russel Friend and Garrett Lerner (the men behind House). (Variety)

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

As of today, my entertainment updates will be posted each evening, as I am embarking on a possibly new writing challenge – for which I am looking forward to – but it will require me to change my daily writing routine. Wish me luck!

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

TELEVISION

Actress Devin Kelley (The Chicago Code) has landed a recurring role on Covert Affairs, appearing as the new girlfriend of Auggie (Christopher Gorham. She will play Parker, the younger sister of Billy, who served in Iraq with Auggie and was killed during the Jack of Diamonds mission that blinded Auggie. (Joyce Eng at TV Guide)

Actor Linus Roche is set to reprise his role of ADA Michael Cutter on Law & Order in its season premiere, which is set to air on September 21. Cutter is now Bureau Chief of the DA’s office, a position that just so happens to oversee Special Victims Unit cases. (Megan Masters on TV Line)

MADE FOR TV MOVIE NEWS

PBS has picked up a prequel of the long-running series Inspector Morse that will air on Masterpiece Mystery next year in time for the 25th anniversary of the show’s 1987 premiere. The prequel – called Endeavour – which is a reference to Morse’s first name, will star British actor Shaun Evans (Ashes to Ashes) as the younger version of Colin Dexter’s iconic character. The made-for-TV movie will be set in 1965 and will foolow the hunt for a missing schoo lgirl, which draws Endeavour Morse back to the place that will ultimately shape and define his destiny: Oxford. Another Inspector Morse offshoot, series Inspector Lewis starring Kevin Whately in the role he originated in Inspector Morse, also airs on Mastepiece, with four new episodes slated to begin Sept. 4. (Deadline)

CONDOLENCES

Actor Francesco Quinn, the son of Hollywood legend Anthony Quinn, passed away late last week at the age of 48. It is reported he suffered a heart attack near his home. (E! Online)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Here are the top 10 movies in the box office from this past weekend courtesy of Exhibitor Relations:

1. Rise of the Planet of the Apes, $54 million
2. The Smurfs, $21 million
3. Cowboys & Aliens, $15.7 million
4. The Change-Up, $13.5 million
5. Captain America: The First Avenger, $13 million
6. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, $12.2 million
7. Crazy, Stupid, Love, $12.1 million
8. Friends With Benefits, $4.7 million
9. Horrible Bosses, $4.6 million
10. Transformers: Dark of the Moon, $3 million

Actor Stacy Keach (Prison Break) has joined the cast of the spy thriller The Bourne Legacy. His character will perform alongside Joan Allen and Albert Finney’s characters who were part of the covert Treadstone program. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Actress Naturi Naughton (who appeared in the box office remake Fame and will be seen in this fall’s new show The Playboy Club) has been cast as Cecilia Reyes, a trauma surgeon who is also a mutant with the special ability to create a force field around her body, in the superhero sequel The Wolverine. (Vlad TV and Dark Horizons)

Actor Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) will have a small role in the upcoming thriller World war Z, which a movie that is set in the aftermath of an undead apocalypse which has wiped out much of the world’s population. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

I have a lot of cool news to share with all of you today so please sit back, relax and read on:

TELEVISION

Actor Michael Dorn (Star Trek: The Next Generation) will have a recurring role on Castle when the show returns for its 4th season on ABC, starting on September 19. He will [SPOILER ALERT!] play a psychiatrist who Beckett (Stana Katic) is forced to see. (Adam Bryant at TV Guide)

It looks like the popular Syfy series Eureka may be coming to an end. The cable network is close to ordering six more episodes, which will mark the end of the sci-fi series, which is currently airing Season 4.5 and is filming the 13 episodes for Season 5. The proposed plan is for the show to film the final six episodes in October. (Deadline)

Actor Jamie Harris (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) has booked a killer new role, playing sociopathic murderer R. Franklin on the upcoming FX series American Horror Story, which is slated to premiere on October 5 at 10 PM. (The Hollywood Reporter and TV Guide)

Actor Chi McBride (Pushing Daisies and Human Target) will guest star on the season finale of the new USA Network series Suits, playing District Attorney Wolf, who appears in the wake of a scandal that shakes up the District Attorney’s office. (Kate Stanhope at TV Guide)

Actress Isabella Hoffman (Homicide Life on the Street) will appear as one of Agent Rossi’s (Joe Mantegna) three ex-wives. She will appear in a two-episode arc as Rossi’s first wife. The series will return for its new season on September 21. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actress Bridget Regan (Legend of the Seeker) will have a guest-starring role in NCIS: Los Angeles this fall; but the details are being kept under wraps as to she will be playing. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Oscar-winner and TV legend Patty Duke will guest star in an episode of Hawaii Five-0 this fall. She will play an Alzheimer’s-afflicted mother of a murder victim. Meanwhile, legendary actor Peter Fonda (the classic film Easy Rider) will also appear in an episode of the series as a salty treasure-hunting sea captain, who actually preys on suckers and bilks them out of millions. The series will be back with new episodes starting on September 19. (William Keck at TV Guide and James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

Actor Ashley Zuckerman (The Pacific) has signed on for a major recurring role on the upcoming sci-fi time-travel drama Terra Nova from FOX. He will play Lucas, a mysterious and enigmatic character connected to Stephen Lang’s Cmdr. Nathaniel Lang. Also, actress Emelia Burns (the Australian children’s series The Elephant Princess) has also booked a recurring role as Reilly as a soldier under Taylor’s command. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actress Vivica Fox and actor Jeffrey Nordling (Desperate Housewives) are joining the new Lifetime series The Protector in key roles. Fox will play Captain Lisa Novak, the ex-wife of Miguel Ferrer’s Lieutenant Felix Valdez. Nordling is set to recur as a love interest for the Gloria (Ally Walker). (Vlada Gelman at TV Line)

