Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today and yesterday:

TELEVISION

Actress Rachael Taylor (Crisis, 666 Park Avenue and Charlie’s Angels) will appear in the Netflix original superhero series Marvel’s A.K.A. Jessica Jones that will star Krysten Ritter in the lead role. Taylor will play Jessica’s best friend Trish Walker, a syndicated radio talk show host, former model and child television star who is best known to her fans as “Patsy” Walker. She is based on the Marvel Comics character who appeared under the superhero identity of Hellcat. The online series will debut on Netflix this year. (Elizabeth Wagmeister at Variety)

Actor Michael Hogan (Battlestar Galactica) has joined the FX anthology series Fargo, appearing as Otto Gerhardt, a wheelchair-bound criminal kingpin. (The Wrap and Vlada Gelman at TV Line)

Actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Magic City, Supernatural and Grey’s Anatomy) has joined the cast of the CBS summer drama Extant that stars Halle Berry as Molly Woods, an astronaut who unknowingly puts the human race on a path to destruction and discovers that she and a mysterious stranger may be the only hope for survival. Morgan will play JD Richter, a cop of the future and bounty hunter. Extant will back this summer. (Elizabeth Wagmeister at Variety)

Actress Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad) will be the female lead opposite Gary Sinise in the proposed Criminal Minds spin-off on CBS that will air as an episode of the original series, following FBI agents helping American citizens who find themselves in trouble abroad. Sinise will play the boss, Jack Garrett while Gunn will play Ally Lambert, an international law expert and talented linguist. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

MINI-SERIES NEWS

HBO has given a greenlight to the 6-hour mini-series Lewis And Clark that will star Casey Affleck as Meriwether Lewis and Matthias Schoenaerts as William Clark. The mini-series, of course, tells the story of America’s first contact with the land and native tribes of the country west of the Mississippi River. (Denise Petski at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Caitriona Balfe (Outlander) has joined the box office film Money Monster that will be directed by Jodie Foster and will star George Clooney, Julia Roberts and Unbroken star Jack O’Connell. Clooney is set to star as Lee Gates, a bombastic television stock huckster, whose program —Money Monster — and life are taken hostage by an outraged gunman (O’Connell). As much of the world watches live, Gates must keep himself alive and, with help from the woman who produces the show (Roberts), uncover the truth behind a tangle of big-money lies. Balfe will play the head of PR for the company whose stock bottomed, causing the life’s savings of O’Connell’s character to be wiped out. (Borys Kit at The Hollywood Reporter)

Q&A SECTION (with Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Question: Please spill some details on whether Nashville‘s Rayna and Deacon will be getting back together anytime soon? –LooLoo

Mitovich: Our resident Nashville native-by-association, Kim Roots, tells me that Wednesday’s midseason premiere “will simultaneously delight and frustrate Deyna fans. The big winners: People who don’t like Luke Wheeler. He has a really rough time after Rayna gives him the heave-ho, and he acts out his anger on a huge scale. Finally, Deacon consults a specialist about his illness, and it’s even worse than we thought.”

Question: Do you have any scoop on the upcoming Supergirl TV Show? –SuperSurfSurf

Mitovich: Kara Danvers née Zor-El will have her work cut out for her from the get-go, seeing as her adversary in the series pilot will be the DC Comics baddie Lumberjack. To that end, the CBS freshman is seeking a hulk akin to “Rory McCann, the 6-foot-6 actor from Game of Thrones” (pictured above) to play this “big, burly monster of a man, who has battled Kara’s cousin” — that’d be you-know-who — “in the past” and shows up to ascertain her level of power, on behalf of an unseen superior.

Question: Isn’t it time for the birth of Palmer’s baby on NCIS? –Ann

Mitovich: Showrunner Gary Glasberg says you “absolutely” should prepare to meet Baby Palmer this season. But first, we gotta have a baby shower, to be held in this Tuesday’s episode… in the big orange room. At the festivities, Glasberg says, “Jimmy Palmer is a classic nervous dad, very conscientious about keeping his mother-to-be Breena healthy, so he’s making everybody a little crazy!”

Question: Anything on ABC’s Forever? –Nicole

Mitovich: And how! The immortal Henry dies via his own hand in an upcoming episode, and “It’ll be a pity for you, if you’re a fan of the show, to know why it happens,” star Ioan Gruffudd says. To protect all of you Foreverists from spoilers, the actor offers only this light tease: “It happens in the past. It’s clever, lovely and sweet. And it sheds really good light on the person that’s with Henry when that happens.”

Question: Can you offer any news on Grey’s Anatomy or Suits? —Jonny

Mitovich: Option No. 2 it is! When asked if there will be any love for Harvey in upcoming episodes, exec producer Aaron Korsh reveals, “There are absolutely romantic allusions in the air… There is some delving into some questions of his romantic future in the last six [episodes]. I think it’s going to be satisfying to some, saddening to others, and not enough for even others.” Hmm, could he be talking about Donna/Harvey ‘shippers with that last description? “I’ll leave it there,” the EP hedges.

Question: I absolutely love Ruzek and Burgess on Chicago PD. How is their relationship looking in future episodes? –Staci

Mitovich: Remember, this is TV, so it could all change in a few weeks. But for now, the couple is “good,” executive producer Matt Olmstead says. “We always do these kind of relay races with romances in terms of we’re addressing one [story thread] and then it’s time to pick the other one back up again.” Where Ruzek and Burgess go from here is up in the air, with five more episodes to break before the end of the season. “We’re certainly in the room trying to figure out the best [approach], playing them as a real couple.”

Question: Those new Jane the Virgin photos have me on edge. Is there medical drama ahead for Jane’s baby? –Dee

Mitovich: Gina Rodriguez confirms, “There is going to be an episode where Jane has some complications with the pregnancy.” That twist will also reveal the baby’s gender, but the star says, “We focus more on the complication than ‘boy versus girl.’” On a lighter note, Jaime Camil says that in Episode 13, “Something very funky happens to Rafael” – though we’re not sure Rogelio’s portrayer isn’t biased. “I’m Team Michael, definitely,” he admits. “I cannot tell you why.”

Question: Any spoilers about Castle‘s Ryan-centric episode? Will we see the toddler and Jenny? –Fred

Mitovich: This much I know: In Episode 18, you will meet Ryan’s sister Gwen, as well as her husband Frank, who happens to be a burly security specialist.

Question: Any new love interests on the horizon for Castle‘s Esposito now that he and Lanie have called it quits? –Teri

Mitovich: “Quits” is a funny word, because to hear Tamala Jones tell it, “Oh, it’s still going on. I grabbed his butt at the end of the [break-up] scene, and you don’t do that if it’s over over. We are still messing around, but we are not getting married.”

Question: Can you give us anything on Supernatural‘s Sam? —Maria

Mitovich: “We probably will not see flashbacks” from the Winchesters’ time apart, executive producer Jeremy Carver admits. But there’s still a big Sammy story brewing. “What starts as a desire to help Dean [sends] Sam on very much his own journey by season’s end. But the starting off point is most definitely, ‘How am I going to help my brother?’”

