Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

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

TELEVISION

Actor Gerald McRaney (Major Dad and Promised Land) will appear in at least five episodes of the TNT cop drama Southland, playing Det. Hicks, a retired police officer who was Officer John Cooper’s (Michael Cudlitz) training officer. He now drinks a little too much and lives on a boat in Marina Del Rey. (Lynette Rice at Entertainment Weekly)

Doctor Who alum David Tennant will star in the three-part legal thriller called The Escape Artist that is set to air on BBC One in the U.K. [fingers crossed that BBC America will provide the mini to us here in the States!] Tennant will play Will Burton, a lawyer nicknamed “The Escape Artist” thanks to his ability to get people out of tight legal corners. But when his talents acquit the prime suspect in a horrific murder trial, his brilliance comes back to bite him. The telefilm will also star Ashley Jensen (Ugly Betty), Sophie Okonedo (Hotel Rwanda) and Toby Kebbell (Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time). (Nancy Tartaglione at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Tom Welling (Clark Kent on Smallville) will co-star in the upcoming box office film called Parkland, the ensemble drama about the hours following the assassination of JFK in Parkland Hospital. The cast already includes Paul Giamatti, Zac Efron, and Billy Bob Thornton (among many others). (Mike Fleming, Jr. at Deadline)

Actor Sam Worthington will star in the upcoming action-thriller called For The Dogs that is about an assassin who agrees to help a college girl exact revenge on the murderers of her parents and younger brother. (The Deadline Team)

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

Question: Any Once Upon a Time scoop? I’ve been hearing rumors that Jamie Dornan is returning, please tell me it’s true! – Kendra

Team Watch with Kristin: “Thrilled to be able to confirm that we have Jamie Dornan returning to appear again in an episode of Once Upon a Time,” co-creator Adam Horowitz tweeted of our Hot Hipster Sheriff. “So excited.” We can also tell you that Dornan was recently spotted filming with Lana Parrilla (aka Regina) in Sheriff Graham gear, not Huntsman gear. (Oh, how we missed that vest!)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

BBC America is co-producing a TV-movie that will chronicle the genesis of the legendary TV series Doctor Who and the Time Lord’s maiden voyage on November 23, 1963. The movie will be called An Adventure in Space Time and will star David Bradley (Argus Filch from the Harry Potter franchise) will portray William Hartness, the show’s first Doctor while Brian Cox (The Bourne Identity) will play Sydney Newman, the BBC’s Head of Drama credited with the creation of the show. The cast also includes Jessica Raine (Call the Midwife) and Sacha Dawan (History Boys) as producer Verity Lambert and director Waris Hussien, who helmed the “An Unearthly Child” pilot. The 90-minute movie will premiere later this year. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Actress Katie McGrath (Merlin) and actor Nonso Anozie (Game of Thrones) will star opposite Jonathan Rhys Meyers in the upcoming NBC drama series Dracula that re-introduces Dracula (Meyers) as he arrives in London, posing as American entrepreneur Alan Grayson who maintains that he wants to bring modern science to Victorian society. In reality, he hopes to wreak revenge on the people who ruined his life centuries earlier but falls hopelessly in love with Mina Murray (Jessica De Gouw) who appears to be the reincarnation of his dead wife. McGrath will play Lucy Westenra, Aristocratic London’s sexy, social butterfly and Mina’s best friend who has a penchant for gossip, flirting and all things glamorous. Anozie will play R.M. Renfield, Alan Grayson’s fiercely loyal confidante. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Melinda Clarke (Nikita and The O.C.) will guest star in an upcoming episode of the new CBS drama Vegas, playing the mother of Mia Rizzo (Sarah Jones). Her character will be Lena, a charismatic, shrewd, strong woman who is attracted to even stronger men. Although Mia’s father (Michael Wiseman) insisted that Lena died when Mia was a baby, she’s alive and well, having been forbidden to see or contact her daughter. Naturally, her arrival at the Savoy will ruffle a few feathers. (Adam Bryant at TV Guide)

SUMMER TELEVISION

ABC has picked up the Canadian drama Motive and plans to air the crime drama this summer. The series has “a unique twist” focusing not on who did the crime, but why the crime was committed in the first place. Here is the basic premise behind the show: When murder is committed, Angie Flynn, a loving, single mother and a damned good detective, along with her partner, Detective Oscar Vega, are on the case, looking for clues that will lead them to the killer. The cast includes Kristin Lehman (The Killing), Louis Ferreira (Stargate Universe), Lauren Holly (NCIS), Roger Cross (24, Continuum and Arrow) and Cameron Bright (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2). (The Futon Critic)

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

Question: Will the secret that the Five rigged the presidential election come out on Scandal? — Hailee

NATALIE: That’s what the — oh my goodness, I love what Shonda Rhimes calls them — Illuminati will hope to prevent in the coming episodes. “There’s a splintering of the Illuminati in terms of everyone’s agendas and what they’re willing to do and who they feel is to blame,” she says. “It becomes more fractured as it goes along, and it starts to feel like, for Olivia, that this is the one problem that she can’t fix.”

