In A Lather

Hey Railbirds HBO's Luck Premieres Sunday January 29, 2012

2012-01-25T20:03:00.033-05:00

1~13~2012 HBO Press Release

NEW HBO DRAMA SERIES "LUCK," A DAVID MILCH/MICHAEL MANN COLLABORATION STARRING DUSTIN HOFFMAN AND NICK NOLTE, DEBUTS SUNDAY, JAN. 29

From acclaimed director Michael Mann and "Deadwood" creator David Milch, the nine-episode season of LUCK, starring Oscar(R) winner Dustin Hoffman and Oscar(R) nominee Nick Nolte, debuts SUNDAY, JAN. 29 (9:00-10:00 pm ET/PT), with other episodes debuting on subsequent Sundays at the same time.

LUCK is a behind-the-track look at the world of horse racing and gambling's denizens - owners, trainers, jockeys and gamblers. Michael Mann assembled a brilliant cast led by Hoffman and Nolte when he directed the pilot, written by series creator David Milch. In making the episodes as executive producers, they work collaboratively together, with Milch masterfully overseeing the writing for the series and Mann supervising every aspect of the filmmaking. LUCK was filmed at Santa Anita Park and other Los Angeles locations.

As the series opens, Chester "Ace" Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) is released from three years in federal prison. He's met by his driver and bodyguard, Gus Demitriou (Dennis Farina), who fronts as the owner of the $2 million Irish Horse that Ace just bought. A brilliant but disreputable trainer, the Peruvian Turo Escalante (John Ortiz), introduces us to their prized Irish thoroughbred, who is being examined by his girlfriend, track veterinarian Jo (Jill Hennessy).

Meanwhile, veteran trainer-turned-owner Walter Smith (Nick Nolte) contains his optimism pinned on his promising "Big Horse" because he's wary. Of what, we're unsure, but we learn there's a dark history and a shadow of scandal behind the horse.

Four degenerate gamblers, Marcus (Kevin Dunn), Renzo (Ritchie Coster), Jerry (Jason Gedrick), and Lonnie (Ian Hart), meanwhile, are pooling their meager resources to bet Jerry's hunch on the day's long shot, a high-stakes Pick Six winners contest.

LUCK also stars Richard Kind as jockey agent Joey Rathburn; Tom Payne as a beginner jockey Leon, a.k.a. "Bug Boy"; Kerry Condon as Rosie, an exercise girl with jockey ambitions; and real-life racing Hall of Famer Gary Stevens as Ronnie Jenkins, a talented but boozy veteran jockey.

Continuing guest stars on the series include Patrick J. Adams, Joan Allen, W. Earl Brown, Bruce Davison, Spencer Garrett, Barry Shabaka Henley, Ted Levine, Jurgen Prochnow, Alan Rosenberg, Mercedes Ruehl, Chantal Sutherland and Sir Michael Gambon.

January's episode:

Episode #1: "Pilot"

Debut: SUNDAY, JAN. 29 (9:00-10:00 pm ET/PT)

Other HBO playdates: Jan. 29 (10:00 p.m., 11:00 p.m.), 30 (9:00 p.m.) and 31 (11:00 p.m.), and Feb. 1 (10:00 p.m.), 4 (12:45 a.m. ET/9:45 p.m. PT), 7 (10:00 p.m.), 8 (9:00 p.m.) and 11 (10:00 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: Jan. 30 (8:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m.) and Feb. 2 (midnight), 3 (9:00 p.m.), 5 (2:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m.) and 16 (8:00 p.m.)

Released from prison after three years, "Ace" Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) plots revenge against the colleagues who betrayed him. With his trusted aide/chauffeur Gus Demitriou (Dennis Farina) acting as a front for his race horse investment, Ace seeks to reverse the sagging fortunes of a famous racetrack. Meanwhile, four dissolute gamblers at the race track - Jerry (Jason Gedrick), Marcus (Kevin Dunn), Renzo (Ritchie Coster) and Lonnie (Ian Hart) - pool their meager resources to make a Pick Six bet that could be worth millions. A key to their fortunes is a long-shot horse trained by Turo Escalante (John Ortiz), a self-made success story with loads of talent and few scruples, who's also training Gus/Ace's colt. Walter Smith (Nick Nolte), another more grizzled trainer, sees classic potential in an untested thoroughbred with impressive bloodlines.

Written by David Milch; directed by Michael Mann.

Episode two is directed by Terry George and written by John R. Perrotta; episode three is directed by Allen Coulter and written by Bill Barich; episode four is directed by Phillip Noyce and written by Jay Hovdey; episode five is directed by Brian Kirk and written by Scott Willson; episode six is directed by Henry Bronchtein and written by Robin Shushan; episode seven is directed by Brian Kirk and written by Amanda Ferguson; episode eight is directed by Allen Coulter and written by John R. Perrotta & Jay Hovdey; and episode nine is directed by Mimi Leder and written by Eric Roth.

The executive producers of LUCK are David Milch, Michael Mann and Carolyn Strauss; co-executive producers are Henry Bronchtein and Eric Roth; Dustin Hoffman serves as producer.

Castle Fans ABC's Club Castle Wants To Reward You For Your Loyalty

2012-01-25T20:00:00.002-05:00

ABC Entertainment and Fanscape want to help Castle fans tell the world of their devotion and reward them for their loyalty.

This news from Fanscape Inc Social Media Marketing Senior Manager, Bianca Chan:

"Now when you watch videos online, view galleries, answer trivia and more, you’ll be handsomely rewarded with exclusive content, points, badges and other attractive prizing! You’ll also have the opportunity to prove that you’re the biggest fan of the show by checking the leaderboard."

Are you the biggest fan of Castle? Then don't be shy and don't wait to brag and get your Castle swag by joining Club Castle today. It's fun and it's free.

About the Show:

When viewers first met Richard Castle -- a famous mystery novelist and divorced father raising his teenage daughter, while being kept grounded by his Broadway diva mother -- he was creatively blocked. But when the NYPD questioned him in connection with a series of murders staged to imitate crime scenes from his books, Castle found inspiration in NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, a bright and aggressive homicide detective with a fascination for odd and offbeat cases stemming from the years-old unsolved murder of her own mother.

Though they instantly clashed, sparks of another sort began to fly, leading both to danger and a hint of romance as Castle stepped in to help find the copycat killer. Once that initial case was solved, Castle and Beckett continued to investigate strange homicides in New York, combining Castle's writer intuition and Beckett's creative detective work.
Over the past three seasons, Castle and Beckett's relationship has grown even stronger as they've dodged bullets, captured killers, and solved countless murder cases with their unorthodox partnership. But in the explosive Season 3 finale this past May, NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, who we learned had a connection to the unsolved murder of Beckett's mother, was shot and killed by a man tied to that years-old crime. As the episode came to a close, Beckett, who was speaking about her Captain at his funeral, took a bullet from a sniper's rifle and was last seen on the ground with life fading out of her...

Castle is produced by ABC Studios. Andrew Marlowe is the show's creator/executive producer, along with executive producers Rob Bowman, David Amann, Laurie Zaks and Armyan Bernstein.

Stars Michael Douglas, Matt Damon And Director Steven Soderbergh To Begin Shooting Liberace Biopic "Behind The Candelabra" Summer 2012 For HBO

2012-01-24T19:54:00.046-05:00

Good things come in small packages and to those who wait. After being in development for a little over two years, and originally scheduled for release as a feature film, Liberace biopic, Behind The Candelabra, begins shooting for HBO in Summer 2012. Based on the book by Liberace paramour Scott Thorson , the movie will be directed by Steven Soderbergh and star Michael Douglas as Liberace and Matt Damon as Thorson.

HBO Press Release [10~11~2011]

"Academy Award winner Steven Soderbergh ("Contagion," "Traffic," "Ocean's Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen") and Emmy Award-winning producer Jerry Weintraub ("Ocean's Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen," "The Karate Kid" series, HBO's Emmy-nominated "His Way") will bring the film BEHIND THE CANDELABRA, starring Academy Award winners Michael Douglas ("Wall Street," "Traffic," "Solitary Man") and Matt Damon ("Contagion," "Ocean's Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen," "Invictus") to HBO Films, it was announced today by Len Amato, president, HBO Films."

"Executive produced by Weintraub and produced by Gregory Jacobs ("Contagion," "The Informant!") and Susan Ekins ("Ocean's Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen," "The Karate Kid" series), BEHIND THE CANDELABRA takes a behind-the-scenes look at the tempestuous relationship between legendary entertainer Liberace and Scott Thorson, his younger live-in lover. Directed by Soderbergh from a script by Oscar nominee Richard LaGravenese ("Water for Elephants," "The Fisher King"), the film stars Douglas as Liberace and Damon as Thorson."

"This is a story that's going to surprise a lot of people," said Amato. "It's funny, heartbreaking and always fascinating, and we are delighted that Jerry and Steven brought the film to HBO. With Steven at the helm, directing such accomplished actors as Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, this is a dream project for us."

"Says Weintraub, "I've wanted to make a film about Liberace for a very long time, and after the amazing experience I had with HBO on 'His Way,' I knew that they were absolutely the right place for this movie. I am thrilled that we have the incomparable Michael Douglas to inhabit the role of Liberace, as well as the exceptional Matt Damon to play the pivotal part of Scott Thorson."

"I am thrilled that we have the incomparable Michael Douglas to inhabit the role of Liberace, as well as the exceptional Matt Damon to play the pivotal part of Scott Thorson. Putting these two fine actors in the creative hands of Steven Soderbergh - it doesn't get better than that!"

"From the inception of this project, we've had two priorities: getting it right creatively, and getting as many people as possible to see it," says Soderbergh. "HBO's fearless approach to original programming and their unparalleled ability to pull in viewers make them the perfect fit for us. Apart from my hair growing back, I couldn't be happier."

"Richard Plepler and I developed an enormous respect and affection for Jerry when we worked with him on his HBO documentary, and we hoped that it would be the beginning of a long and productive relationship," says Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming. "We are extremely excited that he is returning to HBO with this riveting film and sensational array of talent."

"BEHIND THE CANDELABRA will start production in summer 2012, with locations in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Palm Springs. Tara Grace, vice president, development and production, HBO Films, will serve as production executive on the project."

Kiefer Sutherland Returns To Series Television In New FOX Drama,Touch

2012-01-23T14:19:00.046-05:00

FOX Primetime Press Release:
"FOX is announcing 2011-2012 midseason premiere dates for new and returning series"

"J.J. Abrams’ (“Super 8,” “Star Trek,” “Lost”) chilling new thriller ALCATRAZ will debut Monday, Jan. 16 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) with a special two-hour premiere event. The series then makes its time period premiere on Monday, Jan. 23 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), following all-new episodes of HOUSE (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). The mysterious drama stars Sarah Jones (“Sons of Anarchy”), Jorge Garcia (“Lost”) and Sam Neill (“Jurassic Park”) as a unique team investigating the shocking reappearance of Alcatraz’s most notorious prisoners, 50 years after they vanished."

"Beginning March 6, the Tuesday laughs keep coming with a new block of four half-hour comedies led by encores of NEW GIRL (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT), followed by the Season Two return of BREAKING IN (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT), the workplace comedy starring Christian Slater, Bret Harrison and new series regular Megan Mullally (“Will & Grace”). The Tuesday night of comedy continues with all-new episodes of NEW GIRL (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT), followed by the all-new misadventures of the Chance family on RAISING HOPE (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT)."

Kiefer Sutherland returns to FOX as Martin Bohm, a widower and single dad, for a new series titled Touch. Mr. Sutherland recently interviewed by the FOX network expressed how he feels about returning to series television. "I simply couldn't pass the opportunity to do the show..." "For me, Touch is about a father's effort to communicate with his son..." "I'm very excited to be doing a TV show again; getting back to the routine, and developing a new character..."

"TOUCH, the distinctive new drama created by Tim Kring (“Heroes”) and starring Kiefer Sutherland (“24”) will debut with a special preview Wednesday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), immediately following AMERICAN IDOL (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). The uplifting drama, which makes its series premiere Monday, March 19 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), features Sutherland as a widower and single father haunted by an inability to connect to his mute 11-year-old son. But everything changes when he discovers that his son possesses the gift of staggering genius – the ability to see things that no one else can and the patterns that connect seemingly unrelated events."

[FOX PRESS RELEASE EDITOR’S NOTE 1: I HATE MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER will return with all-new episodes following AMERICAN IDOL in the spring.]

[FOX PRESS RELEASE EDITOR’S NOTE 2: After its winter finale, GLEE will return with all-new episodes in the spring.]

[FOX PRESS RELEASE EDITOR’S NOTE 3: BONES will return to the schedule with all-new episodes in the spring.]

TNT Original Productions' New Pilot, Based On The Book, L .A. Noir, Brings The Grit And The Glamour Of '40's And '50's Los Angeles

2012-01-21T14:14:00.040-05:00

Press Release Date: 1/9/2012
TNT Orders Pilot for New Drama Series L.A. Noir, From Executive Producers Frank Darabont, Michael De Luca and Elliot Webb

TNT has ordered a pilot for L.A. Noir, a new drama series from executive producers Frank Darabont (The Walking Dead, The Shawshank Redemption), Michael De Luca (The Social Network, Moneyball) and Elliot Webb (Tall Time Tales). The project from TNT Original Productions is based on John Buntin’s critically acclaimed book

L.A. Noir: The Struggle for the Soul of America’s Most Seductive City

which chronicles the epic battle between Los Angeles Police Chief William Parker and mobster Mickey Cohen. Alissa Phillips (Moneyball) of Michael De Luca Productions serves as co-executive producer. Darabont is set to write and direct the pilot.

“The story of L.A. Noir is inspired by an incredibly dramatic period in the history of Los Angeles," said Michael Wright, executive vice president, head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). "This project is a sweeping tale of the battle for the soul of the city that was waged between the forces of the LAPD and the West Coast mob. We’re thrilled to be working with Frank Darabont and Michael De Luca, two award-winning storytellers behind some of the most entertaining films of the past two decades, as they to bring this intense and exciting crime-drama to TNT.”

“Noir is a passion of mine, so I feel blessed to delve into a project that speaks in the hardboiled vernacular,” said Darabont. “John Buntin’s superb book, though non-fiction, is our touchstone and inspiration for the stories we’ll be telling, weaving fiction throughout the facts and facts throughout the fiction. The book provides elements that are irresistible, a big canvas with endless possibilities. The goal is to deliver on the tone that the title L.A. Noir promises: a smart, gritty, authentic, period noir drama. Also a blessing is the warm welcome we’ve gotten from Michael Wright and TNT, a great bunch of folks with huge enthusiasm for the source material. The best bonus of all is getting to work with my friend Mike De Luca. He’s terrific, a tremendously smart and talented producer, a gem. Partnering with him on this marvelous project after knowing him for so many years is an absolute treat for me.”

“It has been a personal dream of mine to work with Frank Darabont since he was kind of enough to become my friend when we met in the late 1980s," said De Luca. "He’s been an inspiration to me ever since. There is no one working at his level today who puts more integrity and humanity into their efforts to create lasting and original entertainment. This rich source material is a perfect fit for his talents, and we’re grateful to Michael Wright and TNT for this amazing opportunity.”

L.A. Noir is the true story of a decades-long conflict between the Los Angeles Police Department, under the determined leadership of Police Chief William Parker, and ruthless criminal elements led by Mickey Cohen, a one-time boxer who rose to the top of L.A.’s criminal world. The series is a fast-paced crime drama set in Los Angeles during the 1940s and '50s. It's a world of glamorous movie stars, powerful studio heads, returning war heroes, a powerful and corrupt police force and an even more dangerous criminal network determined to make L.A. its West Coast base.

Darabont’s extraordinary career includes three Oscar nominations – one for writing the sleeper hit The Shawshank Redemption and two for writing and producing The Green Mile. Darabont also has the distinction of being one of only six directors in the history of the Oscars to have his first two movies each receive Best Picture nominations. He recently earned his third Directors Guild of America Award nomination for directing the pilot of the series The Walking Dead, for which he also served as executive producer.

De Luca’s extensive big-screen credits as executive producer include such high-profile films as Boogie Nights, Wag the Dog, Dark City, Pleasantville, American History X, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Magnolia and Hedwig and the Angry Inch. As a producer, he earned an Oscar nomination for The Social Network and produced the acclaimed 2011 film Moneyball.

L.A. Noir is the latest project to join TNT's rapidly expanding development slate.

Untouchable The Drew Peterson Story On Lifetime

2012-01-17T20:11:00.041-05:00

From Lifetime: About "Drew Peterson: Untouchable"

Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominee Rob Lowe (“Parks and Recreation”) and Kaley Cuoco (“The Big Bang Theory”) star in the riveting Lifetime Original Movie “Drew Peterson: Untouchable,” premiering Saturday, January 21, 2012, at 8 pm et/pt.

Based on a true story, the film follows the fascinating tale of police officer Drew Peterson’s fall from grace after the mysterious disappearance of his fourth wife.

Charming Chicago-area officer Drew Peterson (Lowe) seemed virtually “untouchable” in more ways than one when it came to his womanizing ways, having been married three times before landing the eye and affection of Stacy Cales (Cuoco), a woman half his age.

As Peterson’s relationship with Stacy blossoms, his relationship with third wife Kathleen Savio (Cara Buono, “Mad Men”) unravels in a bitter divorce — until Kathleen is inexplicably found dead in an empty bathtub. Soon after Peterson makes Stacy his fourth wife and they have their first child, his jealousy and controlling ways begin to strain their marriage.

Suddenly Stacy disappears, leaving her two children and Peterson’s older children behind. Peterson insists that Stacy left him for another man, but in the wake of her disappearance, new questions are raised about Kathleen’s death and her case is reopened, drawing national media attention to Peterson and the strange cases of Kathleen and Stacy.

