Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

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

TELEVISION

Actor James Callis (Battlestar Galactica) will star in the season finale of CSI on May 15. He will play a journalist who has the Las Vegas Police Department in his crosshairs, as he aims to expose the corruption and hypocrisy of those tasked with policing Sin City. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

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

Question: Loving all the Sherlock scoop you’ve been sharing recently. I can have more? – Colin

Team Watch with Kristin: But of course! Any excuse to talk about Sherlock. Co-creator and star Mark Gatiss revealed on his Twitter the title of the first episode of season four: “The Empty Hearse.” Sounds like the episode will be based on the original Sir Arthur Conan Doyle story The Adventure of the Empty House. And hopefully, having the word “hearse” in the title means that we will find out just how Sherlock faked his death.

Question: Would love some scoop on Once Upon a Time’s finale! – Hank

Team Watch with Kristin: The ABC fantasy hit is currently casting three 16-year-old boys who are part of a sinister group. The leader Felix is tough; while the other two are identical twins and all three roles could becoming recurring. Hmm…could we be meeting the Lost Boys?!

Question: Beauty and the Beast spoilers? – Erika

Team Watch with Kristin: Sounds like Beauty and the Beast is hopping on the Star Wars train because soon they’ll be introducing Chewy! Obviously it’s not actually Chewbacca, but there is a character named Chewy who will first hit on Catherine, and then try and beat her up, and then threaten her life. And that’s just the first scene with him. All in a day’s work as a really attractive detective.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actors Jack Coleman (Heroes) and Stephen Martines (The Closer) have been cast in recurring roles on Burn Notice when the show returns later this year for its seventh (and potentially final season. Coleman will play Andrew Strong, a ranking CIA officer who has seen it all. Noble, but also obsessive at times, Strong is a relentless taskmaster who pushes Michael to do whatever it takes to complete the mission. Martines will play Carlos Cruz, a swashbuckling bounty hunter and Fiona’s charming new boyfriend (SAY WHAT?!) (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Dallas Roberts (The Walking Dead) has joined the cast of the returning CBS drama Unforgettable where he will play Eliot, who is in charge of the Major Cases Section of the NYPD. Unforgettable returns on July 28. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Gregg Henry (Scandal) is joining the cast of The Killing, playing Carl Reddick, Holder’s seasoned new partner, a career cop who’s managed to neither excel to the top ranks nor ruffle anyone’s feathers. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Season three of the MTV comedy Awkward. will be back with its third season on April 16, airing two back-to-back episodes at 10 and 10:30 PM. (TV By the Numbers)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

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

1. Oz the Great and Powerful, $42.2 million
2. The Call, $17.1 million
3. The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, $10.3 million
4. Jack the Giant Slayer, $6.2 million
5. Identity Thief, $4.8 million
6. Snitch, $3.5 million
7. 21 and Over, $2.6 million
8. Silver Linings Playbook, $2.59 million
9. Safe Haven, $2.5 million
10. Escape From Planet Earth, $2.3 million

Actress Elisabeth Rohm (Law & Order) has joined the cast of the as-yet titled film from David O. Russell that stars Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner and Amy Adams. The story revolves around a real-life FBI sting operation in the 1970s that led to the conviction of U.S. political figures for corruption. Rohm will play the wife of Renner’s character. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

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

Question: I’m thrilled that Veronica Mars fans will be getting a long-awaited movie. I have a few questions related to the Kickstarter campaign that made it possible: 1) Were you surprised that the goal of $2 million was reached in only 24 hours given the ratings challenges the show always faced as a TV series? 2) There was some controversy about whether asking fans to fund the project instead of having the studio fund it was setting a bad precedent and whether such a “mainstream” project should have been conducted through Kickstarter. What are your thoughts? Lastly, what other cancelled TV shows do you think would be worthy of fan-funded movie resurrections? — Brian

Matt Roush: 1) I’m pretty sure everyone in the industry and beyond was astonished — gobsmacked is another favorite word that comes to mind — at how quickly this all happened, in part because as you noted Veronica Mars was the cult-iest of cult shows and has been off the air (though apparently not out of mind) for six years. But as we all know, fan passion runs deep, and in this case, they put their money where it mattered, in a unique (for now) circumstance that gives them pride of participation, if not ownership. Which brings up 2) the question of whether the Kickstarter method is appropriate for projects like this. I don’t see a problem, in part because Veronica Mars feels less “mainstream” than underdog, as close to indie-film status as anything from a major studio can be. This wasn’t going to happen any other way, and it’s unlikely anyone’s going to make a fortune from this once it heads to its ultimate destination: online, On Demand, video. It’s a win for fans and for the creative team that has stayed remarkably committed to seeing this become a reality.

Which brings up 3) the fact that an awful lot needs to go right in terms of assembling cast, writers and production team for a project of the right scale to get this sort of go-ahead. (Even another watershed event like Joss Whedon’s Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog only happened because of “favors and waivers,” as he put it to me back in 2008. And we’re still waiting for the sequel.) Among the titles I’ve seen discussed in the wake of this Veronica Mars news are even cult-ier shows like Party Down and Terriers — which probably could produce a movie version on this scale — as well as fan faves like Chuck (which got five seasons, but Zachary Levi still dreams of doing a movie, and why not). Many shows are “worthy” (as Brian puts it) of resurrection, but like Arrested Development’s comeback on Netflix, they’re still likely to be the exception to the rule that once a show’s canceled, it’s over. Which won’t stop the clamoring for more, so it will be interesting to see what happens next.