Question: What’s coming up for Oliver’s love life on Arrow? — Clark

NATALIE: Sorry to disappoint the Laurel and Oliver fans, but this week’s episode will introduce McKenna Hall (True Blood’s Janina Gavankar), a former party girl and Oliver’s old friend. “She isn’t the same person she used to be, so both of them are rediscovering each other,” executive producer Marc Guggenheim says. “She’s a very cool and interesting foil for Oliver, as well as a very different kind of love interest, both in terms of what her past is, as a completely crazy party girl who could keep up with the old Oliver Queen, as well as her present day existence as a cop.”

Question: What’s coming up for Juliette on Nashville? — Andrea

ADAM: Although things seem to be looking up for Juliette and her addict mom at the moment, don’t count on that to last — especially when Mommie Dearest finishes her rehab stint and moves back in with her daughter. Although one rough patch will force Juliette to hire a sober coach for her mom, Juliette might be the one who truly benefits from his work. Look for her to open up to him about a painful childhood memory — an exercise that perhaps both explains Juliette’s troubled relationship with her mom and finally helps Juliette repair it.

Question: Jeremy and Bonnie seem to be close again on The Vampire Diaries. Any hookups in their future? — Gabi

NATALIE: They’ll have some pretty intense scenes coming up, but not romantically. “It’s more partnership and companionship than anything too sexual,” Kat Graham tells us. “Even if they wanted to take another stab at it, Bonnie has so many trust issues stemming from her parents and some of her friends that she has a bit of a wall up now and she’s like, ‘Let’s just be friends for now.'”

Question: How long before Catherine’s family finds out about Vincent on Beauty and the Beast? — Jacob

NATALIE: Cat’s sister Heather will soon find herself heavily involved in their relationship. Not only will she finally meet Vincent (under false pretenses of course), but Jay Ryan tells us their meeting will turn deadly. “Heather has got herself in with a bad crowd and so Vincent has to save her life. In doing so, he mistakenly kills someone very close to one of our series regular cast members. It’s going to have the whole city after this guy because they think he wrongfully killed this man.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Brant Daugherty (Pretty Little Liars) will have a major recurring role in Army Wives, which returns to Lifetime on March 10. He will play 2nd Lt. Patrick Clark, son of Jackie (Kelli Williams) and Kevin (Robert John Burke), who is described as an intelligent, capable infantry officer freshly minted from West Point eager to prove himself in combat. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Annie Wersching (24) will guest star on Revolution, playing Emma, the first love of Miles (series regular Billy Burke). The series returns to NBC on March 25 and Wersching’s episode will air on April 22. (Sadie Gennis at TV Guide)

Actor Eric Mabius (Ugly Betty) will guest star on an upcoming episode of Blue Bloods, playing Richard Rourke, a likable and sexy multi-millionaire philanthropist with an unblemished record who may not be as perfect as he appears. (Kimberly Roots at TV Line)

Actor Scott Wolf (Party of Five and V) will have a recurring role on the TNT drama Perception, playing Donnie, a charismatic, fast-rising Assistant U.S. Attorney recently transferred back to Chicago, who just happens to be the soon-to-be ex-husband of Special Agent Kate Moretti (series regular Rachael Leigh Cook). (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Cinemax renewed their new drama Banshee for a second season (already). (Kimberly Roots at TV Line)

It looks like BBC America is heading toward a renewal of their new period piece drama Ripper Street, as BBC 1 (one of the main networks in the U.K.) has announced the show will get a second season. (Jon Weisman at Variety)

Q&A SECTION (with Sandra Gonzalez at Entertainment Weekly and Team Watch with Kristin at E! Online)

Question: Could you tell me something about the aftermath of NCIS’ double death? What are the long-term effects that they have on Ziva and Vance? — Jenny de Jong

Sandra: Vance will continue to have a tough time as he struggles with grief, and as executive producer Gary Glasberg teases, it will make for quite a few heart-tugging moments. “There’s a tremendous amount for him to tackle and then come back to work,” says Glasberg. “We introduced the Deputy Director Craig character (Greg Germann), who will be around for a while and will come at things in a little bit of a quirkier way than Vance does and that will be present over the next few episodes. And there are definitely some very touching, heartfelt moments that are coming.” But the traumatic loss of Vance’s wife has given both the writers and actor Rocky Carroll just the dramatic meat they were hoping for, he adds. “When Rocky and I first spoke about this arc, the goal was to really open some doors for the Vance character and have him deal with some very personal matters for him as a father and a widower,” says Glasberg. “Vance has to continue raising his kids and going about his life and [we’ll explore] how that affects him at home and at work. It’s going to carry through well through the end of the season.”

Question: Anything more involving Jacob and/or Paul on The Following? – jmnzl

Team Watch with Kristin: Prepare for flashbacks! We’ll learn more about Jacob and Paul’s complicated relationship and what went down when Emma wasn’t around for three years. Fans should also prepare to see Paul do something less than smart when he finally cracks and can’t stand being a third wheel any longer.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

GENERAL NEWS

Congrats to the winners of the Screen Actors Guild awards that were announced last night, including (but limited to) Daniel Day-Lewis, Jennifer Lawrence, Anne Hathaway, Argo, Downton Abbey, Claire Danes and Game of Thrones.

