Image Credit: CBS
Marg Helgenberger may be leaving CSI in January but the veteran procedural found a pretty cool way to make up for the loss: The network announced today that Elisabeth Shue (Leaving Las Vegas) will join the show as a series regular.
She’ll play a CSI who just completed anger management training. Her character will be introduced in the episode airing Feb. 15. READ FULL STORY »
Image Credit: Henry S. Dziekan III/Getty Images
Timothy Busfield has an impressive list of TV credits to his name, not the least of which includes his lengthy run on thirtysomething back in the ’80s and an Emmy Award-winning role on The West Wing. And in the new year, he’ll be able add Blue Bloods to his credits when he appears in an upcoming episode.
EW has learned exclusively that Busfield, who most recently co-starred in the ill-fated Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, will play Curtis, a likeable wealthy man who is accused of murder by his neurotic stepdaughter after the death of his second wife. (It’s also worth mentioning said kid claims she’s getting her 411 from God.)
There is no air date yet for Busfield’s appearance, but it will occur after the show returns from its winter hiatus.
Blue Bloods airs on Fridays on CBS.
Image Credit: M Becker/Getty Images
Ryan Seacrest, Bravo TV, and others are facing a lawsuit for their upcoming show Shahs of Sunset, which has been dubbed “the Persian Jersey Shore.”
EW has obtained papers filed by show participant Kathy Salem yesterday against Seacrest, his production company, Bravo TV, and Berne Prods. In the suit, Salem claims production staffers misrepresented themselves, showed her only parts of the TV release waiver she signed, and defrauded her.
She also claims she was “verbally abused and physically assaulted” at a party filmed for the series, including the fact that “someone tried to strip [her] top off and another cast member by the name of Reza threw a cup of water in [her] face.” Salem alleges the defendants’ actions “exceeded all bounds of decency and was outrageous, intentional, malicious, and done for the purpose of causing [Salem] to suffer extreme and severe emotional distress,” which has impacted her physical health.
Salem is seeking an injunction against airing all footage featuring her and at least $100,000 in damages, plus legal fees. Seacrest’s representatives declined to comment on the litigation. Shahs of Sunset is scheduled to premiere in February 2012. UPDATE: Bravo TV released a comment to EW regarding the suit: “Bravo has not seen a copy of the complaint, and thus we cannot comment.”
Dexter is will return for two more seasons, Showtime just announced.
The serial killer drama was renewed for a seventh and eighth season. Each will consist of the show’s standard 12 episodes. The network also closed a deal with star Michael C. Hall for two more rounds. The deal makes Dexter one of cable’s longest-running drama series.
“The series is bigger than it’s ever been in its sixth season, both in terms of audience and its impact on the cultural landscape,” said Showtime topper David Nevins. “Together with Michael, the creative team on the show has a very clear sense of where they intend to take the show over the next two seasons and, as a huge fan, I’m excited to watch the story of Dexter Morgan play out.”
Here’s a question: Does this mean Dexter will end after eight seasons?
Read more:
‘Dexter’ recaps
Image Credit: NBC!
Are Community fans rallying to save the show?
Thursday night’s episode of the NBC cult favorite rose a slight 7 percent in the ratings following the network’s decision to pull the series from its midseason schedule (the network says the comedy will return… at some point). The Community numbers (3.6 million viewers, 1.6 adults 18-49 rating) still weren’t great — it was the third lowest-rated show on a major broadcast network after NBC’s defunct Prime Suspect and something called 20/20: Regis Philbin: The Morning Maestro with Katie Couric (yikes).
Meanwhile, Fox’s Bones (8.8 million, 2.8) rose 8 percent to rank as the night’s top-rated drama (not facing Grey’s Anatomy this week helped), and NBC’s freshman comedy Whitney (4.1 million, 1.9) dropped 10 percent to a season low. READ FULL STORY »
Image Credit: Karen Neal/TNT; Kharen Hill/ABC; Bob D’Amico/ABC
As I’m capping off this week’s Spoiler Room, Regis Philbin is saying goodbye on Live! So as I try to ignore it enough not to weep like a mad person, forgive me if I don’t make a lot of sense. (God, I’m such a ridiculous sappy human!)
Okay, let’s get down to business. Here are this week’s goodies. Thanks to all who submitted questions. Keep ‘em coming! Don’t know how? Here’s the info: spoilerroom@ew.com or @EWSandraG on Twitter.
And a special thanks to all those brave souls who answered my call for video questions on Twitter (which you can see in the next Spoiler Room: Video Edition). There will be more chances to do so very soon! READ FULL STORY »
TLC may have hit upon another big idea: Geek dating reality show.
The network has ordered Geek Love, a project that follows a speed-dating service at nerd-drawing events like Comic-Con. TLC greenlit two half-hour specials that will air next month and plans to make the project a full-fledged series if the specials draw large enough ratings.
Putting geeks and romance together has been tackled before. But unlike former CW series Beauty and the Geek, the new show pairs pop-culture loving socially awkward singles with each other via Ryan Giltch, founder of a service called Sci-Fi Speed Dating.