Question: Should we Once Upon a Time fans be worried with the low ratings the show has oddly been getting lately? I don’t understand why the show is getting such low ratings as all of my family and friends still watch the series and the online fanbase is so large. I know the ratings really aren’t the full picture anymore, and a Season 3 renewal is pretty much a given, but should we be worried that Season 3 could be the last? A lot of my friends now watch the show with their DVRs or online which I know the overnight ratings don’t include. Once they add those factors in, plus how popular the show is on social networking sites like Tumblr, Twitter and Facebook, it has to change the story. I’m sure ABC knows how large the fandom actually is and I’m sure if we have to, there will be online campaigns to keep the show on the air like there have been with Chuck and Fringe. I’m starting to wonder if next season ABC will pair OUAT with S.H.I.E.L.D. by either keeping it on Sundays or moving it to another day, or if it will go the route of Lost and schedule an end date with a multiple-season renewal? I just hope this show is able to end the way the writers want it to. I think they, the cast and we as fans deserve to have a proper ending. — Amanda

Matt Roush: It’s a little early to start worrying about renewal beyond this season, don’t you think? Once was not helped by ABC scheduling first-run episodes against big events in January and February, but any show on Sundays faces that problem. Daylight savings is also no friend to shows that air at 8/7c. But in the bigger picture, as you suggested, the networks are taking into account many more factors than the immediate overnight ratings to calculate what makes a show a success in this increasingly fragmented marketplace. I like your idea of pairing Once with a similarly fantastic show, but I’d be surprised if ABC moves this show off of Sundays, where it still performs an important function as a family-friendly show in a critical hour. Either way, it seems too early for the Once producers to start thinking about an endgame or for fans to be worrying about an unhappily-ever-after scenario.

Question: I’ve recently become a fan of Bryan Fuller (always loved Pushing Daisies, but just got into Wonderfalls and Dead Like Me). Was bummed that Mockingbird Lane didn’t go further, but Hannibal has my hopes up. Why don’t Fuller’s shows seem to last more than two seasons (see all the above-mentioned shows), and do you think Hannibal will have a better chance of lasting? — Mottel

Matt Roush: Bryan Fuller doesn’t make ordinary TV, and taking extraordinary risks often presents challenges in such a mainstream medium. I’ve seen five episodes of Hannibal (which premieres April 4), and it’s as freaky, visually stimulating and fascinating as any of Fuller’s best work, but this one also has a brand name (Hannibal Lecter from Thomas Harris’ best-sellers) attached, so I’m hoping this will be the long-awaited new hit NBC so desperately needs and Fuller deserves. The Thursday time period (10/9c) will be challenging, since it’s been such a dead zone for NBC in recent years.

UPDATE: Regarding last week’s NCIS question about Ziva and the aftermath of her father’s assassination, the show’s executive producer Gary Glasberg sent in this quote to reconfirm my answer: “Revenge is often better served slowly and deliberately. And the ramifications of what’s to come at the end of the season will be significant and, to say the least, surprising.” To that end, the April 9 episode includes a storyline in which “Tony suspects that Ziva is planning a risky move to avenge her father’s death.” In other NCIS news, because I get so many questions about McGee and when we’ll ever meet his father, that will be addressed in the March 26 episode, introducing Jamey Sheridan (the ill-fated vice president on Homeland) as Navy Admiral John McGee, who in classic NCIS tradition is implicated in a murder at sea.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

The cable channel Cloo will air a marathon of episodes of Psych in honor of the show’s upcoming 100th episode. The event will be called “99 Psychs on the Wall” and will feature all 99 episodes leading up to the 100th episode, airing on Saturday, March 23 starting at 7 PM. (The Futon Critic)

INSIDE SCOOP (from Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

NCIS: On the short-term spoiler front, I’ve got Pauley Perrette teasing a bit of high drama on March 19, when the NCIS team swings into action to… help Vance hire a nanny for his kids. “But Vance is such an independent person that all the help from the crew is not making him happy,” the actress says of the Michael Weatherly-directed episode. “He’s kind of like, ‘I love you, but leave me alone!’” Now, looking in the general direction of the Season 10 finale, show boss Gary Glasberg has been telling his cast, “‘The last half of this season is going to be unlike any season’ — and I’m not sure what that means, to be honest,” Brian Dietzen reports. “All of us are on pins and needles, like, ‘What are we going to do? What does that really mean?’ But he’s not giving anything away!”

Once Upon a Time: As previously previewed, Regina is most definitely out for blood, having realized that Mary Margaret orchestrated Cora’s death. But how exactly will the Evil Queen go about exacting her revenge? “I honestly can’t say — it’ll just give away too much,” Lana Parrilla (sorta) tells us. “But I think she’s going to ‘rely a little bit on the universe’ and let things unfold as they’re meant to be.” Said differently: “She’s going to stalk her for a little bit, and then try to take her down.”

Castle: First, there was the Valentine’s Day jewelry jumble. Then, during Alexis’ kidnapping, Gates urged Kate to do whatever is necessary to help Rick. Was the latter a sign that the captain is wise to the workplace romance? “Do you know what that [line] came after? Seeing or not seeing them hug,” Penny Johnson Jerald reminds. “In fact, I remember the director saying, ‘I want you to turn around,’ and I go, ‘I don’t think I ever look at [Beckett]. ‘Cause I always think it’s about [Castle].’ So that was a good call.” Jerald can’t say if Gates in fact is onto the lovebirds, but in her mind, “It’s not whether she knows or not; it’s how she’s going to handle to truth.”

BONUS SCOOP: Seamus Dever tells us that by Episode 18 (airing March 25 and revolving around Ryan’s past), we’ll know if his detective is gonna be a dad.

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Theo James (Golden Boy) has landed the lead role in the upcoming box office movie Divergent based on the Veronica Roth best-selling novel. He will star alongside Shailene Woodley (The Secret Life of the American Teenager), who plays the lead female role. The cast includes Jai Courtney (Jack Reacher), Zoe Kravitz (X-Men: First Class) and Maggie Q (Nikita). Word has it that Kate Winslet is reportedly in talks to star in the film as well. (Sara Vilkomerson at Entertainment Weekly)

Q&A SECTION (with Matt Mitovich at TV Line and Team Watch with Kristin at E! Online)

Question: On Once Upon a Time, does Neil’s fiancée possibly have a fairytale background? –Tedi

Mitovich: Ooh, I like this question. Let me say this: Soon enough, you won’t be wondering who Tamara might be so much as wondering what the [bleep] her agenda is.

