Recaps
Weekly Round-Up (Nov. 30 to Dec. 4)
Here are the entertainment news items for this week (November 30 to December 4):
NEWS
The new FX series Lawman, starring Timothy Olyphant has been changed to Justified and is still expected to air sometime this spring.
TNT has cancelled the Steven Bochco drama Raising the Bar; however, the remaining three episodes will still air, but air dates have yet to be determined.
CBS has pulled Three Rivers from its schedule effective immediately with Cold Case being moved to 9 PM and a revolving door of drama repeats to air at 10 PM. This effective means the show has been cancelled.
Ugly Betty is moving to Wednesdays at 10 PM on ABC, replacing the recently canceled Eastwick.
A second Richard Castle novel is being planned, as the first novel “Heat Wave” did well enough in sales.
Sons of Anarchy has been renewed for a third season by FX. It is expected to air in September 2010.
Country music group Rascal Flatts will appear in an upcoming episode of CSI set to air next year, playing themselves.
V will return to ABC with episodes on Tuesday, March 30 at 10 PM, following new episodes of Lost while FlashForward will return with new episodes on March 4 at 8 PM.
NEW DEVELOPMENT SLATE
NBC is developing legal drama Tommy Supreme, based on the life of Tom Goldstein, a lawyer who has argued 21 cases before the Supreme Court and is described as an “inverse House” with a likable guy in the most unlikable profession.
BOX OFFICE NEWS
Thomas Dekker (Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles), Lynn Collins (Wolverine), Jeremy Piven (Entourage) and Kate Walsh (Private Practice) have joined the cast of the indie drama Waska, which is based on a novel by Leslie Schwartz and follows a young father (Dekker) whose 3-year-old son freezes to death during a fishing trip.
Christopher Eccleston (Doctor Who) has signed on to play John Lennon in the biopic Naked Lennon that is set between 1967 and 1971, dealing with the end of Lennon’s first marriage to Cynthia, Yoko Ono entering his life, the death of manager Brian Epstein and the band’s own messy and acrimonious disintegration. Naoko Mori (Torchwood) is set to play Yoko, Claudine Blakely (Pride and Prejudice) as his first wife, Andrew Scott (John Adams) as Paul McCartney, and Rory Kinnear (Quantum of Solace) as Brian Epstein.
Sir Ben Kingsley will play Shah Jahan, the man who built the Taj Mahal back in the 1600s in the movie Taj, which is to co-star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as Jahan’s “favored wife” and the woman whose death in childbirth inspired the construction of the Taj Mahal between 1632 and 1654. Kingsley’s wife, Brazilian actor Daniela Lavender, will also play Persian princess Kandahari Begum, Jahan’s first wife.
Tom Cavanagh (Ed) has signed on to play Ranger Smith in the live-action/CG animated Yogi Bear alongside Anna Faris and Dan Aykroyd and Justin Timberlake who voice the titular character and his sidekick Boo-Boo.
Summit Entertainment has picked up film rights to Top Cow comic Alibi and plans to turn it into a feature. The story centers on a well-known socialite whose public presence establishes a perfect alibi for the covert activity of his secret twin brother, a government assassin.
The movie Love Don’t Let Me Down will star Gwyneth Paltrow as a fallen country singer who embarks on resurrecting her career with rising a singer-songwriter Garrett Hedlund (Friday Night Lights). Tim McGraw will play Paltrow’s husband and Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl) is a beauty queen-turned singer.
Harold Perrineau (Lost) has joined the cast of The Hungry Rabbit Jumps, which centers on a high school chemistry teacher (Nicolas Cage) whose wife (January Jones) is the victim of a brutal crime which leads him to align himself with an underground vigilante organization. Perrineau will play Cage’s friend and boss, an ex-cop turned high school principal whose loyalties are tested. Guy Pearce also stars.
Dennis Farina (Law & Order) will be leading the indie The Last Rites of Joe May, which also stars Gary Cole (Office Space), Chelcie Ross (Mad Men) and Jamie Allman (The Shield), which tells the story of a short money hustler who always believed that greatness was waiting for him just around the corner. After years of neglecting friends, family, and his own health, Joe befriends Jenny, a troubled young woman and her six-year-old daughter in a last ditch effort to redeem his wasted life.
Chris Pine will play Jack Ryan in a new film that will not be based on one of Tom Clancy’s novels, but will be based on a screenplay by Adam Koxac. Specific details are not currently available, though.
MADE FOR TV MOVIE NEWS
Kimberly Williams-Paisley will star in the Lifetime Movie Network movie Amish Grace based on a true story about the aftermath that followed the schoolhouse shooting in the Amish community of Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania. Matt Letscher (Eli Stone) and Tammy Blanchard (Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows) co-star. The movie will premiere in spring 2010.
Catherine Bell and Chris Potter will reprise their roles in the new Hallmark Channel movie The Good Witch’s Wedding that is expected to premiere in 2010. Jake Russell (Potter) is looking for the perfect Christmas gift for his fiancée, Cassie Nightingale (Bell), and decides, with just six days left, to give her the perfect gift — a wedding on Christmas Eve but neither are prepared for all the obstacles that get in the way.