The show, produced by Authentic Entertainment, premieres Dec. 18 at 9 p.m. You want to see an exclusive trailer that includes a Wookiee mating call? Of course you do: READ FULL STORY »
Image Credit: Prashant Gupta/FX
A little more than a week ago, American Horror Story fans saw Tate get blown to pieces by SWAT team gunfire in a horrifying flashback that revealed he had carried out a high school shooting before… (twist No. 2) dying and becoming a ghost. But as terrifying as it was to watch it all, actor Evan Peters was thrilled.
“I felt like James Caan in the Godfather — I got blown up. I just thought it was so cool to be able to do that stuff,” he tells EW. “It was like one of my favorite things I’ve been able to do.”
And there’s more to come. As teased in last week’s Spoiler Room, an upcoming episode will take fans further into Tate’s past of living with Constance and reveal what life was like before he was killed. “[The episode] gives you a little motive and reason for why he did the things that he did,” he says. “It’s kind of, like, you don’t know if the house possessed him, you don’t know if he was driven insane by the family, it all sort of comes together in the episode, where a lot is revealed about why he decided to do what he did. It’s pretty cool.” READ FULL STORY »
Castle fans, don’t say I never get you anything nice.
Below, you will find a big treat I think you’ll enjoy and something I hope will take the edge off your wait for the next new episode of Castle. In this exclusive clip from Monday’s episode, “Kill Shot,” the team is investigating a sniper shooting that hits a little too close to home for Det. Beckett, who you’ll recall was shot by a sniper in last season’s epic finale and has been dealing with the physical and emotional effects all season.
Having seen the episode (more on that in this week’s Spoiler Room), I can tell you it’s a can’t-miss episode, due mostly in part to Stana Katic’s powerfully moving performance. Check out the clip below! READ FULL STORY »
Ashton Kutcher knows what a tough day is like. Demi Moore announced that she’s ending their marriage, and Kutcher earned a slap from his top CBS boss for a controversial Twitter posting. During a Q-and-A session Thursday at a TV industry meeting, CBS Corp. chief Leslie Moonves said he’s pleased with the ratings for revamped Two and a Half Men and with new star Kutcher — “aside from his comments about Penn State,” Moonves added.
Last week, Kutcher condemned the firing of Penn State football coach Joe Paterno and then recanted the Twitter posting after it drew a flurry of criticism. The actor said he’d been unaware of the child sex-abuse scandal engulfing the university.
On Thursday, the 49-year-old Moore announced she was splitting from Kutcher, 33, the subject of rumors of alleged infidelity. The couple wed in 2005.
Read more:
Ashton and Demi: A marriage made (and unmade) on Twitter
Ashton Kutcher hands Twitter over to management after Joe Paterno comments
Image Credit: Adam Taylor/ABC
Ricki Lake has a lot to celebrate these days — and not just because she’s a finalist on Dancing with the Stars.
Her talk show is officially a go for fall now that it has been sold in more than 50% of the country including Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. That also means that Lake be competing for daytime eyeballs alongside other planned talkers hosted by Katie Couric, Jeff Probst and Steve Harvey.
Lake’s show will target 25- to 54-year-old women and cover topics like relationships and diets.
Her first daytime yakker aired in the ’90s and targeted younger females. About her new show, Lake said in a statement, “I want to spark ideas and conversations and inspire people to take active roles in their communities, relationships and their well-being. I have definitely grown as a person since I put down the mic in 2005, and I couldn’t be happier to share and continue the journey with both my existing fans and an entirely new generation of women.”
For more:
Jeff Probst’s talk show is a go for September
Katie Couric talker sold in more than 80% of country
Image Credit: Gregorio Binuya/ZUMAPRESS.com
MTV has put together a tribute to Jackass star Ryan Dunn, who was killed in a drunk driving car crash this June along with friend and Jackass crew member Zachary Hartwell. Airing Nov. 28, the one-hour program will focus on Dunn’s life growing up in Ohio and his rise to fame on Jackass. Co-stars Johnny Knoxville, Rob Dyrdek, Wee Man, Chris Pontius, Jeff Tremaine, and Bam Margera will tell stories about Dunn’s life, and the network will air footage of Dunn’s stunts for Jackass and Viva LA Bam that have never been seen before.
Directly before the broadcast at 10:30 p.m. EST, MTV will also premiere an all-new episode of Dyrdek’s Ridiculousness, guest starring Dunn in one of his final television appearances. A special encore presentation of Jackass 3.5 will follow “It’s a surreal thing to undertake, doing a tribute to our brother Ryan’s life,” said Knoxville, who is also executive producing the special with Spike Jonze and Derek Freda. “I still can’t believe he’s gone but we wouldn’t trust anyone else with this, so we are doing the best we can for Ryan, his family, friends, and everyone who loved him.”
Read more:
‘Jackass’ stars post tribute to Ryan Dunn online
Johnny Knoxville pens online tribute to Ryan Dunn
Friends and family mourn Ryan Dunn at funeral
Goshen PD confirms: Ryan Dunn’s blood-alcohol level over legal limit
James Hibberd
@James_Hibberd
Lynette Rice
@EWLynette
