Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

I have lots of great news for television and film to share with all of you so let’s get right into it all:

TELEVISION

Matthew Lillard (Scream and the Scooby Doo movies) will gust star on an upcoming episode of House. He will be playing a bass player in a band who has been struggling for years and years. He finds himself in a very extreme circumstance in the beginning of the episode and becomes an unexpected hero. (William Keck at TV Guide)

Amy Irving (Alias), Dylan Baker (The Good Wife) and Jennifer Grey (Dirty Dancing) will also guest star in upcoming episodes of House. (Hollywood Reporter and Gina DiNunno at TV Guide)

David Newsom (Homefront) will guest star on an episode of Men of a Certain Age, playing the younger brother of Terry (Scott Bakula). This will be a reunion (of sorts) for Newsom and Bakula as they played siblings in Quantum Leap. Men of a Certain Age is back on TNT for its second season starting December 6 at 10 PM. Newsom is expected to appear in the January 3 episode. (Adam Bryant at TV Guide)

Sterling Beaumon (who played young Ben on Lost) will guest star on Criminal Minds, playing Jeremy, young boy who is suspected of killing families in the Midwest. Mare Winningham will also also guest-star as Nancy Riverton, a woman who takes in Jeremy. Criminal Minds returns on September 22 at 9 PM. This episode is slated for October. (Adam Bryant at TV Guide)

Cristián de la Fuente (In Plain Sight) will play the potential recurring role of Eric Rodriguez, a self-possessed, confident, wickedly funny doctor on Private Practice this fall. His first appearance will be sometime in late October or early November. (Michael Ausiello at Entertainment Weekly)

John Schneider (Smallville) will play the dad of Brian Austin Green (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) in upcoming episodes of Desperate Housewives. The series is back with new episodes on September 26. (Michael Ausiello at Entertainment Weekly)

John Larroquette will appear in a multi-episode arc on CSI: NY, playing Deputy Chief of Manhattan Borough Detectives Ted Carver. His first episode is slated for November 5. (Michael Ausiello at Entertainment Weekly)

Jamie Hector (The Wire and Heroes) will guest star in the third season premiere of Lie to Me, where he will play a character involved in a major bank heist. (The Hollywood Reporter and Televisionary)

TNT has picked up its medical drama HawthoRNe for a third season. The new season will contain 10 episodes. (TNT)

Rumor has it that Stephen Lang (Avatar) is in talks to play the merciless leader of a prehistoric settlement in the much-anticipated FOX time travel drama Terra Nova, which has Jason O’Mara (Life on Mars) in the lead role. FOX has announced it will preview the new series for one night in May 2011 and then will bow the drama officially in the fall of 2011. (Lynette Rice at Entertainment Weekly)

Doctor Who has entered the new Guinness World Records book as the longest-running prime-time sci-fi series in television history, airing 769 episodes, including 212 storylines and a full-length TV movie. It first aired in 1963. (What’s On TV UK)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

ABC is developing an untitled drama pilot about the vice president of the United States and his female chief of staff. The as-yet untitled series is less about politics and more about office dynamics, including a budding romance between the chief of staff and the Vice President’s son. (Variety and Televisionary)

MTV has greenlit two new projects: That Girl, which follows a 15-year-old who gains notoriety after an accident leads her classmates to think she attempted suicide. And, Death Valley, a documentary-style series, including cast members Caity Lotz (Mad Men) and Tania Raymonde (Lost), which follows the Undead Task Force, which battles zombies, vampires and werewolves that have overrun the San Fernando Valley. (James Hibberd at Hollywood Reporter)

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIES

Catherine Bell (Army Wives) will reprise her role of Cassie Nightingale in another sequel to the popular Hallmark Channel movie The Good Witch, filming the 4th movie in November during her hiatus from Army Wives. The third movie in the franchise – The Good Witch’s Gift – will debut on the Hallmark Channel on November 13 at 8 PM. (The Futon Critic)

Stockard Channing and Ivan Sergei (Jack & Jill) have been added to the cast of the Alyssa Milano-led, Lifetime made-for-TV movie Sundays at Tiffany’s, which is based on the James Patterson best-selling novel. The movie is about Jane (Milano), who as a young girl regularly accompanied her mother to the titular NYC landmark – with her imaginary friend “Michael” in tow. Now a grown businesswoman, Jane is set to be married. The return of Michael (Eric Winters from Brothers & Sisters) after a 23-year absence, however, threatens to throw Jane’s plans askew when he prompts his old “friend” to rethink her life path. Channing will play Jane’s mother and Sergei will be her fiancé. (Matt Webb Mitovich at Fancast)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Ron Perlman (Sons of Anarchy) has joined the cast of the box office movie Drive, starring opposite Ryan Gosling, who plays a loner Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a getaway driver and lands in hot water when he helps the ex-con boyfriend of his beautiful neighbor. (Screen Daily)

Olivia Wilde (House) will appear in the box office movie The Change Up with Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman. Bateman plays a married man who switches bodies with his slacker best friend (Reynolds). Wilde will play the married guy’s law firm co-worker, who’s an impetus for the body switch. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Must Watch: Depp & Jolie Star in ‘The Tourist’ Official Trailer

Q&A SECTION (with the TV Gurus at TV Guide)

Question: How is Nolivia different than Olivia on Fringe? — Ken

MICKEY: The season premiere, titled simply “Olivia,” addresses that question in an unexpected way. You see, not only has Olivia been kidnapped and imprisoned “over there,” but her captors are trying to forcibly convince her that she is Nolivia. They start with her marksmanship skills.

Question: Will Callen get some answers about who’s been following him in the NCIS: Los Angeles premiere? — Maggie

ADAM: Yeah, I’d like that answer as well, but executive producer Shane Brennan says that solving that riddle would give away the series’ ultimate end. Instead, he promises smaller bits of insight. “The truth of what he finds out is startling,” Brennan says. “It’s a mystery now, and the further he goes down the rabbit hole, the deeper the mystery gets.” Instead, Brennan says to keep your eyes on Callen’s boss: “There’s a little moment at the very end of Episode 2 that lifts the veil on Hetty. It’s setting up something that comes later in the season that will be one of the most powerful episodes we do all season.”

Question: Any Kevin-Scotty spoilers from Brothers & Sisters? — Wendy

ADAM: You know about the couple adopting a troubled teen. What you don’t know is that Kevin, who was baby-crazy last year, is initially opposed to the idea. He’s taken the surrogate’s miscarriage badly, and worse, he won’t even talk to Scotty about it. Possibly because he’s as torn-up over Robert as Kitty is.

Question: Will The Good Wife’s Eli clean up his act this season? I hope not! — Carole

MICKEY: Let’s ask Alan Cumming. “I do something at the start of the season that, if [Alicia] ever finds out, there will be trouble,” he says. If you’re thinking that something has to do with that fateful call in the cliff-hanger, you’re right, and duh — of course she finds out. “There are fireworks ahead,” Cumming warns.

Question: I am badly in need of some killer Dexter scoop! — Brad

ADAM: Rita’s murder sends Dexter on the run from the FBI, but our favorite blood-spatter analyst can’t disappear too easily: He gets shot within the first three episodes of Season 5 — but not with a bullet.

