Tag Archives: AMC

AMC wants more Synth action, renews ‘Humans’; FX cans Billy Crystal’s ‘The Comedians’

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A satisfying renewal and a sour cancellation have taken place this summer. Good news first. AMC, and its international production partners Channel 4 and Kudos, has greenlit a second season of Humans. The show about people cohabitating with androids (or Synths) will return for an eight-episode second season next year.

“We’re so pleased to announce a second season of Humans,” AMC & Sundance TV original programming president Joel Stillerman said in a statement. “As one of the year’s top new cable series, Humans has been embraced by fans and critics across the U.S. and UK. We’re looking forward to continuing this very captivating story and further exploring the show’s parallel, Synth-filled world that hits so disturbingly close to home.”

It didn’t take long for Humans to strike a chord with viewers, myself included. The series takes place in a future that doesn’t seem like it’s that far away from now. How would your family react to an extremely life-like robot taking up space in your home? Humans works because it tells a tantalizingly grounded story that is inherently complex as it is relatable. It asks lofty questions about what it means to be alive and conscious, and it does with with a lineup of unabashedly good-looking Synths. Leading the pack is family servant Anita, played to perfection by Gemma Chan. Her robotic nature in tandem with her spurts of humanity lend to a captivating performance.

AMC airs the Humans first season finale this Sunday, Aug. 2 at 9pm.

Getting the axe is FX freshman comedy The Comedians starring veteran Billy Crystal and the rising Josh Gad. EP Ben Wexler made the news official in a tweet: “#TheComedians is cancelled at FX. I could not be more proud of the work we all did.”

I happened to enjoy watching Crystal and Gad play TV versions of themselves. Also, having worked in TV production, pretty much all of the scenes that took place in the production offices (including the writers’ room, the break room, etc.) were flat-out riots. In addition to being funny, The Comedians eventually slid into a particular groove of matching the laughs with heart. Crystal turned out to be a solid mentor for Gad, the young and in comparison inexperienced comic. If there’s anything to take away from the first and only season of this series, though, it’s that Stephanie Weir is a comedic force to be reckoned with, and she deserves more time in the spotlight. The Mad TV alum was featured in some outrageously funny sequences here, and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

Comic Con: ‘The Walking Dead’ & ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ land premiere dates (Epic trailers inside)

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Screen Shot 2015-07-16 at 3.05.45 AM

The following post contains spoilers for The Walking Dead season 5.

The Walking Dead never fails to impress in San Diego every summer since creator Robert Kirkman and company always share the next season’s jam-packed trailer. The season 6 trailer, hanging after the break, previews the power struggle going on in the not-so-safe-zone known as Alexandria. With Lennie James’ Morgan in the mix, Rick Grimes has someone else to contend with. However, EP Scott M. Gimple states, “Things might not be as they seem…We sometimes play with the truth in trailers.” Interpret that as you will.

What else? After saying that there will be some “flashbackery” and time jumps coming soon, he later corrected himself and said, “A whole lot of flashbacks” are on the way; in fact, an entire episode will be a flashback. The Wolves are coming, as hinted across episodes in season 5; they will factor into the next season in “a way you might not expect,” teased Gimple. Casting announcements were made as well; Corey Hawkins is Heath from the comics, Nurse Jackie‘s Merritt Wever is also playing somebody from the comics, and Ethan Embry is featured in the new trailer.

In addition to Gimple, EPs Gale Anne Hurd, Dave Alpert, and Greg Nicotero were on the panel along with stars Andrew Lincoln, Steven Yeun, Chandler Riggs, Danai Gurira, Michael Cudlitz, Melissa McBride, Lennie James, Sonequa Martin-Green, and Norman Reedus.

