Category Archives: Television

FOX’s ‘Terra Nova’ will not be previewed in May

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Aw man. For those of you who have been wildly anticipating the upcoming sci-fi epic from Steven Spielberg and Peter Chernin Terra Nova, I have some unfortunate news to share with you. Citing that the production team needs more time to work on the show’s elaborate visual effects, FOX has removed the show’s special two-night sneak peek from its schedule.

Says Fox president Kevin Reilly: “Terra Nova is one of the most ambitious television series ever produced. The cutting-edge visual effects used to create the world of Terra Nova, which is of massive scope and scale, require more time to be realized. This aspect of the series is essential, so we are pushing back the special early preview date to give the visual effects team the time needed for their groundbreaking work.”

Adds executive producer René Echevarria: “The world of Terra Nova is visually stunning on multiple levels, and effects play an enormous part. Premiering in the fall will give us the proper time to create a world never before seen on television.”

Terra Nova was originally planned to premiere midseason this year, then it was delayed until the fall but with promise of the now-axed two-night preview. FOX has decided to fill those vacant slots (May 23 & May 24, 9PM) with the season finales of The Chicago Code and Glee. Expectations are high for this prehistoric drama; the new fall season cannot come soon enough.

[Via Deadline; EW]

‘The Cape’ finale to air online tonight at midnight

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If you’ve been following the recent adventures of The Cape, you should know that the network ultimately decided to break up what was supposed to be a two-hour finale on February 28 into two pieces. The first hour “Razor” aired on that date then Chuck took over the 10PM slot. Last week The Event returned from its three month hiatus and claimed The Cape‘s regular 9PM slot. With no room in the Peacock’s scheduling for the last hour of the show with dismal ratings, they’ve decided to stream it exclusively online with hopes that fans of the short-lived series will flock to the website and watch the conclusion there.

“Endgame,” the season (likely series) finale of The Cape will be uploaded to the official NBC site tonight at midnight and will live there probably until the network decides to shut down the page. Here’s a synopsis of the episode:

THE CAPE AND VINCE FARRADAY’S WORLDS COLLIDE AND HARD TRUTHS ARE REVEALED — Police Chief Marty Voyt (Dorian Missick) lands behind bars, in the hands of ARK Corporation, fearing he may receive the same fate as Vince (David Lyons). Attempting to learn more about Vince’s disappearance, Dana (Jennifer Ferrin) takes on Marty’s case, and the impervious ARK Corporation , only to discover secrets of betrayal. The Cape’s double identity becomes blurred when Max (Keith David) and the carnival of crime attempt to protect Dana, Marty and his family.

I’m trembling with anticipation. Not.

Update: It’s up! NBC / Hulu

[Via TVLine]

Terry O’Quinn lands villainous role in ABC pilot ‘Hallelujah’

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The man known ’round the world for his phenomenal performance as John Locke in Lost is returning to ABC this fall in a drama from Marc Cherry (Desperate Housewives) called Hallelujah. Described as “a drama with musical elements,” the show is set in the town of Hallelujah, Tenn., which is being torn apart by the forces of good and evil and whose fortunes change when a stranger comes to town, bringing justice, peace and possibly restoring faith.” The stranger is played by Law & Order’s Jesse L. Martin and O’Quinn is Del, a charming yet wholly corrupt local millionaire who virtually owns the town.

O’Quinn joins Lost partners-in-crime Jorge Garcia and Michael Emerson in the fall pilot pool. Garcia and Emerson was recently cast in projects attached to Lost creator J.J. Abrams–Alcatraz and Person of Interest, respectively. Odd Jobs, the Abrams-backed project that was planning to bring O’Quinn and Emerson back together as suburban hit men, will simply have to wait.

[Via Deadline; TVLine]

Classic 90s Nick programming coming to TeenNick this fall

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Nickelodeon is ready to bring back the goods, finally. And when I say “goods” I am obviously referring to the kid network’s classic 90s programming. You know–Rugrats, Kenan & Kel, Pete & Pete, The Amanda Show, All That, Clarissa, and so and so forth. According to EW, all these retro shows will be airing in a new midnight-to-2 a.m. programming block appropirately branded “The ’90s Are All That” starting in the fall. The decision to add this new block came about after Nick execs caught wind of the massive amount of followers and continued support for Nickelodeon shows from that unforgettable decade. Says Keith Dawkins, senior VP and general manager of TeenNick: “At the time, we were completely devoted to that audience ages 9, 10, and 11. It was ground-breaking and for the young viewers, a powerful and pivotal time in their lives. Those kids who are now 22, 23 and 24 want to bring that back.” With open arms Mr. Dawkins, with open arms.

[Via EW]

NBC reveals season finale dates for its programming slate

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Somewhere on or between Monday, April 4 and Tuesday, May 24 your favorite NBC programming will conclude in hopefully satisfying fashion. Notable finales include half of the Thursday night comedy lineup–The Office, Community, and Parks and Recreation will wrap up their respective seasons with extended one hour episodes. Look after the break to see all of the finale dates listed in chronological order. Don’t see The Cape listed there? Here’s why.

[Via TVLine] Continue reading NBC reveals season finale dates for its programming slate →

TV Reminder: ‘The Event’ returns tonight on NBC [Update: Low ratings]

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After an extended three month hiatus, NBC’s sci-fi drama The Event returns to the airwaves tonight. After a promising start (remember–what happened to that plane?!), the mysteries started piling on top of each other with no cohesive plot thread tying them together and this resulted in contrived, lackluster plotlines that failed to challenge the viewer intellectually (or in any way for that matter). Save for the handful of character-driven episodes the first half of the season was dominated by run-of-the-mill action sequences, cheesy dialogue, and lots of running (Sean and Leila need more to do!). As the show’s creativity lost its touch early on, viewers dropped in significant numbers. The long hiatus provided the show’s creators plenty of time to retool things; I have faith that the show can transform itself from a rollercoaster of good-decent-filler episodes into a reliable mystery drama that’ll make me want to tune in every week. But first things first–they’ve got to tell us what the event IS! Perhaps episode 15 will provide some answers.

