Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Bones has been renewed for a 10th season by FOX. A new episode of Bones will air tomorrow night (January 31) and then the show will return to its Monday night at 8 PM timeslot starting on March 10. (Bones Twitter Feed)

Actor Goran Visnjic (ER) will star opposite Halle Berry in the upcoming CBS summer drama Extant, which is a mystery thriller centered on Molly (Berry), an astronaut trying to reconnect with her family when she returns after a year in outer space. Her experiences lead to events that ultimately will change the course of human history. Visnjic will play Molly’s husband John Watts. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Cinemax has renewed the drama Banshee for a third season. The next new episode of the show will air tomorrow night (January 31). (TV By the Numbers)

MTV has picked up the hour-long pilot called Finding Carter to series with a 12-episode order. The series is about teenager Carter (Kathryn Prescott) who seemingly has the perfect life with fun-loving single mom Lori (Milena Govich), until she discovers Lori abducted her as a toddler. Now Carter must return to the family who thought they had lost her. As she navigates brand new parents (Cynthia Watros and Alexis Denisof), a twin sister (Anna Jacoby-Heron), high school and boys, she vows to find Lori before the only mom she’s ever known is gone forever. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Dianne Wiest will guest star in an upcoming episode of The Blacklist, playing the kind, sympathetic head of Amnesty United, an organization that fights against the death penalty. The Blacklist will be back on February 24 (after the Olympics come to a close). (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actress Tea Leoni has joined the cast of the TNT drama pilot called Madam Secretary that will explore the personal and professional life of a maverick female Secretary of State (Leoni) as she drives international diplomacy, wrangles office politics and balances a complex family life. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Jennifer Carpenter (Dexter) has joined the ABC drama pilot Sea Of Fire that focus on what happens when three teenage girls star in a pornographic film. It tears their families apart and leads to a disappearance, a murder and host of other secrets boiling under the surface in a small town. Carpenter will play Leah Pierce, a driven FBI agent brought in to investigate the disappearance. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

ONLINE SERIES NEWS

Amazon Studios is looking at possibly developing a new drama called Hysteria from former actor-turned series creator Shaun Cassidy (the man behind the short-lived series Invasion). Hysteria will center on a doctor who travels to her hometown of Houston to investigate an epidemic among high school girls that may be spreading through technology. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Lori Petty (Tank Girl and A League of Their Own) will guest star in the online series Orange Is the New Black, but there are no details on what character she will portray. (Kimberly Roots at TV Line)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor John Noble and actress Lyndie Greenwood have been made series regulars on the hit new FOX drama Sleepy Hollow, which will be back for its second season this fall. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Stephen Root (True Blood and Justified) will have a recurring role on the upcoming AMC period piece drama Turn that will be set in the summer of 1778, centering on farmer Abe Woodhull (Jamie Bell) who bands together with a group of childhood friends to form The Culper Ring, an unlikely group of spies who turn the tide in America’s fight for independence. Root will play the eccentric and secretive Nathaniel Sackett, a civilian member of the Committee to Detect and Defeat Conspiracies, an 18th century proto-CIA. (The Deadline Team)

Actor Jeremy Davidson (Army Wives) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Elementary, playing Gordon Cushing, a man long suspected of murdering his wife; but when he receives a ransom note claiming she’s still alive, Sherlock (series lead Jonny Lee Miller) and Joan (series lead Lucy Liu) must figure out if the apparent kidnapping is real or merely an attempt by Cushing to clear his owned name. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Actors Jeremy Davies (Lost and Justified) and Chris Diamantopoulos (The Three Stooges) will both appear in the upcoming new season of Hannibal. Davies will appear in two episodes as Peter Bernardone, an animal rescue worker who becomes a suspect when a bizarre murder is discovered at a stable where he once worked. While Diamantopoulos will play Clark Ingram, Peter’s longtime social worker who has perhaps been too influential in his client’s life. Hannibal will air its season premiere on February 28 on NBC. (Adam Bryant at TV Guide)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actor Jeff Hephner (The O.C., Boss, Hellcats and King & Maxwell) has joined the cast of the TNT action-drama pilot called Agent X that will star Sharon Stone as America’s first female Vice President, Natalie Maccabee. He will play John Case a.k.a. Agent X, a 39-year-old secret agent who’s called into action by the newly arrived VP when the daughter of the FBI Director is kidnapped. (The Deadline Team)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Emma Roberts (American Horror Story: Coven) will replace actress Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit) in the upcoming action thriller flick For The Dogs that will star Sam Worthington. The film is about a solitary assassin (Worthington) who agrees to help a young woman (Roberts) exact revenge on those who mercilessly murdered her parents and younger brother. His guidance unleashes events that ultimately stoke her thirst for vengeance while he desperately seeks peace and absolution. (Mike Fleming, Jr. at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Official Trailer for Upcoming Film The Fault In Our Stars

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

Question: Orphan Black is coming back! Any scoop? — Jennie

Natalie: Worried about Cosima? You should be, and not just about her health. “That Cosima-and-Delphine relationship is as complex as ever,” executive producer Graeme Manson tells me. “It stays romantic and stays scientific, but there’s a lot of gamesmanship going on.” Look for Cosima to get closer to the Dyad Institute in her quest to stay alive.

