Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Annie Potts (Designing Women) and actor Stephen Collins (7th Heaven) will pay a visit to the new ABC Family drama The Fosters. Potts will appear as Sharon, Stef’s (series lead Teri Polo) colorful and talkative mother who comes into town for a visit with the family while Collins comes to town as Stewart, Lena’s (series lead Sherri Saum) her old-school father who has a unique knack for diplomatically dealing with their big brood. The next new episode of The Fosters will air on ABC Family on July 1 at 9 PM. (ET Online)

Actor Eric Winter (The Mentalist and Moonlight) has joined the cast of the upcoming Lifetime drama Witches of East End, playing Dash, the JFK Jr.-esque fiancé of Freya Beauchamp (Jenna Dewan-Tatum’s reluctant witch. Winter is taking over the role from actor Patrick Heusinger (Royal Pains). The series will center on Joanna Beauchamp (Julia Ormond) and her two adult daughters Freya (Dewan-Tatum) and Ingrid (Rachel Boston), both of whom unknowingly are their family’s next generation of witches. An official airdate for this new Lifetime drama has yet to be scheduled. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

FX is adding another limited series to its development slate. The cable network is developing Mohicans, an adaptation of the James Fenimore Cooper classic novel “The Last of the Mohicans”. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actor Chris Zylka (The Secret Circle and The Amazing Spider-Man) has joined the cast of the HBO drama pilot called The Leftovers. The project is based on the novel by Tom Perrotta that
takes place as the Rapture happens — but not quite like it’s supposed to, telling the story of the people who didn’t make the cut and a world that will never be the same. Justin Theroux will play Kevin Garvey, the police chief and father of two who’s trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy in a world that is starting to completely reject the notion. Amy Brenneman will play Laurie Garvey, a woman who has left her entire life behind to join a mysterious cult and cuts off ties with her husband and children. Zylka will play Tom, Laurie and Tom’s estranged son who has recently dropped out of college and taken refuge with a mysterious guru. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actor Scott Speedman (Last Resort) has joined the cast of the HBO drama pilot from Ryan Murphy called Open that explores human sexuality and relationships. Speedman will play Jonathan, a handsome sports marketing executive. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Cameron Diaz will take over for Sandra Bullock in the new film adaptation of Annie in the role of Miss Hannigan. Young actress Quvenzhane Wallis (Beasts Of The Southern Wild) will play the lead role with Jamie Foxx as Daddy Warbucks. (Nikki Finke at Deadline)

Actor Joe Anderson (Twilight: Breaking Dawn, Part 2) has joined the upcoming box office film Hercules, playing a marathon runner who serves as a scout for Hercules (Dwayne Johnson) and his mercenaries, reporting on their enemies’ movements. The cast of the film also Ian McShane, John Hurt, Rufus Sewell and Joseph Fiennes. (Empire and Dark Horizons)

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Andrew McCarthy (Pretty in Pink) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Unforgettable, playing Ari Sonnenland, a wealthy real estate developer whose 11-year-old daughter has been kidnapped. The wealthy businessman has the money to pay the ransom but is reluctant to accept help from the NPPD, turning to Carrie (series lead Poppy Montgomery) and Al (series lead Dylan Walsh) to help solve the case. Unforgettable returns to CBS on July 28. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

Lauren Iungerich, who created and executive produced the MTV comedy Awkward is leaving the series, putting a big question mark on what will happen with the fourth season. Awkward is slated to return for the second half of its third season on MTV in October. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

The USA Network has given Psych an additional order of two more episodes for its upcoming 8th season, including one that will be determined by the fans. You can vote on which of three potential episode you’d like to see by going here (http://www.usanetwork.com/content/psych-episode-vote) to vote. But keep in mind voting will close on July 12. The winning story line will be announced at Comic-Con. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Actor Rhys Ifans (The Amazing Spider-Man) has been cast in the recurring role of Sherlock Holmes’ older brother, Mycroft Holmes in the CBS drama Elementary. (TV By the Numbers)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actress Amy Brenneman (Private Practice) has joined the cast of the HBO drama pilot called The Leftovers that is based on the Tom Perrotta book about what takes place after the Rapture happens. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

ONLINE SERIES NEWS

Netflix has made an exclusive distribution pack for a spin-off series of the Australian teen drama H20: Just Add Water. The spin-off will be called Mermaids and will center on teenage Zac, who is camping on Mako Island and is secretly watched by three young mermaids tasked with guarding the isle. After an encounter with magical water, he becomes a fish-tailed merman, causing problems for the mermaids. All 26 half-hour episodes will premiere in the US and the streaming service’s other territories on July 26. (The Deadline Team)

NOTE: Actresses Phoebe Tonkin and Claire Holt of The Vampire Diaries and the upcoming The Originals were both stars of the original series H20: Just Add Water.

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Sophie McShera, who plays Daisy on Downton Abbey, has joined the cast of the upcoming box office film adaptation of Cinderella that will star fellow Downton Abbey alum Lily James in the lead role. (Dominic Patten at Deadline)

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

Question: Is it fall yet? I need to know what happens between Rayna and Deacon on Nashville! — Michelle

ADAM: They’ll make it out of their finale car accident with only bumps and bruises, but the emotional injuries will be far more serious. “They are never going to have [a] smooth-sailing relationship,” creator Callie Khouri tells us, pointing to Deacon’s discovery that he’s Maddie’s father. “[Season 2] is not going to look like Father Knows Best. I don’t think Deacon ever thought of himself as father material. We’ll see him grapple with… whether or not he’s right.” Worse, given Deacon’s dangerous bender, Rayna will feel even more justified in her decision to lie. “She was kind of right not to tell him,” Khouri says. “He couldn’t handle it.”