AS HEARD ON/MUSIC NEWS
The cast of Glee performed two different songs called “Smile” (one by Lily Allen and Charlie Chaplin song) and “Jump” by Van Halen in this past week’s episode.
The songs featured on this past week’s episode of Eastwick were “The Devil Is A Busy Man” by Sunnyland Slim and “Your Love Is Dangerous” by Eric Schuurman.
The songs “Hare Krisna” by Thievery Corporation, “Whooping Crane” by Lyle Lovett and “I Have Loved You Wrong” by The Swell Season were featured on this past weekend’s episode of Brothers & Sisters.
The songs that played during this past week’s episode of the double feature of Private Practice included “Marie Floating Over the Backyard” by Eels, “Cataracts” by Andrew Bird, “The Sound Asleep” by Sometymes Why and “Hold Onto Hope Love” by Amy Stroup.
“Two Butterflies” by Pang Long played during this week’s episode of The Forgotten.
Albums to be released on December 8 include Glee‘s second soundtrack, “Smoke and Mirrors” by Lifehouse and “Songs in the Key of Love and Hate” by Puddle of Mudd.
CASTING SCOOP
Hal Ozsan (Kyle XY) will have a recurring role in upcoming episodes of 90210.
Aunjanue Ellis (The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3) has been cast in The Mentalist in a major recurring role as the new head of the California Bureau of Investigation who is installed following the resignation of the unit’s former chief, Virgil Minelli, played by Gregory Itzin. Her first episode will air in April.
Lucas Black (The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift) and Cary Elwes (Princess Bride) have been cast in the Epix pilot Tough Trade. Black will play an exceptional guitarist and singer who could have followed in his family’s musical legacy in Nashville but instead sells illegal ammunition. Elwes will play his father.
Garrett Dillahunt (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) has been cast in the comedy pilot Keep Hope Alive, where he will play the dysfunctional father of Lucas Neff’s Jimmy, a man who has to raise his infant daughter–the product of a one-night stand–after the baby’s mother winds up on death row.
Ryan Devlin (Veronica Mars) has been cast in Cougar Town, where he will recur as Smith, a love interest for Laurie (Busy Philipps).
Callum Keith Rennie (Battlestar Galactica), Molly Parker (The Road) and Camille Sullivan (Da Vinci’s Inquest) have been cast in drama series Shattered, a Canadian series that is being shopped around to international broadcasters. The show will revolve around a homicide detective (Rennie) with multiple personality disorder.
Kelly Hu has been cast in the possibly recurring role of Pearl on The Vampire Diaries. She will be seen in flashbacks and plays the apothecary for the town of Mystic Falls.
Season three of True Blood is expected to feature werewolves, more information on Sam’s family and a look at Bill’s first wife. Grant Bowler (Ugly Betty) will play werewolf Coot. Marshall Allman (Prison Break) will play the shapeshifting younger brother of Sam. Shannon Lucio (The O.C.) has been cast as Bill’s wife, Caroline, to whom he never returned after becoming a vamp during the Civil War. Theo Alexander (Chuck) will play Talbot, the vampire boyfriend of the Vampire King of Mississippi, Russell Edgington (Denis O’Hare).
Sendhil Ramamurthy (Heroes) and Jane Curtin (3rd Rock from the Sun) have been cast opposite David Tennant in NBC legal dramedy pilot Rex Is Not Your Lawyer. Ramamurthy will play an ambitious but good-natured lawyer who was in Rex’s shadow until Rex’s career switch and whose friendship with Rex becomes complicated when he falls in love with his pal’s fiancée (Abigail Spencer). Curtin will play the mother/mentor of Rex (Tennant), a highly successful lawyer who falls for Rex’s therapist (Jeffrey Tambor).
Beau Bridges will appear in the December 14 episode of The Closer as a former partner of Provenza and Mary McDonnell will return to the series as well on December 21, reprising her role as Brenda Leigh’s IAD nemesis Capt. Sharon Raydor.
Cast members from The Shield – David Marciano, Catherine Dent, Benito Martinez, Cathy Cahlin Ryan, David Rees Snell and Kenny Johnson – are all signed on for a spring episode of Lie To Me. An airdate has not been announced yet.
Danica McKellar (Wonder Years) will guest star in the January 11 of The Big Bang Theory, playing a grad student at Cal Tech named Abby.
Abraham Benrubi (Men In Trees), Celia Weston and DJ Qualls have been cast opposite Jason Lee in the TNT drama pilot Delta Blues. Weston will play the mother of Lee’s cop/Elvis impersonator Dwight; Qualls will play Dwight’s protégé on the Memphis police force; Benrubi will play Sgt. J.C. Lightfoot.
Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm) will appear on Brothers & Sisters, as Kitty’s best friend who will help her through the next phase of her life
Laura Harring (The Shield) is to guest star on Gossip Girl supposedly playing Chuck’s mother, but that has not been confirmed.
