Archive: May 2009 (53-65 of 101)

May 16 2009 03:50 AM ET

Breaking: ABC renews 'Castle,' Better Off Ted,' and 'Scrubs'

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Categories: Misc.
Castle_l

The renewals and pick-ups are flying fast and furious this weekend. On the heels of Fox’s big Dollhouse reprieve, ABC has handed second-season renewals to Castle and Better Off Ted. Scrubs, meanwhile, will return for a ninth season (Zach Braff will be back for six episodes). Among new shows, ABC has given the green light to comedies Cougar Town (starring Courteney Cox), Hank (starring Kelsey Grammer), and The Middle (starring Patricia Heaton), and dramas Happy Town, V, Eastwick, and the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced The Forgotten. No word on the fate of Lauren Graham’s The Bridget Show, and I’m guessing, at this point, no news is bad news.

For up-to-the-minute renewal-cancellation-pickup scuttlebutt throughout the weekend and into upfront week, stay close to both my blog (the one you’re reading now!) and Twitter feed. And to track the status of your favorite bubble show, there’s my Fall TV Cheat Sheet.

May 16 2009 01:59 AM ET

'Prison Break' boss defends tragic twist: 'It IS a happy ending'

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Categories: Prison Break

Prisonbreakfinale_lWARNING: Stop reading if you have not watched the series finale of Prison Break. I mean it. Everyone else, onward and downward…

I know. Since Prison Break concluded its four-year run tonight by sending its chiseled protagonist to the big slammer in the sky, you’re grieving. You want answers. You want justice. You want someone to pay.

Would you settle for answers?

‘Cause that’s all I’ve got. But at least there are a lot of ‘em, straight from executive producer Matt Olmstead. Read ‘em and… oh, I see. You’re already weeping. Well, read ‘em, anyway. Maybe it’ll help.

Why’d you have to kill him?!
MATT OLMSTEAD: It started as a discussion with Wentwoth [Miller] around Season 2. He brought up a good point: His character’s hands are as dirty as anyone’s. If you look at the initial act that he committed — robbing a bank to get into prison to break his brother out — there were ramifications to that; a lot of people got hurt. Not by them, but when they rattled the cage of the company that was after them, the body count started to pile out. And Michael was aware of this. And we’ve addressed his guilt throughout the show. But at a certain point, it felt nobler to have the character die so that others could live. It just felt a little weird for us to have Michael and Sara holding hands on the beach walking away — though that would be gratifying in the moment. Knowing that there was pretty much a scorched path behind them in terms of what happened, [having him die] balanced the books for us. He also paid the ultimate sacrifice and, in doing so, everyone else close to him was able to live, including his child.

Michael-Sara fans will argue that they deserved a happy ending
after watching these two go to hell and back for four seasons. What
would you say to them?
OLMSTEAD: For me, it is a happy ending. Look at the very first
episode of the season when Michael realizes Sara’s alive. They have a
chance to run away, and they both elect not to because, as two
people of conscience, they can’t live with what they both now have
experienced. And at the end of the finale, when they’re on the beach and talking about the baby that’s coming, that’s a huge victory in
that they both stood their ground and, with the help of other people,
brought down the ultimate antagonist. So they have their moment.

Can we assume that we’ll learn more about the ultimate sacrifice
Michael made in the two-hour direct-to-DVD prequel movie [due July 28]?
OLMSTEAD: Yes, it dramatizes what happened to Michael. The nose bleed
that reared its ugly head at the end of [tonight's finale] was a factor
in his ultimate demise in that he knew that he probably didn’t have
that long to live, but it wasn’t the sole factor. It informed certain
decisions that lead to his demise.

The two-hour movie picks up right after the finale, right?
OLMSTEAD: Yeah, it takes place fairly soon after they’re exonerated.

What’s the premise?
OLMSTEAD: Sara is on the hook for [killing] Michael’s mother and she
gets locked up while pregnant. The tables are turned… once a doctor in
prison now imprisoned, and Michael’s on the outside. The majority of
the cast is back. It’s Michael, Lincoln, Sara, Sucre, T-Bag, Mahone… all the heavy-hitters.

