Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Happy Friday! I hope all of you are planning something fun for the weekend, right?! And, if you are a member of the Paley Center for Media that you purchased your tickets for the 2011 Paley Fest, which went on sale this morning at 9 AM. If you’re a member, tickets will go on sale to the general public starting this Monday.

Meanwhile, here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Dawn Olivieri (Heroes) will star alongside Don Cheadle in the new Showtime series House of Lies, about a less-than-honest management consultant. (Deadline and Entertainment Weekly)

Actress Paige Turco will guest star on Blue Bloods on February 9, appearing as Detective Patricia Ryan, who is assigned to investigate a dicey robbery case. She has most recently been seen on an episode of The Good Wife and in episodes of Damages. (Megan Masters at TV Line)

JAG alum David James Elliott will make a return visit to CSI: NY as Russ Josephson, the FBI agent ex-husband of Sela Ward’s Detective Jo Danville. This episode is slated to air in April and has Russ returning to support Jo through a difficult family situation — as well as aid Mac with an ongoing murder investigation. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

The drama pilot Rookies from Robert De Niro has been given the green light by CBS. (Deadline and TV Line)

ONLINE SERIES NEWS

Thanks to the enormous success of the online series Riese: Kingdom Falling, which generated 1.2 million streams in only two months, Syfy.com will expand its original digital content slate with the 10-part The Mercury Men. This new online series will premiere exclusively in early 2011. The online series is set in Pittsburgh in 1975, following Edward Borman (Mark Tierno), a lowly government office drone, who finds himself trapped when the deadly Men of Mercury seize the building as a staging ground for their nefarious plot. Aided by Jack Yaeger (Curt Wootten), a daring aerospace engineer from a mysterious organization known as “The League,” and Grace (Amy Staggs), who was only at the building to get a government form stamped, Edward must stop the invaders and their Doomsday Device, the Gravity Engine. (The Futon Critic)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

British hunk Alex Pettyfer (who will be seen in the upcoming movies Beastly and I Am Number Four) is expected to begin negotiations this week for the male lead role in the film adaptation of the supernatural novel series The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare. The first installment called City of Bones follows an ordinary teenage girl named Clary Fray (Lily Collins) who learns she is the descendent of the Shadowhunters, a clan of demon hunters who track and kill the creatures who run loose on the streets of New York City. Pettyfer would play sarcastic Shadowhunter Jace Wayland, the love interest of the lead with a terrible secret. (Vulture and Dark Horizons)

Actress Viola Davis and actor Jeffrey Wright have joined the cast the adventure movie called Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, which is based on the Jonathan Safran Foer novel. The story follows multi-talented nine-year-old Oskar Schell (Thomas Horn) whose father died in the 9/11 attacks. Given a mysterious key by his father before he died, Oskar now wanders New York City in search of the lock it will open. Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock and John Goodman also star. (Daily Mail and Dark Horizons)

Actor Jeff Daniels and actress Piper Perabo have joined the sci-fi action movie called Looper, which follows a group of killers who send bodies of their victims back in time. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt, Paul Dano and Xu Qing are already set to star. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

A fourth incarnation of the classic movie A Star Is Born is coming to a theatre near you courtesy of Clint Eastwood, who is set to direct and produce the flick. The story, of course, centers on a showbiz ingénue who falls for an alcoholic musician, only to see their careers move in opposite directions. Back in February of 2010, Russell Crowe and Beyonce Knowles were the reported front runners for the roles though Will Smith, Eddie Murphy, Robert Downey Jr. and Jon Hamm had all been floated as potential candidates. There is no confirmation on cast and the movie would be out sometime in 2012. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

FIRST LOOK AT UPCOMING MOVIE

Cool New Photos for Paul W.S. Anderson’s ‘The Three Musketeers’

ME: The next is a spoilerish item from Sandra Gonzalez at Entertainment Weekly so please tread lightly (and I apologize for the apostrophe use; not my idea):

‘CASTLE’: PREPARE TO FAN YOURSELVES

It’s almost here, Castle fans (who have been begging me all week for dish on the show’s big Jan. 24th episode). Almost. Here. The smooch you’ve been waiting for. And I’m happy to say that the episode is completely worth the wait. But not so fast. Don’t start picking out china patterns for the pair just yet. While the kiss is, indeed, not a dream, you know that this is still Castle. This is still Beckett. And there’s still a very important case — the one of Beckett’s mom’s murder — being investigated. That’s all I can say. On that note, however, the kiss, in my opinion, isn’t even the best part of the episode. (You probably guessed that they wouldn’t put the best part of the episode in promos, right?) I’d say there are two better moments. The first comes before the smooch when Castle is talking with his mom about his most recent brush with death, and he admits to her (in his Nathan Fillion melt-me-into-goo voice) that his time with Beckett is “*** ****t *** ****s **y****.” And the other comes sometime after the roughly 13-second smooch. After the episode airs, be sure to check EW.com for my exclusive chat with Andrew Marlowe and Will Beall, who penned the episode.

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

Question: So Chuck finally proposed to Sarah, but why’d they have to ruin the moment?!?! Tell me there’s something coming up to make up for it. — Tracey

ANSWER: The moon. The beautiful ring. Sarah helping Chuck not make a dork of himself by slipping the ring he dropped back into his pocket. Sigh. Yes, it was perfect. And while I can’t tell you that something soon will make up for the lost moment, executive producer Chris Fedak can: “Yes. We have some really sweet moments coming up. Of course, most of them are between Casey and Morgan. But you never know, maybe Chuck and Sarah can have one, too.”

Question: Any Smallville scoop? Preferably Chlollie related. — Mer

ANSWER: I’d love to submit to your winking face, but spilling on Chlollie’s big reunion moment would surely guarantee an end to my life. It would also ruin the surprise about whether or not there are sinister intentions behind that pretty, innocent smile. But I do have a casting bit for you. I can confirm rumors that Days of Our Lives actor Eric Martsolf will be playing Booster Gold, and I hear that they are expected to pick a Blue Beetle any moment now. You might want to keep checking back for updates…

Question: I’m so glad to see Justified getting some publicity and am hyped for the return. Is Boyd Crowder part of an overarching story or just a constant nuisance? Are they sticking to the episodic format? I liked it — they felt like short stories more than generic ‘procedural’ mysteries. Is Raylan moving out of his motel room? Are we going to explore beyond Harlan like the CA episode? Does Harlan have minorities? — LochNessTess

ANSWER: I feel like I’m about to dig into a pie and I have no idea where to start. Deep breath. Okay, let’s see. Boyd is most definitely part of an overarching storyline this year, but also does a great job getting under Raylan’s skin, as usual — especially when Raylan finds out Boyd’s been sleeping under a roof that Raylan knows very well. And there’s a great (and somewhat brutal) Boyd moment coming in episode 3. Q2) Format’s about the same, I’d say. Good thing, right? Q3) Raylan is still hanging his hat in the motel at least through episode three. But don’t worry; he’s not lonely. Q4) We’re spend most of our time in Harlan at the beginning of the season. Q5) Not sure, but what I do know is that when Rachel accompanies Raylan on an investigation, they’re not very welcoming at all.