Question: Parenthood is nothing without Lauren Graham — what’s she up to this season? — Matthew

MICKEY: That Sarah Braverman is a gigantic flirt. It’s no wonder that the on-a-good-day dyspeptic Adam is even more irritated when his sister joins his company and almost immediately finds not one, but two co-workers with which to behave inappropriately. One of them is Adam’s boss.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

With more shows coming back this week for the fall TV season, another Paley Center for Media event tonight (this one is for some of the new ABC shows) and, well, real life stuff to deal with it’s going to be a busy day and week to come.

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

TELEVISION

Another Twin Peaks alum is joining the planned Twin Peaks-inspired episode of Psych, which will air during the show’s fall run. Julee Cruise – the singer who frequently appeared in the series as the singer at the local biker bar “The Roadhouse” – and whose song “Falling” (an instrumental version that is) served as the theme song for the series – will appear. Other Twin Peaks alums in the episode include Sherilyn Fenn and Sheryl Lee. (Michael Ausiello at Entertainment Weekly)

The Glades has been renewed for a second season by cable network A&E with a 13-episode order. (TV By The Numbers)

TNT will be celebrating the 6th season premiere of Supernatural (which will air on the show’s home network the CW) with a 21-hour marathon of episodes, including episodes from the 5th season. The marathon will start at 12 midnight on September 24. (TNT)

Director James Cameron (the man behind Terminator, Titanic and Avatar) is reportedly bringing his 1994 action comedy film True Lies to television. For those who may not know or have forgotten, True Lies centered on on Harry Tasker (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a computer salesman/family man who lives a double life as a government spy. During a top-secret mission, Harry discovers that his mousy wife Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis) is seeking adventure. Harry sets out to give her the excitement she craves while battling Middle Eastern terrorists who threaten nuclear war with the U.S. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Looks like TBS has cancelled the comedy series My Boys after four seasons on the air. This could possibly open up lead Jordana Spiro’s chances of returning to the NBC series Love Bites for which she was one of the leads. That show is anticipated to arrive mid-season. (Michael Ausiello at Entertainment Weekly)

Rachael Taylor (Transformers and Shutter) will appear in a multi-episode arc on Grey’s Anatomy, but there is no confirmation on what part she will be playing. Grey’s Anatomy will be back on September 23. (Michael Ausiello at Entertainment Weekly)

ARTICLE ABOUT TV

Grading the Networks on Their New Fall Slates

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Steve Buscemi, Sigourney Weaver, Anne Heche, Cynthia Nixon and Robin Wright have joined the cast of the thriller Rampart, which is based on a story by James Ellroy. The story follows a single cop against the backdrop of the corruption scandal surrounding the anti-gang unit of the LAPD’s Rampart Division in the late 1990s. Over 70 officers were implicated in misconduct which included unprovoked shootings, beatings, planting of evidence, framing of suspects, stealing and dealing narcotics, bank robbery, perjury and covering up evidence. The cast already includes Woody Harrelson, Ice Cube and Ben Foster. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Christian Slater will play the lead in the indie horror thriller Playback that follows a group of high school students digging into their town’s infamous past and unwittingly unlocking an evil that preys upon their classmates. Slater plays a sinister cop who is pivotal in exposing the town’s secret. (Variety and First Showing)

Sam Riley (who will be seen in the adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s On the Road) will play British playwright Christopher “Kit” Marlowe in the movie A Dead Man in Deptford. He joins James Purefoy, Ray Winstone, Ed Speleers and Adam Sinclair. The movie is based on the Anthony Burgess novel of the same name and follows the intriguing theory that Marlowe, a notorious bar room brawler, was also a royal spy for Elizabeth I and that his death in Deptford at age 29 may have been an assassination ordered by the English Secret Service. (The Hollywood Reporter and First Showing)

Demi Moore, Kate Bosworth, and Thomas Haden Church will star in the comedy The Reasonable Bunch, which is about messy exes and their splintered relatives getting into it at a family wedding. The supporting cast includes Martin Landau, Ellen Barkin, and Ellen Burstyn. (Hollywood Reporter and Karen Valby at Entertainment Weekly)

INTERVIEW

INTERVIEW: “LIFE UNEXPECTED” CREATOR LIZ TIGELAAR

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All

Here we are at the start of another week with more fall TV to look forward to this week. In the meantime, please check out today’s news:

TELEVISION

Michael Badalucco (The Practice) has been cast in a recurring role on the CBS daytime soap The Young and the Restless, where he will play Hogan, who is a tough bookie who helps Jeff (Ted Shackelford) and Kevin (Greg Rikaart) come up with cash to help pay for Jeff’s nightclub/restaurant, Gloworm. He’s set to make his first appearance on October 13th. (Entertainment Weekly and Televisionary)

Lennie James has been promoted to series regular on the HBO series Hung, where he previous recurred as Charlie the pimp. (Hollywood Reporter and Televisionary)

Arie Verveen (Cold Case) has been cast in a six-episode story arc on FX’s Sons of Anarchy, where he will play Liam O’Neill, a high-ranking member of a motorcycle club in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Hollywood Reporter)

Sean Maher (Firefly) has landed a recurring role on the ABC Family series Make It or Break It, playing Max, a cute new gymnast that the Rock Girls run into when the series makes its mid-season return in early 2011. (Matt Mitovich at Fancast)

Ana Gasteyer (Saturday Night Live) will guest star on Chuck this fall as Dasha, a ruthless operative for the nefarious Volkoff organization. She will appear in the 7th episode. Chuck is back starting September 20. (Matt Mitovich at Fancast)

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIES

Daphne Zuniga (the original Melrose Place) and Faye Dunaway will star in the Hallmark Channel movie “A Family Thanksgiving that is set to premiere on November 6 at 9 PM. The movie is about a wealthy, successful corporate lawyer (Zuniga), who is living the high life in New York City with little time for anything except her lavish lifestyle until a close encounter with a bizarre mystic (Dunaway) drops her into an alternative reality to see what her life might have been like had she made different choices. (The Futon Critic)

Lifetime has given the green light to the made-for-TV movie Unanswered Prayers, an adaptation of the Garth Brooks song, which will star Samantha Mathis, Eric Close, and Madchen Amick. The movie will premiere in November. (Hollywood Reporter and Televisionary)

The Hallmark Channel will debut the sequel movie to Dear Prudence, which starred Jane Seymour (Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman), sometime next Spring. This movie to be called At Home With Prudence will reunite Seymour with her on-screen, Dr. Quinn love – Joe Lando – as well as her real-life husband, James Keach, and her daughter Katie Flynn. The movie will focus on Prudence MacIntyre (Seymour) who is asked to make changes to her successful television show when the network sends in new producers to revamp her image. To her surprise, one of the producers is an old flame, and the other is a seedy womanizer who enchants Prudence’s daughter. With the help of her faithful sidekick Nigel (Matt Jones), Prudence rekindles the love she thought she lost, protects her daughter from the wrong guy, and finds a way to keep her show right on track. (The Futon Critic)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Swedish actress Noomi Rapace (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) has been cast as the female lead in Sherlock Holmes 2, which will reteam Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law as his trusty sidekick Dr. Watson, and Guy Ritchie, returning to his role of director. (Jenna Mullins at E! Entertainment Online)

Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under) is set to join the box office movie Wanderlust that is centered on a couple who, after losing all of their money and move from New York to Atlanta, take refuge at a hippie commune. Paul Rudd, Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux also star. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Saoirse Ronan and James Gandolfini have joined the indie drama Daisy and Violet, which centers on a pair of teenage female assassins who are lured into what is supposed to be just another quick and easy job, only to find complications as the man they’re supposed to kill is not what they expected. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Gillian Anderson, Dominic West and Rosamund Pike will join Rowan Atkinson in the comedy sequel Johnny English Reborn. The plot finds English trying to stop a group of hit men who are out to kill the Chinese premiere. The movie is to hit theatres in 2011. (Movie Web)

Here are the top 10 movies in the box from this past weekend courtesy of Exhibitor Relations via E! Entertainment Online:

1. Resident Evil: Afterlife, $27.7 million
2. Takers, $6.1 million
3. The American, $5.9 million
4. Machete, $4.2 million
5. Going the Distance, $3.8 million
6. The Other Guys, $3.6 million
7. The Last Exorcism, $3.5 million
8. The Expendables, $3.3 million
9. Inception, $3 million
10. Eat Pray Love, $2.9 million

CONDOLENCES

Legendary actor (and Golden Globe winner) Kevin McCarthy – who starred in the original sci-fi film Invasion of the Body Snatchers – passed away over the weekend. He was 96 years old. (Adam Bryant at TV Guide)

MOMENT OF SILENCE, PLEASE…

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

Question: I absolutely love Drop Dead Diva. It is cute, funny and witty. Do you have any thoughts about it? Also, we haven’t heard if it will be renewed for a third season yet. What’s the hold up? And how is it doing, ratings-wise, on Lifetime? Do critics even like this show? — Christine

Matt Roush: I haven’t a clue why Lifetime’s series (including Army Wives, although its spin-off appears dead) are in pick-up limbo for the moment, but I’m not hearing anything to indicate that Lifetime won’t eventually announce it is bringing this show back. I hope and believe it will get a third season. I find Diva a delightful diversion, a very sweet fantasy-comedy that seems a perfect fit for this channel, and perfect for summer. The critics who pay attention to the show seem for the most part charmed by it, and why wouldn’t they be?

Question: I was trying to find out when Sanctuary will be starting again and I couldn’t find anything about the show being on TV. However, I saw an ad that season 3 is going to be available on Netflix. If I’m reading things correctly, the Kali episode was the end of Season 2, so Season 3 must follow that. Are they going directly to DVD and not showing the program on TV? – Lee

Matt Roush: Nope, it’s still set to return to Syfy, but a little later than first expected. It was originally announced that the second season of Stargate: Universe and year 3 of Sanctuary would be paired on Tuesdays starting Sept. 28. Last week, Syfy changed plans and has decided to return Sanctuary to its original Friday time period (10/9c) starting Oct. 15, following wrestling. SGU will now be paired on Tuesdays with the back half of Caprica’s first season (beginning Oct. 5), so plan accordingly.

Question: I loved Scoundrels and could not believe how good it was for a summer replacement. Will the scoundrels at ABC be bringing the TV show Scoundrels back this fall? I will hate to boycott ABC and their ad products. I can’t believe they would make us wait till next summer to find out what Wolf is going to do about Sgt. Mack. Does he go back to jail for assault? Hold it against his wife? — Betty

Matt Roush: I’m afraid you may not be getting an answer to any of these questions, although you’ll probably have your opinion reconfirmed that the ABC programmers are scoundrels. The jury’s still out on The Gates, which wraps its summer season with back-to-back episodes this Sunday, but the ship has almost certainly sailed for Scoundrels. Neither show exactly caught fire, but Gates enjoyed a bit more fan and critical buzz. It all really depends on what ABC’s strategy is for next summer and whether it includes scripted product besides the Canadian import Rookie Blue, which has already been renewed. If I had to bet on either Sunday show coming back, I’d put my money on The Gates. Sorry.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

There isn’t a whole lot of news to share with all of you today, but I hope you’ll find what little there is interesting.

TELEVISION

Jamie Ray Newman (Eastwick) may be stirring up some trouble for newlyweds Cate and Ryan on Life Unexpected. Tune in to the season premiere of the CW series on September 14 at 9 PM. (Kristin at E! Entertainment Online)

Paula Patton (Precious) is out and Melissa Sagemiller (Raising the Bar) is in as the new assistant district attorney on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Specifics on her character have not been made available, but she is slated to first appear in November. (Michael Ausiello at Entertainment Weekly)

When Glee airs their special tribute to the Rocky Horror Picture Show in the episode slated for October 26, special appearances by some original cast members will be featured. Who are the originals coming in for these appearances? It would seem singer-actor Meat Loaf and Barry Bostwick are set to appear. The pair will play TV station managers who have an “interesting proposal” for Jane Lynch’s Sue Sylvester. Susan Sarandon said earlier this week that she would be interested in participating as well, but no deals have been done. (Kristin at E! Entertainment Online)

Celebrated director Jane Campion is heading to the small screen with a six-hour mini-series for the BBC. The story follows a New Zealand small-town detective brought in to solve the case of a twelve-year-old who gets pregnant and disappears. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Scott Speedman, Lily Cole (The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus), Sarah Gadon (Happy Town and Being Erica) and Sarah Bolger (The Tudors) have joined the cast of the gothic horror called The Moth Diaries, which is based on Rachel Klein’s novel. Bolger plays a young girl in an elite boarding school who befriends two fellow students (Gadon, Cole) and develops a crush on her English professor (Speedman). (Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

IN THE NOT SO FAST CATEGORY: It looks like the news of Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker) and Swedish actress Noomi Rapace (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) starring in the movie called Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters may have been a bit premature. Renner’s reps are saying there have been no negotiations as yet and no deals are in place. (Josh Rottenberg at Entertainment Weekly)

British actor Eddie Redmayne (The Pillars of the Earth) has joined the cast of the movie My Week with Marilyn, which follows the story, based on a diary by Colin Clark, a young actor who worked for Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh) when the veteran actor shepherded Marilyn Monroe (Michelle Williams) around London while she shot “The Prince and the Showgirl” in 1956. Clark and Marilyn shared many confidences and became close despite her recent marriage to playwright Arthur Miller. Redmayne will play Clark, while Judi Dench, Zoe Wanamaker, Richard Clifford and Philip Jackson also star. (The Daily Mail and Dark Horizons)

Britt Robertson (Life Unexpected) has joined the cast of the box office movie Scream 4. There are no details on her role, but the movie is expected to open sometime in April of 2011. (Zap2It)

That’s it. Enjoy! Have a terrific weekend!

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Hey All,

So it’s a very big Jewish holiday and nearly everyone in my office is off. It makes for a quiet work day that’s for sure.

In the meantime, there is a lot of cool news to share with all of you:

NEWS

TV’s Top 50 Show Runners

NOTE: Show runners are the people behind the show that either created, executive produce and/or write the series. They are the top dog on the food chain for their respective series.

