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Archive: February 2011 (53-65 of 302)

Feb 24 2011 02:08 PM ET

'Nikita' co-star Melinda Clarke: Impact of tonight's 'Inception'-esque episode 'might even be bigger than Thom dying'

Melinda-Clarke Image Credit: Jan Thijs/The CWIf you’ve seen the previews for tonight’s episode of The CW’s Nikita, you know that Division’s resident master manipulator Amanda (Melinda Clarke) is once again getting her torture on. Only this time, she’s playing mind games.

At the end of last week’s episode, we saw Alex being taken to Division HQ for what Clarke calls “[Amanda's] version of rehab” (a.k.a.: complete horror).

“Amanda puts her under her own kind of truth serum, and it’s a drug called Ibogaine, and I’ve been told that it’s a real drug; that it’s a hallucinogen,” Clarke tells EW. “People experience a sort of waking dream state, so it’s our version of Inception, I guess. At this point, Alex is in danger of revealing her secret, because the audience knows ow that she’s a Russian princess and that could be very damaging. If Amanda ever knew anything about that, she’d be dead on the spot, of course. So in this situation she’s pretty obsessed with getting what she needs to know out of Alex’s brain.” READ FULL STORY »

Feb 24 2011 01:45 PM ET

Report: NBC wants record $3.5 million for 2012 Super Bowl ads

by James Hibberd

Categories: Television, TV Biz

How much is a 30-second Super Bowl ad really worth?

If you ask NBC, the answer is $3.5 miiiiillion dollars.

That’s according to an AdAge report that says the network is quietly feeling out ad buyers for its 2012 telecast and asking for record sums. By comparison, Fox sought between $2.8 and $3 million this year. NBC’s gargantuan price isn’t too surprising when one takes into account that viewership for the big game has been setting records of its own in recent years. Plus, big live events like the Super Bowl are one of the few ways to prevent viewers from skipping commercials with their DVRs. READ FULL STORY »

Feb 24 2011 12:06 PM ET

'Survivor,' 'Criminal Minds' spin-off: One up, one down in ratings

by James Hibberd

Categories: Survivor, Television, TV Biz, TV Ratings

Image Credit: Jordin Althaus/CBSThe second weeks of Survivor: Redemption Island and the Criminal Minds spin-off Suspect Behavior had different stories to tell in the ratings: Survivor improved very slightly, while Suspect Behavior fell 24 percent from last week’s series premiere. Plus, The CW had two season premieres last night — those results are below.

Fox’s American Idol (22.6 million viewers, 7.9 preliminary adults 18-49 rating) remained out in front of the pack, CBS came in second place with Survivor (11.2 million, 3.3), Criminal Minds (13.4 million, 3.4)m and its spin-off (9.9 million, 2.5). READ FULL STORY »

Feb 24 2011 11:34 AM ET

Fox renews 'Hell's Kitchen' for two more seasons -- EXCLUSIVE

by James Hibberd

Categories: Television, TV Biz

Image Credit: Patrick Wymore/FoxFox will serve up two more seasons of the highest-rated culinary competition on TV: Hell’s Kitchen.

Gordon Ramsay will continue shouting at those darned cooks for two more cycles, with production on seasons 9 and 10 starting back-to-back production in April, with an eye toward bringing back the show in late summer.

Though Hell’s doesn’t get the same press love as Fox’s American Idol, ABC’s Dancing With the Stars, or CBS’ Survivor, it similarly launched during the summer, made a successful transition into the more competitive broadcast season and (initially, at least) grew its ratings year after year — last cycle averaged 6.3 million viewers and a 2.9 in the adult demo. READ FULL STORY »

Feb 24 2011 10:13 AM ET

Dr. Drew warns of Charlie Sheen relapse, slams at-home rehab: 'We have not heard the last of this'

by James Hibberd

Categories: Charlie Sheen, Television, TV Biz

Image Credit: Greg Gayne/CBSCharlie Sheen returns to work Tuesday as production resumes on his CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men. But even after the most dramatic and public fracture yet in Sheen’s employment on the series, one must ask: Has anything really changed?

Sheen took a month off, and seemingly sobered up, but the initial promise of entering into a bona fide addiction treatment facility was replaced by watching the Super Bowl and sending occasional missives to the media (call it Celebrity Rehab: Home Edition).

Judging by Sheen’s statements, the party has merely been put on hold until the media spotlight finds something else to look at. Though he told an interview program he’s “supremely grateful” that “Viacom showed up” and ordered him to straighten out, most of Sheen’s comments were more along the lines of saying he was “bored out of a tree” when he spent five years sober, boasting that he’s “never been high on the set” and advising fans to “stay away from the crack … unless you can manage it socially, then go for it.”

Below, celebrity addiction specialist Dr. Drew Pinsky takes our Charlie Sheen questions and gives a concerned appraisal of the star’s future.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: At home rehab. Does that work? READ FULL STORY »

Feb 23 2011 08:10 PM ET

'CSI' scoop: Lady Heather returns to Sin City!

by Lynette Rice

Categories: Casting Scoops, CSI, Scoop

Image Credit: CBS/Michael Yarish/LandovFirst, a much-anticipated (but all-too-brief) appearance by Gil Grissom, and now Lady Heather! EW has learned that Melinda Clarke will reprise her popular role as a steamy dominatrix for a CSI episode that’ll air in April on CBS.

The (one helluva) story: Human pets are at the center of an investigation by the CSI team. Apparently, a murder occurs within a strange offshoot of the dominatrix world in which rich people pay human beings to be their “pets” (gulp). Lady Heather, now Dr. Lady Heather, becomes professionally involved in the case. The episode was written by CSI creator Anthony E. Zuiker and Ed Whitmore.