What was it like being there? Well… McBride walked onto the stage with a tray of freshly baked cookies (hello, Scare-ol!). Reedus disclosed the three things he needs to get into character as Daryl Dixon: Motörhead, coffee, and Candy Crush (he’s a level 275 and proud of it!). Cudlitz said of his character, “Abraham’s defining moment hasn’t come yet.” Boom. Do you miss Rick’s beard? So does he? Gimple says his facial hair will continue to serve as a barometer of where his head is at; so, if the proverbial shit continues to hit the fan, expect that beard to be meaner than ever. Kirkman and Lauren Cohan couldn’t make the panel so everyone on the panel wore shirts with the creator’s big head on it and Cohan texted Nicotero for Yeun to read a love note to the fans (it was very sweet and then very funny). Also, an entertaining season 5 blooper reel was shown; unfortunately it wasn’t made available online so you’ll have to nab the DVD to see it.

The Walking Dead premieres its sixth season on Sunday, October 11 at 9pm on AMC. The super-sized 90-minute episode, directed by Greg Nicotero, will be followed by a new installment of Talking Dead hosted by Chris Hardwick. It was also announced that the premiere will screen for fans at Madison Square Garden; details here. Jump into the gallery below to see pictures from the panel as well as first looks at newly decomposed walkers designed, of course, by Mr. Nicotero.

Jump after the break for scoop on companion series Fear the Walking Dead. Continue reading Comic Con: ‘The Walking Dead’ & ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ land premiere dates (Epic trailers inside) →

Go behind the scenes in ‘The Walking Dead’ with star Michael Cudlitz (Comic Con poster inside)

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We’re still many months away from the sixth season premiere of AMC’s The Walking Dead, but to keep you going until October, the network is sharing a candid look behind the scenes with your host, Michael Cudlitz. In this clip, Abraham Ford’s portrayer guides you around the set of the season 6 opener, checking in with various cast members including Sonequa Martin-Green (Sasha), Lennie James (Morgan), Lauren Cohan (Maggie), Christian Serratos (Rosita), and Dani Guerira (Michonne). Also, a special someone stops by to give Guerira an impromptu kiss!

Though very little is divulged in terms of where things are headed (spoiler alert) following the surprise return of Morgan at the end of last season, Cudlitz hypes up the upcoming premiere calling it a “huge, huge episode” and saying that “the first episode is going to blow your mind.” Mission accomplished, Cudlitz; I’m shaking in my post-apocalyptic boots.

And if that isn’t enough to satiate your walker obsession, be sure to jump after the break to eyeball the Comic Con exclusive key-art for season 6; it appears to set up to distinct factions: Rick and his people versus Morgan and the Alexandrians. Interesting, indeed! Stick it here for the latest Walking Dead deets as a trailer is likely to leak out of Comic Con in July. Continue reading Go behind the scenes in ‘The Walking Dead’ with star Michael Cudlitz (Comic Con poster inside) →

New ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ clip teases faster walkers [Update: More teasers + Comic Con poster inside]

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Here we have the second teaser for AMC’s upcoming prequel spinoff Fear the Walking Dead. At a brisk 30-seconds in length, it stars Frank Dillane (young Tom Riddle from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) running away from…something. Of course, the first thing that should come to mind is WALKER! If that’s the case, this must be a fast sucker. Remember, Fear takes place during the early days of the zombie apocalypse, before the corpse’s have had time to properly decay. So for a walker chasing somebody at this pace in Fear, it makes sense. OR, it could be a crazy ex-boyfriend, or a dad. Notice how Dillane’s character’s shirt is completely unbuttoned and his pants are falling to his knees? All signs point to a quit exit from a bedroom…I’m just saying!

Fear the Walking Dead premieres in August on AMC. Click here to learn more about Robert Kirkman’s Walking Dead companion series. You can expect a full-blown trailer to premiere next month at Comic Con. Continue reading New ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ clip teases faster walkers [Update: More teasers + Comic Con poster inside] →

TV reminder: 8 premieres to look out for in June

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We’ve officially entered the month that welcomes back summer. Typically, a TV draught takes place after the big finales in May and avid viewers are forced to twiddle their thumbs until the new season kicks into high gear in September. That has all changed. We’re living in the Golden Age of TV, after all, and the sheer amount of creative content isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. The summer months are packed with great programs you simply cannot miss; the broadcast and premium cable networks, as well as streaming giant Netflix, have a number of exciting new series debuting this very month. To see what June has to offer, jump after the break. Continue reading TV reminder: 8 premieres to look out for in June →

Look out for mysterious ‘Wayward Pines’ and the return of ‘Halt And Catch Fire’ in May

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Welcome to May, the month typically associated with punchy TV season and series finales. While you’re dealing with anticipatory cliffhangers and dramatic conclusions, there are two shows coming on the air this month you shouldn’t let go under your radar.

