Archive: January 2009 (40-52 of 81)

Jan 16 2009 03:07 PM ET

Exclusive: Pete and Ashlee escape to 'CSI: NY'

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Categories: CSI: NY

Wentzsimpson_lIf there were any lingering doubts as to which of the three CSIs was the most stunt happy, this next story should erase them: Sources confirm to me exclusively that ubiquitous real-life couple Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and Pete Wentz just closed a deal to guest star on CSI: NY.

A show spokesperson declined to comment, but I’m told the Wentzes will not be playing themselves in the episode, which is slated to air on March 18. Rather, they will be playing Bonnie and Clyde wannabes.

Question time: Is this cheeky, attention-getting piece of casting a shrewd business decision on the part of CSI: NY producers, or yet another sign of the impending apocalypse? Weigh in below!

Jan 16 2009 05:45 AM ET

'Chuck' exclusive: Scott Bakula spies pivotal role

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Categories: Chuck

Scottbakula_lMajor casting news just in from TV’s best comedy: Scott Bakula is Chuck’s dad!

Chuck boss Josh Schwartz confirms to me exclusively that Bakula has inked a deal to play the estranged father of Zachary Levi’s title character in at least three episodes.

“Chuck made a promise to his sister, Ellie [Sarah Lancaster], that he was going to find their dad in time for her wedding,” Schwartz explains. “And it’s something that Chuck becomes consumed with pursuing during the second half of the season.

“But when he finds him, he’s not necessarily a guy who wants to be found,” Schwartz continues. “He’s living in a trailer, he’s disheveled, he’s paranoid and he’s claiming constantly that Ted Roark [Chevy Chase] — who he used to work with — stole all his ideas from him. And Ted Roark has now become this super-successful software billionaire, and Chuck’s dad has become an eccentric, living in the shadows.”

Look for Bakula’s arc to kick off in April.

Jan 16 2009 01:50 AM ET

Exclusive: 'Stargate' snags Marc's 'Ugly Betty" BF

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Categories: Ugly Betty

Davidblue_lThis certainly puts the kibosh on a possible Marc-Cliff reunion on Ugly Betty: Cliff’s portrayer, David Blue, is relocating to another freakin’ universe.

Sources confirm to me exclusively that Blue has been tapped to join the cast of Sci Fi Channel’s Stargate Universe, the franchise’s third (and purportedly edgiest) live-action series.

Blue, who joins previously announced headliner Robert Carlyle, plays Eli Wallace, a total slacker who just happens to be an utter genius with anything he puts his mind to — mathematics, computers, video games. A lack confidence has left him with an acerbic sense of humor.

Universe follows a group of soldiers, scientists, and civilians who have been stranded on an ancient ship in the far reaches of space. It’s slated to debut on Sci Fi next fall.

I’m sad for Marc and Cliff, but I’m ecstatic for David, a genuinely decent guy who displayed real star potential on Betty.

Jan 16 2009 12:48 AM ET

Exclusive: Amy Ryan returning to 'The Office'

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Categories: The Office

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I’m fairly certain this calls for a Hallefreakinglujah!

Greg Daniels, the big boss behind The Office, just confirmed for me exclusively the best news ever: Amy Ryan will be reprising her spectacularly popular role as Holly Flax, soul mate to Steve Carrel’s Michael.

“She will come back,” says Daniels. “We haven’t written it yet, but we’re discussing her coming back for the season finale. We’re hoping she’ll be available.”

Daniels went on to say that he’s “very open” to working out a more permanent Office arrangement with Ryan. “Because [Michael and Holly] have such a deep connection, I don’t think she can blow in and out every so often,” he explains. “It would be too hard for him as a human being. So, we’re hoping to find some very significant things for them. And if we can get her to sign on for a really long period, we’ll do it.”

And I repeat: Hallefreakinglujah!