TELEVISION

Actress Britt Robertson (Life Unexpected and The Secret Circle) has joined the cast of the upcoming summer CBS series Under the Dome based on the Stephen King novel. The series follows residents in the Chester’s Mill community as they deal with the post-apocalyptic conditions that ensue when a strange barrier mysteriously encapsulates the town. Robertson will play Angie, an attractive young waitress and aspiring nurse who has always dreamed of escaping Chester’s Mill. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actor Elias Koteas (Combat Hospital) has joined the cast of the AMC series The Killing that is returning to the network even after its cancellation and then resurrection by the network. He will play Sarah Linden’s (Mireille Enos) ex-partner Ed Skinner. (Lesley Goldberg and Philiana Ng at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

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

1. Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, $19 million
2. Mama, $12.9 million
3. Silver Linings Playbook, $10million
4. Zero Dark Thirty, $9.8 million
5. Parker, $7 million
6. Django Unchained, $5.005 million
7. Movie 43, $5 million
8. Gangster Squad, $4.2 million
9. Broken City, $4 million
10. Les Misérables, $3.9 million

Actor Shawn Ashmore and actresses Anna Paquin and Ellen Page will be joining the upcoming X-Men: Days of Future Past movie that will also feature Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen as well as returning X-Men: First Class cast members James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence. (The Deadline Team)

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

Question: Any Vampire Diaries scoop you can share, preferably about Bonnie? – Janet

Team Watch with Kristin: Take it away, Kat Graham: “I can tell you that Bonnie is going to take a different turn and is going to make some choices that are going to affect the rest of the characters. It’s really, really huge,” she teases. Dark Willow, anyone?!

Question: Will we see more stuff between Ryan and Claire on The Following? I love them together. – Dawson

Team Watch with Kristin: This week’s episode is light on the Ryan-Claire stuff, but coming up you can definitely expect more interaction between those two. And did someone order a flashback to when they first got together? Coming right up…in a couple of weeks. And if you’re (for some odd reason) a fan of Joe and Claire together, they’ve got a really intense scene in an upcoming episode that’ll surely leave you breathless (but not in the sexy way).

Question: I read that Switched At Birth is going to do an all-American Sign Language episode sometime in March. I can’t tell you how excited I am about this! And what’s even better, this doesn’t feel like some kind of gimmick episode. This completely fits into what they’ve already been doing and the storylines that have been set in place. I can’t wait!!! — Lindlee

Matt Roush: It does sound special, doesn’t it? Though not in the “very special episode” sense of so many other TV stunts. Switched at Birth exists in a world where being able to communicate with ASL connects so many of the characters (or not). This promises to be a peak moment for one of TV’s very best family dramas. And in case you want to set your DVRs already, the airdate is March 4.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Brooke Shields will have a role in the 7th season of Lifetime’s Army Wives that returns on March 10. She will play Air Force Colonel Katherine “Kat” Young, a C-17 pilot who clashes with Army General Michael Holden (Brian McNamara). (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor John Pyper-Ferguson (Alphas, Caprica and Brothers & Sisters) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Once Upon a Time, playing Ben, a widower who wants nothing more than to help his young son heal from the loss of his mother. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

Actress Sarah Chalke (Scrubs) will pay a visit to Grey’s Anatomy in an episode set to air this spring, but details are fuzzy on what role she will play. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

The British adaptation of the Scandinavian series The Bridge, which will become a 10-part mini-series called The Tunnel, will star actress Clemence Poesy (Harry Potter) and actor Stephen Dillane (Game of Thrones) in the lead roles. The drama will be set primarily in Folkestone and Calais where detectives Karl Roebuck (Dillane) and Elise Wassermann (Poésy) are called to investigate the death of a French politician. When a shocking discovery is made at the crime scene, the pair is forced into an uneasy partnership as they seek out a politically-motivated serial killer who draws them into his own personal agenda. (Nancy Tartaglione at Deadline)

More cast members have joined the cast of the British biopic called Fleming that will star Dominic Cooper (Mamma Mia) as author Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond and actress Annabelle Wallis (Pan Am) as Muriel Wright, the original inspiration for the Bond Girl. The additional cast members include Lara Pulver (Sherlock and the upcoming Starz series Da Vinci’s Demons), who will play Ann O’Neill, with whom Fleming had a long-term on-off relationship before she became his wife in 1952. Actor Samuel West (the upcoming mini-series Mr. Selfridge) will play Admiral John Godfrey with whom Fleming worked during WWII and who put him in charge of Operation Golden Eye. British actress Lesley Manville (Vera Drake) will play Fleming’s mother Eve and British actor Rupert Evans (World Without End) will play his brother Peter. Also Anna Chancellor (The Hour) will play Lieutenant Monday, an inspiration for Miss Moneypenny. (Nancy Tartaglione at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Campbell Scott (Royal Pains) is set to direct and star in the box office adaptation of the Joan Didion novel called “A Book of Common Prayer, which centers on two American women whose paths cross in a fictional Central American country on the verge of revolution: One married into one of the families that dominate politics in Boca Grande; the other has seen her marriage fall apart and her daughter run off with a group of Marxist radicals. (Dave McNary at Variety)

Director-series creator J.J. Abrams has been selected to direct the next movie in the Star Wars franchise. (The Wrap and Dark Horizons)

