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Archive: April 2011 (118-130 of 303)

Apr 18 2011 02:11 PM ET

Josh Hopkins talks the return of 'Cougar Town,' and his new movie 'Lebanon, PA'

by Mandi Bierly

Categories: Cougar Town, Television, TV Scoop

Image Credit: Mitch Haddad/ABC

Our long national wait for the next new Cougar Town is almost over. The show returns with two episodes this week — one tonight after Dancing With the Stars, and one in its regular Wednesday time slot. Tonight’s episode has Bobby (Brian Van Holt) and Laurie (Busy Philipps) partnering for a business venture to bring “Penny Can” to the masses. Viewers will be able to dial a working phone number for details on how to purchase their own “Bobby Cobb Official Competition Penny Can” — and for a chance to speak to a member of the cast or one of the creators. (According to ABC, the cast and co-creators Bill Lawrence and Kevin Biegel will take turns carrying a cell phone connected to the number for at least a few weeks and answer it when they can.) We talked to Josh Hopkins recently, and though he couldn’t tell us when his first shift was, he was already thinking up ways to entertain callers. “Maybe I could sing a song. Maybe I could leave outgoing messages on answering machines with a ‘Penny can!’” READ FULL STORY »

Apr 18 2011 01:53 PM ET

Simon Cowell no longer judging UK 'X Factor'? Not so fast...

by Kate Ward

Categories: Reality TV, Simon Cowell, Television, The X Factor, TV Biz

Image Credit: Ian Derry/Fox

Recent reports might suggest that Simon Cowell will no longer judge the UK version of The X Factor, but don’t count him out yet. ITV had confirmed that the former American Idol judge — who is in the process of bringing The X Factor stateside — will not split his time as a weekly judge for the British and American version of the reality talent series. (According to the network, the British X Factor was “talking about ways in which he can have an on-screen presence later in the series.”) Of course, it’s not clear what that exactly means. One possible theory is that Cowell will occasionally serve as judge, just not in a weekly capacity. For the record, Ann-Marie Thomson, Cowell’s publicist, said nothing has been determined yet: “Simon’s role within The X Factor in the UK is still being discussed.” Cowell will sit on the judging panel alongside L.A. Reid for the U.S. version of X Factor. The other two judging slots for the U.S. version have yet to be announced, although Reid did mention in an interview earlier this month that UK X Factor judge Cheryl Cole would join him and Cowell on the show.

Apr 18 2011 01:36 PM ET

'Gossip Girl' scoop: Meet Serena's cousin, Charlie

by Tim Stack

Categories: Casting Scoops, Gossip Girl, Scoop, Television

Giovanni Rufino/The CW

Tonight, Gossip Girl finally returns from its winter hiatus and will finish out the season with five new episodes full of bitchery and bling. Debuting this week is Serena’s cousin, Charlie, played by Kaylee DeFer (The War at Home). Charlie, who’s real name is Charlotte, is the daughter of Lily’s estranged sister Carol, played in season two’s GG flashback episode by Krysten Ritter but now in the present by Sheila Kelley. So where have these two ladies been throughout the past four seasons? “They’ve been in Florida,” says executive producer Stephanie Savage. “As you may recall from the pilot, Lily’s original lie was that Eric was with Aunt Carol in Miami.”

But things have not been so sunny in Florida for Charlie and her mom. “Basically, I’m pretty lonely and my mom has told me the van der Woodsens are these horrible people,” says DeFer, who will appear in the remainder of GG‘s episodes and possibly return next season. “I’ve been told my whole life that my family is awful. I decide I’d like to meet them.” READ FULL STORY »

Apr 18 2011 01:15 PM ET

Julia Louis-Dreyfus to play a VP for HBO comedy

by Lynette Rice

Categories: Cable, Casting, Television, TV Biz

Image Credit: Albert L. Ortega/PR Photos

Old Christine’s got a new gig. HBO announced that it has ordered a new comedy called Veep that’ll star Julia Louis-Dreyfus (The New Adventures of Old Christine). Created by Armando Iannucci (In the Loop),Veep will begin production this fall in Baltimore for a 2012 debut. Louis-Dreyfus will play former Senator Selina Meyer, who becomes Vice President, only to discover the job is nothing like she expected. The cast also includes Sufe Bradshaw (Overnight) the Vice President’s assistant; Anna Chlumsky (In the Loop) as her chief of staff, and Tony Hale (Arrested Development) as her right-hand man.

“Armando Iannucci is a master of smart, savvy humor, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus is one of the sharpest comic actors around,” said Sue Naegle, HBO’s entertainment president, in a statement. “We look forward to a memorable series from them and fellow executive producers Frank Rich and Christopher Godsick.” Adds Louis-Dreyfus, “It is a true delight to work with HBO and Armando Iannucci. I take the role of vice president very seriously, and although everyone says this is a comedy, I don’t think there is anything funny at all about me being a heartbeat away from the presidency.”

