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Britney Spears on How I Met Your Mother

Here's a sneak peek of Britney Spears' second appearance on How I Met Your Mother. She looks good. She sounds good. And her comic timing is good, too.

Posted on May 8, 2008
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Ugly Betty is Moving to New York

Ugly Betty is moving to New York City. The show has been shot in Los Angeles to date, but after the move the real Big Apple will be front and center in the show.

n a fairly unprecedented move for an established hour drama, ABC has decided to shift the show's entire production to within stalking distance of me New York next season. The real New York. "It's a done deal," says one Betty insider.

Although Ugly Betty is set in the Big Apple, the show is shot entirely in La La Land. Whenever Gotham is featured as a backdrop in a scene, what you're probably seeing is a studio backlot, a random street in downtown L.A. or, in the case of Betty's Queens nabe, an elaborate green screen.

Although an ABC Studios spokesperson was unavailable for comment, my Betty source says Alphabet execs see the East Coast move as both a way to cut costs ("It's generally cheaper to shoot in the city you're trying to portray") and give the show an authentic New York feel. It's doubtful they'll get much resistance from the actors, many of whom either hail from New York (Vanessa Williams and Ana Ortiz) or have called it home at one time (Juilliard grad Michael Urie).

Betty's entire neighborhood is green screen? What, they couldn't drive a few miles to shoot in a similar neighborhood new L.A.? Because, there are plenty. In any event, we like the move to New York -- it should make for some great location shoots.

Posted on May 7, 2008
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Lindsay Lohan to Guest Star on Ugly Betty

Lindsay Lohan will guest star on Ugly Betty's season finale on May 22nd. But that's not all.

No, the big news is that Betty producers are currently talking to LiLo's camp about bringing her back next season for a sizable arc -- and I do mean sizable. We're talking as many as eight freakin' episodes. No doubt ABC is looking at the ratings mileage CBS got out of Britney Spears' How I Met Your Mother cameo and is hoping Lohan can perform the same magic for Betty, which, despite firing on all cylinders creatively this season, has seen its viewership tumble by double digits. Depressing, I know.

Specifics on Lohan's character are still being finalized, but the original idea was to have her play a hapless fast-food worker that Betty befriends. Not sure if that would still be the plan. Now, I know you Betty fans were initially resistant to the prospect of a Lindsay-Betty confab, but in light of the show's recent ratings woes, are you warming to the idea? I certainly am.

We like the idea of a Lindsay guest starring stint on Ugly Betty. But we don't know about her playing some random fast food worker. Still, Lindsay can do comedy quite well -- whatever the writers do, it will most likely be funny.

Posted on May 1, 2008
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Sneak Peeks For Grey's Anatomy

Here are two sneak peeks of the Grey's Anatomy episode that will air tomorrow night on ABC. They're pretty funny.

(Videos via Watch With Kristin).

Posted on April 30, 2008
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The Secrets of Benjamin Linus

Photo of (Warning: Spoilers ahead for <I>Lost</I> fans who haven't seen this week's episode!)
<BR><BR>
Benjamin Linus from Lost

Photo of (Warning: Spoilers ahead for <I>Lost</I> fans who haven't seen this week's episode!)
<BR><BR>
Benjamin Linus from Lost

Kristin of Watch With Kristin at E! has a fantastic interview with Michael Emerson who plays the complex and utterly fascinating Benjamin Linus on Lost. After Thursday's mind-blowing episode (in which we see Ben in a whole new light, including kicking some serious butt in the desert and being secret agent man in Iraq) the entire show landscape has shifted. The ultimate battle between Charles Widmore and Benjamin Linus for control of the island is on.

Jumping to the end of episode then, Charles Widmore says, I didn't kill your daughter, you did. How much does Ben feel culpable in her death?

Ben is a guy who doesn't take things lightly, and I think he has a long memory. When Charles Widmore says that it's Ben's fault -- that's a kind of sophistry on his part. He's suggesting that everything Ben has ever done has led up to this moment, the idea that who we are makes us guilty across the board. But Ben's not having that explanation.

I think Ben knows that his daughter died for a very particular reason, and that Charles Widmore is the guilty one. Whatever is going on between Ben and Charles Widmore, the ante just got raised about tenfold.

*****

Do you almost feel like after that conversation with Charles we suddenly learned that Ben is the hero of the show, even though we didn't know he existed for the first season or two?

It feels like some kind of shift along those lines is happening, doesn't it? Because each season, it's like the lens of the show steps back a notch and shows the playing field of the show to be a larger one that we had thought at first. I think this battle between Charles Widmore and Benjamin Linus, whatever it is, whatever the stakes are, whatever the game is, I think that's now big. That's a big, important thing.

And I think, I don't know if it's just from familiarity or instinct, but I think we like Ben Linus better than we like Charles Widmore. I think Charles Widmore is a more wicked man.

He's right about that. We do like Ben Linus more than Charles Widmore. In fact, Ben has been growing on us all season, because of Michael Emerson's amazing performance. Charles Widmore is totally evil -- think of how mean he was to Desmond. And we can't believe Widmore had Ben's daughter killed; clearly Widmore and Ben had some kind of "family is off limits" agreement in their war over the island. It's all starting to make sense why Sayid went to work for Ben. We really wouldn't want to be someone on Ben's or Sayid's hit list, that's for sure.

Now we know that many of you think Ben is totally evil and ruthless, but really his mission to save the world is so important that he has to be ruthless. At least that's how we feel about it this week.

Posted on April 26, 2008
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Presidential Candidates Embrace Their Inner Wrestlers

Now here's something you don't see everyday: presidential candidates Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain are each making a "very special appearance" on a three-hour edition of WWE's "Monday Night RAW" tonight on the USA Network starting at 8 p.m. ET.

Here's what WWE says is happening tonight:

The three Presidential candidates intend to tap into the power of the more than five million viewers who each week tune in to watch RAW, making it the number one weekly year round show on cable. In particular, Sen. Clinton and Sen. Obama will be appealing for votes from WWE fans in Pennsylvania, where they are locked in a tight primary battle. An invitation from the WWE to have Sen. Clinton and Sen. Obama appear on RAW to settle the Democratic nomination process in the wrestling ring was the catalyst for tonight's appearances by the three top Presidential contenders, who each will address the WWE audience in specially taped messages.

Who deserves to win the biggest Championship match in the country? Tune in Monday to hear what the candidates have to say. WWE encourages its fans in Pennsylvania to Smackdown Your Vote! for your favorite candidate on Tuesday.

Check out smackdownyourvote.com to register to vote and to learn more about WWE's Smackdown Your Vote! campaign.

Here are Senators Clinton (you can call her "HillRod"), Obama and McCain talking about their appearance tonight:

Posted on April 21, 2008
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Hopeful News For Moonlight Fans

Photo of Alex O'Loughlin

Some hopeful news for Moonlight fans: executive producer Joel Silver is determined to get the show a second season. Silver told Sci Fi Wire that he and the writers are already working out the story arc for next season. He will pitch the ideas and the proposed renewal to CBS next week.

"We're hopeful," Silver said in a group interview on April 18 while promoting his latest film, Speed Racer. "I mean, the next episode goes on next Friday night, which is a really great episode. It starts out, Mick [Alex O'Loughlin] is still human, but then he has to go back to being a vampire. And I have three more really strong episodes. And I hope that it does come back, because we have a whole plan for next year that's fantastic."

