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Archive: May 2011 (131-143 of 347)

May 18 2011 06:39 AM ET

CBS unveils 2011-12 fall schedule

by James Hibberd

Categories: 2011 Upfronts

Image Credit: CBS

Two and a Half Men is staying put and CSI is getting the boot.

CBS unveiled its fall scheduled keeping Big Bang Theory on Thursdays and shifts veteran CSI from its longtime Thursday night anchor slot.

The network announced several new drams. J.J. Abrams’ Person of Interest stars Jim Caviezel and Michael Emerson as an ex-CIA agent and a billionaire who team to stop crimes. Interest gets to take over the coveted CSI spot on Thursdays. CBS also shifted The Good Wife to Sundays. “To move CSI out of that time period you need big guns and we do,” says CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler.

And then there’s two titles that take familiar CBS concepts and give them a fresh spin: Unforgettable is about a female detective (Poppy Montgomery) with a perfect memory (The Memorist?) getting a lead-in from NCIS: LA on Tuesdays, and A Gifted Man is about a surgeon (Patrick Wilson) who receives help from his dead wife (The Spouse Whisperer?). CBS will also add two comedies about male and female bonding, respectively: How to be a Gentleman and Two Broke Girls.

The network is also programming Saturday nights with original shows — putting solidly rated comedy Rules of Engagement at 8 p.m. in hopes of gaining some traction on an evening that most broadcasters have long since given up on. For midseason, the network has a new crime drama about rookie cops called The 2-2.

Asked about Ashton Kutcher replacing Charlie Sheen on Men, CBS chief Les Moonves declined to make a ratings prediction. “I’ve been chased from every restaurant in Los Angeles for the past two months avoiding questions,” Moonves says. “But I think we’ve come through it just fine.”

Since CBS has fewer holes to fill than most of its rivals, it tends to make more powerful moves when it shakes up its schedule. Last year the network opened a new comedy beachhead on Thursdays and put aging procedurals like the CSI spin-offs in tough time periods to make room for new shows.

Full schedule: READ FULL STORY »

May 18 2011 06:00 AM ET

Oprah's 'Farewell Spectacular': A night to celebrate, and bid adieu

by Meghan Murphy-Gill

Categories: On the Scene, Oprah Winfrey, Television

Image Credit: Charles Rex Arbogast/AP Images

It’s called the house that Michael Jordan built, but Tuesday night, it was the Queen of TV, Daytime, or All of Media (depending on who you talk to) who held court in Chicago’s United Center — even forcing the Bulls, who are in the midst of an NBA Eastern Conference Finals series with the Miami Heat, to cede the stadium for a night to her royal highness, Oprah Winfrey.

Before taping of the two penultimate shows got underway (they will air on May 23 and 24), loyal fans and adorers speculated about which celebrities would show up. For a city not known as a hot bed of celebrity sightings (the paparazzi certainly couldn’t make a living here), it was abuzz with gossip about who was likely in town for the Oprah show. Beyoncé was sighted at Hubbard Street Dance fairly early in the day. Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were glimpsed having lunch, and Maria Shriver was said to be having dinner Monday night with Oprah. READ FULL STORY »

May 18 2011 03:28 AM ET

'The Good Wife': Creators Robert and Michelle King spill about last night's season finale (and next season, too!) -- EXCLUSIVE

by Tanner Stransky

Categories: Broadcast, EW Exclusive, Television, The Good Wife

Image Credit: David M. Russell/CBS

Every episode of CBS’ riveting political/legal/relationship/family drama The Good Wife ends with more questions than answers — and that’s a good thing. Last night’s season-2 finale, titled “Closing Arguments,” was no different, serving up quite the satisfying end when — SPOILER ALERT — the titular Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) finally headed into a hotel room for a little adult-time fun with longtime love interest Will (Josh Charles). While the hook-up was exactly what most viewers wanted to see happen, it brought with it a whole new set of queries: What does Will and Alicia’s new romantic relationship mean for their working relationship? Was their rendezvous planned from the beginning? Where does the relationship between Alicia and Kalinda (Archie Panjabi) stand? Where do all these developments leave Alicia’s hubby and new state’s attorney Peter (Chris Noth)? What’s on tap for next season? And most importantly: Does a presidential suite in a hotel really cost $7,800?

