Category Archives: Entertainment

‘Serial’ podcast renewed for second and third seasons telling “two distinct new stories”

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Serial, the hugely popular, award-winning podcast from This American Life & Chicago public radio station WBEZ, returns to tell a brand new true crime crime story later this year. In an email to subscribers, investigative journalist and Serial host Sarah Koenig confirmed that season two will land this fall and a third season will follow shortly thereafter in Spring 2016; italics added for extra emphasis and extreme excitement. In the message to Serial listeners picked up by Bustle, Koenig reiterates that season one’s arc involving Adnan Syed and the death of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee will not carry over into the new seasons.

We are hard at work reporting not one, but two distinct new stories. This means we’re planning on a third season of Serial. And we hope it means we can reduce the amount of time between the end of Season Two and the beginning of Season Three. As it stands, we intend to launch Season Two this fall and Season Three next spring. Sorry – we can’t tell you details about the new stories yet. What we can say is that they’re very different from Season One, but no less interesting to us.

In addition to announcing news of a third season coming next spring, Koenig commented on the latest news surrounding the case she covered in season one. Spoilers follow. Serial‘s popularly and the way in which in shed light on Adnan Syed’s case has led the Maryland Court of Special Appeals reconsider the facts in lower court. In other words, the case has been remanded and there’s a glimmer of hope that Syed could be freed from his life sentence for the murder of Hae Min Lee. Koenig’s latest comments follow:

“The appeals court’s order does not mean Adnan will get a new trial. Nor does it mean that the circuit has to agree to hear Asia’s testimony. But with this order, the appeals court has certainly cracked open a door. And anytime a court opens a door to new testimony — new fact-finding — that’s a big deal for the appellee. In other words, good news for Adnan. It’s likely that once the Asia issue gets sorted out in circuit court, the Court of Special Appeals will take up the case again.”

Last, Koenig is going on tour with Serial producer-in-crime Julie Snyder to discuss all things Serial. More specifically, “using some of their favorite tape, they’ll tell personal behind-the-scenes stories, explain how they constructed certain episodes, and allow the audience to follow the ups and downs of creating a new form of modern journalism.” See tour dates and links to get tickets after the break. Continue reading ‘Serial’ podcast renewed for second and third seasons telling “two distinct new stories” →

Disney unplugs from The Grid, scraps ‘Tron 3’

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Sour news for Tron: Legacy fans: The Hollywood Reporter says that Disney is opting not to move forward with a threequel. In April 2009, Legacy directer Joseph Kosinski shared his enthusiasm for making another Tron: “For us, the storytelling will be easier because we won’t be saddled with 28 years of backstory. From a technical standpoint, in order for it to be a Tron movie, we’re going to have to push the envelope.” Unfortunately, none of this will come to fruition.

Though Disney never technically greenlit a third Tron movie in the franchise that started in 1982, Kosinski had already broken a story and Legacy stars Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde were set to reprise their roles. Additionally, THR reports that Disney was interested in bringing Jared Leto aboard for the new film, the 30 Seconds to Mars frontman-turned-actor who’s starring in Warner Bros.’s Suicide Squad as The Joker. It even had a name, Tron: Ascension. But again, these dreams have sadly turned to dust.

So why did this project suddenly go dark? Disney has yet to comment on the matter, but sources speculate that it has to do with the company’s underperforming Tomorrowland. The live-action futuristic action-adventure flick, which reportedly cost $180 million to make, grossed a low $33 million at the US box office.

As a vocal fan of the polarizing Legacy, I am saddened to hear that Disney is no longer interested in the flashy franchise. The original Tron pushed the envelope beyond its technological limits in terms of special effects, and its 2010 sequel upped the ante with incredibly slick visuals and a memorable score produced by Daft Punk. There’s certainly more tales from The Grid to tell, and I’ll sit here patiently as Disney receives fan backlash and petitions to #SaveTron.