Peterson seems to bask in the media attention, professing his innocence and announcing his engagement to yet another younger woman. But when authorities take a closer look at the circumstances surrounding both cases, a different kind of spotlight is placed on him as more questions arise.

Are Kathleen’s death and Stacy’s still-unknown whereabouts just a tragic coincidence? Or is there more there than meets the eye?

Monday 1~23~2012 @roblowe tweeted: "Thanks for making #DrewPeterson:Untouchable the highest rated movie on all of cable in the last 2 years!" [Ratings totals for Drew Peterson: Untouchable at THR]

Filmed in Los Angeles by Sony Pictures Television. Executive producer, Judith Verno; producers, Kyle Clark, Lina Wrong; director, Mikael Salomon; writer, Teena Booth; based on the book "Fatal Vows" by Joseph Hosey.

Source: Wikipedia ~ "Drew Walter Peterson (born January 5, 1954) is a former Bolingbrook, Illinois, police sergeant who is suspected of killing his third and fourth wives. The story has received national media attention in the United States."

"Peterson has repeatedly denied involvement in both cases. On May 7, 2009, Peterson was indicted by a Will County, Illinois, grand jury and charged with the murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. Peterson currently resides in the Will County Adult Detention Center, Joliet IL, awaiting trial."

Get Your Tuxes & Gowns Ready For The Antoinette Perry Awards Or As They're Better Known, The Tonys Sunday June 10 2012 Live From NYC's Beacon Theatre

2012-01-17T16:00:00.032-05:00

01.17.2012 CBS Press Release

"THE 66th ANNUAL TONY AWARDS®" TO BE BROADCAST IN A THREE-HOUR CEREMONY, LIVE FROM THE BEACON THEATRE IN NEW YORK CITY, SUNDAY, JUNE 10 ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK

THE 66TH ANNUAL TONY® AWARDS will be broadcast live from the Beacon Theatre in New York City, Sunday, June 10, 2012 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network. The awards show, which honors theater professionals for distinguished achievement on Broadway, has been a part of the CBS family since 1978. This will be the second year that the show will be broadcast live from the Beacon Theatre.

Next year marks the 66th anniversary of the TONY Awards, which were first held on April 6, 1947 at the Waldorf Astoria's Grand Ballroom. The ceremonies are presented by TONY Award Productions, which is a joint venture of the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing, which founded the Tonys in 1947.

The Tonys were founded in memorial to Antoinette ("Tony") Perry, the American Theatre Wing's World War II chairperson. The winners are selected by the governing board of Actors Equity, the Dramatists Guild, the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, the United Scenic Artists, the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers, the Casting Society of America, the New York Drama Critics Circle, the American Theatre Wing and members of the Broadway League.

THE 64th ANNUAL TONY AWARDS received two Primetime Emmy® Awards: Outstanding Special Class Programs and Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special.

Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss of White Cherry Entertainment will return as executive producers. Also, Weiss will serve as director for the 13th consecutive year.

Press Release American Theatre Wing 1~16~2012

Date Set for 2012 Tony Awards: Sunday, June 10!

By Ben Pesner

It’s the night of nights for Broadway fans everywhere.

The 2012 edition of the American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards® will be broadcast on the CBS Television Network on Sunday, June 10, 2012. The live telecast of “The 66th Annual Tony Awards” will begin at 8:00 ET/7:00 CT (delayed PT).

The awards, which honor theatre professionals for distinguished achievement on Broadway, will be handed out at the landmark Beacon Theatre in New York City for the second year.

The 2012 ceremony will mark the 35th consecutive year the Tony Awards have been telecast on CBS, a remarkable entertainment industry partnership.
The Shows

The 2011-2012 Tony Awards season began last spring. Shows that open on Broadway in the 2011-2012 season on or before the eligibility cutoff date (April 26 this season) and meet various other requirements will be eligible for nominations in 2012.

The winter/spring season is underway with lots of exciting productions coming – make sure to keep an eye on our list of shows opening this spring to catch up on any last-minute entries.

Also, check out our rundown of the fall season, including the plays, musicals, new shows and revivals.

We’ll be providing lots of updated coverage of 2012 Tony Awards events, including the nominations and awards, all spring.

Until then, see you at the theatre!

Posted January 16, 2012
Revised January 17, 2012

The 54th Annual Grammy Awards Sunday February 12, 2012 8:00pm on CBS

2012-01-15T17:24:00.038-05:00

On February 12, 2012, which of these performers will take home the coveted golden gramophone statuettes: Nicki "Super Bass" Minaj, Kelly "Stronger" Clarkson. Maybe Foo Fighters "Walk" away with the prize. Or perhaps all of the above. For a list of all the nominees head over to TheGrammys

01.12.2012 CBS Entertainment Press Release: GRAMMY® NOMINEES JASON ALDEAN AND KELLY CLARKSON, FOO FIGHTERS, BRUNO MARS, NICKI MINAJ AND TAYLOR SWIFT TO PERFORM ON “THE 54TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS®,” ON SUNDAY, FEB. 12 ON CBS

Current GRAMMY® nominees Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson, Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift are the first performers announced for the THE 54th ANNUAL GRAMMY® AWARDS. Jason Aldean and Nicki Minaj will perform on the GRAMMY broadcast for the first time, while Kelly Clarkson, Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars and Taylor Swift are returning to the GRAMMY stage. The music industry's premier event will take place live from the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012 (8:00-11:30 PM, ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network. Additional performers, presenters and special segments will be announced soon.

Foo Fighters and Bruno Mars each have six nominations. Six-time GRAMMY-winning Foo Fighters are nominated for Album of the Year and Best Rock Album for Wasting Light, Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song for “Walk,” Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance for “White Limo” and Best Long Form Music Video for Foo Fighters: Back And Forth. GRAMMY winner Bruno Mars is up for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for “Grenade,” Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Doo-Wops & Hooligans and Producer of the Year (as a member of The Smeezingtons, along with Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine).

Nicki Minaj has four nods: Best New Artist, Best Rap Performance for “Moment 4 Life” (with Drake), Best Rap Album for Pink Friday and Album of the Year (as a featured artist on Rihanna's Loud).

Jason Aldean and Taylor Swift each are up for three awards. Jason Aldean has nominations in Best Country Solo Performance for “Dirt Road Anthem,” Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “Don't You Wanna Stay” (with Kelly Clarkson) and Best Country Album for My Kinda Party. Four-time GRAMMY winner Taylor Swift has nods in Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Song for “Mean” and Best Country Album for Speak Now.

Two-time GRAMMY winner Kelly Clarkson is nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “Don't You Wanna Stay” (with Jason Aldean).

THE 54th ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS are produced by John Cossette Productions and AEG Ehrlich Ventures for The Recording Academy. Ken Ehrlich is executive producer, Louis J. Horvitz is director and David Wild and Ken Ehrlich are the writers.

About The Recording Academy

Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards — the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music — The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs.

The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @TheGRAMMYs on Twitter, like “The GRAMMYs” on Facebook, and join The GRAMMYs' social communities on YouTube, Tumblr, Foursquare, GetGlue and Instagram.

He's Baaack! Ricky Gervais Returns For A Third Time To Host The 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards Sunday January 15, 2012

2012-01-13T22:02:00.039-05:00

Bravo to the Hollywood Foreign Press. After first vowing to never have him return as host, they have listened to the voice of the people and invited Ricky Gervais back for a third time to host the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards.

Nominees: Best Motion Picture, Drama ~ The Descendants, The Help, Hugo, The Ides of March, Moneyball, War Horse. Best Motion Picture, Comedy Or Musical ~ 50/50, The Artist, Bridesmaids, Midnight in Paris, My Week with Marilyn. Best Television Series, Drama ~ American Horror Story, Boardwalk Empire, Boss, Game of Thrones, Homeland. Best Television Series, Comedy or Musical ~ Enlightened, Episodes, Glee, Modern Family, New Girl. Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television ~ Cinema Verite, Downtown Abbey, The Hour, Mildred Pierce, Too Big to Fail.

More Nominees Here: 69th Annual Golden Globe Nominees

See if your picks match those of the official voters---Get a download of the ballot for the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards.

NBC Entertainment Press Release: The Golden Globe Awards
Sunday, January 15 (broadcast live 5-8 p.m. ET and 8-11 p.m. ET)

Multi-talented Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner Ricky Gervais ("The Office," "The Ricky Gervais Show") returns for the third time as host of NBC's "The 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards" on Sunday, January 15, 2012. This year’s show will again be broadcast live coast-to-coast from 5-8 p.m. (PT) and 8-11 p.m. (ET) from the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.

Creator and star of "The Office" and "Extras," Gervais has won three Golden Globes, two primetime Emmys, and seven BAFTAS. "The Office" is the most successful British comedy of all time, shown in more than 90 countries with seven remakes. The NBC version is the most successful U.S. remake of a British show in more than 30 years.

The 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards will be seen in more than 160 countries worldwide and is one of the few awards ceremonies that span both television and motion picture achievements. The special will be produced by dick clark productions in association with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

Dr. Aida Takla O’Reilly is President of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Orly Adelson, president of dick clark productions and Barry Adelman will executive-produce the special. Bob Bardo is the executive in charge of production.

For more information on "The 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards" please visit: The 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards

Please follow us on Facebook and on Twitter @NBC

You'd Have To Be Off Your Rocker To Miss This Star Studded Birthday Bash ~ BETTY WHITE'S 90TH BIRTHDAY: A TRIBUTE TO AMERICA'S GOLDEN GIRL

2012-01-11T16:03:00.001-05:00

"NBC SPECIALS" "BETTY WHITE'S 90TH BIRTHDAY: A TRIBUTE TO AMERICA'S GOLDEN GIRL"

01/16/2012 (08:00PM - 09:30PM) (Monday) : MARY TYLER MOORE, HUGH JACKMAN, JAY LENO, AMY POEHLER, JOEL MCHALE, CAROL BURNETT AND MORE SALUTE AMERICA’S COMEDY SWEETHEART -- Some of Hollywood’s biggest stars -- including Mary Tyler Moore, Hugh Jackman, Jay Leno, Amy Poehler, Joel McHale and Carol Burnett – will be on hand to pay tribute to Betty White, one of the world’s most beloved entertainers, as she celebrates her 90th birthday.

White’s "Hot in Cleveland" co-stars Valerie Bertinelli, Wendie Malick and Jane Leeves, along with her "Mary Tyler Moore" co-stars Ed Asner, Valerie Harper and Gavin MacLeod, will also be there to deliver birthday wishes, as will Joel McHale, William Shatner and many more. The special will include special musical performances, surprise appearances and comedy, featuring the irreverent tone, spirit and energy that is the hallmark of Betty’s six-decade career in show business. White will take the stage to share some memories and give thanks to those who've come to honor her.

Follow Betty White on Facebook Facebook and twitter twitter

ELLEN DEGENERES, MORGAN FREEMAN, TINA FEY, RAY ROMANO, SETH MEYERS AND TRACY MORGAN JOIN STAR-STUDDED LINEUP OF THOSE HONORING AMERICA’S COMEDY SWEETHEART IN NBC'S 'BETTY WHITE'S 90TH BIRTHDAY: A TRIBUTE TO AMERICA'S GOLDEN GIRL' AIRING JANUARY 16
CARL REINER, JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT, VICKI LAWRENCE AND JOHN O’HURLEY ALSO PAY TRIBUTE TO WHITE ALONG WITH PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED GUESTS, INCLUDING WHITE’S ‘MARY TYLER MOORE’ AND ‘HOT IN CLEVELAND’ CO-STARS

Also Included Is Sneak Preview of the TV Icon’s New NBC “Hidden Camera” Series “Betty White’s Off Their Rockers” to Follow 90th Birthday Salute from 9:30-10 p.m. (ET)

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. -- January 6, 2012 -- Ellen DeGeneres, Morgan Freeman, Tina Fey, Ray Romano, Seth Meyers and Tracy Morgan have joined the star-studded line-up paying tribute to one of the world’s most beloved entertainers in “Betty White’s 90th Birthday: A Tribute to America’s Golden Girl” on Monday, January 16 (8-9:30 p.m. ET). Also saluting White will be Carl Reiner, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Vicki Lawrence and John O’Hurley.

Previously announced stars paying tribute to the seven-time Emmy winner include Mary Tyler Moore and White’s “Mary Tyler Moore” co-stars Ed Asner, Valerie Harper and Gavin MacLeod, as well as Hugh Jackman, Carol Burnett, Jay Leno and Amy Poehler. White’s “Hot in Cleveland” co-stars Valerie Bertinelli, Wendie Malick and Jane Leeves will also be on hand to deliver birthday wishes along with Joel McHale and William Shatner.

Immediately following the birthday special will be a sneak preview of NBC’s “Betty White’s Off Their Rockers” (9:30-10 p.m.), an outrageously funny hidden-camera season unlike anything viewers have ever seen. The show takes senior stereotypes and blows them out of the water as fearless senior citizens take to the streets to pull shocking, unexpected and hilarious pranks on the younger generation.

The birthday special, taping at the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, will include special musical performances, surprise appearances and comedy, and will feature the irreverent tone, spirit and energy that is the hallmark of White’s six-decade career in show business. White will take the stage to share some memories and give thanks to those who've come to honor her.

From her first words on radio in 1947, to her current TV series “Hot in Cleveland,” viewers will be taken on an unprecedented journey through White’s storied career. Her work on game shows, talk shows, “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “The Golden Girls” will be featured, along with her performances in movies and commercials. And most importantly, White will be saluted for her favorite role: making the world a better place for animals.

The special is produced by Brad Lachman Productions and Universal Television, with Brad Lachman, Jon Macks and Steve Ridgeway serving as executive producers.

For embeddable clips and full episodes from "Betty White's Off Their Rockers," please visit NBC.com's official show site: Betty White's Off Their Rockers

Source: Wikipedia ~ "Betty White Ludden (born January 17, 1922), better known as Betty White, is an American actress, comedienne, singer, author, and television personality. With a career spanning seven decades, she is best known to modern audiences for her television roles as Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls. She currently stars as Elka Ostrovsky in the TV Land sitcom Hot in Cleveland."

"White has won seven Emmy Awards (six for acting) and has received 20 Emmy nominations[2] over the course of her career, including being the first woman ever to receive an Emmy for game show hosting (for the short-lived Just Men!) and is the only female to have an Emmy in all female performing comedic categories. In May 2010, White became the oldest person to guest-host Saturday Night Live, for which she also received a Primetime Emmy Award."

"White also holds the record for longest span between Emmy nominations for performances – her first was in 1951 and her most recent was in 2011, a span of 60 years – and has become the oldest nominee as of 2011, aged 89. She has made regular appearances on the game shows Password and Match Game and played recurring roles on Mama's Family, Boston Legal, The Bold and the Beautiful and Community."

Image Credit: WikimediaCommons

Are You The Ultimate Fan Of The Simpsons? Prove It By Breaking The Guinness World Record And You Could Win $10,500

2012-01-10T18:08:00.042-05:00

FOX Press Release: Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012
“THE SIMPSONS” CHALLENGES ULTIMATE FANS TO BREAK
GUINNESS WORLD RECORD FOR LONGEST CONTINUOUS TELEVISION VIEWING

Contest Kicks Off at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles on February 8 and Will Award Winner with $10,500 Prize

The Simpsons 500th Episode Airs Sunday, February 19, 2012 on FOX

In celebration of THE SIMPSONS’ historic 500th episode milestone, FOX invites fans of the iconic animated series to participate in THE SIMPSONS Ultimate Fan Marathon Challenge at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles. Beginning on Wednesday, Feb. 8, fans will come together to watch up to 500 continuous episodes of THE SIMPSONS in an attempt to break the current Guinness World Record of 86 hours, 6 minutes and 41 seconds for the longest continuous television viewing. The contest winner will take home a $10,500 prize and an array of THE SIMPSONS merchandise, including products exclusively designed to commemorate the 500th episode.

Fans interested in participating in the marathon event are encouraged to “like” THE SIMPSONS on Facebook or visit TheSimpsons.com to receive news updates including the exact date and time for open registration.

Members of THE SIMPSONS will kick off the Ultimate Fan Marathon Challenge event at Hollywood & Highland on Wednesday, Feb. 8. Fans and spectators, meanwhile, will be able to watch the marathon and visit THE SIMPSONS fanfare area equipped with interactive elements and animation cells. Fans living outside Los Angeles can stay up-to-date with the marathon challenge by visiting THE SIMPSONS’ official Facebook page for event updates, video and photos from the event.

THE SIMPSONS strides into its 500th episode, “At Long Last Leave,” on Sunday, Feb. 19 (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT) on FOX. In the episode, the Simpsons are evicted from Springfield and join an off-the-grid community outside of town.

But when Homer (voice of Dan Castellaneta) and Marge (voice of Julie Kavner) try to sneak back into Springfield, they are welcomed with hostility from their former friends and neighbors and begin to appreciate their new and more accepting home.

On Blu-ray and DVD, fans can enjoy and experience more from THE SIMPSONS with never-before-seen footage and extras. Start your collection today with THE SIMPSONS Season One and relive every moment of the longest-running scripted television show in history completely uninterrupted. Fans can also visit www.TheSimpsonsShop.com to get their hands on all of the latest THE SIMPSONS merchandise, and beginning in February, a special selection of products created exclusively to celebrate the 500th episode milestone.