Actress Chloe Moretz (the upcoming Carrie reboot and the Let Me In) will star in the film adaptation of the Gayle Forman novel called If I Say, which follows a relationship between a young classical musician (Moretz) and her indie rock boyfriend. (Variety and First Showing)

The long list of actors have been assembled to star in the upcoming JFK assassination film called Parkland. Among the already announced cast are Paul Giamatti, Billy Bob Thornton, Jacki Weaver, Marcia Gay Harden, Zac Efron, and Jeremy Strong. And the newly announced cast includes Jackie Earle Haley, Colin Hanks, Ron Livingston, James Badge Dale and David Harbour. The film will be based on the Vincent Bugliosi book called “Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy.” The film will recount the chaotic events that occurred at Parkland Hospital in Dallas following JFK’s assassination on Nov. 22, 1963. (Greg Gilman at The Wrap)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Kirsten Dunst & Jim Sturgess in ‘Upside Down’ Sci-Fi Romance Trailer

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

Question: How will Colton Haynes’ exit be addressed when Teen Wolf returns? – Brendan

Team Watch with Kristin: Thanks to a handy-dandy four month time-jump, Jackson’s absence in Beacon Hills won’t be weighing down any of our characters that much and we’ll learn what happened to him thanks to a quippy explanation from Lydia. In the same vein, look for Isaac to have more of a presence in season three now that Jackson is gone.

Question: Is it too soon to ask about Awkward? – Jayna

Mitovich: Actually, no – because the show has just put out a Season 3 casting call for the role of Collin, a surprisingly charming classmate who will distract Jenna some, even to the point that she ignores Matty’s calls. Then again, Jenna as a whole is not quite herself when the MTV series returns. Something about not getting much sleep at home.

Question: This is not really a scoop request (or maybe it is), but the press release for the NCIS episode “Canary” (Episode 10×14) seems to be lacking guest cast. –Daniel

Mitovich: You seem crafty, Daniel, so maybe you already dug this up. But if not, that guest cast includes Chuck alum/imminent Bones guest star Vik Sahay (playing a computer hacker), Ethan Rains (General Hospital: Night Shift) and Geoffrey Wade (aka Don’s Mad Men dentist).

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a great weekend!!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Sean Patrick Flanery (The Dead Zone and The Young & the Restless) and veteran British actress Charlotte Rampling (the mini-series Restless) will both have recurring roles in the upcoming 8th season of Dexter. Flanery will play Jacob Elroy, the ex-cop owner of a private investigation company in Miami while Rampling will play a neuro-psychiatrist who specializes in working with young psychopaths and profiling criminals in unorthodox ways. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline and James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

Actor Sendhil Ramamurthy (Heroes and Covert Affairs) has been promoted to series regular status on Beauty And the Beast. He will play Assistant District Attorney Gabe Lowen starting on February 28. (Philiana Ng at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Dakota Fanning has been cast in the upcoming box office film The Last Of Robin Hood alongside actor Kevin Kline, who plays the leading role of legendary actor Errol Flynn. Fanning will play teenage actress Beverly Aadland, who was 17-years-old and by Flynn’s side when he died at the age of 50 in 1959. Actress Susan Sarandon will play Beverly’s mother. (The Deadline Team)

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

Question: I need to know what’s next for Spencer now that she knows about Toby on Pretty Little Liars! I felt so bad for her! – Madison

Team Watch With Kristin: Spencer is about do take a dark turn! Creator Marlene King teases, “When she accepts that Toby is in the ‘A’ Team she has nothing left to lose, so she does things that we would never expect Spencer to do.” Bonus PLL scoop: King says fans will learn how the Uber “A” assembled the team’s members in the finale. Blackmail or recruitment? Hmmm…

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Cassidy Freeman (Smallville and Longmire) will guest star in the February 10 episode of Once Upon a Time, playing Jack, presumably as in Jack to Lost alum Jorge Garcia, who will be back as the beanstalk-guarding giant. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Actress Maria Bello who joined the FOX drama Touch at the end of season one and was upgraded to a series regular for season two, which has yet to even air, has left the series. There is no world how she will be written out of the show. The second season premiere episode will air on February 8. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

MADE FOR TV MOVIE NEWS

Actress Alexis Bledel (Gilmore Girls) and actor Zachary Levi (Chuck) will star in the next Hallmark Hall of Fame movie on ABC called Remember Sunday. Bledel will play Molly, a down-on-her-luck waitress, who meets Gus (Levi), a jewelry store clerk dealing with a brain aneurysm that gives him a blank slate the second his alarm wakes him each day. The made-for-TV movie is expected to air in April. (Variety and The Futon Critic)

MINI-SERIES NEWS

Playground Entertainment, which is run by former HBO Films president Colin Callender, is turning the Flying Tigers into a ten-hour TV mini-series (for which the production company is in discussions with numerous broadcasters). The project will focus on the ace American volunteer pilots who served under General Claire Chennault fighting the Japanese over the skies of China during the Second World War. (Dominic Patten at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Rosario Dawson will star opposite Ryan Reynolds in the upcoming film called Queen of the Night that will center on the father of an abducted child (Reynolds), who becomes convinced that his daughter is still alive even though she has been missing for years. Dawson will play a detective who becomes involved in the case. (Brent Lang at The Wrap)

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

Question: Any scoop on what’s coming up for Derek on Teen Wolf? – Holly

Team Watch with Kristin: When the MTV hit series returns for its third season Derek will be getting a love interest! And no Sterek fans, it’s not Stiles. And it’s also not Erica, whom Teen Wolf fans will not be seeing at all in season three, but a new lady in Beacon Hills.