Question: Is Castle doing another two-parter this February? — Gina

Natalie: “We’re going to forgo tradition,” executive producer Andrew W. Marlowe says, noting that Season 6 defied convention by opening with a two-episode case. But never fear: The Castle team still has big plans for the sweeps month. First up, an episode that involves the murder of a high school student. “It appears our victim was killed telekinetically,” Marlowe says. “It takes us in that Carrie kind of world.” Then, look for a big episode that once again digs into the Beckett mythology. Could her mother’s history be involved?

Question: Do you have any scoop on Bill Paxton’s character on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.? — Simon

Natalie: John Garrett is a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who, like Coulson, was trained by Nick Fury. But he also has history with Ward, whom he actually trained before Ward joined Coulson’s team. “Coulson makes decisions based on instincts and intuition,” Brett Dalton says. “Ward is more about risk assessment and tactical skills. That’s all that he’s known until joining Coulson’s team. [Garrett is] the guy who trained Ward, so he’s a reflection of him in a lot of ways.”

Question: I can’t wait for Sleepy Hollow to return! Please give me some scoop to tide me over! — Katherine

Natalie: Now that Abbie realizes why she forgot War’s resurrection, she’ll become closer with Jenny, which is good because she’s going to need a friend. “Once you access a memory that’s painful, it opens the gates to others,” executive producer Roberto Orci tells me. “Both of them may have experienced things together that they don’t remember that may come back. This is the gateway to what else happened before we met all these people.”

Question: I’m waiting for Season 5 of Justified to kick into high gear — it does kick into high gear soon, yes? —Bruce

Ausiello: This week’s episode certainly takes things up a notch. Not only do we get our first big Boyd-Raylan scene, but a recurring character bites the dust and Buffy vet-turned-Emmy-winning scribe Danny Strong pops up as a lecherous prison guard who takes an interest in Ava.

Question: Nashville scoop, please! —Karen

Ausiello: The Season 2 finale will be considerably more subtle than Season 1′s much-maligned, over-the-top, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink cliffhanger. ”I would imagine we would not go out with a car wreck or anything like that,” series creator Callie Khouri assures me. ”We’re not going to have an explosion. Nothing like that. Whatever fireworks we go out on this season will be all emotional.”

Question: I miss Nashville‘s Juliette and Rayna being in a story together. Any chance they will be again? –Larry

Ausiello: In a word (or two): “Ohhhh, yeah,” Khouri promises. Without detailing what the show has on tap, she adds, “They have such great chemistry together that their roads will always converge somewhere.” Meanwhile, EP Dee Johnson notes that the singers enjoy “a very strange relationship, because Juliette totally admires Rayna — though she would never say that to her face — and Rayna has been down the road that Juliette is on currently. So they will always be crossing paths.”

Question: What is the Wicked Witch’s problem with Regina on Once Upon a Time? Is it a personal vengeance or something else? —Ana

Ausiello: The fourth episode back, “It’s Not Easy Being Green,” will shed light on the origin of Rebecca Mader’s character — possibly including her beef with the Evil Queen. “She’s got a whole back-story and mythology,” says series co creator Adam Horowitz. “We used the original [L. Frank Baum] book as a jumping-off point, and then spun her in a hopefully unique, Once Upon a Time way.” But rest assured that when Wicked meets and/or reunites with Evil, “There are sparks that fly,” Horowitz warns.

Question: I’m in dire need of some Reign scoop! With Mary’s new plan to marry Bash, will Francis move on with a new lady? And how will Mary deal?! I need scoop on this love triangle. —Julia

Ausiello: Mary never forgets she’s queen, executive producer Laurie McCarthy tells TVLine. As such, she says, Mary’s “attraction for somebody can only go so far – until she believes that it can go further, and then it might be surprising what happens between the two of them.” And you’ll remember Mary went as far as sleeping with Francis when she thought they were going to be husband and wife; now that she’s registering for china with Bash (whom she’s already kissed), it’s a safe bet to think things are going to steam up for the pair. BONUS SPOILER: “Things will come to a terrible head” for one of the show’s couples later this season, McCarthy adds.

Question: Loved the Sleepy Hollow finale. Anything you can share on Season 2? —Richard

Ausiello: Now that Katrina is part of the modern world, expect an increased presence for Mrs. Crane when the Fox drama returns. “She was trapped in Purgatory, [so] there were limitations to how she could be involved in our stories,” co-creator Alex Kurtzman says. “Now that she’s been freed from that place, she’s going to have a whole bunch of new stories to come.”