YouTube turns 10 and outs a jam-packed retrospective video

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Believe it or not, YouTube is celebrating its 10th birthday and what better way to do just that than with a YouTube video that quite successfully captures the broad range of viral goodness to come from it. Backed by Blackalicious’ famous rap “Alphabet Aerobics,”  the video “The A-Z of YouTube” crams over 75 references and 18 filmmaking styles to show off the sheer amount of creativity and variety its content creators have contributed from the past decade. A personal favorite of mine makes the cut; do yours?

Coldplay rounds up the cast of ‘Game of Thrones’ for a musical, hilarity ensues

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“Welcome to the crazy wacky world of Game of Thrones,” sings Coldplay’s frontman Chris Martin in this behind the scenes documentary following the making of a musical adaptation of HBO’s hit fantasy series. Taken‘s Liam Neeson lends his signature growl to this funny clip, narrating facts like it’ll take 16 songs to be made before the British band can incorporate them into a full Broadway stage production. Things look bleak when only Mark Addy (Thrones‘ Robert Baratheon) and Iwan Rheon (Ramsay Snow/Bolton) contribute to the cause. Eventually, Kit Harington shows up to truly kick the festivities into high gear (watching Chris Martin embrace Harington as “Jon Snow” is so much funnier than it sounds), and many other Thrones actors start pouring in. The parody has loads of fun with the show’s Theon/Ramsay dynamic, among others. Later, Emilia Clarke belts out a respectable Rastafarian rap about her character’s climb to power, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau comfortably imbues Jamie Lannister by singing “the first romantic ballad about incest in Coldplay’s career.” And then there’s Peter Dinklage grooving to lyrics about his character Tyrion “still going strong;” you can watch that riveting performance in full here.

Obviously (and rather unfortunately) this Game of Thrones musical produced by Coldplay is merely a gag, but its intentions are thoughtful. It was put together for Red Nose Day, a fundraising event that raises money for children in need. The special day originated across the pond in the UK and spread to the US for 2015; this clip first aired on NBC during the network’s Red Nose Day telecast. In case you missed it live and you’re feeling charitable, you can still donate today.

Preview ‘Déjà Vu’, Giorgio Moroder’s star-studded first album in 30 years

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Giorgio Moroder. Does that ring name a bell? If you happened to listen to Daft Punk’s masterpiece release Random Access Memories (2013), then it should. Track number three on the electronic duo’s latest album is titled “Giorgio by Moroder” and it’s an ode to the Italian music producer, songwriter, and DJ. Moroder’s enchanting accent consumes the first half of the track as the highly influential synth-pop-disco-electronica artist describes the early days of his career which peaked in the 1970s and bled into the ’80s. “In the beginning, I wanted to do an album with the sounds of the 50s, the sounds of the 60s, of the 70s, and then have a sound of the future.” And so he began to experiment with the synthesizer, which he describes in Daft Punk’s song as “the sound of the future.” He ends the monologue with this: “Once you want to free your mind about a concept of harmony and music being correct, you can do whatever you want. So nobody told me what to do and there was no preconception of what to do.”

Flashforward to 2015, and Giorgio Moroder is putting the final touches on his first studio album in 30 years. “Daft Punk are the reason why I am here,” he told Rolling Stone. Following the success of RAM, Moroder was inspired to DJ parties again at the ripe age of 74. “I noticed that the audiences were so young, like 18 to 40,” he says. “I felt so young. I mean, I’m 74, but I still felt like part of this young generation. Some of those guys knew my songs and were not even born when they came out. It’s nice to hear a 20-year-old guy or girl sing along with the lyrics.” This would inspire a new track called “74 is the New 24” featured on Moroder’s upcoming record Déjà Vu.

The video embedded above includes snippets of every song included on Déjà Vu, out June 12. Moroder managed to snag big talent for his long-anticipated release. Sia, Kelis, Foxes, Marlene, Charli XCX, Matthew Koma, Mikky Ekko, Kylie Minogue, and Britney Spears have all lent their vocal talents and the overall vibe here is electric. Mash play to preview the album, and head over to Moroder’s YouTube channel to hear the previously released singles in full.

