May 23 2013 10:19 AM ET

'Does Someone Have to Go?' Fox says office reality show isn't evil

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Tonight, Fox launches its latest reality experiment: Does Someone Have to Go?, where offices let employees take charge for 48 hours to decide the fate of fellow staffers and make overall recommendations for improvement. Billed as “Survivor meets The Office,” the project has been in the works at Fox for four years, with an early harsher draft of the concept drawing some controversy. Below, Fox’s president of alternative entertainment Mike Darnell discusses the kinder, gentler Does Someone Have to Go? (preview video below), as well as fall’s newly female-dominated X Factor panel and kid-contestant MasterChef spinoff.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: This show has been through some changes since we first heard about it. Can you talk about the evolution of the idea?
Mike Darnell: The initial pitch was when the recession was in full force. Endemol brought me something called Toxic Office. Around the same time I saw a news report about a woman who was having problems with her business and she decided to open up the books to show everybody all the salaries and let them decide how the money should be distributed. Our mistake was not just the timing of the idea, but that it concentrated on businesses with economic problems. This does not. This is about offices with dysfunctional problems. All these are million-dollar businesses. This is not about not making money, but solving dysfunction.

Still, the question is: Will viewers during a semi-insecure economic climate watch a show where everyday folks get fired? READ FULL STORY »

May 22 2013 04:33 PM ET

'The Voice' champ Cassadee Pope: Hear her new single and learn who she's really pulling for in season 4 -- VIDEO

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Image Credit: Trae Patton/NBC

Cassadee Pope, the pop-rock singer who embraced her country roots to win season 3 of The Voice for Team Blake, will be returning to The Voice stage on June 4 to debut her new single, “Wasting All These Tears.” But fans will have to wait until fall for Pope’s full not-yet-titled album, which she promises will give fans the same mix of country and rock that she delivered on the show.

“[Fans] can expect a mixture. I grew up singing country music. It’s always spoken to me; it’s always felt natural,” Pope says. “Then I had a band. I did the whole rock thing as a teenager. Now I’m merging both. It’s very relevant to country music now, there’s a lot of country-rock, country-pop going on. What you saw on the show, me covering ‘Cry’ and ‘Stupid Boy,’ that stuff is very similar to my original songs, so they can expect the same kind of vibe.”

And although Pope still keeps in touch with former coach Blake Shelton, she can’t promise that you’ll hear him on her album… but she’s working on it. ”I would love that,” she says. “I do have a song that I think would be great for him to sing on and hopefully that will work out. I still have to record that myself, so there’s still time. Hopefully we’ll get him in the studio and he’ll sing a verse or something like that.”

For now, Pope is preparing to open for The Band Perry and Rascal Flatts on the Live and Loud tour, starting May 30 and lasting through October. She’s also teamed up with Outnumber Hunger to help feed those in need. And when she gets a spare moment, which isn’t often, she tunes in to season 4 of The Voice, where she remains loyal to Team Blake. ”I’m officially The Swon Brothers’ fan,” she says. “They blew my mind. I love them, and if they won I’d be so excited. But I gotta pull for a girl again. Gotta make it balance. It was two guys; now it’s gotta be two girls. Danielle I think has a real good chance.”

Her advice to the contestants? “Keep doing what they’re doing. Obviously, people love it. Stay true to themselves. To pull something out of a hat at this point when things are going so well and people are loving what they’re doing is just not the best move.”

Catch The Voice on NBC June 4 at 9 p.m.when Pope stops by to perform “Wasting All These Tears,” which you can check out below: READ FULL STORY »

May 22 2013 04:01 PM ET

CBS picks up 'Bad Teacher' to series

Tags: News
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Image Credit: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images

CBS just added another comedy to its 2013-14 primetime roster.

The network announced today that it has ordered Bad Teacher, a single-camera comedy that’s based on the 2011 Cameron Diaz film of the same name.

Here’s the official logline: “Bad Teacher stars Ari Graynor as an always inappropriate, fearless and unapologetic former trophy wife who masquerades as a teacher in order to find a new man after her wealthy husband leaves her penniless.”

CBS fall schedule revealed

May 22 2013 02:46 PM ET

FX developing comedy with Billy Crystal

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Image Credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

FX has greenlit a single-camera pilot called The Comedians that will star Billy Crystal as a veteran joke teller who is paired with a younger and edgier performer for a late-night sketch show.

The pilot, which will begin shooting this summer, is based on a Swedish format of the same name from Stockholm-based Efti AB. Larry Charles (Seinfeld) will direct and executive produce the pilot. Other EPS are Matt Nix (Burn Notice), Ben Wexler (Community, Arrested Development) and Crystal.