CBS will announce its fall lineup in May at its annual upfront presentation to advertisers in New York. Before then, Silver and the writing staff are planning to meet with the network and make their case for season two for the show, which has earned solid if unspectacular ratings.

"Well, we're going to go in, as a matter of fact, next week for a pitch meeting to tell them what we're going to do next year," Silver said. "And then that, coupled with the ratings, we'll know what happens." Moonlight returns with the first of four new episodes on April 25 in its regular timeslot, Fridays at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

We're with you, Joel: knock em out at the pitch meeting!

Posted on April 21, 2008
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The End of the World as We Know It?

Here's an upbeat, must-see tv show tonight: "Last Days on Earth" airs tonight on the History Channel at 7:00 p.m. Central time. Here's the official description.

How smart are we as a civilization?

Smart enough to control our destiny and avoid the cataclysms that may end life as we know it?

For thousands of years, different religions have warned Earth about Armageddon and the final days. We are now living in an age where scientists are adding their voices and their evidence in support of end-of-the-world possibilities. "Last Days on Earth" is a program that could change the way you see your world and yourself.

The world's top scientists, including Stephen Hawking, considered the foremost living theoretical physicist, describe seven riveting scenarios detailing the deadliest threats to humanity. Some can destroy the planet, others have the ability to render us extinct, and all have the power to destroy civilization. How likely are they to occur, and what exactly would happen if they did, and could we survive? "Last Days on Earth" goes beyond science fiction to science fact. Using state-of-the-art visual effects, it will take viewers on a journey that is both breathtaking and terrifying, from the outer reaches of the universe to the inner world of DNA, with an around-the-globe tour in between.

"Of all the generations of humans that have walked the surface of the Earth -- for 100,000 years, going back when we first left Africa -- the generation now alive is the most important," said Michio Kaku, professor of theoretical physics at City University of New York. "The generation now alive, the generation that you see, looking around you, for the first time in history, is the generation that controls the destiny of the planet itself."

So, basically, Stephen Hawking will explain how the events of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles are going to come to pass. That ought to give everyone sweet dreams tonight. Oh, and in a related note, Michael Ausiello of TV Guide says that Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles just got renewed for a second season. Hooray!

Posted on April 20, 2008
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The Return of Lost

Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof talked about the return of Lost next week in a conference call with reporters. Here's the scoop:

Something big is up for Claire. "I think there is a very compelling event involving Claire's character that will take place between now and the season finale." (Rumors include everything from a kiss to the kiss of death...)

The flash-forwards and flashbacks are a "mosaic," and when the "mosaic" is complete, the story of Lost is complete. Damon explains: "There is the story on the island, which we perceive to be the present, and then there's the story of the Oceanic 6, which is happening off the island in the future. But if we were to switch perspectives at any time and suddenly we were off the island, focusing on the Oceanic 6 trying to get back, that would be the present, and what was happening back on the island would be either a parallel present, possibly a future, possibly a past. Who knows? So when you hear that whoosh noise, the question becomes 'Where does it take you?' Hopefully, if we do our jobs right in the finale, in the eight months in between the finale and the season premiere next year, the audience will once again be asking, 'What the hell are they going to do in the season premiere?' And that means we're keeping people on their toes. And that's our intent."

We've been watching this show way too long, because that paragraph actually made sense to us. Oh, and we think Claire is doomed. Lost returns with the first of five new episodes on Thursday, April 24, 2008 in a new timeslot, Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET. Next week's episode is titled "The Shape of Things to Come." Part one of "There's No Place Like Home" will air on May 15th. The two-hour second part will air on May 29th at 9 p.m ET.

Posted on April 18, 2008
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Talks Begin to Avert Actors' Strike

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) has started its talks with the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers) in hopes of heading off an actors' strike. The contract expires June 30, 2008.

Among the issues the union -- led by chief negotiator Doug Allen and president Alan Rosenberg -- is bringing to the table are residuals on new media, more money for DVD/home video and changes to health and pension benefits.

The talks come at a crucial time with the industry is still recovering from the 100-day WGA strike. The threat of protracted negotiations -- and the possibility of an actors' strike -- already has caused studios to scale back production schedules for film and TV.

The first day of bargaining began at 10 a.m. at the AMPTP headquarters in Sherman Oaks. It marked the first time SAG has sat down with the AMPTP and its chief, Nick Counter, without fellow performers union AFTRA. Three weeks ago, AFTRA voted to suspend its Phase One joint bargaining agreement with SAG. On Monday, AFTRA rejected SAG's last-ditch attempt to have a united front at the bargaining table.

Nobody in Hollywood wants to see another strike. The writers' strike was absolutely brutal for just about everyone in the industry. It's time to settle this one quickly! The directors and the writers cut a deal, so hopefully the actors will as well.

Posted on April 15, 2008
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Stanley Kamel Dead at 65

Photo of Stanley Kamel

Stanley Kamel, a veteran actor who is currently playing Dr. Kroger on the hit television show Monk, has died. The L.A. Times reports that he suffered a heart attack in his home; he was 65.

Stanley Kamel, a veteran character actor who appeared most recently in the USA television network series "Monk" as detective Adrian Monk's psychiatrist, has died. He was 65.

Kamel was found dead of a heart attack Tuesday at his Los Angeles home by his longtime agents and friends Donna Massetti and Marilyn Szatmary, publicist Cynthia Snyder said Wednesday in a statement.

Often cast as unsavory characters in TV dramas, Kamel got attention as the suicidal Bruce Teller in the Fox prime-time soap "Melrose Place" in 1994, Dylan McKay's scheming father-in-law Tony Marchette in Fox's "Beverly Hills, 90210" in 1995 and creepy psychiatrist Dr. Graham Lester in the ABC crime series "Murder One" in 1995-96.

We love Monk and Stanley Kamel's portrayal of Monk's psychiatrist Dr. Charles Kroger was always such fun to watch. He will be missed. There's no word yet from USA Network about how they're going to handle the actor's death in the script; right now, no doubt the entire cast and crew is still hearing about the tragedy.

Posted on April 10, 2008
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Friday Night Lights Saved By DirecTV

DirectTV has just saved the show Friday Night Lights. The fans are devoted, but the ratings are low, so the deal that NBC cut with DirecTV should make fans very happy.

For television networks, it is a common quandary: what do you do about a show that critics adore, that has a passionate base of fans, but that consistently gets mediocre ratings? NBC, for one, thinks it has a creative solution. Last week, it announced a deal with DirecTV, a subscription satellite television service, that would keep Friday Night Lights on the air for a third season. DirecTV will help defray NBC's production costs and in exchange will receive the right to show Friday Night Lights first.

Television executives say this model could help keep other sentimental favorites on the air. For instance, CBS Paramount Network Television has held talks with Comcast, the cable provider, about finding new life for Jericho, the low-rated drama canceled by CBS last month, according to two people briefed on the talks who requested anonymity. And Katherine Pope, the president of NBC's production arm, Universal Media Studios, said that other television distributors had also shown interest in licensing the rights to specific shows.

From NBC's perspective, Friday Night Lights did not draw enough of a crowd to be continued. On average, about 6.1 million people tuned in to it this season, but fans were loyal enough to send thousands of mini-footballs to NBC to lobby for the show. NBC knew it needed a partner, and an opportunity arose in January when Eric Shanks, the executive vice president for entertainment at DirecTV, struck up a conversation with his friend Ben Silverman, the co-chairman of NBC Entertainment. DirecTV licensed the rights to the "first window" of the show, meaning that DirecTV subscribers will see the new episodes four months before the broadcast audience.