Apr 18 2011 12:51 PM ET

'Vampire Diaries' finale scoop: 'We're telling the audience that when we hit season 3, there's gonna be a lot of things changing'

by Mandi Bierly

Categories: Television, The Vampire Diaries, TV Scoop

Image Credit: Andrew Eccles/The CW

Last year’s Vampire Diaries season finale was widely recognized as one of 2010′s best. In EW’s inaugural fan-voted Season Finale Awards, the hour was runner-up in three categories including Single Most Clever Twist, Best NonRomantic Cliffhanger, and Best Death, with additional Top 5 finishes in Best Kiss, Most Rewound Moment, and Spookiest Image. As the show builds to its May 12 season 2 finale, expectations are running high. What lies ahead? Here’s what we can tell you. SPOILER ALERT! READ FULL STORY »

Apr 18 2011 11:23 AM ET

Logo greenlights two new series, renews shows like 'RuPaul's Drag Race' for 2012

by Hillary Busis

Categories: Cable, Reality TV

Logo, the gay and lesbian network, has announced that it will be greenlighting two new series for the 2011/2012 TV season: Sex Rx, a docu-series about a group of people being treated for issues like sex addiction, and The A-List: Dallas, a new addition to its A-List franchise. Additionally, RuPaul’s Drag Race, RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked, and the NewNowNext Awards will all be returning in 2012. These series will join previously announced Logo originals Setup Squad, a reality show about a matchmaking firm, and Pretty Hurts, which follows Rand Rusher, the “injectionist to the stars.”

Apr 17 2011 07:51 PM ET

'Burn Notice' EP Matt Nix talks tonight's Sam Axe movie, the character's 'action-tastic' ways

by Sandra Gonzalez

Categories: Burn Notice, Television

Image Credit: David Giesbrecht/USA Network; Kevin Parry/WireImage.com

Tonight’s Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe is more than an opportunity to see a slightly younger version of Bruce Campbell’s former covert op in Colombia kicking butt first, asking questions later. It’s an exploration of the man we’ve come to know and a preview of where his story will go in Burn Notice‘s upcoming fifth season. Oh, and it’s also an opportunity to see Bruce Campbell kick butt first, ask questions later.

EW hopped on the phone with Burn Notice executive producer Matt Nix, who previewed the movie, airing tonight, and told us about a few of the nuggets he put in there especially for hard-core fans.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: So how did the idea for a Sam Axe-centered movie even come about?
MATT NIX: Really, the general idea for it came up really early. I grew up watching Bruce Campbell in movies, and he has his own following as a movie star in his own right. I think it was in season 1 that I said, ‘Hey, this is something we could do!’ We put that out there and I think it percolated for some years. I think they sort of thought that we had the Burn Notice fans for it, and the Bruce Campbell fans for it. It was also a good time in the life of the series to introduce some complicating factors in the series from Sam’s life before the series. READ FULL STORY »

Apr 17 2011 05:00 PM ET

'The Killing': Exec producer Veena Sud spills secrets on TV's new hit mystery

by Tim Stack

Categories: Scoop, Television, The Killing, TV Biz, TV Scoop

Carole Segal/AMC

AMC has already found success in taking viewers inside the unique worlds of a 1960s advertising agency (Mad Men), a dying crystal-meth cooker (Breaking Bad), and a group of survivors battling zombies (The Walking Dead). Now the cable channel has delved into the murder-mystery genre with The Killing (airing Sundays at 10 p.m. ET, 9 p.m. CT), which follows the twisty and grim murder investigation of 17-year-old Seattle teen Rosie Larsen. Exec producer Veena Sud had just finished five seasons writing for the CBS’ procedural Cold Case but was instantly drawn to this adaptation of the Danish series Forbrydelsen. “I heard that phrase The Killing and I said ‘I’m in,’” says Sud. “I love how dark and raw that title is, and ditto on the material. It was wonderfully addictive, great storytelling and an awesome female lead.” The same could be said for the American version, which logged AMC’s second-highest premiere ratings ever. EW talked to Sud about The Killing’s central mystery, comparisons to Twin Peaks, and what season 2 would look like. READ FULL STORY »

Apr 17 2011 04:00 PM ET

'Game of Thrones': The actors dish on TV's sexiest fantasy series

by Jennifer Armstrong

Categories: Game of Thrones, Television

Image Credit: Helen Sloan/HBO

Fantasy geeks have been abuzz for months now about HBO’s upcoming adaptation of George R. R. Martin’s best-selling epic Game of Thrones — the question is what’s going to draw neophytes into the fictional land of Westeros. The answer, most likely, is the sex. Lots of sex. “There’s a lot of sexual intrigue going on,” says Lena Headey (who plays Queen Cersei), in a massive understatement. “And we don’t shy away from that.”

The first two episodes alone include exhibitionist sex at a wedding, girl-on-girl sex lessons, and a startling bit of incest. This all adds up to, well, lots of nudity. “I lay naked in furs a lot,” says Jason Momoa, who doesn’t wear much to begin with as warlord Khal Drogo. “I think I’m naked more than I talk.” READ FULL STORY »

Apr 17 2011 11:23 AM ET

'The Killing' star Mireille Enos on re-inventing the procedural, the 'big clue' in tonight's episode. Plus, will there be a second season?

by Sandra Gonzalez

Categories: EW Exclusive, Television, The Killing, TV Scoop

Image Credit: Carole Segal/AMC

Just hours after wrapping the first season of the latest addition to AMC’s arsenal of utterly addictive programming, The Killing‘s Mireille Enos was, much like the viewers of the show, on a journey. She was driving for four days from Vancouver to Los Angeles with a 6-month-old in tow.