Question: I still don’t get why Callen & Co. trusted The Chameleon in the NCIS: LA finale. Didn’t they know he might betray them? — Justin

ADAM: Executive producer Shane Brennan acknowledges that sending The Chameleon to negotiate with Sidorov about the nuclear weapons was a calculated risk. “Give him an inch, and he will take everything that you possess — they were aware of that,” he says. “But there was only one person who could pull this off. It was something they had to do.” Either way, Callen won’t take the betrayal lightly. “Callen knows that there will be a final confrontation, and only one of them will walk away,” Brennan teases. Gee, I wonder who?

Question: Will Tom and Pope make it back to Charleston alive on Falling Skies? — Daryl

NATALIE: It won’t be an easy trek following the plane crash. On Sunday’s episode, they’ll take turns saving each other before they take turns trying to kill each other! Ultimately, Pope will make a surprising decision that could put them both in danger.

Question: I really like USA’s Graceland so far. Got any scoop? — Jill

ADAM: If you think going under cover has come a bit too easy for Mike, wait until you see Thursday’s episode, when he has to deal with the Nigerian drug dealer who he and Briggs have been trying to bust. Mike will have to mix it up with Bello and his thugs… all by himself. That becomes particularly tricky when Bello’s right-hand man Eddie fingers Mike as a Fed.

Question: Obsessed with Devious Maids. Will Marisol get closer to freeing her son? — Alyssa

NATALIE: Marisol will come thisclose to scoring a job with the Powells on her day off, but Taylor refuses to give her up. Of course, Adrian will use his powers of persuasion — aka blackmail — to secure Marisol. But will she be able to find Flora’s last letter at the house?

Question: Are we ever going to learn more about Nolan’s backstory on Defiance? —Jamarcus

ADAM: You bet! On Monday’s penultimate episode, Nolan’s penchant to shoot first and ask questions later will come back to bite him. After one such shootout, Datak will call attention to Nolan’s actions against the Votans during the war. “We learn that he may have been a part of some pretty nasty guerrilla warfare,” Grant Bowler says. “The whole town is basically afraid of him after.” Well, everyone except Amanda, who stands by him — an action that Datak will use in his quest to take her mayoral seat.

Question: What can you say about the Switched at Birth “What if?” episode? —Lana

NATALIE: Well, almost everything would be different had the switch been discovered when Regina first found out — and not for the better. There would’ve been cheating, lying, and even death. The one thing to remain the same? One of the girls would’ve ended up with the same guy in her life.

Question: Loving Under the Dome! Got any scoop on Natalie Zea’s character? — Jones

NATALIE: Fans of the Stephen King novel will be just as in the dark as viewers since it’s a brand-new character, but I can reveal that she’ll have a connection to Big Jim and the mystery behind the propane. But in a surprising twist, she’ll also know another main character who’s trapped under the dome — and likely in the Biblical sense. Suffice it to say, she’s downright dastardly.

Question: Any Downton Abbey scoop? —Billy

Ausiello: The Season 4 finale/Christmas special will be “very different” from the tragic Season 3 climax that felled poor Matthew, per exec producer Gareth Neame. “The [Season 1 finale] was really different from the second, and the second one was very different [from the third],” he adds. “What we have planned for this year is a very different scenario.”

Question: Do you have any Drop Dead Diva scoop on my favorite lawyer non-couple Jane/Deb and Grayson? —Tiffany

Ausiello: Series creator Josh Berman says the truth about Jane/Deb is fast becoming a moot point for the still-in-the-dark Grayson. “I don’t know if he even cares anymore that Jane is Deb in the sense that I think he’s falling for Jane as Jane, not Jane as Deb,” notes DDD‘s boss. “That being said, there may be some twists and turns coming up that will shock him.” Also, if you liked last Sunday’s premiere then you’re going to love this week’s second episode, which brings the Old Jane-New Jane rivalry to a head. “It’s my favorite episode I’ve ever written and maybe one of the best ones we’ve ever executed,” declares Berman. “They actually have to work together to save someone’s life. It’s so fun watching the body swapping at its best with these two people. Two souls that really have nothing in common except that they have each been in the same body. Watching them interact is so much fun.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

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

TELEVISION

Actress Julianne Nicholson (Law & Order: Criminal Intent) has been cast as the female lead in the new Sundance Channel drama series called The Descendants, that received a straight-to-series order for six episodes. The drama revolves around Harold Jensen, a sheriff struggling to keep his family together while simultaneously policing two clashing communities: the small town where he grew up and the neighboring Ramapo Mountains, home of the Ramapo Mountain Indians. After a terrible tragedy and cover-up occurs involving the sheriff’s wife, Jean (Nicholson), an unholy alliance is forged between the sheriff and a dangerous member of the tribe that will come back to haunt all involved. Jean, an over-controlling and over-bearing recovering alcoholic who seems to suffer from dementia stemming from her alcohol use and the loss of her brother, goes on a rampage when she finds her daughter has run off with her new boyfriend. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor James McCaffrey (Rescue Me) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Suits, playing Harvey’s dad Gordon Specter. He will appear in flashbacks since fans of the show know Harvey’s father is deceased. Suits is back for its new season on the USA Network on July 16. (Vlada Gelman at TV Line)