Question: The preview for this week’s Sherlock finale pointed to romance for Holmes. Can you shed any light? Also, assuming you’ve seen it, is Episode 3 as good (or better) than 1 and 2?—Kerri

Ausiello: Without giving too much away — which in the case of PBS’ bloody brilliant detective yarn, would be kind of criminal — that bit of nuzzling you spied between Sherlock and saucy bridesmaid Janine (Yasmine Akram) was definitely real — and not some kind of dream sequence or fantasy. But just because there’s giggling and splashing coming from the bathroom of 221B doesn’t mean you should be setting your DVR for The Incredibly True Adventures of Sherlock in Love. Not yet, anyway. As for how Episode 3.3 stacks up against 3.1 and 3.2? While “His Final Vow” has fewer funny zingers than “The Empty Hearse” and “The Sign of Three,” it more than makes up for it in terms of mind-blowing twists and genuine suspense. Watch it live.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today, few though they may be:

TELEVISION

Syfy has ordered a 5th season of Haven, giving it a 26 episode order. The first 13 episodes will air this fall with the remaining 13 scheduled to air at some point in 2015. (TV By the Numbers)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actor Austin Stowell (Dolphin Tale) has joined the cast of the TNT pilot called Public Morals from actor Ed Burns and Steven Spielberg. The pilot is set in 1967 in New York City’s Public Morals Division, where cops walk the line between morality and criminality as the temptations that come from dealing with all kinds of vice can get the better of them. It will center on cop Terry Muldoon (Burns), who knows the line between the good guys and bad guys is thin, and he is determined to raise his sons to be honest and hardworking as he deals with the dark underbelly of the vice world. Stowell will play Muldoon’s cousin Sean O’Bannon, a handsome, tough Irish cop who tries to keep his friends out of trouble. (The Deadline Team)

WEB SERIES NEWS

ABC Family’s new drama The Fosters is getting its own web series. The Fosters: Girls United, a five-part original web series, will follow the residents of the Girls United group home. The entire series will debut Monday, Feb. 3, at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET immediately following an original episode of the series on ABC Family, providing additional content to supplement The Fosters universe. The Fosters airs Monday nights at 9 PM. (Philiana Ng at The Hollywood Reporter)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

GENERAL NEWS

Congrats are extended to all those artists and musicians who won Grammy Awards last night, including (but not limited to) Lorde, Michael Buble, Cyndi Lauper, The Civil Wars, Kacey Musgraves, Dave Grohl, Daft Punk, Imagine Dragons, Vampire Weekend, Darius Rucker and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.

TELEVISION

Actor Christopher Heyerdahl (Hell on Wheels, Supernatural, Sanctuary and Stargate: Atlantis) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Beauty And the Beast, playing Dr. Nicholas Markus, a respected physician and medical mentor to Vincent Keller (series lead Jay Ryan). (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Actress Kathryn Prescott (the British original series Skins) will appear in an upcoming episode of Reign, playing Penelope, a kitchen servant who, as part of an annual castle tradition, finds a bean in her slice of cake and becomes queen for a day. (Kimberly Roots at TV Line)

Actress Charlotte Ross (Hit the Floor) will guest star in a March episode of Nashville, playing a sober alcoholic who formerly worked as a back-up singer on Rayna’s (series lead Connie Britton) tours. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actor Stephen Fry (Bones and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows) will recur on 24: Live Another Day as Prime Minister Trevor Davies. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actress Rose McGowan will reprise her role as Young Cora on Once Upon a Time, appearing in the 18th episode in an assumed flashback. Once Upon a Time will be back starting on March 9 on ABC. (Sabrina Gruneberg at TV Guide)

Starz has given a series order to Flesh and Bone, a new drama series that will follow a young ballet dancer, Claire (Sarah Hay from Black Swan), who has a distinctly troubled past, as she joins a prestigious ballet company in New York. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Mira Sorvino (Mimic) will star opposite John Simm (Doctor Who) in the BBC America 8-episode drama called Intruders that is about a secret society devoted to chasing immortality by seeking refuge in the bodies of others. The series will center on ex-cop Jack Whalen (Simms), who has escaped a dark, violent past for a seemingly quiet life with his wife, Amy (Sorvino, who will play two characters in the same body). When she goes missing, Jack starts an investigation that forces him to confront his past. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Jessica De Gouw (Dracula) will reprise her role of the Huntress on Arrow in an episode entitled “Birds of Prey” that is expected to air on March 26. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Actress Carey Lowell (Law & Order) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Blue Bloods, playing Joyce, who is co-chaperoning a class field trip with Frank (series lead Tom Selleck). The two will clash over matters great and small while touring the American Museum of Natural History. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Actress Jennifer Ehle (A Gifted Man) and Zach Grenier (The Good Wife) will both guest star in upcoming episodes of The Blacklist. Grenier will play Novak, who works under the front of a taxidermy workshop but actually deals with an underworld of rare and exotic antiques while Ehle will play Madeline Pratt, the second female “Blacklister”. (Philiana Ng and Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actor Rick Cosnett (The Vampire Diaries) and Danielle Panabaker (Shark and Necessary Roughness) have joined the cast of the CW pilot (and Arrow spin-off) The Flash that will be an origin story about Barry Allen aka The Flash (Grant Gustin from Glee), a Central City assistant police forensics investigator who arrives in Starling to look into a series of unexplained robberies that may have a connection to a tragedy in his past. Cosnett will play star Detective Eddie Thawne, a recent transfer to the Central City Police Department, whose past is a mystery and who harbors a dark secret. Panabaker will play Caitlin Snow, a highly intelligent bioengineering expert who lost her fiancé during an explosion at S.T.A.R. Labs. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Sharon Stone will star in the TNT action-drama pilot Agent X that centers on America’s first female Vice President, Maccabee (Stone), a woman with brains, beauty, and a cool composure that belies a restless mind. After the death of her husband, a Senate candidate, Natalie opted to run in his place, and after a rapid political rise, she now finds herself the newly elected Vice President of the United States. Initially apprehensive that her job will be ceremonial in nature, she soon learns that it comes with a top secret duty: protecting the Constitution in times of great crisis with the aid of her Chief Steward and a secret operative designated “Agent X.” (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