“It truly is an honor to be in business with Billy Crystal and Larry Charles, two of the all-time greats in comedy,” said FX Topper John Landgraf in a statement. “We have also wanted for some time to be in business with Matt Nix, who has done such an amazing job creating and running Burn Notice.  They, along with Ben Wexler, are an unbeatable team and we’re incredibly excited about this project.”

May 22 2013 02:40 PM ET

Ricky Gervais series 'Derek' gets Netflix premiere date

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Image Credit: Jennifer Graylock/Getty Images

Ricky Gervais’ U.K. show Derek will premiere on Netflix Sept. 12, EW has confirmed.

The controversial comedy stars Gervais as Derek, a nice man who appears to have a few issues. Unsurprisingly, the show has received a fair amount of criticism in the U.K. for the portrayal; U.S. fans will now be able to judge for themselves. All seven 30-minute episodes of the first season will be available to stream at 12:01 a.m. PT on Sept 12. An upcoming second season of the show has been ordered in the U.K., which will presumably also eventually find its way to Netflix in the U.S.

“A bittersweet comedy-drama about a group of outsiders living on society’s margins, Derek centers around Derek Noakes (Gervais), a tender, innocent man whose love for his job at a retirement home shines through.  Derek cares deeply for the home’s residents, because they are kind and funny and tell him stories of what life used to be like.  Working alongside Derek is Dougie, his landlord who is one of life’s unlucky individuals; Kev, a loveable train wreck; and Hannah, a care worker in the home and Derek’s best friend. She is smart, witty and hard-working, but unlucky in love, and, like Derek, always puts other people first.”

Check out the trailer below: READ FULL STORY »

May 22 2013 12:58 PM ET

Rumer Willis to guest star on season four of 'Pretty Little Liars'

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Image Credit: Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

Just in case the intrigue of red coat’s true identity or the mystery of what’s in the trunk isn’t enough, there’s a new reason why you might want to catch season four of ABC Family’s hit show Pretty Little Liars.

Rumer Willis is coming to Rosewood! Whether or not she will stay in town is another question, but ABC Family has confirmed that Willis is (as we speak) filming a guest spot for one episode, with the possibility for additional episodes. Willis will appear as Zoe, an organizer for a charity. We’re not quite sure what Zoe’s charity is up to, but let’s hope it raises money for troubled teens with cyber-bullying problems.

Regardless, Willis’ episode is slated to air in late July.

Read more:
‘Pretty Little Liars’: Roma Maffia cast as the new cop in town — EXCLUSIVE
‘Pretty Little Liars’ spin-off ‘Ravenswood’ casts Brett Dier, Elizabeth Whitson as series regulars
‘Ravenswood’ news roundup: ‘Beauty and the Beast’ sis nabbed as series regular. Plus, an exclusive photo

May 22 2013 12:21 PM ET

'American Horror Story': Emma Roberts joins season 3's 'Coven'

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Image Credit: Charley Gallay/WireImage

Scream 4 star Emma Roberts is the latest star to sign up for the third installment of Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story—this year subtitled Coven. Roberts will play a party girl named Madison, according to TVLine, which first broke the news.

Roberts will be joining her real-life boyfriend Evan Peters on the series along with Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Patti Lupone, Taissa Farmiga, Gabourey Sidibe, Sarah Paulson, Lily Rabe, and Frances Conroy. Murphy has also worked with Emma’s aunt, Julia Roberts, previously on Eat Pray Love and will be directing her in his adaptation of The Normal Heart for HBO.

Read more:
‘American Horror Story’: Angela Bassett and Patti LuPone join season 3′s ‘Coven’
‘American Horror Story’: ‘Precious’ star Gabourey Sidibe signs on for season 3
‘American Horror Story’ and ‘The Big Bang Theory’ lead Critics Choice nominees

Follow Tim on Twitter: @EWTimStack 

May 22 2013 12:12 PM ET

Jeanne Cooper tribute on CBS: 'A magnificent woman' -- EXCLUSIVE VIDEO

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Image Credit: Howard Wise/jpistudios.com

In anticipation of CBS’ May 28 tribute to Jeanne Cooper, the longtime star of The Young and the Restless who died at 84, EW obtained this exclusive photo of Jess Walton (Jill Foster Abbott), seen above with costar Michelle Stafford (Phyllis Summers Newman), from the special. We also talked to Walton about shooting it and what she remembers about her beloved costar.