Question: I can’t wait for the White Collar flashback episode. Scoop, please? — Chalene

ANSWER: Between the Matt Bomer interview and showrunner Jeff Eastin’s scoopage I’ve given you in the last two weeks, you’ve gotten plenty — but I don’t blame you for wanting more. It’s one heck of an episode (airing Jan. 25). And would you believe that there’s much, much more where that came from? “The original draft was about 120 pages. It was twice or three times what we normally do because there was so much stuff. In the original draft, we had young Neal when he was 12, Mozzi’s entire backstory when he was in Detroit. There’s all this stuff we really wanted to use. But at the end, we really had to pick and choose what would fit in an hour,” Eastin told me. That’s right, we almost saw an itty bitty Neal! Be still my heart! But not to worry, some of that will likely make its way into another flashback episode that is planned for season 3 that will focus mostly on Mozzi and explain the origins of his nickname.

Question: When’s Kurt coming back to McKinley High on Glee. Things are falling apart without him! — J. T.

ANSWER: Um, why would you advocate splitting up the adorable pair gracing the cover of this week’s EW? Child, please. And it doesn’t sound like the show’s in a hurry to get Kurt back to New Directions either. Before learning he was a Golden Globe winner this weekend, we spoke with Chris Colfer on the red carpet, where he told us: “I think eventually I will be back with the old gang but we haven’t filmed that yet so I don’t know how long I will be away from McKinley.” A spy tells me the gang is now wrapping the episode that will air in mid-February, so it definitely won’t happen before then. But again, I ask, is that really what you want? Take sides in comments, readers. Does Kurt belong at Dalton or McKinley? It’s on, J.T.! (P.S. – I’m short and feeble; please don’t hurt me.)

Question: I LOVED Being Human. Do you have a bit of scoop for a new fan to the series? — Kris

ANSWER: I loved it, too. I especially have a soft spot for Mark Pellegrino, who you’ll see next week in a brief Civil War flashback with Aidan. And while I’m a huge fan of flashback scenes of any kind, it’s not the best scene of the episode by far. I think you’ll much prefer the tense face-off between Bishop and Aidan at the police station. It’s a lot of sexy brood in a single scene — and I like it.

Question: The Big C was a fantastic show. Any idea when we’ll see it comes back? — Lee

ANSWER: The cast doesn’t start back on season 2 until March, according to John Benjamin Hickey (who plays Cathy’s hippie brother Sean on the show). Though he hasn’t seen a script yet, Hickey wasn’t shy about telling us what he hopes to read: a twist return for Marlene, who killed herself in the penultimate episode of last season. “We are all campaigning for a ghost twist for season 2 of The Big C so Phyllis [Somerville] can come back. As sad as you are, we the cast are even sadder. It is actually feeling a little unthinkable to go forward without Phyllis. I have a good faith feeling she may be back somehow some way.” Somerville concurred: “I just did an episode of Fringe so maybe I can get those sci-fi folks to hook me up with a gadget that will allow Marlene to come back to life and bug Laura Linney some more.” Yes, Fringe!

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

The news isn’t too long today, but there are still some interesting items to share with all of you. And, before I forget to mention it, please make sure to tune in to the USA Network tonight for the return of Royal Pains at 9 PM followed by the debut of the new series Fairly Legal at 10 PM.

TELEVISION

The USA Network has picked up two pilots for series. They are A Legal Mind and Necessary Roughness. Both are getting an 11-episode order in addition to the 90-minute pilots. A Legal Mind centers on a top Manhattan corporate lawyer (Gabriel Macht) who recruits a brilliant but unmotivated college dropout (Patrick J. Adams) as a new associate. Meanwhile, Necessary Roughness focuses on a tough, sexy Long Island divorcee (Callie Thorne) who gets a job as the therapist for a professional football team in order to make ends meet. When these shows will be scheduled, however, is unclear at this time. (Deadline)

Actor Eric Balfour (Haven) will appear in two upcoming episodes of No Ordinary Family, playing a death row inmate named Marcus Winnick. These episodes are expected to air in March. (William Keck at TV Guide)

Actress Sheila Kelly (most recently seen in the final episodes of Lost) will now appear as “Aunt Carol” in Gossip Girl. She replaces Illeana Douglas who was forced to drop out due to scheduling reasons. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Well-known character actor Jonathan Banks (Breaking Bad) will guest star on Modern Family as Jay’s (Ed O’Neill) brother Tommy, who is described as a working class lunk of a guy who’s more comfortable communicating with his fists than his mouth. Tommy reunites with his brother in an episode slated to air in February or March. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

NBC has been given a pilot order to the Ronald D. Moore project now being called 17th Precinct, which is an ensemble drama in the “Hill Street Blues” vein, but is set in the town of Excelsior, where magic and supernatural elements rule over science. (The Futon Critic)

General Hospital cast member Annie Ilonzeh has reportedly landed one of the three leads in the pilot of the remake of Charlie’s Angels, which will be set in and will be a modern take on the Angels. It will center on a new trio of young and sexy private eyes – Kate, Abby and Marisa – working for a wealthy mystery man. Ilonzeh will play Kate, a very smart and very athletic ex-cop and a master of martial arts. (Nellie Andreeva at TV Line)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

It looks like Keira Knightley may be replacing Marion Cotillard in the upcoming sci-fi thriller Cosmopolis. She would play the female lead and love interest of Robert Pattinson’s character. (The LA Times and Dark Horizons)

Robert Downey Jr. has dropped out of the prequel movie Oz, the Great and Powerful, which follows a young illusionist with a grandiose attitude who is forced to flee a traveling circus. His hot air balloon is swept up by a tornado to the land of Oz, which is run by two magical wicked witches. He of course goes on to become the titular Wizard. It sounds like Johnny Depp MIGHT take over the role, but there is no confirmation of that yet. (Heat Vision and Dark Horizons)

CELEBRITY BLOGGER SPOTLIGHT (because, just like Jewel Staite, David Hewlett is pretty damn cool)

David Hewlett: My ‘hilariously unhappy’ life as Dr. Rodney McKay

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

The truth about TV ratings, online viewing and sci-fi shows

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Much more news to share with everyone today so let’s get right into it:

TELEVISION

NBC has confirmed they are pulling new episodes of Law & Order: Los Angeles, beginning February 8. The show will return on “a day to be determined.” Thus hiatus announcement comes after the cast shake-up where Regina Hall, Megan Boone and Skeet Ulrich – three original cast members – left the show. (Jenna Mullins at E! Entertainment Online)

Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica) will guest star on No Ordinary Family as a sexy and mysterious woman who, like the Powells, may possess some special powers of her own. She will appear in the show’s 17th episode. (Twitter and TV Line)

Santiago Cabrera (Heroes) has been added as a regular in the upcoming FOX drama pilot Alcatraz from J.J. Abrams, which chronicles the efforts of tenacious cop Rebecca (Sarah Jones) and team of FBI agents tracking down a group of missing Alcatraz prisoners and guards who reappear in the present day. Cabrera will play Jimmy, Rebecca’s sweet-natured fiancé, a uniform cop. (Deadline)

Melora Hardin (The Office) will have a recurring role in the TBS pilot called The Wedding Band, which is an hour-long comedy that follows a group of guys performing in a wedding band, anchored by 2 lifelong best friends – perennial bachelor Tommy (Brian Austin Green) and Eddie (Peter Cambor), a married father of two. Hardin will play the sassy, demanding and opinionated president of Rutherford Events who hires the band for her events every week. (Deadline)

Larisa Oleynik (Mad Men and the box office film 10 Things I Hate About You) will appear in Hawaii Five-0 as Jessica Kaye, a highly educated ex-CIA analyst who goes to Hawaii to assist Five-0 in the pursuit of Steve McGarrett’s arch nemesis, Wo Fat (Mark Dacascos). Jessica has a personal stake in the manhunt since Wo Fat was responsible for the murder of her fiancé, a well respected CIA field agent. (Deadline)

Actress Paula Malcomson (Deadwood and Caprica) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Private Practice, playing the wife of a convicted killer on death row who is nearing execution. While Violet (Amy Brenneman) attempts to help her accept her husband’s impending death, Malcomson’s character obsessively seeks a stay of execution. She will appear in Episode 14. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

The proposed Bones spinoff by FOX is starting to take shape with Michael Clarke Duncan being tapped to co-star. He will be introduced in Episode 19. The spinoff, based on The Locator series of books written by Richard Greener, centers on Walter Sherman aka “the Locator” (this role is still being cast), a former military policeman who can find anything. Duncan will play Walter’s partner Leo, a tough, raw-hide cowboy philosopher. (Nellie Andreeva at TV Line)

Viewers of Grey’s Anatomy will find Loretta Divine returning later this year as Adele Webber, Chief Webber’s (James Pickens Jr.) ex-wife. (Jennifer Arrow at E! Entertainment Online)

SPOILER ROOM

A new “lady friend” for Castiel on Supernatural (named Rachel) will be showing up soon. The role has yet to be cast, but Rachel will be a pretty twenty-something angel with a finely tuned BS detector.” Then later Sam and Dean will be traveling back in time (again) this time to meet Samuel Colt, who built the world’s biggest devil’s trap to keep the Devil’s Gate from opening (but Sam and Dean opened it) and he built the gun that can kill anything (except Lucifer and maybe a few other big baddies). (Zap2It)

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIES

Brian J. Smith (Stargate Universe), Robert Patrick (Terminator 2: Judgment Day), Kate Vernon (Battlestar Galactica), Danielle Nicolet (The Starter Wife), Gareth David-Lloyd (Torchwood), Tamzin Merchant (The Tudors) and Devon Graye (Dexter) will star in the original Syfy movie called Red Faction: Origins (which is currently the working title). This movie is based on the highly successful video game franchise, which follows the children of rebel hero Alec Mason. The premise of the movie is: Twenty-five years have passed since Alec Mason (Robert Patrick) led the Martian Colonies to freedom and 12 years since vengeful enemies killed his wife, kidnapped his daughter Lyra (Tamzin Merchant), and left a broken hero in their wake. Jake Mason (Brian J. Smith), Alec’s last surviving son and an officer in the Red Faction Militia, has his world turned inside out when he discovers that now, 12 years after her kidnapping, his sister is still alive. As a powerful new enemy swarms across the planet, Jake goes out to find her, only to learn that his lost sister is one of them: a cold-blooded soldier sworn to destroy the Red Faction. Jake must now battle the relentless regime and somehow reunite a family torn apart by war. The movie is scheduled for release in May 2011. (The Futon Critic)

The original Disney Channel movie Lemonade Mouth has been moved from March 25 to its new debut date of April 15. (The Futon Critic)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Tim Kring (creator of Heroes) has a new pilot that has been picked up by FOX. The pilot called Touch centers on a father who discovers that his autistic, mute son can actually predict events before they happen. (Deadline)

FOX has given the green light to Little in Common, a single-camera comedy from Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas. (Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer) has signed on to join Jeffrey Dean Morgan in the box office thriller called Dibbuk Box, playing a mom whose youngest child becomes strangely attached to an antique wooden box purchased at a yard sale. The girl’s behavior becomes erratic and her divorced parents get the carvings on the box deciphered and find the box contains a spirit bent on devouring its human host. (Deadline)

Anne Hathaway has been cast as Selina Kyle in the third Christopher Nolan Batman film: The Dark Knight Rises. In comic book lore, Kyle is also known as Catwoman. Tom Hardy (Inception) has been set to play Bane. The movie opens nationwide on July 22, 2012. (Hit Fix)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Ewan McGregor & Eva Green in the First Trailer for ‘Perfect Sense’

Q&A SECTION (with Natalie and Adam at TV Guide)

Question: When are Rachel and Finn getting back together on Glee? ¬¬— Harper

NATALIE: You’ll be waiting a while on that one. “We are broken up,” Lea Michele says with finality. “We’re bringing Rachel back to Season 1 a little bit with the yearning for Finn.” So look for more of Rachel trying to get back together with Finn every now and then. And also lots of Michele’s crying face.

Question: I am so excited about the Castle kiss. Tell me it’s not going to be a fake-out. —Leslie

ADAM: I don’t think fake-out is necessarily the right word, but I wouldn’t expect a happily ever after either. That’s because I’m hearing that Victor Webster will return as Beckett’s motorcycle-riding doctor boyfriend in both episodes of February’s two-parter, the second of which dives deeper into their leather-clad affair.

Question: What’s next for the Smallville superheroes after passing out at Hawkman’s funeral? — Josh

NATALIE: Things will not be what they seem once they wake up. “They created an alternate reality for these characters and they don’t know which is the real one and which isn’t,” Erica Durance tells us. “It’s mainly around Clark figuring out what world he’s in and which is the right one. That introduces Chloe back in the whole mishmash, and she ends up actually being a bit of a nemesis to Lois.”

Question: I would love some NCIS intel. — Matthew

ADAM: Sounds like our team will be getting a little backup — even if they don’t want it! I hear the show is looking for a female NCIS agent for a multi-episode arc. Described as a sexy, competitive go-getter with a sense of humor, the character is an ace investigator and thus not shy about sharing her dissenting theories on the team’s big case.

Question: When will Ellie give birth on Chuck? — Howard

NATALIE: Soon! But don’t expect the delivery to go as planned. “Captain Awesome crumbled in the spy world, but when it comes to the baby being delivered, it might make the spy world look kind of easy,” Ryan McPartlin says. “He might be ready to go on a mission after this.”

Question: What’s the scoop on the vampire-werewolf war on Vampire Diaries? — Rachel

NATALIE: The late Mason’s were-buddy Jules (Michaela McManus) is not happy with the Salvatore brothers, and will use the information that Tyler is also a werewolf to her advantage. “The vampire-werewolf conflict is going to go from a simmer to a boil,” executive producer Julie Plec tells us. “Jules is going to try to take Tyler under her wing and start filling his ear with some things.”

Question: You know what would be great? Some Supernatural scoop! — Hannah

ADAM: The show is calling all angels — or at least one more. I hear she’s kind of a badass who doesn’t suffer fools gladly and that she’s extremely loyal to Castiel.