Starz has ordered 16 episodes of the small adaptation of the Diana Gabaldon best-seller Outlander that will be executive produced by Ronald D. Moore (Battlestar Galactica). The series follows Claire Randall, a married combat nurse from 1945 who is swept back to 1743, forced to marry Scottish warrior Jamie Fraser and finds herself torn between two times. (Tim Molloy at The Wrap)

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Paul Giamatti will appear in the fourth season of Downton Abbey when it returns to PBS on January 5, 2014. He will play Cora’s maverick and “playboy” brother Harold. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actor Charlie Carver and Max Carver (Desperate Housewives and Teen Wolf) have joined the cast of the HBO drama pilot called The Leftovers from Damon Lindelof and based on the Tom Perrotta novel. The project takes place after the Rapture happens, but not quite like it’s supposed to, centering on chief of police Kevin Garvey (Justin Theroux). The Carver brothers will play happy-go-lucky identical twins Scott (Charlie) and Adam (Max) Frost, friends of Garvey’s daughter, whose laid back demeanor brings levity to a dark world. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

HBO and Cinemax as well as Frank Spotnitz (The X-Files and Strike Back) are developing a spin-off of the short-lived drama series Hunted. This spin-off will be called Sam Hunter, based on the lead character from Hunted that will see actress Melissa George reprising her role as the title character. This will be a four hour mini-series on Cinemax. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Here are the top 10 box office films for this past weekend courtesy of Deadline:

1. Monsters University – 81.1 million

2. World War Z – 66 million

3. Man Of Steel – 41.2 million

4. This Is The End – 13 million

5. Now You See Me – 7.8 million

6. Fast & Furious 6 – 4.8 million

7. The Purge – 3.3 million

8. The Internship – 3.2 million

9. Star Trek Into Darkness – 3 million

10. Iron Man 3 – 2.1 million

Actress Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect and the Twilight franchise) will star in the Broadway-to-film adaptation of the musical Into the Woods, starring as Cinderella. This film will be a mash-up of classic fairy tales, revolving around a baker and his wife (James Corden and Emily Blunt), who attempt to lift a family curse by journeying into the woods to confront The Witch, (Meryl Streep) who put the spell on them. Along their journey they meet classic characters including Rapunzel, Cinderella, Jack and Little Red Riding Hood. In this version, Cinderella is married to a vain prince (Chris Pine) and is described as “a woman trying to find her place in the world.” (First Showing)

Actor Adrien Brody and actress Jordana Brewster have joined the cast of the action thriller film called American Heist that is a remake of the 1959 Steve McQueen picture called St Louis Bank Robbery. The film will also star Hayden Christensen in a story about two brothers with checkered pasts; one struggling on the road to normalcy, the other just released from prison, who intertwine when one drags the other into an ill-fated bank robbery spearheaded by a gang of dangerous criminals, testing the loyalty of their sibling bond and how far they will go for greed and family. (The Deadline Team)

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

HAPPY 1st DAY OF SUMMER!!

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Luke Kleintank (Bones and No Ordinary Family) will appear on Pretty Little Liars later this summer as Travis, a good kid with strong morals who has a secret that may end up helping one of the Pretty Little Liars in a major way. The next new episode of Pretty Little Liars will air on ABC Family on June 25 at 8 PM. (Megan Masters at TV Line)

Actress Stacy Haiduk (The Young and the Restless) will guest star in at least two upcoming episodes of the new ABC Family drama Twisted, appearing as Marilyn Rossi, a tough but attractive investigator at a private security firm, who is hired by the mayor to help with the investigation of the murder of Regina Crane (SPOILER ALERT: the mean girl at high school killed in the pilot episode). The next new episode of Twisted will air on ABC Family on June 25 at 9 PM. (Philiana Ng at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actress Tawny Cypress (Heroes and House of Cards) will be a series regular on the returning CBS drama Unforgettable, playing Murray, a former decorated FBI agent who begins work at the Major Cases Section of the NYPD. Unforgettable will be back on CBS starting on July 28. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Zuleikha Robinson (Homeland and Lost) will recur on Covert Affairs, playing Bianca, a D.C. power player who is one of the capitol’s most formidable defense attorneys. With the help of Bianca’s legal acumen, Arthur (series regular Peter Gallagher) plans to combat allegations that could damage the Campbells’ legacy. Covert Affairs will air its season premiere on July 16 at 9 PM on the USA Network. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Jesse Lee Soffer (The Mob Doctor) has joined the cast of the NBC mid-season drama Chicago PD (the spin-off of Chicago Fire). He will play a young police detective who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. In fact, he will be introduced on Chicago Fire along with other characters from the spin-off. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

MADE-FOR-TV NEWS

Lifetime is developing a made-for-TV movie from Terry McMillian called A Day Late and a Dollar Short that will star Whoopi Goldberg in 2014. She will play Viola Price, who learns that her next asthma attack could kill her. Emboldened by that knowledge, she sets out to repair her fractured family. (Jethro Nededog at The Wrap)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Helena Bonham Carter has been cast as the fairy godmother in the upcoming box office adaptation of Cinderella that is set to star Downton Abbey actress Lily James and Game of Thrones actor Richard Madden in the lead roles. (First Showing)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Hot Trailer: Ashton Kutcher In ‘JOBS’

Q&A SECTION (with Matt Mitovich from TV Line and Sandra Gonzalez at Entertainment Weekly)

Question: I’ll take any scoop you have for Castle. — M.F.