Question: Will Supernatural‘s Word of God tablet storyline be revisited this season? –Tom

Mitovich: When we delivered your Q to showrunner Jeremy Carver, he had an intriguingly cryptic reply: “There are a couple tablets out there… I can’t say right now. Good question.”

Question: I need some info on The Flash. Somehow I haven’t clicked yet with Iris and Barry. Can we hope for a Caitlin/Barry romance?! –French

Mitovich: You may be in luck. Not only does the next episode feature Grant Gustin showing off his musical chops, but “Barry and Caitlin go on an inadvertent date, which is one of my favorite scenes of the whole year,” showrunner Andrew Kreisberg raves. “They’re hilarious together.” As for Iris, Barry’s heartfelt confession of love is “definitely weighing on her,” the EP affirms, “and it’s going to weigh on Eddie and Caitlin and Linda a little bit.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

PS: Have a terrific weekend!!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for yesterday and today:

TELEVISION

Actress Katie Holmes will have a major guest role on the third season of Showtime’s Ray Donovan, playing a shrewd and chic businesswoman named Paige who enlists Ray’s (series lead Liev Schreiber) services, who is also the daughter of billionaire producer Andrew (Ian McShane). (Elizabeth Wagmeister at Variety)

Actress Brianna Brown will return to the Lifetime dramedy Devious Maids as a series regular for the show’s upcoming third season, reprising her role as beautiful trophy wife Taylor Stappord. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Veteran actress Rita Moreno will appear on Jane the Virgin as the mother of Rogelio De La Vega (series regular Jaime Camil). (Vlada Gelman at TV Line)

Actor Tyler James Williams (The Walking Dead and Everybody Hates Chris) has joined the cast of spinoff pilot of Criminal Minds. He will play Monty, a tech analyst who stays at home to liaison with the victims’ families while the rest of the BAU team trots the globe. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Actor Nico Evers-Swindell (the Lifetime movie Will and Kate) will appear in at least two episodes of Grimm as Prince Kenneth, from one of the royal families, who is sent to Portland by the King with the express intent of recovering Adalind’s (series regular Claire Coffee) daughter. (Kimberly Roots at TV Line)

Actor Nick Gehlfuss (Shameless) will have a recurring role on Chicago P.D., playing Jay Halstead’s brother Ryan, who is a bit of a playboy and a successful doctor. (Vlada Gelman at TV Line)

Veteran actress Blythe Danner will have a guest starring role on the upcoming NBC drama The Slap, which is based on the acclaimed Australian mini-series and 2008 novel that is a complex family drama about what happens after a man (Zachary Quinto) slap another couple’s misbehaving child. Danner will play Virginia, the grandmother of Anouk (Uma Thurman), a TV writer dating her show’s young leading man (Penn Badgley). The Slap debuts on February 12 at 8 PM. (Natalie Abrams at Entertainment Weekly)

Actor Mehcad Brooks (Necessary Roughness and True Blood) has been cast in the CBS Supergirl pilot that will star Glee alum Melissa Benoist as the title role. He will play James “Jimmy” Olsen, her love interest. (Elizabeth Wagmeister at Variety)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

The female version of Ghostbusters announced who will play the lead characters: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig and SNL alums Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon. (Natalie Finn at E! Online)

Looks like Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy and Parks & Recreation) and Liam Hemsworth (The Hunger Games franchise) both are up for some big roles in the near future: Indiana Jones for Pratt and Independence Day for Hemsworth. Nothing is confirmed yet, but there you have it. (First Showing)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

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

Question: After the episode where Gibbs’ and Fornell’s ex-wife was shot, will NCIS address what happens to her child with Fornell? —Joy

Ausiello: As a matter of fact, the Feb. 17 episode, titled “Cabin Fever,” will deal with many of the reverberations of Diane’s tragic death — as felt by the men in her life as well as daughter Emily. “There are some really brilliant moments between Mark Harmon and Joe Spano, as they spend some time in Gibbs’ cabin and hash out some of the issues they’re both facing because of that loss,” showrunner Gary Glasberg previews. “And Emily makes an appearance too — it’s all part of what Fornell is carrying right now. He’s having trouble, and Gibbs is there as a friend.”

Question: I’d love something on Thursday’s Scandal return.

Ausiello: You won’t have to wait long for an answer to the question, “Where in the world is Olivia Pope?” And I think you’ll find her whereabouts alternately shocking and hilarious.

Question: We’re not going to have to wait until the Sleepy Hollow season finale to find out why Henry killed Moloch, are we? —Gabriella

Ausiello: Not according to Tom Mison. “There’s going to be a little bit of ambiguity to begin with, but it becomes very clear” soon after Henry makes his presence known, the actor says. He also cagily adds, “I’ll remind you that he didn’t only kill Moloch, he saved Ichabod and Katrina,” so make of that what you will.

Question: I know we’re only two episodes into 12 Monkeys, but I really want to see Cole and Cassie get together. Chances of that happening? —Molly

Ausiello: “I’m not completely ruling that out, with other variables, and they do have chemistry,” star Amanda Schull tells TV Line. Still, even if a romantic connection does happen, it won’t be for a while. “Cole and Cassie don’t just fall madly in love by Episode 2 or 3 and decide to screw the end of the world and run off to the Bahamas or something,” she adds. “They have a mission.”

Question: I’m dying for some Forever intel. (See what I did there?) —Marc

Ausiello: The ABC series’ next new episode, airing Feb. 3, is a huge one for Abe, series creator Matt Miller says. And Abe’s revelation begins in the least likely of places: with Henry’s adversary, Adam. “What we learn is that Adam… had some terrible things happen to him in his past. And he and Abe share a connection regarding World War II, and he helps Abe resolve some mysteries about his own past.”

BONUS SPOILER: Miller adds that the show is in the early stages of bringing in a romantic interest for Jo. “And maybe Henry starts to get a little bit jealous, and we start to watch that play out,” he teases.

Question: Anything on Ray and Felicity’s crossover to The Flash? —Cassie

Ausiello: The pair drop by (in Episode 18) when Ray needs a little help with his A.T.O.M. suit. Not surprisingly, the tech billionaire “finds a best friend in Cisco,” executive producer Andrew Kreisberg shares. After all, he may look like Brandon Routh, but Ray likes his toys. “There’s even a line in the script where Felicity says, ‘Ray is like Barry in Oliver’s body. Oh God, did I say that aloud?’” Meanwhile, Felicity’s arrival comes “at a particularly bad moment for Barry. He’s having a crisis of conscience that in some ways only somebody like she can help him through.”

Question: I feel I know almost nothing about Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. for when it comes back in March. Got any scoop (that’s not cryptic)? –Andy B.