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

1. Ride Along – $21.2 million
2. Lone Survivor – $12.6 million
3. The Nut Job – $12.3 million
4. Frozen – $9 million
5. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit – $8.8 million
6. I, Frankenstein – $8.3 million
7. American Hustle – $7.1 million
8. August: Osage County – $5.04 million
9. The Wolf of Wall Street – $5 million
10. Devil’s Due – $2.75 million

Q&A SECTION (with TV Scoop Team at E! Online)

Question: I need some Once Upon a Time scoop! Is Storybrooke really gone?

TV Scoop Team: We’re still trying to process all of the magical mayhem that happened in December’s jaw-dropping midseason finale, so to help get some answers, we caught up with everyone favorite little mermaid, JoAnna Garcia Swisher, to get some answers about what’s ahead when the series returns in March. “Storybrooke is gone,” she teased. Not to worry though, we’ll still get to see the ravenous redhead. “Ariel’s coming back, and I may have found my prince charming, but I think that you might need a little naïve mermaid to come back in town, maybe stir up some business.” Take a look at our full interview with JoAnna below to learn even more spellbinding secrets.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today, few though they may be:

TELEVISION

Actress Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio will return to Grimm, reprising her role as Kelly Burkhardt, Nick’s (series lead David Giuntoli) mom. She will appear in multiple episodes this spring. (Kimberly Roots at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbage (Lost) will appear in the NBC drama pilot Odyssey that is a Traffic-like global conspiracy thriller that will center on three families whose lives are torn apart when a stranded female soldier (Anna Friel from Pushing Daisies), a disillusioned corporate attorney, and a disrespected political activist are pulled into the same shocking international military conspiracy. Akinnuoye-Agbaje will play the commanding officer of a private military operator working with the U.S. Army. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Hugh Jackman will play the pirate Blackbeard in the upcoming movie Pan that will star Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy) as Hook. (Justin Kroll at Variety)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Ron Glass (Barney Miller and Firefly) will show up in an upcoming episode of CSI, who will play the mentor of Greg Sanders (series regular Eric Szmanda). (William Keck at TV Guide)

Actress Nicole Ari Parker (Soul Food and more recently seen on Revolution) has joined the cast of the upcoming TNT drama Murder in the First that will revolve around two seemingly unrelated high-profile murder cases and the subsequent police investigation, arrest and trial. The series will star. Taye Diggs (Private Practice) and Kathleen Robertson (Boss) as two homicide detectives who partner on the case. Parker will play Sonia Perez, a brilliant and tough district attorney whose career hedges on a high-profile murder case. The cast already includes Tom Felton (Harry Potter franchise), Raphael Sbarge (Once Upon a Time), Ian Anthony Dale (The Event) and Steven Weber (Wings). The show will debut on TNT sometime this summer. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

Syfy has decided to switch timeslots for two of their Monday night programs: Lost Girl and Bitten. Lost Girl will now air at 10 PM and Bitten will move to 8 PM (with Being Human remaining at 9 PM) starting on January 27. (The Futon Critic)

Most people know, or have at least heard of, the box office film franchise Transporter. Well back in 2011 Cinemax picked up the TV adaptation Transporter The Series, but due to several setbacks the show never went anywhere on the cable network. But now, TNT has stepped up and will air both the first and second seasons of the international series that stars Chris Vance (Prison Break and Rizzoli & Isles) in the lead role of Frank Martin, a professional transporter, who can always be counted on to get the job done. No official airdate has been announced, though. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Charlotte Grayson (series regular Christa B. Allen) will be moving on from her grieving of boyfriend Declan Porter on Revenge with a new boyfriend. Newcomer Henri Esteve will play Javier, a guy from the wrong side of the tracks who is accomplished in the world of hacking. Won’t mommy Victoria be so proud? (William Keck at TV Guide)