This is a very interesting development. Will fans subscribe to DirecTV in order to see the shows early? That seems to be the sticking point here. Because surely DirecTV is doing the deal to increase subscribers.

Posted on April 9, 2008
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Moonlight Fans Hold Blood Drive

Screenshot from Moonlight

Fans of the show Moonlight are absolutely determined that the show be renewed for a second season. Towards that end, they're launching a blood drive to get publicity for the show. (It's a vampire show, for the uninitiated, hence the blood.)Star Alex O'Loughin will also donate for the cause.

We love Moonlight and hope it returns for another season. You can find out more about the drive or get involved here.

Posted on April 7, 2008
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Heroes and Chuck to Air in Uninterrupted Blocks

Heroes, Medium and Chuck will be returning in lengthy blocks in the fall, according to NBC.

NBC's returning genre shows -- Heroes, Chuck and -- will each air a full complement of original episodes next season, in contrast to this year's strike-truncated season, with Heroes and Chuck set to air without repeats through December. The announcements came at the network's presentation to advertisers in New York on April 2.

"We not only have the biggest star of TV, we have movie stars on NBC," Ben Silverman, co-chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios, said during the presentation. "The talent on NBC are the breakout talent and the cultural, relevant, leading icons of all of television. It's a hallmark of what we do, and as you'll see, ... all of your favorites are coming back."

Heroes will return to the schedule on Sept. 15 with an hourlong clip show premiering at 8 p.m. ET/PT and a two-hour season premiere airing at 9 p.m., its regular timeslot. Chuck, meanwhile, will debut in the fall in its regular Monday 8 p.m. timeslot. Rounding out a night of genre fare, newcomer My Own Worst Enemy--starring Christian Slater as a man with a Mr. Hyde-like alter ego--will air at 10 p.m.

We like the fact that they will air in blocks: when they chop up the shows into four weeks on, three weeks off, it just ruins the continuity. Who remembers what happened weeks ago? We barely remember what happened yesterday.

Posted on April 5, 2008
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NBC Announces Fall Lineup

NBC has announced its programming for the next year, which features a new flexible schedule for year-round programming. Some highlights: there will be new webisodes online for Heroes, Chuck and The Office starting in July; the new Heroes spinoff has been canceled before it even got started and a new digital show will launch called Fears, Secrets, & Desires. Here's the rest of the (lengthy) press release that explains everything that's coming up:

New chapters of webisodes for "Heroes," "Chuck" and "The Office" will debut on NBC.com beginning in July. Additional chapters of webisodes for each show will roll out throughout the season. Each chapter of webisodes will continue to weave online with on-air creative to give fans a deeper entertainment experience.

"30 Rock" joins "The Office," "Heroes" and "Lipstick Jungle," and goes "360" next season. Fans of the Emmy-winning comedy can learn from the best through Jack Donaghy's Online Business Courses (or "Jack U"), have access to Jack's blog and offer their own business advice by uploading videos. Other challenges for users will include submitting skits for "TGS," enacting provided skits from "TGC," user response to "Ask Tina" and guided tours of their workplaces (in response to Kenneth the Page's tours).

NBC.com will also debut its second season of original productions with "Fears, Secrets & Desires." This series, detailed below, will be available exclusively on NBC.com.

A comprehensive list of digital features, by show, follows.

Original Digital Production:

"Fears, Secrets, & Desires"

In this unique online experience users help create an original online series by sharing their deepest, darkest secrets, their unimaginable fears and their scandalous desires. Two hosts will entice and inspire users by sharing their own stories, as well as providing discussion topics each week via vlogs. Users will submit stories in one of three areas on the site: Fears, Secrets or Desires. Starting in October 2008, selected posts will be adapted for an online NBC Anthology series that brings the posts to life with creative interpretation meant to tease, tantalize or terrify. Segments will be produced both in-house at NBC.com, and by Hollywood talent normally associated with the big or small screens, not necessarily the computer screen.

Returning Shows:

"American Gladiators" - The site explodes with a User Generated Photo Gallery - "Be A Gladiator," Gladiator personality quiz, and Ultimate Gladiator Workout and advice from the Gladiators.

"Biggest Loser" - Users will be able to see more confessional videos, extended "Where Are They Now?" segments, bonus scenes and customized features which will include recipe sharing and contests and fitness tips, widgets and games.

"Chuck" - In addition to the new webisodes, fans of the show will be able to join Buy More and take Big Mike's Management Lessons and see inside the Nerd Herd "Help Desk" as well as get a look at the villains photo gallery and check out the Buy More Music Section (featuring music from the show).

"Deal or No Deal" - New content includes video profiles of the models, a quarterly tournament with an online game and a highly anticipated new PSMS game.

"ER" - New features include weekly preview scenes.

"Heroes" - Season 3 of "Heroes 360" expands the "Heroes" universe further with webisodes, online manhunts for the villains, the addition of more micro sites that allow the users to uncover more of the "Heroes" universe, wireless iTV interactivity and the ability to view the graphic novel on mobile platforms.

"Last Comic Standing" - Users can see extended audition footage, a User Generated "You're Funny" showcase and weekly international commentary from former finalist Deb DiGiovanni.

"Late Night with Conan O'Brien" - If They Mated; Actual Items; Celebrity Survey; Travels with Conan (customization available); Late Night Underground hosted by Late Night Insider; REWIND; Pale Force New Season

"Law & Order: SVU" - Popular weekly previews give fans a sneak peek into what's ahead.

"Life" - New content features include an interactive prison timeline giving the fans a chance to see what happened while Charlie Crews was incarcerated, a User Generated conspiracy wall and a "Life" Wiki.

"Lipstick Jungle" - In addition to popular existing features such as "Get The Look" Online Store, fans will find a mobile shopping guide and new additions to the online Bonfire Magazine.

"Medium" - Users can recreate their favorite "Allison Waking Up In Bed After a Nightmare" scene, upload it and share.

"Nashville Star" - New content features include original behind-the-scenes segments with online correspondent Wix Wichman, extended audition clips, weekly highlights, behind-the-scenes photos, quizzes, games and featured music.

"The Office" - In addition to new webisodes, this mega micro-site has it all for fans of "The Office." Returning features include deleted scenes, Dwight's blog, User Generated office galleries, Adventures with Dwight bobblehead gallery, Office quote game, Office personality quiz, Adventures with Angela page, an interactive photo set tour and season two of Dunder Mifflin Infinity, the on line community where fans get a chance to run the branches.

"Saturday Night Live" - Users will get a VIP tour backstage with weekly production blogs and video tours.

"The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" - Jay's Garage enters its third season and opens it up to the users to create their own Garage pages. An historical "Tonight Show" timeline will also be introduced this season. New Shows:

"America's Toughest Jobs" - Features will include in-depth contestant profiles, challenge analysis and an online survival game.

"Celebrity Family Feud" - Fans will find celebrity family bios, interviews, photos and profiles.

"Chopping Block" - Digital features will include featured recipes delivered via web, mobile and SMS and a New York City restaurant guide.

