Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Happy Friday Everyone!! I hope you all have some fun things planned for this weekend. In the meantime, here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Jane Seymour (Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman) has been added to the list of guest stars for the soap-opera themed episode of Castle that will air this spring. She joins Corbin Bernsen, Rebecca Budig and Cameron Mathison in this episode. (Give Me My Remote)

Actor John C. McGinley (Scrubs) will have a recurring role in the upcoming HBO drama Lucky that take a look inside the provocative world of horse racing, with a specific spotlight cast on the owners, gamblers, jockeys and diverse gaming industry players that will star Dustin Hoffman. McGinley will play a genial swindler working in cahoots with his daughter. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actress Alicia Coppola (Jericho) will appear as Lucy, the much-talked about but never seen ex-wife of Fitch (Michael Imperioli) on Detroit 1-8-7. Coppola is currently working on the USA Network pilot Common Law that stars Michael Ealy and she will be seen in next week’s episode of Castle. (Meg Masters at TV Line)

NBC has pulled the plug on its new drama Chase. This decision was obviously prompted by the low ratings the show has consistently received all season. (The Futon Critic)

Actor Sam Hennings (Memphis Beat) will appear as Samuel Colt in an upcoming episode of Supernatural. Colt is the man behind the Colt revolver who Sam and Dean come face-to-face with when they travel back to the Old West later this season. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Zachary Levi (Chuck) and Mandy Moore as well as Gwyneth Paltrow and Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine will all perform nominated songs at the Oscars, which will be televised on Sunday, February 27 on ABC. Levi and Moore will be accompanied by Alan Menken on the piano for the song “I See the Light” from their animated film Tangled while Paltrow will sing “Coming Home” from her film Country Strong. A.R. Rahman and Welch will perform “If I Rise” from the film 127 Hours, and Randy Newman will sing “We Belong Together” from the animated movie Toy Story 3. (Robyn Ross at TV Guide)

Actress Alex Kingston (ER and Doctor Who) will have a multi-episode role on Private Practice, playing Marla, a shrink who will help out one of the staff work through a personal ordeal. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

ARTICLE ON SMALLVILLE’S FINAL SEASON

Smallville Preview: Waiting For Superman

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Singer-actor Jesse McCartney has landed the male lead in the FOX pilot Locke & Key, which is set around a family’s attempt to rebuild by moving in with their deceased father’s brother at the family homestead in Maine, where they discover doorways with decidedly spectral qualities. He will play Ty, the eldest of the Locke children. The cast already includes Harrison Thomas, Miranda Otto, Nick Stahl, Sarah Bolger and Skylar Gaertner. (The Futon Critic)

A&E has booked a script for a new drama called Overload from John E. Pogue (who is involved behind the scenes at Army Wives). The drama will be about a female detective blessed and cursed with hyper-acute senses who balances her work and personal life in Boston. (The Futon Critic)

Kyle Killen, the Executive Producer of the short-lived FOX drama Lone Star has received a pilot order from NBC for an Inception-like drama called REM, which is about the simultaneous and parallel lives of a detective who cannot let go of any aspect of his fractured family after a horrible car accident. (The Futon Critic)

Meanwhile, NBC has order the adaptation of the British hit Prime Suspect to pilot. The pilot would follow an iconoclastic female detective has to make her bones in a tough New York precinct that is dominated by men. The network has also ordered to pilot the Civil War based series The Crossing, which is about a soldier who crosses the country and settles into a complicated town where he is welcomed as its savior — whether he likes it or not. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Eva Green (Casino Royale) has landed the female lead in the film adaptation of the 60s supernatural TV soap opera Dark Shadows. She is expected to play the role of Angelique, who in the TV series was a powerful witch who was alternately tormented and bewitched by her love-hate relationship with Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp). (Mike Fleming at Deadline)

In a decision that could really upset fans of the Superman franchise IF it proves to be true, it looks like Lois Lane MAY not be a part of the reboot of the upcoming film that will star Henry Cavill (The Tudors) as the Man of Steel. Word has it that Diane Kruger (National Treasure), Alice Eve (She’s Out of My League), and Rosamund Pike (An Education) have now emerged as the three actresses in contention for the female lead character. The character one of these beauties would portray has not been disclosed, but it has been confirmed that it will NOT be Lois Lane. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Legendary actor Jeff Bridges will appear in the box office film The Seventh Son – the new name of the adaptation The Last Apprentice, which is a series of young adult novels by Joseph Delaney. The story revolves around a teenage boy training to be an exorcist in the 1700’s. Bridges will play Spook, the exorcist who would train Thomas. Rumor has it that actor Alex Pettyfer (the upcoming I Am Number Four) and Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone) may be playing lead roles in this film as well, but neither has been confirmed yet. (Collider, Just Jared and First Showing)

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

Question: Any scoops on NCIS and NCIS: LA? Will there ever be another cross-over episode? A Hetty and Gibbs scene is what I live for! — Melissa

Answer: Nothing planned as of yet, unfortunately. Consolation scoop: We’ll be meeting Ziva’s oh-so-amazing boyfriend Ray soonish — and see the ripples he causes…

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a terrific weekend!

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Hey All,

How is the week going for everyone? Thankfully, it’s nearly over and there is a lot of cool entertainment news to share with all of you.

TELEVISION

MTV has set a premiere date for their new drama Teen Wolf, which will be loosely based on the 80’s camp films. The series will debut on June 5 immediately following the MTV Movie Awards. (The Futon Critic)

NBC has moved the return of their new fall drama The Event to one week later. It will now air back-to-back episodes at 8 and 9 PM on March 7. (The Futon Critic)

No great surprise here, but CBS confirms they have renewed their powerhouse series NCIS for a 9th season. (The Futon Critic)

Actor Ray Wise (best known for his roles on Twin Peaks and Reaper) will make an appearance on an upcoming episode of Chuck, starring as an attorney for Volkoff (Timothy Dalton). Wise will appear in the same episode for which actresses Lauren Cohan (Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries) and Robin Givens are slated to appear. (Rick Porter at Zap2It)

Actress Sally Kellerman (the original Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan in the film version of M*A*S*H) will appear in a multi-episode arc on the CW series 90210, playing Marla, a faded movie star-turned-hoarder who’s losing control of her Grey Gardens-esque existence. She hires Annie (Shanae Grimes) to de-clutter her house. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

