Archive: February 2011 (196-208 of 302)

Feb 10 2011 12:00 PM ET

'Survivor: Redemption Island': Boston Rob and Russell joint interview (part 1) -- EXCLUSIVE VIDEO

Image credit: Monty Brinton/CBS

Russell Hantz and Boston Rob Mariano will be reigniting their epic feud when Survivor: Redemption Island kicks off Feb. 16 on CBS. But they didn’t know that until EW.com blindsided the two of them in Nicaragua the day before the game began — and our cameras were there to catch it all. The two former contestants both traveled separately to Nicaragua for filming last August and were isolated and not told whom they were playing against. So we staged what seemed like a one-on-one interview with Rob and then had Russell show up and walk around the corner. SURPRISE! But perhaps even more surprising is the two enemies sitting side by side in our exclusive joint interview and making noise about a possible … alliance? Are they actually being serious or just trying to get in each other’s head. Watch part 1 (which includes them first laying eyes on each other) of the 4-part interview below after the jump and tell us what you think. Then check back Friday for part 2, where Rob discusses whether Russell had an unfair advantage in Heroes vs Villains because nobody had seen him play. And for more Survivor news and views, follow me on Twitter @EWDaltonRoss. READ FULL STORY »

Feb 10 2011 11:37 AM ET

Matthew Perry's 'Sunshine' brightens ABC's ratings

Matthew-perryImage Credit: Image Credit: Michael Desmond/ABCThe return of Matthew Perry to broadcast TV gave ABC a real boost on Wednesday night, his new sitcom Mr. Sunshine easily outperforming Cougar Town’s history in the time period despite receiving mixed reviews from critics.

Sunshine delivered 10.6 million viewers and a 3.7 preliminary adults 18-49 rating, besting the season-to-date average of fellow Friends graduate Courteney Cox in the 9:30 p.m. slot by 32 percent and beating the Cougar premiere by 9 percent. It’s also ABC’s highest-rated new series debut this season (not the highest of bars to clear, unfortunately) and the network’s best numbers in this time period in 16 months. READ FULL STORY »

Feb 10 2011 10:55 AM ET

Sinbad returning to TV, lands WEtv reality show -- EXCLUSIVE

Image Credit: Chris Ragazzo/WE tv

Sinbad is set to join the reality ranks, launching his own celebrity docusoap series on WEtv.

Sinbad’s Family Affair (working title) will follow the actor/comedian and his family as they work and live in Los Angeles, with Sinbad trying to re-launch his comedy career.

“It’s not your run-of-the-mill reality show,” Sinbad tells EW. “I’m looking at this medium to find ways to be creative. If done right, reality TV can be funny.”

The backstory on the show: READ FULL STORY »

Feb 10 2011 06:00 AM ET

Jack Black to return as 'Kids Choice Awards' host -- EXCLUSIVE

Categories: EW Exclusive, Television

Jack-BlackImage Credit: Nickelodeon

EW has learned exclusively that Jack Black will return April 2 to host Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards, the network’s slap-happy show that’s voted on by kids, for kids. This is Black’s third time hosting the 90-minute event that’ll air live from Los Angeles and feature appearances by Will Ferrell and Justin Bieber.

“Anyone can host something once,” Black tells EW. “But if they ask you back a second time, that means they liked the way you did it. And if you host a third time, that means the first time wasn’t a fluke, and it means you did good two times. So the third time, well — that’s the real achievement.”  READ FULL STORY »

Feb 9 2011 09:15 PM ET

Abrams, Nolan pilot gets greenlit at CBS

Categories: Television, TV Biz

J.J. Abrams has another project in works for fall: CBS just greenlit his pilot Person of Interest, an hour-long drama being developed by Abrams and Dark Knight co-writer Jonah Nolan (as in, brother of Christopher).

Though details are, naturally for any Abrams project, tough to come by, we’ve finally found this official one for Person of Interest: An ex-CIA hitman and a scientist team up to prevent crimes before they happen. Huh…

Person of Interest is in addition to Abrams’ even more mysterious Alcatraz project and Pulp project.

Feb 9 2011 08:46 PM ET

Dr. House may have company: Fox orders shrink drama pilot

Categories: Television, TV Biz

Fox is diving back into the medical genre with Weekends at Bellevue, a drama pilot based a book by Julie Holland, M.D.

The story centers on a psychiatrist in charge of the weekend shift of Bellevue Hospital psychiatric unit. The book told colorful tales of college students, homecoming queens, studio executives, bankers and others suffering from all varieties of mental illness.

The project is being adapted by ER and Flashforward writer Lisa Zwerling. UPDATED: Pilot season master list..

Feb 9 2011 08:19 PM ET

Security guard killed in van accident on 'NCIS' set

Categories: NCIS, TV Biz

A security guard was killed on the set of NCIS Wednesday afternoon, when he was struck by a passenger van that veered into the show’s production camp in Santa Clarita, Calif. The victim was rushed to the hospital, where he died soon after arrival. The show’s production has been suspended.

“Everyone at the network, the studio and NCIS is devastated by the news,” CBS said in a statement. “Our hearts grieve for his family and friends for this tragic loss.”

NCIS‘ producers, cast, and crew offered this statement: “With profound sympathy we mourn the tragic passing of our co-worker and friend. NCIS is a family. And, as with any family, we are deeply saddened by this unexpected loss. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones.”