Question: Can you tell us anything about the upcoming NCIS: LA spin-off? –Ali

Mitovich: Though Daniela Ruah doesn’t share many scenes with the “Red” team, she did share this observation with us: “There’s a lot of tension going on between Callen and the female lead” aka Agent Paris, played by Kim Raver. They’re just throwing more wood in a fire.” (Reminder: The two-part planted pilot kicks off March 19.)

Question: Pretty Little Liars! I’ll take anything, except if anyone is dying. I hate it when someone dies. –Elke

Mitovich: Though I cannot vouch if any of the following pertains to death, you’re getting it nonetheless. Exec producer Oliver Goldstick gave us this three-word tease for Tuesday’s season finale: “Haunting. Mind-blowing. Smoldering.”

Question: Anything on Teen Wolf? – TeenWolfDaily

Team Watch with Kristin: “Danny is definitely, whether intentional or not, being brought more into everything going on,” teases actor Keahu Kahuanui (who plays Danny). “It does somewhat have to do with his involvement in his new relationship.” Which would be with new Alpha Ethan, but is the relationship sincere? “It seems genuine,” Keahu tells us.

Question: Will Castle or Beckett (or both) be seriously injured in this season finale? -Grycloudyskies

Team Watch with Kristin: Our lips are sealed in regard to the finale (but we can tell you there’s a bomb involved), but the ABC hit’s 100th episode will pay homage to Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window when Castle breaks his leg (thanks to a skiing accident while on vacation with Beckett!) and witnesses a crime.

Question: Wade and Zoe scoop, please. – TeamZade

Team Watch with Kristin: Though Hart of Dixie fans, some of them anyway, were devastated when the duo split, their relationship isn’t completely over with and the two will share at least one major moment by finale’s end. Too bad she also shares a big moment with George and Jonah is still around in the finale. Some girls have all the luck, no?

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a great weekend!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for toddy:

TELEVISION

Actress Jasika Nicole (Fringe) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Scandal. The role she will play is being kept under wraps, though. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Actor Jonathan Del Arco has been made a series regular on Major Crimes when the series returns later this year for its sophomore season. He plays Dr. Morales, the medical examiner. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Dougray Scott (Desperate Housewives) has joined the cast of the Cinemax action drama Strike Back. He will play a rogue operative James Leatherby. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Young British actor Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Love Actually and soon to be seen on Game of Thrones) has joined the cast of The Maze Runner where he will play Newt in the film that is a post-apocalyptic tale about a group of boys trapped in an enormous maze who seek their freedom. (Dominic Patten at Deadline)

Actor Jai Courtney (A Good Day to Die Hard and Jack Reacher) has joined the cast of the young adult sci-fi adaptation Divergent based on the book of the same name that deals with a society divided into factions based on personality. Courtney will play Eric, who is a leader of the Dauntless faction. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

EDITORIAL

‘Veronica Mars’ Movie’s Kickstarter Success Could Change Everything

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

Question: PLL scoop please! – Lyndsey

Team Watch with Kristin: In episode two of the fourth season, which we can reveal is called “Turn of the Shoe,” fans will meet a very attractive martial arts instructor named Jake, who is patient, sensitive and insightful.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

NBC is moving Smash to Saturday nights at 9 PM starting on April 6, but claims they will air all remaining episodes. (Philiana Ng at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actor John Stamos will have a major recurring role, appearing in 10 episodes, on Necessary Roughness when the show returns for its third season sometime later this year. He will play Connor McClane, the founder of V3, a big global sports and entertainment management company who sees Dr. Dani’s (series lead Callie Thorne) success with TK (Mehcad Brooks) and the New York Hawks, and is willing to do whatever it takes to get her into the V3 family. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Colton Haynes (Teen Wolf) has been promoted to series regular status on Arrow when it returns in the fall for its sophomore season on The CW. He has appeared, so far, in one episode of the hot new drama as Roy Harper. (Zap2It and Green Arrow TV)

Actress Amanda Foreman (Felicity) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Awkward., playing Matty’s mom (Beau Mirchoff), who is being described as very conservative. (Megan Masters and Vlada Gelman at TV Line)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Cate Blanchett will executive produce and star in the HBO Films adaptation of the Marisa Acocella Marchetto memoir “Cancer Vixen: A True Story”. The protagonist is a cartoonist for magazines like The New Yorker and Glamour with a supercharged Manhattan lifestyle, who is about to get married but must re-examine her life through wit and her animation when she is diagnosed with breast cancer. (Mike Fleming, Jr. at Deadline)

Universal Pictures has acquired an original sci-fi thriller pitch called Sagittarius from Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. (Mike Fleming, Jr. at Deadline)

Q&A SECTION (with Team Watch with Kristin at E! Online, Natalie Abrams and Adam Bryant at TV Guide and Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Question: When is my handsome sheriff returning to Once Upon a Time? – Mona

Team Watch with Kristin: You must be talking about the one and only hipster Sheriff Graham, aka Jamie Dornan. He is set to return in an upcoming flashback episode, and most of his scenes will be with Lana Parrilla. “You’ll see the charming, handsome Jamie Dorman and I think there’s a cute flirtation between them,” she tells us. “Regina is excited to have him back in her life.”

Question: I love Rayna and Deacon on Nashville and would love some scoop on their future! – Kassandra

Team Watch with Kristin: Well, we’re sorry to be the ones bursting your bubble, but it seems Rayna will be spending a whole lot of time with another country guy on the ABC hit: Liam! Yes, Rayna and Liam will definitely be together by episode 18, like the kind of together where they are planning weekend trips.

Question: Pretty Little Liars scoop please! – Maakevdi

Team Watch with Kristin: Mark your calendars: The ABC Family hit returns for its fourth season on Tuesday, June 11! But looking to next week’s finale, we’ll see how “A” has assembled his or her team: Is it recruitment or blackmail?