USA Network announced today that the 10th and final season of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, featuring original stars Vincent D’Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe, will begin on May 1. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Meanwhile, the network will also have their drama In Plain Sight back for a 4th season on May 1 as well. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

The proposed companion series to The Vampire Diaries doesn’t look like it will be happening, but Kevin Williamson (one of the Executive Producers for popular CW series) will be working on a new project called Secret Circle, based on a three-book series from The Vampire Diaries author L.J. Smith, which centers on a California teen who moves to her mom’s hometown of New Salem and discovers that she is a witch. There is no confirmation if this new project will be picked up as a series by The CW as yet, though. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Barry Watson (7th Heaven and What About Brian) will join Christine Taylor in the TV Land comedy called Rip City, which revolves around an Ivy League-educated woman (Taylor) who moves to Oregon to work at a beverage company called Rip City Cola. Watson will play her colleague and potential love interest. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Casting for the upcoming soap-opera themed episode of Castle entitled “One Life to Lose” – reflecting lead actor Nathan Fillion’s time on the soap One Life to Life – has been made: All My Children favorites Cameron Mathison and Rebecca Budig as well as Corbin Bernsen (Psych). Bernsen will play Lance Buchanan, the handsome and dashing lead actor of the fictional soap called Temptations, who has the reputation as a ladies’ man. Mathison plays a character named Vince Bowers while Budig will appear as Mandy Bronson. The intrigue involves a Temptations fan who blogs about her intense dissatisfaction with the soap’s storylines. The episode is expected to air this spring. (William Keck at TV Guide)

FULL MOON RISING (ARTICLE ABOUT THE VAMPIRE DIARIES)

Vampire Diaries’ Final Full Moon — and 6 Other Spoilers

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

CBS has ordered the drama The Rememberer to pilot. The project is a female NYPD detective who possesses the special ability to remember everything and, although a gift in her job, it’s also a curse in her personal life. (The Futon Critic)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Jackie Earle Haley (Human Target) and rising Aussie actress Bella Heathcote are in early talks to join the film adaptation of the 1960s supernatural TV soap opera Dark Shadows that will follow the life of vampire Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) who is forced to deal with all sorts of monsters, ghosts and other supernatural creatures. Heathcote would play a waitress whom Collins takes a shine to because of her resemblance to his long-lost love. Haley’s possible role has not been released. The film is expected to be released in the spring of 2012. (Deadline, Variety and Dark Horizons)

Actress Alyssa Milano (Charmed) has joined the burgeoning cast of the Garry Marshall film New Year’s Eve. The cast already includes Katherine Heigl, Jessica Biel, Jon Bon Jovi, Abigail Breslin, Robert De Niro, Josh Duhamel, Ashton Kutcher, Lea Michele, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michelle Pfeiffer, Til Schweiger and Sofia Vergara. (Entertainment Weekly)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Watch: Paul Giamatti Stars in Tom McCarthy’s New ‘Win Win’ Trailer

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Happy Over the Hump Day! Did everyone survive the overload of programming last night? There was a lot of good TV to catch up on. In the meantime, here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

NBC has rolled back the episode order for their new drama The Cape from 13 to 10 episodes. (The Futon Critic)

Actress Amy Smart will appear in the final two episodes of the new Showtime series Shameless as Jasmine, a new friend of Fiona Gallagher (Emmy Rossum). (Maureen Ryan at AOL TV Squad)

NBC has set the debut date for the final season of Friday Night Lights. Mark your calendars for April 15 at 8 PM. The series is finishing its final run on DirecTV on February 9. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

MADE FOR TV MOVIES NEWS

The two-part Syfy movie Treasure Island will air in early 2012, starring Eddie Izzard (The Riches) as Long John Silver, Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings franchise) as Ben Gunn and legendary actor Donald Sutherland as Flint. Also, Toby Regbo (who will appear as a young Dumbledore in Harry Potter) takes on the role of the gutsy, eager and courageous young Jim Hawkins, who is unexpectedly drawn into the world of piracy when he discovers a treasure map and then finds himself battling with Silver for the treasure and his life. Shirley Henderson (Bridget Jones) plays his mother and Nina Sosanya (Love Actually) is Silver’s wife. Other cast members include Phillip Glenister (Ashes to Ashes), Rupert Penry-Jones (Spooks) and Daniel Mays (Made in Dagenham). (The Futon Critic)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actor Josh Henderson (Desperate Housewives) has joined the cast of the pilot reboot of Dallas. He joins Jordana Brewster who was announced in one of the lead roles yesterday. Original show stars Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray have also signed on to reprise their roles. This update version will be built around the clash between John Ross, J.R. Ewing’s son, and Christopher, Bobby and Pam Ewing’s adopted son. (Hit Fix)

The CW has given a pilot order to the following projects:

* Cooper & Stone, a drama about two Chicago female detectives who specialize in pop culture knowledge and solving homicides. (The Futon Critic)

* Hart of Dixie, a new drama about a young big-city doctor who inherits a medical practice in an oddball Southern town. (The Futon Critic)

* Heavenly is another new drama about a female lawyer and an angel-turned-human who work to save the futures and the souls of their subjects. (The Futon Critic)

Meanwhile, ABC has given pilot orders for the following:

* Georgetown, which is an ensemble drama about the young people behind the power brokers of Washington, D.C. (The Futon Critic)

* Identity, which is a take on the U.K. drama about an elite police unit that combats identity-related crime, has received a pilot presentation order. (The Futon Critic)

* Once Upon a Time, which is a drama about a woman with a troubled past who is drawn into a small town in Maine where the magic and mystery of fairy tales just may be real. (The Futon Critic)

* Revenge, a modern day take on The Count of Monte Cristo, which will focus on a vengeful woman with a secret who moves to the Hamptons to exact revenge on the people who destroyed her family. (The Futon Critic)

* The River is a drama about a family who travels to the deep Amazon to locate and rescue their missing father. (The Futon Critic)

The untitled Susannah Grant drama will be about an ultra-competitive surgeon whose life is changed forever when his ex-wife dies and begins teaching him what life is all about from the here-after. (The Futon Critic)