The Weeknd continues his takeover and drops moody new single ‘The Hills,’ music video inside

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Abel Tesfaye has come a long way since his free mixtape days. The underground artist, who first exploded onto the scene under stage name The Weeknd with freebies House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence in 2011, is no longer a musical phantom. After repackaging the three tapes into the polished Trilogy release, Tesfaye dropped his debut studio album Kiss Land in 2013. “You will continue to get what you fell in love with, and I will continue to give you what you ask for,” he told his fans in a note that released alongside Trilogy. Kiss Land did not disappoint as it maintained the same stripped down, intimate essence that captivated fans in the beginning.

What came next for the now 25 year-old Canadian crooner? Standalone track “Often” came out of nowhere last summer tinged with Tesfaye’s signature sensuality. And then his sound went mainstream when pop star Ariana Grande invited him to guest on her hit track “Love Me Harder;” The Weeknd co-wrote the ubiquitous track. Now riding the mainstream waves, he appropriately stuck his stylistic R&B brand on the theatrical adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey by releasing the movie soundtrack’s single “Earned It.” That track helped said soundtrack reach the number three spot on the Billboard Hot 100.

Today, Tesfaye isn’t resting on his laurels. In fact, he’s currently in the studio readying his second studio album. The long-awaited followup to Kiss Land doesn’t have a name or release date confirmed yet, but if you’re one to trust Wikipedia, it’s titled Chapter III and it’s set for release later this year. What’s solid is the lead single off said record: The Weeknd dropped “The Hills” on Wednesday, a characteristically moody track that he debuted live this spring at Coachella and SXSW.

The track, which originally went by the name “Mood Music,” is now available to purchase on iTunes and comes accompanied by an enthralling music video. In it, Tesfaye emerges from a bad car wreck, bloodied and disoriented. “I only love it when you touch me, not feel me / When I’m f*cked up, that’s the real me.” Those lyrics continue to peel back layers in order to shed light on his inner demons. The visuals mesmerize, too; after the car explodes into a fireball, Tesfaye stumbles upon an eerie mansion where he ends up in a creepy cliffhanger leaving fans salivating for more. Watch it all go down after the break.

What do you think of The Weeknd’s latest effort? Though his lyrics on “The Hills” resonate with themes that have come before, do you find his ever-improving sound straying too far from his original works? Plug in your ‘phones, take a listen, and sound off in the comments below. Continue reading The Weeknd continues his takeover and drops moody new single ‘The Hills,’ music video inside →

Steve Jobs returns to the big screen with award-winning team at the helm

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This isn’t your Ashton Kutcher’s Steve Jobs. Danny Boyle (127 Hours, Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting) directs the third major biographical drama showcasing the life and times of the Apple co-founder (yes, I am absolutely counting 1999’s unforgettable Pirates of Silicon Valley). Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (Moneyball, The Social Network) adapts Walter Isaacson’s authorized biography Steve Jobs. Michael Fassbender slips into the iconic innovator’s black turtleneck this time around. Also starring is Kate Winslet as Joanna Hoffman, former marketing chief of Macintosh; Seth Rogen as Apple co-founder Steve Wozniack; Jeff Daniels as John Sculley, former Apple CEO; Katherine Waterston as Jobs’ ex-girlfriend Chrisann Brennan, and Michael Stuhlbarg as Andy Hertzfeld, one of the original members of the Apple Macintosh development team. The logline reads as follows:

Set backstage at three iconic product launches and ending in 1998 with the unveiling of the iMac, Steve Jobs takes us behind the scenes of the digital revolution to paint an intimate portrait of the brilliant man at its epicenter.

The debut trailer, hanging above, showcases a decidedly more elegant take on Jobs’ rise to influential immortality. With award-winning talent working hard to bring Isaacson’s esteemed book to life, there’s much to anticipate when Steve Jobs hits theatres October 9.

‘Too Many Clones’ spoof is a hoot for ‘Orphan Black’ fans

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Merely typing these words brings it all back like tidal wave out of nowhere. Remember Too Many Cooks? You know, that annoyingly catchy and incredibly bizarre Adult Swim parody that took the Internet by storm? Well, if you’ve seen it and if you happen to be a fan of BBC America’s Orphan Black, boy do I have a treat for you. What happens when you mix the incessant Too Many Cooks with “The Tatiana Maslany Show?” This. Enjoy!