"Kath & Kim" - NBC.com will have full episode streaming accompanied by weekly "wine time" segments - featuring Molly Shannon and Selma Blair as their characters discuss the week in pop-culture, fashion and neighborhood gossip, beauty Q & A and Kim dating profiles powered by myNBC.

"Kings" - Digital features will include city sites for Shiloh, Gilboah and Gath, creating a deeper experience for the user. Additionally, viewers will find videos about the King's ascension to power, a family history expose and full streaming episodes.

"Knight Rider" - Fans of the show will find a "KITT" My Ride feature, weekly KITT voicemails to mobile subscribers, talking KITT e-cards and streaming full episodes.

"The Last Templar" -- Digital features will include a Guide to the Templars, Making Of video pieces, interactive decoder games and full streaming episodes.

"Merlin" - Digital features will include Merlin's diary and Spells for Everyday Life.

"My Own Worst Enemy" - New content features will include an alter ego game, dossiers on supporting characters, an archive of Edward and Henry video messages to each other and a split site (suburbs v. international intrigue).

"The Philanthropist" - In addition to full streaming episodes, users will find Giving Back tips, Teddy's Lifestyle game and money tracker files.

"Crusoe" - Digital features will include extended flashback scenes, an interactive adventure game, Crusoe's diary and full episode streaming.

"Shark Taggers" - Fans will be able to meet the taggers through video profiles, interact with a Tag the Shark game and watch deleted scenes.

"XIII" - Digital features will include interactive mobile events synched to the live broadcast and full episode streaming.

There is a lot of SF programming in the bunch: mostly, we're just happy that Chuck and Heroes are returning. Medium was on the chopping block, but got a reprieve. The Knight Rider premiere was ok, but it didn't really get good until Hasselhoff showed up at the very end. More of the Hoff! There is no Knight Rider without the Hoff! Although, we do love Val Kilmer as KITT. He steals every scene he's in -- and you only hear his voice.

Posted on April 3, 2008
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The Donald Wants to Make Spitzer Hooker a Star

Photo of Ashley Dupre

Donald Trump wants to make Ashley Dupree a star. The prostitute that brought down the New York Governor would be perfect for his new reality tv show, he says.

An insider at Donald Trump's newly announced My Fair Lady-style MTV reality show tells PEOPLE that infamous call girl Ashley Alexander Dupre has been asked to join the cast.

The still-untitled show, produced by Donald Trump Productions (and referred to in some press reports as "Lady or a Tramp") was picked up by MTV for eight hour-long episodes. Based on a British show called Ladette to Lady, the show will take a group of 15 hard-partying young women and send them off to a boarding school environment where they�ll learn to become more ladylike.

"She's the perfect candidate," the show insider says of Dupre, the 22-year-old at the center of the Gov. Eliot Spitzer prostitution scandal. The show has not yet heard back from Dupre with any reaction to the offer.

Well, she's got the tramp part down pat. Could she be turned into a lady? Not even Donald Trump has enough money to make that happen.

Posted on March 29, 2008
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Chuck Producer Wants Van Damme as Bad Guy

Michael Ausiello confirms that Chuck producer Josh Schwartz is determined to cast Jean-Claude Van Damme as a bad guy next season.

I'll give you a little Chuck scoop from the show's Paley Fest session last week: Josh Schwartz was deadly serious when he told the crowd that it's his goal to cast Van Damme as one of next season's Big Bads. "I would love to have him on the show," Schwartz later told me. "I'm just not sure if he's available." This just in: After doing some digging, I can confirm that Van Damme is most definitely available.

How cool would that be?? We're ready for some evil Van Damme action on Chuck, which is one of our favorite shows.

Posted on March 26, 2008
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Numb3rs Apple Ad Promos

Here are a couple clever Numb3rs promos based on the I'm a Mac Apple ads.

Posted on March 22, 2008
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CBS Cancels Jericho

It's happened. Aramgeddon. CBS has canceled Jericho.

CBS has nuked "Jericho." Producers were told Thursday the show is ending its run on the broadcast network, sources said. CBS will air the season finale next week with a resolution that helps give closure to fans. After the first season concluded with an abrupt cut to black, fans famously inundated CBS with tens of thousands of pounds of peanuts to urge the network to continue the show. For the seven-episode second season, producers shot two endings -- one that leaves viewers in suspense for a third round, another that is more conclusive. The ending chosen by CBS will wrap up the final season's storyline, where the nuclear war survivors of a Kansas town struggled under a violent occupation by a government contractor.

"The March 25th episode of Jericho will be the series finale," CBS said in a statement. "Without question, there are passionate viewers watching this program; we simply wish there were more. We thank an engaged and spirited fan base for keeping the show alive this long, and an outstanding team of producers, cast and crew that went through creative hoops to deliver a compelling, high quality second season. We have no regrets bringing the show back for a second try. We listened to our viewers, gave the series an opportunity to grow, and the producers put a great story on the screen. We're proud of everyone's efforts."

Tuesday's finale doesn't entirely slam the door on the series, but is notably different from the cliffhanger version, sources said. The ending also doesn't entirely preclude the possibility of "Jericho" finding a second life on cable. The high cost of the production, however, will likely prevent a continuation of the show.

Despite the erosion of broadcast ratings in recent years, the massive protest that saved "Jericho" last year has been called the largest fan effort ever to try and halt a network cancellation of a series. The outcry put CBS in a tough position, whether to renew a show that has below-the-line ratings, yet unprecedented fan support. "Jericho" also performed well online on CBS.com and in iTunes downloads.

Second season ratings were to blame. Nuts.

Posted on March 21, 2008
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Michelle Trachtenberg to be a Gossip Girl

Michelle Trachtenberg, who played Buffy Somers' little sister on Buffy the Vampire Slayer is going to be a Gossip Girl.

And even though probably every other starlet in Hollywood under the age of 30 had to be salivating over the prospect of playing Georgina Sparks, a troublemaker from Serena's past who makes Blair look about as dangerous as Donna Martin, I think the CW's casting department nailed it. (C'mon, Buffy's sis was always one prickly pear!) For that matter, Trachtenberg lucked out, too: Could there be a more entertaining way for a young actress to make her comeback than by playing an adolescent Cruella? Didn't think so.

Michelle should do very well in the role. It looks like she'll be putting her supernatural typecasting days behind her.

Posted on March 19, 2008
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Battlestar Galactica Prequel Unveiled

The Battlestar Galactica prequel was unveiled at the upfronts this week.

Sci Fi Channel's "Battlestar Galactica" will live on with "Caprica." At its upfront presentation Tuesday in New York, the cable channel said that it has greenlighted a two-hour back-door pilot for the prequel, which had been in development for two years.

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The network also plans an "Alice in Wonderland"-based six-hour miniseries titled "Alice," from RHI Entertainment. A two-hour comedy-drama pilot, "Deputized," follows a man who fights crime around the galaxy after getting super powers. "Caprica," which is set 50 years before the events in the departing "Battlestar," will begin production in the spring. It hails from the "Battlestar" masterminds Ronald D. Moore and David Eick. As for "Battlestar," the series' final-season premiere will debut online nine hours before it airs on TV.