BOX OFFICE MOVIE NEWS

Cameron Diaz is to star in the remake of the 1966 British caper comedy Gambit, which is set to star Colin Firth as a London art curator who plots an elaborate scheme to con a wealthy collector into buying a fake Monet painting. As part of the ruse, he recruits a Texas steer roper (Diaz) to play the part of a woman whose grandfather liberated the painting at the end of WWII. The original film starred Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine. (Reuters and Dark Horizons)

Q&A SECTION (with Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Question: Rumor has it (OK, I read it on your Facebook page) that this week’s Ask Ausiello will include a little somethin’-somethin’ special for Firefly fans. Spill it, Aus! —Craig

Ausiello: Did I say fans of Firefly? Sorry, I meant fans of Firefly, Gilmore Girls, Tru Calling, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Battlestar Galactica and approximately 201,735 other TV shows you love or loved. “What the… ?!” you ask. Allow me to answer: Gosh, I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but I have come to a life-changing decision: I’m parting ways with my swag. All the cool stuff – well almost all – I’ve accumulated over my decade-plus career is about to find a new home — yours. How? On Thursday, more than 30 of my most prized possessions will hit the eBay auction block with 100 percent of the proceeds going to my favorite charity, the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. Lest you think I’ll be giving away ‘Til Death erasers and The Swan mirrors, let me tell you — the auction will feature some pieces that are so unbelievably awesome, I’m starting to regret this whole thing as I write this. Among the goodies (greaties?): a jumbo-sized Firefly press kit contained in its own giant gray crate that Fox sent to critics nine years ago to promote the show’s premiere. Read my lips… er, key strokes: This thing has never been opened! Even I don’t know what the hell is inside! Also up for sale: That breathtaking limited edition, framed Battlestar Galactica Last Supper artwork, actual stationery from the Gilmore Girls‘ Dragonfly Inn set, priceless Buffy swag (see photo, below) and so much more that it’s likely to reduce one of us to tears. (My bet is it’ll be me.) The auction goes live in less than 48 hours, and direct links will be posted on Twitter and Facebook. I’ll also be previewing additional items (wait until you see the Simpsons and Tru Calling pieces) on my Facebook page before then. Unless I change my mind. Which is a definite possibility.

Question: Now that Greg Grunberg has signed on for that A&E pilot, inquiring minds must know: What exactly is happening with Love Bites? The trailer looked so promising, and I really missed seeing Becki Newton on TV regularly. — Jeff H.

Ausiello: I originally heard NBC was going to burn off the abbreviated first season in the dead of summer. But now the buzz is the once-promising dramedy may never see the light of day. This probably explains why Newton is being flooded with pilot offers as we speak.

Question: Any familiar faces returning to Chuck in these next 11 episodes? —Will

Ausiello: You already know that John Larroquette’s has-been spy Roan Montgomery is back next Monday. Beyond that, Mini Anden reappears as Sarah’s former spy chum Carina Miller in the Feb. 14 episode that reunites Sarah with her former A-Team. “They are a wild bunch to say the least,” previews exec producer Chris Fedak of the “Cat Squad,” which is comprised of Anden, Three Rivers‘ Mercedes Masöhn, and Episodes‘ Mircea Monroe. “It’s our homage to Charlie’s Angels.” And later this season, Isaiah Mustafa and Stacy Keibler will reprise their Greta personas in an episode Fedak says “will explain what the whole Greta thing is about.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here we are on the day after the faux-season finale of Chuck and other great Monday night programming, with lots of interesting news to share with all of you:

TELEVISION

Oscar winner Richard Dreyfuss is the NBC drama Parenthood for a multi-episode arc. He will appear in this season’s final four episodes as Gilliam T. Blount, a once-great theater producer who also happens to be an old friend of Zeek’s (Craig T. Nelson). (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actor Chris Messina (Julie & Julia) has joined the cast of Damages, which will have its fourth season air on DirecTV this summer. He will play a high school friend of Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne) who was a decorated soldier before being recruited to work for a private security firm in Afghanistan. Messina joins John Goodman and Dylan Baker, who were previously announced as new cast members. (The Futon Critic)

Actress A.J. Cook will reprise her role as Jennifer “J.J.” Jareau on Criminal Minds for one episode this spring. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Casting is fleshing out for the Burn Notice prequel TV-movie that will center on Sam Axe (Bruce Campbell). The film, to be directed by Burn Notice star Jeffrey Donovan, is set in 2005, as a faction of Colombian rebels makes trouble for the locally stationed military platoon. When Lt. Cmdr. Sam Axe is deployed to check things out, he uncovers some dark secrets of the area and, in turn, learns hard lessons about deception and sacrifice. Actress Chandra West (The Gates) will play Donna, a sexy and fun woman Sam has recently started seeing. Then, as the action moves to Colombia, RonReaco Lee (The Good Guys) turns up as Dr. Ben Delaney, a field medic who runs a non-profit clinic and now finds himself fending off terrorists. Similarly, Kiele Sanchez (The Glades) plays a humanitarian with a food relief effort who has a hard time trusting soldiers — Sam included. Lastly, our Sam needs someone to report to during the ordeal. That responsibility falls to John Diehl (Stargate) as Rear Admiral Lawrence, a no-nonsense Naval Officer who will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of things. The two hour Burn Notice prequel movie is due to air on the USA Network sometime this spring. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

NEW SHOWS NEWS

The ABC Family Channel will debut two new one hour dramas and one half-hour comedy sometime later this year. They include the following (all courtesy of The Futon Critic):

Switched at Birth – This one hour drama tells the story of two teenage girls who discover they were accidentally switched as newborns in the hospital. Bay Kennish (Vanessa Marano from Gilmore Girls) grew up in a wealthy family with two parents and a brother, while Daphne Vasquez (newcomer Katie Leclerc), who lost her hearing at an early age due to a case of meningitis, grew up with a single mother in a poor neighborhood. Things come to a dramatic head when both families meet and struggle to learn how to live together for the sake of the girls. The cast includes Constance Marie (George Lopez), D.W. Moffett (Friday Night Lights), Lea Thompson (Caroline in the City) and Lucas Grabeel (High School Musical).