“We tell the audience what we are about to do in the special and then five different groups talk about her. What was really funny was how much we all had in common. Kristoff St. John was a little pissed off because he thought he had a special relationship with her and it turns out everybody had a special relationship with her. She had the power to make everyone feel so special. READ FULL STORY »

May 22 2013 11:56 AM ET

Lowest-rated 'DWTS' finale ever

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Image Credit: Adam Taylor/ABC

But Kellie Pickler was so popular!

In the end, though, the allure of the pixie-haired hoofer wasn’t enough: Tuesday’s two-hour finale of Dancing with the Stars only earned a 2.6 rating/7 share in adults 18-49, down 21% from last year’s spring results (3.3/9 on May 22, 2012) to become the lowest-rated finale in the franchise’s history, according to Nielsen. Since the show averaged 14.9 million viewers, ABC came in first for the night in eyeballs but second in the demo behind NBC, which was buoyed by The Voice.

Speaking of which: NBC’s singing competition, which earned a 3.1/9, was down 11 percent versus last week but it still ruled at 9 (where it averaged 9.9 million). It was preceded by a special about Oklahoma (2.0/6, 8.1 million) and followed by the Grimm finale (1.7/5, up 6% from last year, 5.2 million).

Fox came in third with a two-hour installment of So You Think You Can Dance (1.9/6, 4.5 million) while CBS trailed in fourth with a bunch of pesky NCIS repeats.

 

May 22 2013 10:27 AM ET

Tonys stay on CBS through 2018

Tags: , News

CBS closed a new deal with The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing to keep the annual Tony Awards broadcast on CBS through 2018.

The awards show, which honors theater pros for their work on Broadway, has been on CBS for the past 35 years. The 67th Annual Tonys will air live from Radio City Music Hall on June 9. Neil Patrick Harris returns as host.

“The Tony Awards give viewers across the country the opportunity to experience the excitement of Broadway theater from their very own living rooms,” said Jack Sussman, CBS’ Executive Vice President, Specials, Music and Live Events, in a statement.  “We’re pleased to renew our commitment to the performing arts and look forward to continuing this great and long-standing partnership by bringing the best of Broadway to primetime television for many years to come.”

May 22 2013 10:22 AM ET

Preview new season of 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians' -- VIDEO

And baby makes … a whole new season of antics for Keeping Up With The Kardashians, which returns for its eighth (!!!) season on June 2.

E! is obviously hoping any fresh intrigue over Kim’s life change will help launch a new series at 10 p.m. called The Wanted Life, which follows the U.K. band The Wanted as they live together in the Hollywood Hills and “take on all that LA has to offer.”

Here are sneak peeks of both shows: READ FULL STORY »

May 22 2013 09:32 AM ET

Blake Shelton and NBC planning benefit concert for Oklahoma tornado victims

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Image Credit: Trae Patton/NBC

Oklahoma native Blake Shelton opened last night’s Voice results show with an emotional ballad dedicated to the victims of Monday’s horrific tornado. He sang “Over You” with his wife, fellow country star Miranda Lambert, as the Red Cross’s phone number flashed onscreen.

And the musician isn’t stopping there. Shelton annouced last night that he’s also organizing a benefit concert for tornado victims that will air sometime soon on NBC.

Though details are sparse thus far, Shelton expects the benefit to come together quickly: “We’ll know more about it in the next 24 hours,” Shelton told Billboard Tuesday after The Voice. “I’m hoping it will raise a lot of money. Obviously it will be televised and will happen really quickly.” If this concert follows the model of NBC’s Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together benefit, it should air by this Friday. (That telethon, too, was thrown together after a natural disaster that occurred on a Monday.)

READ FULL STORY »

May 22 2013 09:00 AM ET

'American Horror Story' and 'The Big Bang Theory' lead Critics Choice nominees

The Big Bang Theory is no stranger to big ratings, but home viewers aren’t the only ones who love the CBS comedy.

The show was one of the most recognized broadcast shows today as the nominations for the 3rd annual Critics’ Choice Television Awards were announced. BBT and American Horror Story: Asylum, the most nominated cable show, both scored six nominations. (Parks and Recreation and Sundance’s Top of the Lake tied for second with five nominations.)

HBO lead the networks, scoring 21 nominations, followed by FX with 19.

This is the third year The Broadcast Television Journalists Association has held the award show. This year’s ceremony will be hosted by Parks and Recreation star Retta and held June 10 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel. (It will also, for the first time, stream online via UStream.)

The full list of nominations is below: 
READ FULL STORY »

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