Sci Fi's reality slate includes "Estate of Panic," an Endemol USA series about seven people who compete to find millions of dollars at an estate, and Idiot Box Prods.' "Brain Trust," in which a group of geniuses bands together to solve problems. The channel also announced new seasons of "Scare Tactics," now hosted by "30 Rock's" Tracy Morgan; "Mind Control With Derren Brown"; and "Ghost Hunters International." And a May 18 special by NBC News correspondent Lester Holt will feature "Mystery of the Crystal Skulls," about the real-life search for what the latest "Indiana Jones" movie is based upon.

Caprica should be an interesting pilot. Presumably we'll all know what happens to the Capricans after the end of this season of Battlestar Galactica, and whether they reach Earth or not. So it might be interesting to see how the whole Caprica disaster came about. Or, it might just be really depressing.

Posted on March 18, 2008
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Farewell to The L-Word

Cast shot from the L Word

The L Word is coming to an end, says Showtime.

"The L Word" is set to take its final bow. Showtime has renewed the lesbian drama for a sixth and final season, which will make it one of the premium network's longest-running series. Eight episodes have been ordered, targeted to go into production in early summer for an early 2009 premiere.

While past seasons generally have consisted of 12-13 episodes each, Showtime executives and series creator/executive producer Ilene Chaiken believed that eight additional episodes were creatively what was needed to wrap up the story lines. "The L Word" follows a group of Los Angeles-based friends as they navigate careers, families, friendships, personal struggles and romantic relationships. The series became the first lesbian primetime drama on television when it debuted in January 2004. Its stars include Jennifer Beals and Mia Kirshner.

Chaiken, who created the series with Kathy Greenberg and Michele Abbott, said the show will live on, interactively. "This is by no means the end of 'The L Word,"' she said. "The brand and the social network community, OurChart.com, will continue to live and be a destination for lesbians everywhere and a lasting tribute to what 'The L Word' has accomplished." She added that fan input will play a part in wrapping up the series' story lines, noting the role that viewer input has played in the past.

We haven't heard of any new lesbian shows in the works yet, so fans will have to head over to OurChart.com to get their fix.

Posted on March 10, 2008
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Idol Contestant Has Nude Dancing Past

Here's some fun American Idol news: contestant David Hernandez was a gay stripper for three years. The 24-year-old worked at Dick's Cabaret in Glendale, Arizona. David's specialty was nude dancing and giving lap dances to "a mostly male clientele." Ooops! But American Idol producer Ken Warwick tells TV Guide that it won't get him kicked off the show.

TVGuide.com: Will the revelations about David's stripper past have any impact on whether he stays on the show?

Ken Warwick: No, it won't make any difference. The truth is, we're never judgmental about what people do to earn a living. They've got to put food in people's mouths. We've had strippers on the show before. Nikki McKibbon was one in [Season] 1. We're never judgmental about people who do things like that. If it were some sort of heavy porn, then maybe we'd have to take action. But certainly not on this.

TVGuide.com: Were you aware of his past before it was reported?

Warwick: No, I wasn't. [Laughs] But the truth of the matter is, it wouldn't have made any difference. There are a lot of people I know who'd love to have the opportunity just to make a better living by taking their clothes off.

David will continue to sing and compete. Apparently nude lap dancing just doesn't carry the stigma it once did.

Posted on March 4, 2008
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Quarterlife Canceled After One Airing

Quarterlife Screenshot

The web show turned television phenomenon Quarterlife has been canceled after a disastrous premiere. The rest of the episodes may end up on Bravo, but no one knows for sure.

Quarterlife, the first Web-based drama to air on network television, has been canceled by NBC after a dismally rated first episode but will move to sister cable channel Bravo, people close to the show said on Thursday. The highly touted online series about a group of young artists bombed in its NBC debut on Tuesday night, drawing the network's lowest ratings and smallest audience for that time slot in at least 20 years, according to Nielsen Media Research. (Msnbc.com is a joint venture between Microsoft and NBC Universal.) The show ranked a distant third place for the 10 p.m. hour, averaging just 3.1 million viewers and a meager 1.3 rating among advertisers' favorite demographic, adults aged 18 to 49, the precise audience for whom the series was designed.

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Quarterlife originally was created for the social-networking site MySpace.com by Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick, Emmy-winning producers of "thirtysomething" and My So-Called Life. Consisting of 36 eight-minute webisodes, the series began running on MySpaceTV.com and quarterlife.com in November, with two new segments appearing online each week.

NBC made headlines when it announced in the midst of the Hollywood writers strike it was picking up the series as a mid-season replacement show, and heavily promoted the drama in the run-up to its prime-time launch.

At the time, quarterlife was touted as a new model for the development of video entertainment, marking the first program to originate independently online before moving to a major broadcast outlet.

We never saw it, but those are some pretty ghastly numbers. We're thinking that everyone who wanted to see it watched it on the Web.

Posted on February 28, 2008
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The Oscars Are Coming

The Oscars are this Sunday. Here are the nominees for Best Picture:

"Atonement" (Focus Features) A Working Title Production: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Paul Webster, Producers

"Juno" (A Mandate Pictures/Mr. Mudd Production) A Mandate Pictures/Mr. Mudd Production: Lianne Halfon, Mason Novick and Russell Smith, Producers

"Michael Clayton" (Warner Bros.) A Clayton Productions, LLC Production: Sydney Pollack, Jennifer Fox and Kerry Orent, Producers

"No Country for Old Men" (Miramax and Paramount Vantage) A Scott Rudin/Mike Zoss Production: Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Producers

"There Will Be Blood" (Paramount Vantage and Miramax) A JoAnne Sellar/Ghoulardi Film Company Production: JoAnne Sellar, Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Lupi, Producers

We think No Country for Old Men will win Best Picture. Juno would be a big upset. You can see the full list of nominees here.

Posted on February 22, 2008
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Ugly Betty Renewed for Fall

The networks are busily rearranging their schedules and shows are being renewed and canceled at a frenetic pace. Here's the latest news on ABC shows:

Ugly Betty and Grey's Anatomy return April 24, with each series airing five new episodes. To round out the Thursday-night knockout punch, execs are (as Ausiello first reported) placing Lost in the 10 pm/ET slot for at least five new episodes.

Desperate Housewives returns April 13 with five original episodes and a two-hour finale planned. DH's Sunday-night sibling, Brothers & Sisters, won't be back until the following Sunday and will only air four new episodes.

Samantha Who? and Boston Legal will return April 7 and April 8, respectively, each with six original episodes to air. Pushing Daisies, Private Practice and Dirty Sexy Money will all return... next season.

Over at CBS, Moonlight is in a bit of a crisis. The showrunner left (or got fired, according to rumor) and they are looking for a new one. But until they find one the show's status is up in the air, which is really irritating. Ghost Whisperer and NUMB3RS have both been renewed for next season.

Posted on February 21, 2008
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The Bionic Woman Officially Canceled

The Bionic Woman has been offically canceled, according to Michael Ausiello of TV Guide.

It's now official: The Commander in Chief award for the most spectacular freshman flame-out of the 07-08 TV season goes to... Bionic Woman!

Although NBC isn't talking, I'm told by multiple sources that Bionic staffers were informed late last week that the troubled reboot has indeed been canceled. That means no spring relaunch under new show-runner Jason Cahill - which is too bad. Cahill's a talented guy (see: The Sopranos), and I was anxious to see what he would do with the show. But I guess it wasn't meant to be.

Now that the writers' strike is over, the networks aren't wasting any time canceling and renewing shows as quickly as they can. The Bionic Woman really didn't work as a show, but we still watched it hoping that somehow it would get better. But it never did.