The Nine Lives of Chloe King – This one-hour drama is about Chloe King (Skyler Samuels from The Gates), who is looking forward to celebrating her birthday with her friends and single mother, just like every other year. That is until she starts developing heightened abilities and discovers she’s being pursued by a mysterious figure. Chloe soon learns she’s part of an ancient race which has been hunted by human assassins for millennia – and that she may be their only hope for ultimate survival. The cast includes Amy Pietz (Caroline in the City, Grey Damon (Friday Night Lights), newcomer Grace Phipps, Benjamin Stone (10 Things I Hate About You), Alyssa Diaz (Southland) and Ki Hong Lee (The Secret Life of the American Teenager).

The Great State of Georgia – This half-hour comedy series starring Raven-Symone as Georgia, an aspiring actress with a larger than life personality, and her science geek best friend, who try to make headway in New York City. The cast includes Majandra Delfino (Roswell) and Meagen Fay (According to Jim).

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars), Glynn Turman (In Treatment) and newcomer Donis Leonard Jr. have joined the cast of the Showtime comedy House of Lies that stars Don Cheadle as a highly successful, cutthroat consultant who is never above using any means (or anyone) necessary to get his clients the information they want. Turman and Leonard will play Marty’s father Jeremiah and son Roscoe, respectively. Meanwhile, Bell is set to play Marty’s associate Jeannie Van Der Hooven, a razor-sharp, cute, Brown grad who has some control and self loathing issues, the self-loathing mostly around finding herself attracted to Marty. (The Futon Critic)

ABC has given the green light to the Marc Cherry pilot called Hallelujah, which is set in the town of Hallelujah, Tennessee. The town is being torn apart by the forces of good and evil. Its fortunes change when a stranger comes to town, bringing justice, peace and faith. (Deadline)

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIES NEWS

The Kennedys mini-series has finally found a home at Reelz Channel and will premiere on April 3. The film stars Greg Kinnear and Katie Holmes as John and Jacqueline Kennedy; Barry Pepper as the president’s brother Bobby, and Tom Wilkinson as their father, Joseph. (Twitter and Zap2It)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actors Jim Caviezel and Chiwetel Ejiofor will star in the historical drama film Savannah, which is based on the true story of early 20th century aristocrat Ward Allen (Caviezel) who develops an unexpected partnership with freed slave Christmas Moultrie (Ejiofor). Bradley Whitford (The West Wing), Jaimie Alexander (Thor and Kyle XY), Jack McBrayer (30 Rock) and legendary actor Hal Holbrook all co-star. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Multi-hyphenate Tyler Perry is set to star in the film I, Alex Cross, which is a reboot of the franchise based on the James Patterson novel series. Originally this character was played by Morgan Freeman in the films Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider. In the book series, Alex Cross is a forensic psychologist who hunts down various killers, but no details are available yet on the direction of this reboot. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

Q&A SECTION (with Maureen Ryan from AOL TV Squad)

Question: LittleCrisiM asks: I love ‘Downton Abbey’ so much! Do you have any insight as to when more episodes will be shown? I hope it’s soon.

Question: Karolinatx asks: Do you know why the U.K. iTunes has 7 episodes in season 1 of ‘Downton Abbey’? Did PBS re-cut or are we missing [something]?

Maureen Ryan: Anyone who read my review of ‘Downton Abbey,’ which concluded its PBS Masterpiece run Sunday, knows I was besotted with this English country house drama, so waiting up to a year for new episodes will be hard, but we may have to brace ourselves for a lengthy gap between seasons. (If you haven’t seen ‘Downton’ yet, get yourself over to the Masterpiece site, where you can watch all four season 1 episodes through Feb. 21.) The good news is, there will be a second season. ‘Downton’ was a huge hit in England and a second season was commissioned before the show even aired on this side of the Atlantic. Season 2 goes into production this spring and airs in the U.K. in the fall. As Karolina noticed, the episodes aired somewhat differently in the U.K. — ‘Downton’ was shown in seven installments there and we got four installments here. For American audiences, the show’s content was slightly re-arranged so that it comfortably fit into four Masterpiece airings. Jace Lacob, aka the Televisionary, has the full scoop on what wasn’t lost in translation — apparently there were a few very minor cuts here and there, but we essentially saw the same ‘Downton’ that aired in the U.K. It looks like we’ll get slightly more ‘Downton’ whenever season 2 arrives here: Eight episodes plus a Christmas special air in the U.K. in the fall. But if you’re desperate for more costume drama before ‘Downton’ returns, brand-new episodes of ‘Upstairs/Downstairs’ air on PBS in February.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Happy Monday! Well, at least try to make it Happy Monday, right?! Hope everyone had a great weekend and that the first day of the work week is treating everyone fine. Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor William Peterson will reprise his role of Gil Grissom in a cameo appearance in an upcoming episode of CSI. (Lynette Rice at Entertainment Weekly)

TNT has extended the seventh, and purported final, season of The Closer by six episodes. Ten episodes will air this summer, followed by five in the winter and the final six in the summer of 2012. The six additional episodes (set for the summer of 2012) will be the last for Kyra Sedgwick’s Brenda Leigh Johnson and will also likely serve as a platform to introduce a new central character for a spin-off. The spin-off is tentatively titled Major Crimes, and would see the show evolve into a more gritty drama, focusing on what happens when criminals aren’t sent to death row and the behind-the-scenes deal making. The justice system’s give and take will play a part in Brenda’s exit. (Entertainment Weekly and Kate Stanhope at TV Guide)

Actress Alana De La Garza will reprise her Law & Order role in the Los Angeles spinoff, teaming up with Terrence Howard’s Jonah Dekker. The series still has no return date. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Actor Taylor Kinney (Trauma and The Vampire Diaries) will guest star on CSI: NY, playing Jayson Luck, who attacks and kills someone he believes to be an old man on a subway platform. Unfortunately for Jayson, the crime is witnessed by Ellie, the daughter of Sela Ward’s Jo. This episode is slated to air in April. (Adam Bryant at TV Guide)

Actress Laura Vandervoort (V) will reprise her role as Kara Zor-El (a.k.a. Supergirl) in one of final five episodes of Smallville. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Greg Grunberg (Heroes, Alias and Felicity) has landed the lead in the A&E hour-long pilot called Big Mike, which is about a plus-sized detective who is a force of nature in the San Diego PD. (Deadline)