Seeing Paul Adelstein back as Kellerman was a nice surprise. How’d that come about?
OLMSTEAD: We reached out to Paul and pitched him the idea of what
his character would be doing, and he liked it very much. And then I
told him that we would be jumping ahead four years to show where all
the characters are, and I asked him where he would want [Kellerman] to
be; he was included in the [creative process]. We traded
a lot of e-mails and the ideas ran the gamut. We ultimately arrived at
what it was, which is he rose to a position of power, but that the
widow of his [former] partner that he killed revisits him. In the scene
I wrote, she spits on his shoes. [On the day of shooting], I got a call
from the director, Kevin Hooks, and he said, "Paul’s here, and he [thinks] she would
spit in his face." And I said, "Have at it." So she spit in his face.
And then he’s in the limo afterward and you can see that private
moment where [he realizes] he can never outrun his past. That’s one of
my favorite sequences in the flash-forward. He played the self-loathing
and regret beautifully.

Did you encounter any problems getting ABC to loan him to you since he’s now on Private Practice?
OLMSTEAD: Everybody was very accommodating, and I think it all stems
from a universal goodwill towards Paul as a person. He’s a really good
guy and people wanted to do him a favor. And we were able to get all
his scenes done in one day.

Was there anyone you wanted to get back for the finale and couldn’t?
OLMSTEAD: The only person we couldn’t get was Marshall Allman, who
played Lincoln’s son. We would have loved to have gotten him.

Looking back on the four seasons, anything you would have done differently?
OLMSTEAD: I don’t have a whole lot of regrets. [Another journalist]
wrote that we left it all out on the field by the end of the series,
and I feel the same way. Every story was exhausted. Every creative
juice wrung out. It was a completely worthwhile experience, and I know
the other writers [agree]. It was a difficult show to pull
off, and we did it.

May 15 2009 08:23 PM ET

Random scooplets: 'Dollhouse' renewed! Jorja Fox returns! 'Housewives' finale buzz!

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Categories: CSI, Desperate Housewives, Dollhouse

Jameselisajorja_l
•    I just upgraded Dollhouse from "prospects brightening" to “renewed” on my Fall TV Cheat Sheet amidst news that Fox has picked up the show for a 13-episode second season. The catch? Joss Whedon agreed to a drastically reduced budget. (Note to JW: Dumping that annoying Topher dude should free up at least 15K an episode. Just a thought.) Fox will make an official announcement Monday morning prior to its upfront presentation. BTW, ABC and NBC announce their skeds on Tuesday, followed by CBS on Wednesday, and The CW on Thursday. For up-to-the-minute renewal-cancellation-pickup scuttlebutt throughout the weekend and into upfront week, stay close to both my blog (the one you’re reading now!) and Twitter feed. And for the official schedules once they’re announced, head to our Hollywood Insider blog.

•    Ex-CSI sleuth Jorja Fox has closed a deal to guest star as a soccer mom with a criminal past in an episode of the new Lifetime comedy series Drop Dead Diva. Premiering July 12, DDD centers on a deceased model whose soul takes up residence in the body of a plus-sized attorney.

•    Hey, Prison Break fans: What are you planning to do after tonight’s two-hour series finale? What’s that — you don’t have any plans? Now you do. Come straight here and read my postmortem with executive producer Matt Olmstead where all your burning questions will be answered. I’ve seen the episode and, trust me, you will have questions — and some of ‘em will burn!

•    Desperate Housewives‘ season finale is Sunday, so there’s still time to weigh in on the big wedding mystery. Who do you think is getting hitched? And is part of you worried that Marc Cherry might make us wait all summer for a definitive answer? (I am.)

•    Speaking of season finales, Gossip Girl wraps up its sophomore year on Monday. To whet your appetites, there’s a special treat waiting for you below. Enjoy!

May 15 2009 08:23 PM ET

Ratings: 'Grey's Anatomy' dominates Thursday

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Categories: TV Ratings

On a night chockablock with season finales, the big success story was Grey’s Anatomy‘s two-hour mega-episode, which topped CSI and CSI: New York‘s finales and obliterated Fox and NBC, leading ABC to a ratings win for the night. NBC fared badly, meanwhile, with its comedies all posting some of their lowest numbers for the season and freshman drama Southland falling to less than half its premiere audience. And Fox’s Bones and Hell’s Kitchen held on to their average numbers.