Actor Sam Witwer (Syfy’s Being Human) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Grimm, playing a tortured soul named Maximillian, who is the main attraction at a carnival. (Michael Ausiello and Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

TV TRAILER

Hot TV Trailer: WGN America’s ‘Salem’

http://www.deadline.com/2014/01/salem-trailer-wgn-america-series-video/

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

ABC has given a greenlight to a new project that will be overseen by director David O. Russell (American Hustle) and writer-producer Susannah Grant (Erin Brockovich). The project is currently unnamed, but is being described as an upstairs-downstairs soap set at a tony country club. (Cynthia Littleton at Variety)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy and Country Strong) has landed the lead role of Hook in the upcoming movie called Pan, yet another new take on the J.M. Barrie classic. (Mike Fleming, Jr. at Deadline)

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

Question: I really miss badass Beckett on Castle — might she show up again soon? –Stephanie

Mitovich: Oh yes. I’m hearing you’ll want to keep an eye out for Episode 17, “In the Belly of the Beast,” to be directed by Rob Bowman.

Question: This NCIS: LA fan needs something good on the Densi front. Anything you can share? –Monica

Mitovich: I have good… and not-so-good. Showrunner Shane Brennan confirmed for me that the timing of Daniela Ruah’s maternity leave “worked out perfectly,” in that the show had already pre-shot enough Kensi scenes to keep her in every episode, without missing a single beat. Thing is, when Kensi eventually returns from her Afghanistan op — during which something “totally unexpected” and calamitous happens, leaving her understandably shell-shocked — being back in Deeks’ orbit “doesn’t work out the way she thinks it’s going to work out.”

Question: With the new team dynamic on NCIS, Tony really looks overqualified for his job. He’s been there forever. As part of his promised “growth” are we going to see him get a promotion? –Sandra

Mitovich: OK, so I brought to showrunner Gary Glasberg everyone’s concern about Tony’s “growth,” especially as Ziva’s exit grows farther and farther away. He avowed, “It’s really important to all of us — it’s important to me, it’s important to Michael Weatherly — that the character of Tony DiNozzo continues to grow.” But outgrowing Gibbs’ team likely will never be a part of that. “That’s something that we at one point or another talk about…. But at the end of the day, as I have learned from real agents that I’ve spoken to, once you find a team that you feel comfortable with, that’s just where you stay,” Glasberg explained. “You become a part of the family, and that’s just what it is.”

Question: Revenge is on their winter hiatus, and I need something just to get me by until it returns. Got anything good? –Drew

Mitovich: In the winter finale we got a first look at Conrad’s ex-wife Stevie (played by Gail O’Grady), but just you wait until she starts mixing and mingling with others. “Needless to say, she and Victoria are at odds, because Victoria came in just as Stevie was on the way out,” Henry Czerny told me. “But yeah, she’s a firecracker, and the electricity that you’ll see between Stevie and Jack — yes, Stevie and Jack — and between Stevie and Victoria will be fantastic.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Tate Donovan (Damages and Hostages) has joined the cast of 24: Live Another Day where he will play Mark Boudreau, the White House Chief of Staff. The new version of 24 will debut on FOX on May 5. (The Futon Critic)

Actresses Malese Jow (The Vampire Diaries and the upcoming Star-Crossed) and Hannah Marks (Necessary Roughness) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Castle in a Mean Girls-meets-Cruel Intentions-meets-Firestarter episode that is set to air on February 5. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Actor Pedro Pascal (Graceland and Red Widow) will have a recurring role on The Mentalist, playing FBI Special Agent Marcus Pike, who will be a possible love interest for Teresa Lisbon (series regular Robyn Lively). The Mentalist will be back with new episodes starting on March 9. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actor Jesse L. Martin (Law & Order) will co-star opposite Grant Gustin in The CW’s plot The Flash (the spin-off of Arrow) that will be an origin story about Barry Allen aka The Flash (Gustin), a Central City assistant police forensics investigator who arrives in Starling to look into a series of unexplained robberies that may have a connection to a tragedy in his past. Martin will play Detective West, an honest, blue-collar cop who is a surrogate father to Allen. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

NBC has decided to nix the Murder, She Wrote reboot that was to star award-winning actress Octavia Spencer. (Chris Harnick at E! Online)

ONLINE SERIES NEWS

Actor Ben Mendelsohn (The Dark Knight Rises) will co-star alongside Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights) in the as-yet untitled Netflix 13-episode psychological thriller that will center on a family of adult siblings whose secrets and scars are revealed when the black sheep oldest brother, Danny (Mendesohn), returns home. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

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

Question: Is Quinn really no longer a Gladiator on Scandal? —Jonas

Natalie: Well, for now. But wait until Olivia finds out that Huck ousted her from the group! Prepare for one Huck of a fight! “He doesn’t feel bad about what he did to Quinn,” Guillermo Diaz says. “He only feels bad that Olivia is upset at him for doing what he did. [But] he’s not apologizing for it and he’s standing his ground.”