While Josh Charles previewed last night’s episode for you yesterday, we tapped Robert and Michelle King — the married co-creators and co-executive producers of The Good Wife — to chew the fat a bit and answer all these burning questions (and many more!) here this morning:

READ FULL STORY »

May 18 2011 01:13 AM ET

See ABC's new fall trailers here: 'Charlie's Angels,' 'The River,' more

by Lynette Rice

Categories: 2011 ABC Upfronts, 2011 Upfronts, First Look

ABC picked up 13 new shows for fall and midseason. Get a load of the trailers here (menu of clips on right-hand side):

May 18 2011 12:50 AM ET

'DWTS' eliminated contestant: 'I was ready for it'

by Carrie Borzillo

Categories: Dancing With the Stars

Image Credit: Adam Taylor/ABC

After spending time on the bottom of the leader board for two weeks in a row and getting ripped by the judges, Ralph Macchio knew his time on Dancing with the Stars had come to an end. On Monday, he and partner Karina Smirnoff became the latest couple to leave the dance floor. READ FULL STORY »

May 18 2011 12:30 AM ET

'NCIS' EP Gary Glasberg talks season 8 finale (and teases season 9)

by Mandi Bierly

Categories: NCIS, Television, TV Scoop

Image Credit: Cliff Lipson/CBS

SPOILER ALERT! NCIS wrapped its eighth season last night, and with it, the Port-to-Port killer arc that not only buried recurring favorite Mike Franks (Muse Watson) but also forced the appointment of a new SECNAV (Secretary of the Navy), who’s already given Tony an assignment to handle a leak at the agency. Executive producer Gary Glasberg, who wrote the episode, phoned us to break it down. READ FULL STORY »

May 17 2011 11:41 PM ET

Maria Shriver appears on second-to-last 'Oprah Winfrey Show'

by Adam B. Vary

Categories: Celebrity Couples, Oprah Winfrey, Television

Maria Shriver made a surprise appearance Tuesday night at the taping of the penultimate episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, less than 24 hours after her husband Arnold Schwarzenegger publicly admitted that he had fathered a child with a member of their household staff over a decade ago. (Shriver and Schwarzenegger announced their separation last week.)

After appearances by Will Smith, Jerry Seinfeld, and Stevie Wonder, Shriver stepped on stage with Gayle King, Oprah’s best friend, at Chicago’s United Center in front of some 20,000 audience members. To loud cheering, Shriver told the retiring talk show host, ”You’ve given me love, wisdom, and the truth,” as Oprah held Shriver’s hand. Then Shriver introduced Tyler Perry for the next segment of the show, and left the stage. (Reporting by Meghan Murphy-Gill.)

May 17 2011 07:41 PM ET

Oprah's 'Farewell Spectacular': Tom Hanks, Maria Shriver, Michael Jordan, and Aretha Franklin say goodbye, and we were there!

by Meghan Murphy-Gill

Categories: On the Scene, Oprah Winfrey, Television, TV Biz

Image Credit: Charles Rex Arbogast/AP Images

After 25 seasons, Oprah Winfrey taped the third- and second-to-last episodes of her iconic talk show in Chicago’s United Center Tuesday night, with 20,000 guests watching — including EW. The episodes, entitled “Surprise Oprah! A Farewell Spectacular,” will air May 23 and 24, but why wait? We live-blogged the entire epic event, including surprise guests — Michael Jordan! Aretha Franklin! Maria Shriver! — and guest performances from Beyoncé, Rascal Flatts, Stevie Wonder and Alicia Keys. Check out our full tick-tock of all the highlights below, and then come back tomorrow morning for our recap of the blessed event. (All times are Central Daylight.) READ FULL STORY »

May 17 2011 07:18 PM ET

Soap fans protest ABC's Upfront presentation: 'No one wants to watch The Chew. That's the dumbest idea I've ever heard.'

by Sandra Gonzalez

Categories: 2011 ABC Upfronts, Daytime Soaps, Television

Across the street from the ABC Upfront presentation today at Lincoln Center, a group of about 30 protestors had a clear message for the network’s prospective advertisers: No soaps? No thanks.