Wayward Pines is a fresh Fox series created by Chad Hodge (The Playboy Club) and executive produced by filmmaker M. Knight Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs), based on the novel Pines by Blake Crouch. It’s a gripping, suspenseful mystery with a promised twist coming before the end of the 10-episode run, straight out of Shyamalan’s toolbox.

[The series] follows Secret Service agent Ethan Burke who, while investigating the disappearance of two fellow agents, finds himself trapped in the titular town, a Stepford village of the damned in which no one is allowed to leave. The citizens live in abject terror of the mysterious people in charge who run things via random phone calls, which seem to usually involve orders to commit terrible acts upon pain of death.

Matt Dillon (Crash) stars as Burke and Empire‘s Terrence Howard–who is pulling double duty for Fox here–plays the town sheriff. Check out the rest of this all-star cast: Melissa Leo (The Fighter), Toby Jones (Infamous), Carla Gugino (Entourage), Shannyn Sossamon (How To Make It In America), , Reed Diamond (24), Tim Griffin (Prime Suspect), Charlie Tahan (Charlie St. Cloud) and and Juliette Lewis (who currently stars in ABC’s Secrets & Lies).

The mystery begins to unravel when Wayward Pines premieres Thursday, May 14 at 9pm on Fox. Preview the series at YouTube.

Jump after the break to learn when AMC’s technologically infused drama Halt And Catch Fire returns for its second season. Continue reading Look out for mysterious ‘Wayward Pines’ and the return of ‘Halt And Catch Fire’ in May →

TV reminder: 10 premieres to look out for in April

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Spring is here! Though we may be nearing the month where most of your favorite TV series wrap up for summer (I’m looking at you, May!), that doesn’t mean this is the end. In fact, there are a whopping 10 series premiering this month, four of which are brand new and demand your attention. Jump after the break for what you need to know. Continue reading TV reminder: 10 premieres to look out for in April →

‘The Walking Dead’ companion series gets two season order from AMC

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I’ve got an update on the shrouded-in-mystery, hotly anticipated Walking Dead companion series. Following its surprise announcement in 2013 and a pilot greenlight in 2014, The Walking Dead spinoff is definitively a-go at AMC with an early two-season pickup order by the network. The first season is set to premiere in late summer and it will follow in the flagship series’ footsteps with a truncated six episode start. Season two will air in 2016 and its episode count is still TBD. The series’ title is also being kept under wraps, though IMDb is calling it Fear the Walking Dead.

What is there to know about the series so far? Not much. AMC is calling it a “companion series” as opposed to a “spinoff” because although it will take place in The Walking Dead universe, it will feature an entirely new cast and fresh storylines. It will take place in Los Angeles, showing how the zombie outbreak affected that other part of the country (we’ve hovered around Atlanta for the most part with Rick and the gang). Actors tagged to the show include Cliff Curtis (Gang Related, Trauma), Kim Dickens (House of Cards, Sons of Anarchy, Treme, Lost, Deadwood), Frank Dillane (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince), and Alycia Debnam Carey (The 100). Sources say Curtis is the male lead and will be playing Sean Cabrera, a divorced teacher trying to do right by everyone; learn more about the potential list of characters at TVLine. See Curtis, Dickens, and Dillane in a production still above; another one hangs after the break.

Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, Greg Nicotero, and David Alpert from The Walking Dead are serving as executive producers of the companion series. Dave Erickson (Marco Polo, Sons of Anarchy) is showrunner and an EP; he co-created and co-wrote the pilot with Kirkman.