Question: You guys were right…The Following is badass! I need scoop, please! – Leona

Team Watch with Kristin: Next week’s episode will focus mainly on the three folks who made off with Joe and Claire’s son, and their back-story is about as messed up as you can get. Prepare for one flashback that will show you just how unglued one of the members of the trio really is. Plus, you think you’ve seen odd live triangles before?

ME: Here is a slightly alternate look at next week’s episode as well:

Question: I’m hooked on The Following. Any hints about what’s next? — Jacob

ADAM: Next week’s episode spends a lot of time establishing the nanny-and-gay-neighbors trio at the center of Joe Carroll’s following —and you’ll quickly learn that Carroll’s not training killers, but rather simply enabling them. Look for a very odd little love triangle to form between the group as they guard Carroll’s son. Plus: Prepare yourself now for the creepiest shower scene since Psycho, even though not a drop of blood is spilled!

Question: Dying for some Nikita scoop! – Debra

Team Watch with Kristin: Fans will be meeting a new Division Agent in episode 16 named Rachel, who is the ringleader of a group of agents that plan to help all the other agents go rogue. When the tough and independent Rachel s confronted by Ryan and Alex, they’ll soon learn there’s more to her and her plan than they originally thought.

Question: Please tell me you have scoop on Nikita. —Patricia

Ausiello: I have scoop on Nikita. Even though it seems like the Division team has appeased the POTUS, exec producer Craig Silverstein maintains that the “threat has not been completely and utterly” neutralized. “It’s been turned [down] from ‘medium’ down to ‘simmer,’” he adds. “[But] then in Episode 10 a new development pumps up on that front.” Bonus Scoop: In the coming months, two people we care about will find themselves with gunshot wounds — albeit for very different reasons.

Question: Any chance for some Game of Thrones spoilers? – Kyle Q.

Team Watch with Kristin: Since humans are more visual creatures, we’ll just direct you to this behind-the-scenes featurette that actually shows some new footage from season three instead of just writing about the video. You are welcome.

Question: So happy Daniel Gillies joined The Originals! Any more scoop you can give us on The Vampire Diaries spinoff? – Daniella

Team Watch with Kristin: In addition to Klaus’ former protégé Marcel, two other newbies who will be introduced in the backdoor pilot are witches named Sophie and Davina. Sophie is a strong leader whose magic has been silenced but is planning a revolution of sorts, while the young Davina has been sheltered by overprotective caregivers but has some demons.

Question: I’m looking for Castle scoop on the two-parter, please. — C. Stewart, via Twitter

ADAM: This awesome news wasn’t enough? Fine, I’ll let Jon Huertas share some more secrets. “Something crazy that I think people will be just so blown away by is that we’re going to work with an FBI agent. That never happens,” a cheeky Huertas says with a laugh. In all seriousness, the case, which involves the kidnapping of a Middle Eastern businessman’s daughter, will be truly international. “It takes part of the team out of the country to Europe, which is something we’ve never done,” Huertas says. Unfortunately, don’t expect a romantic night out in Paris for Beckett and Castle, the latter of which will find his life in danger. “This two-parter is very scary for the team,” Huertas says.

Question: Seriously, will Danny be less of a wimp when Revolution returns? — Helga

NATALIE: Yes! Danny will no longer be the requisite whiny, useless teenager that genre shows tend to include. “He was ripped from his home and realized he had a mother and was beaten along the way by Neville,” executive producer Eric Kripke tells me. “I think that really matures him and ages him in a way that we’ll really see in the second half of the season. He’ll really be willing to take up arms in the fight against Monroe, so in that way I think he really starts to evolve into a warrior.”

Question: I can’t get enough of Justified. What’s coming up? — Allen

ADAM: Look for Ellen May to come crawling back to Ava and Boyd in the wake of Boyd’s last run-in with Preacher Billy. Although she seeks to start back at Square 1, Ava and Boyd must decide how permanently this particular loose end needs to be tied. Also: Boyd’s new ally Colt makes a mistake that could have serious impact on the nature of their relationship.

Question: When are we finally going to see the Land of Oz on Once Upon a Time? — Charlie

NATALIE: Sorry, Charlie: Executive producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz broke the news to me that we’ll have to wait until at least next season before we see Oz. However, a trip to Neverland may soon be in the cards. “We do know Hook spent some time there,” Kitsis says. “I will be interested to see what it looks like.”

Question: Scandal is my favorite show on TV right now — it’s like my TV crack. Do you have any scoop for the rest of the season? —Nicole

Ausiello: If you suspect that Gregg Henry’s days as the ever-conspiring Hollis Doyle are numbered, now that would-be presidential assassin Becky has been captured, think again. “Hollis is a tremendously entertaining fellow,” Jeff Perry, who plays Cyrus, notes, “so I’ve got a feeling that Shonda [Rhimes], for sheer diabolical entertainment value, is going to somehow have him stay connected” to the canvas.