ABC will end Desperate Housewives in May 2012 after the show’s 8th season. (Deadline)

Actor Luke Kleintank (No Ordinary Family and Gossip Girl) will appear as the new intern on Bones this coming season in what being considered a potentially recurring role of young genius Finn Abernathy, who is brilliant, sweet and a bit rough around the edges. Bones returns to FOX on November 3 at 9 PM. (Adam Bryant at TV Guide)

Actress Cara Buono (Mad Men) will guest star on the new CBS drama A Gifted Man this fall. She will play a charter-jet pilot who meets neurosurgeon Michael Holt (Patrick Wilson) at a cocktail party, and he first thinks she may have carpal-tunnel syndrome but finds that there may be more going on. (Maureen Ryan at AOL TV)

The TNT cop drama Rizzoli & Isles has just been picked up for season 3. (Series Star Sasha Alexander via Twitter)

MADE FOR TV MOVIE NEWS

Actress Catherine Bell (Army Wives) is set to headline the TNT movie Good Morning, Killer, an adaptation of the April Smith novel that follows FBI Special Agent Ana Gray as she hunts for a kidnapper. This film is the latest entry in the network’s recently announced new TNT Tuesday Night Mystery movie franchise slated to launch in November that will feature six contemporary crime dramas, from true-crime stories to fictional mysteries. Some of these films are reportedly being eyed as potential backdoor pilots as well. (Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Bruce Campbell (Burn Notice) has joined the cast of the upcoming box office film Oz: The Great and Powerful but his role has yet to be announced. (Twitter and Dark Horizons)

Actor Mark Ruffalo and actress Amanda Seyfried will appear in the upcoming thriller called Now You See Me that follows a group of the world’s greatest illusionists, who pull off daring bank heists during their performances, showering the profits on their audience. Eventually, the FBI gets involved, prompting a cat-and-mouse game between adversaries. Ruffalo will play the FBI task force leader while Seyfried portrays a technical whiz who builds devices to help the illusionists pull off the heists. Jesse Eisenberg and Mélanie Laurent have already joined the cast. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

A long list of voice actors have been added to the upcoming animated sequel Ice Age: Continental Drift. The usual cast, of course, includes Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, Chris Wedge, Seann William Scott and Josh Peck are being by Jeremy Renner, Wanda Sykes, Aziz Ansari, Keke Palmer, singer Drake and Jennifer Lopes. Additionally, Heather Morris, Joy Behar, Nicki Minaj and Alan Tudyk [among others] will also be featured. The film is expected to hit theatres on July 13, 2012. (Dark Horizons)

Q&A SECTION (with Sandra Gonzalez from Entertainment Weekly)

Question: I would love some fresh Nikita scoopage — preferably NOT about Mikita. How about some new Alex tidbits… like, does she have to give up her cool digs, car and clothes now that she doesn’t actually work for Division? What about prospects for new friends this year? Without Nikita or Michael to hang out with, she has like zero friends (who aren’t now dead or scared of). Thanks! — Adele

Sandra: This is Alex we’re talking about. Girl’s got style. I wouldn’t worry about her being less than her best — or at least demanding it if anyone tries to give her otherwise. And as far as friends, she seems pretty happy hunting down Nikita, which she proves to be pretty good at considering she knows many of Nikita’s tricks. The only “new” friends this year seem to be old friends that we’ve never met. For example, the show is currently casting the role of Kelly, a very good friend of Nikita’s who worked with her at Division.

Question: I e-mail you every week, and you never pick my question! Pllleeaaaaasseee, give me some Chuck scoop!

Sandra: Get ready for some trouble in paradise for an unlikely pair… Jeffster! “There’s going to be a little bit of drama between Jeffster at the Buy More, my character Jeff and Lester,” Scott Krinsky says. He couldn’t elaborate as to the exact cause, but he said “There’s going to be a little tension. I better get my dramatic chops going.”

Question: Anything on Burn Notice?! – Melissa

Sandra: The upcoming episode featuring Gavin Rossdale as an evil international arms dealer (First Look!) — and former friend of Fiona’s — is going to be a doozy. Fiona has to compromise a lot in order to get something that is vital to Michael’s investigation, but the price will apparently weigh heavily on the couple. “They moved in together and for a while there, things were going pretty well. They were in a much more stable place than they’ve been. But now they’re really working on Michael’s problems together, and this is one of the first hints that both characters are realizing that their co-habitating bliss might be much more complicated than they imagined it to be,” says creator Matt Nix.

Question: NCIS: LA, please! Who’s going to get shot in the season premiere! — Danni

Sandra: Oh, I’m not telling you THAT. But what I will tell you is some intel given to me by the lovely Daniela Ruah about the huge shake up caused by new operations manager Lauren Hunter. “She continues to create a little confusion by swapping the partners around a little bit. It gets us all thinking, ‘What is she doing?! What kind of control is she trying to assert over us. It’s exciting,” she says. “When I was reading the first episode of the season, which was written by [showrunner] Shane Brennan, it was like a movie script.” So who does Kensi end up with? “I’m not going to tell you who I’m partnered with! But to be working with either one of these guys … they’re so great to work with. It changes the dynamic of things and it makes it more interesting for the audience, too.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

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