 

Time Show Viewers (in millions)
8:00 p.m. Survivor (CBS)
Bones (Fox)
Ugly Betty (ABC)
My Name is Earl (NBC)
Smallville (The CW)		 12.0
8.7
6.8
4.8
3.2
8:30 p.m. Parks & Recreation (NBC) 4.2
9:00 p.m. Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
CSI (CBS)
Hell’s Kitchen (Fox)
The Office (NBC)
Supernatural (The CW)		 16.3
14.4
7.4
6.7
2.9
9:30 p.m. 30 Rock (NBC) 5.7
10:00 p.m. CSI: NY (CBS)
Southland (NBC)		 12.7
4.6
May 15 2009 08:14 PM ET

Dominic West of 'The Wire' to direct an episode of David Simon's new HBO series

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Categories: Television

Dominic West is planning on reuniting with David Simon, creator of The Wire. West, who played the incorrigible Baltimore po-lice Jimmy McNulty on the late, great HBO series, says he is likely to direct an episode of Simon’s new series, Treme, about post-Katrina New Orleans. “I directed [an episode] of The Wire, and [David] said to me right after, ‘Yeah, I’ll employ you again,’” says West, who’s currently in the U.K. shooting the BBC drama Breaking the Mould. “So when I read the pilot
for Treme, I wrote to him and I said, ‘Look, you’ve got to let me have a
go on it.’ And he said he would. I don’t know when they’ll get me in, but I can’t wait. It’s a really good show. I’ve read the pilot. I haven’t seen it yet, but…I think it’ll be even better than The Wire, actually.” Though the two men are on different continents at the moment, West is optimistic they’ll work out their schedules. Laughing, he explains: “I see [David] fairly regularly. He seems to be over in this country quite a lot these days, being feted and given hero’s welcome.” (Reporting by Simon Vozick-Levinson)

May 15 2009 05:54 AM ET

Exclusive: 'Grey's' boss on finale's Izzie-George shocker, Mer-Der 'wedding,' and more!

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Categories: Grey's Anatomy

Greysanatomy_lMaybe you just watched the season finale of Grey’s Anatomy. And maybe you’re freaking out. Oh, who am I kidding, you are freaking out. Well, good news: I just got off the phone with series creator Shonda Rhimes and obtained exclusive intel on last night’s jaw-dropping climax. Will Izzie and John Doe George survive? Was that really Meredith and Derek’s wedding we witnessed? Is Jessica Capshaw here to stay? Yep. Rhimes answered all those questions and even found time to address the "ghost sex" controversy, Katherine Heigl’s Emmy chances, TR Knight’s alleged unhappiness, and more. So before you combust from the excitement of it all, I give you this, my first-ever one-on-one with the one and only Shonda Rhimes.

Rumors have been swirling all year that Katherine and TR wanted off the show. The season ends with both their characters’ lives hanging in the balance. Purely coincidental?
SHONDA RHIMES: I don’t think there are any coincidences. I think Katherine’s stated publicly that she’s happy to stay. I think that there have been lots of rumors about TR, but TR’s never said anything. Take from it what you will.

This kind of cliffhanger almost seems tailor-made to capitalize on some of those headlines and generate buzz.
RHIMES: You have to remember, I have two shows. It’s not as if I spend a lot of time reading the press. We talk about stuff in the writers’ room that other people have read, but, mostly, we were really moving on character. Every year at the beginning of the season I pitch what the end of the season is going to be. And I literally sat down and pitched the last 10 minutes of this season at the beginning of the season, so we were headed towards the place that we knew we were going to go.

Do you know which one of them lives and which one of them dies?
RHIMES: Yes. And I don’t know that you should be saying "which one of them lives and which one of them dies." I know what happens to the characters.

Have you shared this information with Katherine and TR?
RHIMES: [Crickets, then...] I don’t want to answer that. I don’t want to talk about my private conversations with the actors.

Katherine said in a recent interview that she was as much in the dark about Izzie’s fate as anyone. Do you keep this stuff close to the vest in order to prevent leaks?
RHIMES: There was a joke for a while there that if I got hit by a bus [no one would] know how to end the season. I do feel like a secret’s not a secret if anybody knows about it. It was really about trying to keep the storyline as secret as possible, because I wanted the last moment of the season to be a real surprise. 

Did TR ask to be released from his contract?
RHIMES: I absolutely am not going to talk about any private conversations I had with the actors. I feel like that invades their privacy.

Why haven’t we seen very much of George this season? I understand that there are ebbs and flows on ensemble dramas but…
RHIMES: There are ebbs and flows. Every character this season has had a lot of ebbs and flows. And every season is shaped differently. With George, I really wanted you to not notice that he wasn’t there for most of this episode. I don’t think anybody noticed because of the way we laid it out this season. He’s an incredibly talented actor. And, actually, he was really lovely and elegant about lying there in all that very painful makeup and prosthetics for much of the episode with no words. That moment where he grabs Meredith’s hand is one of the most affecting moments of the episode, and it was without words.

