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Archive: August 2011 (27-39 of 344)

Aug 29 2011 09:28 PM ET

'Dancing With the Stars' cast revealed: Chaz Bono, David Arquette and ... Nancy Grace!

by Lynette Rice

Categories: Casting, Dancing With the Stars

Image Credit: Julie Brothers; Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images; Scott Heavey/Getty Images; Michael Buckner/Getty Images; Michael Yada/Getty Images

Best cast ever?

Obviously, that’s up for interpretation but there certainly won’t be a shortage of provocative newsmakers when Dancing With the Stars returns Sept. 19. We still don’t know the pairings (they won’t be announced until Wednesday on Good Morning America) but what pro will or won’t compete for the mirror ball trophy seems pretty anti-climactic in light of the cast announcement, made Monday night during an episode of Bachelor Pad. For the entire cast, go to the jump. READ FULL STORY »

Aug 29 2011 08:18 PM ET

Bravo to air 'Housewives' suicide special

by James Hibberd

Categories: Real Housewives

Bravo will air a special that addresses the suicide of Russell Armstrong, sources tell EW.

The network has shot a special that included several cast members of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills — Lisa Vanderpump, Camille Grammer, Kyle and Kim Richards, and Adrienne Maloof. Taylor Armstrong apparently was not included in the filming.

The special has yet to be formally announced by the network, and its unclear when the special will air. The second season premiere of Beverly Hills is still on track for Sept. 5, with the show re-edited in wake of Armstrong’s death.

UPDATE: The footage will be use for an introduction for the season premiere rather than a stand-alone program. More details here.

Aug 29 2011 08:07 PM ET

'True Blood': Marshall Allman talks Tommy's [SPOILER!]

by Mandi Bierly

Categories: True Blood, TV Scoop

SPOILER ALERT! If you’ve yet to watch this week’s episode of True Blood, stop reading now and come back when you have… READ FULL STORY »

Aug 29 2011 08:01 PM ET

Director Mark Romanek on making Kia's infectious dancing hamster ad: 'You don't see a lot of surrealism on television'

by Aly Semigran

Categories: Advertising, Film, Music

Mark Romanek is no stranger to making you dance in your seat when you’re watching MTV — or any other channel, for that matter. The director behind those infectious iPod commercials, including the colorful, rocking U2 “Vertigo” spot, had millions of VMA viewers (12.4 million, to be exact) grooving along with the now-famous trio of hip-hop-happy hamsters (and a group of equally skilled robots who couldn’t resist a catchy beat) in the latest Kia Soul ad which aired during the awards show last night.

Romanek’s other credits including film (Never Let Me Go, One Hour Photo) and, perhaps most notably, music videos (he’s behind such legendary videos as Michael Jackson’s “Scream”, Madonna’s “Bedtime Story”, Fiona Apple’s “Criminal”, Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer” and Johnny Cash’s “Hurt”), and he tells EW he infused some of his prior work into this latest commercial. In addition suggesting that the look of the commercial be in a “very video game[-like] world,” Romanek, rather than relying solely on CGI, used real dancers to make the moves for the characters.

With the help of choreographers Rich & Tone, a group of “great dancers from the East and West coast” and computer animation, Romanek had the resources to bring the latest chapter of those jamming hamsters to the small screen. “The key was making the dance great,” said Romanek. READ FULL STORY »

Aug 29 2011 06:27 PM ET

'Arrested Development' veteran cast in 'Two and a Half Men'

by James Hibberd

Categories: Casting, Two and a Half Men

Image Credit: Getty Images

Ashton Kutcher’s ex-wife is none other than Kitty Sanchez.

Judy Greer has been cast in CBS’ revamped Two and a Half Men, playing the wife of Kutcher’s character Walden Schmidt. Greer was George Bluth Sr.’s loyal assistant in Arrested, does the voice of the airy nympho Cheryl on FX’s Archer, and will play a recurring character on Men.

On the revamped Men, Schmidt and his wife break up, leaving him distraught. He buys Charlie Harper’s beach pad and convinces Alan and Jake to stay there with him, with Alan serving as his love mentor. More breaking details about the new Men format in EW’s in-depth Q&A with Jon Cryer here.

Aug 29 2011 05:33 PM ET

VMA ratings: Biggest MTV audience ever

by James Hibberd

Categories: Jersey Shore, TV Ratings

Image Credit: Getty Images

Lady Gaga is going to have to host the show next year to top this. MTV’s annual Video Music Awards just scored its biggest audience ever last night — 12.4 million viewers.

Not only are those record-setting numbers for the VMAs, but last night’s show was also the most-watched single telecast in MTV’s history. The viewership is up 9 percent from last year’s show and stands as the most-watched non-sports cable telecast of the year (VMA winners and losers here).

UPDATE: Jersey Shore, which served as a lead in (recap here), netted a good — but not record setting — 8 million viewers. The pilot preview of I Want My Pants Back (exclusive trailer here) landed 5.1 million viewers after the show — though quite a drop off from the VMAs, that’s still a strong sampling for MTV, especially for a scripted show. The comedy is set to debut Jan. 2012.

Aug 29 2011 05:07 PM ET

Cable shows: Hottest program this summer was...

by Lynette Rice

Categories: Cable, Covert Affairs, Falling Skies, Jersey Shore, Ratings, Reality TV, Suits

Image Credit: MTV

Who cared about broadcast shows like America’s Got Talent or So You Think You Can Dance? Cable programs had no trouble drumming up the eyeballs this summer, which is probably why viewership levels were up year-to-year among ad-supported basic nets like TNT, USA, History and MTV (4 percent) versus what the Big Four broadcasters were attracting (down 3 percent).