Posted on February 20, 2008
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Dancing With the Stars Contestants Announced

The new contestants for Dancing With the Stars was just announced and the list overall is kind of blah. Adam Corolla and Steve Guttenberg? Penn Jillette? Really? Here they are in alphabetical order with brief bios. We're rooting for Kristi Yamaguchi.

ADAM CAROLLA - Television and Radio personality Adam Carolla is the host of the Los Angeles based and nationally syndicated morning radio program, The Adam Carolla Show. The actor/comedian has his first starring film role soon to be released in The Hammer (in theaters March 21st), which he co-wrote and co-produced. Carolla was also one of the creators and hosts of Comedy Central's The Man Show (alongside Jimmy Kimmel) and the MTV and long-running syndicated radio program, Loveline, with Dr. Drew Pinsky.

CRISTIAN DE LA FUENTE - Having started his acting career in his native Chile, the international film and television star's Spanish language projects include: Univision's mini series, Como ama una mujer and Sony television's Reyes y Rey which aired on Telemundo. He gained recognition in the States as a series regular on Family Law and CSI: Miami. Recent TV guest roles include: Ugly Betty and Psych. He stars in the upcoming USA Network series, In Plain Sight. Film work includes Driven and Basic. Cristian is a First Lieutenant in the Chilean Air Force Reserve and a member of Halcones, the High Aerobatics team. People Magazine named him one of their "50 Most Beautiful." He was the first man ever to grace the cover of Cosmopolitan en Espanol.

SHANNON ELIZABETH - Actress/model Shannon Elizabeth starred in the box office hits, American Pie and Scary Movie. Some of her other credits include Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Love Actually, Cuts and That 70s Show. Shannon is also an accomplished poker player taking third out of sixty-four invited professionals at the 2007 National Heads-Up Poker Championship.

STEVE GUTTENBERG - Actor Steve Guttenberg has starred in blockbusters such as Police Academy, Three Men And A Baby, Short Circuit and Cocoon, as well as such acclaimed dramatic hits as Diner and The Boys From Brazil. Guttenberg has starred in a dozen films, each of which earned in excess of $100,000,000 at the American box office. His television credits include one of the highest-rated telefilms of all time, The Day After. Guttenberg runs The Guttenhouse Project, which houses selected children who are phased out of foster care programs.

MARIO - Twenty-one year-old, multi-platinum selling R&B/Pop singer and actor, Mario, is known for such hit singles as "Just a Friend (2002)" and "Let Me Love You." He was the recipient of Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Single of the Year in 2005 for "Let Me Love You" and was nominated for a Grammy, BET Award, Vibe Award, MOBO Award and Soul Train Music Award. His latest album Go is in stores now. Mario has also appeared in the feature films Step Up and Freedom Writers.

MARLEE MATLIN - Marlee Matlin received worldwide critical acclaim for her film debut in Children of a Lesser God, for which she received the Academy Award for Best Actress. At 21, she became the youngest recipient of the Best Actress Oscar and only one of four actresses to receive the honor for her film debut. In addition to the Oscar, Marlee received the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama. She has since appeared on a number of hit television programs including The West Wing, The L-Word, Nip/Tuck, and Desperate Housewives. In Spring 2008, she will star opposite Jeff Daniels in the telefilm, Sweet Nothing In My Ear.

PENN JILLETTE - Penn Jillette is one-half of the famous illusionist team Penn & Teller. Penn & Teller have been performing together for thirty years and are currently headlining in their own theater at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. They've received eleven Emmy nominations for their television series, Penn & Teller: Bulls**t and created several TV projects together. The duo has also written three best-selling books. In 2005, Penn produced and co-created the critically acclaimed documentary, The Aristocrats.

PRISCILLA PRESLEY - Actress, producer and entrepreneur Priscilla Presley starred in the Naked Gun films and the internationally popular television series Dallas, as well as guest-starred on TV's Touched by an Angel, Spin City and Melrose Place. Founder of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Priscilla has also served as executive producer on the feature film Finding Graceland and the television version of her autobiography, Elvis and Me. Presley was married to music icon, Elvis Presley.

MONICA SELES - Tennis champ, Monica Seles, is the holder of nine grand slam singles titles and was the top-ranked player in the world. She turned pro in 1988 at the age of fourteen and won her first grand slam championship, the French Open, just two years later. After a two-year absence from the tour in 1993 and 1994, Seles rose above adversity and returned to capture her final grand slam crown in 1996 winning the Australian Open. She holds an outstanding career win loss singles record of 595-122 and was ranked the13th greatest player of all time by Tennis Magazine. Her accomplishments also extend beyond the tennis court as Goodwill Ambassador for the Laures Sports Foundation and the Intergovernmental Institution for the use of Microalgae Spirulina Against Malnutrition (IIMSAM).

JASON TAYLOR - This year's NFL Man of the Year Award Winner and last year's NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Taylor has played defensive end for the Miami Dolphins for over a decade. The six-time All Pro formed the Jason Taylor Foundation in 2004 and continues to be heavily involved throughout the South Florida community. Taylor holds the NFL record for touchdowns by a defensive lineman (7) and is the Dolphins all-time leader in quarterback sacks (117) and consecutive games played (130). Jason is married to Katina, and the couple reside in Weston, Fla., with their two sons, Isaiah Paul and Mason Paul, and daughter, Zoe Grace.

MARISSA JARET WINOKUR - Marissa Jaret Winokur is best known for creating the role of "Tracy Turnblad" in the hit Broadway musical Hairspray, a performance for which she won a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award and an Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress. Winokur has since been seen in the Farrelly Brothers film Fever Pitch and the television series Stacked. She just finished filming the series lead in a new pilot called Fugly, for 20th Century Fox and CBS and is currently working as one of the leads in the Lifetime movie Betrayals.

KRISTI YAMAGUCHI - An Olympic Gold medalist and World Champion, Kristi Yamaguchi is one of the most popular and successful figure skaters of our time. Since winning the 1992 Winter Olympics, Yamaguchi retired from competitive skating, performing in numerous television specials and traveling the globe on Stars on Ice tour. Along with her many awards and accomplishments, she is a member of the US Figure Skating Hall of Fame, World Figure Skating Hall of Fame and the US Olympic Hall of Fame. In 1996, she founded the Always Dream Foundation dedicated to fundraising and supporting children's charities. Yamaguchi is married to Stanley Cup Champion and Carolina Hurricanes star, Bret Hedican. Together, they have two young daughters.

Posted on February 18, 2008
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Numb3rs - G33K Love

Charlie Eppes and Dr. Larry Fleinhardt are a little nerdy but there are two beautiful women (Amita and Megan) on Numb3rs who love them anyway!

Posted on February 14, 2008
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Saturday Night Live Returns February 23

The writers' strike is finally over and the screenwriters are heading back to work. Saturday Night Live will return on February 23rd on NBC and Tina Fay will be the host. We're guessing that there will be lots of political skits.

The other networks are still finalizing plans. 24 won't return until January, 2009, which is too bad. But CBS announced that it will be airing six new episodes of Ghost Whisperer on April 4 and four new episodes of Moonlight on April 11.

Posted on February 13, 2008
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Terminator Returns Tonight

Photo of Summe Glau on Terminator

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles returns to television tonight at 9:00 p.m. Eastern/8:00 p.m. Central time on Fox. Brian Austin Green guest stars in tonight's episode, which is entitled "Queen's Gambit."