TELEVISION

Annabella Sciorra (The Sopranos) will guest star in the new ABC legal drama The Whole Truth, as a high-fashion designer who is accused of murdering her young lover. The Whole Truth debuts on September 22 at 10 PM. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Marisol Nichols (The Gates) has signed on to guest star in an upcoming episode of NCIS: Los Angeles, playing Callen’s (Chris O’Donnell) ex-partner, Tracy Keller. She will debut in the sixth new episode. (William Keck at TV Guide)

Caprica is moving! Second half of season one will premiere on Tuesday, October 5 at 10 PM. (Twitter Post from Syfy)

The third season premiere of Sanctuary will now launch in its former timeslot on Friday, October 15 at 10 PM. (Twitter Post from Syfy)

The new season of In Treatment will kick off on October 25 (Twitter Post by Michael Ausiello from Entertainment Weekly)

CMT will be bringing fans of the classic TV series The Dukes of Hazzard a real treat. Starting tomorrow night at 8 PM and lasting for 33 hours, the country music network will air a marathon of episodes. The show will then move to its regular timeslot on CMT at 7 PM on September 13. (The Futon Critic)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

J.J. Abrams (the man behind Felicity, Alias and Lost) is currently shopping a crime-thriller series created by Jonah Nolan, brother and frequent collaborator of The Dark Knight/Inception auteur Christopher Nolan. This would mark the first small-screen foray for Nolan, who not only co-wrote The Dark Knight and The Prestige but also penned the short story on which Memento was based. (Michael Ausiello at Entertainment Weekly)

Diane Farr (Numb3rs and Rescue Me) and Peter Tolan have separately received script orders for two one-hour dramas at FOX. Farr’s project, based on her upcoming semi-autobiographical novel “You Can’t Love One of Them,” is said to focus on “several interracial couples living in the South in a post-Obama world.” Meanwhile, Tolan has sold a script for an untitled Glen Mazzara drama that will revolve around a burnt-out doctor who joins a neighborhood medical clinic. (Deadline and Televisionary)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker) and Swedish actress Noomi Rapace (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) are apparently set for the title roles in the comedy/horror/fantasy Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters. The film is to be set 15 years after the original Grimm’s fairy tale. Having killed the witch who tried to cook them as kids, the siblings are now grown-up, shotgun wielding witch slayers. (Twitchfilm and Dark Horizons)

Christina Hendricks (Mad Men) has joined the cast of the thriller Drive in which Ryan Gosling plays a Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a freelance getaway driver during robberies and ends up on the run with a contract on his head and an ex-con’s girlfriend (Carey Mulligan) in his car. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Malin Akerman (Watchmen) has signed on to the CIA thriller The Numbers Station with Ethan Hawke playing a disgraced black ops agent tasked with a dead-end job of protecting a young woman (Akerman) in the middle of the Nevada desert. When the two come under attack, they have to fight to stay alive. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

CABLE RATINGS FOR SUMMER 2010

According to Entertainment Weekly, the following list shows how the summer programming (SCRIPTED shows that is) performed from May 31 to August 22 (NOTE: with the exception of “kiddie shows” – the words of EW not mine):

Rizzoli and Isles (TNT): 8.44 million
The Closer (TNT): 8.20 million
Royal Pains (USA): 7.154 million
Burn Notice (USA): 7.151 million
Covert Affairs (USA): 6.74 million
White Collar (USA): 5.28 million
In Plain Sight (USA): 4.93 million
Psych (USA): 4.87 million
Memphis Beat (TNT): 4.59 million
Leverage (TNT): 4.328 million
Army Wives (Lifetime): 4.327 million
The Glades (A&E): 3.88 million
Pretty Little Liars (ABC Family): 3.25 million
Haven (SyFy): 2.51 million

MUSIC INTERVIEW

Singer Sara Bareilles finds her focus — finally

Q&A SECTION (with Michael Ausiello at Entertainment Weekly)

NOTE: Tread lightly as there are spoilers – SPOILER ALERT!!

Question: Any news on what will happen to Castiel on Supernatural this season? —Minha

Ausiello: This season’s first two episodes will be Cas-free, but the full-powered angel returns in spectacular fashion in week 3. “Let’s just say some angels show up that are not so happy,” teases exec producer Sera Gamble. “Cas and an angel go through a window at one point, and the result is not pretty. It’s a pretty spectacular stunt.”

Question: You’ve given us great scoop about the final (shed a tear) season of Friday Night Lights, but one thing remains unanswered: Are we going to be lucky enough to have Minka Kelly return for a few episodes? Riggins putting her on the bus with a soulful “Goodbye, Lyla Garrity” is not enough closure for me. —Becky

Ausiello: Well, it was enough closure for exec producer Jason Katims—and he’s the boss! “I thought her final episode was so powerful,” says Katims. “We talked about bringing her back, but I didn’t really feel like anything we came up with beat the [Tim-Lyla] story in that episode, which I thought was really poignant. It wasn’t a happy ending, but it was a really satisfying ending for me. It was a satisfying resolution to that story line.”

Question: Please tell me Mozzie is not dead on White Collar! —Vin

Ausiello: Mozzie is probably most likely not dead.

Question: Glee returns in two weeks! Got anything new? —Timothy

Ausiello: The show wastes no time showing off Chord Overstreet’s, um, impressive body of work. When we first meet his possibly gay football-jock character, Sam, in the premiere, he’s in the shower singing “Every Rose Has Its Thorn.” For his part, Chris Colfer believes that scene is proof positive that Sam will not turn out to be Kurt’s BF. “After seeing the episode, I feel like it’s not going to happen because all the girls are going to fall in love with him and they’re not going to want to see [him with Kurt],” he says. “And I don’t want to be the guy girls hate. I’m the gay guy the girls love. I don’t want to become the target. I don’t want the letters that say, ‘Kurt needs to get off our man. Stop kissing our boyfriend.’ Young girls can be vicious. I don’t want to know how Kristen Stewart feels. I don’t want to be the Bella of the Glee world. I like being the guy everyone likes.” Colfer adds that there’s no sign of romantic tension between Sam and Kurt in the first four episodes. “Maybe it is too obvious,” he theorizes. “Our writers have a way of avoiding the obvious and throwing curveballs.” BONUS GLEE SCOOP: Someone’s going to the slammer!

Question: I heard a rumor that Terri will date Principal Figgins on Glee this season. Please say it’s not true. Team Twill FTW! —Rion

Ausiello: According to Terri’s portrayer, Jessalyn Gilsig, it’s “definitely not” true. Gilsig does confirm that the former Mrs. Schuester will “get into a relationship of some kind that brings her around the glee club and the school, but I’m not at liberty to say who.” Guesses? Hit the comments! More fun games!

Question: How’s about serving up a steamy hot dish of Burn Notice scoop? That finale really burned me up. I’ll stop with the puns now. —Hope

Ausiello: The following scoop is rated S and RH for Sizzling and Red-Hot: A major character will be killed off during the show’s fall run.

Question: I have not seen anything on season 2 of Justified. Got any scoop on that? —Carolyn

Ausiello: Production resumes in mid-October, and newly minted series regular Walton Goggins tells me “the pendulum will swing in a completely different direction for Boyd, and religion may receive his ire. He may become an agnostic vigilante, [but] I won’t say against who.”