Question: What’s next for Juliette on Nashville after she fired her manager? — Emily

ADAM: “[She’s] taking her career into her own hands and singing the things that she’s really passionate about,” Hayden Panettiere says. “People assume… that she’s just somebody’s puppet, and she wants to prove everyone wrong.” But will that ambition come back to bite her in the long run? “[Taking] hold of her own empire … can be good or it could be disastrous,” executive producer Dee Johnson says. “But I think she is largely going to continue to be successful. The question is: What’s it like when you get everything you want?”

Question: I can’t wait for Annie Wersching on Revolution! Got any scoop? — John

NATALIE: As you may have heard, Wersching’s character Emma was actually Miles’ first love, but Billy Burke told us at PaleyFest that the two share an even deeper connection. “She’s his high school sweetheart,” Burke says. “They were actually engaged at one point, but as life happens, something came between them much earlier than the event that the show is about. We revisit Bass and Miles’ hometown and that’s where we’ll find her.”

Question: Do you have any hints about this year’s Castle finale? Will Jack Coleman’s Bracken be back? — Kristen

ADAM: While executive producer Andrew W. Marlowe doesn’t rule out a return from Sen. Bracken this season, he says that character doesn’t really figure into the finale. Instead, expect an “emotional” season-ender that pays off some of Beckett’s season-long questions about her man. “We’ve spent four and a half years really unpeeling who Beckett is, but we haven’t learned a lot about Castle,” Marlowe says. “We want to have Beckett look at that and wonder what kind of relationship she’s going to be in if he is withholding stuff. To what extent can he open up and be secure enough with her?” But before you start thinking breakup, let Stana Katic calm your fears. “There are some mini bumps,” she says,” but there is some high-stakes stuff that brings them even closer.”

Question: The Evil Queen rides again! How will Regina get her revenge on Once Upon a Time? — Alison

NATALIE: “All bets are off,” Lana Parrilla tells me and adds that Regina with be more than pissed off with both the Charming Family and Rumplestiltskin. “I think she’s more dangerous than she’s ever been. She’s even more dangerous because… she makes the choice to be the bad girl again and that’s scary because she’s just so angry. Her relationship with Rumple before was a game, but now I think she’s going to really go after him.”

Question: OMG, is Sarah really alive on Arrow? — Mellie

NATALIE: The Arrow writers are masterful magicians, because while we’re all focused on that question, there’s an even bigger reveal on the horizon. “Believe me when I tell you there is another bombshell that will really… shake Laurel down to her core,” Marc Guggenheim says. But there is a chance of seeing Sarah again; the show will eventually flash back to before the Queen’s Gambit sunk to reveal why Oliver brought that Lance sister along.

Question: On Justified, Boyd is in deep. Will he survive this season? — Terry, via Twitter

ADAM: The better question might be: Will he survive next week’s episode? At least a couple of bodies will pile up as seemingly every thug in Harlan County tries to kill Drew Thompson, despite his being in Marshal Service’s custody. That leads to a number of intense, hold-your-breath standoffs between Raylan and Boyd as well as a particularly bloody showdown between Boyd and Mike O’Malley’s Nicky Augustine. Somebody will lose a body part….

Question: Break it to me gently — what’s the fate of Bunheads? Will it live or die? —Audrey

Ausiello: Contrary to rumors, it has not been picked up for a second season by ABC Family. That said, I firmly believe it will be.

Question: Any news yet on whether Cote de Pablo has/or will sign her contract to remain on NCIS? —Linda

Ausiello: Only that her castmates “hope that’s the case,” Brian Dietzen tells TVLine. “I’m optimistic,” he added. “But who knows? All I know is that everyone has been pretty close for a long time, and [no one] is unhappy on the show. If the cast doesn’t stay intact, I don’t think it’ll be because, ‘Oh, we don’t want to be here.’ It’ll be because of other opportunities or something. But hopefully we don’t discuss that for a while because the show is going really, really well, and people enjoy working on it. I know I’ll be there next year!”

Question: I need scoop on NCIS: LA‘s Deeks/Kensi. Anything would be awesome! —Christy

Ausiello: Oh, I’ve got much more than “anything.” Daniela Ruah shared with TVLine this sexy scoop at Monday’s TV Academy Hall of Fame event: “Considering how fun it was to see Kensi and Deeks go undercover as a married couple, they’re doing it again” — not long before the season ends. “I just found out today,” she added, “so that’s pretty much the extent of my knowledge.”

Question: Any scoop on Castle‘s Lanie/Esposito? Will they be getting more airtime? —Katherine

Ausiello: At minimum, they’ll get some sexy-looking-time. Tamala Jones confirms that, as hinted in the Valentine’s Day episode, the 12th precinct’s M.E. and detective “are seeing each other, and have been secretly seeing each other.” Moving forward, she teased, “I think possibly you’ll see a little bit more action between them [in Episode 100, airing April 1]. Everybody’s going to be looking spectacular, I can tell you that.”

Question: A while ago, Nashville kind of made it sound like Deacon had caused an accident back when he wasn’t sober. Any details on that? —Makenna

Ausiello: I can’t tell you exactly what happened when Deacon was on the sauce/pills/whatever, but I can tell you that Nashville creator and EP Callie Khouri promises a big reveal. “It’ll come up later,” she says. “We’ll find out more about that time in his life.” Bonus Scoop: Look for Liam to ask Rayna to go away with him for a long weekend. And look for her to say yes.

Question: You guys got any good Grimm scoop? —Ron

Ausiello: If you’re a fan of Monroe and Rosalee as a couple, Ron, you won’t like this: I’m hearing that because of the bigger stories going on (like Adalind’s Wesen bun in the oven and the Juliette-Renard-Nick triangle), the Spice Shop proprietress and her suitor will be backburnered for a while. “I think that Monroe and Rosalee are more in the service of a bigger story right now,” notes Silas Weir Mitchell.