Rosanna Arquette will guest-star on Private Practice, playing the bohemian mother of Dink (Stephen Lunsford), who happens to be Maya Bennett’s new boyfriend. The one episode is to air in early February.
Jaime Pressly (My Name Is Earl) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Rules of Engagement, playing a possible surrogate mother for Jeff and Audrey (Patrick Warburton and Megyn Price).
RUMOR PATROL
Johnny Depp may star as Mexican revolutionary hero Pancho Villa in the Spanish-language biopic Seven Friends of Pancho Villa and the Woman with Six Fingers based on the James Carlos Blake‘s biographical novel that follows the early 20th-century bandit who became a guerilla fighter and a hero to the poor and later an iconic historical figure. Salma Hayek may co-star.
Director Terry Gilliam may be getting Robert Duvall to star in the movie The Man Who Killed Don Quixote.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
One new series will debut this coming week. Here is the information:
Men of A Certain Age debuts on December 7 at 10 PM on TNT – This new hour-long program stars Ray Romano, Scott Bakula and Andre Braugher as three best friends in their forties dealing with the realities of middle age. Co-stars include Lisa Gay Hamilton (The Practice), Carla Gallo (Bones and Californication) and Brian J. White (Moonlight).
The following movies and specials will air this coming weekend and next week:
The Hallmark Channel movie Debbie Macomber’s Mrs. Miracle will air on Saturday, December 5 at 8 PM and is about a widower who hires a nanny to reign in his rambunctious twins. She has a profound effect on the boys, who dub her Mrs. Miracle. James Van Der Beek and Doris Roberts star.
NOTE: This movie will reair on December 6 at 8 PM.
The movie 12 Men of Christmas will air on Lifetime at 8 PM on Saturday, December 5. The movie is about A PR exec (Kristin Chenoweth) who moves to Montana after losing her job in New York and raises money for the local rescue squad. But her racy fund-raising ideas spark controversy. The movie co-stars Josh Hopkins.
NOTE: This movie will reair on December 6 and December 8 at 9 PM.
The Syfy mini-series Alice will air on Sunday, December 6 and Monday, December 7 at 9 PM (both nights). This is a reimagined version of Lewis Carroll’s classic story starring Caterina Scorsone in the title role along with Kathy Bates as the Queen of Hearts and Andrew-Lee Potts as the Mad Hatter.
NOTE: This movie will reair on December 8 (check your local listings for the correct time).
On Monday, December 7, Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special will air for two hours on FOX at 8 PM, featuring guest stars such as Christina Applegate, Kristin Chenoweth, David Cook, Brad Paisley and Dolly Parton.
The Barbara Walters Special “Fascinating People of 2009” will air on ABC at 10:01 PM on Wednesday, December 9, featuring spotlights on Lady Gaga, Tyler Perry, Sarah Palin and Adam Lambert (among others).
The 2009 Hollywood Christmas Parade will be aired on Thursday, December 10 on My Network TV at 8 PM with Susan Lucci serving as grand marshal of the 78th annual event.
NEW EPISODES OF EXISTING SHOWS
Here is a list of new episodes for the returning and new fall shows:
Saturday, December 5:
Robin Hood at BBC America at 9 p.m. – SERIES FINALE
NOTE: Check your local listings for channel, date and time for next new episode of The Legend of the Seeker.
Sunday, December 6:
Desperate Housewives on ABC at 9 p.m.
Brothers & Sisters on ABC at 10 p.m.
Dexter on Showtime at 9 p.m.
Cold Case on CBS at 9 p.m.
NOTE: Check your local listings for channel, date and time for next new episode of The Legend of the Seeker.
Monday, December 7:
One Tree Hill on the CW at 8 p.m.
Gossip Girl on the CW at 9 p.m.
Castle on ABC at 10 p.m.
CSI: Miami on CBS at 10 p.m.
The Closer on TNT at 9 p.m.
Tuesday, December 8:
90210 on the CW at 8 p.m.
Melrose Place on the CW at 9 p.m.
Wednesday, December 9:
Mercy on NBC at 8 p.m.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on NBC at 9 p.m.
Criminal Minds on CBS at 9 p.m.
CSI: NY on CBS at 10 p.m.
Nip/Tuck on FX at 10 p.m.
Friday Night Lights on DirecTV only at 9 p.m.
Glee on FOX at 9 p.m. – Fall Finale
Thursday, December 10:
CSI on CBS at 9 p.m.
The Mentalist on CBS at 10 p.m.
Bones on FOX at 8 p.m.
Fringe on FOX at 9 p.m.
Friday, December 11:
Ugly Betty on ABC at 8 p.m.
Dollhouse will air two back-to-back episodes on FOX at 8 and 9 p.m.
Sanctuary on Syfy at 10 p.m.
Law & Order on NBC at 8 p.m.
Crash on Starz at 10 p.m.
NOTE: Please check your local listings for the correct air dates and times for all of the above.
Have a great weekend!
Please note that I will feature a weekly round-up of sci-fi based (and similar genres) news items at our sister site located at http://scifitvzone.com/. Please visit there as often as you can. Thanks!
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