Feb 9 2011 07:49 PM ET

Speidi on 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills'? 'Hell no,' says Bravo's Andy Cohen

Housewives-Beverly-Heidi-MontagImage Credit: Adam Olszewski/Bravo; Montag: Kevin Perkins/PacificCoastNews.comThe rumors about who’ll be on the still yet-to-be-greenlit second season of Bravo’s Real Housewives of Beverly Hills continue to swirl. In the latest twist, the Spencer Pratt half of reality-show duo Speidi (the other half, of course, is Hills alum Heidi Montag) reportedly said that he and his sometimes-estranged wife are in talks with the minds behind Beverly Hills. “We would move to Beverly Hills in a heartbeat,” Pratt told Radar. “We would be psyched if this happened for us.” READ FULL STORY »

Feb 9 2011 05:19 PM ET

ABC casts 'NCIS' alum in female detective project -- EXCLUSIVE

Scottie-thompsonImage Credit: Emiley Schweich/PR PhotosEW has learned exclusively that Scottie Thompson (NCIS) will join the ABC pilot Partners, a new drama from Ed Bernero (Criminal Minds) that centers on two female police detectives who are fiercely loyal to one another since they’re also secretly sisters.

Thompson will play one of the sisters named Mattie. (The network has yet to cast the other sibling). Thompson last appeared on TNT’s Rizzoli & Isles and Drop Dead Diva. She also played Jeanne Benoit for two years on NCIS.

Feb 9 2011 04:38 PM ET

Charlie Sheen offers to pay 'Men' crew

Categories: Television, TV Biz

TWO-AND-A-HALF-MENImage Credit: Greg Gayne/CBSThis could be good news for all of those out-of-work crew members who are on forced hiatus because of Charlie Sheen’s need to undergo rehab: TMZ is reporting that the 45-year-old actor would be willing to cover one-third of the salaries if CBS and Warner Bros. TV would pay the rest.

EW has learned, however, that no decision has been made at either media company about whether or not to help compensate the crew, which doesn’t get paid whenever Men goes dark. If TV’s No. 1 comedy resumes production at the end of the month, there still may be time to complete most, if not all, of the eight episodes left in the order, so the crew won’t lose any money from the unplanned break, which began last Tuesday. Still, everything depends on whether Warner Bros. TV, which produces Men for CBS, and creator/executive producer Chuck Lorre believe Sheen is ready to return. Only they can decide when production resumes.

In the meantime, a source also told TMZ (which like EW, is owned by Time Warner) that Sheen wants to return to work by next week.

Once Sheen agreed to undergo rehab, the focus immediately turned to Men’s 300 crew members. Stars like Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones — both of whom signed rich new pacts recently with Warner Bros. TV — will likely get paid whether or not they’re working, but it’s different for the show’s crew members, who are considered freelance workers. The studio is under no obligation to pay the Men crew, but some insiders suggested that it would be a welcome gesture of good faith if Sheen did. And it wouldn’t be the first time the star of a show paid the salaries for his out-of-work minions — all of the late night hosts covered the paychecks for their crews during the early days of the 2007-08 Writers Strike.

Feb 9 2011 03:31 PM ET

'Vampire Diaries' scoop: Star Steven R. McQueen says 'Things start to heat up' with Jeremy and Bonnie this week

Steven-R-McQueenImage Credit: Quantrell Colbert/The CWThe extended promo for this Thursday’s episode of The Vampire Diaries shows werewolves both interrupting Elena’s and Stefan’s ill-timed romantic getaway and torturing Damon. What it doesn’t show: We may finally see Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) and Bonnie (Kat Graham) kiss. “Things definitely start to heat up and they start becoming a little more involved,” McQueen tells EW. (Even though we saw them walk away from Jonas last week arm-and-arm, they aren’t yet together, he says. We didn’t miss an off-screen hook up.) Told that Kevin Williamson has teased that we’ll see a kiss “sooner rather than later,” McQueen still plays coy when asked if this is, in fact, the hour. “I would watch this next episode and see,” he says. Assuming he’s already filmed the kiss to air at some point, we asked him to describe the staging. “If this hypothetical kiss happened,” he says, “I might have just grabbed her and gone for it. I don’t know.” (Knowing that Jeremy trying to kiss Bonnie at the end of the December cliffhanger was McQueen feeling the moment and improvising, we’d like to believe this.)

McQueen’s also purposefully vague while answering a few other burning questions: READ FULL STORY »

Feb 9 2011 02:48 PM ET

NBC completes pilot orders, goes with big and loud projects (See: 'Wonder Woman,' 'Prime Suspect,' 'Smash' and 'Grimm')

NBC-developmentImage Credit: Albert L. Ortega/PR Photos (2); Warner Bros/DC ComicsNBC is pretty much done ordering pilots for the 2011-12 prime time season and, under the new leadership of Robert Greenblatt, the network seems to be doing exactly what it needs to dig itself out from behind CBS and Fox: It needs to go big and bold. (Right now, NBC ranks third among adults 18-49 with a 2.6 rating/7 share and fourth in viewers, with 7.8 million). READ FULL STORY »

Feb 9 2011 02:00 PM ET

Cinemax orders '24'-meets-'Call of Duty' action series

Categories: Scoop, Television, TV Biz

Image Credit: Sky

Cinemax is getting deeper into the drama game with a new action series reminiscent of Fox’s 24 along with a dash of Call of Duty.

The network has ordered Strike Back, following a charismatic former U.S. Special Forces operative who teams up with a British military unit to stop an international terrorist group. The show is inspired by an acclaimed UK series and a book by author and former special forces officer Chris Ryan. Philip Winchester (Fringe) and Sullivan Stapleton (Animal Kingdom) will star (the UK original co-starred Walking Dead lead Andrew Lincoln — trailer below). READ FULL STORY »

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