There was criticism that the Denny hallucinations went on too long without an explanation. Looking back, do you regret not revealing Izzie’s diagnosis sooner?
RHIMES: Do I regret it? No. As writers, we had a lot of fun figuring out how we were going to tell that story. I don’t regret anything we’ve done. Every season is a learning process for me. This is my first television show. Granted, I’ve done five seasons now, but it’s still my first television show. As we head into season 6 everything is still a learning experience for me. It’s been a great, crazy experiment that has happened fairly publicly, but, for me, it’s been my learning process.

There was a period there where the show was being relentless mocked, especially where the "ghost sex" was concerned. Did you ever take it personally?
RHIMES: You’re the first person to tell me that, because I, of course, don’t read a lot of press. One thing we’ve gotten used to is being in the public eye and we learned to let everything roll off our backs. We knew where we were going; we had a road map. The rest of the audience didn’t know where we were going. We all thought it was really surprising that anybody thought there was a ghost on our show. We’re a medical show. We thought it was surprising that anybody would look at it and go, "Gee, that’s a ghost." So that was surprising to us. But, other than that, we took it with a grain of salt.

Did the network stick by you during the initial backlash?
RHIMES: Yes. [ABC president] Steve [McPherson] and I sat down and talked about what we were going to do before we did it, and figured out how many episodes and everything. I’m in constant contact [with him].

Will Katherine be putting her name back in the Emmy race this season?
RHIMES: You know, I don’t know. I think she did beautiful work. I think she always does beautiful work.

Did Meredith and Derek really get married last night?
RHIMES: Their wedding was a Post-it note. We had a big series of discussions about it in the writers’ room. I felt very strongly — very very strongly — that the last thing Meredith Grey would do is put on a wedding dress and walk down an aisle. It just felt wrong to me, Meredith being Meredith. And the Post-it wedding will have big reverberations next season.

Will we still get an official wedding at some point?
RHIMES: I think they feel it is an official wedding.

Meredith and Derek fans felt a little cheated by the 100th episode because they were led to believe one thing and they got another.
RHIMES: Yeah, I saw a lot of people felt like, "Oh my god, they promised it was going to be a Meredith and Derek wedding." I never said it was Meredith and Derek’s wedding, I said it was their wedding day.

Have you figured out how you’re going to work around Ellen Pompeo’s maternity leave next season?
RHIMES: We’re actually still talking about that. The writers have disbanded for the season and we’re going to come back together at the beginning of June, so we’re still talking about what we’re going to do and what that’s going to mean. Her maternity leave doesn’t actually come into play until later this season. We will have shot a number of episodes by that point. [And] Ellen is extraordinarily optimistic about what she’s going to be able to do. She’s such a trouper and I’m really am grateful to her for it. We’ll take it as it comes.

Will Jessica Capshaw be promoted to a series regular next season?
RHIMES: I can’t say because we have not renewed anybody’s contract for next season yet.

Are you happy with Jessica Capshaw?
RHIMES: I love Jessica Capshaw. And when I say love I mean love. She couldn’t be a more wonderful person, and I feel like the chemistry Arizona and Callie have feels like the Meredith and Derek chemistry to me. I find them delightful to watch.

Last question: Looking back at this season, what are you most proud of, and what’s the one thing you would have done differently?
RHIMES: There are a lot of things I’m proud of this season. I feel like the cast was clicking on all cylinders. I love the addition of Kevin McKidd and Jessica Capshaw. Those were additions that really worked for us. For me, I feel like this was the season where I found my joy in the show again. You do all these episodes of television and there are ebbs and flows and, for me, I feel like I really came back to the show in a way that had a lot more energy.

And what would you have done differently?
RHIMES: That would mean I have to admit that we made some mistakes, and I’m not going to do that. [Laughs]

Come on, you’re human.
RHIMES: We tried some stuff that didn’t work this season. I wish that we had been able to find Callie a love interest that sparkled sooner, but we found it in the end, so I feel good about that.

More Grey’s:
Read a recap of last night’s finale
Season Finale Scorecard updated

May 15 2009 04:17 AM ET

Important message about tonight's 'Grey's Anatomy'

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Categories: Grey's Anatomy

If you watched tonight’s finale, you’ll want to read the story I’m about to post. And quit your whining, East Coasters. This is why God invented sugar free Red Bull.

To pass the time, get a mass debate (tee-hee) going in the comments section. The topic: Duh, the finale.