Mitovich: In speaking with TVLine about the season-ending proposal, Nathan Fillion said that while he has no idea what’s ahead (and truly, conspiracy theorists, it seems he doesn’t), he “absolutely” is looking forward to what Andrew W. Marlowe has teased is a “complicated” Season 6. “That’s one of the things that Andrew has done very well, in that it’s very realistic that two people who really ought to be together maybe don’t see it. Or the timing isn’t right,” the actor said. “These are things that happen in real life. That life gets complicated. That it can never be easy. This is something, I think, that we can all relate to. It’s a truth that everyone is comfortable with.”

Question: Is Orphan Black‘s Helena really dead? –Jack

Mitovich: Though series lead Tatiana Maslany at first hedged when we brought that burning Q to her, ultimately she opined, “Yeah, I think she is [dead].” And while the actress noted that “in Orphan Black style, it could all change,” for now she is in mourning. “I will miss her entirely…. There’s this emotion in her and this depth of love that she can’t show because she has been conditioned to be aggressive and to kill. For me, finding the humanity in a character like that is really exciting.”

Question: Please give me some Pretty Little Liars scoop on when we will find out the identity of the body found in the woods! And please say it isn’t Jason!!! –Amanda

Mitovich: Oh, you’re going to have to sit tight at least a few episodes longer. And: Jason?! What, a guy can’t go visit relatives without winding up as worm food?

Question: Do you have anything on the Pretty Little Liars spin-off? –Gina

Mitovich: Here’s a curious comment from executive producer I. Marlene King. Explaining the one confirmed cast member crossover, she says, “It was always thought [behind the scenes] that Caleb (played by Tyler Blackburn) would move over to Ravenswood. And when our audience gets to know what Ravenswood is, they’ll understand why it was the right choice for him to take us into that world.”

Question: When Suits returns, is there going to be a huge fallout with Harvey and Jessica? –David

Mitovich: Oh my lord, the way those two go at each other in the season premiere is ferocious and relentless. Suffice to say, the chip on Harvey’s broad shoulders is bigger than ever, and he sees right through most every ploy/bit of underhandedness by Jessica to “smooth things over” — and ends the July 16 premiere by revealing his most audacious move yet. But dare I say, the rift between Harvey and Mike is just as formidable — and might only be mended if the latter succeeds in his plan to literally construct a “time machine.”

Question: I am counting down the days until Suits comes back, I’m so excited about it. Any scoop on what’s in store for Donna this season? Remember, it is Donna, and “she knows everything”! –Jared

Mitovich: Indeed, Donna does — especially when she lays her peepers on Mike after his first (and apparently prolonged) ravaging of Jenny. Alas, that all-knowing quality of hers could stand in the way of Mike getting back in Harvey’s good graces.

Question: Is the final season of Burn Notice being split up or airing all at once? – Drew

Mitovich: Save for a pre-emption on July 4, all 13 episodes will air this summer, with the series finale set for Sept. 12.

Question: I was very happy with the new element of Amanda Callaway on White Collar this year, and was wondering if she would be returning? –Erin

Mitovich: If Emily Procter returns — and that’s a huge if — it won’t be anytime soon, and certainly not in the first slew of Season 5 episodes.

Question: I’m happy to see Longmire back on A&E. Any hints on what’s on the horizon for Walt and company? –Jen

Mitovich: I’m a week behind on the series, so forgive me if any of these teasers have reached their expiration date: “Vic’s past starts to catch up with her…. Lizzie returns with a surprise for Walt…. Secrets will be revealed about what happened with Walt and Henry in Denver…. And the election results will soon be in!”

Question: Does NCIS plan on continuing the storyline regarding McGee’s father having Stage 4 cancer? –Jeannie

Mitovich: Show boss Gary Glasberg was “really pleased” with that March episode, “Squall,” and how it built to “an understanding — and a resolution — between the two characters.” That said, and though it’s too soon to tease Season 11, he says the storyline “is certainly something that we’ve left open and that we’d like to revisit, not only dealing with the admiral’s health issues, but in terms of what their relationship is moving forward.”

Question: What happened to the third NCIS spinoff? Are they going to do it, or did it die and nothing has been said? –Lori

Mitovich: NCIS: Red is dead. Granted, we never reported that outright during the madness of Upfronts, but it’d take an epic poem to detail every pilot that does not make the cut.

Question: I love Graceland. Aaron Tviet. YES, PLEASE. Can I have some scoop? — Grace

Gonzalez: Mike really starts to feel the weight of the job in the next episode, titled “The Pizza Box,” when he’s recruited to teach a bunch of thugs working for a Nigerian drug lord how to use guns. It’s one step on a road to a larger goal. And he could end the hour with blood on his hands. Meanwhile, Tuturro gets a little action.

Question: Stana Katic’s answer in last week’s Castle scoop was perfection!!! Any more Castle scoop for the loyal fans? — Morgan H.