In the all-new episode, “Politically Inept with Homer Simpson,” [*In A Lather Editor's note: This first run episode aired Sunday 1~8~2012 (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT)] Homer lands his own political talk show after a video featuring his impassioned rant on poor treatment at the airport goes viral. As his talk show quickly gains popularity nationwide, Homer becomes the spokesperson for the Gravy Movement and the voice of America’s newest political party. But when ill-informed Homer is asked to select the next Republican nominee and officially endorses right-wing rock star Ted Nugent (guest-voicing as himself), Marge and Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith) worry that Homer’s opinion and influence might be more powerful than he realizes.

THE SIMPSONS serves up a feast of guest voices this spring, including Lady Gaga who, in the season finale, teaches Lisa to love herself; contemporary artist and graphic designer Shepard Fairey; Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad”) who plays a fictional movie spy and teaches Homer to be a better husband; and Glenn Close reprising her role as MONA SIMPSON. Also, Lisa falls in love with actor/comedian Michael Cera (“Scott Pilgrim vs. The World”) on Valentine’s Day; actor Jeremy Irons (“Die Hard with a Vengeance”) plays MOE’s (Hank Azaria) only friend, a bar rag; and actor Armie Hammer (“The Social Network”) lends his voice to “The D’oh-cial Network.”

THE SIMPSONS is a Gracie Films Production in association with 20th Century Fox Television. James L. Brooks, Matt Groening and Al Jean are the executive producers. Film Roman, a Starz Media Company, is the animation house.

Visit THE SIMPSONS website at TheSimpsons.com Become a fan of the series on Facebook and follow the series on Twitter @TheSimpsonsTV and Homer Simpson @HomerJSimpson. Shop THE SIMPSONS at TheSimpsonsShop

Lisa Kudrow Of Showtime's Web Therapy Will Have Meryl Streep, Conan O'Brien, Minnie Driver, Rosie O’Donnell On The Couch In 2012

2012-01-09T19:33:00.030-05:00

SHOWTIME SIGNS IN FOR MORE "WEB THERAPY" SESSIONS

Meryl Streep, Conan O'Brien, Minnie Driver, Rosie O’Donnell And Others To Guest Star in Season Two, Premiering on Network in 2012

LOS ANGELES, CA (December 05, 2011)– SHOWTIME has ordered up a second season of WEB THERAPY, the network’s online-turned-television comedy series starring Emmy® Award winner Lisa Kudrow, it was announced today by SHOWTIME President of Entertainment David Nevins.

Kudrow stars as “Fiona Wallice,” the self-professed and self-serving psychotherapist who treats patients for three minutes via webcam. Season two will be comprised of at least ten, half-hour episodes and will air on the network in 2012.

“We are thrilled that SHOWTIME will air more of the half-hour format of WEB THERAPY, we really love this version of the show,” says Kudrow. “Of course, we are over the moon that Meryl Streep will be in this coming season. She was effortlessly hilarious and it's a great story. We have Lily Tomlin back who is ALWAYS fantastically funny. Conan O'Brien is beyond, fantastic, he's a perfect improviser. We're honestly giddy over the people we have for this season.”

Among the many guest stars who will seek Fiona’s advice this season are: Meryl Streep, Rosie O’Donnell, Conan O’Brien, Molly Shannon, Minnie Driver, and Selma Blair. Lily Tomlin returns as Fiona’s judgmental mother; Dan Bucatinsky will continue his role as Fiona's assistant turned ghost-writer; and Victor Garber returns as her husband Kip, whose double life proves quite challenging to Fiona.

Season two finds Fiona playing the woman-behind-the-man in Kip’s political campaign while juggling her burgeoning career as an author and continuing to advise the hapless clients who have wandered into her web.

Web Therapy is created by Kudrow, Don Roos & Dan Bucatinsky for Is or Isn’t Entertainment. Bucatinsky, Kudrow, Diane Charles and Ron Qurashi serve as executive producers, with Roos also serving as director. The original online WEB THERAPY episodes are sponsored by Lexus and can be seen on lstudio.com

ABC's One Life To Live Ends Friday 1~13~2012

2012-01-08T19:03:00.044-05:00

Friday the 13th has always been a lucky day for me. But for fans of the ABC soap One Life To Live it will not feel lucky at all. It was announced months ago that One Life To Live would be breathing it's last on the ABC network as of January 2012. But there was a glimmer of hope the show would continue online and be saved by production company Prospect Park.

But it was not meant to be. Purportedly in order for Prospect Park to rescue OLTL they would need union cooperation and $80 million. Unable to secure contracts or financing the plans were scrapped. According to NYT Media Decoder column "one of the people involved in the plan suggested that Prospect Park had misjudged Hollywood’s willingness to try a new business and distribution model. “We thought we were going to get so much support from the community,” the person said, “but that support wasn’t there.”

Searching for ABC press releases for One Life To Live, i had the same luck as Prospect Park did with their efforts to get financial backing. i was only able to locate a one sentence statement about former All My Children heart throb and Good Morning America contributor Cameron Mathison. " "GMA" contributor Cameron Mathison reflects on the end of "One Life to Live" " slated for Monday 1~9~2012.

Full disclosure: i have not watched OLTL for about 3 years but it was due to real life responsibilities taking priority to One Life fantasy and not because of a lack of interest in the program. Now as the show is concluding i find it a bit sad that a program that ran for 43 years and was a critical as well as commercial success is in it's final days, save for some remembrances from current and former cast members being given only a perfunctory acknowledgement and farewell by the network.

For a nostalgic look through the years Amanda Lee's The World According To Mandy gives a 4 decade recap of the citizens of Llanview. Also Michael Fairman's site gives a retrospective on the daytime drama that was One Life To Live

On Monday January 16 2012 The Revolution a "lifestyle" program will debut in the 2-3pm timeslot previously occupied by One Life To Live.

Seamus Dever aka Kevin Ryan of ABC's Castle To Tweet Deets Of Season 4 Ep 11 "Till Death Do Us Part"

2012-01-07T21:40:00.042-05:00

A little birdie tells fans of ABC's Castle that Seamus Dever aka homicide detective Kevin Ryan will tweet behind the scenes deets of Season 4 Episode 11 "Till Death Do Us Part". Dever's real-life Mrs. Juliana Dever guest stars as his bride to be Jenny Duffy-O'Malley.

LIVE TWITTER CHAT WITH CASTLE STAR SEAMUS DEVER (1/9)
LIVE TWITTER CHAT WITH "CASTLE" STAR
SEAMUS DEVER SET TO TAKE PLACE ON MONDAY, JANUARY 9

Fans of ABC's hit drama series "Castle" will be able to submit questions and receive real-time responses from actor Seamus Dever (Kevin Ryan), who will be up on Twitter at @seamusdever, during the West Coast broadcast of the show on MONDAY, JANUARY 9 from 10:00-11:00 p.m., PT. Seamus will also offer commentary and behind-the-scenes anecdotes about working on the show.

In that night's episode, "'Till Death Do Us Part," after a lothario is killed, Castle and Beckett suspect that the victim's mysterious double-life holds the key to his murder. Their investigation leads to a shocking twist that threatens to disrupt Kevin's wedding with Jenny (Dever's real-life wife, Juliana Dever, guest stars). For more on their upcoming wedding:
http://www.duffyomalleyandryan.ourwedding.com

"Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Penny Johnson Jerald as NYPD Captain Victoria Gates, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan.

Guest Cast: Juliana Dever as Jenny Duffy-O'Malley, Sam Hennings as Seth Harris, Jaime Ray Newman as Holly Franklin, Daniel Romer as Cute Young Guy, Haley Strode as Hot Young Woman.

"'Till Death Do Us Part" was written by David Grae and directed by Jeff Bleckner.

Follow Castle on:
Castle
@Castle_ABC #Castle
@ABC_Publicity

E! Fashion Police ~ Gotta Have It, Or Even Better Expand It To 1 Hour

2012-01-07T19:42:00.027-05:00

It's not the Ides Of March but March the 9th the fashion challenged will need to beware. That's the date E!'s hit, Fashion Police expands to 1 hour. In addition to the 1 hour expansion more celeb guest panelists will be joining the irreverently irrepressible Joan Rivers, Kelly Osbourne, Giuliana Rancic and George Kotsiopoulos. And fan favs Gotta Have It/Make It Stop, Guess Me From Behind, and B*tch Stole My Look, will have new games joining them.

January 07, 2012
E! EXPANDS HIT COMEDY SERIES FASHION POLICE TO ONE HOUR BEGINNING MARCH 9

Host Joan Rivers Along With Kelly Osbourne, Giuliana Rancic and George Kotsiopoulos Deliver More Clever Commentary, No-Holds-Barred Fashion Judgments and Unforgettable Guests in Hour-Long Episodes

LOS ANGELES – January 7, 2012 – Divas, debutantes and fashionistas alike – you’ve been warned. This March, E! Entertainment Television is expanding the popular weekly series “Fashion Police” to one hour. Host and comedic icon Joan Rivers continues to hold court and brings her incomparable wit and unapologetic critique of fashion and pop culture to viewers. As always, she is joined by the outspoken “Fashion Police” panel featuring Kelly Osbourne, Giuliana Rancic and George Kotsiopoulos.

Together this foursome pours through photos and video of the week's most high-profile moments and fashion choices, from red carpet gowns to casual daytime wear, to point out the best and the worst in celebrity style. The new full hour “Fashion Police” begins Friday, March 9th at 10:00pm ET/PT.

“‘Fashion Police’ was an instant hit as a weekly series and given the wealth of material it’s natural for us to expand to an hour to bring viewers an even bigger dose of everything fashion and pop culture through Joan and the gang’s unique comedic voices,” said Lisa Berger, President, Entertainment Programming, E! “Comedic commentary is a signature part of the E! brand that resonates with our audience and we will continue to look for opportunities like this to further invest in the genre and bring more clever humor to the network.”

Viewership for the weekly series, which launched in September 2010, is experiencing an all time high. The show builds 20% over E!’s nightly Primetime Adult 18-49 delivery and attracts nearly 1 million viewers each week. “Fashion Police” has grown each quarter it has aired and in fourth quarter 2011 the show posted outstanding results that included delivering its highest-rated and most-watched quarter ever among Households, Persons 2+, Adults 18-49, Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34.

The one-hour weekly series will continue to feature all of the current fan-favorite segments, but will also introduce a number of new ones including: “Street Style,” where the panel examines celebrity looks in their every day environment, like when they are grabbing coffee or hailing a cab; and “Guess Me By My Style,” a game where Joan and the panel try to guess who the celebrity is as things about their personal style are revealed. Plus, we take Joan out of the studio for even more fashion comedy as she visits designers in their showrooms, hangs out backstage at fashion shows and pops up wherever there is a celebrity in need of fashion advice.

In addition, the series will be populated with more guest stars than ever before who will bravely join the panel to battle wits with E!’s “Fashion Police” team. Previous guest stars include Tori Spelling, Singer Nicki Minaj, Modern Family’s Sarah Hyland, Fashion Designer Kimora Lee Simmons, Projects Runway’s Nina Garcia, and Keeping Up With the Kardashians’ Scott Disick, you will never guess who might show up next.

“Fashion Police” is produced by Comcast Entertainment Studios. Jay James, Gary Snegaroff, Lisa Bacon and Melissa Rivers are Executive Producers.

Is The World Coming To An End?! Nah, It's Just Great Apocalyptic Original Movies Swamp Volcano And Collision Earth On The SyFy Channel

2012-01-06T20:44:00.031-05:00

Only the first few days of January and you've already lapsed on those resolutions? No worries, the world's not coming to an end. But if it was would you prefer an attempt at escaping erupting volcanos or dodging colliding planets? You can get some fantasy survival tips as the SyFy channel begins 2012 by giving science fiction fans what they love most---to be frightened out of their wits with the prospect of the end of the world as we know it.

SyFy Press Release
COLLIDING PLANETS AND KILLER VOLCANOS SPARK JANUARY SYFY SATURDAY ORIGINAL MOVIES

NEW YORK – January 4, 2012 – Just in time for 2012, Syfy will kick off the New Year by threatening the end of all life on Earth with the Saturday Original Movies Swamp Volcano, starring Rachel Hunter (The Benchwarmers) and Brad Dourif (Lord of the Rings), and Collision Earth, starring Kirk Acevedo (Fringe) and Diane Farr (Californication).

In Collision Earth, premiering Saturday, January 14 at 9PM (ET/PT), a solar flare knocks Mercury out of its orbit and onto a collision course with Earth. With global devastation quickly approaching, the secret military initiative, “Project 7,” must be activated to save the world from disaster. The movie is a production of Cinetel Films.

In Swamp Volcano, premiering Saturday, January 28 at 9PM (ET/PT), oil rig drillers in the Gulf of Mexico accidentally hit an underground lava flow, causing a massive volcano to form in Miami. Now a volcanologist and her sister attempt to blow the whistle on an illegal oil drilling scheme before it sets off the eruption that will destroy civilization. Swamp Volcano is a production of Bullet Films.

Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 98 million homes,

Syfy is a network of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)

American Idol 11th Season 2 Night Premiere Wednesday 1~18~2012 & Thursday 1~19~2012

2012-01-03T21:34:00.025-05:00

American Idol returns for a 2 part 11th season premiere 8:00pm Wednesday 1~18~2012 and Thursday 1~19~2012 Join host Ryan Seacrest, and judges JLo, Randy Jackson, and Steven Tyler to see which performers will make their way to the next round of competition and ultimately to Hollywood to become the next American Idol.

"Become a fan of AMERICAN IDOL on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmericanIdol. Follow the series on Twitter @AmericanIdol and join the discussion at #AmericanIdol. Also, follow host Ryan Seacrest at @RyanSeacrest, and follow the judges: @yo_randyjackson; @JLo; and @iamstevent."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2011

WELCOME BACK, “AMERICAN IDOL”

THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY BEGINS

WITH A TWO-NIGHT PREMIERE

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18 AND THURSDAY, JANUARY 19;

AUDITIONS CONTINUE WITH A SPECIAL BROADCAST SUNDAY, JANUARY 22

FOLLOWING THE “NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME” ON FOX

Hollywood Rounds Begin Thursday, February 9

Performance Challenge Airs Wednesday, February 22

Semifinalists Revealed Thursday, February 23

Semifinalist Perform Tuesday, February 28 and Wednesday, February 29

America’s Vote Reveals Finalists Thursday, March 1

The incredible journey is about to begin as AMERICAN IDOL, America’s No. 1 show, returns for its remarkable 11th season. Featuring host Ryan Seacrest and returning judges Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, AMERICAN IDOL is set to return with a two-night event showcasing the nation’s most extraordinary talent Wednesday, Jan. 18 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and Thursday, Jan. 19 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). Auditions will continue with a special, extended primetime broadcast of AMERICAN IDOL Sunday, Jan. 22 (10:00-11:00 PM ET/7:00-8:00 PM PT), following the NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (6:00 PM-CC ET live/3:00 PM-CC PT live) on FOX.

The show’s judges – Jackson, Lopez and Tyler – traveled to Savannah, Aspen, Galveston, Pittsburgh, Portland, San Diego and St. Louis in search of contestants with the raw talent and potential to become the next AMERICAN IDOL. Auditions continue on Wednesday, Jan. 25 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) and Thursday, Jan. 26 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT); Wednesday, Feb. 1 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) and Thursday, Feb. 2 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT); and Wednesday, Feb. 8 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

The contestants who impress the judges will head to Hollywood and be put to the ultimate test during the “Hollywood Rounds,” airing Thursday, Feb. 9 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT); Wednesday, Feb. 15 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT); and Thursday, Feb. 16 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT).

On Wednesday, Feb. 22 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), those who make it through Hollywood must then take the “Performance Challenge,” where they face the judges one last time before the top male and top female semifinalists are revealed on Thursday, Feb. 23 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT).

The judges have their say after every performance, but it’s the viewing public that determines who will advance to the next round of the competition and who will go home. In the milestone 400th episode, airing on a special night, Tuesday, Feb. 28 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), the first group of semifinalists will take the stage to sing for America’s votes.

The following night, Wednesday, Feb. 29 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), the remaining semifinalists will perform. The competition takes an intense turn on the two-hour LIVE results show Thursday, March 1 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) as America’s vote reveals the first set of finalists, then those that remain will have one last chance to perform for the judges who will round out the 2012 AMERICAN IDOL finalists with their wild card picks.

The following week, the competition heats up when the finalists take the stage on Wednesday, March 7 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed). One finalist’s journey will end as America’s vote is revealed on Thursday, March 8 (8:00-9:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed).

RECAP (All times ET/PT)

Wednesday, Jan. 18 (8:00-10:00 PM) Season Premiere, Part 1

Thursday, Jan. 19 (8:00-9:00 PM) Season Premiere, Part 2

Sunday, Jan. 22 Auditions Episode (Special Broadcast)

(10:00-11:00PM ET / 7:00-8:00 PM PT)

Wednesday, Jan. 25 (8:00-9:00 PM) Auditions Episode

Thursday, Jan. 26 (8:00-9:00 PM) Auditions Episode

Wednesday, Feb. 1 (8:00-9:00 PM) Auditions Episode

Thursday, Feb. 2 (8:00-9:00 PM) Auditions Episode

Wednesday, Feb. 8 (8:00-9:00 PM) Auditions Episode

Thursday, Feb. 9 (8:00-9:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 1

Wednesday, Feb. 15 (8:00-10:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 2

Thursday, Feb. 16 (8:00-9:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 3

Wednesday, Feb. 22 (8:00-10:00 PM) Performance Challenge

Thursday, Feb. 23 (8:00-9:00 PM) Semifinalists Announced

Tuesday, Feb. 28 (8:00-10:00 PM) Semifinalists Perform/

400th Episode (Special Broadcast)

Wednesday, Feb. 29 (8:00-10:00 PM) Semifinalists Perform

Thursday, March 1 (8:00-10:00 PM) Results Show; Finalists Announced and Judges’ Wild Card Picks Revealed

(ET live/PT tape-delayed)

Wednesday, March 7 (8:00-10:00 PM) Finalists Perform

Thursday, March 8 (8:00-9:00 PM) Results Show; First Elimination (ET live/PT tape-delayed)

Hell On Wheels ~ AMC's Second Highest Rated Drama Renewed For Second Season

2012-01-02T13:50:00.031-05:00

AMC Renews "Hell On Wheels" for Season Two

Series is Second Highest Rated Drama Series on AMC

New York, NY – December 27, 2011 – AMC has announced the renewal of “Hell on Wheels” for a second season. The original series reigns as the second highest rated series on AMC, averaging 3.2 million viewers and 1.5 million Adults 25-54.* Season one’s finale is Sunday, January 15th at 10pm EST. “Hell on Wheels” is created and written by Joe and Tony Gayton (Faster/Uncommon Valor/Salton Sea/Bulletproof), who also serve as executive producers.