AMC president Charlie Collier said this in a statement: “We take incredibly seriously the notion of building a satisfying companion series to the number one show on television. From the beginning of The Walking Dead on AMC, we’ve been asked questions about what was going on in other parts of the zombie apocalypse, and what it looked like as the world really did ‘turn.’ Through this new series, we’re going to find out. Robert Kirkman, Dave Erickson and their writing team, along with an incomparable set of producers, cast and crew have created something remarkable and clearly distinct. We respectfully follow the request of Monty Python as we bring out (the latest of) our Dead.”

Kirkman added: “We feel empowered by this two-season commitment, a serious show of faith from our network partner AMC. I personally take it as a sign that they believe, like we do, that we’ve accomplished our goal of developing something original that can pay tribute to the original show and expand the world I created while at the same time having something new to say with this story. I’m very grateful that we now have the opportunity to tell this amazing story and show the fans that we really haven’t scratched the surface yet when it comes to The Walking Dead.”

And Erikson chimed in: “This vote of confidence from our partners at AMC is gratifying, to say the least. We’ve been blessed with amazing writers and a stellar cast — and we can’t wait to build this apocalyptic drama over the next two seasons and hopefully beyond.”

Stick it here as more details leak out. Currently, The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 10pm on AMC.

Update (3/14): Robert Kirkman briefly discussed the Walking Dead companion series this month during a panel at SXSW. Jump after the break for choice quotes. Continue reading ‘The Walking Dead’ companion series gets two season order from AMC →

TV reminder: 4 premieres to look out for in February

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February is all about quality over quantity in terms of appealing premieres to look out for. The new month packs two specials, one highly anticipated series premiere, and the return of the show that popularized the art of binge-watching. It’s all after the break. Continue reading TV reminder: 4 premieres to look out for in February →

‘The Walking Dead’ 5B: new poster, haunting teaser, and a sneak peek at the back eight episodes

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The Walking Dead returns in less than a month and so it’s time to ramp up anticipation for the back half of season five. AMC does it right by pumping out a flashy new poster, a truly epic teaser, and a brief sneak peek at what’s in store next for Rick and the gang. In the poster (see above), the survivors are walking down a dilapidated, deserted street. And what’s that on the side of the road? It’s the map that Abraham scribbled the following note on before departing for Washington: “The new world’s gonna need Rick Grimes.” [Spoiler!] Though Washington ended up being a bust (thanks a lot, Eugene!), perhaps the band of brothers (and sisters) are about to catch some much needed luck and find a new safe haven to fortify and for Rick to lead. A post-credits scene in the 5A finale featured Morgan finding the overrun church and that map inside; perhaps the poster is signaling a long-awaited reunion for Rick and the man who cried clear.

There’s more after the break: a haunting teaser following the survivors in the woods as they take down off-screen walkers, and a look at what’s ahead including commentary from the cast and producers. Showrunner Scott M. Gimple calls the back half of the season “a very interesting structure. There are some very emotional moments, there are some very crazy moment, and there’s a huge change for the situation for these characters.” Star Andrew Lincoln says, “it feels like a new show visually and also story-wise.”

The Walking Dead returns February 8 at 9pm on AMC.

Continue reading ‘The Walking Dead’ 5B: new poster, haunting teaser, and a sneak peek at the back eight episodes →

Saul Goodman meets Mike Ehrmantraut in ‘Better Call Saul’ pilot preview

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Better Call Saul is coming soon, and to celebrate its anticipated premiere, AMC aired an actual scene pulled directly from the pilot episode during Sunday night’s tragic midseason finale of The Walking Dead. In it, Bob Odenkirk’s Saul Goodman prototype Jimmy McGill meets a familiar face for the first time: it’s Jonathan Banks as Mike Ehrmantraut who’s reprising his character from Breaking Bad. As you’d probably guess, things don’t get off to such a great start for these two.

BCS premieres Feb. 8 at 10pm on AMC.