Ausiello: Dude. It’s S.H.I.E.L.D. Cryptic is what they do. That said, Brett Dalton perhaps only rated 7 on a scale of 10 when teasing for us Ward’s next move, having taken his licks (and a few bullets) in service of HYDRA and Whitehall. “He’s hitched his cart to a horse before — HYDRA— and it hasn’t really turned out so well,” the actor notes. “So, now he’s like, unhitching the cart and hopping on his own horse and going his own way.” And maybe just maybe, some day, that could lead him kinda sorta back into S.H.I.E.L.D.’s good-ish graces…? “I mean, he has a sense of right and wrong, he has a sense of duty and obligation, and I think he’s also a sympathetic character,” Dalton contends. “Though he can be heartless, it’s always in the service of something, an intention that is good. So I do feel good about his future. The writers could have given Ward a quick redemption arc, and that would have been the end of it, but they’ve left him raw, unpredictable… a complete wild card.”

Question: I’m in denial that Parenthood is ending this week, but that’s not going to stop me from asking for one last spoiler about the Bravermans. —Joyce

Ausiello: The episode-ending montage contains a really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really fun surprise. Like, really fun. Really.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

First of all, congrats to the winners of the SAG Awards last night, including Uzo Aduba, William H. Macy, Mark Ruffalo, Frances McDormand, Kevin Spacey, Viola Davis, Orange Is the New Black, Downton Abbey, Patricia Arquette, J.K. Simmons, Eddie Redmayne, Julianne Moore and the film Birdman.

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

British actress-model Millie Brady (the upcoming Pride And Prejudice And Zombies) has been cast in the lead role in the Lifetime drama pilot The Clan Of The Cave Bear based on the Jean M. Auel book of the same name. The story takes place at a time in prehistory more than 25,000 years ago when Neanderthals shared the planet with the first early modern humans. A band of cave dwellers adopts blond and blue-eyed Ayla (Brady), a child of the “Others.” As Ayla matures into a young woman of spirit and courage, she must fight for survival against the jealous bigotry of Broud, who one day will be clan leader. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Colm Feore (The Borgias) will appear on Gotham, playing Dr. Francis Dulmacher (aka The Dollmaker), the figure behind the mass kidnappings of Gotham’s street children. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Broadway star Kyle Dean Massey (Pippin) will play Kevin Bicks, an openly gay country artist, on Nashville. Kevin is a successful country artist who happens to like guys and his very existence deflates Will’s (series regular Chris Carmack) theory that the genre will never accept a gay superstar. (Kimberly Roots at TV Line and Deadline)

ONLINE SERIES

Actor David Tennant (Broadchurch and Doctor Who) has been cast as the villain known as Kilgrave in the upcoming Netflix series AKA Jessica Jones that will star Krysten Ritter (Veronica Mars) and Mike Colter (The Good Wife and Ringer). This online series is set to air sometime in 2015. (Chris Harnick at E! Online)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Emma Watson (Harry Potter franchise) will appear as Belle in the upcoming live-action film Beauty and the Beast. (E! Online)

Here are the top 10 box office films for this past weekend courtesy of Box Office Mojo:

1. American Sniper – 64 million
2. The Boy Next Door – 15 million
3. Paddington – 12.3 million
4. The Wedding Ringer – 11.6 million
5. Taken 3 – 7.6 million
6. The Imitation Game – 7.1 million
7. Strange Magic – 5.53 million
8. Selma – 5.5 million
9. Mortdecai – 4.1 million
10. Into the Woods – 3.8 million

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for yesterday and today:

TELEVISION

Actress Melissa Benoist (Glee and the box office films Whiplash and the upcoming The Longest Ride) has landed the lead role in the hour-long CBS drama pilot Supergirl that will be written by Arrow and The Flash writer-executive producer Greg Berlanti and writer Ail Adler. The pilot will center, of course, on Superman’s cousin Kara Zor-El, who escaped from Krypton amid the planet’s destruction years ago. Since arriving on Earth, she’s been hiding the powers she shares with her famous relative. But now at age 24, she decides to embrace her superhuman abilities and be the hero she was always meant to be. (Laura Prudom at Variety)

Actress Rutina Wesley (True Blood) will have a pivotal recurring role of Reba McClaine, a blind woman who catches the eye of Francis Dolarhyde aka The Tooth Fairy (actor Richard Armitage) on Hannibal, which will be back for its third season this summer. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actresses Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones) and Alexandra Shipp (House of Anubis and the made-for-TV movie Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B) and actor Tye Sheridan (the box office films Tree of Life and Mud) have joined the cast of the upcoming X-Men: Apocalypse film. Turner will play Jean Grey, Shipp will portray Storm and Sheridan will play Cyclops. Actor Oscar Isaac will play the villain of the film with Jennifer Lawrence, James McAvoy and Michael Fassebender returning. (Justin Kroll at Variety)

Q&A SECTION (with Matt Mitovich at TV Line and Natalie Abrams at Entertainment Weekly)

Question: Is there any chance for Captain Swan scoop from Once Upon a Time? – Sarah

Mitovich: Series co-creator Adam Horowitz tells me that when Season 4B arrives on March 1, “The tables are turned” for the Storybrooke lovebirds when “Hook, after having Emma return his heart, will now have to fight to protect Emma’s heart.”

Question: Do you have anything on The Flash? –Sandy

Mitovich: Episode 16 is a real family affair, introducing both Captain Cold’s sister (played by The Tomorrow People‘s Peyton List) and Cisco’s brother (Sleepy Hollow‘s Nicholas Gonzalez). Of the latter casting, showrunner Andrew Kreisberg says, “We’re definitely going to see Cisco in his home environment, which is fun. Some of it’s based on the comic book work that Geoff Johns and Sterling Gates and I did, and some of it’s our own invention.”

Bonus scoop: Episode 18 will unleash on Central City a bee-a-utiful tech wizard who rocks oversized shades and red lipstick and has devised a clever-slash-amoral-slash-wildly unstable scheme to weaponize bee-sized ‘bots.

Question: Have we seen the last of Michael’s shady brother on Jane the Virgin? — Katie H.

Mitovich: Hardly! Ryan Devlin returns as the suspicious brother in Episode 12, airing February 2. “We love Ryan,” executive producer Jennie Urman says. “So I’m sure he’ll pop up again.”

Question: Do you have scoop on either Defiance, Dominion, Once Upon a Time, TVD or Extant? –lilslim

Mitovich: I choose Defiance! For Season 3 of the Syfy drama, I can confirm that Linda Hamilton will be back as Pilar McCawley, and there will be the introduction of a new alien race.

Question: More Supernatural spoilers, please! — Dee

Mitovich: Previewing this Tuesday’s episode, EP Jeremy Carver says, “Charlie (recurring guest star Felicia Day) definitely comes back from Oz somewhat different — and that’s an understatement. Things happened. And typically, what happens in Oz, stays in Oz, but not this time. It’s all coming back. Suffice to say, we’re going to see a Charlie that has been substantially changed.”