Question: I’m hooked on Chicago Fire! Can you give this Mrs. Severide wannabe a little inside scoop? —Nicole

Ausiello: The rookie drama will be delving into the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of Mills’ (Charlie Barnett) late firefighter father. “As we learned early in the season, his father’s shield is hanging on the wall of badges of fallen firefighters,” notes exec producer Derek Haas. “We’re going to learn more about why his father’s shield is up there, and in doing so, learn more about Boden (Eamonn Walker) who served with his father and Kelly’s dad (Treat Williams), who were all there at the same time.”

Question: From your friends in Texas — got any Abby-related NCIS scoop? —Jackie

Ausiello: Abby’s debuting a provocative new look in the Feb. 5 episode — and we’ve got your exclusive first look at her extreme hair makeover (see photos, above and to the right). What’s the 411 on her crazy ‘do? According to an NCIS insider, Abby reveals that she recently came upon her Grandpa Sciuto’s homemade pomade recipe. And I think you can figure out what happened next.

Question: Beggars can’t be choosers, nor can they be picky. So I’ll take anything NCIS-related you have. — Marilyn

Ausiello: Actually, I happen to have a killer spoiler for you – a serial killer spoiler, to be exact. In an upcoming episode, your favorite agents team up with D.C. Metro to bring down a mass murderer. But the partnership will be almost as tough to manage as the case will be to close – especially for the lead detective, who is very “one for all, all for one” until he thinks the feds have backstabbed him. (Oh, and check back soon: You’re gonna wanna know who the show casts as both the detective and his sidekick, a forensic scientist – both characters could recur.)

Question: I am dying for some Rayna-Deacon scoop! Please tell me good things are coming for my favorite Nashville couple ! – Hilla

Ausiello: Would you settle for some scoop on a character we’ve never met before? Ozzy – who’ll appear in at least five episodes – is a superhot former junkie who now helps others walk the straight and narrow. Which, to my thinking, means he’s destined to save Juliette’s mom… or be ruined by her. Either way, good times, right?

Question: Any scoop for me on Banshee? Love the smokin’ hot chemistry between Carrie and Lucas. —Olivia

Ausiello: As exec producer Greg Yaitanes explains, the Cinemax drama is “not a ‘will they or won’t they’ show.” Having said that, the former House EP reveals, “Episodes 7 and 8 tackle the Lucas/Carrie chemistry head on… with an added Banshee twist. In the meantime, Lucas will be busy with the ladies of Banshee County.”

Question: So maybe it is the fact that I am currently six months pregnant, but is it as obvious to the rest of the world as it is to me that Aria has a bun in the oven on Pretty Little Liars? —Ashley

Ausiello: No word yet on whether Aria is carrying her own little one, but get this: “Ezra will find out that he has a son” in an upcoming episode, which provides “a nice family moment between him, Aria and [his child] Malcolm,” shares exec producer I. Marlene King. Of course, Ezra won’t immediately discover how long Aria kept this secret form him — but the truth will eventually come out. Still, when all is said and done, “the ‘Ezria’ story will end in a very interesting place this year,” adds King. “It’s kind of a full-circle moment.”

Question: Considering what an evil wench Alison turned out to be, why does anyone on Pretty Little Liars even care who killed her at this point? —Tracy

Ausiello: “That’s something I would like to explore in Season 4,” notes King. “To go back to some of the moments where we realize why the girls were attracted to Alison — because she wasn’t pure evil and it does seem like [she is] in Season 3. We’re now seeing her darker, mean girl side. But there’s definitely a flashback coming up on Season 3B where we see a more vulnerable side of Alison.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor James Brolin (Hotel and Marcus Welby, M.D.) will show up in the February 25 episode of Castle, playing Rick’s dad. No details have been provided on character details about Papa yet though. (Adam Bryant at TV Guide)

Actress Marcia Gay Harden will replace departing actress Rosemarie DeWitt on The Newsroom, playing the recurring role of Rebecca Halliday, a litigator who defends Atlantis Cable News in a wrongful termination suit. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actor Daniel Gillies will star opposite Joseph Morgan and Phoebe Tonkin in the CW spin-off series The Originals that will be introduced as an upcoming episode of The Vampire Diaries. All three are reprising their roles from the original series. Gillies will also continue to play his lead role in the Canadian medical drama Saving Hope in addition to the role on The Originals should the show be picked up to series. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Alex Kingston (ER and Doctor Who) will have a recurring role in upcoming episodes of Arrow, playing Dinah Lance, Laurel’s (Katie Cassidy) mom and Detective Quentin’s (Paul Blackthorne) ex-wife. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Hot Sundance Trailer: ‘The East’

“Olympus Has Fallen” Trailer Arrives

Q&A SECTION (with Sandra Gonzalez at Entertainment Weekly)

Question: My first time writing to you! Can I please have some Banshee scoop, especially on Carrie/Lucas scoop, they are so hot together! Thank you. — Olivia

Sandra: YES! Banshee is awesome. And I promise you that things only heat up from here on. Episode 9 is going to be especially good — but not for good reasons. In the episode, Carrie is going to be anything but pleased with Lucas after someone she loves ends up smack in the middle of his feud with Rabbit.

