Archive: May 2009 (92-101 of 101)

May 4 2009 07:46 PM ET

Breaking: NBC cancels 'Life,' plays hardball with Chris and Mariska

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Categories: Chuck, Heroes, Law & Order: SVU, Medium

Nbcinfront_l
Just returned from NBC’s upfront infront presentation. Highlights below.

•    Peacock co-chairman Ben Silverman confirmed that Life will not go on. (Bubble Show Cheat Sheet updated accordingly.)

•    As I reported earlier today, the fates of Medium, My Name is Earl, Chuck, and Law & Order will be decided on or before May 19.

•   If Chuck is renewed, it probably won’t be returning to Mondays. Silverman said Heroes would be paired with "a new show" on the night (my guess: Parenthood)

•    NBC is prepared to move forward with Law & Order: SVU with or without Chris Meloni and Mariska Hargitay. "There’s an offer on the table," said co-chair Marc Graboff, cryptically.

•    Special guests included Amy Poehler (wearing a swine flu mask) and Donald Trump (wearing his soggy raincoat).

•    Light refreshments were served. And enjoyed.

(BTW, if you were following me on Twitter you would have known all this already. Just sayin’.)

More NBC Scoop:
Ken Tucker rates new crop
Decision on Chuck on hold
Bubble Show Cheat Sheet

May 4 2009 02:34 PM ET

Breaking: NBC unveils fall sked, decision on 'Chuck' delayed

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Categories: Misc.

Nbclineup_l
And the Chuck vigil continues…

NBC unveiled its fall lineup this morning, but conspicuously missing was any mention of bubble shows Chuck, Law & Order, Medium, Life, or My Name is Earl. According to a Peacock insider, a final ruling on the fate of all five shows will come on May 19. (Medium and Law & Order are both expected back; insiders say NBC execs are just finalizing the episode counts.)

NBC did, however, confirm that it’s bringing back Heroes, Southland, and Parks and Recreation. They join the already-renewed The Office, 30 Rock, Law & Order: SVU, Friday Night Lights, Celebrity Apprentice, and The Biggest Loser. Additionally, new series pickups include four dramas (Trauma, Parenthood, Mercy, Day One), two comedies (Community and 100 Questions), and six episodes of cheap filler Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday. Official descriptions of NBC’s new shows have been conveniently copied-and-pasted below. (To check on the fate of all your favorite bubble shows, bookmark my Bubble Show Cheat Sheet!)

PARENTHOOD
From writer/executive producer Jason Katims (Friday
Night Lights) — this contemporary re-imagining of the blockbuster
film depicts the colorful and imperfect Braverman family — four grown
siblings sharing the headaches, heartaches and joy of being parents.
The star-studded cast includes Peter Krause, Maura Tierney, Craig T.
Nelson, Dax Shepard, Bonnie Bedelia, Monica Potter, Erika Christensen
and Sarah Ramos. When Sarah Braverman (Tierney, ER), a financially
strapped single mother, returns home to her parents and siblings in
Berkeley, Calif. after packing up her Fresno apartment and uprooting
her two inconvenienced kids, Amber (Mae Whitman, In Treatment) and
Drew (Miles Heizer, ER), she is greeted by her opinionated father,
Zeek (Nelson, Family Stone, Coach), and strong mother, Camille
(Bedelia, Heart Like a Wheel), who are privately dealing with their
own marital issues. As Sarah is reunited with her siblings — sister,
Julia (Christensen, Traffic), and brothers Crosby (Shepard, Baby
Mama) and Adam (Krause, Six Feet Under) — all struggling with
issues of their own, it’s clear that the Braverman reunion is just what
they need to face the everyday challenges of modern family life.
(Watch a clip here.)

TRAUMA
Executive producer Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights) delivers Trauma, the first high-octane medical
drama series to live exclusively in the field where the real action is.
Like an adrenaline shot to the heart, Trauma is an intense,
action-packed look at one of the most dangerous medical professions in
the world: first responder paramedics. When emergencies occur, the
trauma team from San Francisco General is first on the scene, traveling
by land, by sea or by air to reach their victims in time. From the
heights of the city’s Transamerica Pyramid to the depths of the San
Francisco Bay, these heroes must face the most extreme conditions to
save lives — and give meaning to their own existence in the process.
Starring in Trauma are Derek Luke (Notorious), Cliff Curtis
(10,000 B.C), Anastasia Griffith (Damages), Aimee Garcia (George
Lopez), Kevin Rankin (Friday Night Lights) and Jamey Sheridan (Law
& Order: Criminal Intent. (Watch a clip here.)