Question: Do you have any Arrow scoop on Sin’s return? — Chris

Natalie: You can thank Brick’s plan to take over the Glades for her return. “We have to go back to the Glades to check things out and check on some people and survey the area,” Colton Haynes tells me. “I finally get to see Sin (recurring guest star Bex Taylor-Klaus) again and might recruit her to come help us along the way.” Speaking of returning faces, when Ra’s al Ghul pops back up in Starling City, the team may find an ally in Nyssa… until she finds out who really killed Sara. “Thea really has to watch her back,” Haynes says. “I feel bad because it’s not her fault. It’s Malcolm’s fault.”

Question: Can you make my day with some Sam Supernatural news? — Maria

Natalie: For those of you who are worried about Sam not getting his own story in the second half of the season, executive producer Jeremy Carver promises that’s not the case. That said, Sam’s story will revolve around saving Dean. “It’s going to be a Sam story, but it’s going to be focused around, ‘How do I save my brother?’ And it’s going to make Sam ask a lot of questions [about] himself that may actually have him questioning stances he’s taken in the last couple years,” Carver says. “Sam’s come a very far way in the last couple years in terms of this unwillingness to let others die while the brothers live. And what Dean is facing is going to have Sam facing that question anew. People should not despair that Sam doesn’t have a story. Sam has a story, and he has a want.”

Question: Can you pretty please tell me who takes over Dyad in Rachel’s absence on Orphan Black? I think it’s Delphine. — Trisha

Natalie: That would be correct! “Delphine’s job responsibilities have changed mainly because there is a position that has been vacated, because of the fall of Rachel,” executive producer John Fawcett tells me. “Someone has had to step into Rachel’s chair, which may interfere—in a large degree—in her relationship with Cosima.”

Question: Please tell me Rayna runs straight to Deacon after calling off her wedding on Nashville. — Susan

Natalie: Sadly, she doesn’t. But Luke does! Let’s just say the pretty boy is certain that Deacon was the cause of his break-up, and he’s not happy about it. As for Rayna, she needs some time to deal with her very unhappy daughters (and the very annoying press) before she can talk to Deacon. That being said, the two will come face-to-face by the end of the hour.

Question: I’m glad Hilarie Burton is returning to Forever for Henry, but what about a love interest for Jo? — Josh

Natalie: Oh, it’s coming. She just had to start processing the death of her husband in last week’s episode first. “Part of that episode helps her move on to be ready to date someone new,” executive producer Matt Miller tells me. “We bring in somebody new towards the end of the season for her that will be a love interest. He first gets introduced in episode 18. She meets this billionaire tycoon guy, and suddenly, Henry starts to get a little uncomfortable with that.”

Question: Quick 12 Monkeys question: Dr. Railly is dead in the future. Do you think Cole is driven to save her in particular? — Karl

Natalie: “Absolutely,” showrunner Natalie Chaidez says. “One of Cole’s goals is to protect Cassie and to save Cassie, who starts out as a stranger, becomes a friend, a comrade, and ultimately, by the end of season one, something much, much more. His drive to save this woman that he deeply cares about, maybe the only woman that he’s cared about so deeply, is really one of his main drives through season one.” Aww, he’s her lobster!

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a great weekend!!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for Tuesday and Wednesday:

TELEVISION

Gotham and Empire were both renewed for next season. (Variety)

NBC has given a greenlight to the hour-long dramedy Apocalypse that focuses on the last days of mankind. It is set against a backdrop of apocalyptic chaos, following an extended family whose lives start to intersect in the most unexpected ways after news breaks that a comet is on a collision course with Earth. It will star Rob Lowe, Jenna Fischer and Megan Mullally. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

The top 10 box office films for this past weekend, courtesy of Box Office Mojo, were:

1. American Sniper – 90.2 million
2. The Wedding Ringer – 21 million
3. Paddington – 19.2 million
4. Taken 3 – 14 million
5. Selma – 8.3 million
6. The Imitation Game – 7.1 million
7. Into the Woods – 6.5 million
8. The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies – 4.8 million
9. Unbroken – 4.2 million
10. Blackhat – 4 million

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

Question: Anything at all regarding Outlander! – Monica

Kristin: Look for some of Caitriona Balfe’s best work yet in a heartbreaking scene involving a baby. (And, no, her character Claire isn’t having one!) It goes down in the second episode after the show returns in….April. Shudder. That never gets easier to say!

Question: Got anything on Agent Carter? – Tom

Kristin: When Howard Stark (guest star Dominic Cooper) makes his big return next week, Agent Peggy Carter won’t be welcoming him home with a hug this time. In fact, his return comes right on the heels of her learning that Howard and Jarvis lied to her…and their lie has a little something to do with her long lost love, Captain America. Expect Peggy to shut Howard down during their knock-down, drag out argument in the best possible way–her scathing and honest words.

Question: Can we have some hints on how Claire’s storyline is going to develop? And her relationship with Cas (on Supernatural)? – amberspectre

Kristin: Expect to see things with Castiel and his vessel’s orphaned daughter Claire to get worse before they can get better on Supernatural. “Claire does not understand why Dean killed her surrogate father Randy,” executive producer Jeremy Carver says. “So Claire is very much a live wire still. How to deal with her and how to be a father to her is very much Castiel’s story right now. There is more to be seen with their story.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Zachary Levi (Chuck) will play a key role in this summer’s NBC event mini-series Heroes Reborn, based on the NBC series of the same name that will take a new look at the show that was once a big hit for the network. (The Futon Critic)

The new drama The Royals on E! has been given a second season order before the first season has even debuted. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

The BBC has decided not to give their mini-series In the Flesh a third season order. (Matthew Jackson at Blastr)

Q&A SECTION (Matt Mitovich at TV Line and Natalie Abrams at Entertainment Weekly)

Question: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. fans needs some SkyeWard hope after a certain shot(s) heard round the world in the winter finale. Got anything on their future? –Brooke

Mitovich: It would seem that any last shred of affection ‘tween the two took its hits as well. As Brett Dalton tells me, “Ward had a hell of a time in the cage by himself for six months, he had some suicidal tendencies, and once he comes to the end of wrestling with all of his demons, he makes a promise – to reunite Skye with her dad. And that went on for 10 episodes. But her shooting me three times kind of answers the question of, ‘Are you into this? Is this gonna work?’ It was a big statement for her to make. Things can never be the same.” That said, Dalton hinted at a “new chapter” ahead for his character.

Question: Ratings be damned, I’m loving Revenge more than ever. Have anything for the faithful fans? –Deb

Mitovich: “There’s something hugely big for Nolan that we’re literally on the precipice of,” Gabriel Mann reveals. “I think it changes the course of Season 4 for him.” Mann hints that it might have something to do with a certain new houseguest, as his character is “going to delve into Louise’s world and see all the baggage she brings with her.” As for Nolan’s love life (or lack thereof) this season, Mann hints at a major turn of the tide: “This season, I thought Nolan needed to take a little bit of a break … but [his love life] is not going to be dry for a whole lot longer.”