Question: Is Rumplestiltskin really dead on Once Upon a Time? —Tamryn

Natalie: “He’s definitely dead,” executive producer Edward Kitsis says. But I mean, come on, this is a show about magic! “He went into that knife, it looked like death to me, but he’s the Dark One,” he adds. Sounds like he’s not totally dead just yet.

Question: NCIS scoop, please! I can’t believe Delilah is paralyzed! —Charlie

Natalie: I know, right? Naturally, Delilah’s recovery will strain her relationship with McGee, but executive producer Gary Glasberg promises that they won’t break up. “It’s going to be a bumpy road for them, but I think you’ll see how it brings them closer together,” he says.

Question: Does Skye know she’s an 0-8-4 on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.? —Dan

Natalie: Yes! Chloe Bennet tells me that Coulson told Skye the truth about her parents’ deaths and her potential to have special powers. But don’t fit her for a cape yet. “I have no birth certificate,” she reminds me. “I could still be a human. I could be something else.” Get ready for a very dark episode that deals with the fallout from the ultimate reveal.

Question: I’ll take any Nashville scoop you’re willing to throw my way. —Michelle

Ausiello: Another major character — more major than Peggy, I would argue — is about to bite the dust.

Question: Really loved seeing some sparks flying between Rayna and Deacon again on Nashville. Any chance it could lead to something more, or is that just too much to ask? —Sheila

Ausiello: It’s pretty much now or never, says exec producer Dee Johnson. “It’s more possible now than it ever was over the course of the last 20 years,” she notes. “Deacon went through something and came out the other side of it; the [Maddie] secret is now all out in the open; Rayna is not married anymore; they’ve both evolved.” The one fairly substantial hiccup? Neither one of them is single. “As with life, you’re always dating someone when the person you really want is available,” Johnson adds. “It’s all about timing.” For her part, Connie Britton is ready for those two crazy kids to get their crap together. “I’m a big believer in Rayna and Deacon,” she tells me. “I always feel that people can work these things out, which is probably silly and idealistic of me. But I’m a silly and idealistic person.” (And don’t you dare change — not ever!)

Question: I’m officially ready for Angry Closeted Will to start transitioning into Confident Out-and-Proud Will on Nashville. Any idea when I can expect that shift to start? —Danny

Ausiello: I’d love to be able to tell you the metamorphosis begins this week, but that would be a lie. “The struggle will continue for him,” confirms Johnson. “He still has a certain thing in mind for himself in terms of country stardom, and he still doesn’t think it’s possible to embrace himself in that way. He’s going to try very hard to focus on [his career] solely and remove temptation from his life.” However, eventually, “his secret is going to come out,” the EP adds. “That’s not something that can stay underground forever, despite anybody’s best efforts. The question is, How will he handle it? And where will he be in his career path when it does come out?”

Question: I was so happy to see Victor Garber in the Sleepy Hollow finale. Please tell me he’ll be back next season. –Kristin

Ausiello: Garber’s role as Ichabod’s dad “is a crucial part to Crane himself,” says series co-creator/executive producer Len Wiseman. “We’ve talked about how his character works in the second [season].” My interpretation: It’s almost a sure thing the Alias alum will don a powdered wig again. Plus, don’t forget that we can also expect to see John Noble’s Henry (I’m not going to put his other name, out of courtesy for those who haven’t yet seen last night’s episode) when the Fox drama returns in the fall.

Question: Castle is my very favorite show and I would like any information you have for the 2014 season! –Donna

Ausiello: Previewing for Matt Mitovich her Jan. 27 turn on the ABC drama, Titanic mom Frances Fisher says that her ”high-powered” Anna Wintour-like fashion magazine editrix is quite surprised to come face-to-face again with one Kate Beckett, whom she first met years ago as a model. And it’s not the warmest of reunions, either. Teasing how things left off for the two back then, Fisher says, “There was an ‘employment issue,’ where I ended up not very happy about her decision [to quit modeling].”

Question: Any scoop on what’s next for Tony on NCIS? –Laura

Ausiello: If you’re among those concerned that DiNozzo will rush into a grand new romance, with Bishop’s pop culture-savvy NSA pal Sofia Martinez, you needn’t be. “I don’t think his next relationship is going to happen anytime soon,” show boss Gary Glasberg tells us. “Part of letting Tony be Tony and letting him be flirtatious and talk to women is that these women don’t really matter. They’re quick encounters that he’s having; it’s not Ziva. They’re not ones that count. Eventually, will there be another [great love]? Maybe.”