Jan 16 2009 12:05 AM ET

'The Office' still may get a spin-off

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Categories: TV Biz

Executive Producer Greg Daniels continues to be responsible for The Office, and he is penning the new Amy Poehler comedy with SNL vet Michael Schur for NBC. But he’s not ruling out the possibility of an Office spinoff sometime in the near future. The Poehler project was originally pitched as an Office spinoff until Daniels and Schur took it in a different direction and developed it as a mockumentary about small-town government. But Daniels hasn’t closed the door on expanding the Dunder-Mifflin family.

“It’s not possible, physically, for me to be involved in it right this second, but I’m talking to people over at The Office about another idea, and [The Office's British creator] Stephen Merchant came back and directed an episode of The Office so were were talking about the idea,” Daniels told critics at NBC’s annual Television Critics Tour on Thursday. “It’s possible that some combination of other Office people could produce it without my giving blood for it.”

Daniels’ untitled Poehler project, which also stars Rashida Jones, will debut April 9.

More TV News:
NBC renews The Office
Amy Poehler’s sitcom: Plot details emerge
The Biggest Loser gets renewed
Lipstick Jungle cancellation reports premature
Gossip Girl spin-off pilot is a go

Jan 15 2009 11:28 PM ET

Ratings: 'American Idol' stays popular...surprise!

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Categories: American Idol, TV Biz, TV Ratings

Americanidolratings_l On Wednesday, the second night of American Idol‘s premiere week drew an average of 29.9 million watchers, matching its 30 million premiere Tuesday night. (There were five million more viewers for the show’s 9-10 p.m. hour of total fools, sob stories, and total fools with sob stories than for its 8-9 p.m. hour.) Consequently, other series took a hit: CBS’s The New Adventures of Old Christine brought in a smaller audience at 8 p.m. with a new episode than it did for last week’s repeat. And Criminal Minds was down a million viewers from its last new episode on Dec. 17. The CW’s new series 13 — Fear Is Real perhaps suffered the most. Only 2.4 million people caught the premiere last week, but an entire third of that audience strayed last night, probably in favor of a different kind of "real fear" — i.e. Simon Cowell’s facial expressions upon subjection to alarmingly off-key warbles. And Paula’s crazy glasses. Now those are scary.

 
   
   
      

      

      

   

   

      

      

      

   

   

      

      

      

   

   

      

      

      

   

   

      

      

      

   

 

Time Show Viewers (In Millions)
8:00 p.m. American Idol (Fox)
The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS)
Knight Rider (NBC)
Lost (ABC)
13 – Fear Is Real (The CW)		 27.2
7.3
5.3
4.6 (repeat)
1.6
8:30 Gary Unmarried (CBS) 7.1
9:00 American Idol (cont.)
Criminal Minds (CBS)
Law & Order: SVU (NBC)
Lost (ABC)
90210 (The CW)		 32.5
14.1
4.5 (repeat)
4.3 (repeat)
0.7 (repeat)
10:00 CSI: NY (CBS)
Law & Order (NBC)
Lost (ABC)		 12.8
8.2
4.6 (repeat)

addCredit(“Michael Becker/Fox”)

Jan 15 2009 11:09 PM ET

'30 Rock' and 'The Office' renewed, 'Heroes' gets NBC commitment

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Categories: TV Biz

NBC has renewed 30 Rock and The Office for another year, and the network has ordered a new police drama from John Wells called Southland, which will inherit ER’s timeslot as soon as that series goes off the air on April 2, NBC primetime president Angela Bromstad announced today at the Television Critics tour. Bromstad also told reporters that she picked up three additional episodes of ER, bringing the total season order to 23 episodes. The drama’s long-awaited series finale will stretch over three hours on April 2 — beginning with a one-hour retrospective and ending with a two-hour original episode/goodbye. A week later, NBC will debut Southland, a series that NBC describes as a "fast-moving drama that’ll take viewers inside the lives of cops, criminals, victims, and their families." The pilot was originally picked up by Teri Weinberg, Bromstad’s predecessor, who now has a producing deal at the network.

In other news, the net will bring back another edition of Celebrity Apprentice on March 1, launch a new cooking reality show called The Chopping Block on March 11, and unveil the still-untitled Amy Poehler comedy on April 9.