May 15 2009 02:22 AM ET

'Smallville' exclusive: Find out why they killed %$#@#

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Categories: Smallville

Aaronashmore_lWARNING: Stop reading if you have not watched the season finale of Smallville. I mean it. Everyone else, onward and downward…

Talk about dodging a tall loophole with a single bound. In tonight’s season finale, Smallville managed to kill off an iconic Superman character without incurring the wrath of the evil mythos police. I’m referring, of course, to the death of Jimmy Olsen at the hands of a de-Doomsdayed Davis. The show later revealed (or strongly implied?) that the shutterbug’s younger brother is, in fact, the real Jimmy. Problem solved! Of course, that’s little consolation to Aaron Ashmore, whose three-year stint as faux Jimmy ended with a steel pipe through the chest. In this exclusive interview, Ashmore reveals why he was caught off guard by his dismissal, how he’d feel about a Chloe-Clark romance, and who he thinks really killed Jimmy Olsen.

When did you find out that Jimmy wasn’t long for this world?
AARON ASHMORE: About six months ago, right around the time we finished
shooting “Bride.” I knew that Jimmy was going to get hurt in that
episode and go on a little hiatus, so I talked to the producers and
asked, “Guys, where is this storyline going?” And they said, “Well, we
have an idea to send Jimmy on a bit of a downward spiral and, in the
end, sacrifice himself for Chloe.” That’s what I originally heard. I
didn’t know that that was necessarily going to happen this season. It
happened a little sooner than I had anticipated.

Were you disappointed?
ASHMORE: Of course. I really enjoyed working on the show; to be sent
off kind of sucks. But, at the same time, it works great for the story.
And all things run their course. I guess Jimmy on Smallville had run his course.

Any chance he’s not really dead?
ASHMORE: I don’t think so. Not that I’ve heard.

When word leaked that two major characters were dying, no one suspected
Jimmy because of the whole mythos thing. Did you think you were safe
because of that?
ASHMORE: Absolutely. That was my first reaction. That being said,
Smallville has taken some little turns here and there from the comic books.

So, Jimmy’s little brother is the real Jimmy, right?
ASHMORE: That’s how I read it. There’s always been a bit of a
discrepancy in how old Jimmy is compared to Clark and Lois, so this is
a way of clarifying things. Jimmy [is supposed to be] 10 years younger
than them, so Jimmy’s little brother showing up totally makes it stick
to the mythos.

What reason did producers give you for killing him off?

ASHMORE: I know when [the idea of] Jimmy coming to Smallville first
came up, DC Comics had a bit of a problem because of the age difference thing. But the producers really wanted to bring the
character in because they thought they could do some interesting stuff
with him. I believe [producers] had reassured DC that by the end of the
series — or at some point — they would rectify that [by making it clear
that he's] not the real Jimmy Olsen.

How do you think fans will react to Jimmy’s death?
ASHMORE: It’s a mixed bag. It depends if you like Jimmy or not. There
are a lot of people that probably think he’s a really annoying,
bumbling kind of guy, which, you know, there’s no doubt about that.
He’s not the hero; he’s the everyman. And I always questioned why
people got so annoyed by that. [On the other hand], I think people who are big Jimmy fans
are going to be bummed. But I think it’s a nice way for him to go. I think
he redeems himself and [emerges as] a bit of a hero after being so
self-conscious and jealous [this season]. He had a lot of good
qualities as well, but he took a dark turn at the end. I’ll be
interested to see how people take it.

Are you a “Chlark” fan?
ASHMORE: Abso… well…. romantically, I don’t know if it would
work. That’s yet to be seen. But there’s a very strong bond between
those two characters. And you can see it in the show. Their scenes
together are always really great, and they’re always played really well
by Allison [Mack] and Tom [Welling]. The connection is really, really nice.

What’s next for you?
ASHMORE: I’m headed to L.A. tomorrow to hit the job hunt. I ‘m in
Toronto right now, where I just shot an episode of The Bridge. It’s a
Canadian-produced television show that CBS picked up. It’s a procedural
cop drama and I get to play a beat cop, which was really sweet. It’s
tough after being out of the audition game for three years. I’m going
to try and see what the options are.

Thoughts about Jimmy’s exit? And tonight’s episode in general? Head to the comments!

May 14 2009 08:31 PM ET

Producer files lawsuit over upcoming Farrah Fawcett documentary

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Categories: TV Biz

Yesterday in Santa Monica, a producer who collaborated with Farrah Fawcett on Farrah’s Story, a documentary of the 62-year-old star’s battle with cancer set to air on NBC this Friday, filed a lawsuit against Ryan O’Neal and others, seeking to regain creative control of the project and asking for unspecified damages. TMZ was first to report the suit.