Question: It’s less than a week until Life Unexpected returns. Surely you have scoop! —Laura

Ausiello: The three new characters I told you about previously are introduced in the Sept. 14 premiere, and one of them has a not-so-surprising connection to a main character. Bonus scoop: Bug and Lux consider taking a big step forward in their relationship, but something happens to trip them up.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Today’s update is coming out a little late as I stayed home from work today for personal reasons, but there are lots of great things to share with you so I hope you find some items that you like:

NEWS

Universal Pictures and NBC will produce a three part film franchise and a TV series based on the Stephen King seven-book The Dark Tower collection. Akiva Goldsman, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer will executive produce with King listed as a producer. The first season of the TV series will debut shortly after the first movie. The book collection is an epic fantasy series that spans multiple dimensions and eras. (Daniel Frankel at The Wrap)

The Paley Center for Media is launching a television awards show in May 2012 which will be broadcast from New York City to coincide with upfront presentations, the time when the networks traditionally unveil their fall lineups to advertisers. (Robyn Ross at TV Guide)

According to TV Guide, the following shows are the 10 most anticipated returning shows this fall (in order): NCIS, Fringe, Glee, Castle, Bones, Chuck, The Big Bang Theory, Grey’s Anatomy, Supernatural and Dexter. Meanwhile the following shows came thisclose to being in the top 10: The Good Wife, Modern Family, The Vampire Diaries, House and Sons of Anarchy. On the other end of the spectrum, the 10 most anticipated new shows this fall (in order) are: Hawaii Five-0, The Event, Law & Order: Los Angeles, Blue Bloods, No Ordinary Family, Undercovers, S#*! My Dad Says, Nikita, The Defenders and Boardwalk Empire. (Reporting by Adam Bryant)

TELEVISION

If you miss the debuts of the new CBS shows Hawaii Five-0 and Blue Bloods on their original nights you can watch the rebroadcast of each on September 25 at 8 and 9 PM respectively. NBC will do the same thing for their new shows The Event and Chase, rebroadcasting their pilot episodes also on September 25 at 8 and 9 PM as well. ABC will reair the debut of The Whole Truth on September 24. Lone Star the new FOX drama will be reaired on September 25 at 11 PM.  (The Futon Critic)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Both networks – TNT and TBS – have some new pilots ordered. TNT has the new crime procedurals planned: Perception (the working title) is about Dr. Geoffrey Pierce, an eccentric neuroscientist who uses his unique outlook to help the federal government solve complex cases.
An Untitled Allan Loeb Project – Based on the novel The Rabbit Factory by Marshall Karp is about a recently widowed police Detective Mike Lomax and his newly married partner, Terry Biggs who delve into a world of mystery, intrigue and occasional hijinks. Dallas is an update of the long-running series, focusing on the offspring of bitter rivals and brothers JR and Bobby Ewing, who clash over the future of the Ewing dynasty while the fate of Southfork itself weighs in the balance. Meanwhile, TBS is working on a comedic detective series currently called Brain Trust, which is about Detective Billy Doyle, whose career and life have hit rock bottom after he accidentally ends his partner’s career. (The Futon Critic)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Liam Neeson has joined the cast of the box office movie Battleship, based on the Hasbro board game that centers around a battle on land, sea and the sky between earth’s forces and attacking aliens with most of the action set on the USS John Paul Jones. Neeson will play Admiral Shane, a navy admiral and the future father-in-law of the lead officer character (Taylor Kitsch). Brooklyn Decker stars as Shane’s daughter, Alexander Skarsgard as the brother of Kitsch’s character, and Rihanna as a weapons analyst. (Dark Horizons)

Ciaran Hinds and Janet McTeer have joined the cast of The Woman in Black, the adaptation of Susan Hill’s gothic supernatural horror novel that follows a young solicitor (Daniel Radcliffe) who takes up a short residence at Eel Marsh House, a desolate and secluded coastal mansion cut off at high tide from the nearby market town in rural England. Hinds will play the local land-owner Mr. Daily who counsels the solicitor as he investigates, while McTeer will play Daily’s wife. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

Andrea Bowen (Desperate Housewives) will star in the independent film called Preachers’ Daughter, which is about a woman who reunites with her estranged religious small-town minister father. (Variety and Entertainment Weekly)

Jonathan Rhys-Meyers (The Tudors) will star as a Jewish diplomat who romances a married Swiss woman in the movie Belle Du Seigneur. (Deadline and Entertainment Weekly)

A biopic about actor turned politician Ronald Reagan is in the works for a possible release date in 2011. The movie is expected to begin with the 1981 assassination attempt and will tell Reagan’s story through flashbacks and flash-forwards. (First Showing)

CASTING SCOOP

Actor Sam Anderson (Lost) will guest star on NCIS in the second episode of the new fall season, as Walter Carmichael, a middle school teacher whose classroom becomes a crime scene when one of his students is kidnapped. The episode also features actor William Devane as the grandfather of the abducted girl. NCIS will return to CBS on September 21 at 8 PM. (Adam Bryant at TV Guide)

Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica) is joining the cast of CSI in a potential recurring role, playing Detective Reed, a smart investigator who doesn’t do well with sensitivity. Her first episode is slated to air during November sweeps. CSI will be back on CBS on September 23 at 9 PM. (Adam Bryant at TV Guide)

Actress Celia Weston (Desperate Housewives) will appear as the down-home country mama for Cameron (Eric Stonestreet) in the ABC comedy Modern Family.  (William Keck at TV Guide)

Robert Englund (the original Freddy Krueger himself) will guest star in Chuck during its Halloween episode. He will play Dr. Stanley Wheelwright, an evil scientist who can make your waking life a nightmare. Chuck will return on September 20. (Michael Ausiello at Entertainment Weekly)

There will be a Twin Peaks-type reunion on Psych when Sheryl Lee and Sherilyn Fenn (Audrey), appear in the episode alongside Dana Ashbrook. All three will play residents of Dual Spires, a quirky Northern California town that has been rocked by the death of a high school student. Log Lady Catherine Coulson will also make a cameo as the mysterious Woman with Wood. Ray Wise will also reprise his role as Father Westley. Lenny Von Dohlen and Robyn Lively will also make cameos. The episode, co-written by star James Roday, will air during Psych‘s fall run. (Michael Ausiello at Entertainment Weekly)

Legendary actor Hal Holbrook will appear in a multi-episode arc of the new NBC series The Event, playing a mysterious character by the name of Dempsey. The show has its premiere on September 20. (Michael Ausiello at Entertainment Weekly)

Three interns will shadow Gibbs and his team on NCIS during the second episode of the new fall season. Playing the wannabe investigators will be Zack Lively (Greek), David Magidoff (Veronica Mars) and newcomer Elizabeth Wright Shapiro. (Matt Mitovich at Fancast)

RUMOR PATROL

Joel McHale (Community) is in final negotiations to join Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World, starring as a spy-hunting reporter married to Jessica Alba’s character, who is a retired spy turned housewife and stepmother to his kids who will become the new titular Spy Kids. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Michael Caine is in final negotiations to join the box office sequel Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, which has Josh Hutcherson reprising his role from the first movie (Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D) as a young man who, along with his mom’s boyfriend (Dwayne Johnson), goes on a trip to a mythical island to find his missing grandfather. Caine will play said grandfather who gets involved in several action and chase sequences including one involving giant bees. (Heat Vision and Dark Horizons)

Reportedly, singer-actress Hilary Duff is in the running to play Gwen Stacy in the as-yet-untitled Spider-Man reboot. There has been no confirmation on casting for this movie yet except for lead actor Andrew Garfield. (Blastr)

Jennifer Morrison (House) is among a handful of actresses in the running to play a major new love interest for Ted in the CBS comedy How I Met Your Mother. Other names in the mix include Minka Kelly and Jacinda Barrett. (Michael Ausiello at Entertainment Weekly)

Q&A SECTION (with TV Gurus at TV Guide):

Question: Vampire Diaries scoop, please! — Micah

MICKEY: We’ll learn pretty quickly how Jeremy and Caroline fare in their stare-downs with the Grim Reaper, but the answers won’t be simple… or permanent. Also: The premiere (tomorrow night, Sept. 9, at 8 PM on the CW) features a devastating scene between Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder. I’ll leave it up to you to guess which character Dobrev is playing in it.