John Shiban (“The X-Files,” “Breaking Bad”), Jeremy Gold, Endemol’s SVP of scripted programming and David Von Ancken, who also directed the pilot, serve as executive producers. The series is executive produced by Endemol USA with Entertainment One (eOne) serving as the studio. eOne’s Television CEO John Morayniss and SVP creative affairs Michael Rosenberg oversee production in partnership with co-producers Mike Frislev and Chad Oakes at Nomadic Pictures.

*Source: The Nielsen Company (L+SD), HOW Sun 10pm (11/6/11 - 12/18/11). P2+ and A25-54 rtg, (000)

“Hell on Wheels” tells the epic story of post-Civil War America, focusing on a Confederate soldier (Anson Mount) who sets out to exact revenge on the Union soldiers who have killed his wife. His journey takes him west to ‘Hell on Wheels,’ a dangerous, raucous, lawless melting pot of a town that travels with and services the construction of the first transcontinental railroad, an engineering feat unprecedented for its time.

It examines the railroad's institutionalized greed and corruption, the immigrant experience, and the plight of the newly emancipated African-Americans during reconstruction. Over time, “Hell on Wheels” chronicles this potent turning point in our nation's history, and how uncivilized the business of civilization can be.

“Hell on Wheels” stars Anson Mount (City by the Sea, Cook County) as Cullen Bohannon, a former soldier hell bent on avenging his wife’s death; Colm Meaney (Get Him to the Greek) as Thomas “Doc” Durant, a greedy entrepreneur taking full advantage of the changing times; musician/actor Common (Just Wright, Date Night) as Elam Ferguson, an emancipated slave working to achieve true freedom in a world entrenched in prejudice;

Dominique McElligott (“The Philanthropist”) as Lily Bell, a newly widowed woman trying to survive in a man’s world; Tom Noonan (“Heat”) as Reverend Cole; Ben Esler (“The Pacific”) as Sean McGinnes and Philip Burke ("Law & Order," "Mercy") as Mickey McGinnes, two young brothers looking to find their fortune in the new West; and Eddie Spears (“Into the West”) as Joseph Black Moon, a Native American man torn between his culture and the changing world around him.

Shot on location in Alberta, Canada, the series is produced with assistance of the Government of Alberta, Alberta Film Development Program.

AMC’s Joel Stillerman, SVP of original programming, production and digital content, Susie Fitzgerald, AMC’s SVP of scripted programming and Jason Fisher, SVP of production oversee development and production for “Hell on Wheels.”

About AMC
AMC reigns as the only cable network in history to ever win the Emmy® Award for Outstanding Drama Series four years in a row, as well as the Golden Globe® Award for Best Television Series - Drama for three consecutive years. Whether commemorating favorite films from every genre and decade or creating acclaimed original programming, the AMC experience is an uncompromising celebration of great stories. AMC's original stories include “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad,” “The Walking Dead,” “The Killing” and “Hell on Wheels.” AMC further demonstrates its commitment to the art of storytelling with its slate of unscripted original series, as well as curated movie franchises like AMC’s Can’t Get Enough and AMC’s Crazy About. Available in more than 97 million homes (Source: Nielsen Media Research), AMC is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc. and its sister networks include IFC, Sundance Channel and WE tv. AMC is available across all platforms, including on-air, online, on demand and mobile. AMC: Story Matters Here^SM.

No Lie, Sneak Peek SHOWTIME'S House Of Lies Before January 8, 2012 Official Premiere Date

2011-12-28T21:37:00.018-05:00

[SHOWTIME'S House Of Lies Contains Adult Content. Rated TV14DLSV Mild Violence Adult Language Adult Content Viewer Discretion Advised]

PREMIERE EPISODE OF THE NEW SHOWTIME COMEDY SERIES HOUSE OF LIES AVAILABLE ONLINE NOW

HOUSE OF LIES Premieres On SHOWTIME on Sunday, January 8 At 10 PM ET/PT

NEW YORK – December 27, 2011 – Viewers nationwide can now sample the series premiere of the new SHOWTIME original comedy series HOUSE OF LIES, starring Academy Award® nominee Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell. The premiere episode can be accessed on the SHOWTIME website, on YouTube SHOWTIME_YouTube, and via select television providers' free On Demand channels and websites. The series premiere is also available on SHOWTIME apps on iPhone®, iPod Touch® and Android smartphones and tablets, as well as the SHOWTIME Social app for iPad®, Nook® and Kindle Fire tablets, and for download as a free video podcast on iTunes (itunes.com/houseoflies). HOUSE OF LIES premieres Sunday, January 8 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, as part of the SHOWTIME Free Preview Weekend, when the network will be available for free to non-subscribers in 60 million households.

HOUSE OF LIES is the new dark comedy about all the screwed up ways big business is practiced these days. The series, based on the hit tell-all book from best-selling author Martin Kihn (House of Lies: How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Then Tell You the Time), peels back the bull to reveal a world few know exists and fewer still have experienced. Meet Marty Kaan (Cheadle), the big-money earner at Galweather & Stearn, along with his hot, young team - The Pod - of big-balling power players – Jeannie (Kristen Bell), Clyde (Ben Schwartz) and Doug (Josh Lawson). Marty and The Pod's work life is all first-class, top-shelf, black Am Ex, the best suites at the nicest hotels. Marty is the ultimate power player and under his direction, this ruthless, pull-no-punches team is here to stick it to the man by beating the corporate suckers at their own game. Dawn Olivieri, Donis Leonard, Jr. and Glynn Turman also star. HOUSE OF LIES is created and executive produced by Matthew Carnahan. Jessika Borsiczky, Stephen Hopkins and Don Cheadle also serve as executive producers.

Dallas Redux On TNT Summer 2012

2011-12-27T22:14:00.009-05:00

No you're not dreaming, and thankfully a good villain can't be kept down. Iconic antagonist J.R Ewing from the hit 70's night-time soap Dallas is back come summer 2012 on TNT.

Release Date: 10/26/2011

TNT began production last week on the first season of the eagerly anticipated new series DALLAS. Stars Larry Hagman and Josh Henderson took a minute on set to give you a sneak peek into what life is like back on Southfork Ranch.

Larry Hagman returns as J.R. Ewing, whose plots and schemes over the years have threatened to destroy his entire family. Josh Henderson (Desperate Housewives) stars as J.R. and Sue Ellen Ewing’s son, John Ross, who is determined to undermine his grandmother’s legacy by drilling for oil on Ewing land.

Shot on location in the title city, Dallas comes to TNT from Warner Horizon Television, with pilot writer Cynthia Cidre and Michael M. Robin serving as executive producers. TNT’s Dallas is based upon the series created by David Jacobs.

TNT Releases Video of Larry Hagman & Josh Henderson on First Day of Shooting New Series DALLAS

This video is from the first day of shooting TNT's eagerly anticipated new series Dallas, which began production last week. The video features Larry Hagman, who returns to his iconic role as J.R. Ewing, and Josh Henderson, who plays J.R.'s son, John Ross. The battle for power, love and the control of Southfork will erupt again when TNT premieres the new Dallas next summer.

Day 1 on the set of TNT's Dallas:

Falling Skies Season 2 Part Of TNT's 2012 Summer Schedule

2011-12-27T20:53:00.016-05:00

Patience has never been a virtue i've possessed. But i guess i'm going to have to be a bit longer for the arrival of the second season of TNT's Falling Skies. The 2nd season will be part of TNT's Summer 2012 schedule. Meanwhile several of the cast members are on twitter and are very good about tweeting with fans. Alas Noah Wyle and Will Patton do not have a twitter accounts, but one lives in hope that they will be persuaded to before too long.

Release Date: 10/24/2011
Production Under Way on Second Season of TNT's Top-Rated Series FALLING SKIES

TNT has launched production on the second season of Falling Skies, the epic series from DreamWorks Television and executive producer Steven Spielberg and starring Noah Wyle. The show finished its first season as basic cable’s #1 new series for the year-to-date. The second season of Falling Skies will air as part of TNT’s summer 2012 lineup. Several cast members are providing Twitter updates using the hashtag #tntbackontheset.

Falling Skies takes place in the aftermath of an all-out invasion by an alien military force. Wyle stars as Tom Mason, a Boston history professor and the father of three sons, who must put his extensive knowledge of military history to the test as second in command of a regiment of resistance fighters protecting a large group of civilians. Falling Skies also stars Moon Bloodgood as Dr. Ann Glass, a pediatrician who has become the survivors’ primary physician; Will Patton as Colonel Weaver, the gruff and emotionally scarred commander of the 2nd Massachusetts, the team of civilian-soldiers whose job it is to protect the survivors; and Drew Roy, Tom’s oldest son who is just about to turn 18.

In the second season of Falling Skies, viewers will learn what happens to Tom after his decision to go with the aliens at the end of the first season. Tom hopes that by agreeing to a dialogue with the invaders, he will not only free his son Ben from the invaders’ influence, but also get a better picture of the aliens’ overall plan.

Falling Skies scored more than 6.9 million viewers in its first season and ranks as basic cable’s #1 new series for the year-to-date. The series also finished summer as basic cable’s #1 drama among key adult demos. In addition to Spielberg, Falling Skies is executive-produced by DreamWorks Television heads Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank. Remi Aubuchon and Greg Beeman also serve as executive producers.

Audition For XFACTOR USA Season 2 Have You Got The XFACTOR?

2011-12-26T17:27:00.021-05:00

Will you be the next XFACTOR USA Winner? There's still time to audition for the chance to make your dream come true. Have you the talent? The Drive? The Dream? Submit your on-line audition by Saturday December 31 2011. Submit Your XFACTOR On-line Audition here: XFACTOR USA For More Information Please Read Press Release Below.

ONLINE AUDITIONS FOR “THE X FACTOR” NOW OPEN

AT WWW.THEXFACTORUSA.COM

SUBMIT YOUR AUDITION FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAR IN FRONT OF THE JUDGES AND COMPETE ON SEASON TWO OF “THE X FACTOR”

Singers and Vocal Groups May Submit Audition Videos Now Through Saturday, Dec. 31

Cities and Dates for Open Call and MyStudio Booth Auditions To Be Announced

Online auditions for the second season of THE X FACTOR are now open! Now through Dec. 31, 2011 at 11:59 PM PT, solo artists and vocal groups 12 years old and over have the opportunity to submit their two-minute a cappella audition videos to www.TheXFactorUSA.com

In addition to online auditions, aspiring performers will soon be able to participate in open call auditions held in various cities (to be announced) across the country. Also, MyStudio Booths will once again be available for hopefuls to record and submit their auditions, just as THE X FACTOR finalist Drew Ryniewicz did for Season One. Auditioners should continue to check www.TheXFactorUSA.com for full terms, conditions and eligibility, as well as for more information about audition cities and dates.

-FOX-

FOX Will Ring In 2012 Country Style With Rodney Carrington In Vegas Baby!

2011-12-26T15:08:00.043-05:00

FOX executive producer Bob Bain reckons the network has celebrated 10 of the last 12 new years' in Las Vegas. This year's entertainment will be a bit different because it will have a country twang. So brush-up on your boot-scoot boogie, and grab a cowbell to clang for a noise maker when you ring in the new year with Lauren Alaina, Toby Keith, and other country favs on FOX' American Country New Year's Eve ,Live From Mandalay Bay Beach, Las Vegas, Hosted by Country Comic/Actor Rodney Carrington Saturday December 31, 2011 8:00pm est [Please check your local listings]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011

Contact: Kristen Hynes 212-556-2492 Kristen.Hynes@fox.com

RODNEY CARRINGTON RINGS IN 2012 AS HOST AND “PAWN STARS” RICK HARRISON AND AUSTIN “Chumlee” RUSSELL CO-HOST “AMERICAN COUNTRY NEW YEAR’S EVE LIVE,
”SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, ON FOX

COUNTRY STAR JOE NICHOLS TO PERFORM

Performances by Eli Young Band and Toby Keith To Be Featured During the Special

Howie Mandel to Present Sneak Peek of FOX Series MOBBED

Multi-talented comedian and actor Rodney Carrington will stay up late to host the biggest celebration of the year and ring in 2012 on AMERICAN COUNTRY NEW YEAR’S EVE LIVE airing Saturday, Dec. 31 (11:00 PM-12:30 AM ET live; CT/MT/PT tape-delayed) on FOX. Carrington, and co-hosts Rick Harrison and Austin “Chumlee” Russell of “Pawn Stars,” will help count down to 2012 during the ultimate year-end party featuring some of country’s biggest and brightest musical stars.

Grammy-nominated country star Joe Nichols will join previously announced AMERICAN COUNTRY NEW YEAR’S EVE LIVE performers Lauren Alaina and Rodney Atkins to rock the Vegas strip. The year-end festivities also will feature performances by Eli Young Band and Toby Keith. Howie Mandel will make a special appearance to share his New Year’s resolution and offer a sneak peak of his upcoming MOBBED series of specials, airing Wednesdays, Jan. 4, Jan. 11, Feb. 1 and Feb. 8 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

Rodney Carrington is a comedian, actor, singer and writer who has recorded eight comedy albums that have sold more than three million copies. His album “Morning Wood” has been certified gold and his “Greatest Hits” recently was certified platinum. Carrington starred for two seasons on his own TV sitcom “Rodney,” and co-wrote and co-starred with Toby Keith in the feature film “Beer for My Horses.” According to Pollstar, Carrington was one of the Top Five highest-grossing touring comedians in the past five years, and he consistently has been in the Top 10 over the past 10 years. He regularly performs to sold-out crowds across the U.S. and Canada.

Rick Harrison, who is currently starring on “Pawn Stars,” is the owner-operator of Las Vegas’ World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, a family business. Trained in the pawn business from the age of 13, Harrison was born a hustler. He dropped out of high school to sell fake handbags, and later, with enough money to partner with his father, he opened the Gold & Silver, where his son also works. Harrison is the author of “License to Pawn: Deals, Steals, and My Life at the Gold & Silver.”

Austin “Chumlee” Russell stars on “Pawn Stars,” working at the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop for the Harrison family. Having been around the shop since he was a kid, Chumlee’s heart of gold makes him a pro at customer service, and he always wants to give his patrons the best deal.

Grammy-nominated country star Joe Nichols has received many accolades and accomplishments throughout his career, including four No. 1 and eight Top 10 singles. Legends like George Jones and Merle Haggard have given Nichols their public seal of approval, adding luster to accomplishments that reflect the respect he has earned across the board, including new artist awards from the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music; four Grammy nominations; a CMA Album of the Year nomination; and multiple RIAA platinum and gold albums and singles. His stream of hits include chart-toppers like “Brokenheartsville,” “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off” and “Gimmie That Girl,” and Top 10 smashes like “The Impossible,” “If Nobody Believed In You,” “What’s A Guy Gotta Do,” “Size Matters” and “I’ll Wait For You.” His sixth, and most recent album is “It’s All Good.”

Howie Mandel has remained a constant force in show business for over 30 years. As host and executive producer of the FOX series MOBBED, Mandel has put a hidden-camera spin on the “flash mob” concept by helping a special guest plan an extraordinary surprise for a friend, family member, loved one or co-worker. Mandel recently received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Reality/Competition Host for “Deal or No Deal” and a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Game Show Host for the syndicated version of the show. Mandel has done countless comedy specials both on cable and network television; has hosted his own syndicated talk show, “The Howie Mandel Show”; and continues to be a mainstay on the talk-show circuit. He frequently appears on “The Tonight Show” to perform his signature hidden-camera bits, and he was always one of the first people Regis Philbin called to fill in for him on “Live with Regis and Kelly.” He also continues to perform as many as 200 concerts a year throughout the U.S. and Canada.

AMERICAN COUNTRY NEW YEAR’S EVE LIVE is executive-produced by Bob Bain, produced by Paul Flattery and directed by Michael Dempsey.

-FOX-

Beyoncé, Bieber, Robin Thicke, Santana LIVE FROM NEW YORK ON DICK CLARK’S NEW YEAR’S ROCKIN’ EVE WITH RYAN SEACREST 2012

2011-12-25T20:44:00.015-05:00

PRESS RELEASE - ENTERTAINMENT

JUSTIN BIEBER AND CARLOS SANTANA TO PERFORM SPECIAL COLLABORATION LIVE FROM NEW YORK ON “DICK CLARK’S NEW YEAR’S ROCKIN’ EVE WITH RYAN SEACREST 2012”

Special Performances by Beyoncé and Robin Thicke
Added to All-Star Lineup.
Justin Bieber and legendary guitarist and bandleader Carlos Santana will take center stage live from New York, on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2012.” The artists will partner to perform a special collaboration on the show airing SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31. The New Year’s Rockin’ Eve festivities will open with the 40th Anniversary Party, beginning at 8:00 p.m., ET on the ABC Television Network.

