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Archive: June 2011 (131-143 of 274)

Jun 17 2011 10:57 AM ET

'True Blood,' 'Torchwood,' 'The Closer,' 'The Killing': Find out what's next in the Spoiler Room

Categories: Burn Notice, Castle, Covert Affairs, Drop Dead Diva, Entourage, Glee, Hawaii Five-O, In Plain Sight, Nurse Jackie, Raising Hope, Sons of Anarchy, Television, The Killing, The Spoiler Room, Torchwood, True Blood, TV Scoop, Weeds

Image Credit: Marc Hom/TNT; Frank Ockenfels3/Starz; Art Streiber/HBO

As you read this, I am likely standing in the center of the sun. That’s not meant to be poetic. I’m on vacation in my homeland of Texas! But I couldn’t leave without first giving you your weekly helping of TV scoop. In exchange, can someone pick up my mail?

Speaking of mail, send me some! Spoiler requests, casting suggestions for the numerous primetime openings we seem to have, or even your pilot questions. Email spoilerroom@ew.com or Tweet me @EWSandraG. I’ll check them when I return in two weeks!

Note: Small programming change: Next week, I’ll have a very special Q&A for Weeds fans instead of your regular column. You’ll enjoy it! Promise!

‘TRUE BLOOD’: YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED ROUND 2

Last week, we tackled some of your burning questions. This week, it’s round 2. The countdown to the June 26 premiere of True Blood is on! Here’s some stuff to tide you over.

Hi. I am a HUGE fan of True Blood. I know this season is primarily about Sookie/Eric, but this Bill fan wants to know if the former couple will have any decent scenes together as well? Will Bill be pursuing Sookie or is he too busy with his new power position? — CK
I know you’ve seen the first eight minutes, but the next eight will definitely answer your question about whether Bill cares or not. That said, Bill’s storyline is sometimes very twisted, but mostly just full of twists. READ FULL STORY »

Jun 17 2011 09:19 AM ET

Discovery orders SEAL Team Six docu-special -- EXCLUSIVE

by James Hibberd

Categories: Cable, EW Exclusive, TV Biz

Image Credit: Discovery Channel

The elite military unit credited with killing Osama bin Laden is getting their own Discovery docu-special.

In Secrets of SEAL Team Six, the network will introduce viewers to the team’s founder Dick Marcinko and former members as it explores the team’s history, training, weapons and technology. “[It’s] a group that will kick ass and save you,” Marcinko says.

Though the top-secret identities of the team members who participated in the Pakistan mission are, of course, not identified, the show will go behind closed doors to reveal new details of this unit — including talking to the wives of team members (Can we request a Real Housewives of SEAL Team Six spinoff?).

The special will air on Discovery on Sunday, July 10 at 9 p.m. The project is the second elite military program recently ordered by the network, which just greenlit the hardcore competition series One Man Army.

Jun 17 2011 12:26 AM ET

Official: 'Days of Our Lives' begins gay storyline -- EXCLUSIVE

by Lynette Rice

Categories: Casting, Casting Scoops, Daytime Soaps, EW Exclusive

Image Credit: Charley Gallay/WireImage.com

The rumors are true: Salem is about to get its first gay storyline! EW can report exclusively that Freddie Smith (90210) will make his debut June 23 to lay the groundwork for a same-sex relationship on the traditionally conservative show. He’ll play Sonny, a good-natured young man who returns home to join his family. READ FULL STORY »

Jun 16 2011 11:51 PM ET

Daytime Emmys: Who should win! Who will win!

by Lynette Rice

Categories: Awards Shows, Daytime Soaps, Emmys

It’s Emmy time this Sunday, soap fans! Though the TV Academy also uses the annual ceremony (airing live on CBS at 8 p.m. ET) to honor game and talk shows, the real competition lies in the drama categories. Will James Franco’s much-ballyhooed appearance on General Hospital help the ABC soap take the top prize? Will the soon-to-canceled All My Children earn a sympathy trophy?

We asked some on the industry’s top soap experts — Editorial Director Stephanie Sloane and Managing Editor Editor Gabrielle Winkel of Soap Opera Digest/Soap Opera Weekly, and Soap Opera Network Co-founder Xavier Toups — to pick who should win and who will win in the major categories.

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
Nominees: All My Children, The Bold and the Beautiful, The Young and the Restless and General Hospital.
Who should win: Sloane says GH, Toups and Winkel says B&B.

Image Credit: CBS

Who will win: Everyone is in agreement — the CBS half-hour (pictured, left) will win its third consecutive Emmy. Toups explains it best: “The show submitted two episodes where Stephanie, who was recently diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, finds her way to L.A.’s Skid Row and sees how people are living in a poverty stricken area. Stephanie devotes herself to helping those who are living there.” Social change! See: Winners circle.

READ FULL STORY »

Jun 16 2011 10:38 PM ET

Darren Aronofsky inks deal to direct, exec produce HBO's 'Hobgoblin'

by Dan Snierson

Categories: Cable, TV Biz

Darren Aronofsky is trading swans for cons: The Black Swan director has signed on to helm a prospective pilot for the HBO drama Hobgoblin, the network confirmed today. The WWII-set project — which is still in development and has not yet been greenlighted — focuses on a collection of con men and magicians who rely on deception and other tricks of their trade to defeat Hitler’s army. Aronofsky, who bowed out in March as director of The Wolverine, would also serve as an executive producer of the series. Author Michael Chabon (Wonder Boys) and wife Ayelet Waldman (Bad Mother) have been tapped to write the pilot and exec produce.