Question: Scandal fan here with an urgent question: Who is Jake? —Nancy

Ausiello: A new woman’s about to come between the POTUS and the first lady, and her name is Lauren. She’s Fitz’s new assistant, and her primary job responsibility is to keep Mellie at bay (no small task). Oh, and to answer your question: No clue who Jake is. But I have my theories.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Jenna-Louise Coleman has confirmed that she will continue time-travelling with the Doctor on Doctor who all through the second half of season seven and through season eight. (Doctor Who TV and Blastr)

Actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman have agreed to two more series of Sherlock, which means that season four is guaranteed. (Collider)

Actor Fran Kranz (Dollhouse and Cabin in the Woods) will guest star in an upcoming episode of The Good Wife, playing Eugene a creative-yet-overworked software coder. Alicia (Julianna Margulies will represent Eugene’s company when his colleague dies in a car accident. (Shaunna Murphy at Hollywood.com)

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE NEWS

Actor Lane Garrison (Prison Break) has been cast in the upcoming four-hour mini-series Bonnie & Clyde that will tell the true story of Clyde Barrow (Emile Hirsch), a charismatic convicted armed robber who sweeps Bonnie Parker (Holliday Grainger), an impressionable small-town waitress, off her feet, and the two embark on one of most infamous bank-robbing sprees in history. Garrison will play Clyde’s older brother. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

ONLINE DEVELOPMENT

Director Ridley Scott and his commercial production company will team with Machinima to produce 12 short films that will focus on science fiction content that might be grown into feature franchises. He won’t direct any of these short films but will be a hands-on executive producer. (Mike Fleming, Jr. at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Cheyenne Jackson (Smash) will replace actor Sean Hayes (Will & Grace) in the role of Michael Minetti in the independent feature film called 6 Dance Lessons in 6 Weeks that will co-star Gena Rowlands (The Notebook). Rowlands will play Lily Harrison, a retiree who hires Minetti to give her private dance lessons in her St. Petersburg Beach, FL condo. The unlikely pair soon develops a friendship apart from dance. (Dominic Patten at Deadline)

Actress S. Epatha Merkerson (Law & Order) will play Marvin Gaye’s mother Alberta in the upcoming biopic about the late singer’s life that will star Jesse L. Martin in the lead role. (Dominic Patten at Deadline)

Actor Joel Edgerton has taken over for Michael Fassbender in the upcoming film called Jane Got A Gun that will star Natalie Portman in the lead female role that centers on a woman whose outlaw husband returns home riddled with bullet wounds and barely alive. When her husband’s gang eventually tracks him down to finish the job, she is forced to reach out to an ex-lover and ask if he will help defend her farm. Fassbender was to play the ex-lover, while Edgerton to play the villain – the head of her husband’s gang who lays siege to the homestead. Fassbender has left the film with Edgerton stepping into the ex-lover role. Jude Law will now play the villain. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

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

Question: So excited that The Vampire Diaries is coming back this week. Got any scoop on what we can expect from Elena now that she’s flipped the switch? – Katie

Team Watch with Kristin: Well, we can tell you that Ian Somerhalder is definitely enjoying the new Elena. “Now she’s a badass and she can crack jokes,” he says of Elena with her humanity turned off. “Every time she walks out of the house we’re not biting our nails thinking someone is going to come kill her. She can fight for herself.”

Question: Since Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman are doing big movies, does that mean Sherlock’s third season is a no-go? – Manny

Team Watch with Kristin: Hardly! In fact, they are gearing up for the third season right now, and the evidence is in this adorable photo that BBC One’s Twitter account posted with the caption: “Sherlock read-through over, plenty of surprises in store for series three!” It’s real, it’s happening, and we could not be more excited!

Question: I need Nashville scoop STAT! How about what’s going to happen with my favorite character Juliette? – Georgia

Team Watch with Kristin: “There are going to be some new characters coming in that are going to throw a twist on things” Hayden Panettiere teases. “As for Deacon and Juliette’s complicated relationship? Panettiere says to expect a whole lot of ups and downs.

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Film actor John Malkovich will be heading to the small screen to star in the new NBC action-adventure drama Crossbones that has a 10-episode order from the network. He will play the lead role in the series that will take place in 1715 on the Bahamian island of New Providence, the first functioning democracy in the Americas, where the pirate Edward Teach — aka Blackbeard — reigns over a rogue nation of thieves, outlaws and miscreant sailors. A premiere date has yet to be set, though. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actress Laura Vandervoort (Smallville and V) has landed the lead role in the upcoming Canadian drama series called Bitten based on a character taken from the Women of the Otherworlds series of books by Kelley Armstrong. She will play Elena Michaels, the world’s only female werewolf. Here is the synopsis of the Bitten plot: A foster child, Elena thought she finally found her “happily ever after” with her new love Clayton, but with one small bite, her life was changed forever and she was forced to survive life with the Pack as a werewolf. Years later, Elena has found refuge in Toronto, working as a photographer and dating a new man. But when bodies turn up in the backwoods of Stonehaven, the rural mansion that has served as a werewolf sanctuary for generations, the perfect life Elena has constructed begins to crumble. With the Pack threatened by an unknown predator, they turn to Elena for help. Caught between two worlds and two loves, Elena returns to Stonehaven out of duty, but once back in the fold she realizes that when push comes to shove, like any true alpha female, she’ll stop at nothing to defend her family. This series has a 13-episode order from Space; time will tell, though, if the show will reach the United States via Syfy similar to how Lost Girl and Continuum (among others) have crossed the border. (Krystal Clark at Blastr)