According to the Associated Press, producer Craig Nevius does not name Fawcett as a defendant in the suit or ask that the show be blocked from airing, but it does claim that Fawcett’s longtime companion, O’Neal, his business manager, and Fawcett’s friend Alana Stewart interfered with his role as producer, and that O’Neal physically threatened him. When reached via e-mail, Nevius told EW, "My intent today is the same as it has been since I first started working with Farrah in 2004: to execute her artistic vision in projects that are a reflection of her while at the same time maintaining and protecting her personal privacy to the extent of her expressed wishes and desires. There is no joy in this for me. There is no ego in this for me. This is not about money. This is about Farrah and the trust she placed in me. She’s my friend."

Paul Bloch, a representative for Stewart and O’Neal, told EW today, "We hope and we pray that Farrah doesn’t hear or see of this lawsuit. We didn’t expect this at all, we didn’t get any warning — it’s very sad. We saw the show last night [at a premiere in Beverly Hills, attended by O'Neal, Stewart, and other famous friends] in its entirety and it’s beautiful. It’s amazing how Alana [Stewart] shot this show, she’s the filmographer, and she and Ryan [O’Neal] have been just pivotal here."

When asked whether he believed Nevius’ claims against Stewart and O’Neal,  Bloch replied, "No, no. [Stewart and O'Neal] are her best friends, believe me." (Additional reporting by Mike Bruno)

More Farrah Fawcett:
Ryan O’Neal opens up on ‘Today’
Farrah Fawcett spoke to FBI during her battle with the tabloids, says friend
Farrah Fawcett speaks out against National Enquirer, invasion of privacy
Farrah Fawcett: Treatment is over and ‘she stays in bed now,’ according to Ryan O’Neal
Farrah Fawcett: NBC News to air ‘Farrah’s Story’ special on May 15
Farrah Fawcett’s doctor talks on ‘Good Morning America’

May 14 2009 07:40 PM ET

Ratings: 'Lost' finishes the season strong against 'American Idol'

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Categories: TV Biz, TV Ratings

American Idol‘s penultimate elimination round gave Fox its usual Wednesday night win, while ABC’s Lost slightly bettered its audience from the past few weeks with its mind-blowing two-hour season 5 finale, which drew 9.3 million viewers. Both of CBS’ serials that aired from 9 to 11 p.m. opposite Lost dropped about a million watchers from their usual audience (although both Criminal Minds and CSI:NY still managed to beat Lost). Meanwhile, America’s Next Top Model finished strong — last night’s season finale brought The CW its highest total viewership since the second week of cycle 12.

 
   
   
      

      

      

   

   

      

      

      

   

   

      

      

      

   

   

      

      

      

   

   

      

      

      

   

 

Time Show Viewers (in millions)
8:00 p.m. Lie to Me (Fox)
Rules of Engagement (CBS)
Lost Clip Show (ABC)
Law & Order: CI (NBC)
America’s Next Top Model (The CW)		 8.4
6.4
6.3
5.5
4.2
8:30 The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS) 6.5
9:00 American Idol (Fox)
Criminal Minds (CBS)
Lost (ABC)
Law & Order: SVU (NBC)
90210 (The CW)		 24.0
13.0
9.3
4.6 (repeat)
1.1 (repeat)
10:00 CSI: NY (CBS)
Lost (ABC)
Law & Order (NBC)		 12.2
9.3 (continued)
7.8
May 14 2009 06:05 PM ET

EXCLUSIVE Hilarie Burton on 'Tree Hill' exit: 'It wasn't a rash decision'

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Categories: One Tree Hill

Hilarieburton2_lDid you hear? After six years of angst, heartache, and more angst, Hilarie Burton will make her final appearance as Lucas-lovin’ music mogul Peyton Sawyer on Monday’s season finale of One Tree Hill. (Her leading man, Chad Michael Murray, will bid farewell in the same episode.) On the eve of her swan song, the onetime TRL hostess is setting the record straight about the reason behind her departure, the "hurtful" rumors that precipitated it, and a certain video that left many of her fans going, "Whatchoo talkin’ ’bout, Ms. Hilarie?" (Warning: Potential spoilers about Monday’s finale below.)

There are a lot of rumors flying about why you’re leaving. What’s the truth?
HILARIE BURTON: There really wasn’t a lot of turmoil. It was a fabulous six-year run, which is how long my contract was for, and I feel really lucky to have been a part of the show. So when I hear that there’s turmoil or negotiations based on money it kind of hurts my feelings, because it’s not what’s been going on at all. I think my fan base in particular knows that money isn’t necessarily a big motivator for me, that’s why I work in the world of independent film.