Question: Is there anything Castle-related you have to share? –Mandy

Mitovich: I know we kinda swore off teasing the upcoming two-parter any further — especially now that this spoilery cat is out of the bag, sigh — but I could not abstain from relaying what Tamala Jones had to say about the February sweeps event. “You’ve never seen a Castle episode like these. It’s completely outrageous,” she effused. “You’re going to cry, you’re going to think someone died…. Your mind and your heart are going to be one.” Jones went on to say that Part 1 ends with a cliffhanger that will leave you “pissed that Part 2 isn’t coming on the next day,” while the actual conclusion is “emotionally driven” with regards to, among others, Lanie’s best friend, Kate. “There’s some serious, serious ish going on!”

Question: I saw on Twitter that TV Line visited the Jane the Virgin set. What scoop did you get? –Meaghan

Mitovich: File this under muy curious: The freshman hit’s beloved narrator “is definitely connected to the narrative, and at a certain point in the show, I would plan to reveal who it is, but not now,” executive producer Jennie Urman shared. As for one fan theory floating around the interwebs about his identity — he’s Sin Rostro! — “Who knows? I like it,” the EP replied with a laugh. “It’s a funny theory.”

Question: Do you have any Scandal or How to Get Away With Murder scoop for us? –Colleen

Mitovich: Scandal‘s Jon Tenney told me that POTUS won’t take kindly to his veep’s “ballsy” move against Olivia (“You don’t mess with Fitz’s lady!”), while Andrew cheating on Mellie with LizzieBear will be dealt with as well (“There’s a lot to be explored there, which I think people will enjoy”). As for Murder, Alfred Enoch says that Wes and Annalise will be “bound ever closer by the secret that they share,” adding: “The writers find new and genius ways to put a lot of strange things in our relationship.”

Question: What’s going on with Haven? Is the fifth season the last season? –David

Mitovich: Syfy president Dave Howe told me this morning that the second half of Season 5 will premiere during Q3 (this means roughly early fall). As for anything beyond that, “It depends on how it does.” (Ain’t that always the case?)

Question: Can you get some info on The Flash? Will Iris reciprocate the feelings Barry has for her? Will we see them get together this season (hopefully)? –Brenda

Mitovich: Noting that Barry’s midseason finale confession “really changed the world, and there’s no going back,” EP Andrew Kreisberg says the next few episodes back will be “dealing with the repercussions.” And Barry might just “deal” by moving on. “As he gets a new love interest in Linda Park (played by Malese Jow), Iris’ reaction to that is going to be interesting,” Kreisberg previews. “Certainly, there is no shortage of amazing women in Barry Allen’s life, including Caitlin and Felicity. Which girl actually gets to land him will be one of the surprises of the back half of the season.”

Question: I read that there is going to be some interaction between Arrow‘s Felicity and Thea. Any idea how that will come about? –Emmy

Mitovich: You read that here in my column, in fact. But EP Marc Guggenheim tells TV Line that those scenes have since been “pushed off a bit” and will air later in the season. Still on the immediate horizon, however, is “Felicity having scenes with Laurel that are really terrific,” he shares. “As Felicity said in Episode 3 of this year, she didn’t even think they were friends, so it’s kind of fun to watch these two women who are so different from each other interact. Felicity’s got some words of wisdom to impart to Laurel, and has a perspective that is somewhat unique.”

Question: Is Manu Bennett returning to Arrow in flashbacks, or for real? –D.L.

Mitovich: “Slade is definitely [resurfacing] in the present day,” showrunner Andrew Kreisberg affirms. And his disposition remains unchanged. “Not that he’s ever happy, but he’s particularly unhappy,” says the EP. “When he comes back, he’s out for blood.” Bonus scoop: Speaking of baddies, Vinnie Jones (who on Wednesday begins an arc as Danny “Brick” Brickwell) teased for me a fight scene in which a stunt woman jumped out a high window and grabbed a rope dangling from a helicopter above. Hmm, which character could that be?

Question: Do you have scoop on the upcoming CBS series Supergirl? –lilslim

Mitovich: Only that casting for, among other roles, the lead remains ongoing. “There’s only one person [right for the role], that’s the thing. So you’re looking for that person,” EP Greg Berlanti explains. Is he leaning toward a familiar face or fresh one? “We have no preference,” he asserted.

Question: Please, please tell me that Hersh will return to Person of Interest! –Nick

Mitovich: Hersh? His fate seemed pretty sealed in the Season 3 finale. That said, showrunner Jonah Nolan told me that over the winter/spring run, “We’re going to meet some new friends, and we’re going to revisit some old ones.”

Question: Can you give me anything on The Messengers!? Love the premise and the cast, but I’m quite let down that The CW gave them the Friday night death slot. – Marko

Mitovich: I would venture to say The CW knows precisely what it is doing with that one. Sorry.

Question: Can you say whether Rachel is dead or alive on Orphan Black? — Bellamy

Natalie: “She’s alive,” executive producer John Fawcett says, noting that Rachel will struggle with her new imperfections after being shot in the eye with a pencil during the finale. “How do you take someone like that and then f— them up? How do they respond to that? This is someone who has a ton of power, really, and thrives on [being above the other clones]. Now to be less than perfect and to have her authority and power stripped from her, that’s an interesting journey that character could be on this year.” Who will step up at DYAD in her place? You will be surprised by that answer.

Question: Will Team Arrow actually tell Laurel that Thea killed Sara? — Brian

Natalie: That’s the big question once Laurel joins the team. “Laurel will find out who killed her sister,” Katie Cassidy tells me. “The audience will be surprised by her reaction. I feel like I wouldn’t be surprised if Laurel lost it on Thea, but people will be surprised and excited.” As for the big “Canaries” episode coming up, Cassidy says, “There’s going to be some crazy badass scenes of the Canaries fighting.” Make of that what you will.

Question: Now that Peggy found Howard Stark’s inventions, where does Agent Carter go now? — Veronica

Natalie: Peggy will still be attempting to clear Stark’s name, but Leviathan will take a more prominent role in the coming episodes. “Why did they steal Howard Stark’s stuff? And what’s Howard Stark’s secret agenda?” executive producer Michele Fazekas says. You may find a clue to that in the comics.