Question: We could sense a little sexual tension between Juliette and Liam since the last episode of Nashville, anything you can tease about that? — Anjelia

Sandra: I’ll tell you this much, it’s not going to be Liam and Juliette that the paparazzi are interested in later this season. But on the Juliette front, someone new will be coming into her life soon — her mom’s sober companion, who is going to cause the singer to open up in ways we’ve never seen. Hint: It involves a heartbreaking story about her childhood and a dark confession.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actresses Jurnee Smollett (Friday Night Lights) and Amelia Rose Blaire (90210) have both landed roles in the upcoming sixth season of True Blood. Smollett will have the series regular role of Nicole, a do-gooder who possesses the rosy outlook of someone that life hasn’t beaten down yet. She’s not concerned with money and more concerned with the doing what’s right. Meanwhile, Blaire will have the recurring role of Willa, the daughter of Louisiana Governor Truman Burrell (Arliss Howard). She has long clashed with her father over vampire rights. True Blood will be back in June on HBO. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actress Summer Glau (Firefly and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) will make a guest appearance on Hawaii Five-0, playing a woman involved with an underground fighting ring who also happens to be searching for the person who murdered her father. (Megan Masters at TV Line)

MINI-SERIES NEWS

Actor Tom Hanks and director Steven Spielberg are developing another World War II mini-series for HBO. The untitled new project will look at the officers and enlisted men who served in the Eighth Air Force against Germany. Based in England, the men of the “Mighty Eighth” faced harsh physical, psychological and moral challenges. The story will be based in part on the Donald L. Miller book called “Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany,” as well as other books that will provide other source material. (Tim Molloy at The Wrap)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

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

1. Mama, $28.1 million
2. Zero Dark Thirty, $17.6 million
3. Silver Linings Playbook, $11.4 million
4. Gangster Squad, $9.1 million
5. Broken City, $9 million
6. A Haunted House, $8.3 million
7. Django Unchained, $8.2 million
8. Les Misérables, $7.8 million
9. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, $6.5 million
10. The Last Stand, $6.3 million

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

Question: Do you think that the incredible popularity of Downton Abbey will bring more British-made shows to America? I was a big fan of BBC America at one time, but its programming lately is lackluster at best. It has nowhere near the amount of shows it once had, and seems to mainly air Top Gear, Kitchen Nightmares and, oddly, Star Trek: The Next Generation. I love Picard and company, but it is sad to see the channel that brought us great British television like Waking the Dead reduced to airing old American reruns. Do you think Downton Abbey’s success could reinvigorate BBC America or maybe push PBS to bring us more British television? — Amanda

Matt Roush: Keep in mind that the Downton Abbeys of the world are few and far between, even in England. Its success already has inspired PBS to go outside the Masterpiece window to acquire another winner in Call the Midwife, which returns with new episodes in late March, and they just announced another multi-part drama, a mystery called The Bletchley Circle, to air in April. PBS is seeking other opportunities with international co-producers, but doesn’t have the deepest pockets, so much of what you’ll see there will likely still be contained within the Masterpiece franchise. BBC America is a more commercial enterprise (no Trek pun intended), and when you see full nights devoted to unscripted shows in constant rotation, that’s a clue about where the eyeballs and dollars are. Why the channel leans on U.S.-produced shows like TNG and Battlestar Galactica is more of a puzzle, I admit. The channel did successfully branch off this summer with a homegrown Sunday drama (Copper, which for me didn’t live up to the standards of imports like the new Ripper Street), but for now it seems like the channel is content with packaging most of its dramas in pods like the Saturday lineup of fantasy/sci-fi/thrillers (including most famously Doctor Who) and the Wednesday Dramaville banner (home of great shows like Luther and The Hour). It’s worth noting that outlets like Encore (The Crimson Petal and the White), Ovation (this Tuesday’s The Scapegoat) and Sundance (Appropriate Adult) have acquired notable British dramas in recent years, and HBO has collaborated with the BBC on next month’s Parade’s End miniseries starring Benedict Cumberbatch. I would expect Downton to spur even more interest in partnering for long-form period dramas, but it may take a while to see the results.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Heather Locklear (Melrose Place) has joined the cast of the TNT legal drama Franklin & Bash. She will play Rachel King, a stunning trial lawyer who is a new partner at the firm. (Deadline and Vlada Gelman at TV Line)

Actress Leslie Hope (24 and The River) will play President Foster, the tough, seasoned leader of the powerful Georgia Federation, the rival of its aggressive Northern neighbor, The Monroe Republic. Hope will have a multi-episode guest star arc for the second half of the season. The series will be back on NBC on March 25. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

Actor Diego Klattenhoff will not be returning to Homeland as a series regular for the show’s upcoming third season; however, he is expected to have a recurring role in the show, which will be back on September 29. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actress and The Talk co-host Aisha Tyler (Ghost Whisperer and XIII) will make a guest appearance on an upcoming episode of Hawaii Five-0. There aren’t any details on character she will play, though. (TV By the Numbers)