Andy (Brendan Hines) submits his computer into a chess competition. During the match, Sarah (Lena Headey) meets up with a stranger (Brian Austin Green) who has a similar background. John (Thomas Dekker) makes new friends at school while Cameron (Summer Glau) gets a counseling session. Meanwhile, Agent Ellison (Richard T. Jones) finds remnants of a "Terminator Battle," and tries to figure out what it all means.

We're so happy that the writers' strike is basically over. Now we can figure out when the shows we like are on, because the scheduling has been just awful the past three months.

Posted on February 11, 2008
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Tentative Deal Reached: Writers' Strike Could Be Over Soon

A tentative deal has been reached between the writers and the studios, which is fantastic news for television viewers. Today, the terms of the proposed deal are being submitted to the membership of the WGA for approval. If the membership approves the deal, everyone will be back at work next week.

That means Oscars will go on (with jokes and movie stars and evening gowns aplenty) and that writers will get back to work on all our favorite TV shows. And movies, of course. It's a happy day in Hollywood.

Posted on February 8, 2008
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Oscars President Wants Answer From WGA About Telecast

The Oscars bigwigs are putting pressure on the Writers Guild to give them an answer about whether the show will go on.

Academy prexy Sid Ganis has again reached out to the Writers Guild of America about Oscar's fate but still hasn't received an answer. "We're running out of time," he told Daily Variety.

WGA leaders obviously have a lot on their plate this week, but Ganis on Wednesday said the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences needs to know ASAP "as a matter of logistics. We have nominees and potential presenters who live all over the globe. I'm nervous. We're getting down to the final moments; we need to make plans."

Guild reps have told reporters several times that they don't intend to grant the Academy a waiver, but have never given a definitive yes or no to the org itself. "We've asked several times for a waiver or a one-day truce to move ahead," Ganis said, with the latest request delivered Monday afternoon. WGA reps told the Academy that they could expect an answer sometime next week. Ganis said he is sympathetic to the guild's sensitivities at this time -- but next week is too late for a show that involves not only travel arrangements for dozens of people, but complicated plans for a stage show, TV production, etc.

Logic would dictate that since the guild gave waivers to such kudocasts as the Image Awards and the upcoming Grammys, then Oscar would be given the OK. But nothing's been firmed. Ganis is hopeful, because all 13 nominated screenwriters attended Monday's nominees luncheon at the BevHilton, as did James L. Brooks and Frank Pierson, who are governors of the Acad's writers branch. All the scripters were "thrilled at being there," Ganis said.

The Oscars staff has prepared two shows: one which uses writers and movie stars and one which doesn't. Needless to say, they'd rather have the one with the writers and actors. The WGA meets this weekend to look over a proposed settlement to the strike. If all goes well, the Oscars will move forward as planned, with a red carpet and everything. If not, then it will be something truly horrible like the fiasco that was the Golden Globes newscast.

Posted on February 7, 2008
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Super Tuesday TV

Coverage of the Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses will dominate television tonight. Many of the news channels will also be streaming coverage online, which is nice. Here's our take on the different styles of the competing news coverage:

CNN: CNN has the best smart board coverage: John King really works that board, spewing out so much information about how people voted in every county of every state that it will make your head spin. CNN's wall graphics are the easiest to read. They have some good analysts on tonight: Paul Begala (wasn't he banned from CNN by Obama's people?), Bill "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" Bennett, David Gergen (professor, served under like a million presidents, great analysis), Jeffrey Toobin (started as a legal analyst, has transitioned well into politics), Wolf Blitzer (always keeps his cool, beard immaculately trimmed) and Bill Schneider (tells you more about exit polls than you ever wanted to know in your lifetime).

Fox News: Karl "The Architect" Rove is analyzing the Republican races (he's amazing -- he seems to have John King's smart board inside his head), former congressman and current DLC Chair Harold Ford is analyzing the Democratic races (he was the first Obama, but somehow the buzz died down over time), Brit Hume keeps referring to Bill Hemmer's "amazing toy" (the Smart Board Version 1.0 that can't even compare to CNN's Smart Board Version 5.0).

MSNBC: Chris Matthews hasn't started spitting yet, but he's getting excited as the night goes on, Keith Olbermann seems to forget that he's not a sports anchor anymore and is calling the races like they're a football game. Usually Tom Brokaw shows up to chastise Matthews when he makes sexist remarks, which is always fun. Their graphics leave much to be desired, but they seem to be willing to call races faster than the other channels.

Or, you could always watch House.

Posted on February 5, 2008
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SAG Award Winners

The 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild (SAG) award winners have been announced. Daniel Day-Lewis and Julie Christie took home the top acting awards in films. The Sopranos took home three of the tv awards. Tina Fey continues to have a good awards season winning an award for best female actor in a comedy series. Here is a list of the winners.

Theatrical Motion Pictures

Male Actor in a Leading Role: Daniel Day-Lewis as Daniel Plainview - There Will Be Blood (Paramount Vantage)

Female Actor in a Leading Role: Julie Christie as Fiona - Away From Her (Lionsgate)

Male Actor in a Supporting Role: Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh - No Country For Old Men (Miramax Films)

Female Actor in a Supporting Role: Ruby Dee as Mama Lucas - American Gangster (Universal Pictures)

Cast in a Motion Picture: No Country For Old Men (Miramax Films)

Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture: The Bourne Ultimatum (Universal)

Primetime Television

Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries: Kevin Kline as Jacques - As You Like It (HBO)

Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries: Queen Latifah as Ana - Life Support (HBO)

Male Actor in a Drama Series: James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano - The Sopranos (HBO)

Female Actor in a Drama Series: Edie Falco as Carmela Soprano - The Sopranos (HBO)

Male Actor in a Comedy Series: Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy - 30 Rock (NBC)

Female Actor in a Comedy Series: Tina Fey as Liz Lemon - 30 Rock (NBC)

Ensemble in a Drama Series: The Sopranos (HBO)

Ensemble in a Comedy Series: The Office (NBC)

Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series: 24 (FOX)

Screen Actors Guild Awards 44th Annual Life Achievement Award: Charles Durning

Posted on January 30, 2008
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Zucker Explains Why He Canceled NBC Pilot Season

Jeff Zucker of NBC Universal explained in an industry speech why he effectively canceled NBC's upcoming pilot season.

Zucker emphasized that broadcast TV is "in the middle of a wrenching analog-to-digital transition marked by game-changing technological developments and profound shifts in consumer behavior, all of which demands a re-engineering of our businesses from top to bottom." To survive that transition, NBC would be producing fewer pilots per season -- maybe five or six, versus the usual 20 or so -- and is seriously considering jettisoning the "glitzy presentation we do every year at Radio City Music Hall" for the annual upfronts, Zucker said.

Pilots are inefficient, he said, and he questioned the usefulness of the upfront bash, though he was careful to say that NBC had not yet finally decided on whether to kill it. While repeating that Peacock remains "as committed to scripted programming as ever," Zucker noted that the usual return on pilots -- about 10 percent make it as a series -- isn't worth it. "Why not make fewer pilots, and have the courage of our convictions, and order series straight to air, just like we do on the reality side? That's what they do in Britain... and we keep importing their shows," he said.