Gonzalez: While many of you have theories as to how to interpret Katic’s answer, here’s another hint that could turn your theory upside down. When asked whether she thinks the gang could survive a little time apart — should Beckett take the job in D.C. — the lovely Katic said, “I think it could be a good change of scenery for the audience. And there are ways of bringing it back together. The show has to evolve. The characters have to evolve.” She adds, “There’s ways of drawing these characters together and also giving each character a featured episode. That would be interesting to me. I love learning more about Detective Ryan and Lainie. I think it is interesting to feature them and their lives sometimes. So, you know, it doesn’t have to be the Scooby-Doo gang every episode solving a murder. It is important for a show to grow and blossom.”

Question: Thanks for all the USA shows scoop last week, but you missed White Collar! Anything for me? Even something small? — Lauren

Gonzalez: You may have heard that Americans actress Annet Mahendru is guest starring on the upcoming fifth season as a Russian figure skater. A bonus scooplet? She’s working with Peter and Neal to bring down her bad-guy beau, but in order to do so, she has to get closer to the action than she ever wanted.

Question: NCIS: LA!! — Amy K.

Gonzalez: While we’re in the speculation zone, Brett Foa has some interesting ideas for Eric next season, should the writers desire his input. “I would love to see Eric with a gun,” he says. “I don’t think he would do well with it, but I think it would be funny to see it in his hands. I would also like to see the tech guys save the day maybe instead of the guys with the brawn. That would be fun: brains over brawn.”

Question: Anything on Grimm? — Isa

Gonzalez: Not yet! But next week I’ll have some scoop straight from the EPs. Please email questions to spoilerroom@ew.com by tomorrow noon PT!

Question: This isn’t a spoiler question, but I was wondering if you’ve heard any early buzz on new shows. Any faves? — Dianela

Gonzalez: I’ll give you two of my faves in three different categories: Of the comedies I’ve seen, I found many giggles in The Crazy Ones and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. In the Sandra-can’t-stop-watching-the-CW aisle of my TV line-up, I liked Reign and Star-Crossed. And on the Yes, I like cop shows front, I see promise in The Bridge on FX (debuting this summer) and Almost Human, which bows midseason. More info on all of these to come, but thanks for asking. It makes me feel important. (I’m not.)

Question: When are we going to see more of the hand flashback on PLL? — Bree

Gonzalez: “In essence, you revisit it all season because the question of Alison being alive was raised last season,” EP Oliver Goldstick explains, “but as far as that night of that hand coming out of the earth, that will be explained when we get to the end of 4A.” Personally, this season is sort of flying by already. Agree, Bree? (I rhymed!)

Question: Any news from Person of Interest? — Tatiana

Gonzalez: Two things that might be of interest… 1) For all of you who e-mail about wanting to watch previous episodes. CBS announced yesterday that POI is now available for digital download via all the regular means. WOOP! (Summer marathon?) 2) Even though Amy Acker’s Root was last receiving a call from the machine, she has yet to receive word of her official return date. “Nothing is officially in the books,” she says. “I feel like they gotta bring me back. I want to come back. It is a fun character. She’s smart and deliciously evil but with what she feels like are good reasons.” Are you hoping Root makes her return sooner rather than later, gang?

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a great weekend!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

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

TELEVISION

Actor Zach Grenier has been promoted to full-time status on The Good Wife where he has been recurring as David Lee. (Michael Slezak at TV Line)

ONLINE SERIES NEWS

Netflix has given a second season order to their thriller/horror series Hemlock Grove. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Sarah Lancaster (Chuck and Everwood) has joined the cast of the upcoming box office film The Judge that will star Robert Downey Jr. as a successful attorney who returns to his hometown for his mother’s funeral to discover that his estranged father, the town’s judge, is suspected of murder. Lancaster will play Downey’s soon-to-be ex-wife. Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga, Vincent D’Onofrio, Leighton Meester, Dax Shepard and Billy Bob Thornton will also co-star. (Borys Kit at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Owen Wilson & Woody Harrelson Turkey Time Travel in ‘Free Birds’

Dwayne Johnson Suspects Liam Hemsworth in ‘Empire State’ Trailer

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Music impresario T Bone Burnett will not be returning as the executive music producer on the second season of Nashville. He will, however, be replaced by his number two man Buddy Miller. (Liz Raftery at TV Guide)

Actor Doug Savant (Desperate Housewives) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Rizzoli & Isles. He will play Roger Thorson, a mock trial adviser whose colleague dies suddenly during a competition. Rizzoli & Isles will air its season premiere on TNT on June 25. (Sandra Gonzalez at Entertainment Weekly)