Luckily, Enos, who plays the show’s fearless lead detective Sarah Linden, took a break from her trek to call up EW and chat about the show that’s remixed the procedural genre.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: So, I hear you’re on the road for the next four days. That’s incredibly brave with a baby.
Yeah. We’re trying to take our time since we have a 6-month-old daughter who you can probably hear in the background. [Baby coos] We’re not trying to push too hard. We’ll probably get in Monday night.

So were you pregnant while filming the show?
I was pregnant in the pilot. By the end of the pilot, I was 5 months pregnant. My whole 5^th month we were shooting. And then I had my daughter, and we started shooting again 2 months later.

You’re kidding me! I had no idea.
I’m lucky that my body wants to be small and Sarah luckily dresses in big baggy sweaters. READ FULL STORY »

Apr 17 2011 08:00 AM ET

Will kooky Gary Busey ever get fired on 'Celebrity Apprentice'?

by Dalton Ross

Categories: American Idol, InsideTV Podcast, Reality TV, Television, The Celebrity Apprentice, The Good Wife

Image Credit: Douglas Gorenstein/NBC

The fact that Gary Busey has not already been fired on Celebrity Apprentice is beyond comical — which is exactly why the entire thing is so gosh darn funny. On the latest edition of the InsideTV Podcast, I explain to Jessica Shaw why I am endlessly entertained by Donald Trump’s efforts to legitimize keeping Gary around when it is clearly only due to the fact that his insanity makes for good television. The way I see it, you simply can’t embrace the absurdity of Celebrity Apprentice without appreciating the most absurd aspect of all — The Donald’s random rationale for whom gets fired. Jessica and I discuss that as well as which candidates might actually make it to the end. We also delve into the biggest Celebrity Apprentice controversy of all: Why wasn’t Playmate of the Year Hope Dworaczyk naked last week for the big suntan lotion task? (Gee, thanks a lot, La Toya!) READ FULL STORY »

Apr 16 2011 11:18 AM ET

Ratings: 'Smallville,' 'Friday Night Lights,' 'Fringe' return; 'Shark Tank' climbs

by James Hibberd

Categories: Smallville, TV Ratings

Image Credit: CW

Four scripted fan favorites returned Friday night, but the real ratings surprise was from a reality show.

The first of the final five episodes of The CW’s Smallville delivered 2.3 million viewers and a 1.0 preliminary adults 18-49 rating — that’s up 11 percent from the show’s last episode back in early March. Supernatural (2.2 million, 0.9) was also back, yet dipped slightly from its last airing.

NBC rolled out the fifth season debut of Friday Night Lights (5.4 million, 0.9), and its low number tied CBS’ Chaos (5.5 million, 0.9) for last place at 8 p.m.

Fox’s Fringe (3.6 million, 1.3) is also back, and with Leonard Nimoy returning as guest star. Like Smallville, the show climbed a notch from its last original airing, but didn’t signal any profound ratings surge.

And then there’s ABC’s Shark Tank (5.4 million, 1.5). Love this show, but had nearly written off its chances for a third season given its modest performance in recent weeks. Probably because NBC switched from unscripted Who Do You Think You Are to FNL in the same hour, Tank jumped 25 percent from its usual 1.2 rating to tie 20/20 as the night’s top-rated show.

Apr 15 2011 06:59 PM ET

'Fringe' scoop: More on Leonard Nimoy's 'animated' return. Plus: The producers on the show's 'anti-climactic' renewal

by Jeff Jensen

Categories: Fringe, Sci-Fi, Television, TV Biz, TV Ratings

Image Credit: Liane Hentscher/FOX

At least one of Fringe’s nerve-wracking, season-long mysteries has been resolved. SPOILER ALERT! Fox’s ratings-challenged Friday-night sci-fi saga has been renewed for a full, fourth season. The big question: What — and who — will be left standing after the sure-to-be cataclysmic season 3 finale? The show begins answering that question tonight with the first of its final four episodes of the season, a trippy affair that returns Leonard Nimoy to the story, and in a most shall we say animated fashion. “The story finds William Bell’s consciousness still inside Olivia’s body – and causing some major complications,” exec producer Jeff Pinkner tells EW. “Beginning with tonight’s episode, we’re really accelerating the storytelling as we drive toward our season finale, which, as we usually do, will flip things in such a way that opens a door and offers a peek at what next season’s storytelling will be.” (For more intel of what’s forthcoming on Fringe, Sandra Gonzalez has scoop for you here and here.)

But back to the drama of Fringe’s renewal, which according to Pinkner and his partner-in-showrunning J.H. Wyman wasn’t that dramatic at all. “It was exciting, but also a little bit anti-climactic,” says Pinkner. READ FULL STORY »