[Via EW]

Upfronts: NBC debuts new fall schedule dominated with dramas (Trailers & full descriptions inside)

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Update (6/5): Heartbreaker star Melissa George is pregnant with her second child, and for that reason the new medical drama is now being held for a midseason start. Taking its place in the Tuesdays-at-9 timeslot is another new hospital-set series, Dick Wolf’s Chicago Med. This post and NBC’s fall schedule have been updated below to reflect these changes.

For TV lovers, this is one of the most exciting times of the year. It’s mid-May and the Upfronts are currently taking place in New York City. In case you’re not aware, the Upfronts is an annual event where the major networks (namely NBC, FOX, ABC, CBS, and The CW) present their upcoming slates of fall and midseason programming to advertisers and the press. The Upfronts are held to get advertisers excited to spend their money on primetime commercials, and the press is there to spur buzz for the public at large. Every year the nets pump out some great content, so without further ado, let’s dive right in!

NBC is first out of the gate this Upfront season, presenting four new dramas, one fresh comedy, and a special variety series hosted by Neil Patrick Harris for the fall. The Blindspot, from executive producer Greg Berlanti (The Mysteries of Laura, The Flash, Arrow), stars Jaimie Alexander (Thor) in the Peacock’s most anticipated new drama. The mystery thriller about an amnesiac covered in tattooed clues has landed the plum post-The Voice spot on NBC’s fall schedule: Mondays at 10. Following The Voice on Tuesdays at 9 is new medical drama Heatbreaker starring Melissa George (The Slap, Grey’s Anatomy, In Treatment) another Dick Wolf spinoff Chicago Med. At 10 is Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris, a new variety show promising “stunts, skits, pranks, audience interaction, musical numbers, giveaways and unlimited surprises.” Chicago Fire will return for its fourth season in that timeslot when NPH’s show ends in November. Wednesday’s crime procedurals The Mysteries of Laura, Law & Order: SVU, and Chicago P.D. remain in tact. The Blacklist is sticking to Thursday nights at 9, sandwiched between event series Heroes Reborn and new drama The Player. This Las Vegas thriller hails from John Davis and John Fox, the executive producers behind the popular James Spader-led series, and it stars Wesley Snipes and Philip Winchester (Strike Back) in a fun twist on the action-crime genre. Friday is the sole night dedicated to NBC comedy with the returning Undatable at 8 (its third season will be completely comprised of live episodes) and new multi-cam sitcom People are Talking starring Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Saved by the Bell). At 9 it’s the return of dark fairly-tale genre fare Grimm and newsmagazine Dateline.

New series being held for midseason or later include dramas hospital-set Heartbreaker with Melissa George, Shades of Blue (starring Jennifer Lopez), Game of Silence (starring Revolution‘s David Lyons and Once Upon a Time‘s Michael Raymond-James), and the Wizard of Oz-inspired Emerald City. Comedies coming soon include You, Me, and the End of the World with Rob Lowe (Parks & Rec), Superstore with America Ferrera (Ugly Betty) and Ben Feldman (A to Z), Hot & Bothered with Eva Longeria (Desperate Housewives), the revival of Coach starring Craig T. Nelson, and Crowded with Patrick Warburton (Rules of Engagement) and Carrie Preston (True Blood). Reality series First Dates and Little Big Shots hosted by Steve Harvey, as well as TV specials The Wiz Live!, The Reaper, and Dolly Parton in Coat of Many Colors, are also coming soon.