The bi-coastal celebration will also feature a special performance by Beyoncé from the London leg of her worldwide tour. Robin Thicke will join from the Los Angeles party with the already announced acts, including, The Band Perry, blink-182, Florence + The Machine, Gym Class Heroes, LMFAO, OneRepublic, Nicki Minaj, Taio Cruz and will.i.am.

“Dick Clark’s Primetime New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2012” is a presentation of dick clark productions, inc with Dick Clark, Ryan Seacrest and Orly Adelson serving as executive producers. Larry Klein produces.
Patrick Preblick (212.456.7819), Patrick.K.Preblick@abc.com
dick clark productions:
Lynda Dorf (310) 255-4600, ldorf@dickclark.com
Brian Rubin (310) 255-4600,
brubin@dickclark.com

ABC's Castle ~ Season 4 Episode 11 ’Till Death Do Us Part [Airs Monday January 9, 2012 10:00pm est]

2011-12-25T18:03:00.057-05:00

i've been a fan of Nathan Fillion's since i first saw him years ago as Joey Buchanan on [the soon to be late *sigh*] daytime drama One Life To Live. That fandom was reinforced after seeing him as Capt.Mal on Serenity/Firefly and of course Desperate Housewives. A few months ago a tweeter was telling me she & her mom are HUGE fans of Castle---and was surprised i hadn't seen Castle. [Sorry i don't recall her name---if U R her & recognize this tweet's deets tweet me back @sookietex 'kay? THX :D]

Mea Culpa Mea Maxima Culpa, but i had a good reason for not having seen Castle. It airs at the same time as when i was watching the Yankees and as much as i admire Mr.Fillion i bleed pinstripes so i was unaware of Castle. Well i knew of it, but i didn't know what night it aired until recently, much less that it is about to have a 4th season. Thank goodness for modern technology because now i can watch my beloved Yankees AND Castle :D

PRESS RELEASE:
December 23, 2011

WHEN A BACHELOR PLUMMETS TO HIS DEATH AFTER A ONE-NIGHT STAND,
THE INVESTIGATION LEADS TO A SHOCKING DISCOVERY THAT MIGHT
DERAIL RYAN’S WEDDING, ON ABC’S “CASTLE”

“’Till Death Do Us Part” – When a lothario is killed, Castle and Beckett suspect that the victim’s mysterious double life holds the key to his murder. Their investigation leads to a shocking twist that threatens to disrupt Ryan’s wedding with Jenny (Seamus Dever’s real-life wife, Juliana Dever, guest stars), on “Castle,” MONDAY, JANUARY 9 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

Clips of this episode will be available at www.abcmedianet.com

“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Penny Johnson Jerald as NYPD Captain Victoria Gates, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan.

Guest Cast: Juliana Dever as Jenny Duffy-O’Malley, Sam Hennings as Seth Harris, Jaime Ray Newman as Holly Franklin, Daniel Romer as Cute Young Guy, Haley Strode as Hot Young Woman.

“’Till Death Do Us Part” was written by David Grae and directed by Jeff Bleckner.

“Castle” is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound. This program carries a TV-PG,D,L,V parental guideline.

For more information on “Castle,” visit ABC.com/Castle

ABC Media Relations: Jonathan Hogan (818) 460-7016, jonathan.hogan@abc.com
Chandler Hayes (818) 460-6539, chandler.hayes@abc.com

Photography/video available at abcmedianet.com Photography request line 818.460.6611.

Follow us on: Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Castle
Twitter @Castle_ABC #Castle
@ABC_Publicity

Steve Niles' Remains: A ChillerTV First Original Movie

2011-12-18T12:29:00.089-05:00

ChillerTV has something to sate zombiephiles while AMC's The Walking Dead is on hiatus: Steve Niles' Remains. It premiered Friday December 16th 2011. A shrewd scheduling tactic on ChillerTV's part since that other network's undead juggernaut is on vaycay 'til March 2012.

The tagline for the ChillerTV network, "Scary Good", is the real deal Lucille, because as good as AMC's The Walking Dead is, Steve Niles' Remains makes TWD, look like a kiddie show.

A catastrophic energy shockwave accident has transformed all but a handful of the world's population into zombies. These undead not only feed on the living, they feed on each other. And if the mood strikes they will even feed on themselves while being eaten by another zombie!

Remains is funny, and there are hotties of both sexes. Throw in beautiful Nevada desert location and you have a textbook example of classic sci-fi/horror.

Bonus! There's a webisode prequel: Road To Reno that is "scary good"[see video below].

Double Bonus! Steve Niles is on twitter @SteveNiles and is responsive to fans questions and comments.

If you missed Remains December 16th airing, no need to fret, ChillerTV has scheduled 8 repeat airings TVGuide.com the first repeat airing on Wednesday December 21st at 8:00pm est. Please check your local listings.

Press Release:
October 11, 2011
CHILLER ANNOUNCES AIRDATES FOR FIRST ORIGINAL MOVIE STEVE NILES' REMAINS
Remains Premieres Friday, December 16 @ 10 PM

New York, NY – October 10, 2011 – Announced today by Thomas P. Vitale, EVP, Programming and Original Movies, Syfy and Chiller, the highly-anticipated Steve Niles’ Remains, Chiller’s first original movie, will premiere Friday, December 16 @ 10 PM.

ABOUT STEVE NILES’ REMAINS
Based on the IDW Publishing graphic novel written by Steve Niles (30 Days of Night) and illustrated by Kieron Dwyer, Remains is set in a chilling post-apocalyptic Reno, Nevada,　and follows the survivors of a bizarre accident that reduced most of the world’s population to zombies.

The group takes refuge in a vacant casino and fights a losing battle against the undead, who grow steadily stronger, smarter and more aggressive by the minute.　 The movie stars Grant Bowler (True Blood, Ugly Betty), Lance Reddick (Fringe, Lost, The Wire), Miko Hughes (Pet Sematary) and Tawny Cypress (Rescue Me, Heroes). Remains　is written by John Doolan and directed by Colin Theys; Andrew Gernhard and Zach O'Brien will serve as producers for Synthetic Cinema International.

Chiller is currently available in over 40 million homes. To learn more, visit: ChillerTV.com

Contact: Maureen Granados (212) 664-4143 maureen.granados@nbcuni.com

LIEV SCHREIBER "FIXES" HIS SIGHTS ON RAY DONOVAN

2011-12-15T18:02:00.021-05:00

New SHOWTIME Pilot to Begin Production in 2012

LOS ANGELES, CA (December 5th, 2011)–Multi-talented actor Liev Schreiber has been cast in the title role in the SHOWTIME pilot RAY DONOVAN, a drama set in Hollywood, California. Production will begin in Los Angeles in early 2012. RAY DONOVAN is a SHOWTIME production and is created by Southland creator Ann Biderman. Biderman, Mark Gordon and Bryan Zuriff will executive produce.

Ray Donovan is Hollywood’s best professional “fixer.” He’s the one called in to solve the complicated, confidential and controversial problems of the city’s elite. He can make anyone’s problem disappear, except the ones created by his own family. The series, which has comedic undertones, will take a novelistic look at contemporary Los Angeles.

Considered one of the finest actors of his generation, Liev Schreiber’s repertoire of resonant, humanistic and oftentimes gritty portrayals have garnered him praise in film, theatre and television. Schreiber recently completed production on P.J. Hogan’s comedy Mental alongside Toni Collette and will next star in Mira Nair’s thriller The Reluctant Fundamentalist opposite Kate Hudson and Kiefer Sutherland. Schreiber will also be seen in Goon with Jay Baruchel and Seann William Scott.

Schreiber's many feature credits include Salt with Angelina Jolie; X-Men Origins: Wolverine; Defiance with Daniel Craig; Repo Men; The Painted Veil; The Manchurian Candidate opposite Meryl Streep and Denzel Washington; The Sum of All Fears; Ang Lee’s Taking Woodstock; Kate & Leopold; Every Day; Michael Almereyda’s Hamlet; Spring Forward; The Hurricane; A Walk on the Moon with Diane Lane; The Daytrippers; Nora Ephron's Mixed Nuts; and Wes Craven's Scream trilogy.

His portrayal of Orson Welles in Benjamin Ross' “RKO 281” brought Schreiber Emmy and Golden Globe Award nominations. His other telefilm credits include George C. Wolfe's “Lackawanna Blues” and John Erman's “The Sunshine Boys”, opposite Woody Allen and Peter Falk. As one of the documentary medium's foremost narrators, he has lent his voice to such works as “Mantle”, “:03 from Gold”, “A City on Fire: The Story of the ‘68 Detroit Tigers”, “Nova”, and “Nature”.

Last year, Schreiber received his third Tony nomination for his role in Arthur Miller’s “A View from the Bridge" alongside Scarlett Johansson. His performance as Ricky Roma in the 2005 Broadway revival of David Mamet's “Glengarry Glen Ross”, directed by Joe Mantello, earned him his first Tony Award. He was again a Tony nominee for his portrayal of Barry Champlain in the 2007 Broadway revival of Eric Bogosian's “Talk Radio”, directed by Robert Falls, Other stage work includes the Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park production of “Macbeth”, in the lead role opposite Jennifer Ehle, directed by Moisés Kaufman; “Iago”; “Hamlet”; “Henry the V”; and “Cymbeline”.

In 2005, Schreiber made his feature directorial debut with Everything is Illuminated, which he also adapted from Jonathan Safran Foer's best-selling novel of the same name. The film, starring Elijah Wood and Eugene Hutz, was named one of the year's 10 Best by the National Board of Review.

© 2011 Showtime Networks Inc., a CBS Company

Image Credit: Wikimedia

SYFY'S MOST WATCHED PRIME YEAR EVER SYFY.COM’S BEST EVER IN UNIQUES

2011-12-15T09:22:00.006-05:00

DOUBLE DIGIT GROWTH IN YOUNGER DEMOS UP 14% IN ADULTS 18-34 AND 21% IN MEN 18-34 SYFY.COM’S BEST EVER IN UNIQUES AND PAGE VIEWS

2011 WILL BE SYFY'S MOST WATCHED PRIME YEAR EVER RECORD TOTAL VIEWERS AND MEN 2+ VIEWERSHIP

NEW YORK – Fueled by its critically acclaimed popular programming, Syfy is on pace to make 2011 its most watched prime year ever, averaging 1.33 million total viewers – up 10% compared to 2010.

In addition to climbing 5% in Adults 18-49 (569,000) and +1% in Adults 25-54 (633,000), Syfy will also set a new viewership record among Men total viewers (756,000).

Continuing its growth among younger viewers, Syfy surged +14% in Adults18-34 (219,000), +21% in Men 18-34 (126,000) and +7% in Women 18-34 (93,000).

The cable entertainment brands of NBCUniversal – including USA, Syfy, Bravo, Oxygen, E!, Style, mun2 and Sprout – deliver the #1 audience of affluent and educated viewers in all of television.

Syfy’s powerhouse programming in 2011 ranged from the scripted series Warehouse 13, Alphas, Eureka, Being Human and Haven to reality series such as Face Off, Ghost Hunters, Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files, Destination Truth, Hollywood Treasure, Haunted Collector and Paranormal Witness, along with the original miniseries Neverland.

Online, Syfy.com will post its best year ever in uniques (+7%) and page views (+19%), as will DVICE (+35% in uniques, +87% in page views) and Blastr (+1% in uniques, +16% in page views), all comparisons based on January-November monthly averages.

Said Dave Howe, President, Syfy: “Across the board, this has been an historic year for the Syfy brand. From programming triumphs, cutting edge digital initiatives, ground breaking marketing campaigns and innovative business ventures, Syfy has expanded its leadership role in imaginative entertainment. And with our record investment in original programming, 2012 promises to be another powerful one for Syfy.”

To continue the momentum, Syfy will kick off 2012 with an array of returning and new series including Being Human (January 16), Face Off (January 11), Ghost Hunters (January 11), Merlin (January 6) and the premiere of Lost Girl (January 16).

Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 98 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)

Contact: Gary Morgenstein 212-664-6407 gary.morgenstein@nbcuni.com WEB: nbcumv.com

FX' Justified Season 3 To Premiere Tuesday January 17, 2012

2011-12-06T15:48:00.076-05:00

Fans anxious for the third season of FX' Justified will only have to be patient for a few more weeks. Justified returns Tuesday January 17, 2012 at 10:00pm

The 2nd season's finale "Bloody Harlan" lived up to it's title. There were explosions, and gunfire. Hobbled Dickey Bennett is the sole survivor of the real estate scheming, drug dealing Bennett clan. Corrupt sheriff and eldest son Doyle Bennett took a bullet right between the eyes courtesy of the Feds. Matriarch Mags took a non-lethal shot to the leg from tragic teen Loretta McCready. But remorseful and grieving Mags ultimately opted to put an end to her troubles by her own hand, by pouring a taste of her 'apple pie' moonshine in a poisoned glass. The same method she used to kill Loretta's dad.

Series hero U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens emerged [for the most part] unscathed. The Kentucky born and bred, deliciously long legged, sure eyed sharp-shooter, smart-ass, baddass lawman will be back to pursue new villains. With his childhood friend and sometimes nemesis Boyd Crowder having his back when it doesn't conflict with his other side of legal doings.

Season 3 brings Neal McDonough, Mykelti Williamson, and Carla Gugino to the cast. Fans will remember McDonough from the large screen from Captain America: The First Avenger and tv's Desperate Housewives. Williamson from Forest Gump and 24. Gugino from Californication and Sucker Punch.

In Justified Gugino will play Karen Goodall, assistant director of the U.S. Marshals. The history between herself and Raylan is not pleasant. Williamson plays Limehouse, a Harlan citizen and not a model one. Limehouse is a man who has and will do what he's gotta do to get ahead in the world by whatever means necessary. McDonough plays Quarles a gangsta from Detroit figuring Harlan to be ripe for the picking now that Mags is gone.

But what Quarles hasn't figured on is Limehouse, who isn't about to give up what he's already acquired much less surrender what could be to come. Seeing as he was already establishing himself as Harlan's new crime boss in the weeks before Mags' death, Crowder is also not planning to move over for the marauder from the motor city.

Production of the third season's 13 episodes began in October 2011. According to the episode listings at imdb 3 of the 13 episodes have been completed.

Happy Birthday, Britney! Love, MTV

2011-12-02T18:52:00.012-05:00

Buzzworthy Exclusives: MTV posted a great greeting for Britney Spears in celebration of her 30th birthday.

Hell On Wheels AMC Season 1 Episode 4 Jamais je ne t'oublierai [I Will Never Forget You ]

2011-11-28T14:55:00.077-05:00

AMC's Hell On Wheels debuted in the U.S. on November 6th 2011. Full disclosure: i am, always have been, always will be a fan of Westerns so this show is not a hard sell for my attention. Based on my interaction w/tweeps on twitter #HellOnWheels has a very strong fan base. But if i didn't have the benefit of their tweets and only went by mainstream press reviews i'd never know it. And so i can hold my tongue no longer. ENOUGH! Enough with the hating of this show. Hell On Wheels is not as some critics have lazily pronounced and even lazier critics endorsing that pronouncement a watered down version of Deadwood.

AMC's Hell On Wheels is the story of post-civil war migration to the west, the construction of the transcontinental railroad and the archetypical characters that populate that landscape.

There are 2 things about Hell On Wheels that i am not happy about. One of my fav actors

Ted Levine

gets bumped off in the pilot ep. But i guess i have to accept that decision as it was necessary to the plot. The other thing is so far no black women. Not one. Not even as a prostitute---which seems to be the predominant role of the show's female characters.

my favorite character is the 'Swede'. Thor Gundersen is Norwegian but the railroad workers mistook his accent as Swedish and nicknamed him the 'Swede'. Prior to the end of the civil war he was a bookkeeper but he now works as the head of security for the burgeoning railroad. The 'Swede', played by Christopher Heyerdahl is sadistic, conniving, and funny.

Another thing i'm enjoying about the show is it's authentic look and sound. The costumes, the hygiene or in some instances a lack thereof and the music. And to point out the patently obvious---plenty o' man candy. Now lest you think i'm only objectifying the male cast let me also acknowledge that Anson Mount as Cullen Bohannon and Common as Elam Ferguson bring considerably more than just handsome faces & bods to their performances. Great chemistry between the two in all their scenes. In fact the entire cast is entertaining and so are the scripts and direction.

There has been a slight drop in the show's ratings numbers but i don't think the network should go into panic mode over it. O.K. the numbers don't make you think train à grande vitesse but Hell On Wheels shouldn't be relegated to 'little engine that could' status either.

Hell On Wheels airs on AMC Sunday nights at 10:00pm Please check your local listings.

Regis Philbin Retires

2011-11-18T15:19:00.038-05:00

Regis Philbin Retires

King of morning talk Regis Philbin Retires. Regis Philbin and co-host Kelly Ripa greet fans and press at conclusion of final broadcast of Regis & Kelly at ABC/Walt Disney Studios on Upper West Side NYC Friday 11~18~11

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Regis Philbin Retires by sookietex is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.Based on a work at in-a-lather.blogspot.com

Grimm On NBC Season 1 Pilot Episode

2011-10-28T19:28:00.086-04:00

Thanks to @Grimm i got a sneak peek at NBC's Grimm before it aired for broadcast. OMG! from the first few seconds i was hooked. i don't want to give away too much about the action because the suspense, a bit of winking humor and [mild] horror of Grimm are what make it work. Suffice it to say that NBC's Grimm places the plots villains and victims of the classic Grimm's Faerie Tales neatly into the modern world.