Question: Are we going to learn more about that machine on Fringe? — Dan

NATALIE: The machine that will seemingly destroy one universe over the other continues to be simultaneously built in both realities. “There is an enormous focus on how that thing can be activated and what it will take to do that, how it can be finished, and if it is, what are the implications,” J.J. Abrams tells us. The key element for the machine to work is Peter. “Peter is the only person who can power that machine,” Jasika Nicole says. “That’s really integral into which universe is going to survive. It’s going to rest on Peter’s shoulders.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Today’s news isn’t too voluminous, but there are still a few interesting things to share. Let’s get started:

TELEVISION

Actor Lee Majors (from The Six Million Dollar Man) will appear on the CBS sitcom $#*! My Dad Says, playing an arrogant millionaire who competes against Ed (Shatner) for Rosemary (Jean Smart). The episode will air February 3. (The Hollywood Reporter, Robyn Ross at TV Guide and Twitter)

Two more villains have been added to recurring status on the new NBC series The Cape. Actor Michael Irby (The Unit) will be introduced in the 9th episode, playing a high-level associate of Scales (Vinnie Jones) called Pokerface. Additionally, actor-rapper Romeo Miller (formerly known as Lil’ Romeo) will play Lil’ Z, a baby “gangsta” and a mean, smack-talking chatterbox who works for Pokerface. (Nellie Andreeva at TV Line)

Syfy has renewed Sanctuary for a 4th season, giving the series a 13-episode order and a presumed fall 2011 premiere. (The Futon Critic)

The premiere date for the new A&E series Breakout Kings has been changed to March 6 at 10 PM. The drama follows an unconventional partnership between the U.S. Marshals’ office and a group of convicts as they work to catch fugitives on the run. The series stars Laz Alonso, Domenick Lombardozzi, Jimmi Simpson, Malcolm Goodwin, Serinda Swan and Brooke Nevin. (The Futon Critic)

Mark your calendar for January 22! Oxygen will air a Buffy the Vampire Slayer marathon from 10 AM to 8 PM. (The Futon Critic)

Actor Bill Sadler (Roswell, Wonderfalls and more recently Hawaii Five-0) will appear as William Frost, the father of lead character Annie Frost in the NBC drama Chase. He will appear in episodes to air in March. Chase returns tomorrow (Jan. 19) at 9 PM. (William Keck at TV Guide)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Josh Lucas will play the infamous aviator Charles Lindbergh in the upcoming biopic J. Edgar, which stars Leonadro DiCaprio as the titular FBI director. (Deadline and First Showing)

Anthony LaPaglia, Vera Farmiga, Mia Wasikowska, Sam Neill and Sebastian Stan will appear in the adaptation of the 1955 Arthur Miller play A View from the Bridge. The story follows Eddie Carbone (LaPaglia), who agrees to shelter his wife’s (Farmiga) cousins who are seeking refuge in New York as illegal immigrants, but trouble begins when his wife’s niece (Wasikowska), who they have raised since childhood, is attracted to Eddie’s younger brother. Eddie’s jealousy and obsession become the big turning point in a story that has a tragic end. (Variety and First Showing)

CONDOLENCES

Music mogul Don Kirshner passed away yesterday at the age of 76. He was instrumental in shepherding the work of monstrously talented young songwriters to the top of the pop charts in the 1960s, launched the career of The Monkees, and then made his face familiar to millions of rock fans as impresario of his late-night live-music TV series in the 1970s. (The LA Times)

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

Question: If it wasn’t for your mention of Downton Abbey in your recent TV Guide column, I would have missed it completely. I watched the first episode and am completely hooked, one of the most interesting and beautifully photographed shows in a long time. Thank you for bringing it to everyone’s attention! When I first was able to receive the cable channel BBC America, I was so excited because I thought it would be 24 hours of things like Downton Abbey, but instead it is 24 hours of Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares, Top Gear, etc. What a disappointment. Again, thanks for mentioning this really wonderful Masterpiece Classic production. — Audrey

Matt Roush: No question, Downton Abbey is the standout for me so far in this young TV calendar year. It’s everything I want from a smart, classy, wonderfully produced, acted and written entertainment. It stays entertaining through the end, which comes much too soon (the finale is Jan. 30). Which is why I’m thrilled there will be another series of episodes, presumably to air roughly a year from now. And I get what you’re saying about BBC America, but that’s the difference between an operation that’s a slave to ratings and public TV, which isn’t. Reality shows (many of which began overseas and then invaded our shores; e.g., American Idol) drive bigger numbers, clearly, and a franchise like Top Gear no doubt has better, younger (and male) demos to boot. I too initially thought more of BBCA’s schedule would be devoted to classic and contemporary drama and mystery, but the audience didn’t show up for those programs the way they do for the reality fare—and, thankfully, for sci-fi/supernatural shows like Doctor Who, the current Primeval and the soon-to-return (but not soon enough) original Being Human.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Last night was a big night in Hollywood, as the Golden Globes were announced with some surprise winners getting the statues. Meanwhile, the news never rests and here is what I found for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Liam McIntyre has been cast as Spartacus, replacing Andy Whitfield on the Starz series. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

Actress Illeana Douglas has dropped out of playing the role of Lily’s older sister Carol on Gossip Girl due to a scheduling conflict. Producers are in the midst of recasting the character. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actor Austin Butler (Jones on Life Unexpected will guest star in an episode of CSI: NY this March as a good looking and confident kid name Benjamin, who attends a top-notch prep school in Manhattan. He becomes a murder suspect when one of his classmates is killed. (Megan Masters at TV Line)

Lost star Michael Emerson will guest star on Parenthood, playing a socially awkward bug specialist called Amazing Andy, who is hired to entertain at Max’s birthday party. Andy and Max have something in common beyond their mutual love of creepy-crawlies: They both have Asperger’s syndrome. (Entertainment Weekly and Gina DiNunno at TV Guide)

Ryan Murphy wasn’t only busy scooping up a Golden Globe award last night, but he also finalized a deal with Anne Hathaway to appear on his FOX hit Glee. It is unclear which part she will have (yet), but if Hathaway has her way she wants to play “the lesbian aunt of Kurt” (Golden Globe winner Chris Colfer). (Andrea Reiher at Zap2It)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

CBS has just made the legend of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans happy (well, maybe at least some of the). They have picked up a drama pilot called Ringer that will star Sarah Michelle Geller. The pilot centers on a troubled young woman on the run who hides out by living the life of her wealthy twin sister. One problem: Her sibling has a bounty on her head as well. (Entertainment Weekly and Gina DiNunno at TV Guide)

AWARD WINNERS

Congrats to all the winners at last night’s Golden Globe Awards. Here is the list of the winners courtesy of E! Entertainment Online:

Best Picture Drama: The Social Network
Best Picture Musical or Comedy: The Kids Are All Right”
Best Director: David Fincher (“The Social Network”)
Best Actor Drama: Colin Firth (“The King’s Speech”)
Best Actress Drama: Natalie Portman (“Black Swan”)
Best Actor Musical or Comedy: Paul Giamatti (“Barney’s Version”)
Best Actress Musical or Comedy: Annette Bening (“The Kids Are All Right”)
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale (“The Fighter”)
Best Support Actress: Melissa Leo (“The Fighter”)
Best Animated Film: Toy Story 3
Best Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network
Best Original Score: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, The Social Network
Best Original Song: “You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me” from Burlesque
TV Drama: Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
TV Actress Drama: Katey Sagal, Sons Of Anarchy
TV Actor Drama: Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
TV Comedy or Musical: Glee (FOX)
TV Actress Comedy or Musical: Laura Linney, The Big C
TV Actor Comedy or Musical: Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Best Mini-Series or TV Movie: Carlos (Sundance Channel)
TV Actress in Mini-Series or TV Movie: Claire Danes, Temple Grandin
TV Actor in Mini-Series or TV Movie: Al Pacino, You Don’t Know Jack
Actress in Supporting Role in TV Series, Min-Series or TV Movie: Jane Lynch, Glee
Actor in Supporting Role in TV Series, Min-Series or TV Movie: Chris Colfer, Glee

CONDOLENCES

Celebrated movie and stage actress Susannah York passed away on Friday at the age of 72 from cancer. She is best known for her role in the 1969 film They Shoot Horses, Don’t They where she starred alongside Jane Fonda. (E! Entertainment Online)

ME: Rest In Peace, Ms. York. Deepest condolences to her family, friends and fans.

MOMENT OF SILENCE, PLEASE….

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Ben Foster is negotiating to join the upcoming movie called 360, which is based on the 1900 play Reigen, which scrutinizes the sexual morals and class ideology of its day through a series of encounters between pairs of people before and after a “sexual encounter.” Actress Rachel Weisz and actor Anthony Hopkins are part of the cast. (Deadline and First Showing)

Here are the box office results for this past weekend courtesy of E! Entertainment Online (NOTE: These numbers will change once today’s numbers are added in since it is Martin Luther King Day and most of the nation has the day off):

1. The Green Hornet, $34 million
2. The Dilemma, $17.4 million
3. True Grit, $11.2 million
4. The King’s Speech, $9.1 million
5. Black Swan, $8.1 million
6. Little Fockers, $7.1 million
7. Tron: Legacy, $5.7 million
8. Yogi Bear, $5.3 million
9. The Fighter, $5.1 million
10. Season of the Witch, $4.5 million

Actress Rosemarie DeWitt has joined while actress Dianne Wiest is in negotiations to join the fable fantasy film called The Odd Life of Timothy Green, which centers on a childless couple (Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton) who bury all their wishes for a baby in a box in their backyard. One day, they wake up to find that a child (Cameron Adams) is born – a child that is not all that it appears. DeWitt plays Garner’s perky sister, while Ron Livingston also stars. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

It’s finally Friday!!! How excited are you guys for the weekend? I hope as excited as me. The weekends never come fast enough and always go by too fast, right? But, at least we’re at the start of it so…. Now, let’s get into the news for today:

TELEVISION

Repeats of Fringe will start airing on Saturday nights at 11 PM again, effective immediately. (The Futon Critic)

Actress Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under) is joining Torchwood when it returns on its new network – Starz. She will appear in seven of the 10 episodes of the drama’s upcoming season, playing Jilly Kitzinger, a sweet-talking PR genius with a heart of stone. Torchwood will debut on Starz in July. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

Actor John Goodman has joined the cast of Damages as the new villain for season 4, which will debut on its new home: DirecTV sometime this summer. He will play the CEO of a mysterious military contractor who is put on trial in a wrongful death suit. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Actor Jason Ritter (currently a regular on the NBC series The Event) will reprise his role as love interest to Lauren Graham’s character on Parenthood for one episode later this season.  (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actress Lauren Cohan (Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries is joining Chuck in a major recurring role. She will play Vivian, a beautiful, charming and sophisticated socialite who is currently enrolled at Oxford studying history. She is the daughter of a criminal mastermind. Meanwhile Robin Givens has landed a multi-episode arc where she will portray a powerful and controlling agency bigwig who makes an intriguing offer to Casey (Adam Baldwin). Both characters are slated to debut in March.  (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Guest stars galore have been announced for upcoming episodes of The Good Wife, including Jane Alexander who will appear in the February 1 episode; Rapper/actor Method Man who will appear in the February 8 episode; Rita Wilson and F. Murray Abraham appearing in the same episode on February 15 and previously announced America Ferrera and Jerry Stiller as well as Gary Cole all appearing in the February 22 episode.  (Zap2It)

UPCOMING SCHEDULING CHANGES

Leave it to American Idol to wreck havoc on the upcoming scheduling for FOX. The January 26 airing of the reality series has been expanded to two hours, bumping the previously scheduled Human Target from that night to January 31 at 8 PM, which will, in turn, pre-empt House. Human Target has already been the victim of rescheduling as the two episodes that were to air this past Wednesday will actually air tonight (January 14) from 8 to 10 PM. Here is the breakdown of what to expect (Thanks to the Futon Critic for the details):

Friday, January 14: 8 PM – Human Target (Back-to-Back Episodes – Special Night)
Wednesday, January 19 & 26: 8 PM – American Idol (Two-Hours)
Monday, January 31: 8 PM – Human Target (Special Night)
Monday, January 31: 9:00 PM – Lie to Me (Season Finale)
Wednesday, February 2 & 9: 8 PM – American Idol
Wednesday, February 2 – 9 PM – Human Target
Wednesday, February 9 – 9 PM – Human Target (Season Finale)

TV SCORECARD ARTICLE

TV Survival Scorecard: Which shows will return next season (and which won’t)

CONDOLENCES

Actor John Dye, who played angel Andrew on Touched By An Angel for nine seasons, passed away on Monday from heart failure. He was only 47. (TV Squad)

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

MOMENT OF SILENCE, PLEASE…

SPOILER ROOM (by Sandra Gonzalez at Entertainment Weekly)

Thanks to Twitter, White Collar show runner Jeff Eastin is very familiar with the polarizing reaction fans have had to the addition of Neal’s new potential romantic interest Sarah (Hilarie Burton from One Tree Hill fame) to the cast, especially following the still-upsetting death of Neal’s beloved Kate at the end of last season. And while Neal is indeed still healing from the loss, Eastin says, “I agree with fans, it’s a little too soon for that. He needs a little time to get over this. At the same time, many people have pointed out that Neal’s a guy who just got out of prison — and he’s not a eunuch.” “The one thing I can say is that Neal and Sarah definitely have a spark. And if you’ve seen the previews, you know they have a little more than that,” he says of the promos featuring a heavy make out session between the characters. “One thing that is not happening is that neither one is rushing into a relationship.” However, look for sparks to fly toward the end of the season after some major revelations are made about Sara’s past. “We definitely learn more about Sara and why she might be a little closer to Neal — why she might be one of the people who understands a little bit about what he’s been going through with Kate more than anyone else,” he says. Okay, I know that did little — if anything — to soothe your concerns about the maybe-couple. But this might: “We’ll see Neal bounce around a little bit. Even at the end of this season, there’ll be nothing subtle when it comes to him and relationships,” he says. And speaking of the end of the season, Eastin confirmed that the mystery around Kate’s death and the music box will be wrapped up and give way to new storylines for the show’s third season, which he and the other writers are already hard at work on. So what, exactly, can he say about the finale? “It’s not a traditional cliffhanger. I can say that it’s just [Matt] Bomer standing in a room,” he dishes (CRUELLY!) “It’s a pretty phenomenal shot, and it sets up the entire next season.”