Although Bromstad has yet to pick up another season of Heroes, she said the network remains committed to the now-beleaguered drama. "We want to get back to the core of the show," she said. "It may have taken on too much in terms of characters and multiple storylines."

More TV News:
The Biggest Loser gets renewed
Lipstick Jungle cancellation reports premature
Gossip Girl spin-off pilot is a go

Jan 15 2009 10:17 PM ET

'Lipstick Jungle': Cancellation reports were premature

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Categories: TV Biz

Apparently, reports of Lipstick Jungle’s cancellation were premature. At NBC’s annual Television Critics Tour in Universal City, Calif., today, NBC primetime president Angela Bromstad said the Brooke Shields drama had not, in fact, been canceled, and that it remains in contention for fall 2009. “We haven’t officially canceled Lipstick Jungle,” she told critics. “There are alternatives we may look into and it is in conversations for fall. We have to wait to see what the (other pilots) are.” More from NBC’s critics’ tour later.

Jan 15 2009 09:55 PM ET

'Private Practice' exclusive: 'Swingtown' star is Addison's new man

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Categories: Private Practice

Joshhopkins_lIt isn’t enough that Private Practice‘s Addison (Kate Walsh) can’t go a week without a guy; now, it seems, she can’t go a week without more than one. Though in tonight’s episode, she and beau Kevin attempt to resolve their relationship issues, and she takes a closer look at Wyatt, the show has just cast yet another love interest for her!

I’ve learned exclusively Swingtown‘s Josh Hopkins has signed on for five episodes as the latest surgeon with whom our lead MD will play doctor.

So what do you think, folks? You psyched about a Hopkins/Walsh pairing? Or is the joke about Addison’s bedroom needing a revolving door becoming less funny? Weigh in below. (Additional reporting by Andy Patrick)

Jan 15 2009 09:54 PM ET

'The Biggest Loser': NBC renews reality hit

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Categories: TV Biz

Fans of the The Biggest Loser just gained something good: More editions of the show! NBC is picking up two additional cycles of NBC’s popular weight-loss reality series that will air during the 2009-10 season; the first is slated for the fall. The Biggest Loser‘s seventh edition launched earlier this month.

Jan 15 2009 06:45 PM ET

'Gossip Girl' spin-off pilot is a go!

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Categories: Gossip Girl, TV Biz

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Break out those leg warmers, Gossip Girl fans! The CW has announced that a pilot for a potential spin-off series, created by GG executive producers, Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, is on the way. The show will actually be a prequel, focusing on Serena’s momma, Lily Van Der Woodsen (Kelly Rutherford, pictured), as a troubled teenager in 1980s Los Angeles. According to an early plot description, we’ll see young Lily move out of her wealthy parents’ home in Montecito to live with her outcast sister in the Valley, where she’ll attend public school and experience the glitz of Hollywood and the excess of the Sunset Strip. No word on if a young Rufus (Matthew Settle) shows up, but I could totally see Lily running into Lincoln Hawk on Sunset Boulevard.

The pilot, which is still untitled and hasn’t been cast, will air on May 11 in place of a Gossip Girl episode; the spin-off has not yet been greenlit as a full series. Originally, there had been rumors that producers would center a spin-off on Jenny Humphrey (Taylor Momsen), but those rumblings were quickly shot down. By choosing to do a prequel, Gossip Girl doesn’t have to deal with the loss of any of its talented ensemble.

More Gossip Girl:
EW.com’s All About Gossip Girl page
Gossip Girl recap: The Son Also Rises

Jan 15 2009 05:17 PM ET

'Bones' babe predicts "incredibly awkward" Booth-Brennan sex scene

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Categories: Bones, House

My obsession with when, where, and how TV’s most popular couples (i.e. Booth and Brennan, House and Cuddy, etc.) will consummate their relationships shows no sign of letting up. Case in point: Check out my brand spankin’ new interviews with Bones‘ Emily Deschanel and House execs David Shore and Katie Jacobs from Tuesday’s Fox’s press tour soiree.

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