Question: Will there be any friction between Abby and Gibbs in the new season of NCIS? —Melanie

ADAM: While there still may be some fallout from Abby’s discovery of Gibbs’ murderous past, executive producer Shane Brennan doesn’t think the secret will greatly change their relationship. “It’s a complex relationship and we’ve just added another layer of complexity,” he says. “But we would not jeopardize the relationship that the audience has come to love. It does bring a different perspective, but it’s not like they’re going to be busted up. Gibbs and Abby are going back to being Gibbs and Abby.”

Question: Can’t wait for Castle to come back. Just how angry with Castle is Beckett? — Anthony

ADAM: Let’s just say that there’s a whole lot of woman-scorned subtext when Beckett gets Castle in the interrogation room after he becomes a murder suspect. (And you’ve seen the promos where they’re point guns at each other, right?) But it’s pretty clear by the end of the premiere that she wants him back on her team, much to the chagrin of Esposito and Ryan, each of whom spends most of the premiere trying to become Beckett’s new favorite.

Question: Can’t wait for Castle to come back. Just how angry with Castle is Beckett? — Anthony

ADAM: Let’s just say that there’s a whole lot of woman-scorned subtext when Beckett gets Castle in the interrogation room after he becomes a murder suspect. (And you’ve seen the promos where they’re point guns at each other, right?) But it’s pretty clear by the end of the premiere that she wants him back on her team, much to the chagrin of Esposito and Ryan, each of whom spends most of the premiere trying to become Beckett’s new favorite.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

So did everyone enjoy the long holiday weekend? I sure hope. And now, it’s back to the normal grind of work, school and/or active family stuff, right? Whatever applies to each of you, of course.

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

NEWS

Paul McCartney, Oprah Winfrey, country legend Merle Haggard, composer and lyricist Jerry Herman, and director and choreographer Bill T. Jones are this year’s recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors. (E! Entertainment Online)

ONLINE ADVENTURE

JEFF AND LESTER ARE ON THE LAM AND IN SEARCH OF A COPY OF THE NEW HALO: REACH VIDEOGAME IN “CHUCK PRESENTS – BUY HARD: THE JEFF AND LESTER STORY,” AN ORIGINAL DIGITAL SERIES LAUNCHING SEPTEMBER 7

TELEVISION

Shawn and Aaron Ashmore (the twin actors known for their roles in the X-Men film franchise, Smallville and Veronica Mars) are set to appear in season three of Fringe this fall. The duo is set to guest star in an episode slated to air in November. No word on just who or what they’ll be playing but it’s safe to say that twins will play into the equation in some capacity. (Digital Spy and Televisionary)

OCTOBER HIGHLIGHTS FOR BBC AMERICA

The US premiere of the new series Luther will air on October 17 at 10 PM. The series is about a brilliant detective, who is tormented by the darker side of humanity. The series stars Idris Elba (The Wire), as Luther, Ruth Wilson (The Prisoner and Jane Eyre) as Alice Morgan, a beautiful, extraordinarily intelligent key witness in Luther’s first investigation; Steven Mackintosh (Criminal Justice) as Detective Chief Inspector Ian Reed and Luther’s loyal friend and work colleague; Indira Varma (Rome) as Zoe Luther, who’s had the strength to walk away from the man she still loves; Paul McGann (Withnail and I) as Mark North, who is unafraid to compete with Luther for Zoe’s love; Saskia Reeves (Bodies) as Detective Superintendent Rose Teller, Luther’s risk-taking boss and Warren Brown (Occupation) as Detective Sergeant Justin Ripley, Luther’s loyal, awestruck new partner. (The Futon Critic)

This Halloween (October 31) you can spend some quality time with the supernatural in the form of George, Mitchell and Annie when the network will air each and every episode from both seasons of Being Human in an all-day marathon. (The Futon Critic)

In this new adaptation of the classic novel Brideshead Revisited, Matthew Goode plays Charles Ryder, an impressionable middle-class art student who becomes fascinated with the posh lifestyle of his Oxford schoolmate, Sebastian Flyte (Ben Whishaw). Charles spends the summer with Sebastian’s well-off family at their majestic estate, Brideshead Castle, where he falls in love with Sebastian’s sister, Julia. Over the course of two World Wars, Charles is immersed in the self-indulgent world of the Flyte family, and all the forbidden love and heartbreaking loss of innocence that involvement brings. This new movie will air on October 24 at 3:00 PM. (The Futon Critic)

INTERVIEWS

‘Friday Night Lights’: Adrianne Palicki on Tyra’s return to Dillon

Exclusive Interview: What’s Ahead for Patrick Heusinger on Royal Pains?

FILM FESTIVAL MOVIE

‘The Last Rites of Ransom Pride’ trailer: A graphic novel spin on a classic Western

Q&A SECTION (with Matt Mitovich at Fancast)

Question: I’ll take anything you’ve got on ‘The Good Wife‘! – Karen

Mitovich: You’re in luck, because Graham Phillips had lots to tease about Zach Florrick’s Season 2 storyline – namely that it will feature less teen sleuthing and “a bit more real action.” With pop Peter again running for office, “Zach is desperate to get involved in some way with his dad’s political career – and by the end, he does.” Graham also confirmed what The Big Tease shared back in June, that Zach’s ex-girlfriend Becca (played by Dreama Walker) “comes back, and she’s up to more mischief.”

Question: What’s in store for Kyle Hobbes in ‘V’s Season 2? – ripleyaeryn via Twitter

Mitovich: ‘V’ exec producer Scott Rosenbaum tells The Big Tease that Hobbes (played by Charles Mesure) will resume his mercenary role within Erica’s team, but because of the deal he is forced to make with Visitor Marcus, “His alliance will be tested.” We’ll also learn about Sarah, the love of Hobbes’ life “whose disappearance sent him down his dark path,” Rosenbaum reveals. “[That] gives him a personal stake in the fight against the Vs, and we will see him at his most ruthless as he’s driven to take down the Visitors and reunite with Sarah.” Wait, what – Sarah’s alive? Paging Evangeline Lilly!

Question: What have you heard about Daisy returning to ‘Bones‘? – Smurfs

Mitovich: She’s on hand for the Sept. 23 season premiere, have no fear. In fact, she brings rather humorous levity to the “guerillas” scene that Emily Deschanel referred to in this video Q&A. And then when Daisy and Sweets (attempt to) reconnect after the seven-month split? So much fun, I want these two to get their own spin-off.