Did your favorite ad-supported cable show make the top 10 cut? (We’re talking just the nets with commercial, people. Not HBO or Showtime). Check out the charts below which take into account the top 10 new and returning shows on ad-supported cable among viewers through Aug. 21. (Note to tweeners: Kiddie nets were excluded). And one other thing: Who knew there was a show called Mounted in Alaska? READ FULL STORY »

Aug 29 2011 04:51 PM ET

'NCIS: LA': [SPOILER] gets shot in the premiere episode! -- EXCLUSIVE VIDEO

by Sandra Gonzalez

Categories: EW Exclusive, NCIS: Los Angeles, Scoop, Television

Image Credit: Matt Kennedy/CBS

There’s trouble afoot on NCIS: LA.

As previously teased, a beloved member of the team is going to take a bullet in the show’s Sept. 20 premiere. But who? The explosive new promo, which EW has scored exclusively, has your answer…[Major spoiler ahead!!] READ FULL STORY »

Aug 29 2011 04:43 PM ET

First James Spader 'The Office' promo -- VIDEO

by James Hibberd

Categories: Community, Parks and Recreation, The Office

Want to see James Spader match wits with Dwight Schrute on The Office?

That’s just one scene in this extended NBC fall comedy preview that’s going to be screening in movie theaters this weekend (hey, it definitely beats those MovieTickets.com ads). Aside from teasing The Office (could Craig Robinson be the new manager?), the first-online EW exclusive clip reel also includes moments from Parks & Recreation, a first look at John Goodman on Community, along with moments from new shows Up All Night starring Christina Applegate and Will Arnett, Free Agents with Hank Azaria, and Whitney starring Whitney Cummings. It’s all below here: READ FULL STORY »

Aug 29 2011 04:14 PM ET

'Absolutely Fabulous' revived for trio of new specials

by Jeff Labrecque

Categories: Cable, Deals, Television

Image Credit: Everett Collection

Absolutely Fabulous, the outrageous British sitcom about two boozy and bawdy gals, is coming back for three new American television specials on BBC America and Logo. Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley will reprise their roles as Edina Monsoon and Patsy Stone, 20 years after they originally debuted on British television. “We hope that, like a good bottle of champagne we have grown better with age but lost none of our sparkle,” said Saunders, in a statement. “Viewers in the U.S. have been very kind to the show over the years and we are very happy to return on not one but two U.S. channels at once, BBC America and Logo. We fully intend to party like it’s 1991.”

“All of the originals who are back together again are still truly absolutely fabulous and we hope that the new adventures of Edina, Patsy, Saffy, Bubble and Mother, plus a few surprising guests, will entertain both our tried and trusted U.S. fans as well as gain us some new friends,” said executive producer Jon Plowman.

Aug 29 2011 02:47 PM ET

'Veronica Mars' alum joins CW's 'Ringer' -- EXCLUSIVE

by Lynette Rice

Categories: Casting, Casting Scoops, EW Exclusive

Image Credit: Jean Baptiste Lacroix/WireImage

Logan from Veronica Mars is joining Sarah Michelle Gellar’s new drama on the CW.

EW has learned exclusively that Jason Dohring will recur as Mr. Carpenter, a high school teacher at the new school attended by Juliet (Zoey Deutch), the stepdaughter of Manhattan socialite Siobhan Martin (Gellar). The sexy thriller — which features Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Gellar playing twins — will bow Sept. 13. It also stars Lost’s Nestor Carbonell as an FBI agent.

Dohring recently appeared in episodes of Lie to Me and CSI but fans probably count his run as Josef on Moonlight as his second-most memorable gig behind Mars.

Aug 29 2011 02:18 PM ET

'Castle': Beckett fights for her life, Castle spars with Josh in new promo!

by Sandra Gonzalez

Categories: Castle, Television

Let’s just get this out of the way: OF COURSE SHE LIVES! I mean, there’s no Castle without Beckett (Stana Katic). Period.

That said, this new Castle promo really gives us a great look at the drama that will arise in the aftermath of Beckett’s shooting at the end of last season. Castle’s (Nathan Fillion) bloody hands and ominous voiceover (“Everything that’s happened, happened because of me”) are completely chill-worthy. Not to mention the first look at the fight between Josh and Castle that’s been teased. (#Team Castle, duh)

In the quick flashes, we also see new Capt. Victoria Gates (Penny Johnson Jerald), Esposito (Jon Huertas) and Ryan (Seamus Dever) walking intensely down a hall in their dress blues (yum), and what appears to be Alexis (Molly Quinn) freaking out on someone.

Watch it all for yourself below! READ FULL STORY »

Aug 29 2011 01:59 PM ET

Chad Michael Murray returning to 'One Tree Hill'

by James Hibberd

Categories:

Image Credit: Getty Images

It’s official: Chad Michael Murray is returning to One Tree Hill.

He will make a guest appearance in the show’s final season, as has long been expected. Murray’s character Lucas was last seen driving off into the sunset with his wife Peyton (Hilarie Burton) and their new baby, Sawyer. Lucas returns to Tree Hill after Haley (Bethany Joy Galeotti) reaches out to him for help.

Production on the show was temporarily disrupted last week due to the hurricane. The show’s final season has lined up a slew of guest stars and returning favorites for its send-off, like Disney Channel star Chelsea Kane and vets Paul Johansson and Tyler Hilton. The show has even cast somebody to play a hitman.