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a great, holiday weekend!!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for most of this week:

TELEVISION

Actor Eric McCormack and actress Debra Messing will reunite together (they starred on Will & Grace together back in the day) when McCormack makes a guest appearance on Messing’s new drama The Mysteries of Laura, playing her ex-fiancé who also happens to be a murder suspect. (Lauren Piester at E! Online)

The Fosters has been picked up for season three by ABC Family. (The Futon Critic)

Actor Richard Armitage (The Hobbit franchise) will join Hannibal for the show’s third season, playing Francis Dolarhyde (The Tooth Fairy), a serial killer. (Michael Slezak at TV Line)

Veteran actor John Rhys-Davies (The Lord of the Rings franchise) has joined the cast of the upcoming MTV fantasy drama Shannara, based on the popular book series by Terry Brooks. The series follows the Shannara family that is set thousands of years after civilization’s destruction. He will play King Eventine, the grandfather of the lead character. The cast already includes Poppy Drayton (When Calls the Heart, the Hallmark Channel movie), Austin Butler (The Carrie Diaries) and Manu Bennett (Arrow). (Samantha Highfill at Entertainment Weekly)

Actor David Strathairn (Alphas) and actress Janel Moloney (The West Wing) will appear in the episode of The Blacklist that is set to air after the Super Bowl. Strathairn will play the recurring role of The Director, the high-powered and secretive leader of the US National Clandestine Service while Moloney will play Kat Goodson, the elegant, self-confident and cold liaison to the Director of NCS. (Natalie Abrams at Entertainment Weekly)

Actress Lucy Lawless (Xena) and Stuart Townsend (Betrayal and XIII) have joined the cast of the WGN thriller Salem for the show’s second season. Lawless will plays Countess Marburg, one of the last remaining survivors of the legendary line of ancient German witches while Townsend will have the recurring role of English aristocrat Samuel Wainwright, a doctor looking to uncover the secrets of Salem and keep his own from those who would seek to discover them. (The Futon Critic)

Actress Kristen Connolly (House of Cards) and actor Billy Burke (Revolution) will star alongside James Wolk (The Crazy Ones) in the CBS summer drama series Zoo that is based on the James Patterson book. The upcoming series is a global thriller about a wave of violent animal attacks against humans across the planet. As the assaults become more cunning, coordinated and ferocious, a young renegade biologist, Jackson Oz (Wolk), is thrust into the race to unlock the pandemic’s mystery before there’s no place left for people to hide. Connolly will play Jamie, a passionate young journalist intent on uncovering the story behind the mysterious animal behavior she’s been tracking. Burke will play Mitch, a straight-shooting large animal veterinarian who prefers the simple company of animals to navigating the complexities of humans. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Allison Scagliotti (Warehouse 13) has joined the cast of the upcoming ABC Family crime drama Stitchers where she will play a computer-science grad student recruited into a secret government agency. (TV Line)

TV TRAILER

Q&A SECTION (with Kristin Dos Santos at E! Online and Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Question: Super worried about Alison now that she’s in jail. Please tell me my Pretty Little Liars favorite will be okay! – Lauren

Kristin: Sorry, but we mustn’t tell lies. “I heard people are afraid we’re going to kill Alison. And nobody’s safe in our world,” Marlene King spills. “Nobody and that’s just the cost of living in Rosewood. Nobody is safe.”

Question: Please, Outlander scoop! – Kelly

Kristin: The first episode back starts off from Jamie’s (Sam Heughan) point of view, and we will be hearing a bit more of his perspective on things as the series goes on. It’s not just all about Claire. But this is: There’s also a lengthy upcoming sex scene that pretty much rivals the wedding night!

ME: Swoon! Picking my tongue off the floor and I haven’t even seen the scene yet. I’m going to be a mess when I do.

Question: I cannot wait to see my favorite fictional brothers Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell reunited on The Flash, so I’ll take any scoop you are willing to share! – Becky

Kristin: We’ve got good news as the Scofield brothers will be stirring up trouble as Captain Cold (Miller) and Heatwave (Purcell) on the CW series for more than one episode. “Everyone’s very happy with what we’re doing. We’re excited and the fact that Wentworth and I are in the show,” Dominic Purcell tells us. “I know that we will be in the finale. Maybe a few more before that. The possibility for us to keep coming back and forth is high.”

Question: Any info on Castle‘s mid-season two-parter, or any other episodes? —Sandra

Ausiello: So much has already been spilled about the February sweeps event, you instead get this: Matt Mitovich chatted up Stana Katic at HBO’s Golden Globes party, and she teased that Rick and Kate are “going to Mars,” as they (separately?) work a case involving “Mars, spacesuits and space travel.” The episode’s ominous title? “The Wrong Stuff.”

Question: I love Scorpion, and I’d love to hear any scoop you have about this show. —Sara

Ausiello: An origin episode is coming! “We’ve talked about doing an episode that takes place entirely in the past, where we’d get to see when Walter met all these guys for the first time and put together the team,” reveals EP Nick Santora. “Backstory is important to us, and we love that fans of the show care about it.”

Question: I’ll settle for any Flash scoop you have. —Mason

Ausiello: Any Flash scoop is yours for the taking. “There’s an unexpected, accidental time travel coming up,” executive producer Andrew Kreisberg previews. “And it is played both for hilarity and darkness. It happens in an episode we’re really excited it — the first Weather Wizard episode with Liam McIntyre” (AKA Episode 15).

Question: Can you give this Original Team Arrow fan anything to look forward to? It really feels as though Diggle and Felicity are getting lost among this push for the “suits.” H.I.V.E.? Andy Diggle? Felicity’s father? Anything? —Trish

Ausiello: On the topic of Felicity’s dad (versus her returning mom), exec producer Marc Guggenheim tells TV Line that unraveling that mystery is something the show will do “probably further down the line,” rather than this season. “That said, if everything goes according to plan, we will learn a little bit more about dad” before Season 3 wraps. “But we haven’t gotten to the episode yet or written the actual scene, so no specific promises.” As for Dig, David Ramsey confirms, “You’ll see me back in the Arrow suit” after Oliver turns up missing. That same bleak twist also will raise the question, “‘Why does the team stay together?’ If we stay together. This crusade that began with Oliver has become our crusade, but why? What does Oliver mean to me? Why do I love this guy? Some of those questions will be answered during this emotional examination.”

Question: Any Revenge scoop? — Neil

Ausiello: Brace yourself, Neil… As Revenge showrunner Sunil Nayar revealed to TV Line last month, Ben’s ex-wife will soon be making an appearance in the Hamptons — and now, I’ve got more scoop: Her name is April, and she’s currently working as a waitress at a diner. Described as “pretty-but-scrappy,” she’s become quite independent since splitting from her ex. But the question remains: How will she re-enter Ben’s life?

Question: Bridget Regan’s “No. 1 fan” here, hoping you can tell something about her Agent Carter role! —Bill

Ausiello: The White Collar/Jane the Virgin actress debuts this Tuesday as Dottie Underwood, “another one of these kind of softly spoken women who comes along and starts to have a relationship with Peggy,” says Hayley Atwell. “But the thing with Peggy is that she can’t really get close to a lot of the people that are living and working outside of her secret life, so we see her struggling to really want to form intimacy with these women…. You see that she’s kind of missing out on being girly.”

Question: Ugh! I just binge-watched the first two seasons of Orphan Black and was reeling when I found out I would have to wait until April to see more of my favorite clones. Anything you can tell us about Cosima’s fate? Or what will become of Helena? Or scoop on the freaky-looking dude clone doing pull-ups? —Reva

Ausiello: Sarah and that freaky-looking dude AKA Rudy/Scarface are going to have an antagonistic relationship, especially given that he has the 411 on Project Leda while Sarah’s only just learned about Castor. “He knows who he’s talking to,” portrayer Ari Millen says of their confrontation. “He knows her story. And he knows why she’s there. He’s not giving her anything. He’s just going to play the game. He’s just going to have a good time.”