Jump after the break to preview NBC’s new fall and midseason series with video clips and descriptions. Continue reading Upfronts: NBC debuts new fall schedule dominated with dramas (Trailers & full descriptions inside) →

Upfronts: FOX relies on fresh family sitcoms & recognizable dramas for upcoming TV season

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FOX follows NBC as the second major network to announce its new programs for the upcoming 2015-16 season. A pair of dramas and comedies, as well as a comedy-horror anthology, are premiering on FOX this fall. Minority Report, inspired by Steven Spielberg’s 2002 film starring Tom Cruise, takes place 10 years after the demise of Precrime. Stark Sands stars as a former Precog, and with the help of a police detective played by Meagan Good (Deception), he attempts to solve crimes with the flickering visions he still receives. The sci-fi crime adventure is paired with Gotham on Monday nights at 9. (It has been announced that Morena Baccarin–who plays Ben McKenzie’s James Gordon’s love interest–has been upped to series regular for Gotham season 2.) FOX’s Tuesday lineup is all-new for the fall, featuring new single-camera sitcoms Grandfathered, starring John Stamos, and The Grinder, starring Rob Lowe. Rounding out the night at 10 is Ryan Murphy’s latest creation, one-hour comedy horror anthology Scream Queens with Emma Roberts, Lea Michele, and Jamie Lee Curtis. Empire sits tight at 9 on Wednesday, leading out of new crime procedural Rosewood starring Morris Chestnut (V) as a brilliant private pathologist in Miami. (Empire‘s episode count jumps to 18 episodes for season 2, musician Ne-Yo will write music alongside Timbaland’s production, and upcoming guest stars include Chris Rock, Alicia Keys, and Lenny Kravitz.) Veteran Bones and the returning Sleepy Hollow are paired on Thursday. Masterchef Junior movies to Fridays at 8, leading into World’s Funniest hosted by Terry Crews. Sunday’s lineup, including animated and live action fare, remains in tact: Bob’s Burgers, The Simpsons, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Family Guy, and The Last Man on Earth are all-new come September.

New series being held for midseason or later include dramas The Frankenstein Code (from Homeland & 24 executive producer Howard Gordon, loosely based on Mary Shelley’s creation) and Lucifer (starring a charismatic Tom Ellis as the Lord of Hell in the City of Angels). Six-episode event series The X-Files is primed to premiere Sunday, Jan. 24 following the NFC Championship game. New Girl, entering its fifth season, is also being saved for a January launch for two reasons: star Zooey Deschanel is pregnant, and the network wants to run it without interruptions this time around. New Girl will join newbies Grandfathered and The Grinder on Tuesdays, as well as midseason sitcom The Guide to Surviving Life. (There will be room on the schedule since Scream Queens has a limited run.) Also on tap for midseason is a new animated comedy from the minds of Seth MacFarlane and Mark Hentemann (Family Guy), Bordertown. A three-hour production Grease: Live with Julianne Hough and Vanessa Hudgens will air live Sunday, Jan. 31. Lastly, American Idol will be back in January for its 15th and final season.

Jump after the break to preview FOX’s new fall and midseason series with video clips and descriptions. Continue reading Upfronts: FOX relies on fresh family sitcoms & recognizable dramas for upcoming TV season →

Upfronts: ABC sticks with what it knows works, adds ‘The Muppets’ & conspiracy thrillers for good measure

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Update (6/2): Due to casting changes, Deadline reports that biblical saga Of Prophets and Kings is being yanked from ABC’s fall schedule and will debut at a later time. Conspiracy thriller Quantico moves into the Sunday 10pm timeslot following Once Upon a Time and fellow freshman Blood & Oil (formally known as Oil). The network has not disclosed what will take over the now-vacant Tuesdays-at-10 slot. This post has been amended to reflect the changes.

Number three is ABC–the third network to present at the Upfronts this week, that is. One look at the Alphabet network’s fall schedule and you’ll notice not much has changed from its 2014-15 grid. In fact, Monday (with Dancing with the Stars and Castle), Wednesday (with comedy lineup The Middle, The Goldbergs, Modern Family, and black-ish, plus country music drama Nashville), and Thursdays dedicated to prolific showrunner Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and How to Get Away with Murder), all remain exactly the same. The changes? Sitcom Fresh off the Boat has been bumped to 8:30 to make room for new Tuesday at 8 anchor The Muppets. That’s right–Jim Henson’s famous puppets are coming back to primetime in a half-hour documentary-style show, promising a more adult version of the Muppets that’ll “explore the [their] personal lives and relationships.” Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. sits tight at 9, leading into new conspiracy thriller Quantico. On Friday, Last Man Standing is joined by new multi-cam family sitcom Dr. Ken starring Community‘s Ken Jeong and Trophy Wife scene stealer Albert Tsai; newsmagazine 20/20 follows at 10. With Revenge complete and Resurrection cancelled, ABC’s Sundays nights will now consist of Once Upon a Time leading into new soap Oil Blood & Oil (starring Don Johnson as a ruthless oil tycoon) and biblical saga Of Kings and Prophets and conspiracy thriller Quantico.