Actress Camille Guaty (Prison Break) has joined the cast the USA Network hour-long pilot called Eden that centers on a young hotel worker (Nick D’Agosto) who, with the help of his escaped con artist cousin (Enver Gjokaj), gets a job as the concierge at an elite NYC hotel. Together they manage to provide the hotel guests with whatever they desire, at whatever the cost. Guaty will play a strong-willed, hard-working single mother who’s carved out a career in real estate to support her five-year-old son. (Deadline)

HBO is hoping to launch a new series by Aaron Sorkin (the man behind The West Wing and The Social Network) that will chronicle the backstage drama at a cable news network. (Lynette Rice and James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

Actress Jordana Brewster (Chuck) has scored the lead role in the TNT remake of Dallas. The story will center on feuding cousins John Ross and Christopher, the offspring of brothers J.R. and Bobby Ewing, as they clash over the future of the Ewing dynasty. Brewster will play Elena, the gorgeous daughter of the ranch’s cook who is locked in a love triangle with Christopher and John. (TV Line and Dark Horizons)

CONDOLENCES

Five-time Oscar-winning composer John Barry, who wrote music for a dozen James Bond films passed away over the weekend. He was 77. (Associated Press)

ME: Deepest condolences to his family, friends and fans.

A MOMENT OF SILENCE, PLEASE….

WINNERS OF SAG AWARDS

Congrats to all of the winners of last night’s SAG Awards. The following are the results of the annual fete from E! Entertainment Online:

TELEVISION

Ensemble, Comedy Series: Modern Family
Ensemble, Drama Series: Boardwalk Empire
Male Actor, Comedy Series: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Female Actor, Comedy Series: Betty White, Hot in Cleveland
Male Actor, Drama Series: Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Female Actor, Drama Series: Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Female Actor, Television Movie or Miniseries: Claire Danes, Temple Grandin
Male Actor, Television Movie or Miniseries: Al Pacino, You Don’t Know Jack
Stunt Ensemble, Television Series: True Blood
Life Achievement Award: Ernest Borgnine

MOTION PICTURES

Ensemble: The King’s Speech
Male Actor, Leading: Colin Firth, The King’s Speech
Female Actor, Leading: Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Male Actor, Supporting: Christian Bale, The Fighter
Female Actor, Supporting: Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Stunt Ensemble, Motion Picture: Inception

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Looks like Halle Berry is out and Katherine Heigl is in as a cast member in the upcoming holiday –themed film New Year’s Eve that already boast the following cast members: Robert De Niro, Sofia Vergara, Ashton Kutcher, Lea Michele, Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron, Sarah Jessica Parker, Josh Duhamel, Ice Cube, Jon Bon Jovi, Hillary Swank, Jessica Biel, Seth Meyers and Abigail Breslin. Heigl will take over for Berry as a caterer who encounters her ex-lover at a party. (First Showing)

Actor Haley Joel Osment has joined the cast of the upcoming movie called Sassy Pants, which is to be a coming-of-age comedy starring Ashley Rickards, Anna Gunn, Jenny and Diedrich Bader. (Joshua Weinstein at The Wrap)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Happy Friday everyone!! Hope you have some great plans for the weekend! But first, let’s see what today’s entertainment news has in store for us, shall we?:

TELEVISION

Actor Mark Deklin (from the short-lived FOX series Lone Star) will guest star on Hawaii Five-0, playing Stan, the current husband of Danny’s ex-wife Rachel. He will appear in the February 7 episode. (E! Entertainment Online)

Actor Callum Blue will be back on Smallville as Zod, Clark’s sworn enemy who tried to take over the world last season. He was last seen being sucked into a one-sided portal that leads to New Krypton. He’ll appear in one of the final five episodes of the series. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Actress Lucy Lawless (Spartacus: Blood and Sand and its prequel Gods of the Arena) will appear in five episodes of No Ordinary Family. She will play a potential adversary for the Powells. Her agenda might put the Powell family in danger. (Chris Harnick at TV Squad and TV Line)

Actor Geoff Stults (7th Heaven, October Road and Happy Town) will play Walter Sherman (aka “the Locator), a former military policeman who can find anything, on the upcoming Bones spinoff, which is based on The Locator series of two books written by Richard Greener. He joins Michael Clarke Duncan, who will appear as Walter’s partner, Leo, a tough cowboy philosopher. (The Hollywood Reporter)

Legendary actor John Lithgow will play Barney Stinson’s (Neil Patrick Harris) dad on How I Met Your Mother. (The Hollywood Reporter)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

ABC has picked up a new summer show called Missing, which centers on a worried mom who, after her son disappears in Italy while overseas for a summer internship, takes it upon herself to travel to Europe and track him down. It soon becomes clear that this isn’t any ordinary woman, but a former CIA agent who will stop at nothing to bring her son home alive. This summer Missing will join two Canadian scripted series, the recently picked up untitled medical drama set in Afghanistan and Rookie Blue, which will be returning for a second season. (Deadline)

Actor Jack McGee (Rescue Me) has landed a role on the USA drama pilot Common Law, which is about two mismatched cops: Michael Ealy as the jeans-wearing, unshaven Travis Marks and Warren Kole as the tailored suit-wearing, clean-cut Wes Mitchell. These copes are sent to therapy by their boss. McGee will play said man, Phil Sutton, an ex-Marine turned captain at the L.A.P.D.’s Southern Bureau. Amy Acker also stars as Dr. Elyse Ryan, their attractive therapist. (The Futon Critic)

Looks like zombies are becoming even more the rage. Case in point: The CW is developing a script for the hour-long drama Awakening, about two sisters who face off against one another just as a zombie uprising begins. And not to be outdone, NBC is developing a show called Zombies vs. Vampires. (Michael Schneider at TV Guide)

NBC has given a green light to a pilot called Grimm, which is a dark but fantastical cop drama about a world in which characters inspired by Grimm’s Fairy Tales exist. (Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Young actress Saoirse Ronan (The Lovely Bones) has joined the cast of The Hobbit, but here part is still unknown. (Coming Soon)

Broadway actor Benjamin Walker has scored the title role in the supernatural action thriller Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, which is a film adaptation of the Seth Grahame-Smith comedic horror novel that exposes Abe’s secret diaries recounting his mission to eradicate the world of the undead bloodsuckers. The film is expected to hit theatres n June 22, 2012. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Carey Mulligan and Jodie Foster are now out and Mia Wasikowska is in for upcoming film Stoker, which tells the story of a moody teenager whose mysterious uncle comes back into her family’s lives after the death of her father. The script for this movie comes from Prison Break actor Wentworth Miller. (Deadline and First Showing)