MERCY
Mercy, a
new medical drama with a unique point of view, portrays the lives of
the staff at Mercy Hospital as seen through the eyes of those who know
it best — its nurses. Nurse Veronica Callahan (Taylor Schilling, Dark
Matter) returns to Mercy from a military tour in Iraq — and she knows
more about medicine than all of the residents combined. Together with
fellow nurses Sonia Jimenez (Jamie Lee Kirchner, Rescue Me) and Chloe
Payne (Michelle Trachtenberg, Gossip Girl), Callahan navigates
through the daily traumas and social landmines of life and love both
inside the hospital and out in the real world. The cast also includes:
James Tupper (Men in Trees) as Dr. Chris Sands, a new doctor at the
hospital who complicates Veronica’s life; Diego Klattenhoff
(Supernatural) as Mike Callahan, Veronica’s husband; and Guillermo
Diaz (Weeds) as Nurse Angel Lopez. (Watch a clip here.)

DAY ONE
From
executive producer/writer Jesse Alexander (Heroes, Lost, Alias)
and director Alex Graves (Fringe, Journeyman), Day One tells the
story of life on earth following a global catastrophe that has
devastated the world’s infrastructures. Beginning with the immediate
aftermath of the cataclysmic event, an eclectic band of survivors –
played by Adam Campbell (Date Movie), Catherine Dent (The Shield),
Julie Gonzalo (Eli Stone), David Lyons (ER), Derek Mio (Greek),
Carly Pope (24), Thekla Reuten (Sleeper Cell) and Addison Timlin
(Cashmere Mafia) — strives to rebuild society as they unravel the
mysteries of what happened and face their uncertain future. The group,
all residents of one apartment building in suburban Van Nuys, Calif.,
embarks on a quest for survival and discovers that hope is found in
small victories — and heroes are born every day. (Watch a clip here.)

100 QUESTIONS
Emmy
winner James Burrows (Will & Grace, Friends) directs 100
Questions, a new comedy series written and executive-produced by
Christopher Moynihan (For Your Consideration) that provides hilarious
answers to 100 questions about love. Charlotte Payne (Sophie Winkleman, Peep Show) is looking for love and has rejected multiple marriage
proposals — but she has yet to meet Mr. Right. When she joins a
popular online dating site, she gets a little help from her dating
counselor Ravi (Amir Talai, The Ex List) — who requires her to take a
100-question compatibility test. The questions aren’t easy for
Charlotte to answer, and each one requires her to recount a poignant
and humorous time in her life with friends Leslie (Elizabeth Ho, Women’s Murder Club), Jill (Joy Suprano, Law & Order),
Mike (Christopher Moynihan, For Your Consideration) and Wayne (David
Walton Quarterlife). The test becomes a journey of self-discovery for
Charlotte who begins to realize what she truly wants in a relationship.
(Watch a clip here.)

COMMUNITY
From
Emmy Award-winning directors Joe and Anthony Russo (Arrested
Development) comes Community, a smart comedy series about higher
education — and lower expectations. The student body at Greendale
Community College is made up of high-school losers, newly divorced
housewives, and old people who want to keep their minds active. Within
these not-so-hallowed halls, Community focuses on a band of misfits,
at the center of which is a fast-talkin’ lawyer whose degree has been
revoked (Joel McHale, The Soup), who form a study group and end up
learning a lot more about themselves than they do about their course
work. In addition to McHale, the series also stars: Gillian Jacobs
(The Book of Daniel); Yvette Nicole Brown (Rules of Engagement);
Danny Pudi (Greek); Alison Brie (Mad Men); and comedy legend Chevy
Chase. (Watch a clip here.)

For updates live from NBC’s "infront" presentation this afternoon, follow me on Twitter!

More TV Scoop:
Tonight’s the night: House and Cuddy have sex!
Look who’s leaving Grey’s Anatomy
Lost: Another death looms

May 2 2009 01:55 AM ET

'Dollhouse' exclusive: Alpha breaks his silence!