MINI-SERIES NEWS

Discovery Channel has announced casting for its planned six-hour mini-series called Klondike. The cast now includes Richard Madden (Game of Thrones), Augustus Prew (Charlie St. Cloud), Abbie Cornish (RoboCop), Ian Hart (Luck), Johnny Simmons (The Perks of Being a Wallflower), Conor Leslie (Chained). The mini-series will be based on the Charlotte Gray novel “Gold Diggers: Striking It Rich In The Klondike” that will tell the story of six strangers and their collective fight for survival and wealth in a small, frontier town in the remote Klondike, centering on childhood best friends Bill Haskell (Madden) and Byron Epstein (Prew) who head west in 1897 to seek their fortune in the Yukon Territories during the gold rush, where they face a harrowing journey of adventure, excitement and danger at every turn. Cornish will play the female lead Belinda, the powerful eyes and ears of Dawson City, who owns the mill and the loan shop and doesn’t think very highly of those seeking a fortune in gold. Hart will play Soapy Smith, an irrepressible Yukon con man and pick pocket while Simmons will play Jack London, a heavy drinker and adrenaline junkie who’s determined to write a shelf full of novels about his experiences. Leslie will play Sabine, an ambitious local beauty. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

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

1. Oz the Great and Powerful, $80.3 million
2. Jack the Giant Slayer, $10 million
3. Identity Thief, $6.3 million
4. Dead Man Down, $5.4 million
5. Snitch, $5.1 million
6. 21 and Over, $5.06 million
7. Safe Haven, $3.8 million
8. Silver Linings Playbook, $3.7 million
9. Escape From Planet Earth, $3.2 million
10. The Last Exorcism Part II, $3.1 million

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

Question: I have so loved this season of NCIS. I am confused, though, about Ziva’s behavior after the death of her father. She seems like she is having the best year of her life, while I was expecting some sort of down time for her as they have shown numerous times with Vance. I was so hoping that they would not brush her response aside as they did with Somalia. While I thought that “Shiva” was the best episode ever of NCIS and the acting was unbelievable, I guess I was expecting some revenge or response from Ziva. Have you heard of any upcoming episode that we can at least get a hint of Ziva’s response? If they don’t give Cote de Pablo another chance to sparkle as she did in “Shiva,” they are making a huge mistake. She was spectacular and had me in tears. — Kathy

Matt Roush: As noted earlier, I try not to look too far ahead in this column, but I have seen some teasers that indicate that as you’d expect, Ziva isn’t done with her quest for justice yet. How could she be? NCIS tends to measure out this kind of storyline, although in the case of Vance, the tragedy shattered his domestic situation so violently that it had to be addressed immediately and at some length. Ziva is much more likely to use work to repress her feelings, or at least to help her put up a tough façade, until the next explosive turn of events. But I get your point that given the severity of this particular setback, even for someone like Ziva, it’s jarring and less than satisfying to see her go back to business as usual.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Syfy has made a 13-episode straight-to-series order for the dark thriller called Helix from Ronald D. Moore, the man behind the reboot of Battlestar Galactica. The series is about a team of scientists investigating a possible disease outbreak at an Arctic research facility who find themselves trying to protect the world from annihilation. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Kasha Kropinski, who recurred on the first two seasons of Hell on Wheels as Ruth, the courageous religious leader, has been promoted to series regular for the show’s upcoming third season on AMC. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Sebastian Roche will join Liam Neeson in the upcoming box office film called A Walk Among the Tombstones. He will play Yuri Landau, a middle class Russian drug dealer whose daughter is kidnapped. He asks hard-boiled ex-NYPD cop and unlicensed private detective Matt Scudder (Neeson) to help get her back before it is too late. (Dominic Patten at Deadline)

Actress Bella Heathcote (Dark Shadows) has the as-yet titled romantic comedy that is set to star Hugh Grant and Marisa Tomei in a story that follows a creatively washed up, divorced and broke former award-winning screenwriter (Grant) forced to take on a job teaching screenwriting at a small college. Heathcote will play one of his students. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Q&A SECTION (with Matt Mitovich at TV Line and Team Watch with Kristin at E! Online)

Question: Do you have anything regarding Castle‘s 100th episode? Any scoop will be very much appreciated! –Martina

Mitovich: One hundred, shmun-hundred! How about, instead, Episode 105 – aka the Season 5 finale? “We’re looking at a very emotional finale,” series creator Andrew W. Marlowe previews. “We’re dealing with something very explosive, personally… ‘he says cryptically and mysteriously.’” With a smile, he added: “Stay tuned!”

Question: I am really looking forward to the rest of Season 2 on Revenge. Especially after that last episode, what can we expect? –Matt

Mitovich: You know how Gabriel Mann teased for us a “Nolan-centric” season finale? At this week’s TV Academy event showcasing the ABC sudser, he elaborated – somewhat – about what’s on tap, saying that over “the next three or four episodes, you’re going to have a very good idea of where these events may be leading.” In fact, he’s left to wonder “whether we may hit that apex even prior to the finale — and if we do, what does that mean for what the finale actually could mean?” His working theory: Simply that the season-ender “is going to be next-level [stuff]. It’s going to be hard to top last year, so they’ve got their work cut out for them.”

Question: Will Neal’s fiancée play a role in future Once Upon a Time episodes? –Devin

Mitovich: Yes — though probably not in quite the way you expect. And that’s all I’ll say, for now, on the matter… so here’s series co-creator Eddy Kitsis, pre-PaleyFest: “Tamara’s not going anywhere anytime soon…. We’re very excited for the audience to see what she’s all about.”

Question: Will Nashville‘s Deacon find out about his secret child with Rayna this season? –Stephanie

Mitovich: Series creator Callie Khouri confirms that Deacon thus far “has no idea” about his progeny, and she seems in no rush to drop that paternity bombshell. “That’s a big deal… We’ll hold that,” Khouri says – though, keep in mind, she hasn’t tackled the season finale yet.

Question: Is the rumor true that T.J. Ramini is returning to NCIS (as Mossad Officer Malachi Ben-Gidon)? –Ted

Mitovich: “It’s no secret Eli David’s killer is still out there — and Ziva wants answers as does Mossad,” answers showrunner Gary Glasberg. “But we will have to wait and see if that means Malachi is coming back as well.”

Question: Now that things are starting to heat up between Person of Interest‘s Reese and Zoe, are we going to see Paige Turco again soon? –Kelly

Mitovich: I was prepared to break the news that, no, Turco has not booked her next visit just yet. And now, in light of her new commitment, it might be a while ’til she’s available for an encore.