Actress Jessica De Gouw, who played Helena (aka The Huntress) on the new CW series Arrow has landed the female lead in the upcoming NBC drama Dracula that is set to star The Tudor’s star Jonathan Rhys Meyers as the title character and is being eyed for the fall of 2013. The series will take place in the 1890s, finding Dracula living a double life in London as an American businessman interested in bringing modern science to Victorian society. But his true plan — to exact revenge on those who burdened him centuries ago — is derailed when he falls in love with Mina, who seems to be a reincarnation of his dead wife. De Gouw will play Mina, the only woman studying to be a doctor at University College in London, who is described as being forward-thinking, clever and independent; more at home at a bohemian party than sipping tea in drawing room. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actress Kearran Giovanni (One Life to Live and Major Crimes) will appear in at least one upcoming episode of The CW drama Beauty And the Beast, playing Miranda, the wife of Lt. Joe Bishop’s (Brian White). (Philiana Ng at The Hollywood Reporter)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

TNT has ordered a pilot for an as-yet-untitled bounty hunter drama that will star Oscar winner Geena Davis. She will star as an unconventional bail bondswoman and bounty hunter whose eccentric personality and unusual tactics give her an advantage in a tough and unpredictable business. (The Futon Critic)

CBS has given a pilot order to Hostages a drama that is set to star Toni Collette (United States of Tara). The pilot centers on a family caught in the middle of a grand political conspiracy that will change their lives forever. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Paul Dano (Ruby Sparks and Looper) will star as legendary musician Brian Wilson in the upcoming box office flick to be called Love & Mercy. (The Deadline Team)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Hot Trailer: ‘Red 2′

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

Question: Arrow scoop please! – Jake

Team Watch with Kristin: Laurel’s mother is coming to town! Yes, the CW hit is currently looking for an actress to take on the role of Dinah, Laurel’s mama, who will return to Starling City hoping to make amends with the family she left behind. Hit up the comments and dream cast this role with us, won’t you? (FYI, we’re sure fans of the original Green Arrow comics will find her name very interesting.)

Question: Would love some scoop on Nashville if you’ve got any! – Beth

Team Watch with Kristin: A new man is coming into Juliette’s life: her mother’s sober companion. Viewers will meet the charming and charismatic Ozzy later this season when Juliette’s fresh out of rehab mom comes to stay with her. Though she’s initially hesitant to listen to him, Juliette eventually starts to open up to the seemingly genuine Ozzy.

Question: I’m in love with Taylor Kinney on Chicago Fire…scoop me! – Amanda V.

Team Watch with Kristin: Gird your loins, because in an upcoming episode, Serveride will be put in serious danger. Hint: It involves a bomb. They wouldn’t kill off someone that good looking, would they? IT would certainly make for an explosive episode! (We’re done with the puns now.)

Question: Do you have an Esplanie scoop for us Castle fans? –Marine

Mitovich: Jon Huertas has plenty to say about Kelly Hu’s imminent drop-by, which I’m saving for Monday. For now, I’ll relay his belief that it’s Lanie “who needs to put up or shut up” in that off-and-on relationship. “She’s the one who pushed Esposito away, when the whole marriage conversation came up, and she’s the one who’s all about the booty call and keeping it not so serious,” he noted. “So it’s her that needs to put up or shut up.” And if she did? “Esposito would probably say, ‘I’m down with that.’” Looking beyond Hu’s Monday visit, Huervas shared this: “There’s some stuff coming up with Lanie that we’ll see in a different episode.”

Question: I have tried to find out the identity of an unacknowledged actress on Castle. She was mentioned once as “Officer Johnson,” she has been in the background in most of the squad room shots, she originally had short red hair and is now a blond, and she seems to be their “go to” for reaction shots. –Susan

Mitovich: I love a good mystery as much as Rick himself, so I did some gumshoe detective work and came up with a prime suspect: Soaps vet Schae Harrison!

Question: I’d love to know what’s in store for Chicago Fire‘s Casey. Between breaking up with Hallie, his family problems and a possible romance with a confused Dawson, he has a lot on his plate. –Carol

Mitovich: Consider that plate full for the near future, seeing as Casey’s “friendship” with Dawson will be compromised after she crosses a line by confronting someone from his recent past.

Question: Any word on who might be playing McGee’s father on NCIS? That episode has been mentioned taking place in February. — Jeannie

Mitovich: There’s no casting news yet, and here’s why. “That episode is definitely happening — we are working on the script right now — but we pushed it to a bit later,” show boss Gary Glasberg told me just the other day. “It will probably happen in the spring, and it will be part of what leads us into our final arc.”

Question: Now that Once Upon a Time‘s Hook is out in the open, will we get to see him interact with the other residents of Storybrooke? –Stefanie

Mitovich: You mean, presuming he survived getting mowed down by The Outsider, right? (Of course he lives.) Well, to perhaps – perhaps! – answer your question, I’ll offer up this scoop. “Emma’s love life is going to get really complicated,” series co-creator Adam Horowitz told me last week. In fact, across Storybrooke at large, he said, “The permutations of romance will continue to turn as we move forward.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a wonderful weekend.

And for those of you fortunate enough to have Monday off, enjoy the long weekend!!

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