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Categories: Dollhouse

Dollhouse_lOMFG, Alpha is Wash! On tonight’s penultimate Dollhouse, the knife-wielding evildoer known as Alpha finally showed his face — and it belonged to none other than Firefly sidekick Alan Tudyk! Okay, so the reveal didn’t come as a complete surprise. Rumors have been swirling for months that Joss Whedon had tapped a member of his elite repertory company to play the rogue doll. Nonetheless, it was a pretty fraktastic twist to have Alpha masquerading as an agoraphobic environmentalist — not to mention the architect of the Dollhouse itself. Even more surprising: He and Echo are lovers! In his first interview since being unmasked, Tudyk reveals what it was like keeping the worst kept secret in tubeland, how he got pumped for the role, and why next week’s finale is going to blow fans’ minds.

Is it nice to finally be able to talk about this role?
ALAN TUDYK: [Laughs] Yeah, it’s been a long time coming, right?

Even though word already leaked out…
TUDYK: Unbelievable. I don’t know how they found out. I even spoke to a group of people in Baltimore after the rumor hit the web and I said, “Listen, there’s a rumor on the Web that I’m in Dollhouse and I’m not. Whoever said that is lying.” I totally lied and it didn’t help at all. My lies were all for nothing.

Let’s go back to the beginning: Did Joss personally offer you the role?
TUDYK: Joss told me about the role at a social function. I was asking about his new show and he started describing the role of Alpha. It sounded like the most amazing role ever, and I asked him, “Who’s playing him?” He really hyped it up. And then he said, “I want you to play it.” It really caught me off guard. I think it’s the best role ever written. As an actor there’s so much there to work with. I guess Joss always saw me as somebody who could be 43 different people at once.

It’s a different role for you — at least the Alpha part of it is. Were you surprised Joss saw that darkness in you?
TUDYK: I’ve always been a raving lunatic in front of Joss. He saw that side of me the time I trashed his house because I was crazy that day. [Laughs] I was really happy he saw me as that. It’s quite a compliment to offer me a role like this, because it’s not easy.

Speaking of which, you look like you put on some muscle for the part.
TUDYK: Yes, because they cast a damn body double that looks like the Hulk! Joss showed me the first episode where you see Alpha from behind and I was like, “Oh my God. I’ve got a lot of work to do.” But I have a Ned Flanders kind of body. When I’m wearing baggy clothes you wouldn’t expect that I have any muscle. Just like in tonight’s episode. I don’t look too wildly in shape at first. It’s when I put on the tight shirt that you see it.

You and Tahmoh Penikett made a pretty good comedy team.
TUDYK: That was a blast. Tahmoh was the perfect straight man. He was so fed up [with me]. He was like, “I just want to wring your neck. My character has not had to deal with anything like you at all.” [Laughs]

What can you tell me about next week’s finale?
TUDYK: Everything that Alpha has done has been about Echo. He’s obsessed with this woman. And next week you find out what his plans are for her, and why he’s obsessed with her.

Will Alpha’s other personalities emerge?
TUDYK: Yes. I think he has 43 of them. Tim Minear wrote and directed the next episode, and he outdid himself. It’s classic Tim Minear.

If Dollhouse gets renewed, will Alpha be back? I’m assuming your role in ABC’s V reboot — assuming that it gets picked up — could pose a complication…
TUDYK: Joss hasn’t said anything about the future of Alpha, but I could free myself up for it. That isn’t contractually impossible. I could get out as much as he needs me to.

May 1 2009 11:47 PM ET

Peter Jackson's manager debunks rumor that he's writing a Nazi zombie time travel movie

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Categories: Misc.

According to Peter Jackson’s longtime manager, Ken Kamins, there is no truth to the tantalizing rumor circulating earlier today that Peter Jackson and his wife, Fran Walsh, were collaborating on a horror flick called The Christ Must Die, about time-traveling Nazi zombies preventing the birth of Christ. “It sounds like an April Fool’s joke,” said Kamins in an email to EW. “Peter and Fran are working diligently on The Hobbit for the foreseeable future.” The story originated when film sites got wind of a radio interview in which Stephen Fry, who is working on the Jackson-produced Dambusters, mentioned that Jackson and Walsh were hoping to use an abandoned set of Jerusalem in New Zealand for the film. Not surprisingly, fan sites have been buzzing over the story all day.

May 1 2009 06:59 PM ET

Ratings: ABC holds strong

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Categories: TV Ratings

Ugly Betty returned to the ABC lineup with a respectable showing, though down slightly from its season average, while Survivor enjoyed a modest uptick over the previous few weeks and Bones held steady in the number-two spot. My Name is Earl fell to its lowest ratings of the season, continuing its steady ratings decline. Parks held on to its entire Earl lead-in and posted the same numbers as last week (though down from its Office-lead-in premiere). The 9 p.m. shows were down from their season averages across the board, and 30 Rock saw its lowest ratings since January. ABC’s dramas won their demos handily, and at 10 p.m. a rerun of Criminal Minds performed well for CBS, while Southland fell from its strong initial showings.