Grimm is like a stew comprised of bits of many of my past and present tv favs: a bit of Charmed---Grimm's protagonist has a familial destiny to protect innocents and there's an heirloom book and other trinkets to assist in the task. A touch of TrueBlood, Angel, and Supernatural, because of the creatures that morph into beings that are something other than human and not all of them are bad guys even if they might have been thought to have been at first glance. A dash of Legend of The Seeker---the lush beauty of the pacific northwest rivaling that of the Seeker's New Zealand locales. And a pinch of The X Files coupled with every great cop show that had partners with good chemistry.

Grimm is set in Portland, Oregon and the two main characters are homicide detectives Nick Burkhardt and Hank Griffin. In the pilot episode's opening minutes they are working on a murder/missing person case. i feel safe in saying it doesn't take a detective to figure that the Grimm story for this particular case is derived from Little Red Riding Hood but i'm not going to say more than that because as i said earlier it would spoil the scene's effect.

Burkhardt's aunt Marie [yea! Kate Burton] unexpectedly pays him a visit. Marie is terminally ill and has come to reveal the family history to Nick. He is a descendent of the Grimms---yes those Grimms. Just as she's about to go into more specifics a nemisis attacks. From that point on Burkhardt's destiny begins to unfold.

All of Grimm's pilot ep was entertaining but for me the best part was the casting of Tim Bagley. Usually plays sweet & loveable [fans most likely remember him as Larry from Will & Grace]---on Grimm he does a 180---an impressive departure. Also a fun surprise was that Sean Hayes [best known for his portrayal of Will & Grace's Jack McFarland] is one of Grimm's executive producers. Good job Mr.Hayes, good job.

my favorite character of NBC's Grimm is Eddie Monroe, a Blutbad aka 'Big Bad Wolf' who assists Nick in tracking the faerie tale bad guys. Through a "strict regimen of diet drugs and Pilates" Eddie is able to curtail his wild canine tendencies. But sometimes he has to step back and let Nick take the lead when he is hormonally predisposed to doing what comes naturally for a wolf.

Grimm airs on NBC Friday nights at 9:00pm eastern. Please check your local listings.

Once Upon A Time Season 1 Pilot Episode On ABC

2011-10-24T14:19:00.089-04:00

"Believing in even the possibility of a happy ending is a very powerful thing" ~

my favorite line from ABC's Once Upon A Time. Many on twitter agreed. As of this posting that quote has been retweeted 34 times and counting. During the hour the Once pilot episode aired it's tweet stream was being "throttled". S/O to @ThreeIfBySpace who have invited me to share my review of Once Upon A Time.

The ratings faeries were kind to Once, 12.8 million viewers tuned in to get acquainted with the residents of the fictional New England town of Storybrooke. Scripted by the same writers who gave us Lost, the citizens of Once's Storybrooke inhabit a parallel universe. They straddle an existence between our time and place and that of faerie tale characters---Snow White, Prince Charming, Rumpelstiltskin, Geppetto, Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket, The Evil Queen and others.

In an enchantingly trippy premise, the present day characters are not aware that they are living in two worlds. The Evil Queen has cast a spell that prevents anyone from remembering this fact when they travel to the other world. As a deterrent to breaking free from the spell to have sanctuary in the modern world, whenever anyone tries to "terrible" things happen to those who remain.

All of the characters are entertaining but i especially enjoyed Robert Carlyle's Rumpelstiltskin/Mr.Gold and Lana Parrilla as The Evil Queen. Carlyle's Mr. Gold owns the entire town of Storybrooke and as both Gold and Rumpelstiltskin is flesh-crawling creepy. The actor says of his Mr.Gold incarnation "Mr.Gold is not to be trusted...by anyone".

The Evil Queen is beautiful, stylish, and well...evil. In the Storybrooke world The Evil Queen is Regina, the mayor of Storybrooke, and adoptive mother of 10 yr old Henry. Regina is not a neglectful or abusive mother but she's not real big on warm & fuzzy interaction with Henry.

Henry, after being gifted by his teacher Mary Margaret with a book of faerie tales, figures his birth mother, Emma, is the offspring of Snow White and Prince Charming. Emma escaped the town's curse because her faerie tale parents hid her in a magical armoire to protect her. Henry, believing Emma to be the only one who can break the curse, takes the risk of venturing out of Storybrooke to find her, who naturally upon hearing his tale takes him to be a runaway with an extremely active imagination.

The sets, costumes and photography of Once Upon A Time are luxurious and the script, direction and performances consistently hit the right notes whether in faerie tale or Storybrooke setting. As implausible as it may have initially been thought, it is not at all difficult for the viewer to suspend disbelief of the existence of these parallel worlds.

The full episode of the Once Upon A Time pilot is available at ABC.com

Once Upon A Time airs Sundays at 8:00pm Eastern on ABC. Please check your local listings.

The Walking Dead Season 2 Premiere Episode What Lies Ahead

2011-10-17T18:15:00.065-04:00

Now i know what all the excitement has been about. i missed the first season, and it's marathon, but after seeing AMC's The Walking Dead season 2 premiere episode, "What Lies Ahead", i am no longer a Walking Dead virgin.

The Walking Dead is suspenseful, scary, gorey, and FUN! i've loved zombie themes since seeing George Romero's "Night Of The Living Dead", Ubaldo Ragona's "The Last Man On Earth", which starred Vincent Price and more recently that film's remake re-titled "I Am Legend" starring Will Smith, and Ruben Fleischer's "Zombieland".

This is precisely why i like The Walking Dead: because it skillfully blends all the aspects of my fav zombie themed movies and does it in an episodic television format. Frankly i was a bit skeptical this could be successfully done for the small screen.

Since i'm late to the Walking Dead party some of the characters have already been killed off. But some have survived. There are also some who have been doomed to an undead fate. my fav alive character is Daryl Dixon played by Norman Reedus.

In the season 2 premiere, my man Daryl gutted a zombie suspected of killing a missing little girl. It was necessary to open up the monster's chest and abdominal cavity to check his innards to confirm the missing kid wasn't inside him. And opened up he was---as easily as one would open a can of peas. And bravo to the special effects make-up. Sure we all know what to expect when we see a slow moving zombie coming toward us. The hollowed eye sockets. The rictus mouths. The exposed skulls. But i tell you i have never seen anything quite as putrid looking as decayed zombie-fied sweet meats. Gloriously gorey.

my other favorite scene was when a zombie has Andrea cornered in a trailer and he's just about to break down the bathroom door and Dale drops a screwdriver down to her from the trailer's sunroof. Just as i'm thinking 'if i was in that predicament i'd take that screwdriver and stab that zombie right in the eye'---no sooner had i thought it, than Andrea did exactly that. Sooo satisfying.

For a limited time the full episode of The Walking Dead season 2 premiere What Lies Ahead will be available online at amctv.com.

The Walking Dead on AMC airs Sundays at 9:00pm eastern Please check your local listings.

Breaking Bad Episode 13 Face Off Season 4 Finale

2011-10-11T08:52:00.047-04:00

"WOW!" "Holy F*@k!" "Bravo" "Gangsta" These expressions and other words of praise and amazement were tweeted by viewers of Breaking Bad's season 4 finale episode Face Off. And with good reason. Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan [who also wrote and directed the season 4 finale] gave the fans plenty to cheer about. Suspense betrayal horror and a touch of dark humor were on full display. To my surprise Walt turned out to be the baddest of the bad-asses. Cold, calculating and remorseless. Even if his actions meant betraying and manipulating Jesse [more than he usually does]. Even if he ended up being the one who poisoned a child and framed Gus for the deed. And in his triumph torching any trace of Gus and Gus' meth lab.

Vince Gilligan succeeded in satisfying the fans and simultaneously leaving them craving more. Something tells me that lily of the valley plant by Walt's pool is not going to remain inconspicuous for long. AMC has not released a schedule for Breaking Bad's season 5 premiere date. Production for Breaking Bad's 5th and final season is scheduled to begin in early 2012.

AMC will re-air the episode 13 season 4 finale Face Off Wednesday night/Thursday morning October 13th at Midnight. Please check your local listings.

Meanwhile check out the link to the most talked about scene of Breaking Bad's season 4 finale episode 13, Face Off at amctv.com. WARNING This clip contains scenes of graphic violence AMC Breaking Bad Video Clip Season 4 Finale

Dexter Season 6 Premiere Those Kinds Of Things On Showtime

2011-10-01T21:15:00.058-04:00

Showtime's Dark Passenger has returned and with killer guest stars. Mos Def as Brother Sam. Dexter had intended to have him on the slab but as he's stalking his prey finds out that prayer has saved him. Edward James Olmos as Professor Gellar a theologian whose works are less than divine. Colin Hanks is Gellar's protege Travis Marshall who has a few demons of his own that need exorcising. Aimee Garcia as Jamie Batista, detective Angel Batista's sister and new nanny for Dexter's son Harrison. Jamie's a real cutie and is as sunny as Dexter is dark and brings a maternal and positive influence that's been lacking in his child's life. Billy Brown as Mike Anderson. A transfer from 'the city of the big shoulders' and lieutenant Debra Morgan's top pick for Miami-Dade's newest addition to law enforcement. A bit of a chauvinist and a hard ass but easy on the eyes and ears.

In the season 6 opener Dexter attends his high school's 20th reunion. That could be murder.

Dexter season 6 begins Sunday October 2nd at 9:00pm eastern on Showtime. Please check your local listings.

Terra Nova Season 1 Premiere Episode Genesis on FOX

2011-09-27T14:18:00.072-04:00

Uncle Stevie has given sci-fi fans a new gift, Terra Nova on Fox. Spielberg's latest has the requisite components sci-fi fans have on their check-lists. Time travel. Scary monsters---in this case dinosaurs [and not all of them are veggies]. Hot guys. Hot gals. Cute kids. The distinction between hero and villain is sometimes blurred. Impending global catastrophe manifests it's self in the eventual destruction of life as we know it, until a bunch of brainiac scientists stumble upon a unique remedy. Said remedy involves huge risk---time travel, and it's direction is one way only. But it's the lesser of two evils and since the fate of human-kind lies in the balance you gotta go for it.

The year is 2149. Over-populated and over-developed the world is dying, much of it's plant and animal life already dead. "When scientists at the FERMI Particle Accelerator unexpectedly discover a fracture in time that makes it possible to construct a portal into primeval history, the bold notion is born to re-settle humanity in the past – a second chance to rebuild civilization and get it right this time."

The production values of Terra Nova are really good. Even the doomed world sets are impressive. i especially liked the urban scenes and the scenes as the citizens are making their way to the portal---kind of evocative of Blade Runner and Total Recall. In fact i was wishing the scenes in the doomed world had been longer before the viewer is jettisoned back in time to primeval days. That said the scenes in the primeval world are breathtaking---especially the waterfall and grotto in the forest.

And the casting is perfect. The actors playing the kids of Jim, former Chicago cop and doctor Elizabeth Shannon, trauma surgeon, physically resemble each other and the actors playing their parents. There are glimpses of similar personality traits between parent and offspring. Something that proves a bit annoying to their 17 yr old son and the dad when it's pointed out to them that they are very much alike.

i like all the characters but so far my favorite is Commander Nathaniel Taylor played by Stephen Lang. The scene where he's welcoming new arrivals to Terra Nova had an eery Jonestown vibe [is this really paradise or something sinister]. i thought i might have been alone in that thought until some friends tweeted me they had thought the same. Is Taylor villain, hero, or a bit of both. Time will tell and i'm excited about getting to know him and all the citizens of Terra Nova better.

Terra Nova airs Mondays at 8pm eastern and re-airs Saturdays at 8pm eastern on FOX.
Please check your local listings.

The Roast Of Charlie Sheen On Comedy Central

2011-09-20T10:52:00.071-04:00

Comedy Central's Charlie Sheen Roast was great. Bawdy, raunchy, no fear, take no prisoners, adult humor. Guitarist Slash played and accompanied Charlie as he made his entrance. The best part of the roast was that the guest of honor was not the only one feeling the heat. Everyone on the dais took a turn at turning on the burn, not only to Sheen but also to each other, and to roast-master Seth MacFarlane.

Every good party needs a good guest mix and this one was eclectic: Heavy-weight boxing champ Mike Tyson, actors William Shatner, Jon Lovitz, and Kate Walsh, Jackass' SteveO, and comedians Jeffrey Ross, Amy Schumer, Patrice O'Neal and Anthony Jeselnik. All were funny but for my tastes the stand-ups who stood out were Jeffrey Ross, Amy Schumer, and Anthony Jeselnik. Jeffrey Ross was irreverently resplendent in a wacky Khadafi costume, and his timing was effortless. Two words: Ross 'killed'. i'd not seen Amy Schumer prior to the roast but i'm now glad i have. This gal is not just funny, she shoots from the lip with the confidence and accuracy of a sharp-shooter. Anthony Jeselnik was another i'd not had the pleasure of seeing before, but he's got my attention now. Masterfully deadpan funny. Even when he wasn't speaking his sly smile and wicked eyebrow arch had me giggling.

And of course the reason for the gathering, the man of the hour [well actually hour and 38 minutes] was Charlie Sheen. 'The Warlock' 'The Rock-Star From Mars' he of the 'tiger blood' gave as good as he got. At turns amused and amusing, gracious, modest, humble, and all in all a good sport. For me the most touching moments were Charlie's concern about SteveO after an improvised physical bit went awry and Charlie's inter-actions with the roasters as they engaged him. Best example was when Jeffrey Ross was giving some particularly searing skewering and asking "too soon?" or better "too real?" and Charlie gave a wan smile as if to say yes to both but then gestured to indicate he was fine with it. Slash put it best quoting good sport Charlie's take on the funny but brutally honest festivities "it's only words". And it was clear that even the sharpest of those were said with love and admiration.

The Roast Of Charlie Sheen On Comedy Central aired Monday September 19th. Comedy Central will have video and bonus footage of the roast on it's website and the network has scheduled encore airings: Wednesday September 21st 12:30am, Friday September 23rd 12:01am, Friday September 23rd 10:00pm, Saturday September 24th 10:00pm, Friday September 30th 11:00pm Please check your local listings.

Archer Season 3 Premiere Episode 1 Heart Of Archness [Part 1]

2011-09-07T20:35:00.052-04:00

Oh Archer you're such a tease. FX' tactical turtleneck sweater wearing spy, Sterling Mallory Archer---code name 'Duchess' with ISIS [International Secret Intelligence Service] agency, is back for a third season of 16 episodes, starting September 15, 2011. A three part story arc whets fans appetites in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th week of September. Then Archer takes a break until January 2012 when it will continue with season 3's remaining 13 episodes.

When season 2 concluded Archer had fallen in love with platinum blonde bombshell and renegade Russian spy Katya Kazanova. Katya saved Archer's life when KGB agents, on orders from Nikolai Jackov, tried to kill him. Nikolai is a former lover of Archer's mother Mallory, and the man Archer believes is his biological father. After rescuing Archer, Katya accompanied him back to the U.S. This raised several issues with Lana, fellow ISIS agent and Archer's ex, and Archer's mother Mallory, head of the ISIS agency. Katya has been flagged as a double agent. Mallory and Lana don't believe her when she says that not only is she not a double agent but that she wants to emigrate to the U.S. and work for ISIS.

Katya is now on the run and Archer is missing. FX will have a tie-in with Archer's lead-in It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia when ISIS' satellite link indicates Archer is at Paddy's Pub.

FX' Archer returns for season 3 Thursday September 15, 2011 at 10:30pm eastern/9:30pm central. Please check your local listings.

Glee ~ Season 3 Premiere Episode 1 ~ The Purple Piano Project

2011-09-06T17:31:00.075-04:00

Glee returns for a third season on FOX on Tuesday September 20th. The first episode is titled The Purple Piano Project, and is directed by Eric Stoltz. As yet i don't know the specifics involved with the plot of The Purple Piano Project, but the episode's synopsis says Mr.Schuester assigns a "project" to the New Directions Glee Club to lift their spirits after not winning nationals at season 2's conclusion. Not for nothing but i'm guessing New Directions will not be scripted to win nationals until Glee's series' finale. [Remember you heard that theory here first kids].

But we're a long way from that event so back to what's happening in Glee's 3rd season. Mercedes [Amber Riley] gets a new boyfriend, football lineman Marcus [LaMarcus Tinker]. Sue [Jane Lynch] heaven help us all, campaigns for a seat in Congress. A new student named Sugar [Vanessa Lengies] described as having been born with a silver spoon in her mouth and a tin ear, is added to the McKinley High student body. Rachel [Lea Michele] Finn [Cory Monteith] and Kurt [Chris Colfer] have graduated but show runner Ryan Murphy has kept his promise and they have not been removed from Glee's cast. Kurt's dad Burt [Mike O' Malley] is not listed as a cast member but his photo is included with FOX' 2011 Glee press gallery photos, so i'm theorizing this may mean Kurt's dad may be referenced but we may not see him in the episodes---kind of like how we never see the parents of Charles Schultz' Peanuts characters. Not listed as a cast member or included in the press photos is Sam [Chord Overstreet]. Overstreet declined the offer of a 10 episode story arc that would have begun at the middle of the third season---so sorry kids---those plump cherry lips will not be seen kissing Mercedes. Guess her budding romance with him gets an off-screen detour to line-backer Marcus. Ah young love.

In the as yet untitled 3rd episode of the third season viewers will be introduced to Mike Chang's [Harry Shum Jr] parents. Another promise made and kept by Ryan Murphy---more focus on and back story for New Directions members who were not the focus of previous seasons. Other than mom and pop Chang i have not been able to find the characters names but they will be played by Tamlyn Tomita and Keong Sim. Looking forward to the expansion of Mike's storylines. Harry Shum Jr is one of my favs.