Zucker emphasized that NBC would continue making pilots, just fewer. "There can be no hard and fast rules here, but we must show greater discipline in these new times." Regarding the upfronts, Zucker said: "We believe the big show is a vestige of the last decade. Every year the big question at the upfront new presentation of our new schedule is, 'How fast can the show be over?'

But viewers like having lots of new shows to choose from every fall. Reducing the number of new scripted shows is not a good thing, from a television viewer's standpoint.

Posted on January 29, 2008
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Ellen DeGeneres' Friends Serenade Her

Ellen DeGeneres turned 50 and in her honor her friends did a little lipsynching to Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive." Watch Jake Gyllenhaal, Paris Hilton, Sharon Osborne, Victoria Beckham, Celine Dion, David Spade, Jamie Foxx, Queen Latifah, Masi Oka and Heidi Klum sing and dance their hearts out for Ellen in this hilarious video.

Posted on January 25, 2008
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Writers' Strike May Sink Oscars

The Oscar nominees will be announced Tuesday, but there may not be an awards show because of the writers' strike.

However, Gilbert Cates, producer of the award telecast, remains adamant that on Feb. 24 there will be a red carpet outside the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood and an Oscar telecast on ABC despite the Writers Guild of America strike and the threat of a boycott by George Clooney, Angelina Jolie and the rest of the Screen Actors Guild. He hinted that he might not need actors onstage.

"There are enough clips in 80 years of Oscar history to make up a very entertaining show," Cates said in an interview Friday with The Times. "We'd have a lot of people on stage." He declined to give further details but added, "I just hope that the actors are there. I pray that the actors are there. I'm planning that the actors are there."

Still, the joy is already being drained from Tuesday's scheduled Oscar nomination announcement. A group of 30 award-winning writers, actors, producers, directors and authors will be protesting at Gramercy Park in Manhattan, sending this message: "Awards are nice, but we'd rather the writers get a fair contract." Later that day, in Los Angeles, the board of governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will be holding an emergency meeting to discuss the 80th annual Oscar ceremony.

Gil Cates knows full well that an Oscar telecast without movie stars is like a Monday night without Heroes: totally boring.

Posted on January 18, 2008
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Oprah Gets Her Own TV Network

Oprah Winfrey now has her own network, to be called OWN.

OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network will bow in the second half of 2009. OWN will take over the Discovery Health Channel distribution platform, which guarantees it a strong subscriber base of 67.7 million cable and satellite homes, according to Nielsen. Winfrey will be chair of the network.

Deal between Winfrey and Discovery was described as a "cashless transaction" for a 50-50 joint venture that will be considered an entity independent of other Discovery channel holdings. Winfrey will have full editorial control of OWN and oversee its programming, branding and creative thrust.

OWN will dive deeper into the lifestyle, self-help, entertainment and spiritual themes Winfrey mines on her daily show, which has been daytime's top syndicated yakker for 20 years, and in her successful monthly magazine O: the Oprah Magazine, a joint venture with Hearst Magazines.

"We'll deal with topics such as money, health and relationships. I want to create a niche, a place where people can go to feel better about their lives," Winfrey said during a conference call with reporters Tuesday. She said it's too early in the process for her to discuss specific shows or programming ideas.

She has her own talk show, her own magazine, her own girls' school in South Africa and she campaigns for Barack Obama. When is she going to find the time to run a television network? She's cloned herself using secret technology. That must be the answer.

Posted on January 15, 2008
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Golden Globe Winners Announced at Press Conference

The Golden Globe winners were announced at an unspectacular press conference. The regular televised events were canceled after the WGA denied the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and Dick Clark Productions a waiver and the Screen Actors Guild said SAG members would not be attending.

In films, Atonement won two awards including Best Picture and Original Score. Four other films won two awards including There Will Be Blood, No Country for Old Men, Sweeney Todd and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

In television, AMC's Mad Men won Best Series and HBO's Extras won Best Music or Comedy Series. HBO's Longford movie won three Golden Globes. Tina Fey won a Best Actress award for 30 Rock. She was the only winner from broadcast television -- every other television award went to a cable show.

Here is a complete list of this year's winners.

Movies:

Best Picture, Drama: Atonement

Best Actress, Drama: Julie Christie, Away From Her

Best Actor, Drama: Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood

Best Director: Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Best Screenplay: Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, No Country for Old Men

Best Supporting Actress: Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There

Best Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men

Best Picture, Musical or Comedy: Sweeney Todd

Best Actress, Musical or Comedy: Marion Cotillard, La Vie En Rose

Best Actor, Musical or Comedy: Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd

Best Foreign Language: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, France and U.S.

Best Animated Film: Ratatouille

Best Original Score: Dario Marianelli, Atonement

Best Original Song: "Guaranteed" from Into the Wild

TV:

Best Series, Drama: Mad Men, AMC.

Best Actress, Drama: Glenn Close, Damages

Best Actor, Drama: Jon Hamm, Mad Men

Best Series, Musical or Comedy: Extras, HBO.

Best Actress, Musical or Comedy: Tina Fey, 30 Rock

Best Actor, Musical or Comedy: David Duchovny, Californication

Best Miniseries or Movie: Longford, HBO.

Best Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Queen Latifah, Life Support

Best Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Jim Broadbent, Longford

Best Supporting Actress, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Samantha Morton, Longford

Best Supporting Actor, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Jeremy Piven, Entourage

You can see a list of the Golden Globe nominates here on the official website.

Posted on January 14, 2008
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The Sarah Connor Chronicles Starts Tonight

The Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles debuts on Fox tonight and tomorrow night in a two part premiere. Each part is one hour long. The series takes place after the events in the Terminator 2: Judgment Day movie. Sarah Connor and her 15-year-old son John Connor are trying to avoid the FBI while they try to destroy the Skynet computer network and prevent Armageddon.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles reveals what happens when Sarah (Lena Headey) stops running and goes on the offensive against an ever-evolving technological enemy bent on destroying her life, and perhaps the world. Her son, 15-year-old John Connor (Thomas Dekker), knows that he may be the future savior of mankind, but is not yet ready to take on the mantle of leadership that he's told is his destiny. John finds himself inextricably drawn to Cameron (Summer Glau), an enigmatic and otherworldly student at his high school, who soon proves to be much more than his confidante - she assumes the role of Sarah and John's fearless protector. On their trail are not only threats from the future, but an intelligent and tough FBI agent, James Ellison (Richard T.Jones), who soon becomes a powerful ally.

Fox has put together an ambitious website to promote the show here. They might as well since they are running out of original content to show viewers thanks to the ongoing writer's strike.

Posted on January 13, 2008
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K-Fed Rocks Out

When he's not getting restraining orders against his popstar ex-wife, Britney Spears, Kevin Federline is pursuing an acting career. Here's a clip of him playing a rising rock star on the CW's One Tree Hill. He sounds flat to us. Didn't they give him an earpiece so he can hear the band?? Oh please, don't pretend that you're not going to click on the clip.

Posted on January 10, 2008
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Earth: Population 0

If mankind were to disappear tomorrow, what would happen to the rest of the Earth? Would animals take over? Would plants? That's the premise of a very interesting new two hour special called Life After People that will premiere on the History Channel on January 21,2008 at 9:00 p.m. Eastern time. Eerily reminiscent of the plotline for the hit film in theaters now I Am Legend -- well, without the vampires -- the special shows us cities being overgrown and animals moving in. Here's a sneak peek: