Recaps
The Weekly Round-Up for June 28 to July 2
Here are the entertainment news items for this week:
NEWS
Marvel Entertainment created a new Television division, to be headed by Jeph Loeb, an iconic comic book writer with a lengthy TV resume. The new division is still in the early stages however.
Congrats to the winners of the Daytime Emmy Awards and the BET Awards that were awarded this past week.
Larry King is leaving CNN this fall after 25 years as the host of Larry King Live.
TV SERIES NEWS
Steve Carell has confirmed that he will leave the NBC comedy The Office following the conclusion of next season, the series’ seventh.
Mitch Pileggi is officially returning to Supernatural as Sam and Dean’s presumed-dead grandpa on a recurring basis throughout season 6. The show is also looking for an actor in his late-30s to mid-40s to play the recurring role of Christian, who is “capable, calm under pressure, and very good at his job.” Christian has a special relationship to Sam and Dean.
It looks like the fan efforts to support recently “fired” Criminal Minds cast member A.J. Cook paid off – at least a little bit. The network has closed a deal for Cook to appear in two episodes early in the new season to tie off her character’s storyline. Her co-worker Paget Brewster will appear in 17 out of the 22 planned episodes of the new season.
Starz has decided not to renew critical favorite Party Down after just two short seasons. And, the network announced the end of the new series Gravity.
Gail O’Grady will guest star in the August 29 episode of Drop Dead Diva, playing the mom of a 16-year-old girl who’s being sued for “cyber-bullying.” Grady will next be seen in this fall in the new CW series Hellcats.
None other than John Schneider himself will be returning to Smallville for its tenth and final season. Considering his character, Clark Kent’s father Jonathan Kent, passed away in Season 5 details are scarce as to how he will return, but the episode will be called Lazarus and Schneider is expected to appear in at least one other episode as the season continues.
Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared are coming back to television. The cable channel IFC has acquired syndication rights for both shows, from executive producer Judd Apatow. Freaks and Geeks will begin airing this Friday at 11 pm ET/PT (along with repeats on Sundays at 10 pm and Mondays at 11 pm), while Undeclared will bow in the fall. (IFC will also air a never-been-aired episode of Undeclared.)
Actress Harriet Sansom Harris (Frasier) will reprise her role as Felicia Tilman on ABC’s Desperate Housewives next season as part of the return of Mark Moses‘ character Paul to the series.
Make It Or Break It is heading to Tuesday nights. ABC Family will shift the show’s sophomore season to Tuesdays at 9:00 PM, starting July 13. There the series will serve as lead-out to its freshman hit Pretty Little Liars. The Secret Life of the American Teenager and Huge will stay put on Mondays, giving the cable channel a pair of originals on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Before the shows can start their new seasons or debut, the USA Network is already setting their season finale dates. White Collar will wrap the opening half of its sophomore season on Tuesday, September 7 at PM while Psych will do the same for its fifth season on Wednesday, September 8 at 10 PM. Both series will then return for the back half of their respective seasons – presumably seven episodes each – this winter. Meanwhile, newcomer Covert Affairs will close its freshman run on Tuesday, September 14 with a two-hour finale beginning at 9 PM. As previously reported, Thursday dramas Burn Notice and Royal Pains will close their summer cycles on August 26 before returning this winter with six new installments.
DEVELOPMENT NEWS
David Strathairn is in talks to star in the Syfy action-adventure pilot Alphas, which revolves around a team of people with extraordinary abilities. He would play the “the overseer/team leader/prescribing doctor and all around mother hen to the team: an eccentric, absent-minded professor at times, who is also a cunning and manipulative power-player willing to bend the rules in pursuit of his objectives.” Ryan Cartwright (Mad Men), meanwhile, would play a team member with Asperger’s Syndrome who is able to receive wireless transmissions.
Janeane Garofalo (24) may be joining the Criminal Minds spin-off, aptly titled Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior. The series already stars Oscar winner Forest Whitaker as the leader of an elite team of agents within the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit. Garofalo would play one of those agents.
Sam Witwer (Smallville) has signed on to play vampire Aidan in Syfy’s in-the-works U.S. remake of the U.K. supernatural dramedy Being Human. Also, Meaghan Rath (The Assistants) has inked a deal to play ghost Molly, and Sam Huntington (Superman Returns) is up for the role of werewolf Josh. Being Human revolves around three twentysomething roommates who attempt to blend in despite, you know, being a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost.
Funny lady Judy Greer has joined the CBS pilot Mad Love, replacing Lizzy Caplan. The series now stars Sarah Chalke (Scrubs), who replaced Minka Kelly (Friday Night Lights).
The rejected FOX pilot Breakout Kings has found a new home: A&E. The cable channel has picked up the highly regarded hour-long drama for 13 episodes. The series, created by Prison Break’s Matt Olmstead, revolves around a group of U.S. marshals and ex-cons that team up to apprehend escaped criminals. It stars Jason Cerbone, Domenick Lombardozzi, Laz Alonzo, Malcolm Goodwin, and Nicole Steinwedell.
Drama-heavy FX is getting serious about comedy. The cable channel has successfully wooed Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) to headline its in-the-works U.S. remake of the hit Australian sitcom Wilfred. The project revolves around a guy (Wood), a girl, and a mixed-breed dog named Wilfred. This marks Wood’s first major foray into television. Production on the Wilfred pilot will begin later this summer.
Claire Forlani and Peter Mooney have joined the upcoming medieval drama Camelot from Starz. Forlani will play Queen Igraine, the mother of Arthur (Jamie Campbell Bower), while Mooney will play Kay, Arthur’s brother. The rest of the cast includes Joseph Fiennes, Eva Green, and Tamsin Egerton. Camelot is slated to launch in early 2011.
BOX OFFICE NEWS
Jon Tenney will star as the father of Ryan Reynolds’ title character in next summer’s Green Lantern. His scenes as Hal Jordan’s dad, Martin, will take place early in the film when the future Green Lantern is just a young boy.
Carey Mulligan (An Education) is in talks to star in the family drama Stoker written by Wentworth Miller (yes, the actor from Prison Break), which follows an eccentric teenager “whose enigmatic and estranged uncle returns to the family after the death of the girl’s father”. Jodie Foster is in talks to co-star, while Ridley and Tony Scott’s Scott Free Productions in talks to produce.
Alice Eve (She’s Out of My League) will appear as Emma Frost, the “White Queen” in the prequel movie X-Men: First Class. It has also been confirmed that Michael Fassbender (Hex and 300) will play Magneto in this movie.
You can expect to see Katie Holmes and Guy Pearce in the remake of the 1973 horror movie Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, which opens on January 21st 2011. The story centers on a young girl (Bailee Madison), sent to live with her father (Pearce) and his new girlfriend (Holmes), who discover sinister creatures that live in a formerly sealed off basement fireplace.
Tyler Hoechlin (7th Heaven) and Agnes Bruckner (24 and Private Practice) have signed on for the indie film noir movie Open Gate. Hoechlin plays a rodeo clown and bull fighter in a small East Texas town, who discovers that the bulls are being used to smuggle drugs.
Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood) is attached to star in the action thriller The Elephant, which is based on Magnar Jonsgaard’s novel Black Rain. He will play a Norwegian roustabout who tangles and then bonds with a redneck American driller as they attempt to stop a building oil rig explosion in the frigid North Sea. Casting is currently under way for three American stars. Shooting will kick off either in late fall or early 2011.
Dominic Cooper (Mamma Mia) will star as Howard Stark in the Captain America: The First Avenger movie opposite Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan and Stanley Tucci. In the film, Cooper will portray the younger version of Howard Stark, the character which John Slattery portrayed in Iron Man 2.
Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) will star in the movie Rise of the Apes as the lead ape Caesar the, “chimp who leads the simian revolt.” The cast already includes James Franco, John Lithgow and Freida Pinto.
Elias Koteas has been cast in the movie Winnie, the Winnie Mandela biopic. He will play De Vries, an overzealous officer in the apartheid police state who rises in power and becomes intent on stopping Winnie and the black anti-apartheid activists from gaining power.
Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Asa Butterfield, Chloe Moretz, Jude Law, Ray Winstone, Christopher Lee, Helen McCrory, and Richard Griffiths have joined the Martin Scorsese 3D adventure film Hugo Cabret, which is based on the Brian Selznick novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret. The story follows an orphan boy living a secret life in the walls of a Paris train station. He is soon caught up in a magical, mysterious adventure that could put all of his secrets in jeopardy. The film is set to open December 9th 2011.
Angela Bassett has joined the ensemble comedy movie Jumping the Broom. The movie is set around a weekend wedding in Martha’s Vineyard and follows the class struggle between two quite different African-American families. Bassett will play a Washington heiress and the mother of Paula Patton‘s wealthy family matriarch character. Also joining them are Romeo Miller as Patton’s Yale student cousin and Laz Alonso as Patton’s love interest. Loretta Devine also stars.
Peter Sarsgaard (Knight and Day, An Education) is set to star in a biopic of bluegrass musician Bill Monroe. The story will follow the life of Bill Monroe from his childhood on a farm in Kentucky as the youngest of eight children. Similar in tone and style to Johnny Cash’s story in Walk the Line, Monroe didn’t lead the simplest of lives with both of his parents dying before he was 17 years old, but he managed to have a career spanning 60 years which got him inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Amanda Seyfried has signed on to play Cinderella in the Disney film based on the classic cartoon.
Mary McDonnell (Battlestar Galactica) and Alison Brie (Community) have joined the West Craven movie Scream 4 and they are joining recent additions Adam Brody, Marley Shelton and Erik Knudsen. Meanwhile, Lauren Graham is out of the movie.
Deborah Ann Woll (True Blood) has joined the cast of Catch .44, playing one of three female assassins alongside Malin Ackerman (Watchmen) and Nikki Reed (Twilight). Bruce Willis and Forest Whitaker also star.
Oscar winner Meryl Streep is set to play Margaret Thatcher in Thatcher, a biopic of the former British Prime Minister. The film is set in March 1982 in the days leading up to the Falklands War when her support from both the public and within the party was at its lowest. Her victory in the Falklands led to Thatcher’s re-election along with helping her push through major societal reforms. Jim Broadbent is also in talks to play her husband Denis.
Heather Graham will star in Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer, based on the popular children’s book series. She will play zany Aunt Opal, a globe-trotting, somewhat nutty personality who babysits Judy and Judy’s brother Stink for the summer. The series follows the humorous adventures of third-grader Judy Moody.
A reboot of the 1980s action hit The Fall Guy is in early development, bringing the action hero to the big screen. The Fall Guy, which was created by action maven Glen A. Larson and starred Lee Majors, aired from 1981 to 1986 on ABC. Majors played Colt Seavers, a Hollywood stuntman by day and bounty hunter by night. He often incorporated his stunts into his bounty-hunting, flying vehicles (his trademark large pickup especially) over large objects, jumping from impossibly high angles and doing other things ’80s heroes did to nab the people they were chasing.
Abigail Spencer (Mad Men) has joined the cast of the comic book adaptation movie Cowboys and Aliens that stars Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Adam Beach, Keith Carradine and Paul Dano also star.
Relative newcomer Andrew Garfield has been cast as Peter Parker (aka Spider-Man). He appeared in the movies The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus and Lions for Lambs but will be seen in the movie Never Let Me Go (alongside Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan) as well as the upcoming making-of-Facebook thriller The Social Network with Justin Timberlake and Jesse Eisenberg.
MADE FOR TV MOVIES
Lolita Davidovich and Kathleen Quinlan have joined the cast of HBO made-for-TV movie Cinema Verite, which revolves around the making of the landmark reality series An American Family.
Emily VanCamp (Brothers & Sisters) has been cast in CBS’ upcoming Hallmark Hall of Fame made-for-TV movie Let Them Shine, where she will play a novice teacher who makes a difference in the lives of several homeless students.