Jun 16 2011 08:29 PM ET

'Wipeout' renewed for fifth season

by James Hibberd

Categories: Reality TV

More big balls coming your way next year: ABC announced that Wipeout is coming back for a fifth season, but with a twist — Vanessa Minnillo will be the new co-host, replacing Jill Wagner.

“We will miss Jill, but are thrilled to welcome Vanessa to the team and excited to bring her enthusiasm to the show,” said Wipeout creator and executive producer Matt Kunitz. “She is a great host with a fun and natural energy that our viewers will love.”

Minnillo was a co-host on MTV’s TRL and judged ABC’s reality show True Beauty. Wipeout is airing a sneak peak on June 21 and then will officially premiere on June 23. The next season will consist of episodes airing next winter and summer.

Jun 16 2011 04:32 PM ET

'True Blood' vet to guest on 'Burn Notice' -- EXCLUSIVE

by James Hibberd

Categories: Scoop

Image Credit: Getty Images

From demented vampire to pharmaceutical company boss? We can see that!

USA’s Burn Notice has landed another notable guest star: James Frain (The Tudors, True Blood) will appear in the ninth episode of the upcoming fifth season. He’ll play the powerful owner of a pharmaceutical company responsible for several medical breakthroughs who runs his business with extreme security, and is willing to go to great lengths to protect its secrets.

Frain joins WWE’s Big Show (Paul Donald Wight Jr.), NCIS vet David Dayan Fisher and Bush singer Gavin Rossdale among this upcoming season’s guest stars that Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) will have to contend with this summer. Burn Notice premieres on June 23 (full list of summer premiere dates here).

Jun 16 2011 04:14 PM ET

'Damages' sneak peek: War and (a sleazy?) John Goodman -- EXCLUSIVE VIDEO

by Lynette Rice

Categories: Damages, First Look

DirecTV sent along this exclusive little sneak peek of Damages that’ll bow July 13. (The Glenn Close starrer jumped to the satellite service after three seasons on FX). John Goodman (Roseanne) joins the action this year, as does Chris Messina (Julie & Julia), who plays a high school friend of Ellen (Rose Byrne) and a former decorated soldier who is now working for a private security firm in Afghanistan.

Nice music choice. READ FULL STORY »

Jun 16 2011 03:58 PM ET

First extended look at USA's 'Necessary Roughness'

by James Hibberd

Categories: Cable, First Look, Scoop, Television

USA is launching its summer slate and we’ve got a three-minute look at the network’s new show Necessary Roughness. The show stars Callie Thorne as the therapist to a football team and premieres Wednesday, June 29 (check out its poster here). Here’s a key scene where the shrink gets hired to try and save the team: READ FULL STORY »

Jun 16 2011 02:27 PM ET

CBS renews 'The Amazing Race' for 20th cycle

by James Hibberd

Categories:

Another trip around the globe: CBS has renewed The Amazing Race for a 20th installment.

The show will be back on Sundays this fall, and this edition will run the following spring. The most recent installment averaged 11.2 million viewers and a 3.4 rating in the adult demo, including DVR use.

Jun 16 2011 01:23 PM ET

Is Dave Chappelle returning to TV?

by James Hibberd

Categories:

Image Credit: Getty Images

Dave Chappelle is denying a report that he’s planning a return to television.

Online paper The Daily wrote the former Comedy Central star was plotting to reboot his TV career by making a deal with a subscription service like Hulu or Netflix that would allow him a strong amount of creative control.

“Absolutely untrue,” says Chappelle’s rep Carla Sims, who spoke to the comedian about the report this morning.

EW looked into rumors of Chappelle relaunching his TV career about a month ago after the comedian made references to planning a comeback at a stand-up show in San Francisco. While there’s interest in getting Chappelle back on TV, his reps say the comedian has not agreed to a course of action in that direction. “He’s enjoying his life, he has a new daughter and is just doing what he’s really passionate about — stand-up,” says one source. Sources close to the comic add that if he were to make a return to TV, he would likely aim for a bigger platform than a niche subscription service. There are, after all, outlets like HBO that given artists plenty of creative freedom. So no Chappelle TV for the moment, but in the future … who knows?

Jun 15 2011 06:57 PM ET

Joshua Jackson, Melissa McCarthy to announce Emmy noms

by James Hibberd

Categories:

The TV Academy always picks an interesting combo to announce the Emmy nominations each year, and this time that early morning honor goes to: Joshua Jackson and Melissa McCarthy.

The Fringe and Mike & Molly stars will reveal the Academy’s picks at 5:40 a.m. PST on Thursday, July 14.

Jun 15 2011 05:41 PM ET

'The Glee Project' ratings underwhelm. Why?

by Sandra Gonzalez

Categories: Glee, Reality TV, Television

Image Credit: Tyler Golden/Oxygen

The Glee Project might be aiming to find the next Glee cast member, but it seems to be having trouble just finding an audience.

Despite positive reviews from critics, the reality show notched just under a half million viewers Sunday night, according to ratings reports. Comparatively, Glee averaged a little over 10 million viewers throughout the second season. READ FULL STORY »