Question: Have you got any exciting spoilers from Grimm? I’ll take anything! —Larsen

Ausiello: Remember how Hank sorta easily accepted the fact that Wesen exist? Don’t expect the same reaction from Wu, portrayer Reggie Lee says, even once the sergeant has fully absorbed the idea. “How he deals with it now, and how [the gang] deal with him, is going to flesh out the next several episodes,” Lee tells TV Line, adding, “It’s so unlike anybody else that has gone through this situation on the show.”

Question: I want to know more about Sadie and Avery working together on Nashville. Please tell me this isn’t going to be a problem for him and Juliette. —Christine

Ausiello: I’ll let Laura Benanti field that one, Christine. “They have a good energy together,” she tells TV Line, but “it’s not romantic. I go on Twitter, and people are like, ‘Leave him alone!’ Everybody, calm down. Men and women can be in a room and no one’s genitals have to touch. It happens in real life.” Their “purely business” arrangement (you’ll remember that Avery is helping produce the new Highway 65 artist’s upcoming album) will result in “a very rootsy vibe that is different from what Rayna and Juliette have going on,” she adds. “It’s a little more Americana, which I appreciate.”

Question: Is Syfy’s 12 Monkeys worth watching? —Janet

Ausiello: Yep. If you’ve seen the 1995 movie, the new series is different enough that it’ll hold your interest. And if you haven’t, the show’s twisty take on time travel — as well as the chemistry between Suits‘ Amanda Schull, who plays a virologist, and Nikita‘s Aaron Stanford, as a man trying to avert a global plague — will quickly pull you in.

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the few news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Steven R. McQueen will no longer be a series regular on The Vampire Diaries, as his character, Jeremy Gilbert, is going off to art school. (Matt Richenthal at TV Fanatic)

CBS has given season renewals to NCIS: New Orleans, Madam Secretary and Scorpion. (The Futon Critic)

Actor Kyle MacLachlan will reprise his role of Agent Dale Cooper from Twin Peaks in the limited series run of the classic series that will air on Showtime sometime in 2016, just in time to mark the 25th anniversary of the show’s original run on ABC. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

TV TRAILERS

iZombie and The Messengers Trailers

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Syfy is developing a new one-hour drama series called 51st State that will be about a futuristic prison society. The United States, confronting a prison population stretched to the limit, purchases Greenland and converts it into a frontier prison colony with male and female convicts incarcerated together. Promised conditional freedom, the inmates are driven to the edge of their humanity when that promise, along with others, is broken. Struggling to seize control and exact revenge, reluctant heroes emerge. (The Futon Critic)

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE TRAILER

The Dovekeepers

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Here are the top 10 box office movies for this past weekend courtesy of Box Office Mojo:

1. Taken 3 – 39.2 million
2. Selma – 11.3 million
3. Into the Woods – 9.6 million
4. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies – 9.4 million
5. Unbroken – 8.2 million
6. The Imitation Game – 7.2 million
7. Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb – 6.7 million
8. Annie – 4.8 million
9. The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death – 4.6 million
10. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 – 3.8 million

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actors Patrick Wilson and Ted Danson and actress Jean Smart will be joining the cast of Fargo for the FX drama’s second season. Wilson will play Lou Solverson, a clean-cut Minnesota State Patrolman, four years back from Vietnam, where he served in the Navy while Danson will play Hank Larsson, Lou’s father-in-law and the Sheriff of Rock County, Minnesota. Smart will play Floyd Gerhardt, the matriarch of the Gerhardt crime family. (Elizabeth Wagmeister at Variety)

Actress Emanuelle Chriqui (Entourage) will join the cast of the TNT drama Murder in the First as a series regular, playing Lara Cruz, a brash and badass member of the SFPD Gang Task Force. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

TV TRAILERS

Unreal

Outlander

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Ansel Elgort (The Fault in Our Stars and Divergent) will join Chloe Grace Moretz (If I Stay) in the teen thriller movie November Criminals that follows two teenagers who venture into the seedy underbelly of Washington D.C. to investigate a friend’s murder while falling in love for the first time. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

Q&A SECTION (with Natalie Abrams at Entertainment Weekly)

Question: Why is Jarvis so loyal to Stark on Agent Carter? —Jason

Natalie: You will soon find out! “Howard did something for him that had an enormous [impact] in both his life and his wife’s life,” James D’Arcy tells me. “As a result of that, I think Jarvis feels extremely loyal towards somebody of, let’s face it, questionable morality.” Any guesses?

Question: Anything on Gotham‘s newest addition, Dr. Leslie Thompkins? — Matt

Natalie: I wouldn’t expect her to stay at Arkham forever. When talking about Leslie teaming up with Jim to help Gotham, Morena Baccarin told my colleague Samantha Highfill that Dr. Thompkins will be putting another skill set to use soon. “I do end up taking a job elsewhere,” she said. “I won’t tell you where, but it is a little bit different from just being a physician.”

Question: How will Beckett feel about Castle becoming a private detective when Castle returns? — Charlene

Natalie: It’ll be quite a shock for Beckett to learn the truth that Castle is a P.I., but it won’t be long before the two are working together again. One could even say it adds a new spark to their relationship having to work in secret. However, Gates won’t be as lenient with the rules, forcing Castle to take unconventional methods to get the job done—methods that end in injury.

Question: Anything on Forever? — Etienne

Natalie: Though Henry fears death, he’ll find himself in a compromising position in an upcoming episode. “We will see him take his own life at some point to get out of a bind,” executive producer Matt Miller says, teasing that it will be a real struggle for him.

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a great weekend!!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for the past couple of days:

TELEVISION

Revenge has promoted Elena Satine, Karine Vanasse, Brian Hallisay and James Tupper all to series regulars for its current season four. (Teresa Jue at Entertainment Weekly)

The USA Network has canceled Covert Affairs after five seasons. (Vlada Gelman at TV Line and Deadline)

Actor Liam McIntyre (Spartacus) will be seen as villain Weather Wizard on The Flash. (Punkd Images and Dark Horizons)

Actors Joe Anderson (The River and soon to be on Hannibal) and David Morse (Treme) will appear in the WGN America drama Outsiders that centers on the Farrell clan, a family of outsiders who have been in the hills of Appalachia since before anyone can remember. Living off the grid and above the law on their mountaintop homestead, they’ll protect their world and defend their way of life using any means necessary. Anderson will play Asa, a man who bridges the mountain and the “outside” world while Morse will play Big Foster, a weathered man with a brutal and grandiose primitive power who is hot-blooded and reactive, which makes him all the more dangerous. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actress Jane Seymour (Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman) will have a recurring role on Jane the Virgin, playing Amanda, the leader of a romance writer’s group Jane Villanueva (series lead Gina Rodriguez) joins. (Bill Keveney at USA Today)

Young actor Max Charles (The Amazing Spider-Man and the made-for-TV movie Northpole) will take over for young actor Ben Hyland in the FX thriller The Strain, playing Zach Goodweather, the son of Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (series lead Corey Stroll). (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Jonathan Tucker (Kingdom) will appear in the final season of Justified that will start on FX on January 20. He will appear in the final five episodes of the series, but details are slim on who he will play. (Teresa Jue at Entertainment Weekly)