Question: You guys have been lacking on the Nikita scoop lately! Give up the goods! – Lauren

Team Watch with Kristin: Say goodbye to Division! Yep, the President has hired a Navy SEAL team to disband Division, but things get complicated when a certain black box ends up in the wrong hands.

Question: Supernatural? – Haley:

Team Watch with Kristin: Prepare to meet a new angel: Metatron! The CW hit is currently casting the role of the aged, hunched angel, who is the Scribe of God. While he’s a bit of a scatterbrain, he knows how to get the job done. Think Obi-Wan Kenobi meets The Usual Suspect’s Virgil Kent. Fans can expect Metatron to stick around for at least three episodes and potentially next season as well!

Question: Revenge it up! – Lauren

Team Watch with Kristin: Is that young people speak for “give me Revenge spoilers?” If so, here it is! Henry Czerny tells us that for those fans who want Conrad and Victoria together and happy (do those fans exist?), they should know that he thinks Conrad would “go through the gauntlet” to get to a happy ending with Victoria. “There is hope,” he tells us. “But there is juicy stuff coming up that we have to get through before they can think about being together.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a great weekend!

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Hey All,

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

TELEVISION

Actor Jeffrey Wright (Angels in America) has joined the cast of the HBO drama Boardwalk Empire. He will play Valentin Narcisse, Doctor of Divinity, philanthropist, student of culture and the man who runs Harlem. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

CBS has moved their new drama Vegas to Friday nights at 9 PM in order to allow new drama Golden Boy to take over the Tuesday at 10 PM timeslot. (The Wrap)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Keri Russell (The Americans) will have the female lead in the sequel Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, but the role has yet to be identified so there are no specifics at this time. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

‘Much Ado About Nothing’ Theatrical Trailer

Q&A SECTION (with Team Watch with Kristin from E! Online)

Question: I’m waiting patiently for the next new Scandal at the end of March, so can you give me any scoop? – Carly

Team Watch with Kristin: Oh, you thought Fitz’s health issues were over? Silly, silly Scandal fan!

Question: I’ll take anything on Teen Wolf’s Stiles! – Jean

Team Watch with Kristin: Stiles will kiss someone in the first half of the season. Two hints: It’s a girl (Sorry, Sterek fans!) and it’s not Lydia, who will be attracting the attention of an Alpha.

Question: Toby can’t really be dead on Pretty Little Liars, right?! – Lauren D.

Team Watch with Kristin: Well, we do meet his mother in the season four premiere, but she’s in her pajamas, which is a weird detail, no? Also not a good sign: A reporter will also be in the episode, detailing a sad story, as well as a State cop who is part of an investigation. Ruh-roh!

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Nikki DeLoach (Awkward.) will guest star in an upcoming episode of CSI. The episode is expected to air on May 1 and she will play Heather, a Type-A personality who is ambitious, tightly-wound and a “company ass-kisser.” She attends a corporate training at a wilderness retreat, and when her fellow team member is found dead, she becomes a prime suspect. (Philiana Ng at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Elizabeth Moss (Mad Men) and actors Mark Duplass and Ted Danson will star in the new indie film called The One I Love in which Moss and Duplass will play a young couple with marital problems while Danson will play their therapist. (Mike Fleming, Jr. at Deadline)

Q&A SECTION (with Team Watch with Kristin at E! Online, Natalie Abrams and Adam Bryant at TV Guide, Michael Ausiello at TV Line and Sandra Gonzalez at Entertainment Weekly)

Question: Revenge freak here. I actually love Emily and Aiden together, so what’s coming up for them? – Selena

Team Watch with Kristin: “It’s always a question,” Barry Sloan tells us. “They are so similar in a way that draws them to each other, but it also causes problems.” Looks like Emily now has three will-they-or-won’t-they relationships to juggle on Revenge. But Sloan insists that they are still in a stage where they are figuring out what their relationship is, which is more than Jack and Daniel can say right now.

Question: Thanks for the Revolution scoop! Is there anything you can tease about the return episode? — James

NATALIE: Death! Yup, there will be a major casualty in the very first episode back. Executive producer Eric Kripke offered up this one tease: “I can say that it changes the dynamic wildly,” he says. “It’s a story that really kicks off the mythology for the rest of the season.”

Question: What can you say about Vampire Diaries’ return next week? — Harlan

NATALIE: The new and maybe not so improved Elena is going to be one feisty vampire. Not only will she taunt both Salvatores with her nakedness (sounds a little Katherine-esque, right?), but she’ll get in a major fight with her BFF Caroline. And we’re not talking a war of the words, but an all-out physical brawl.

Question: Is Once Upon a Time going to Neverland?! —Jayma

NATALIE: Based on the final two episode titles, it certainly sounds like it. But I have some bad news about the finale. If last year’s was about breaking the curse, this year’s is a little more ominous than that. “At the end of last year, Mr. Gold said magic was coming. Now that magic is here, it always comes with a price. In the finale, we’ll see that price,” executive producer Edward Kitsis tells me. Does that mean someone is going to die? Executive producer Adam Horowitz adds, “We should always be worried about death, but I would say that there are things to be worried about that you are probably not worried about yet, but you will be!”

Question: I need some Arrow scoop. Will the Dark Archer change his mind about Oliver now? — Luke

NATALIE: Perhaps. After Oliver inadvertently saved his foe’s life, there may be a détente on the horizon. “It certainly makes the Dark Archer see potential that he maybe didn’t see before for something greater,” Geoff Johns tells me.

Question: When will Kate finally say “I love you” to Rick on Castle? —Meg

Ausiello: Probably when she succeeds in breaking down those steel-fortified walls of his. “The issue [ex-wife Meredith raised] is going to cause some trouble,” series creator Andrew Marlowe acknowledges. “We spent four years exposing who Kate is. She’s a very private person, and she’s kind of opened [up] to Castle. But now the question is, where’s Castle’s depth? He tends to live on the surface, but we know there’s more to him than that. So part of what we’re going to do is dig a little deeper.” As such, Castle‘s boss says the final batch of episodes will shed additional light on Rick’s backstory. “It was really gratifying in the [recent] two-parter to be able to expose some of his history,” notes Marlowe, “some of the things that came to him when he was a kid and some of the things that made him who he is. We’ll see more of those kinds of moments as we move forward.”