SIDE DISHES:

Question: I’m afraid for my favorite show V because it’s tanking in the ratings. If it is canceled, will this season be left on a giant cliffhanger that we’ll hate to end on? Or is there potential for closure? — Alex

Answer: If you believe the tease from star Elizabeth Mitchell, it’s most likely a giant cliffhanger. “I wouldn’t say that episode 10 is a series-ender by any stretch of the imagination. It definitely lends itself towards the next season,” she tells us. “It leaves you really ramping up for a big fight. It’s not a wrap-up, for sure. I’ve always been a big fan of the 24 mentality, where at the end of every episode something great happens, and then they’re onto something else.” Short answer: Get this renewed or hate yourself forever for not trying harder. On that note, no one is allowed to mention the word Terriers.

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a terrific weekend!

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Hey All,

TV viewing was interrupted last night due to a special address by President Obama in honor of the tragic shootings in Tucson so some shows were pre-empted for other programs or just not aired at all. In light of those changes, here is what you can look forward to in the weeks to come:

TV SCHEDULE CHANGES (all from Zap2It)

FOX will air the two Human Target episodes that were bumped last night to this Friday, January 14. They will air from 8 to 10 PM. These are the last two episodes of the season for the show, which moves out of the way to make room for American Idol next week.

ABC rested Better With You for a week and is moving the Cougar Town episode that was scheduled for last night to next Wednesday (Jan. 19). The two subsequent episodes will also slide back a week. Cougar Town then goes on hiatus for a couple months to make way for the new comedy Mr. Sunshine. The episode originally scheduled for February 2 will air after Cougar Town returns in April.

ABC will air an encore of the Off the Map season premiere after Grey’s Anatomy TONIGHT (January 13) in place of Private Practice, which will see that episode air on February 3.

NBC will air the episode of Chase that was to return last night at 9 PM to next Wednesday, simply moving all subsequent episodes ahead one week.

ME: And, here is the rest of the entertainment news for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Rachel Boston (American Dreams) will join the USA Network drama In Plain Sight, playing Detective Abigal Chaffee, a recurring love interest for Marshall (Fred Weller). (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actress Leven Rambin, who has a current role in CSI: Miami, will be appearing in One Tree Hill in a recurring role. She will play a young woman Brooke crosses paths with as she explores adoption options. Rambin will make her first appearance on the long-running CW series in the season’s 19th episode. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Actor Cheech Marin will make a multiple-episode run in the new ABC medical drama Off the Map as Papa, a village medicine man who has a great love-hate relationship with Tommy (Zach Gilford). Actress Elizabeth Peña will appear toward the end of the first season, as the mother of one of Lily’s (Caroline Dhavernas) ex-ex-ex-boyfriends. And, Ed Begley Jr. will turn up as a traveling dentist while British actor Jonathan Cake (Six Degrees) will play a guy who’s been in love with Zee (Valerie Cruz) for years and years. And, last but not least, TV vet Ralph Waite in an as-yet unrevealed role. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actor Nick Stahl has joined the cast of the FOX drama pilot called Locke & Key, which is now being considered for fall and is based on the Joe Hill comic, telling the story of Nina Locke (Miranda Otto) and her three children, Tyler, Kinsey (Sarah Bolger), and Bode who, after the brutal murder of Nina’s husband Rendell Locke, return to Keyhouse, his old family home in Massachusetts. There, they are pestered by an evil entity named DODGE that’s determined to hold the family hostage one way or another until it gets what it wants. Stahl will play Rendell’s younger brother Duncan Locke, an art teacher, who lives nearby and frequently visits Nina and the kids and who strangely has few memories of his time growing up in Keyhouse. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Jane Espenson and Drew Z. Greenberg are going to write the Syfy pilot-in-development Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), which is based on the classic British TV show. The pilot would be about Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), a detective who’s murdered while investigating a case. He returns as a ghost, visible only to his former partner, and helps him solve crimes from beyond the grave. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

Looks like the Charlie’s Angels reboot has been given a green light by ABC. The story will be set in Miami and comes from Sony Pictures TV and Drew Barrymore’s Flower Films. Smallville writers/former executive producers Alfred Gough and Miles Miller wrote the script and will executive produce. (Michael Ausiello and Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Frances McDormand is set to voice the villain in the new animated movie Madagascar 3, which finds Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett Smith all reprising their roles as big-game animals who escaped a New York. In this chapter the animals reunite to try to find their way home by joining a traveling circus, with new characters to include an Italian sea lion, a Russian tiger and a Latina jaguar. McDormand will voice a calculating and goal-oriented animal control officer out to capture them. (Heat Vision and Dark Horizons)

Actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan will star in the box office movie called Dibbuk Box where he will play a recently divorced father whose daughter’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic after she purchases an antique wooden box at a yard sale. He soon discovers that the box was built to contain a dislocated spirit — a dibbuk — that inhabits and ultimately devours its human host. The movie is expected to be out on October 28. (Jeff Sneider at The Wrap)

CELEBRITY BLOGGER SPOTLIGHT (just because she is SO damn cool!)

Jewel Staite: Why watching Serenity makes me cry like a baby

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Happy Over the Hump Day! We are one more day closer to the weekend, which, I’m sure, cannot get here fast enough for all of us, right? Meanwhile, there is a lot of cool news to share with you so let’s get into today’s update, shall we?

TELEVISION

Actress America Ferrera (Ugly Betty) will join the cast The Good Wife as Natalie, a graduate student who catches the eye of Eli Gold. She will be featured in a three-episode arc starting during February sweeps. The same episode will find comedian as a judge. (Zap2It and Entertainment Weekly)

As I posted earlier, The Big Bang Theory has been picked up for three more seasons by CBS. Congrats to the cast and crew on that BIG payday. (Twitter)

Actor Skeet Ulrich and actresses Regina Hall and Megan Boone are leaving the new NBC drama Law & Order: Lost Angeles, as part of a significant “creative overhaul,” but this behind-the-scenes drama is not expected to stop production, which is currently filming episode 12. The series received a full season pick-up in October. (Deadline and Tracy Phillips at Fancast)

TONIGHT’S TV SCHEDULE CHANGE: The NBC series Chase was to have its return tonight, but the network has bumped it one week later with the return now slated for January 19 at 9 PM. No reason was given for the change. (The Futon Critic)

Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville) will appear in the new mid-season FOX comedy Breaking In as a crafty peddler who figures into a potential romantic triangle with the top-shelf computer hackers played by Odette (Yustman) Annable (Brothers & Sisters) and Bret Harrison (V and Reaper). Rumors still abound about Michael returning to Smallville before the series concludes its final season this May, but nothing has been confirmed. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Eddie Cibrian (Third Watch) will reprise his role of Ben Crowley on the NBC series Chase. He is expected to appear in the February 23 episode. (William Keck at TV Guide)

Paola Turbay (Cane and The Closer) has signed on to True Blood‘s fourth season. (Deadline and Megan Masters at TV Line)