Question: What did you think of the ‘Bones‘ premiere? I’m on the fence about this one. – Tanya

Mitovich: I was impressed by how angst-free it was, even as Bones and Booth came face to face after their seven-month separation. Instead, equal time was given to the Sweets/Daisy and Angela/Hodgins stories. Plus, I like how the workplace status quo has been altered just enough (right down to a dwindled number of squints) to freshen things up.

Question: Any ‘Castle‘ scoop? Preferably something Castle/Beckett related, if you can. – xpenguin via Twitter

Mitovich: Monday’s season premiere revolves around a nifty twist: What if Castle repeatedly emerged as a person of interest in a series of murders, thus landing him Beckett’s non-flirty crosshairs? And while it’s cute to espy Kate’s bitterness over her “partner’s” summer hiatus, it’s just as fun to see Esposito and Ryan come off as scorned bromantic interests.

Question: How is the ‘Life Unexpected‘ premiere? I really liked the first season, and was surprised and happy that it got a second. – EvolutionGirl via Twitter

Mitovich: My goodness, a lot happens in the September 14 season premiere. There’s plentiful reaction to Baze’s failed ‘Graduate’ moment, there’s a romantic road trip, a near-tragedy… and at least one canvas-tweaking twist that I did not see coming.

Question: You tweeted this piece of Baze’s dialogue from the ‘Life Unexpected‘ premiere: “Cate, if I had gotten to the church earlier, it wouldn’t have mattered… right?” Tell me more! – PaulaEdgar via Twitter

Mitovich: OK – Cate’s response to that is three words.

Question: Now that ‘Lie To Me’s Gillian is finally done with Dr. Burns, can we see some good Gillian/Cal stuff? After all, Cal did say that he wanted Gillian “in the worst possible way.” – Hilla

Mitovich: Well, he sure has a funny way of showing it. Take the Season 3 episode that guest-stars Tricia Helfer (’Battlestar Galactica’) as a woman who catches Cal’s eye. He whips out every trick in his book to capitalize on her “tells,” reel her in and make her putty in his hands – and practically right in front of Gill!

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Happy Labor Day! I hope everyone is enjoying the last of the holiday weekend. The news isn’t too voluminous, but there are a few things to share with all of you.

TELEVISION

Actor Ken Jenkins (Scrubs) will be playing the father of Courteney Cox’s character on Cougar Town this fall. There are no details, however, on the story details or an air date. (Michael Ausiello at Entertainment Weekly)

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIES

The made-for-TV movie Red, starring Felicia Day (Buffy, The Guild and Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along-Blog), Kavan Smith (Stargate Atlantis) and Stephen McHattie (The Jesse Stone movies), will air on Syfy on October 30 at 9 PM, as part of the network’s 31 Days of Halloween event. The movie is about a descendant of Little Red Riding Hood who brings her fiancé home to meet her family and tell him about the family business – they are werewolf hunters. (The Futon Critic)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Feature writer John Glenn (Journey to the Center of the Earth) is developing two new drama pilots for CBS and FOX. The CBS pilot is called Treadstone, a drama about spies, working for a secretive corporation featured in the Robert Ludlum novels. While the FOX pilot is yet to be titled, but is about vigilantes in New York City. (The Futon Critic)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

The following list is the top 10 box office movies for the holiday weekend according to Exhibitor Relations via E! Entertainment Online:

1. The American, $16.4 million
2. Machete, $14 million
3. Takers, $13.5 million
4. The Last Exorcism, $8.8 million
5. Going the Distance, $8.6 million
6. The Expendables, $8.5 million
7. The Other Guys, $6.7million
8. Eat Pray Love, $6.3 million
9. Inception, $5.9 million
10. Nanny McPhee Returns, $4.7 million

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

Question: I’m sure I’m not alone at wondering what will be a hit among all the new shows in the fall schedule. How does one know what to watch? What are your recommendations? There’s nothing worse than starting to watch a show at the beginning of the season, truly enjoying it, and a couple of months, sometimes only weeks later, finding out it’s already off the air due to low ratings. How do we avoid that from happening? — Patricia

Matt Roush: Good timing. TV Guide Magazine’s annual Fall Preview issue will hit stands this week, and you’ll get the lowdown on the shows — and in each case, a pithy mini-review from yours truly on which shows caught my eye. (This year, unlike last fall, not very many, I’m sorry to say.) Your first question asked me what I thought would be a hit, and that’s different in many cases from my recommendations. I think most of CBS’s new shows have a very good chance of succeeding, even if (in the case of something like the very broad The Defenders) it’s not my kind of show. Hawaii Five-0 is likely to be huge, and I enjoyed much about the pilot, but am not sure if it will be on my weekly menu. I’m intrigued by The Event and No Ordinary Family, but have problems with their pilots. My favorite pilots were on Fox — Lone Star for drama, Raising Hope for comedy — and I’m definitely going to keep my eye on Blue Bloods (CBS), Nikita (CW), Undercovers (NBC), Detroit 1-8-7 (ABC), and I’m eager to see the first episode of Law & Order: Los Angeles (NBC). But overall, this is a pretty formulaic lot that to me is especially disappointing after a season when the networks swung the bat with shows like Modern Family, Glee, The Good Wife, Community and The Vampire Diaries and came up with a new generation of quality/fun shows. As for the experience of falling in love with a new show only to have it be canceled: That comes with the territory. The failure rate on TV is very high, but this time of year, hope springs eternal.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

The end of the week is here and for those of us in the States, we will be celebrating with a long weekend because of Labor Day (the unofficial end of summer) being on Monday. I hope everyone has a terrific extra-long weekend. Drive safe and be well.

For now, though, here are the news items from today:

TELEVISION

Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica and Dark Blue) will guest star on a Season 3 episode of Lie to Me this fall, playing Naomi, who’s attracted to Lightman (Tim Roth) despite being frustrated by the inability to hide anything from him. But when she calls on Lightman for protection from a violent ex-boyfriend, it’s Lightman who begins to wonder if her beauty has impaired his lie-detecting skills. Lie to Me wraps its second season on September 13 at 8 PM and it returns for Season 3 on November 10 at 9 PM. (Adam Bryant at TV Guide)

Thomas Calabro (Melrose Place) will guest star on an upcoming episode of CSI: NY, playing a man who is searching with his wife (Helen Slater) for their missing son. Together, they follow clues left for them from a mysterious caller. CSI: NY returns on September 24 at 9 PM. (Adam Bryant at TV Guide)

Nicholas Brendon (Buffy) will guest star in an episode of Private Practice this fall. (Per Shonda Rhimes at Twitter)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Paul Scheuring (Prison Break) and McG are working on a pilot for ABC. The project is a private investigator drama called I, PI, which revolves around an investigator who learned everything he ever needed to know about being a P.I. from watching shows like Magnum, P.I. and Simon and Simon while growing up. As a result, he tends to subconsciously emulate those TV shamuses while out on the streets. (Variety and Televisionary)

Marc Guggenheim (Eli Stone) and Jennifer Robinson have sold a pilot script for an untitled event drama to ABC. The project follows the White House Office of Crisis Management as they tackle one huge global crisis per season with the first season chronicling a crisis with a ticking clock on board the international space station. (Deadline and Televisionary)