Question: I am a huge fan of “Rumbelle” on Once Upon a Time. Do you know what is going to happen between those two once Rumple’s back from his trip to the Big Apple? —Mélodie

Ausiello: This Sunday, as Rumple lay dying, he makes a most passionate outpouring to Belle. But will it be enough to spark her memory? ”This influx of hearing who you were or are, or even thinking about what you’re supposed to be, obviously sort of goes round and round and round in your mind,” Emilie de Ravin allows. And while it might not bust open Belle’s floodgates ASAP, she says, “There’s always going to be that connection with him in a certain respect.”

Question: The chemistry between Once Upon a Time‘s Jennifer Morrison and Michael Raymond-James is amazing. What’s next for Neal and Emma? —Patti

Ausiello: In the short-term, as glimpsed in these pics? A bit of side-by-side sword-brandishing. But as for them reconnecting in more intimate ways, “It’s hard for Emma,” says co-creator Eddy Kitsis. “Their dream was Tallahassee, to just go and get regular jobs — and now he’s doing that with [fiancée Tamara]. And since Emma’s the kind of character who has a wall up around her heart, I’m not sure she wants to admit it hurts her, but we’re definitely going to see that it does. And it affects him because we know that he didn’t want to leave her. He’s in love with her. What happened [in “Manhattan”] is a situation that neither of them ever thought would happen, so now what do you do? That’s what a lot of the rest of the season’s about.”

Question: I may be reading too much into it, but wasn’t it a bit curious that Daniel bought his assistant breakfast back from his fake meeting with Helen on Revenge? Since he broke things off with Emily, perhaps he has eyes for someone new? —Jen

Ausiello: Josh Bowman confirmed to TVLine Monday at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ “Evening with Revenge” that Episode 18 (slated to air March 31) will mark “a return to romance” for Daniel, though it’s not his corporate minion he’ll be canoodling with — it’s Ashley… or Emily, he teased. “[Daniel is] changing quite drastically as a character,” Bowman added. “The Initiative story starts to wrap up, which is I think a good thing, and we’re getting back to the roots of who each of the characters are and why they’re there — why Emily’s here, more importantly — and Daniel gets involved.”

Question: Tell me something about Revenge! —Simona

Ausiello: Aiden will be a scarce presence in the next batch of episodes. “He’s been [put] on the backburner purely because of [Emily]‘s emotional state,” explains Barry Sloane. “One thing he knows about her is that she needs space. And because of Amanda dying, she’s going to be putting [her] guard back up, not allowing people into her life so much.”

Question: What does Zoe and Wade’s break-up on Hart of Dixie mean for George and Tansy? —Melissa

Ausiello: In the short term? It’ll bring them closer together. “I don’t think it’s going to fray their relationship,” ventures Scott Porter. “If anything, it gives them something else to bond over and to focus on outside of their relationship.” Rachel Bilson, however, suspects the show will eventually pull the trigger on George/Zoe on account of the fact that “we haven’t seen them together yet.” (Plus, there’s a scene later this season where even the local gossip columnist is buzzing about, as he puts it, a “Zeorge” romance!) Bonus Scoop: Dixie‘s season finale, titled “On the Road Again,” finds Zoe traveling back to the Big Apple (for reasons that are not immediately clear).

Question: Not loving this Scandal hiatus. Not loving it at all. Gimme something to tied me over until March 21. —Jay

Ausiello: Jake will start showing his true colors. And they are multiple shades of extremely freakin’ dark.

Question: I’m so glad to hear that OUAT isn’t planning on recasting the Mad Hatter. But anything else you can report about the spin-off possibilities? — Tina

Sandra: While talk of a possible spin-off was definitely “premature,” Adam Horowitz and Eddie Kitsis told me at PaleyFest that they might do some test footage at the end of the year. “But the idea is not a spin-off in the traditional sense — another five-year, 22-episode series,” says Kitsis. “It’s much more in the vein of an American Horror Story, with a beginning, middle, and end.”

Question: Snow looked SO pissed in this week’s episode. Can you tell me anything about this Snow/Regina feud on OUAT? — Laurel

Sandra: Oh, you haven’t even seen it reach a full boil yet. After this week, “the gloves are going to come off,” says Horowitz. “It’s not going to be pretty for a little while. … It’s just a freight train from here on out.”

Question: PaleyFest didn’t give enough Once finale scoop! Help me out! — Clara

Sandra: One word: Game-changer. “It’s up to the audience how they’re going to take it,” Horowitz said. “But we’re really excited as storytellers for how we leave this season.” Kitsis adds that the theme of this season has always been the price of magic, and in the finale “we’ll see that get paid … whether that’s death or something worse.”

Question: I really enjoyed Colton Haynes on Arrow, but (comic nerd warning) I’m curious if they’re going to delve into the fact that Roy Harper has a drug past. Any intel? — Leslie

Sandra: That’s actually one of Haynes’ burning questions, too, and he’s as anxious as you are for answers. “They [did] get into the fact that his mom was into it, but Roy Harper is one of the only DC comic character with a heavy drug past, so it will be interesting if they take it that way,” he says.

Question: Any Hart of Dixie scoopage? — Jenni

Sandra: We all know that Dr. Zoe Hart is a skilled physician, but an upcoming episode is going to find the doc showing her lifesaving skills in the air.

Question: I’m a die-hard USA fan. Psych, Suits, White Collar, Royal Pains — I’ll take something on any of them! — Tara

Sandra: In an early season 5 episode of Royal Pains we’re going to meet Milos, Boris’ outgoing cousin, who shares more than Boris’s surname; he also has the same genetic disease.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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