Actress Ashley Johnson has joined the cast of the new AMC drama series The Killing as a recurring character. The series is a murder mystery that centers on Sarah (Mireille Enos), the lead homicide detective who investigates the murder of a young girl. Johnson will play the wife of suspect Bennet Ahmed (Branden Jay McLaren) who, sandbagged when Sarah (Enos) and Holder (Joel Kinnaman) show up at her apartment unannounced, tells a revealing story from Ahmed’s past. The series premieres on March 13. (Deadline)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actor Ben Lawson (The Deep End and the Aussie series Neighbours) has landed one of the two lead roles in the new USA Network pilot Wild Card, which is a witty drama about people behaving badly in Las Vegas and the lawyers who solve their problems. The Australian actor plays Will Garrett, a successful Wall Street attorney who could be living the American Dream but instead feels trapped in life (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

ONLINE SERIES

Kiefer Sutherland will follow up his critically-beloved run on the FOX drama 24 with a web series that will appear on Hulu this March. The online series is called The Confession. It will include 10 five-to-seven-minute webisodes with Sutherland as a hitman who has a theological discussion with a priest (John Hurt) about why his victims deserved to die. Much of the story plays out in action-packed flashbacks. Hope is not all lost for that 24 movie, as Sutherland says a big-screen version is still in the works and, in fact, he hopes to begin production within a year. (Lynette Rice at Entertainment Weekly)

CONDOLENCES

The remaining member of the Nelson family – famous for the long-running classic TV series Ozzie and Harriet – David Nelson – passed away on Monday at the age of 74 from a battle with colon cancer. (E! Entertainment Online)

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

MOMENT OF SILENCE, PLEASE…

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Must Watch: Awesome Full Theatrical ‘Battle: Los Angeles’ Trailer

BOX OFFICE NEWS

The front runners for the female lead in the upcoming movie Incarceron (based on the novel of the same name), which is to star Twilight hunk Taylor Lautner include Blake Lively (Gossip Girl), Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone and the upcoming X-Men First Class) and Emma Watson (the Harry Potter franchise). Lautner is also expected to appear in an as-yet untitled spy thriller described as “The Bourne Identity for the next generation.” Lautner will appear in the thriller called Abduction that is to be out in theatres on September 23. (Jeff Sneider at The Wrap)

ME: For those who have seen either or both Tron and Country Strong, here is an article about actor Garrett Hedlund, who was the lead in Tron alongside Jeff Bridges and Olivia Wilde and appeared alongside Gwyneth Paltrow, Tim McGraw and Leighton Meester in Country Strong:

Garrett Hedlund Realizes his Hollywood Dreams

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

Question: I could really use some Chuck scoop right about now. — Marcus

ADAM: Might Chuck soon be meeting his next big foe? I’m hearing that the show is casting a major recurring guest star, a sophisticated Oxford socialite whose father is a criminal mastermind.

Question: NCIS scoop, please! — Barry

ADAM: Who’s in the mood for a little romance? The show is looking to cast a sexy tomboy type who gambles online and plays laser tag. She’s smart, strong-willed and looking to get even with her scumbag ex-boyfriend. Perhaps she’ll find a new flame in one of the NCIS boys?

Question: Will Lisa turn against the Visitors this season on V? — Tara

NATALIE: Yes, and Diana (Jane Badler) will be instrumental in that process when she forms an alliance with her granddaughter. This will force Anna to expedite her plans for the human race. “She figures out it’s got to be now or never for her plans,” Morena Baccarin tells us. “The hybrid baby is an option, but there’s [another] option.” Person, place or thing? “Kind of all of the above,” Baccarin says with a laugh.

Question: So sad Life Unexpected I ending! Any scoop on next Tuesday’s two-hour finale? —James

Ausiello: The show isn’t going to let a little thing like cancellation prevent a certain plucky blond from receiving her high school diploma. I hear the swan song will jump forward two years to Lux’s high school graduation.

Question: I for one love the Torchwood storyline involving the entire human race becoming immortal. Tell me more! —Missy

Ausiello: All I’ll say is that Captain Jack’s own immortality will figure into the plot in a big way.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Greetings on a cold January day (even here in Southern California). Hope your work week is going well. I have quite a number of news items to share so let’s get right into today’s update:

TELEVISION

Fox has renewed their new comedy Raising Hope for a second season. (Twitter)

Actress Patricia Wettig has made her final appearance on Brothers & Sisters, although an insider says the door is being left open for her character Holly Harper to possibly return. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Meanwhile, actor Pedro Pascal (The Good Wife) is joining Brothers & Sisters in a potentially recurring role, playing Zach, a homeless war vet who Justin (Dave Annable) takes under his wing. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

The two-night series preview of the new FOX series Terra Nova will air on May 23 and 24 at 9 PM both nights. The series will officially debut this fall. The series is an epic family adventure 85 million years in the making, following an ordinary family embarking on an incredible journey back in time to prehistoric Earth as a small part of a daring experiment to save the human race. In the year 2149 the world is dying. The planet is overdeveloped, overcrowded and over polluted. With no known way to reverse the damage to the planet, scientists discover a portal to prehistoric Earth. This doorway leads to an amazing world, one that allows for a last-ditch effort to save the human race…a second chance to rebuild civilization and get it right this time. The cast includes Jason O’Mara, Stephen Lang, Shelley Conn, Landon Liboiron, Naomi Scott and newcomer Alana Mansour. [NOTE: See the following link for a first look at this series stars via new PR photos.] (The Futon Critic)

FIRST LOOK AT UPCOMING TV

First Look: The Cast of TERRA NOVA

ARTICLE ON UPCOMING TELEVISION

Day of the Dead: Inside Torchwood: Miracle Day

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE

The Disney Channel movie called Lemonade Mouth (based on the book of the same name by Mark Peter Hughes) will debut on the cable network on March 25 at 8 PM. The movie focuses on an unlikely ensemble of five students – Olivia, Wen, Stella, Mohini and Charlie – who, after meeting in detention, gradually realize their shared musical connection and belief that it’s time for the students of Mesa High to stand up and be heard on things big and small. Ultimately, as they open up to each other and form friendships, they start a band — Lemonade Mouth –that soon resonates with students sidelined by the high school elite. However, not everyone in the school is ready to cheer them on, especially since the popular rock group Mudslide Crush is determined to maintain their headline status and win the coveted Rising Star music competition at Mesa High. The movie stars Bridgit Mendler, Adam Hicks, Hayley Kiyoko, Naomi Scott and newcomer Blake Michael. Co-stars include Tisha Campbell-Martin and Christopher McDonald. The soundtrack for this movie will be available on March 22. (The Futon Critic)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

New Action-Filled Theatrical Trailer for TokyoPop’s ‘Priest’ Movie

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Michelle Pfeiffer will co-star with Chris Pine (as his widowed mother) in the upcoming box office movie Welcome to People. The movie is about an estranged son who returns home for his father’s funeral and must sort through his dad’s secret life. Elizabeth Banks plays Pine’s alcoholic half-sister and Olivia Wilde has been cast as Pine’s girlfriend. (Anthony Breznican at Entertainment Weekly)

Charlize Theron is no longer attached to the biopic J. Edgar (which is set to star Leonardo Di Caprio) – as she has officially signed to the upcoming movie Snow White and the Huntsman. Taking her place could be Naomi Watts or Amy Adams, but nothing has been confirmed yet on the recasting. Ed Westwick (Gossip Girl) has joined the cast of this flick. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