Orlando Bloom and Imogen Poots are set to star in the biopic called The Laureate, which follows the life of the young British war poet Robert Graves (Bloom), his wife Nancy Nicholson (Kerry Condon) and the passionate young American writer Laura Riding (Poots). The focus will cover the open love triangle between them as they lived in London and Cairo and will explore the notion of intense relationships. (Screen Daily and Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Watch: Full Trailer for AnnaSophia Robb’s Surfer Flick ‘Soul Surfer’

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

Question: Thank you for the great Castle interview. Best one I’ve read! Did you maybe ask them if Laura Prepon might be coming back as Nikki Heat? — Nora

Answer: Great minds think alike. I did ask, and creator Andrew Marlowe says, “You know, that’s a question of availability. We are planning an episode where there’s an opportunity toward the end of the season, so hopefully everybody’s schedule will match up.”

Question: Supernatural!!!!!!! — Laura

Answer: Okay!!!!!!! The first episode back, now airing Feb. 4, will focus quite a bit on the Sam-almost-killed-Bobby thing. In fact, Bobby finds himself uneasy around the youngest Winchester even though he was recently re-souled. We already know Dean’s his favorite, but Bobby’s reaction will leave you wanting to hug Sam (erm, more than you already want to hug Sam on a normal day). Bonus dish: You will rewind a hotel scene where Dean reads a girl’s diary about 10 times.

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a great weekend!!

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Hey All,

Not a lot of news to share, but there were some big casting items announced today (see my earlier post about the casting of Klaus on The Vampire Diaries) as well as what appears below.

TELEVISION

Nancy Travis (The Bill Engvall Show and Three Men and a Baby) will appear in an upcoming episode of Grey’s Anatomy, playing Allison who is a patient in Derek’s Alzheimer’s clinical trial. Her 10-year-old son takes more care of her than the other way around, which will make Dr. Stark (Peter MacNicol) insist that Social Services be contacted. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Bradley Whitford (The West Wing and The Good Guys) will guest star in the USA series In Plain Sight, playing a career military man who is a star witness for a Blackwater-style military contract company. The series is expected to return with new episodes sometime this spring. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

Peter Cambor will be returning to NCIS: Los Angeles as operational psychologist Dr. Nate Getz, whose mysterious absence since the beginning of this season has kept the show’s fans wondering if he’ll return and what he’s been doing while “on assignment.” It looks like audiences will get to see a new side to Nate. He has undergone some specialized training (pet Hetty’s request) and he gets to show off his newfound skills in an upcoming episode. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

The Lifetime series Army Wives will be back for its fifth season on Sunday, March 6 at a new earlier time – 9 PM, serving as the lead-in for the new reality series called Coming Home that will document the surprise reunions of soldiers and their families at 10 PM. (The Futon Critic)

Actress Beth Riesgraf (Leverage) will guest star on an upcoming episode of NCIS, playing Maxine Edwards, an infamous online gamer who still has bad blood with her Marine ex-boyfriend, who cheated her in more ways than one. When his dismembered fingertips and teeth are discovered in a pickpocket’s stolen purse, she naturally becomes one of NCIS’ suspects. Luckily for Maxine, her gaming obsession piques the curiosity of fellow gamer McGee (Sean Murray), with whom she shares many common interests and a whole lot of chemistry. This episode is slated to air on February 22. (Adam Bryant at TV Guide)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Tom Verica, Lolita Davidovich and Laura Bell Bundy have joined the hour-long pilot called Hound Dogs for TBS. The series follows a minor league team – the Nashville Hound Dogs – as they try to handle life’s ups and downs, both in and out of the locker room. Verica will play Marty Crowley, the team’s endlessly upbeat, endlessly spinning general manager. Meanwhile, Davidovich will play Iris Hammer, the woman who takes over the team following her much older husband’s death and Bundy will play Ginger Ledoux, an unattainable waitress/lounge singer. (The Futon Critic)

BIG CASTING NEWS

Exclusive: Minka Kelly and Rachael Taylor Round Out TV’s New Charlie’s Angels

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Viggo Mortensen is in talks to star as the Huntsman in the upcoming box office movie Snow White and the Huntsman with Charlize Theron nearly in line to star as the evil queen Ravenna. In this story, the Huntsman is ordered by the evil queen to take her stepdaughter Snow White into the woods and kill her. Huntsman Eric instead lets her go and becomes something of a mentor who teaches her how to fight and survive. Rumor has it that both Emily Browning (who will be seen in the upcoming Sucker Punch movie) and Kristin Stewart (from the Twilight franchise) are being touted for the lead role. The film isn’t expected in theatres until December 21, 2012. (Variety, Heat Vision, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

Chris Pine, Hugh Jackman, Jude Law, Alec Baldwin and Isla Fisher will all lend their voices to the animated movie Rise of the Guardians, which follows a group of heroic childhood legends, each with extraordinary abilities. When Pitch (Law), an evil spirit akin to the boogeyman, lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs and imagination of children all over the world. Pine will play Jack Frost, Jackman is Bunnymund (the Easter Bunny), Baldwin is North (Santa Claus) and Fisher is Tooth (the Tooth Fairy). A 2012 release is being targeted. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Josh Duhamel has joined the ever growing cast of the upcoming box office movie New Year’s Eve. The cast already includes Robert De Niro, Ashton Kutcher, Sofia Vergara, Halle Berry, Zac Efron, Jessica Biel, Michelle Pfeiffer, Abigail Breslin, Hilary Swank, Sarah Jessica Parker and Sienna Miller. (Joshua Weinstein at The Wrap)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Watch: Official Trailer Hits for Robert Redford’s ‘The Conspirator’

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Some really cool news has come out today along with some interesting articles to read so let’s get right into today’s update:

TELEVISION

Actress Sonya Salomaa (who had a small role in the box office film Watchmen) will guest star in Supernatural as Rachel, a tough angel who is expected to appear in the 19th episode of this season. While the part is only scheduled for this one episode, the role is to recur. (William Keck at TV Guide)