The Hallmark Channel movie Fairfield Road will debut on September 11 at 9 PM. The movie description is: Noah McManus (Jesse Metcalfe) is leaving his job with the Boston mayor’s office for a dream gig in Washington, D.C. But in a single day, he finds out his new boss in Washington is a corrupt Senator who can no longer employ him and that his girlfriend has been cheating on him. Devastated, Noah travels to a quaint Cape Cod town. When he falls into the middle of a heated local election and finds love with the local bookshop owner (Natalie Lisinska), he unexpectedly finds himself at home.
The Hallmark Channel movie Growing The Big One will debut on October 23 at 9 PM. The movie is about Radio DJ Emma Silver (Shannen Doherty) who is leading a chic life in Seattle when she finds her beloved grandfather has died. Traveling to Valleyville to take care of the details, Emma is stunned to learn her grandfather has left her his farm, along with a sizable amount of debt. To keep the bank from foreclosing, Emma decides to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps and enter Valleyville’s annual pumpkin growing contest with his prized seeds. She reluctantly teams up with her neighbor Seth (Kavan Smith) in hopes the prize money can save her farm and his business from going under. As Emma works to adapt to farming, grow the biggest pumpkin and win the prize money, she may actually find the greatest prize is one she can’t put a price on.
The Hallmark Channel movie Something To Be Thankful For will premiere on November 6 at 9 PM. The movie description is: Claudia (Daphne Zuniga) is an ambitious attorney striving to become partner at her law firm. But when Claudia has a run in with Gina (Faye Dunaway), a stranger who introduces herself as a Transpersonal Psychologist, Gina steps in providing Claudia an opportunity to see how the other half lives. Bumping her head, Claudia wakes up in an alternate reality as a wife and mother of two. She unexpectedly finds great joy in having a family and, after being pulled back into the real world, is far less fulfilled as a single woman living only for her career. Realizing how much she is sacrificing, she sets a new direction in life to make room for love and family.
The Hallmark Channel movie The Good Witch’s Gift will debut on November 13 at 9 PM and has Catherine Bell continuing her role as the enchanting Cassie Nightingale, the third in the series. Cassie Nightingale has settled comfortably in Middleton with a successful boutique and is now engaged to Sheriff Russell (Chris Potter). But with only two short weeks till Christmas, the Sheriff is desperate to find the perfect gift. With no wedding date set, the Sheriff wants to give Cassie a family for Christmas this year and suggests they get married on Christmas Eve. But, as usual, things don’t always happen as planned and Cassie must use a bit of magic to give her new family that special Christmas.
The Hallmark Channel movie The Night Before The Night Before Christmas will premiere on November 20 at 9 PM and features Jennifer Beals as Angela Fox Rick Roberts as her husband, who are both too busy with their jobs to pay attention to the Christmas season, let alone their two kids, Hannah and Toby. The night before Christmas Eve, they are startled when Santa Claus crash-lands onto their roof, dropping his sleigh and reindeer in the backyard. Santa hits his head in the fall and can’t remember anything about Christmas, including himself. With Santa’s journey around the world in jeopardy of being cancelled, Toby, who still believes in the magic of Christmas, begs this family to get in the holiday spirit to help jog Santa’s memory. As the fate of the holiday rests in their hands, the Foxes must work together to get Santa, and their family, back on track.
The Hallmark Channel movie Debbie Macomber’s Mrs. Miracle 2 will debut on November 27 at 9 PM and is based on the book by acclaimed author Debbie Macomber. Doris Roberts reprises her role this Christmas as the enchanting Mrs. Miracle. When a group of troubled New Yorkers are each down on their luck, it is Mrs. Miracle (Doris Roberts) who arrives in town to single-handedly restore the true meaning of the holiday season.
CASTING SCOOP
Shawn Spencer (played by James Roday) on Psych will meet his match – and then some – when Nestor Carbonell (Lost) joins the series for a multi-episode arc. Carbonell has been cast in the role of Declan Rand, a criminal profiler who over the course of two episodes will shape up to be Shawn’s professional – as well as romantic – rival. So savvy is Declan at what he does that Gus (Dule Hill) will dub him “Shawn 2.0.” Psych premieres on July 14.