New series being held for midseason or later include dramas The Catch (which looks to be yet another instant-classic Shondaland show starring The Killing‘s Mireille Enos; it will join Shonda’s “TGIT” lineup once Murder‘s limited run ends), another intriguing conspiracy thriller The Family (starring Bourne Identity franchise actress Joan Allen; it will replace Of Kings and Prophets on Sunday nights when the biblical drama finishes its limited run), and LA-set Wicked City, a serial killer investigative drama starring Gossip Girl‘s Ed Westwick and Parenthood‘s Erika Christensen (this one’ll air between the fall and spring runs of Quantico on Tuesdays). There are two comedies on tap for midseason: Raising Hope‘s Martha Plimpton is back in a new messy family single-cam sitcom, The Real O’Neals, and Mike Epps stars in Uncle Buck, a single-cam half-hour inspired by John Hughes’ 1989 film that starred John Candy. The former will eventually take over the Tuesdays-at-8:30 timeslot when The Muppets‘ limited run ends and Fresh off the Boat returns to its 8pm anchor; the latter has not been scheduled yet. Elsewhere, returning series Galavant will again bridge the gap between Once Upon a Time‘s fall and spring runs, and Marvel’s Agent Carter will do the same when S.H.I.E.L.D. goes on winter break. (The action is moving from New York City to Los Angeles in Agent Carter season 2.) It’s been confirmed that Juliette Lewis will be the sole actor returning to Secrets & Lies in its sophomore season; she’ll reprise Detective Andrea Cornell when the series steps in to fill the void left by Nashville when the country music soap takes its hiatus. John Ridley’s American Crime will return at some point, taking a page out of Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story–it’s officially been labeled an anthology series and season 2 will feature “a completely different scenario and a completely different crime, placed in a different part of America.” Also like AHS, AC will bring back some cast members from season 1 playing different characters.

Jump after the break to preview ABC’s new fall and midseason series with video clips and descriptions. Continue reading Upfronts: ABC sticks with what it knows works, adds ‘The Muppets’ & conspiracy thrillers for good measure →

Upfronts: The CW keeps its successful status-quo alive, introducing just one new series this fall

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The CW, CBS’s sister network, unveiled its 2015-16 fall schedule at the Upfronts, too, and you’ll see that very little has changed. The network was quick to mention that The CW is coming off its most-watched season in years, and the crowd applauded its success during awards seasons with Jane the Virgin star Gina Rodriguez winning the Golden Globe for Best Actress. And as the old saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Only one new show will debut in October when The CW kicks off its fall programming slate, a one-hour romantic comedy with musical elements called Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. It gets the Mondays-at-8 slot leading into Jane the Virgin. On Tuesdays there’s The Flash with iZombie, Wednesday airs Arrow with CW veteran Supernatural entering its 11th season, executive producer Julie Plec gets her own night a la Shonda Rhimes with The Vampire Diaries and its spinoff The Originals paired on Thursday nights, and period soap Reign moves to Fridays tagged with America’s Next Top Model.

Saved for midseason is another Greg Berlanti superhero series, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (an Arrow/Flash spinoff) and another Julie Plec drama, the apocalyptic Containment. Returning series Beauty and the Beast and The 100 sit on the bench for a future debut.

Jump after the break to preview The CW’s new fall and midseason series with video clips and descriptions. Continue reading Upfronts: The CW keeps its successful status-quo alive, introducing just one new series this fall →