How long have you known that you were leaving?
BURTON: I’ve known for a little while. For me, it was definitely an
emotional decision. And a professional decision as well. I got really,
really lucky. One Tree Hill was my very first television audition; it
was a fairytale. I feel really lucky to have that level of success
right out of the gate.

Just so I’m clear, it was your decision to leave, not the other way around?
BURTON: I think everyone was kind of agreeable about the situation.
There were a lot of really wonderful conversations. It wasn’t a rash
decision; a lot of thought, emotion, and kindness was put into it. I
would hope that that‘s the story that gets out — that it was a bunch
of adults being good to each other and being kind about the
decision-making process.

Did The Powers That Be make a concerted effort to get you to re-sign?
BURTON: The conversations that they had with me were very compassionate
and very sweet. They told me that they valued me, and that meant a lot.
And they also wanted me to be happy and challenged and excited. There
was some confusion for a little bit as to what was going on, but
I think everybody’s in a good place now.

Talk to me about the video message you made for your fans back in
February. It seemed like you were maybe saying good-bye. What
point were you trying to get across?
BURTON: The purpose of that video was to dispel the rumors that were
being circulated. I was on your end of it for a very long time when I
worked at MTV, and I understand how the rumor mill works. Everybody
wants a sensational story. People even back then were blaming it on
money, and [on me] being high maintenance… Those rumors were really
hurtful. Of anybody on the show, I was the one who was very excited
about doing all the extracurricular stuff — the mall tours, the radio
tours, going to the upfronts…  I loved my involvement with this show,
and I really just wanted my fan base to know that I wasn’t turning my
nose up at this wonderful opportunity I’ve had for the last six years.
There’s an ugly trend where actors think they’ve surpassed the
show that made them or the film that made them and badmouth it. I will
never say a bad word about One Tree Hill. The entire shape of my
world changed because of that show, so I’ll always be very affectionate
toward it.

Have you spoken to Chad recently?
BURTON: I was in L.A. last week and we talked. Chad and I are good
friends. I won’t speak for him, but it was not a rash decision on
either of our parts. He’s very compassionate toward the show and the
fans. It’s not an easy decision, but we’ve got to be grown-ups
sometimes. [CMM's rep declined my interview request, saying, "Chad
is no longer on the show and has no comment regarding the new season."]

What was your last day on the set like?
BURTON: We wrapped together. We were the last two in the last scene,
and we opened up a tab across the street for our crew to say thank you
and cried a bunch.

Lucas and Peyton don’t really get an official sendoff next week. Is that disappointing?
BURTON: It’s like when you leave for college but you know your parents
still have your bedroom set up. You never know if you’re going to have
to come home… I got really lucky with my character; I got a
full-circle story. It was, "Lucas and Peyton: Are they going to be
together? Are they not going to be together?" And as we saw in this
week’s episode, my character got everything she ever wanted.

Might you make the occasional guest appearance?
BURTON: Never say never. They didn’t kill us. There’s nothing vengeful
about it, and I think that’s because as much as we
love them, they love us back.

What are you going to do now?
BURTON: One Tree Hill was a great learning opportunity for me, and I’m
excited to go and apply that elsewhere and see where I end up. I’m
hoping the fans support whatever my next endeavor is. I’m actually
curious what they want me to do… On the blog that I have for my
production company, we’re producing a web series that we’re going to
start shooting on Memorial Day. We’ve also got a television show that we’re
turning into a graphic novel, and we’ve got a film we’re raising money
for. I’m busy. And I’m keeping my business down in North Carolina. I’m
still going to be in the neighborhood; it’ll just be in a different
capacity.

Last question, and it’s a biggie: What happens to Peyton’s record company?
BURTON: Who knows? Maybe she’ll take it with her. I get to be a fan
of the show now, which is cool. I get to sit back and be a fan. I’m personally very
excited to see where it goes. I understand they’re introducing some new
characters… I have no doubt they will come up with something to reinvent
the show yet again.

May 14 2009 05:01 PM ET

Jay Leno on his new show: '10 o'clock is the new 11:30'

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Categories: TV Biz

Jaylenoportrait_l Jay Leno’s not feeling sorry for himself. Speaking to reporters today in anticipation of his May 29 “retirement” from The Tonight Show, Leno said he doesn’t expect to be emotional in those final hours before Conan O’Brien assumes his old chair. “It will be a smooth transition,” Leno promised. “It’s not like I’m leaving show business or leaving the network or leaving the lot. I’m just going to another studio on the other side.”