Actresses Loretta Devine (The Client List) and Peggy Lipton (the original The Mod Squad) will both guest star in an upcoming episode of Psych when the series returns for its 8th season on the USA Network. Devine will play Melba Birdson, a former back-up singer for 1960s sensation Myles Valour Jr. Lassie (series regular Timothy Omundson) tracks her down in a desperate attempt to gain information on a cold case from 1967 and finds her still performing after all these years. Meanwhile, Lipton will portray Scarlet Jones, reliving her days as the main squeeze of notorious mob boss Rodney Caruso. As Lassie begins to dig around a cold case involving the late Archie Baxter, he turns to Scarlett for information on Archie’s supper club, where Myles’ songs were regular fixtures and the line between cops and criminals were blurred. (Philiana Ng at The Hollywood Reporter)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actress Liv Tyler (The Lord of the Rings franchise) will star opposite Justin Theorux in the HBO drama pilot called The Leftovers from Damon Lindelof. The project, based on the Tom Perrotta book, takes place after the Rapture happens, but not quite like it’s supposed to. It is the story of the people who didn’t make the cut and a world that will never be the same. Tyler will play Meg, a young woman on the verge of getting married, but needing an escape. As a result, she becomes a target for recruitment by members of an enigmatic cult. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Live Free or Die Hard and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) has joined the cast of the Cinemax drama pilot called Quarry. She will play Joni, wife of Quarry (Logan Marshall Green), who is one of the few who stands by her husband after he returns from the Vietnam War. The character now earns a living as a cold, remorseless hitman. (The Wrap and Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Patricia Clarkson (Easy A) is set to join the cast of the film adaptation of the James Dasher young adult sci-fi novel The Maze Runner that will star Dylan O’Brien (Teen Wolf) as a young man who awakens in a giant hedge labyrinth with no memory. He soon comes upon other boys his own age who start their own makeshift society. Clarkson will play the enigmatic Chancellor Ava Paige, the woman who is testing children in this dystopian world to find the strongest warriors. (Entertainment Weekly and Dark Horizons)

Actress Anna Kendrick (the Twilight Franchise and Pitch Perfect) will star alongside Jeremy Jordan (Smash) in the box office film called The Last 5 Years, that will be told through emotionally powerful and comic songs from their individual perspectives. The musical is a deconstruction of the love affair and marriage of Cathy Hiatt, a struggling actress, and Jamie Wellerstein, a rising novelist. (The Deadline Team)

Actor Max Greenfield (New Girl) will be back playing Deputy Leo in the much-anticipated fan-supported Veronica Mars movie. (Vlada Gelman at TV Line and Gold Derby)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Must Watch: First Trailer for James Ponsoldt’s ‘The Spectacular Now’

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

Question: Thanks for the Once Upon a Time scoop! Got anything on those left behind in Storybrooke or Neal? — Monica

NATALIE: How about both? “Fear not, the characters left behind in Storybrooke are not forgotten and what’s happening to them is important,” executive producer Adam Horowitz promises. “Hopefully all the story lines will coalesce in a way the audience will enjoy.” Among them is the fate of Neal, who landed back in fairy-tale land. Unfortunately, though, “Emma is on that ship believing Neal is dead and then there’s Neal, who just said, ‘I love you,'” executive producer Edward Kitsis laments. Anyone else thinking Emma may find solace in Hook’s, um, arms?

Question: Really excited for Under the Dome. Any chance you can give us a little tease? — Laura

NATALIE: If you’ve read anything about CBS’ new summer drama, then you’ll know that Secret Circle alum Britt Robertson is playing Angie, who isn’t long for the world in the Stephen King novel on which the series is based. But in a nice twist from the book, she’ll be sticking around for quite a while — she’ll just be in a somewhat familiar position that could make some Under the Dome viewers feel claustrophobic. Ruh-roh.

Question: I loved Michael and Fi’s flashback on Burn Notice last week! Will there be more? — Britney

ADAM: Yes! But not with Fi. In an upcoming episode, Michael will endure some actual (not emotional) torture, during which he’ll flash-back to his childhood, in a particular unusual manner. “The adult Michael is actually in those flashbacks with the child Michael, so he’s seeing himself as a little boy,” Jeffrey Donovan tells us. “He’s hallucinating and it’s crazy!”

Question: More Longmire scoop, please! — Dylan

NATALIE: With Walt and Branch’s campaign posters plastered all over town, you would think it would be difficult for Branch to go undercover, right? Well, yeah, you’re right. That won’t work out too well for him when they’re investigating a murder at a rodeo — but really, things aren’t working out for Branch on many fronts, especially when it comes to Cady.

Question: Can you please tell me what’s in the file Henry gave Annie on Covert Affairs? — Lisa

ADAM: Of course not! But we can tell you that it’s about not one, but two people you know very well, one of whom will make a drastic move by the end of the episode after another secret gets out. Gulp!

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

INTERNATIONAL TV NEWS

Actress Jenna-Louise Coleman (Doctor Who) has joined the cast of the three-part made-for-TV movie Death Comes To Pemberley (based on the book of the same name) for BBC One (one of the major networks in the UK), appearing as Lydia Wickham. Also part of the cast is Matthew Rhys (The Americans and Brothers and Sisters) who will play Darcy, Anna Maxwell Martin, who will play Lizzie Bennet and Mathew Goode who will play George Wickham. The story picks up six years into Elizabeth and Darcy’s marriage as they prepare for their annual ball. When Lydia arrives, she brings a shocking halt to the proceedings and a murder investigation unfolds. (Nancy Tartaglione at Deadline)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Legendary actor John Hurt has joined the cast of the FX pilot The Strain, which is based on the best-selling vampire novel trilogy from Guillermo del Toro and author Chuck Hogan. He will play Professor Abraham Setrakian, a holocaust survivor who immigrated to the United States after World War II and now runs a pawn shop in Spanish Harlem. As the outbreak spreads, he may be the only one with answers – if anyone will listen. The project is a high concept thriller that tells the story of Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll), the head of the Center for Disease Control Canary Team in New York City. He and his team are called upon to investigate a mysterious viral outbreak with hallmarks of an ancient and evil strain of vampirism. When Eph realizes that this isn’t some new bio-terror weapon, but something much older, something outside the reach of science, he teams with Abraham to fight back. As a plague of hungry and intelligent predators overwhelms New York, Eph, Abraham and a motley crew of everyday New Yorkers form a ragtag resistance – fighting monsters in the streets and in their homes, waging a war for the fate of humanity itself. The cast includes Kevin Durand (Lost), Mia Maestro (Alias) and Lauren Lee Smith (Mutant X) among others. (The Futon Critic)