Time Show Ratings (in millions)
8:00 p.m. Survivor (CBS)
Bones (Fox)
Ugly Betty (ABC)
My Name is Earl (NBC)
Smallville (The CW)		 11.7
8.8
6.8
5.3
3.3
8:30 p.m. Parks & Recreation (NBC) 5.3
9:00 p.m. CSI (CBS)
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
The Office (NBC)
Hell’s Kitchen (Fox)
Supernatural (The CW)		 15.3
13.9
7.3
7.0
3.0
9:30 p.m. 30 Rock (NBC) 6.0
10:00 p.m. Criminal Minds (CBS)
Private Practice (ABC)
Southland (NBC)		 10.3 (repeat)
9.8
6.7
May 1 2009 06:25 PM ET

House and Cuddy: Let's talk about sex!

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Categories: House

House_l
House MVP Lisa Edelstein just finished a conference call with reporters to hype this season’s final two episodes. Of course, what she ended up spending most of her time talking about was next week’s long-awaited "Huddy" hookup. Here are some highlights…

•    "We probably did five takes. We didn’t do it for that long. It was more of a question that the cameras wanted to capture a lot of different things."

•    "You’re not going to see me get naked or anything, but it’s a pretty hot scene."

•    "I have a great friendship with Hugh and he’s super-sexy so who could complain about kissing him?"

•    “I don’t think it’s a passing thing. It’s been going on for a long time, whether or not they’ve acted out on it. I don’t necessarily think it’ll ever be a satisfying relationship in terms of both of them kind of settling in and saying, ‘This is what we’re doing.’ She has a complicated relationship with men, it seems. She likes the screwed-up ones."

•    On whether the encounter will turn out to be some sort of alternate reality/hallucinatory fake-out, she says, "There’s a chance for anything, isn’t there?"

How long until Monday? (Additional reporting by Jeremy Medina)

May 1 2009 05:39 PM ET

Zach Levi on 'Chuck' pickup: 'Chances are good'

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Categories: Chuck

Zacklevichuck_lFrom Zachary Levi’s lips to God’s Jeff Zucker’s ears…

Chuck‘s leading man says he’s feeling optimistic that NBC will renew his spy comedy for a third season. “I think the chances are good that we’ll come back,” he said at last night’s Star Trek premiere. “But television is in a weird, fickle place right now, so you never know. We’re supposed to find out on Monday.”

That’s an eternity for Chuck‘s rabid, Subway-munching fans, many of who have been taking part in the various grassroots campaigns that have sprouted up to save the show. “It feels awesome to know we have dedicated fans,” says Levi. “People were sending the network nerds — candy ones, not human ones as that would have cost a lot more postage and there are probably some legal issues with mailing a human. They were also going out and buying Subway foot-longs because they are one of our main advertisers.

“I hope we get another season,” he elaborates. “I love being Chuck and
I love the people I work. And the season finale was not meant to be the
end of the series. It did not wrap it all up with a bow. They did not
write it to be the end, so it would be unsatisfying to leave it there.”

Speaking of which, assuming NBC does the right thing and keeps Chuck going,
what would next season look like? “Chuck now has the new version of the
Intersect in his head and not only does that one allow him to flash on
information, it also allows him to get physical powers and techniques,”
he explains. “Like he might need kung fu for an assignment and then he
uses it and it goes away. The powers are fleeting. That would be the
third season.”

For ’round the clock updates on Chuck‘s fate — and the fate of all your favorite bubble shows — bookmark my Fall TV Cheat Sheet. For immediate reports, get with the program and start following me on Twitter. In the meantime, head to the comments section and tell NBC how hurt you’ll be if they cancel Chuck. (Reporting by Carrie Bell)

May 1 2009 05:20 PM ET

Leonard Nimoy offers inside details about his role on 'Fringe'

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Categories: Television

Fringe_dl Fringe fans are bracing for a Spock: Leonard Nimoy will guest-star in the May 12 finale of J.J. Abrams’ Fox drama as…William Bell. That’s right — we will finally meet the mysterious founder of Massive Dynamic. (He’ll return next season for at least two episodes.) Here’s what Nimoy, who also stars in Abrams’ big-screen update of Star Trek, revealed about his TV guest gig.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: You worked with J.J. on Trek. Is that how this role came about?
LEONARD NIMOY: Yeah, he called me and said: “We have this character that’s been referred to but never seen.” He gave me some backstory on the guy and sent me some episodes to look at. I think the show’s extremely well done. And there’s enough intrigue about the guy to make it interesting.