Actors Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis will reprise their Lord of the Rings roles in The Hobbit. This news follows the announcement that Elijah Wood will play Frodo Baggins in the upcoming J.R.R. Tolkien two-part adaptation. McKellan will again play Gandalf, while Serkis will portray Gollum, as both characters are vital to the tale of The Hobbit in which Gandalf recruits Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) to join a quest to reclaim a dragon’s treasure, and Gollum possesses a powerful ring that comes to play a pivotal role. (Gina DiNunno at TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly)

Actor Ron Livingston (Office Space) has joined the cast of two very different projects. First is the upcoming movie The Odd Life of Timothy Green (no details on this film yet) and the drama flick Ten Year, which follows a group of friends who reunite a decade after their high school graduation. Livingston will play the husband of Rosario Dawson’s character, who was Channing Tatum’s love interest back in school. Actor Max Minghella (The Social Network) has joined Ten Year, which also includes cast members Justin Long, Kate Mara, Anthony Mackie, Chris Pratt, Scott Porter, Jenna Dewan, Lynn Collins, Brian Geraghty and Oscar Isaac. (Jeff Sneider at The Wrap)

Actress Lena Headey (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and soon to be seen in the HBO series Game of Thrones) will be facing off against Karl Urban in the new adaptation of Judge Dredd, playing the villainous role of Madeline Madrigal (aka Ma-Ma), the leader of a gang who over run the Peach Tree City Block. (First Showing and Bleeding Cool)

Actor John Michael Higgins will appear in the movie We Bought a Zoo that follows a man (Matt Damon and his family who move into a mansion that includes the 30-acre Dartmoor Wildlife Park, home to over 200 animals. He will play a zoo inspector. (The Hollywood Reporter and First Showing)

Brendan Fraser and Kristen Scott Thomas will star in the film Seconds of Pleasure, but there are no specific details on the movie as yet (Deadline and First Showing)

Tina Fey will star in the film Admission, an adaptation of the Jean Hanff Korelitz novel of the same name, which follows an admissions officer at Princeton and her relationship with a prospective student who may not be Ivy League material. (The Wrap and First Showing)

John Hawkes and Molly Parker have signed on to star in the indie film The Playroom that follows suburban parents of four in 1975 where their volatile teenage daughter (Olivia Harris) acts as surrogate mother to the younger children, who have created a make-believe world in their attic hideaway while the parents act out a sordid story below. (Variety and First Showing)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Did everyone have a good weekend? I sure hope! There’s quite a bit of news to share so let’s get right into it all.

TELEVISION

As mentioned in my earlier posts today, ABC Family has renewed Pretty Little Liars and The Secret Life of the American Teenager for new seasons. Meanwhile, ABC picked up Castle, Private Practice and Grey’s Anatomy for new seasons. As more renewals are announced (if any), you will find the announcements here. (Twitter)

Adrian Pasdar (Heroes) will guest star in Castle as Eric Fallon, an FBI agent tasked with trying to track down and neutralize a threat that has the NYPD at full alert. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

The HBO production Too Big Too Fail, based on the book by Andrew Ross Sorkin, will debut on the cable network in May. The film will take a look at the epochal Wall Street financial crisis of 2008 and explore the inner sanctum of the powerful men and women who decided the fate of the world’s economy in a matter of a few weeks. The cast includes William Hurt, Ed Asner, Billy Crudup, Paul Giamatti, Topher Grace, Matthew Modine, Cynthia Nixon, Michael O’Keefe Bill Pullman, Tony Shalhoub (“Monk”), James Woods, Kathy Baker, Evan Handler, John Heard, Dan Hedaya and Joey Slotnick. (The Futon Critic)

The made-for-TV movie Mildred Pierce will air as a five-part mini-series on HBO in March. The film stars Kate Winslet, Guy Pearce, James LeGros, Melissa Leo, Bryan F. O’Byrne and Evan Rachel Wood. Mare Winningham and Hope Davis co-star. The film is about a single mother during the Depression years with the world outside mirroring Mildred’s plight as the financial markets suddenly tumbled, impacting political and cultural sectors globally. (The Futon Critic)

The new HBO series Game of Thrones will debut on the cable network on April 17 (and run for a 10-episode season). The series, based on the best-selling fantasy book series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin follows kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars and noblemen as they vie for power. The cast includes Mark Addy, Sean Bean, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Peter Dinklage and Lena Headey [among others]. (The Futon Critic)

Another HBO movie Cinema Verite, which is to debut in April, tells the behind-the-scenes story of the groundbreaking documentary “An American Family,” which chronicled the lives of the Louds in the early 1970s and catapulted the Santa Barbara family to notoriety while creating a new television genre: the reality TV series. The cast includes Diane Lane, Tim Robbins, James Gandolfini, Patrick Fugit, Kathleen Quinlan, Lolita Davidovich, Shanna Collins and Thomas Dekker. (The Futon Critic)

Laurence Fishburne will star in the HBO film Thurgood to air on the cable network on February 24 at 9 PM, as part of Black History Month. The one-man play stars Fishburne as Thurgood Marshall, the remarkable Civil Rights lawyer and Supreme Court Justice. (The Futon Critic)

MORE THE BEST OF TV 2011

The 50 Best Episodes of 2010: #10-1

FIRST LOOK AT NEW TV

Starz’ first ‘Camelot’ trailer (exclusive)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

The cable network Starz has greenlit a new series, Magic City, which centers around a hotel
in the heart of sexy, exciting Miami at the dawn of the 1960s. The series is expected to air in 2012. Casting will begin soon. (Linda Seide at The Voice of TV)

ABC has given the green light to an eight-hour miniseries based on Wicked, but not the musical version but rather the Gregory Maquire best seller on which the Broadway musical was based upon. (The TV Addict)

CONDOLENCES

British director Peter Yates passed away over the weekend after a long illness. The four-time Oscar nominee was 81. He directed the movies Bullitt and Breaking Away (among others).

ME: Rest in Peace, Mr. Yates. Sympathies are extended to his family, friends and fans.

BOX OFFICE NEWS

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

1. True Grit, $15 million
2. Little Fockers, $13.8 million
3. Season of the Witch, $10.7 million
4. Tron: Legacy, $9.8 million
5. Black Swan, $8.4 million
6. Country Strong, $7.3 million
7. The Fighter, $7 million
8. The King’s Speech, $6.811 million
9. Yogi Bear, $6.81 million
10. Tangled, $5.2 million

David Duchovny and Minnie Driver are set to appear in the indie comedy called Goats, which is an adaptation of the Mark Jude Poirier novel of the same name. The will be joined by Vera Farmiga, Keri Russell and Will Arnett in the story of a teen (Graham Phillips) who transfers to the East Coast prep school where his father made his mark as a student. Duchovny plays the makeshift father figure known as Goat Man whose life isn’t anything to swoon over, while Farmiga will play the teen’s mother. Meanwhile Arnett will play the mother’s boyfriend and Driver her best friend. Ty Burrell will play the teen’s father and Russell will play his new wife. (Variety and First Showing)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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