In a case of life imitating art the winners and runners up from Oxygen's reality show The Glee Project will be featured during the course of Glee's third season.

Glee Season 3 Premiere Episode 1 The Purple Piano Project airs on FOX Tuesday September 20th 2011 at 8pm eastern/7pm central. Please check your local listings.

Glee ~ New York ~ Season 2 Finale Episode 22

2011-08-16T12:07:00.077-04:00

i know what you're thinking---why is sookie reviewing this Glee episode now---didn't it originally air 3 months ago? Yes it did---but i feel like i need to show some love to Glee and since Glee will return for it's 3rd season on September 20th, the timing seems right.

"I can't have anything keep me from my Manhattan destiny" ~ Glee character Rachel Berry

Anyone who has ever dreamed of coming to NYC, the opening scenes of Glee New York succeed in capturing what it feels like when you arrive. Particularly if you were under the age of 21. That joyous vibrant feeling that anything is possible. The city that never sleeps truly does have a palpable energy. When you add youthful exuberance to that mix it's like a generator that perpetually runs at full capacity.

This episode was shot on location and the opening scene is in the TimesSquare/TheaterDistrict accented with Gershwin's Rhapsody In Blue on the playback. i especially enjoyed Rachel's outfit and the way the camera framed her. Very Marlo Thomas/That Girl.

Best Line: "It was the Superman of kisses. It came with it's own cape."

Moment i'm willing to make allowance for: After Finn and Rachel leave Sardi's located on W44th street in the Broadway Theater District---they are seen strolling approximately 2 miles south in the West Village with a Bedford Street street sign prominently in camera frame.

my favorite moments in this ep: Finn mispronouncing Niçoise as Nee-cozy.

Will Schuester's clandestine audition for a Broadway show. Theater security at that show referring to Mr.Schuester as 'kid'. Rival show choir director Dustin Goolsby wishing Will Schuester luck in his Broadway debut and confessing his resentment of his own show choir kids. Cheyenne Jackson is hilarious, vicious, bitter and delicious.

Puck being the first to embrace Mr.Schuester when he announces he's not leaving Lima Ohio or his McKinley High students for the bright lights of The Great White Way. Charice's Sunshine Corazon telling Rachel she thinks she's mean but not stupid. And of course Charice performing As Long As You're There. Choreography for New Directions when they performed Light It Up Tonight.

The romances among the kids---Kurt's boyfriend Blaine declaring his love with ease and spontaneity. And anyone paying attention should not be surprised about Mercedes and Sam holding hands---he ran over to hug her at the end of their nationals performance and it was clearly not just congratulatory.

Rachel meeting her idol Patti LuPone and Ms.LuPone asking her to promise her she will never give up on her dreams.

Glee New York is a confection. A valentine to gleeks and to everyone who dares to dream and let nothing deter them, even if those dreams hit detours.

Glee returns for it's 3rd season Tuesday September 20th at 8:00pm est on Fox. Please check your local listings.

Breaking Bad on AMC Season 4 EPs 1-4 Box Cutter 38 Snub Open House Bullet Points

2011-08-14T19:06:00.082-04:00

Wow the 4th season of Breaking Bad grabs your attention from the get-go and is not about to let go.

Not that the previous seasons were lacking, but man, the current season is definitely not for the faint of heart. If "it's hard out there for a pimp" it is downright calamitous for meth cooks and anyone involved in their lives.

Soft-spoken and seemingly mild mannered Gustavo 'Gus' Fring will put the fear of god in you. Gus will slaughter a man just to make a point, with the same ease and skill that he would butcher chickens for his Los Pollos Hermanos restaurant franchises. Brilliantly chilling performance by Giancarlo Esposito.

Matching Gus stare for frigid glare is Jonathan Banks' hit-man Mike. Mike is very good at what he does. Nothing personal, it's just a job.

Skyler White---just when i was ready to not like you, given your behavior in previous seasons---you have turned into one bad mamma-jamma. Taking the 'if you can't beat them join them' mind-set, Anna Gunn's Skyler has embraced her inner moll---taking care of business and her man.

Skyler's sister Marie. Gotta say i was never too keen on this character, but Betsy Brandt's performance is so heartbreaking i can't help but find her endearing. Poor Marie, she's always had issues [kleptomania for one] but now she's dealing with her husband's paralysis, on top of just the day to day quirks that can sometimes make a relationship more burden than bliss. Lately Marie's life doesn't have much bliss. i feel sad for her. Marie is taking the "in sickness and in health" part of the marriage vow to a gold standard level. i'm hoping the writers will get her involved in a support group because the stress of dealing with Hank is manifesting it's self in extremely unhealthy behavior.

Hank, Hank, Hank. Yes you've been dealt a really crappy hand. And P.T. is beyond hard. You're understandably frustrated and your only joy right now is purchasing rocks er i'm sorry minerals. But your hobby has become a self-destructive and cash depleting obsession. Not to mention your passive-aggressive emotionally abusive behavior toward Marie. Dean Norris is doing a terrific job. Hank is infuriating but you can't help but want something good to happen for the guy. Looks like studying chemist Gale's notebook, and helping his former law enforcement mates might be just what he needs.

A show that has as much heaviness as Breaking Bad needs an occasional comedic release. Thank goodness for attorney Saul Goodman. Bob Odenkirk's Saul is ridiculous and brings balance to what could otherwise be dreary. Ditto Jesse's pals Badger and Skinny Pete

Last, but by no means least, we have Walt and Jesse. Walt's cook yields the purist meth Gus distributes. But even that skill does not guarantee security. Ah the irony. Long before he met Gus, it was to insure security for his family and himself, that caused Walt to make the choice to get involved in the business of making meth in the first place. Now Walt can no longer deny the catastrophic and fatal consequences of that decision. Walt is a bad-ass but he is no longer the baddest ass. Bryan Cranston's performance is as pure as 'Heisenberg's' glass.

Jesse has seen horrors that would be hard for anyone to deal with even if they weren't trying to stay sober. Now he's not just had a slip, he's jumped off the wagon, grabbing the hands of his buds Badger & Skinny Pete & pulling them along with him. Jesse is a hybrid---an enabler and an addict. And Aaron Paul's performance is flawless.

Breaking Bad airs Sundays at 10:00pm est on AMC Please check your local listings.

Falling Skies on TNT EP 6 PT2 Sanctuary

2011-07-25T19:24:00.024-04:00

Review of TNT's Falling Skies Episode 6 PT 2 Sanctuary [produced by Steven Spielberg and MarkVerheiden] This EP aired Sunday 7~24~11 but if you have not seen it yet this review has *SPOILERS*

If you'd like to watch Full Episodes of TNT's Falling Skies on-line find it here:
http://www.tnt.tv/dramavision/?cid=101757

If you'd like to tweet the cast of Falling Skies some have twitter accounts Tweet/Follow them here: @MphoAK [Anthony] @drew_roy [Hal] @PeterShinkoda [Dai] @connorjessup [Ben] @CunninghamColin [Pope] @RVRocket [Matt] @TheStevenWeber [Doc Harris] and Falling Skies producer @MarkVerheiden
[Sorry Noah Wyle fans it has been officially confirmed he does not tweet]

Falling Skies on TNT airs Sundays at 10/9c Please Check Your Local Listings

Bad Teacher ~ Starring Cameron Diaz

2011-07-10T14:13:00.078-04:00

"Even your forehead is sexy" Scott Delacorte [Justin Timberlake] to Bad Teacher Elizabeth Halsey [Cameron Diaz]

There is a small portion of the population that are Cameron Diaz haters. i don't know why there are but there are. Could it be because she's A: pretty B: has a great figure C: sweet disposition D: is funny E: is the paramour of one of baseball's more impressive athletes, NY Yankees 3rd baseman Alex Rodriguez---or maybe D: all of the above. Too bad for the haters.

Bad Teacher is funny due in large part because of Cameron Diaz' performance. And not for nothing she's funny while rockin' lots of covetous Louboutins.

Elizabeth Halsey [Diaz] teaches 7th graders in the Cooke County Illinois district at John Adams Middle School. Being an educator is not what she envisions as her life's work. An unabashed gold-digger to her core, she's got the rock, has almost sealed the deal, and as summer break begins, after bidding her fellow teachers what she believes is a final farewell, floors it in reverse out of the parking lot in her Mercedes coupe with "HERS" vanity plates. But there's a glitch to her getting hitched. The well to do fiance is a momma's boy. Mother suspects Elizabeth only wants her son for the dough. At mom's insistence the wedding is off. Come September Elizabeth is back in the classroom. Even so, her dream of snagging a rich hubby will not be denied and she figures the best way to amp up her odds is to augment her breasts. But how to pay for the surgery on a teacher's salary? As she tries to solve that problem she notices new teacher Scott Delacorte [Justin Timberlake] wearing a La Coultre watch. Hello new prospect.

i don't want to say more about how Elizabeth's plan unfolds because it would require many spoilers. i will say the entire cast---adults and children alike are funny and Timberlake channels his inner nerd quite well. As principal Wally Snur, John Michael Higgins is hilarious as always. Eric Stonestreet as Kirk, Elizabeth's financially challenged roommate has some nice scenes also.

If i were to have a negative note for the plot it would be why wouldn't Elizabeth have hocked her engagement ring. Etiquette deems it acceptable for the woman to keep the ring if she is not the one calling off the wedding. So by all rights, what by my estimate was at least an 8 carat stone, should have remained in her possession. But then that would have negated the need for her to come up with unique ways of acquiring the $10K she needed to book the surgery. One should never let logic interfere with comedic interplay.

The scholastic answer to Bad Santa = Bad Teacher. Satisfying throughout, with an endearing ending, this movie is worthy of an A.

Falling Skies Premier Season 1 Episodes 1 and 2 Live and Learn/The Armory

2011-06-19T21:00:00.134-04:00

i'd already marked it on my calendar, but in the days preceding it's premier, i received an invitation from the social network aggregate KLOUT, to watch TNT's Falling Skies. Very glad i followed through with my plan to check it out.

Unlike the frustration that was ABC's FlashForward, TNT's Steven Spielberg produced Falling Skies does not disappoint. Great scripts, special effects, and characters. One stand-out is Will Patton as Capt.Weaver [sci-fi fans will remember him from Costner's The Postman].

A little backstory: the earth has been invaded by E.T.s but they are not cute & cuddly glowing index finger types. They are Skitters. Tough, agile, arachnid-like and as large as an SUV. The Skitters manufactured Mechs [as in mechanisms] to act as their soldiers. Metal behemoths, Mechs make the Skitters look tiny by comparison. The Skitters are also equipped with hybrid bio-robotic parasites that look like scorpions on steroids and feed on human spinal fluid.

The story kicks off 6 months after the alien invasion and the human resistance fighters are trying to survive and reclaim the planet. To that end there are 3 key questions about the Skitters that must be addressed---Why are they here? What do they want? Can they be stopped?

The primary setting is Massachusetts, but the opening scenes with the children reminded me very much of what was happening in NYC with grade school kids in the days following 9/11. There's a feeling of even if the little ones can't fully comprehend what has happened---they know that life as they knew it has changed and will never be the same.

The resistance fighter's underground lodgings have a Battlestar Galactica feel to them which for me is a good thing.

The premier had a 2hr running time. Justified's show runner Graham Yost's fingerprints were all over Falling Skies 2nd hr [and yes that's a good thing].

There were many noteworthy lines but two of my favs were "If they're wolves we gotta be porcupines" in reference to humans defending themselves from mechs and "Any of you a board certified micro surgeon?" asked by anti-hero [and my fav character] John Pope in need of medical attention for his brother. Pope [played by Colin Cunningham] has kidnapped good guy Tom Mason [played by Noah Wyle] and his rag-tag squad who've stumbled upon Pope's hideout. Not your garden variety thug, Pope is literate, a naturally good hunter of skitters, a good strategist, and he's funny.

My fav scenes are widower Tom [his wife was killed in the initial attack] talking with the eldest of his 3 sons about strategy as he's giving him an ammo clip. The son teases his dad about things he was restricted from doing before the invasion and wryly remarks "things change". As he turns to leave his dad says "some things don't" and the son walks back to give his dad a hug. Enjoyed all the scenes with Tom and his youngest son as he tries to maintain some normalcy in his life in the midst of chaos. Tom's middle child has been enslaved by the mechs.

As i was watching the show i met some new tweeps on Twitter s/o to @2ndmass @ScienceFiction @Redone68 @FallingSkiesTNT @tntweknowdrama.

This show is so entertaining i think even those who would not think of themselves as liking sci-fi will find much to get hooked on here. Premier night ratings back me up---Falling Skies drew more than 5.9 million viewers and now ranks as cable's #1 new series launch of 2011-to-date.

Falling Skies airs Sundays at 10:00pm with repeat airings at Midnight on TNT. Please check your local listings.

Gaga Awarded 2011 CFDA Fashion Icon Of The Year

2011-06-07T16:53:00.084-04:00

Council Of Fashion Designers Of America Fashion Icon Award
"Awarded to an individual whose signature style has had a profound influence on fashion."

On Monday June 6th 2011 the Council Of Fashion Designers Of America held their 10th annual awards event. The venue was NYC's Lincoln Center. Many fashion luminaries were in attendance, the highlight of the evening being the Fashion Icon Of The Year Award presented to Lady Gaga.

About the CFDA

The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc, (CFDA) is a not-for-profit trade association that leads industry-wide initiatives and whose membership consists of more than 370 of America’s foremost womenswear, menswear, jewelry, and accessory designers. In addition to hosting the annual CFDA Fashion Awards, which recognize the top creative talent in the industry, the organization offers programs which support professional development and scholarships, including the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, the Geoffrey Beene Design Scholar Award, the Liz Claiborne Scholarship Award, and the CFDA/Teen Vogue Scholarship. Member support is provided through the Business Services Network, a high-profile group of companies offering designers strategic opportunities.

The CFDA Foundation, Inc. is a separate, not-for-profit organized to mobilize the membership to raise funds for charitable causes. Through the Foundation, the CFDA created and manages Fashion Targets Breast Cancer; raises funds for HIV/AIDS organizations with 7th on Sale; addresses the issue of model health with The CFDA Health Initiative; and is a key participant in other programs such as the annual Fashion’s Night Out.

HBO ~ TrueBlood Season 4 Episode 1 She's Not There

2011-06-05T17:16:00.074-04:00

HBO's TrueBlood seasons 1,2, and 3 had telepaths, vampires, shapeshifters, fire & brimstone zealots, demons, werewolves, shamans, fairies---and now season 4 brings us necromancing witches---oh my!

It's been several months since we've seen the denizens of Bon Temps Louisiana, so to get everyone up to speed HBO will air True Blood: Digging Up Season 3, a recap of True Blood's third season. The recap will initially air on Tuesday June 7th at 8:30pm with repeat airings leading to the TrueBlood Season 4 premiere on Sunday June 26th at 9:00pm. Please check your local listings.

HBO Recap of TrueBlood's Third Season: Digging Up Season 3

Thanks to TrueBloodSource on YouTube for HBOGO TrueBlood Season 4 Teaser

FX' Wilfred

2011-06-04T11:12:00.000-04:00

i first heard about FX' Wilfred 5 months ago. At last it's debut month is here. How could i not want to see this show? It has Elijah Wood, absurd adult humor, an Aussie, and dogs. Originally produced in Australia, Wilfred is about a suicidal man [Ryan] who perceives his neighbor's dog as a human. Well a human in a dog suit.

Think Harvey, only instead of a 6'tall talking rabbit the main character imagines he's interacting with a 6'tall talking dog. A beer guzzling, pot smoking, common sense advice giving, mischievious, incorrigible, lecherous dog.

Co-executive producer Jason Gann reprises his role as Wilfred the dog. The show has been tweaked for an American audience but hasn't lost it's edge. And if you think for 1 minute that you are not going to love Wilfred, then as Ryan's sister Kristen advises "you've just got to change the way you're seeing things".

Wilfred premieres Thursday June 23rd at 10:00pm on FX. Please check your local listings.

Becoming Chaz ~ Documentary of Chastity Bono's FTM Transition on OWN

2011-05-15T18:00:00.117-04:00

“There’s a gender in your brain and a gender in your body. For 99 percent of people, those things are in alignment. For transgender people, they’re mismatched. That’s all it is. It’s not complicated, it’s not a neurosis. It’s a mix-up. It’s a birth defect, like a cleft palate.” ~ Chaz Bono

Documentary filmmakers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato's Becoming Chaz chronicles the events that transpired when the subject of their film has sexual reassignment surgery. The World of Wonder production was originally screened in January at the Sundance Film Festival and won best documentary at the Milan International Film Festival. Recently Becoming Chaz was purchased by and aired on OWN.

Born in 1969 to Salvatore "Sonny" and Cherilyn "Cher" Bono, Chastity Sun Bono had as far back as she could recall, felt as if she had been born the wrong gender. In March of 2008 Chastity began procedures to change gender. As of 2010 pronoun references for Chastity would change from she/her to he/him as well as a legal change of name to Chaz Salvatore [in honor of his late father's birth name] Bono.

This documentary is unflinching in showing very private aspects of what is involved in making such a dramatic change in one's life, but also manages to maintain what would clearly be doctor patient confidentiality issues. For example, we don't see the psychiatric evaluations anyone, be they the offspring of celebs or not, would undergo. But the viewer is allowed to see how Chaz' decision to change gender is one that has plagued him his entire life even though he couldn't really put a specific to the choice until shortly before turning 40. While still hormonally female, coming out to her parents at age 18 as preferring sex with women meant living as a lesbian. Still something was faulty---she did not and never had enjoyed being a girl. It is heartbreaking to see Cher trying to come to terms with the fact that she no longer has the daughter she bore, while trying to be emotionally supportive and understanding. Beyond that are the health concerns. Among the possible side effects from the meds required for gender reassignment are weight gain, damage to the liver and/or heart.