Actor Michael Gaston (Jericho) has joined the cast of the HBO drama pilot called The Leftovers from Damon Lindelof and abased on the book by Tom Perrotta that takes place after the Rapture happens, but not quite like it’s supposed to. It is the story of the people who didn’t make the cut… and a world that will never be the same. Gaston will play Dean, a man who seems to understand that times have changed and addresses it head on — often violently. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

ONLINE NEWS

Amazon Studios has planning on launching a drama series called Bosch, a police procedural based on the novels by Michael Connelly that focuses on Harry Bosch, a veteran police homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. Amazon Studios already has two comedies and three kids shows as part of its original programming slate. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Scott Foley has been promoted to series regular on Scandal for the show’s upcoming third season. Throughout season two he appeared as Jake Ballard, friend of the President of the United States and would-be-protector sans lover of Olivia Pope (series lead Kerry Washington). (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

There were also promotions made over at Grey’s Anatomy with actress Camilla Luddington, Jerrika Hinton and Tessa Ferrer as well as actor Gaius Charles all becoming series regulars for the show’s upcoming 10th season. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actor Jorge Garcia (Lost) will be making a guest appearance on an episode of Hawaii Five-0 this fall, playing a brilliant conspiracy theorist. (Sandra Gonzalez at Entertainment Weekly)

Actress Erin Cummings (Spartacus: War of the Damned) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Unforgettable, playing Eve Steele, an elite thief-for-hire who happens to bear a resemblance to NYPD detective Carrie Wells (series lead Poppy Montgomery). (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Actress Annet Mahendru (The Americans) and actor Mike Dopud (Mistresses) will both guest star in an upcoming fall episode of White Collar. Manhendru will play Katya, a talented Russian figure skater who shows Olympic promise while Dopud will play Sergei, a Russian gangster. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Here is a list of the top 10 box office films from this past weekend courtesy of Box Office Mojo:

1. Man of Steel – $129 million
2. This is the End – $20.5 million
3. Now You See Me – $10.3 million
4. Fast & Furious 6 – $9.4 million
5. The Purge – $8.2 million
6. The Internship – $7 million
7. Epic – $6 million
8. Star Trek Into Darkness – $5.7 million
9. After Earth – $3.8 million
10 Iron Man 3 – $2.9 million

Actress Marie Avgeropoulos (Cult and the upcoming mid-season CW series The 100) has landed a role opposite Taylor Lautner (the Twilight franchise) in the box office film Tracers, an action thriller about the dangerous world of parkour. She will play Nikki, a skater girl who runs with a gang of street criminals, who bike messenger Cam (Lautner) and pulls him into her world and into a love triangle with a member of her crew. (Jen Yamato at Deadline)

Actor Iain De Caestecker (The Fades and the upcoming Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) has landed a role in the Ryan Gosling directorial debut film How To Catch A Monster. He will play the son of Christina Hendricks (Mad Men), a loner with an active imagination who is the catalyst for this film. (Mike Fleming, Jr. at Deadline)

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items today:

TELEVISION

Actor Garret Dillahunt (Raising Hope) will reprise his role of Simon Escher (the man for whom his crimes were blamed on Michael, causing our favorite spy to be burned) on Burn Notice this summer. But it is unclear how his return will affect Michael and his team. (Megan Masters at TV Line)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Joseph Morgan (The Vampire Diaries and this fall’s spin-off The Originals) will join actors Walton Goggins (Justified) and Ron Perlman (Sons of Anarchy) in the film adaptation of the Craig Clevenger novel Dermaphoria. The story centers on a brilliant chemist (Morgan) who wakes up in jail after a drug-lab explosion and is suffering from amnesia. Trapped between cops who want to arrest him and heavies who will stop at nothing to get the formula buried deep inside his head, he must piece together memories fragmented by a powerful new drug and find his missing girlfriend. (Heat Vision and Dark Horizons)

Actress Emily VanCamp (Revenge) and actor Michael Nyqvist (Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol) will star in the independent flick The Girl in the Book that centers on the daughter of a powerful New York City literary agent (VanCamp) who is forced to confront painful events in her past when asked to work on the re-release of the best-selling novel of her father’s star client (Nyqvist). Forced to face difficult memories, she ultimately overcomes her demons and rediscovers her creative voice. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE NEWS

Actor Billy Campbell (The Killing) and Clea Duvall (Carnivale) have joined Christina Ricci in the Lifetime made-for-TV movie about Lizzie Borden. Campbell will play Borden’s attorney, Andrew Jennings, while Duvall will play Lizzie’s sister Emma. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Q&A SECTION (with Matt Mitovich at TV Line and Sandra Gonzalez at Entertainment Weekly)

Question: Is it too soon to ask if you have any spoilers on NCIS: LA‘s 100th episode? –Emma

Mitovich: Not only is it not premature to ask about No. 100 (aka the fourth episode of Season 5), show boss Shane Brennan teases, “I already know what the last episode is for next year!” But let’s not get that ahead of ourselves. Brennan says that while the aforementioned milestone hour “may play with the show’s format a little,” it will for certain “kick off an arc that runs right through the end of the season,” which he also said will be a “watershed” one for both Deeks and Callen.