That cross-lot studio is where Leno will prepare for his new Monday-Friday show on NBC this fall. He’ll bring along some old Tonight Show favorites, like his signature monologue and “Jay Walking” segment, but he admits his challenge will be to keep the funny in the second half-hour of his nightly show. “My job is to give a good lead-in to the 11 o’clock news, that’s really where the local affiliates make their money.”

Speaking of which, Leno said he understood the frustration of Boston affiliate WHDH, which briefly considered whether to run Leno’s show out-of-pattern so it could air a local news shows of its own at 10, instead. “He was fighting for that long before I came on board,” Leno told reporters, referring to station owner Ed Ansin. “I had a nice talk with him.” The issue was resolved less than two weeks later.

Leno did hint about how he almost jumped to an 11:30 p.m. timeslot on a competing network like ABC (Fox was also reportedly wooing the NBC star). “I almost went there,” Leno said. “It’s sort of nice to have people flirt with you, but I didn’t get John Edwards close.” But 10 p.m. on NBC was far more alluring to the veteran comedian — even though he’s now competing against scripted dramas, not fellow comedians. Leno seems unfazed. “10 o’clock is the new 11:30 p.m.,” Leno said. “I hear people saying that I’m taking work away from dramatic writers. Look at FX and USA and all the other cable networks. There is more drama than there ever has been before. If people want to go there, they can go there. We’ll be at 10, where there are no laughs.”

The show should also save NBC some cash, Leno argued. “This was an economic decision as well. You can do five Tonight Shows for less money than showing one 10 o’clock drama.”

Leno’s final week on The Tonight Show will include lots of vintage clips and guests like Mel Gibson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Wanda Sykes and Billy Crystal. O’Brien will be his last visitor on the couch on May 29. “It’s a celebration,” Leno said. “Then I’ll be off the air for less time than during the writer’s strike. I’ll come back in September with something a little bit different.

addCredit(“Steve Snowden/Getty Images”)

May 14 2009 12:00 PM ET

Exclusive interview: 'Laguna Beach' star Kristin Cavallari on joining 'The Hills'

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Categories: Casting, Reality TV, Rumor Police!, Television, TV Biz

Kristincavallari_l
Rumors have been circulating for weeks that former Laguna Beach star Kristin Cavallari was in talks to replace Lauren Conrad on The Hills. Now, EW can exclusively confirm that Cavallari will indeed be starring in MTV’s reality series. The 22-year old’s first appearance will be the May 31st season finale (she catches the bouquet at Heidi and Spencer’s wedding, natch) and she’ll appear in 10 episodes this fall. Cavallari, now a budding actress, is fully prepared to stir things up. “It’s a TV show,” she explains. “I’m not going into it like, ‘I’m going to make great friendships with these people.’ It’s work! And drama sells. I think that’s why they’re bringing me in, because I know what works.” Cavallari had plenty more to reveal in her exclusive interview with EW.

On why she’s coming back to reality TV:
“The goal for me is to get my fans excited about me again. When I first started out, I had a celebrity name but I didn’t have the acting skills I have now. If I have some buzz with my name again, I feel like it will only help.”

On rumors that producers are plotting a romance between her and Justin Bobby (which The Hills producers deny):
“I have no idea! [laughs] I don’t think MTV would be like, ‘Oh you’re dating him now. This is your boyfriend.’ But they might try and set up situations. I’m totally cool with that. Again, it’s a TV show and they need to make it entertaining.”

On how her version of The Hills will differ from Lauren’s:
“I’m a completely different person than Lauren. I have a lot more energy. I’m more outgoing. I’m a little more spontaneous. And she has a boyfriend so she’s not dating on the show. I’m very open to dating and finding a guy.”

On introducing Heidi and Spencer:
“It’s so funny. I guess it was 4 years ago. I was dating Brody [Jenner] and Spencer was Brody’s best friend. I had known Heidi when she was friends with Lauren when we were still filming Laguna Beach. Heidi was like, ‘Hook me up with someone. I wanna meet a guy.’ And Brody and I were kinda like, ‘Well, maybe Spencer?’ We’ll see what happens.’ So we all went on a double date and they just hit it off right away and now they’re married.”

For more from Cavallari, including her reunion with Laguna frenemy Lauren and her relationship with the rest of the cast, and to hear how producers plan to “put a new spin” on The Hills next fall, pick up the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly hitting stands this Friday.

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