Looks like 90210 will be down two more adults: Lori Loughlin and Ryan Eggold will not be returning to the show next season. The fourth season (ME: It will be going into its 4th season – really?) will find the West Beverly crew transitioning to college. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

SUPERNATURAL Q&A ARTICLE

Q+A Time: ‘Supernatural’ Showrunner Sera Gamble Talks Castiel’s War, Dean’s Dilemmas and Sam’s Soul

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

A pilot by Oscar-winning writer Stephen Gaghan (Traffic and Syriana) has been picked up by NBC. The pilot is described, of course, as a Traffic/Syriana-like look at Los Angeles through multiple perspectives in law enforcement, legal communities, city hall, the land of privilege and criminal enterprise. (Deadline)

ABC has given a pilot order to two dramas. The first is Pan Am, which is described as a sexy soap set against the Jet-Age about pilots and flight attendants working at the iconic Pan Am airline in the 1960s. And the second is Poe, a crime procedural following Edgar Allan Poe, the world’s very first detective, as he uses unconventional methods to investigate dark mysteries in 1840s Boston. (Deadline)

Sarah Michelle Gellar’s new CBS thriller pilot ‘Ringer’: The producer spills details! — EXCLUSIVE

UK actor Luke Pasqualino (Skins) will play young William Adama in the much anticipated Battlestar Galactica prequel Blood & Chrome while actor Ben Cotton (Hellcats and the online series Riese) will play Adama’s commanding officer. The show will debut with a two-hour pilot on Syfy. (Entertainment Weekly)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Naomi Watts has signed on to star in the biopic J. Edgar, playing Helen Gandy, J. Edgar Hoover’s loyal secretary for 54 years. The cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio as Hoover, Armie Hammer as his alleged lover Clyde Tolson, Josh Lucas as aviator Charles Lindbergh, Ken Howard as Attorney General Harlan F. Stone, Ed Westwick as the author of Hoover’s biography, and Damon Herriman as Bruno Hauptmann. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Actor Ruben Blades – who has served as Minister of Tourism for Panama from 2004 to 2009 will join Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington in the thriller flick Safe House follows is about a CIA agent (Reynolds) whose safe house is attacked requiring him to get a criminal (Washington) to safety. (Joshua Weinstein at The Wrap)

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

Question: Do you have anything on Stefan and Elena on Vampire Diaries? — Harriet

NATALIE: Now that Katherine is entombed and Elijah seems to be doing his job, Stefan and Elena will take a romantic trip to her parents’ lake house. “They just want to be a normal couple that goes on vacation,” Paul Wesley says. (What could possibly go wrong?) “Of course, danger is pursuing them.” Not only that, they’ll have a capital-T talk about the logistics of a vampire-human relationship, Wesley adds, and the options aren’t attractive.

Question: Will we see Clark fly before the series finale of Smallville? — Chris

NATALIE: “I would say watch ‘Collateral,'” executive producer Brian Peterson says, very craftily teasing this week’s episode. In other exciting final-season news, the Justice League will regroup in the aftermath of Hawkman’s knockout funeral. “They’re definitely a very cohesive unit by the end of the series,” executive producer Kelly Souders says.

Question: Something on NCIS, please! —Sara

Ausiello: Sasha Alexander’s dead agent is returning! Kind of, but not really! Allow me to explain: This season’s clip-heavy 14th episode revolves around the stressed-to-the-max team being forced into therapy. During their individual sessions, Gibbs & Co. flash back to some of their most emotionally taxing cases — Kate’s death obviously being at the top of the list.

Question: Please, do you have any Castle scoops? —Christi

Ausiello: In an upcoming episode, newbie couple Esposito and Lanie will go on a double date with Ryan and Jenny — and to say the fellas’ better halves do not hit it off is putting it mildly.

Question: Josh Schwartz keeps warning fans on Twitter not to miss the “last 10 minutes of next week’s Chuck” and I’m starting to get worried. Please put my mind at ease. —Chris

Ausiello: Would it help if I had Schwartz offer up a one-word description of the episode’s much-buzzed-about final act? No? Too bad. I already asked him. And the word is… Goosebumps!

Question: How about a Supernatural spoiler? —Kriya

Ausiello: The Grim Reaper will set his sights on two recurring characters in the not-too-distant future.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

The news is short today, but there are some interesting items to share with everyone.

TELEVISION

Actress Sarah Jane Morris (Brothers & Sisters) will appear in a major arc on NCIS, as Erica Jane “EJ” Barrett, a new NCIS agent who hakes up the team dynamic. Her first episode is slated to air this spring. (TV Line)

The original UK series Being Human will be back with a new season of episodes on BBC America starting February 19 at 9 PM. The show is about (now) four friends — two werewolves, a ghost and a vampire — coping with the supernatural challenges in their lives while trying to blend in with their human neighbors. Mark your calendars!! (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

Actress Betsy Brandt (Breaking Bad) will appear in the February 8 episode of No Ordinary Family as a research scientist pal of Stephanie’s (Julie Benz) who falls victim to a crime. (Megan Masters at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

CBS has picked up two drama pilots. The first is The Doctor, from Rina Mimoun (creator of the CW series Privileged), which centers on a mother who reconnects with her adult children when she joins the family medical practice. The second is called Hail Mary, which is a buddy private investigator drama centered on a suburban single mom living in Atlanta who teams up with a hustler to solve crimes. (The Hollywood Reporter)

Actor Jeffrey Nordling (Desperate Housewives) and actress Katherine LaNasa (The Defenders) have both landed roles on the as-yet untitled Lifetime drama pilot from Michael Sardo, which is about Ann Brown (Carrie-Anne Moss), who is New York’s premiere celebrity psychiatrist who leaves town to join her sister, the Dean at a teaching hospital, and becomes the chief of staff of the hospital’s psych ward. Nordling will play Mark Maddux, a brilliant psychiatrist who was in line for the chief of staff job until Ann got hired in by the Board, while the role for LaNasa has not been specified yet. (The Futon Critic)

OSCAR NOMINATIONS

Complete List of Nominations for 83rd Annual Academy Awards

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Writer Nick Pustay (Ramona and Beezus) is set to adapt the Sophie Jordan young-adult fantasy novel called Firelight for Mandalay Pictures. The story follows Jacinda, a young girl who is a “draki,” a descendant of dragons who can morph into human form, and who is ordained to marry another of her kind. When the girl’s mother moves the family to live among humans for safety reasons, Jacinda puts her family at risk when she falls for a member of a secret dragon-hunting society. Additional, Pustay is also working on an adaptation of the teen werewolf romance tale called Shiver for Unique Features. (Heat Vision and Dark Horizons)