Question: Does Once Upon a Time plan on telling the current stories of the characters in Storybrooke, or will Season 3 focus on Neverland and the Enchanted Forest? –Ellie

Mitovich: In case my previous scoop on this subject did not reassure you that, as the headline said, “Storybrooke will not be forgotten,” I just confirmed that Emilie de Ravin is still a series regular for Season 3. Thus, it sounds like Belle will certainly have Maine events of her own to deal with back home.

Question: Will Once Upon a Time explain how Mulan and Aurora helped Phillip get his soul back from the wraith? –JJ

Mitovich: Series co-creator Adam Horowitz confirms that yes, that burning question will be addressed during Season 3 — and likely on the sooner side, I reckon, since Jamie Chung and Sarah Bolger have midseason pilots (NBC’s Believe, ABC’s Mixology) to get to!

Question: How is the Covert Affairs premiere?! Can you give us any scoop on it, pretty please? — Rachael

Mitovich: As Christopher Gorham previously shared, Auggie and Annie are very much a couple now — as the opening sequence makes “nakedly” clear. Likewise, when Kari Matchett told me there are “interesting things” on tap for Joan and Arthur, my lord, she was not kidding. All told, while I didn’t 100 percent follow the case at hand — Annie and Auggie “vacation” in Colombia to covertly dig into Arthur’s past while dodging the local CIA station chief (played by new series regular/CSI: NY alum Hill Harper) — the episode is chock-a-block with exposed secrets (one of which I did not see coming at all) and a final scene that promises to shake up the pecking order.

Question: Defiance‘s Stahma and Kenya…. I have no words. So, do you have scoop? — Julia

Mitovich: Right? And people thought H.G. Wells/Myka would be Syfy’s Sapphic supercouple. There’s a passing moment in the wedding episode (airing June 24) where Stahma comments to someone about the Need/Want proprietor’s “amazing touch.” Elsewhere in that hour, you’ll lay witness to a Castithan bachelor party (which frankly varies little from anything you see at Scores), get some movement on the Irisa/Tommy front, discover that [SPOILER] saved Datak’s life some years ago and learn that someone in town is concealing a massive, shocking secret. There’s also the death of two characters who’ve been with us from the start.

Question: I love ABC’s new show Motive. What is its future? When will it be back on after basketball and for how many episodes? –Judy

Mitovich: The 10 remaining episodes will begin to unspool June 27, running through early September.

Question: Does the abbreviated final-season order for Warehouse 13 mean we won’t see another Christmas special again? –Lisa

Mitovich: Sorry to hand you a lump of coal in June, but yes.

Question: I’m dying for some Suits scoop — especially about Rachel and Mike! — Meghan

Sandra: SO much goes down between these two in the July 16 premiere, and as a result, I don’t even know where to start. So let’s play a game: One or more of these things will take place in the premiere. Can you guess which one(s)? (A) Rachel will out Mike. (B) They will sleep together again. (C) One of them learns a third party saw them getting it on.

Question: Wednesday night’s Royal Pains premiere was great! I can’t believe Divya’s pregnant! And I’m worried about Hank. Need any scoop on what’s going on in the Hamptons. — Leslie

Sandra: Divya’s pregnancy twist was cool, wasn’t it? Well, next week, the sexy PA reveals to Paige the surprising reason she never anticipated having a child, but also learns that all might not be well with the baby-to-be.

Question: Teen Wolf has been PHENOMENAL this season. I’d love anything you got on Isaac, the Alpha pack or Stiles! — Josh

Sandra: Sooner rather than later, we’re going to get a little more back-story on exactly how the Alpha pack got to be so powerful (and it’s quite disturbing!). Meanwhile, Isaac and Allison are going to share an über-intense scene in a closet in the fourth episode this season … and we’re not talking about a seven-minutes-in-heaven situation.

Question: Sorry to bother you with this, Sandra, but I have to ask…can we get a Copper recap this year?
PLEASE! This show is really good and dark and gory. I think you’d have fun doing it! — Katie

Sandra: I’ll ask. If nothing else, keep an eye here for plenty of Copper scoop. Meanwhile, since you mentioned gore, I have to warn you that your stomach MAY churn during the upcoming June 23 premiere. The scene of which I speak involved Madame Eva (Franka Potente) getting a knife in the back … literally. I wish that’s as bad as it got …

Question: My Summer TV must-watch is definitely Rizzoli & Isles. I’d love some info on these kick-ass ladies. — J.L.

Sandra: I can tell you that by the end of this pair’s big return June 25, which picks up at the tail end of Maura’s recovery from surgery, two couples will rekindle their flame with some hanky-panky. (Do people under 50 use that term any more?) Guesses on the couples?

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a terrific weekend!!

Read Full Post »