There is a lot of intrigue surrounding William Bell. What can you tell us about him?
I can tell you that he’s very intriguing…. [Laughs] He has a great sense of his place in the scheme of things. Profoundly successful, very smart…. What’s going to be explored is the story of his relationship with [former lab partner Walter Bishop], what he wants with [special agent Olivia Dunham], what he is intending to do with all this money and power that he has, what are his idiosyncrasies. I think we managed to get some interesting touches into the brief scene with Anna [Torv, who plays Olivia]. We’re going to have some fun with this guy. I think we’re going to ring somebody’s bell…. It’s a blank canvas, and maybe a misleading blank canvas. Maybe there have been some clues about him that are misleading, and I think that’s part of the fun of the show.

Are you open to doing more than three episodes?
Yes, I am, depending on how much fun we have. It’s got to be fun for me these days, otherwise why bother? I had a terrific time doing what we already did, and I like [cocreators Abrams, Roberto Orci, and Alex Kurtzman] a lot. I like the possibility of this character. I’m excited for the first time in a long time.

Is the plan now to move from J.J. Abrams project to J.J. Abrams project?
Well, let me put it this way: When he calls, I definitely take the call.

What do you enjoy about working with him?
He’s so creative and energetic and loving. He’s a multi-tasking brilliant guy. You know, I worked for his father [producer Gerry Abrams] maybe 30 years ago on a TV movie [A Woman Called Golda].

So now you can say you’ve worked with multiple Abrams.
Talk about generations, right?

addCredit(“Craig Blankenhorn/FOX”)

May 1 2009 04:02 PM ET

'Grey's' exclusive: Denny bids farewell to Izzie

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Categories: Grey's Anatomy

Greysheiglmorgan_lOkay, now he’s really dead.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan confirms that he’ll reprise his role as Denny on Grey’s Anatomy before the end of the season. But then that’s it. Really.

“I can confirm that I will be coming back one more time,” he revealed to us at last night’s Hollywood premiere of Star Trek. “I think it will be done after that. I think I have been on the Grey’s Anatomy set for the last time.”

Morgan wouldn’t say when exactly Denny turns up, but I can confirm that he’ll reappear as a figment of Izzie’s
cancer-ravaged imagination in next Thursday’s wedding-themed 100th
episode. “Denny has a reason to show up,” Morgan teases, “and it is
probably tied to Izzie’s health.”

Given the number of times Denny has returned to Grey’s since
croaking three years ago, Morgan states the obvious when he says, “I
think they’re regretting killing me off a little bit. But it’s done and
it’s been great and I love those people. [Series creator] Shonda Rhimes
gave me the opportunity of a lifetime.”

What do you think brings Denny back next week? And will you be sad to see him go? Sound off below! (Reporting by Carrie Bell)

May 1 2009 03:41 AM ET

Jewel to Melissa Rycroft: 'ride hurt or don't get a score'

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Categories: TV Biz

Former Dancing with the Stars contestant Jewel used her husband’s MySpace page on April 29 to express disappointment that injured hoofer Melissa Rycroft was allowed to compete during a rehearsal and not an actual performance this week. Jewel, along with Access Hollywood’s Nancy O’Dell, were forced to leave the ABC show before it even began this season due to injuries.

"I think the rule about judging a rehearsal if the person is too injured to perform was weird both times they have used it," Jewel wrote on the page. (Steve-O was the other contestant who was allowed to compete under the special rule.) "As bad as I felt for Melissa, who I hope feels better and comes back, I’m used to our cowboy athletes that live by the rule: ‘ride hurt or don’t get a score.’ It may seem harsh, but it seems like the only way to keep things honest.

"I know there are all kinds of ways to doing things and it sure is out of my control –- that’s for sure –- so I’m happy to follow along as it is," continued Jewel. "But I have to say I think the [Professional Bull Riders] has kept a lot of integrity in sports by using this rule."

Insiders say the rule allowing contestants to compete during a rehearsal has been place for some time but hasn’t been enforced until this season. Rycroft, who suffered a hairline fracture of the ribs, was ultimately spared this week while Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough were eliminated from the competition. 

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