Jon Bon Jovi, Seth Meyers and Til Schweiger have all joined the cast of ensemble romantic comedy called New Year’s Eve that is to follow various lovers preparing for the New Year holiday. Bon Jovi will play a successful rock star who once dumped Halle Berry’s character but who he now finds himself face to face with again at a party. Meyers and Jessica Biel will play a broke couple with a baby due who are in a race to make sure it is the first one born in the year in order to claim a $25,000 prize. It is unclear what role Schweiger will play. Among the other cast members are Abigail Breslin, Robert De Niro, Zac Efron, Ashton Kutcher, Lea Michele, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michelle Pfeiffer, Hilary Swank and Sofia Vergara. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

James Gandolfini will star in the film called Twylight Zones, which will be set in 1960s New Jersey, playing a father who is concerned about his son’s (John Magaro) new role as the lead singer of a band called The Twylight Zones. (Deadline and Entertainment Weekly)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

The news for today isn’t too voluminous, but let’s get right into it all:

TELEVISION

CBS has acquired 7 more episodes of the Canadian series Flashpoint, now giving it 13 episodes for the summer. Meanwhile, cable network ION has purchased the repeat rights to all 62 episodes of Flashpoint, but it is not clear when ION will air these repeats. (The Futon Critic)

It looks like TNT may be trying to keep their popular series The Closer around for additional episodes with or without Kyra Sedgwick. There is a possibility that another character will step up to take over or the network may launch a new spin-off series. Among the scenarios currently discussed by the network is super-sizing the 15-episode seventh and final season to 21-episodes with an order for 6 extra episodes. That, of course, is contingent on a deal with Sedgwick, whose contract is up at the end of Season 7. Additionally, the cable network is eying a possible 9-episode order for a new series, either without Sedgwick or a spinoff series featuring characters from The Closer in a new setting. (The latter will probably be a little easier to pull off as Sedgwick plays the title character in the original series.) (Nellie Andreeva and Michael Ausiello)

Actress Brittany Snow (currently on the new NBC drama Harry’s Law) will guest-star on the upcoming new romantic comedy on CBS called Mad Love, starring the sister to Sarah Chalke. The series follows the story of Kate (Chalke) and Ben (Jason Biggs), who find romance on top of the Empire State Building. Unfortunately, their respective best friends (played by Judy Greer and Tyler Labine) are not too fond of one another. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Actor Sebastian Spence (Battlestar Galactica) will appear on Smallville as inventor-turned-superhero Ted Kord. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Meanwhile, Days of Our Lives actor Eric Martsolf will appear as Booster Gold on an upcoming episode of Smallville; and relative newcomer Jaren Brandt Bartlett will appear as Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle in an upcoming episode of the series. (Sandra Gonzalez at Entertainment Weekly)

Actress Rachel Taylor (Transformers) will join Grey’s Anatomy as Dr. Lucy Fields, who will play a major character’s obstetrician and maybe a new love interest for Alex (Justin Chambers). (Carita Rizzo at TV Guide)

Colin Firth (currently the top contender for an Oscar for his role in The King’s Speech) sent the Twitter verse crazy this past weekend when he said he would love to be a villain on either Doctor Who or Torchwood. Get this man a guest spot on either of these shows, stat! (Blastr)

CONDOLENCES

The original TV fitness guru, Jack LaLanne, passed away yesterday afternoon at the age of 96. (E! Entertainment Online and NY Times)

ME: Deepest condolences are extended to his family, friends and followers.

MOMENT OF SILENCE, PLEASE….

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

The Ethan Hawke-led drama called Exit Strategy has been ordered to pilot by FOX. The pilot is about CIA agents who are sent in to “fix” operations that have gone bad. Hawke will plays the team leader, the architect of exit strategy who also empathizes with the people they extract and would rather die than let them get hurt. (The Futon Critic)

The Showtime drama, from executive producers Steven Spielberg, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, called Smash has found a new home at NBC. The pilot is a show-within-a-show about a group of people who come together to put on a Broadway musical. (The Futon Critic)

David E. Kelley’s take on the DC Comics icon Wonder Woman has finally found a home at NBC. The show will chronicle the life of a vigilante crime fighter in L.A. who is a successful corporate executive and a modern woman trying to balance all of the elements of her extraordinary life. (The Futon Critic)

Actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan is “this close” to landing a deal with cable network Starz to star in their upcoming 1960s drama series called Magic City. If everything works out, Morgan will play a suave Miami hotel owner who opens up his new digs just as Fidel Castro takes over Cuba. (Deadline and Megan Masters at TV Line)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Anthony Hopkins has entered talks to play legendary filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock in the planned film called Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho. The story would track how Hitchcock, at the height of his game as a director, decided to make a ‘lowly’ horror movie that no studio wanted to touch initially. (Heat Vision and Dark Horizons)

The Olsen twins have a younger sister name Elizabeth Olsen, who is currently a big sensation at Sundance for her role in the indie film Martha Marcy May Marlene, will join Robert De Niro, Sigourney Weaver and Cillian Murphy in the thriller Red Lights. Weaver will play a psychology professor whose study of paranormal activity leads her to investigate a world-renowned psychic (De Niro). Olsen will play one of Weaver’s students. (Hollywood Reporter and Jeff Sneider at The Wrap)

Here are the top 10 box office movies for this past weekend courtesy of TV Guide:

1. No Strings Attached – $20.3 million
2. The Green Hornet – $18.1 million
3. The Dilemma – $9.7 million
4. The King’s Speech – $9.2 million
5. True Grit – $8 million
6. Black Swan – $6.2 million
7. The Fighter – $4.5 million
8. Little Fockers – $4.3 million
9. Yogi Bear – $4 million
10. Tron: Legacy – $3.7 million

AWARD WINNERS

Congrats to the winners of the Producer’s Guild Awards that were presented this past weekend. They include the following for Television: Mad Men, Modern Family and The Pacific. And, the following for Film: The King’s Speech, Toy Story 3 and Waiting For Superman. (Zap2It)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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