As any couple does, Chaz and girlfriend Jennifer have their moments of disagreement, and his gender change has effected their relationship. In fact she says at one point during the film that she misses the person that Chaz was when they met [when he was a she]. Chaz must take male hormone shots twice a month for the rest of his life. Michael Chiklis is the male image [except for the shaved head] that Chaz would like to project.

i support Chaz' decision or any adult in the same situation who has the means, to make the changes they need to make, to feel complete and sane. i do have a problem with the portion of the film where the subject of altering the hormones of minors is introduced. i'm not saying that it's not possible for a child to feel they are the wrong gender. But i can't support a parent opting to have medication prescribed for a child as young as age 10 that will prevent the onset of puberty and then at 16 be prescribed medication that would chemically alter their gender in an effort to eliminate the need for surgical procedures when they become adults.

The documentary has a companion book written by Chaz Bono and Billie Fitzpatrick Transition: The Story Of How I Became A Man

Becoming Chaz originally aired on OWN on May 10th. It next airs on Saturday May 21st at 8:00pm and 11:00pm. Please check your local listings

HBO ~ Lady Gaga Presents The Monster Ball Tour At Madison Square Garden

2011-05-08T10:58:00.064-04:00

Get your paws up lil' monsters! Lady Gaga's concert [5 sold out] at Madison Square Garden is airing on HBO. Wow! This Lady truly knows how to entertain, and her fans whom she affectionately refers to as "little monsters", reciprocate the gratitude and happily show Gaga their teeth.

There are some who will be quick to say Gaga's performances are derivative and nothing more than a compilation of the aesthetic of some who preceded her i.e. Madonna, Elton John, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Gwar, and even some of Gaga's contemporaries i.e. Katy Perry. And to be fair even the most ardent of her fans would be hard pressed to deny that Gaga has surely been influenced by some, if not all, of these artists. But even with all that taken into consideration, if you were to dissect Gaga's performances and then view them objectively on their own merit, it is impossible to come away feeling anything other than completely satisfied. Influences aside Gaga is unique and uniquely talented.

Gaga has many assets. Her keyboarding skills are undeniable. She's an excellent songwriter. She's a savvy marketer, appreciative of her well earned success, her crew, and her fans. Gaga has a tremendous set of pipes---equally adept as balladeer and belter. my fav part of the HBO special is during the ending credits when she and the backup singers are doing an acapella rendition of Born This Way. Their harmonies are rousing and flawless.

Throughout the 2hr Garden performance Gaga is working the heels, the glam, the costumes, and the crowd. Sure you're right---rub that glitter and grease around!

HBO ~ Lady Gaga Presents The Monster Ball Tour At Madison Square Garden originally aired Saturday May 7th. Several repeat airings are scheduled HBO Zone channel is having a marathon on Sunday May 8th---i've watched it 4 times [so far]. Please check your local listings. And remember "Don't be a drag Just be a queen".

The Kennedys An 8 Episode Mini-Series On Reelz Channel

2011-04-26T13:18:00.041-04:00

The Kennedys, the mini-series that The History Channel and a few other networks were too afraid to touch, did so well in the ratings on it's first go-round, it is having encore airings on Reelz Channel the network that did have the foresight to realize it was worthy of a home.

The entire look of the production is flawless never giving away it's secret that much of it was in fact shot in Canada with the help of cgi to recreate the Kennedy compound, Washington DC, Dallas Texas, etc. Use of film of actual events also lends to the authenticity of the look. Bravo to the costumers, hair and make-up artists as well.

i like Greg Kinnear, but other than a physical resemblance to our 35th president [again helped by the previously mentioned hair and make-up artists], i did not find his performance to be very compelling. It's not so much that his performance is bad he does have many good moments, as that i often felt that i was seeing Greg Kinnear instead of JFK on the screen. Katie Holmes as Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy captures the paradoxically fragile and strong first lady extremely well. But the true standout performance is delivered by Barry Pepper. Every moment he is on the screen the man is putting on an actor's master class. The mannerisms, the voice, everything about his portrayal says "Robert Kennedy". If his performance does not render an Emmy, i cannot imagine why.

Kudos to Reelz Channel for having no fear in giving this production, which shows the triumphs, as well as the scandals, and tragedies that was the Kennedys, a home.

The 8 part mini-series The Kennedys airs at 9:00pm and Midnight weeknights on ReelzChannel. Please check your local listings.

The Borgias Season 1 Episode 1 The Poisoned Chalice

2011-04-25T17:29:00.072-04:00

If you have not been watching Showtime's The Borgias---what in the name of all that is holy are you waiting for? Five of the season's nine episodes have aired, each more gripping than the preceding. Brimming with intrigue, spectacle, suspense, horror, and heat, heat, lord have mercy on our souls heat!

Jeremy Irons as Pope Alexander VI né Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia is deliciously wicked. This Il Papa outsmarts his rivals quicker than they can genuflect, has a fiercely loyal family and more schemes than there are beads on a rosary. This 15th to 16th century papacy is of an era when The Holy See was capable of having a wife children and mistresses, and fully indulge that status. But it is not without consequence. As the saying goes "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely". Murder, torture and betrayal are standard practice for this power obsessed Pope. Even if many of the abhorrent deeds are not done by his own hand, they are by his edict. The drama is of course all the more astonishing as it is based on actual events.

Neil Jordan's scripts, direction, and production are crisp and authentic, and the entire cast is great.

The Borgias airs on Showtime Sundays at 10:00pm with multiple repeat airings. Please check your local listings.

HBO Cinema Vérité The Making Of An American Family

2011-04-16T21:35:00.133-04:00

Before there was JWoww, Snooki, or "the Situation", Housewives of [fill in the city of your choice], The Hills, or The Kardashians, there was the Loud family of Santa Barbara California, aka "An American Family".

In 1973, independent filmmakers Alan and Susan Raymond, producers Craig Gilbert, Eduardo Garcia, and PBS/WNETNY, introduced Pat and Bill Loud and their children Lance, Delilah, Kevin, Grant, and Michele to the nation and the world. The Raymonds categorize the work as a documentary, but fans, scholars, and critics deem it to be the first reality series. From May to December 1971, 300+ hrs of 16mm film were shot, then edited down to 12hrs. More than 10 million viewers tuned in. In 1983 HBO aired An American Family Revisited: The Louds 10 Years Later. Eldest son Lance was the most dynamic and controversial of the Louds---he came out during the show. Even though it did not originate on the show, the expression 'out loud and proud' always reminds me of Lance. PBS and the Raymonds reunited with him in 2001 for Lance Loud: A Death In An American Family. Terminally ill at the time, Lance had been a meth addict for 20yrs, was HIV positive, and diagnosed with hepatitis C. Lance died when he was 50.

Nearly ~~30yrs~~ 40yrs after the original airing of An American Family, there is HBO's Cinema Vérité The Making Of An American Family. It is a dramatization of what occurred behind the scenes of the doc/reality series. Starring Tim Robbins as the successful [strip mining equipment], charismatic, but flawed patriarch Bill Loud, and Diane Lane as Stanford Grad, and archetype 1970s chic [smoking actually does look glamorous in her hands] matriarch Pat Loud.

Even though the HBO project has a bit of a Droste effect feel [an image of its self within its self multiplied] i strongly applaud Ms Lane and Mr Robbins' performances. Their resemblance to and mannerisms of the Louds are uncanny and they completely capture the 'OMG! what have we done' feeling their real-life counterparts displayed when realizing that the whole world was watching, and not just the mundane, but also the moments they as a family would have rather been left to privacy. "Quod me nutrit me destruit" [what nourishes me destroys me]

If you weren't around for the original An American Family or you were and want to see it again PBS WNET Channel 13 will air a marathon of the series on Saturday April 23rd beginning at 11:00pm. If you're in NYC and you've got a spare 45 bucks burning a hole in your pocket [admission is $15.00 per person, waived for Paley Center members], the Paley Center For Media will have screenings of the series on 3 consecutive weekends beginning Saturday April 30th 2011 at 12:15pm

HBO's Cinema Vérité The Making Of An American Family airs Saturday April 23rd 2011 at 9:00pm Please check your local listings.

UPDATE: WLIW PBS WORLD CHANNEL 164 will also air the original American Family episodes Sunday April 24 2011 beginning at noon.

Showtime's Nurse Jackie Season 3 Premiere Episode 1 Game On

2011-03-24T16:55:00.096-04:00

you had me at "high and mighty". Showtime's succinct advertising copy for Nurse Jackie sooo defines the title character. Season 2's intervention didn't take. Jackie is increasing her self-medicating, in denial about her addiction, and lying to her husband, friends, co-workers, and boss. Resulting in her life rapidly spiraling out of control.

Many have been closed as the result of budget cuts, but All Saints Hospital is still standing. To give some shift relief to doctors O'Hara and Cooper, and nurses Zoey, Sam, and Thor, ER administrator Gloria Akalitus intends to scoop up as many of the closed hospitals out of work staff as possible, and since it's a buyers' market, she intends to get them for bargain salaries. Also she's campaigning to get First Lady Obama to help raise funds for All Saints, so it doesn't meet the same fate as it's neighbors.

Jackie hasn't lost her gift of being a terrific nurse---she has great bedside manner, and not just for the patients, but also for their anxious loved ones. Often thinking 3 steps ahead regarding what is best for the patient. And this is why despite her flaws, we root for Jackie. Yes, she is damaged. But she's also funny, charming, smart, and sincerely tries to do what's best for her kids, Grace and Fiona.

Nurse Jackie's 3rd season premieres Monday March 28th at 10:00pm on Showtime. Please check your local listings.

Showtime's Nurse Jackie Season 3 Episode 1 Game On
[Full Ep courtesy Megavideo]

HBO Mildred Pierce Starring Kate Winslet Evan Rachel Wood and Guy Pearce in Todd Haynes' 5 Part Mini-Series Adaptation

2011-03-21T16:52:00.133-04:00

Confession---i'm a bit of a snob when it comes to covers of songs and re-makes of movies. Usually don't care for either. my view is if you can't bring something unique or deliver as strong a performance as the original work my attention wanders. To begin with i have a short one [attention span] so fairly or not, the listening/viewing is usually over before it has begun. But there are exceptions to every rule and in the case of Todd Haynes' reworking of Mildred Pierce i can't wait. i applaud anyone having the courage to tackle the project.

The 1945 version based on the James M. Cain novel has a cameo appearance by Butterfly McQueen and starred Joan Crawford f'cryin'outloud. i am a huge fan of Ms. Crawford and as far as i'm concerned she can do no wrong [on the screen anyway]*shrug*. In HBO's 2011 5 part mini-series adaptation, Academy award winner Kate Winslet delivers such a powerful performance it is not only worthy of the same praise Crawford garnered it may even be [dare i say it] better. Evan Rachel Wood is perfection as Mildred's daughter Veda and Guy Pearce is great as lecherous parasite Monty. The production was shot in Peekskill NY, but the sets, costumes and cinematography capture the look of the the story's setting, the California coast, and the story's time [the '30's and '40's] beautifully.

For those unfamiliar with the story, Mildred Pierce lives in an era when it was not the norm for a woman to divorce, be a single parent, or work outside the home, let alone own her own business. Mildred was roaring before the Helen Reddy anthem was penned, and she roared loudly. Mildred came from humble beginnings, and naturally, wanted something more for her children, Veda and Kay. Mildred becomes a successful restauranteuse [but not without cost---hey sometimes a gal's gotta do what a gal's gotta do] and acquires the means to give her daughters the finer things in life. Veda, an original material girl, turns out to be spoiled, cruel, manipulative, scheming, elitist, and a steam-roller over anyone who stands between herself, money, fame, and ultimately a high standing in society. Not that there's anything wrong with ambition, but Veda leaves a trail of bodies

one not just figuratively

on her path to success. Not even her mother is spared Veda's cruelty, but because Mildred is so desperate to have her daughter's love she forgives her humiliations and indiscretions.

So get comfy, and break out the snacks and the tissues. TCM is airing the 1945 Mildred Pierce on Saturday March 26th at 8:00pm

HBO's 5 part Mildred Pierce mini-series begins on Sunday March 27th at 9:00pm. Please check your local listings.

A clip of the 1945 rendition of Mildred Pierce starring Joan Crawford and Ann Blyth

HBO Big Love Season 5 Episode 10 When Men and Mountains Meet [Series Finale]

2011-03-20T10:19:00.088-04:00

Series finales usually have the daunting task of tying up the loose ends of a season's worth of plot lines, while simultaneously anticipating what may be on the minds of the show's viewers.

Some thoughts of yours truly:

Has Alby survived being shot.

Gonna miss Grant Show as the Goji juice guru. Proving to be more than just eye-candy---his character had just the right amount of creepiness to make his personality undesirable---despite still bringing the sexy. Ditto Robert Patrick's Juniper Creek resident.

Will Bill be indicted, tried, convicted, and sent to prison for marrying Margene before she was of the age of consent [even though he was unaware and she had her mom's permission]. Will Barb join a new Mormon church. Is Nicki truly going to make amends with her daughter Cara Lynn

Will the dynamic of Heather Ben and Rhonda's relationship result in him receiving a priesthood and living the principle with them.

It was nice to see Bill's right hand man Don be more assertive in the last few eps of season 5. Hope that spine stays strong in the finale.

In every season Grace Zabriskie's Lois and Bruce Dern's Frank gave fans all they could want and then some.

They've been mentioned but season 5 hasn't had many eps where we've seen Teenie or Sarah. Will we see Teenie or Sarah in the finale or will they only be given a mention again. And the same can be said of Bill's brother Joey

HBO will air a retrospective of the series, Big Love: The End Of Days on Sunday March 20th at 4:30pm The 10th episode of the 5th and final season of HBO's Big Love airs Sunday March 20th 2011 at 9:00pm There will be many repeat airings of the retrospective and the 10th ep of the season 5 and series finale. Please check your local listings.

Taking On Tyson Season 1 Episode 1 Homecoming On Animal Planet

2011-03-06T19:27:00.074-05:00

Brooklyn, birds, boxing. The common denominator connected to these variables: Mike Tyson. Since he was a child, Brooklyn native Mike Tyson has been drawn to birds, specifically pigeons. Today the 44 year old former five time heavyweight boxing champ has 2500 racing pigeons. There are two classifications of birds he prefers: "tipplers" or "flights" who have the ability to remain airborne without interruption for as much as 16 hours, and "Birmingham rollers" which have the capability of acrobatic flight---turning somersaults and moving in reverse while in flight.

On March 6th Animal Planet begins a six part series, Taking On Tyson. The series educates the uninitiated about the training and sport of racing pigeons, and brings fans into the current world of the man once billed as 'the baddest on the planet'. Mike no longer practices the sweet science, but he's still competitive and wants his birds to be winners. The birds are therapeutic for Mr.Tyson and his admiration of them is a revelation.

Taking On Tyson airs on Animal Planet Sundays at 10:00pm with repeat airings on Mondays at 9:00pm, Fridays at 10:00pm. Please check your local listings.

FX' Justified Season 2 Episode 1 The Moonshine War

2011-02-07T17:38:00.095-05:00

Smooth as Kentucky sippin' whiskey, Elmore Leonard's sure shot, stetson wearing, U.S.Marshall Raylan Givens is back. Timothy Olyphant as Raylan has made peace with his forced relocation to his bluegrass roots. Turning down his fed boss' offer to return to Florida, he's happy to remain in Kentucky. But, he's got a tough row to hoe, dealing with old heart-achers, and new law breakers. With his partner, deputy Rachel Brooks, Marshall Givens is on the trail of sex offenders, moonshiners, marijuana farmers and shady sheriffs.

FX' Justified, returns for season 2, Wednesday February 9th 2011 at 10:00pm Please check your local listings.

NBC's Who Do You Think You Are Season 2 Episode 1 Vanessa Williams

2011-02-04T08:32:00.072-05:00

NBC's Who Do You Think You Are? is back for a second season, and the celebs tracing their family trees are still terrific: Vanessa Williams, Rosie O’Donnell, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kim Cattrall, Ashley Judd, Steve Buscemi, Lionel Richie, and Tim McGraw.

"Never"...Vanessa Williams is reading her Great Great Grandpa David Carll's written response on a pension form to the question "were you ever a slave". Born in 1845, centuries later, that "never" remains emphatic and resoundingly powerful.

Slavery in New York State had been abolished in 1827 which afforded him the status of freedom. In 1864, David Carll enlisted in the Union Army to fight for the freedom for others who were not as fortunate as himself. Wisely, $200.00 of his $300.00 salary or "bounty" as it was then referred, was used to purchase land for his family in Oyster Bay NY, and his descendants would live and thrive there for generations.

i love that Ms Williams' family has a cemetery plot in her hometown that spans several generations. Even though they are deceased that kind of access provides a strong continuity.

Great Great Grandpa Carll was among the 1st to enlist in the Union Army once blacks were permitted to serve. Vanessa Williams, the 1st black Miss America [though she would later be compelled to relinquish her crown] comes by her pioneer spirit honestly. Of course Ms Williams has subsequently made many other great accomplishments: philanthropist, award winning artist, star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, etc. But in a bit of prescient whimsy, on her birth announcement her parents wrote "here she is, Miss America". Something i'm guessing her descendants will find delightful.

NBC's Who Do You Think You Are? begins it's 2nd season Friday February 4th 2011 at 8:00pm. Please check your local listings.