Question: As much as I’m loving Sherlock‘s third season so far, I’m bummed about the lack of Irene Adler. Any chance she’ll resurface in Season 4? —Brandon

Ausiello: “It’s not impossible, because she’s still alive and out there,” responds exec producer Steven Moffat. “But I was really, really pleased with [Season 2’s Irene-centric] ‘A Scandal in Belgravia,’ and that sense of longing between those two characters. The question is, can you do it again without making it less good? Are sequels ever as good? Do you really make more money or do you debase the coinage? If we had as good a story as ‘Scandal’ and somewhere else to take them, we’d do it again. But, in the meantime, we’re thrilled with that episode and wary of touching it again. There are many other stories tell.” Gotta admire his quality control.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today, few though they may be:

TELEVISION

Actor Tahmoh Penikett (Battlestar Galactica) will appear in the 200th episode of Criminal Minds, playing Michael Hastings, someone who JJ Jareau (A.J. Cook) worked with during her off-camera season 6 time at the Department of Defense. It should be noted that JJ won’t be none-too-happy to see him. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

MINI-SERIES NEWS

Actors Patrick J. Adams (Suits) and Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter franchise) have joined the cast of the four-hour mini-series Rosemary’s Baby, the NBC adaptation of the 1967 best-selling suspense novel by Ira Levin. The story centers on Rosemary Woodhouse (Zoe Saldana from Avatar), a young wife and would-be mother who, with her husband Guy (Adams), moves into a Paris apartment that has a dark past. After finally getting pregnant, she becomes increasingly suspicious that both her husband and their mysterious neighbors have ulterior motives about the future of her child. Isaacs will play warlock/coven-leader Roman Castevet. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Hot Teaser: Disney’s Maleficent

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

GENERAL NEWS

Congrats are extended to the winners at the Screen Actors Guild Awards last night, including (but not limited to): Lupita Nyong’o, Jared Leto, Helen Mirren, Rita Moreno, Maggie Smith, Cate Blanchett and Matthew McConaughey.

TELEVISION

Actor Colin Egglesfield (Rizzoli & Isles and The Client List) will guest star on an upcoming episode of Drop Dead Diva. There are no details on what character he will play, however. (Vlada Gelman at TV Line)

NBC has given a 10-episode straight-to-series order for a new drama series called Emerald City, a reimagining of the Frank L. Baum classic book series. This version will be a dramatic and modern reimagining of the tales that include lethal warriors, competing kingdoms and the infamous wizard as we’ve never seen him before. A head-strong 20-year-old Dorothy Gale is unwittingly sent on an eye-opening journey that thrusts her into the center of an epic and bloody battle for the control of Oz. (The Futon Critic)

Actress Mary Steenburgen will recur on the FX drama Justified as Katherine Hale, a beautiful, southern belle who was the wife of Wynn Duffy’s (series regular Jere Burns) mentor in crime. (FX and The Futon Critic)

Actress Katharine Isabelle (Being Human) will joined the cast of Hannibal for its second season, playing Margot, a potential romantic interest for Will (series lead Hugh Dancy) who also happens to be a patient of Dr. Lechter. Hannibal returns to NBC on February 28. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actress Katherine Heigl is coming back to TV (possibly) in the NBC pilot called State of Affairs that revolves around a CIA officer (Heigl), who becomes the president’s daily briefer. (Kristin Dos Santos at E! Online)

MINI-SERIES NEWS

NBC has ordered an 8-episode mini-series called The Slap, which is based on the Australian series of the same name that aired back in 2011. The mini is a complex family drama that explodes from one small incident where a man slaps another couple’s misbehaving child. This seemingly minor domestic dispute pulls the family apart, begins to expose long-held secrets, and ignites a lawsuit that challenges the core American values of all who are pulled into it. (The Futon Critic)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Miles Teller (The Spectacular Now and Footloose) will play legendary actor Dan Akyroyd opposite Emile Hirsch as John Belushi in the upcoming Belushi biopic. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

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

1. Ride Along – $41.2 million
2. Lone Survivor – $23.2 million
3. The Nut Job – $20.6 million
4. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit – $17.2 million
5. Frozen – $11.97 million
6. American Hustle – $10.6 million
7. Devil’s Due – $8.5 million
8. August: Osage County – $7.6 million
9. The Wolf of Wall Street – $7.5 million
10. Saving Mr. Banks – $4.1 million

Up-and-coming Australia actress Margot Robbie (Pan Am and The Wolf Of Wall Street) will play the female lead in the upcoming box office film Z For Zachariah that will be an adaptation Robert C. O’Brien post-apocalyptic novel that focuses on a young small-town girl who survives a nuclear war. Robbie will co-star with Chris Pine and Chiwetel Ejiofor. (Mike Fleming, Jr. at Deadline)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

GENERAL NEWS

Congrats to the winners of last night’s Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, including (but not limited to): 12 Years A Slave, Cate Blanchett, Matthew McConaughey, Lupita Nyong’o, Jared Leto, Frozen, Lone Survivor, Adele Exarchopoulos, Sandra Bullock, Mark Wahlberg, Amy Adams, Gravity, Her, American Hustle, Forest Whitaker and Alfonso Cuaron.