Actor Edward James Olmos (Battlestar Galactica) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. He will play Robert Gonzales, whose debut will have massive repercussions for Director Coulson (series lead Clark Gregg) and his team. (Natalie Abrams at Entertainment Weekly)

ONLINE SERIES NEWS

Netflix has renewed Marco Polo for a second season. (TCA Announcement)

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE NEWS

Actor Matt Bomer (White Collar and the HBO telefilm The Normal Heart) will be back on HBO for the biopic Monty Clift that will focus on the complicated life of legendary actor Montgomery Clift (Bomer), who finds himself deeply involved with a young Elizabeth Taylor following the filming of A Place in the Sun. (The Hollywood Reporter and Yahoo)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Here are the top 10 box office movies for this past weekend courtesy of Box Office Mojo:

1. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies – 21.9 million
2. Into the Woods – 19 million
3. Unbroken – 18.4 million
4. The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death – 15.1 million
5. Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb – 14.5 million
6. Annie – 11.4 million
7. The Imitation Game – 8.1 million
8. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 – 7.7 million
9. The Gambler – 6.3 million
10. Big Hero 6 – 4.8 million

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

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

Question: Outlander scoop! Saw on Twitter you got the first episodes back. – Manny H.

Kristin: LOVED THEM. HARD. All you need to know: The first episode back is gut-wrenching, uncomfortable/offensive and then basically straight-up porn. The second episode back is slower-paced and odd, but an amazing set up for the third episode back, which is STRAIGHT UP BANANAS. I didn’t breathe from about half-way through the episode to the end of it. Major game-changers galore and something that fans who didn’t read the books wouldn’t think would happen so soon.

Question: So glad Revenge is back from its break! Got any scoop on the craziness ahead? – Gabby

Kristin: Loving Louise? Good, because the show has just promoted Elena Satine to a series regular! And yes, you can expect to see her somewhat separated storyline intertwine with some of the Hampton’s other main players, namely Emily, very soon. “Right now, they seem to be on two separate tracks, but our goal is to get them altogether, so Emily will eventually cross into Louise’s world,” showrunner Sunil Nayar teases. And he describes the duo’s dynamic as “fun” and says to expect a bit of a return of “the parties and the snark” after the darkness that was Daniel’s death.

Question: I need Gotham scoop. – Matt

Kristin: You’re in luck! We hear that the Fox comic book drama is currently casting the role of Reginald “Reggie” Payne, a late 40s-early 50s Brit who is rough around the edges. Reggie is Alfred’s army buddy from the war, and while he was once a fit, handsome man, he’s unfortunately let himself go, and time hasn’t been kind on him at all. A scruffy beard, bloodshot eyes and raggedy clothes hide who he once was. Other new faces heading to Gotham? Dr. Dulmacher, aka The Dollmaker, a handsome, creepy, mad doctor; Gus Floyd, a young misfit who takes leadership of the bank robbers known as the Red Hood Gang who gains energy and confidence while robbing a bank; and Clyde Destro, a portly, serious man in his late 30s to mid-50s who is a member of the Red Hood Gang.

Question: Anything on Nashville?! – Tara

Kristin: If you hated Luke as much as we did, prepare to feel extremely validated in your hatred since he takes his canceled nuptials as well as a temper-tantrum-throwing toddler. Seriously, Rayna dodged quite the bullet by not marrying this immature brat! Also, the ABC southern soap is currently casting the role of late 20s-early 30s Kevin Shay, who is an openly gay singer-songwriter and is one of the most successful in Nashville, having written for some of the biggest country artists in the industry. Described as handsome, tough, and a man’s man, it sure sounds like Kevin might be paving the way for Will to finally come out!

Question: Are Once Upon a Time‘s Rumpelstiltskin and Belle ever going to be together again? –Ann

Mitovich: Or, does the pursuit of power come with a price? When I invited the series creators to take us inside Rumple’s mad-for-magic mindset, Eddy Kitsis explained, “Rumple let us know in Season 1 that he’s a difficult man to love. And he’s let us know that he always chooses power over love that is his fault. But he began the season with honorable intentions — he really was going to give Belle the knife – but when he saw the [Sorcerer’s] hat, that made him realize, ‘I did the noble thing and it ended up with my son dying and me being a slave. So if I can never have to wake up and worry about someone getting my dagger, why can’t I have everything?’ And as he learned, you can’t.” But to more directly answer your Q, Adam Horowitz offers this: “Rumple and Belle] have been through a lot together, and despite how it may have felt in the midseason finale, their story is not over.”

Question: Any spoilers about the upcoming episode of Castle? –Fred

Mitovich: Monday’s episode — the first in which NYPD outcast Rick hangs up his shingle as a P.I. — is a tremendous amount of fun, though in a way that can’t exactly be replicated on a weekly basis (for however long Rick winds up going solo). The “competition” between Beckett’s team at the 12th and Rick plays out in a highly entertaining way, as each entity tries to out-scoop the other — or, at one point, tries to coax intel over copious amounts of red wine. (Along those same lines, the good-natured rivalry also feeds into one of the first “Wait, what did they do?!” bed scenes in a while.) Will Rick save the day in a way that gets him back in Gates’ good graces? How does Perlmutter react to Rick rummaging in his office? And who at the 12th does the best Rick Castle impersonation? You’ll get those answers and more.

Question: I love Bellamy/Clarke together on The 100 — is there any chance these two will finally get romantic? There is so much sexual tension there! –Katrina

Mitovich: Finn was always intended to be Clarke’s primary love interest, but now that he’s out of the picture — sorry, it’s time we all accept it — there could be a chance for Bellamy to swoop in. “Never rule that out,” executive producer Jason Rothenberg says of a Clarke-Bellamy pairing.

Question: Please tell me The Librarians is going somewhere with Jake and Cassandra’s adorable chemistry! –Ashley

Mitovich: It may come down to the wire, seeing as the TNT drama has only two freshman episodes remaining. “Stone and Cassandra have a very complicated relationship,” exec producer John Rodgers tells the Inside Line. “They are going to get closer, but how close before the end of the world (and season) is a good question.”

Question: Got any scoop you can share about Abby’s boyfriend on NCIS? How long might this relationship last? –Robert

Mitovich: Showrunner Gary Glasberg told me that with the Sergei Michnev story heating back up as well as other fish to fry, “We step away from [Abby’s romance with Burt] for a little while” — though not for forever. “Everybody really likes having [Johann Urb] around, so I’m sure you’ll see him again,” Glasberg shares, adding: “It’s been nice to have everybody kind of in pleasant relationships!”

Question: Will Suits’ Katrina come back, or is Amanda Schull too busy with 12 Monkeysnow? –Christine

Mitovich: At the very least, Schull found time to pop up in the Season 4 premiere, which finds Louis before her on bended knee, popping a question.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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