Broadway star Cheyenne Jackson will in at least one episode (if not more) of Curb Your Enthusiasm. No details seem available as yet on what part he will be playing.
Looks like when The Vampire Diaries returns in the fall, viewers will be introduced to the “much younger and cooler brother of recently deceased Mayor Lockwood (Robert Pralgo) who has “been estranged from the family.” The brother will introduce a lot of questions about what is so special about that creepy Lockwood family.
David Anders (Vampire Diaries, Heroes and 24) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Warehouse 13. He will play Jonah Raitt, “a suspected serial killer with a dangerous object who escaped Warehouse capture back in the 1960’s, whom Pete (Eddie McClintock) and Myka (Joanne Kelly) set out to hunt down and recapture once and for all. Warehouse 13 returns for its second season on July 6, at 9PM.
Katie Cassidy (Melrose Place) will have a multi-episode arc on Gossip Girl, playing a student at Columbia and a love interest for fellow undergrad Nate (Chace Crawford). She will appear in the season four premiere.
Former soap star Blair Redford (Passions) will have a major recurring role in the CW series 90210 when it returns this fall. He will play Oscar, a handsome, charismatic, and charming Brit that a show insider describes as “one part Talented Mr. Ripley, one part young Johnny Depp, and all parts sexy.” But don’t be fooled. Oscar, who moves in with Ivy and her mom, is trouble with a capital “T” that rhymes with “P” that stands for pot stirrer. 90210‘s third season premieres on September 13.
Amy Madigan will step into the role of Olivia’s mother on the new season of Fringe, beginning with the Season 3 premiere. The character, who may only appear “over there,” is described as a devoted mother with surprising ties to the Bishop family.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
The following shows, movies and specials will air this weekend as well as next week:
There will be a marathon of episodes of The Greatest American Hero on Syfy throughout the day on Sunday, July 4. Check your local listings for airtimes.
A marathon of NCIS episodes will air on the USA Network on Sunday, July 4. Check your local listings for airtimes.
Warehouse 13 is back with all new episodes for its second season on Syfy on Tuesday, July 6 at 9 PM.
There will be a marathon of episodes of Burn Notice on the USA Network on Thursday, July 8. Check your local listings for airtimes.
Eureka will be back for an all new season followed by the debut of the new series Haven, both on Syfy, on Friday, July 9 at 9 and 10 PM respectively.
Here are the new episodes of the dramas that will be airing this coming week:
Saturday, July 3
The Forgotten on ABC at 9 and 10 PM (burn off of remaining two episodes)
Three Rivers on CBS at 8 PM
Sunday, July 4
Happy Fourth of July
Leverage on TNT at 9 PM and 10 PM
Scoundrels on ABC at 9 PM
The Gates on ABC at 10 M
Unnatural History on Cartoon Network at 8 and 9 PM
True Blood on HBO at 9 and 10 PM
Drop Dead Diva on Lifetime at 9 PM
Army Wives on Lifetime at 10 PM
NOTE: All the above shows will be reairs of previous episodes due to the holiday.
Monday, July 5
The Good Guys on FOX at 9 PM
Persons Unknown on NBC at 8 PM (last Monday airing until move to Saturdays on July 17)
The Secret Life of the American Teenager on ABC Family Channel at 8 PM
Huge on ABC Family Channel at 9 PM
Make It or Break It on ABC Family Channel at 10 PM (series to move to Tuesdays at 9 PM on July 13)
True Blood on HBO at 8 PM (Reair)
Tuesday, July 6
HawthoRNe on TNT at 9 PM
Memphis Beat on TNT at 10 PM
Pretty Little Liars on ABC Family Channel at 8 PM
Law & Order: Criminal Intent on USA at 9 and 10 PM (Finale)
Rescue Me on FX at 10 PM
Wednesday, July 7
True Blood on HBO at 8 PM (Reair)
Thursday, July 8
Rookie Blue on ABC at 9 PM
Friday, July 9
Flashpoint on CBS at 9 and 10 PM
Friday Night Lights on NBC at 8 PM
NOTE: Please check your local listings for the correct air dates and times for all of the above.
Have a great weekend!
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