TELEVISION

Actor Olivier Martinez (Unfaithful) will appear in Revenge as Pascal LeMarchal, the media mogul father of Daniel’s business partner Margaux (played by Karine Vanasse, who was recently promoted to series regular). (Tierney Bricker at E! Online and Deadline)

Actor Jamie McShane (Southland) will appear in a recurring role on the new ABC Family drama The Fosters, playing the father of Callie (series regular Maia Mitchell) and her brother Jude. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Actress Jaimie Alexander will reprise her role of Lady Sif from the Thor movies in the small screen series Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD. She is expected to appear in the 15th episode. (Eric Goldman at IGN)

The new ABC drama Killer Women that comes from executive producer Sofia Vergara (Modern Family) [among others] and stars Battlestar Galactica alum Tricia Helfer as one of only two female Texas Rangers has had its 8-episode order reduced by two. The show has been struggling in the ratings, but unlike the other mid-season limited event series The Assets, ABC is keeping Killer Women around albeit with only 6 episodes in total. (Jethro Nededog at The Wrap)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

It looks like ABC is moving forward with the small screen adaptation of Agent Carter, based on a “one-shot” that was featured on the Blu-ray release of Iron Man 3 with executive producers Tara Butters and Michele Fazekas (Reaper and the upcoming Resurrection) at the helm. The drama project will focus on Captain America’s girlfriend Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), chronicling her life as a budding secret agent after her boyfriend is stranded in ice. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

A&E is developing a contemporary remake of the acclaimed late-1980’s Michael Landon drama Highway to Heaven with (of all people) Mark Wahlberg on board as an executive producer. The project (like the original) will center on an angel sent down to earth to help troubled souls. (Lacey Rose at The Hollywood Reporter)

ABC has given a greenlight to a high-concept drama pilot called Clementine from box office writer Dean Georgaris (Paycheck) and ABC Studios that will center on a habitual criminal who digs into the mystery of her origins after she becomes the target of a group of zealots who fear she possesses latent supernatural abilities that she will one day harness for either profound good or monstrous evil. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

NBC is developing a pilot with Liz Heldens (the creator of the 2009 medical drama Mercy and last year’s mystery drama Deception) called Salvation that is a family saga set against the backdrop of a Texas mega church where faith, family and corruption are explored in equal measure. The pilot will center on Jennifer Strickland, who has to defend her children, church and religious beliefs after her husband dies under mysterious circumstances. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

ONLINE SERIES NEWS

Actor Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights) will star in the untitled Netflix 13-episode psychological thriller that centers on a family of adult siblings whose secrets and scars are revealed when the black sheep oldest brother returns home. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Q&ASECTION (with the TV Scoop Team at E! Online and Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Question: Revenge me, please? – Sasha

TV Scoop Team: Nolan (Gabriel Mann) is getting a new houseguest. Look for Javier, a young lad who just happens to be an accomplished hacker, to move into Nolan’s pad for quite a while…he’s under house arrest there.

Question:  This season of Teen Wolf is the best yet! I’ll take any scoop you’ve got on what’s ahead. – Beth

TV Scoop Team: Danger, danger! Starting halfway through the season, one of our beloved characters will be booking a permanent stay on the chopping block. Star Holland Roden tells us that a “very good friend” of Lydia’s will be in a vulnerable position, and warns fans, “Brace yourselves, kids.” Gulp.

Question: Do you have any final Sleepy Hollow teasers, maybe about the George Washington twist? –Gianna

Mitovich: I asked the gorgeous Nicole Beharie about the discovery that the premiere POTUS apparently lived beyond his official expiration date, and all she would say is that many characters “find themselves intimately involved, somehow, in the season finale” airing Monday. “They’re interconnected in a very complex way — and that includes George Washington. That reveal that he wrote this letter to Ichabod after he died? The finale is the culmination of them trying to figure out where he was and what it all means.”

Question: I am really into Reign on The CW. Any scoop? –Niki

Mitovich: A new queen is coming! Casting is underway for the recurring role of Penelope, a twentysomething kitchen servant who becomes “queen for a day” when she finds a bean in a slice of cake – as part of a yearly tradition at the castle. When Catherine assigns Penelope a little “job” in exchange for better treatment, the 24-hour royal uses that opportunity to get what she wants.

Question: I am needing/obsessing over/wanting scoop on Justified‘s Raylan and Winona, please! –Marisa

Mitovich: I asked series boss Graham Yost to confirm why Raylan didn’t pay his baby momma a visit while in Florida — even with everyone urging him to! — and he explained, “I think he’s afraid, and he doesn’t know why he’s afraid. And that’s something we’ll get into over the season, as much as Raylan’s willing to get into anything like that. But the simple answer is: Look at who his father was. That brings up a lot of concerns about what kind of father you will be.” As for whether we’ll see Winona and child again this season, Yost said that is TBD. “The plan was yes, but plans change.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a terrific weekend!!!

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