Clarke last played the role of Lady Heather in the “Leave Out All the Rest” episode that aired in November, 2008. She’s now a regular on CW’s Nikita. The actress told EW earlier that she’s feeling pretty optimistic about another season of the butt-kicking drama.

Feb 23 2011 06:18 PM ET

Adam Goldberg cast in Robert DeNiro's cop drama pilot

by James Hibberd

Categories: Television, TV Biz

Image Credit: Koi Sojer/PR Photos Saving Private Ryan co-star Adam Goldberg has been cast in CBS’ gritty cop drama pilot Rookies.

The show is about six NYPD newbie cops who balance their personal lives with learning the mean streets of Manhattan. Goldberg plays Lazarus, a laid-off reporter turned rookie cop who still has his street connections and can pull in good intel. Rookies is executive produced by Robert DeNiro, Richard Price and Jane Rosenthal. Goldberg previously played a detective in ABC’s The Unusuals.

Feb 23 2011 05:21 PM ET

'127 Hours' inspiration Aron Ralston talks about his 'Minute to Win It' episode and going to the Oscars

by Keith Staskiewicz

Categories: Film, Game Shows, Oscars

Image Credit: Lewis Jacobs/NBC; Chuck ZlotnickAron Ralston, whose experiences and book served as the basis for 127 Hours, will be putting his great-outdoors-honed skills to the test on the task-oriented NBC game show Minute to Win It, airing tonight at 8 p.m. ET. We talked with him about taking on ping-pong balls and Guy Fieri for charity, the wonder of Double Dare, and his plans to attend the Oscars. READ FULL STORY »

Feb 23 2011 05:18 PM ET

'Nikita' co-star on second season chances: 'We have pretty intense and loyal fans'

by Lynette Rice

Categories: Nikita, Scoop, TV Biz, TV Scoop

Image Credit: Ben Mark Holzberg/The CWMost TV actors try to remain optimistic if and when the subject turns to the return of their shows. But in the case of Melinda Clarke — who plays Amanda on the CW’s freshman series Nikita – we’re going to hope she’s speaking with authority when saying the future looks good for the Maggie Q actioner.

“From what I hear, the buzz is that we’ll be fortunate enough to have another season,” Clarke tells EW. “I think we’ve got some great fans out there, a good fan base. I know internationally people are really excited about it. We’re on the CW, and of course, that’s a smaller network as far as how many viewers. But we have some pretty intense and loyal fans. So, I think it’s very likely that we’ll be picked up. I mean, anything can happen in this industry, but I think fans will get another season out of it.”

For what its worth, there haven’t been early pickups for any of the CW shows. Do you think Nikita deserves another year to kick ass? – With additional reporting from Sandra Gonzalez

Follow me on Twitter! @EWLynette

Feb 23 2011 03:45 PM ET

'American Idol' exec producer Ken Warwick on the new judging panel: 'It was something that we thought, it could be great, and it might be a disaster'

by Tanner Stransky

Categories: American Idol, Music, Reality TV, Television

Image Credit: Michael Becker/FoxAmerican Idol‘s new judging trifecta — veteran Randy Jackson and newbies Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler — have consumed much of the buzz around the music juggernaut’s landmark 10th season. We’ve seen them working together for five weeks now, and generally, it seems that, as a group, they’re a big hit with viewers. But what do the powers-that-be behind American Idol think of the chemistry between the new panel? Exec producer Ken Warwick tells EW that he’s been very pleased with how the trio have gelled so far. “I have to say, it has been absolutely fabulous,” Warwick says. “We’re ecstatic. It’s never about the individuals. It’s always about the chemistry between them. It really is a star-studded panel, which is what we wanted.” READ FULL STORY »

Feb 23 2011 01:49 PM ET

Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo on Brenda and Sonny's 'General Hospital' wedding

by Abby West

Categories: Daytime Soaps, Television

Image Credit: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images After decades of relationship drama, mob wars, and general angst, General Hospital‘s Brenda and Sonny finally said their “I do’s” this week. And it couldn’t have come any sooner for Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo, the Daytime Emmy Award winning actress who created the role of Brenda in 1992 and returned to it last summer after an 8-year absence. She recently sat down with us to talk about Brenda, Sonny, Carly, and Jason.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: So it finally happened!
VANESSA MARCIL GIOVINAZZO: I know! Brenda’s like the female James Bond. Her weddings never happen. She’s just forever single. [Laughs] So it happens, they end up marrying, despite everything. It’s kind of cute. I do think they’re good for each other. READ FULL STORY »

Feb 23 2011 01:47 PM ET

'American Idol' adding online voting via Facebook

by James Hibberd

Categories: Television, TV Biz

UPDATED: Fox has officially announced its online voting plans that EW first reported yesterday. “We have been wanting to do online voting for several years, and now Facebook has offered us a secure solution and we are ready to go,” says American Idol creator Simon Fuller in a statement. “The show has always involved a high level of engagement with its viewers through texting and phone voting, and it’s great to expand on this tradition.” READ FULL STORY »

Feb 23 2011 01:41 PM ET

Billy Ray Cyrus regrets 'GQ' remarks, 'mending my family right now'

by Jeff Labrecque

Categories: Music, Television

Image Credit: Gary Gershoff/Getty ImagesAfter telling GQ magazine that Disney’s Hannah Montana was responsible for “destroying his family,” Billy Ray Cyrus has expressed regret about his comments, calling them “explosive and unintentionally so,” according to People. “It is very important to me to work on mending my family right now,” Cyrus said in a statement. “My family is the most important thing I have, and we are working together to make sure our future is stronger and healthier.”