Sam Raimi (the director behind the Spider-Man movies) has sold a script for the drama pilot Lancaster about a Scotland Yard copper who joins the LAPD. (Deadline and Televisionary)

BEST AND WORST OF SUMMER

Secret agents, sexy vampires, and savvy ad men—the summer TV season has drawn to a close

SUMMER RATINGS AND VOTING

Curious about how the summer shows – those that aired on the major networks, that is – performed in the ratings? Well, Entertainment Weekly compiled a list of all the new shows (including reality) and I’ve condensed it down to just the dramas. I don’t know if the publication will do the same for all the cable shows, but I know I will be working on my own summer ratings article and posting that as soon as I can. In the meantime, here is the breakdown:

Lie to Me (Fox): 7.33 million
Rookie Blue (ABC): 7.24 million
Flashpoint (CBS): 6.99 million
Miami Medical (CBS): 6.52 million
Lie to Me (Mondays, Fox): 5.03 million
The Good Guys (Fox): 4.61 million
Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBC): 4.53 million
Friday Night Lights (NBC): 4.13 million
Scoundrels (ABC): 3.82 million
The Gates (ABC): 3.78 million
Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBC): 3.63 million
Persons Unknown (NBC): 2.79 million
Law & Order: CI (Saturdays, NBC): 2.57 million

And, if you’d like to make your “vote” count for the summer shows you enjoyed the most, head over to E! Online made courtesy of Kristin at E! Entertainment Online.

FAN MOVEMENT LEAD BY FAN FAVORITE ACTRESS

Kristen Bell revives ‘Veronica Mars’ movie campaign: Is there hope?

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Tom Hardy (Inception) has stepped in for Michael Fassbender in the new film adaptation of John le Carre’s Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. The movie is to be set in the mid-70’s during the height of the Cold War. Gary Oldman plays a judicious, reserved, middle-aged intelligence expert who is recalled out of forced retirement to hunt down a Soviet mole in the “Circus”, the highest echelons of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). Hardy’s character will help Oldman’s character put the pieces of his investigation together. Fassbender is busy with the box office movie X-Men: First Class and cannot participate in this adaptation. Ciaran Hinds, Colin Firth, David Thewlis and Benedict Cumberatch (who will be seen in the BBC series Sherlock Holmes series) also star in this film. (The Daily Mail and Dark Horizons)

Olivia Thirlby (Juno) has landed a lead role in the upcoming alien invasion film The Darkest Hour AND has just been cast as Cassandra Anderson in the new adaptation of Judge Dredd, which will star Karl Urban in the lead role. (First Showing)

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a safe and fun Labor Day Weekend!

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Hey All,

The long, holiday weekend is almost here. Do you folks have any fun plans arranged? Hope so. For those of you on the East Coast please take care, batten down the hatches (as the saying goes) and let’s hope that Hurricane Earl does end up being as destructive as reports are currently stating.

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

TELEVISION

Lifetime has passed on the Army Wives spin-off that was to star Brigid Brannagh and Gabrielle Union. (Deadline and Televisionary)

The USA Network has slashed the episodic budget for the new legal drama Facing Kate from twelve to ten episodes and pushed the premiere into early 2011, due to scheduling issues. (Deadline and Televisionary)

ARTICLE ABOUT TORCHWOOD

Jane Espenson tells us about Torchwood’s ‘intense’ next season

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIES

A new 4-hour made-for-TV movie Neverland, a prequel to author J.M. Barrie’s classic Peter Pan, will start production soon by Syfy with a cast that includes Rhys Ifans (Pirate Radio and Notting Hill) as James Hook, Anna Friel (Pushing Daisies) as Captain Elizabeth Bonny, Bob Hoskins as Smee, Raoul Trujillo (Tin Man) as Holy Man and Charlie Rowe (Pirate Radio) as Peter Pan. The movie is slated to air in 2011.

Here is the premise of the movie: Raised on the streets of turn-of-the century London, orphaned Peter (Rowe) and his pals survive by their fearless wits as cunning young pickpockets. Now, they’ve been rounded up by their mentor Jimmy Hook (Ifans) to snatch a priceless some believe, magical treasure which transports them to another world. Neverland is a realm of white jungles and legendary mysteries of eternal youth, where unknown friends and enemies snatched from time welcome the new travelers with both excitement and trepidation. These groups include a band of 18th century pirates led by the power-mad Elizabeth Bonny (Friel), and the Native American Kaw tribe led by a Holy Man (Trujillo), which has protected the secret of the tree spirits from Bonny and her gang for ages and that has meant war. But as the fight to save this strange and beautiful world becomes vital, Hook, Peter, and the ragamuffin lost boys consider that growing old somewhere in time could be less important than growing up-right here in their new home called Neverland. (The Futon Critic)

Alyssa Milano will star in Lifetime made-for-TV movie called Sundays at Tiffany’s, which is based on the book by James Patterson. She will star opposite Eric Winter (Moonlight and Brothers & Sisters) and will play a “bride-to-be visited by the adult incarnation of her childhood imaginary friend” who “begins to re-examine her life.” (Variety and Televisionary)

EXCITEMENT FOR FALL TV

5 Reasons Why You’re Not Going to Want to Miss the Second Season Premiere of LIFE UNEXPECTED

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

JJ Abrams and Lost executive producer Elizabeth Sarnoff are about to shop around a drama spec script written by Sarnoff to the networks about Alcatraz. The project, however, is shrouded in secrecy but it is about the San Francisco Bay island that once housed some of the country’s most notorious criminals, including Al Capone. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline Hollywood Daily)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

There is talk that Warner Bros. TV is in talks with several writers-producers about adapting the award-winning 1990s comic series “The Sandman” by Neil Gaiman into a feature film. At the top of the list of writers-producers is Eric Kripke (creator of Supernatural). The story of The Sandman follows Dream (aka. Morpheus), the Lord of the dream world who is held captive for seven decades by an occult ritual. Having escaped, his kingdom has fallen into disrepair in his absence and he sets about changing his old ways – hard for a being who has been around for billions of years. (Heat Vision and Dark Horizons)

Australian actress Jessica McNamee (Packed to the Rafters and The Loved Ones) has joined the cast of the romantic drama The Vow, which follows a real-life newlywed New Mexico couple (played by Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum) who get in a car crash. The wife is in a coma, where her husband takes care of her. When she awakes with no memory of her husband, he attempts to win her heart again. McNamee will play Rachel McAdams’ estranged younger sister. Scott Speedman also stars. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

John Hawkes (Deadwood), Sarah Paulson (Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip), Hugh Dancy (Ella Enchanted) and Elizabeth Olsen (younger sister of the Olsen twins) will star in the indie drama Martha Marcy May Marlene, which follows a young woman who goes to live with her older sister after escaping from a cult led by Hawkes’ character. (Jeff Sneider at The Wrap)

Paula Patton (Precious) has landed that female lead role in the upcoming Mission: Impossible 4 film that will start Tom Cruise and Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker). (Mike Fleming at Deadline)

Monica Bellucci has joined the cast the upcoming comedy movie called Manual Of Love 3, starring as the love interest of Robert De Niro’s American professor character. (Dark Horizons)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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