Armed with signs (“Screw The Chew” and “Save our soaps,” among them), a bullhorn, and an arsenal of quippy chants, the hardcore soap fans stood outside for the length of the two-hour presentation, hoping to bring attention to their cause.

“We’re trying to make a point to the advertisers that we’re not going to be watching the new shows, and we want our soaps to stay on the air,” protestor Susan Hoffman of New York tells EW. “No one wants to watch The Chew. That’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard. What we’re trying to say is that us, as soap viewers, are not going to watch a cooking show or a weight loss show in the afternoon. That’s not something we’re going to DVR and watch in the evening.” READ FULL STORY »

May 17 2011 05:55 PM ET

Jimmy Kimmel mocks ABC, Kutcher, 'X Factor'

by James Hibberd

Categories: 2011 Upfronts, The X Factor, Two and a Half Men

Jimmy Kimmel took the stage at ABC’s upfront presentation to advertisers Tuesday and once again skewered his network and rivals in a segment that ad buyers in the audience always enjoy:

– ABC’s lineup: “Remember those shows we were so excited about last fall? We cancelled all of them. And yet here you are again. You might have a gambling problem.”

– Fox: “Fox is getting ready to debut The X Factor. I think this is the best idea of 2002. It’s like American Idol meets a mirror.” READ FULL STORY »

May 17 2011 05:19 PM ET

'Raising Hope' star Garret Dillahunt on the grossest scene in tonight's season finale

by Sandra Gonzalez

Categories: Raising Hope, Television

Image Credit: Isabella Vosmikova/FOX

Raising Hope closes out its freshman season tonight with a bang. Well, actually, it’s a spitting match.

In this flashback episode, easily one of the season’s best, Jimmy goes goth, Maw Maw has all her marbles, and the rest of the Chance family are lazy freeloaders. “I think it’s the best episode of a good season,” says Garret Dillahunt, who plays Burt. “I think my favorite part of the episode is all the chance meetings or passings that happen [with] people that we don’t know that we’re heavily involved with in five years. I think that’s really cool.” His least favorite part? Well, the part that left him sitting opposite a real-life alpaca, covered in a spit-like goo, naturally.

“There are some things that are funny to watch but aren’t so funny to shoot. This was one of those,” he says laughing. “It made all these little noises, like [grunts, presumably like an alpaca would]. And we didn’t know if that was a satisfied sound or a dissatisfied sound.”

My prediction? Tonight’s episode will produce nothing but satisfied sounds.

May 17 2011 04:34 PM ET

The CW renews 'Nikita,' 'One Tree Hill'

by Kate Ward

Categories: Nikita, Television

Image Credit: Mark Holzberg/The CW

Freshman series Nikita is the femme of the hour. EW has learned that the series, which stars Maggie Q, has scored a second season pickup on The CW, less than one week after it enjoyed its first season finale.

As for the series that will somehow find a way to outlive nuclear war, One Tree Hill will also be returning to the network. As EW predicted, the long-running series has been given the greenlight for its ninth season.

Hellcats, however, has nothing to cheer about: Word is the series about college cheerleading was canceled.

Earlier today, the network announced that Sarah Michelle Gellar would be returning TV on The CW’s Ringer. Previously, Gellar had starred in Buffy the Vampire Slayer on The CW’s previous incarnation, WB. (Reporting by James Hibberd)

Follow Kate on Twitter @KateWardEW

May 17 2011 03:28 PM ET

Official: Sarah Michelle Gellar returning to TV as The CW picks up 'Ringer'

by James Hibberd

Categories: 2011 Upfronts, Television

Image Credit: Getty Images

She’s back: Sarah Michelle Gellar is returning to TV next season as the star of Ringer, a thriller developed for CBS but punted over to The CW.

Sources say CBS brass liked the script and loved the idea of casting Gellar, but once they saw the pilot it didn’t feel on brand for the network — and luckily the company has a sister network at The CW (that just so happens to be built partly upon the foundation of another network, The WB, where Gellar reigned as high priestess for years as the star of Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

The network also picked up The Secret Circle as a companion for Vampire Diaries, and medical drama Hart of Dixie. Official descriptions of the new shows: READ FULL STORY »