The Event returns tonight at 9PM on NBC. It’s a 2 hour, erm, event, so set your DVRs accordingly. Check out photos from “And Then There Were More” and “Inostranka” in the gallery below. Beware of minor spoilers. Need a refresher? Jump after the break to watch a brief recap.

Update: To the surprise of no one The Event returned not with a bang but as a bust. Though the two-hour return was (for the most part) fast-paced with some fun action segments, the writing is still poor and the story is, well, uneventful. The ratings agree: the show drew a 1.4/4 in the 18-49 demo and 5.2 million total viewers. That’s down 26% from its last original airing back on November 29. If these numbers don’t start to steadily increase and stabilize between now and April, you can kiss this thrill-less sci-fi thriller goodbye.

[Images via IGN; Deadline]

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Continue reading TV Reminder: ‘The Event’ returns tonight on NBC [Update: Low ratings] →

Reminder: ‘Breakout Kings’ premieres tonight on A&E [Update: Strong ratings!]

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I consider the 2005-2009 FOX series Prison Break to be one of the most thrilling and entertaining serialized programs produced for television. The Break writer/producer team Matt Olmstead and Nick Santora is ready for a second outing in a familiar setting. Tonight is the series premiere of Breakout Kings, an ensemble drama following an unconventional partnership between the U.S. Marshals’ office and a group of convicts as they work to catch fugitives on the run. “It takes a con to catch a con” is the show’s slogan–sounds like a fun concept. If you’re a loyal Break fan then obviously you know what to expect from Olmstead and Santora; namely edge-of-your-seat action sequences and smart, witty dialogue. Though Kings will play out more like a procedural (the show will focus on a new criminal each week), it is being described as a character-based show so the relationships and personalities that form amongst the ensemble cast of cops and convicts will play an integral part in the show’s development. If you need a solid reason to tune in each week here it is: Break’s Robert Knepper will be reprising the brilliantly sinister Theodore “T-Bag” Bagwell later this season in a four episode arc!

Breakout Kings begins its 13-episode season tonight at 10PM on A&E. Check out stills from the pilot below, and click here to read more about show.

Bonus! Click here to watch the producers discuss the round table writing process.

Update: The Breakout Kings premiere received the highest demo numbers for an A&E drama series–1.5 million adults 18-49 and 1.6 million adults 25-54. That’s up 25% and 14%, respectively, from the network’s previous ratings record holder The Glades (which premiered in July 2010). In terms of total viewership, Kings‘ 2.9 million viewers did not beat out The Glades‘ undisputed record of 3.6 million. Says Bob DeBitetto, President and general manager of A&E and BIO: “Breakout Kingsis a smart, action-packed drama with great storytelling and authentic well-drawn characters. Clearly the series has struck a chord with the younger viewers.” Yes, yes it has.

[Images via IGN; Deadline]

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Jorge Garcia to guest star on ‘Fringe’

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Hurley is coming to Fringe! Jorge Garcia is Island-hopping from Lost to Alcatraz, and somewhere in-between he has managed to find time to land a guest role in an upcoming episode of Fringe. (These are all shows from mastermind J.J. Abrams, mind you.) According to EW, he will play a Massive Dynamic employee. Beyond that, you’ll have to watch next week’s episode “Os” to find out how he fits into the puzzle. But just look at the still sitting above–Hurley and Walter deep in conversation!  Who knew such worlds would one day collide?

Frothing at the mouth for more? Again, that’s it for the Hurley scoop; but jump after the break to watch a brand new promo spot produced by FOX for the greatest sci-fi show out there. It succinctly tells the tale of the parallel universes and subtly hints at the impending war that’s coming.

Fringe airs Fridays at 9PM on FOX.

[Via EW] Continue reading Jorge Garcia to guest star on ‘Fringe’ →

Jim Caviezel is Abrams’ ‘Person of Interest’

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Jim Caviezel, the man who famously played Jesus Christ in Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ, has been cast as the lead in Person of Interest, the CBS drama from J.J. Abrams and Jonah Nolan. He joins Lost alum Michael Emerson who was also selected to play a prominent role in the show just last month. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show “centers on a paramilitary CIA officer (Caviezel) who is presumed killed in the line of duty, but resurfaces in New York City where he teams up with an eccentric billionaire (Emerson) to clean up the city’s violent underworld.” With Abrams and Nolan attached to it, it’s something you should be following very closely. Now we wait for a teaser…

[Via THR]

ABC takes back ‘No Ordinary Family’ episodes, cancellation in our midst?

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Well this is a real bummer. ABC’s take on the superhero genre isn’t fairing well in the ratings and for that reason they’ve decided to cut two episodes from its previously increased 22-episode order. In October the alphabet network granted No Ordinary Family the safety cushion that is known as the back nine, increasing its episode count from 13 to 22. It’s all about the ratings game in TV land, and unfortunately Family is not winning. The so-so pilot attracted about 10.7 million viewers in late September, and that number has significantly dropped since. The latest episode “No Ordinary Love” which aired this past Tuesday garnered a measly 4.77 million viewers, despite hotties Tricia Helfer and Lucy Lawless making special guest appearances. The next two weeks ABC will air repeats of the show, and then it is set to return March 23 and will air its last three episodes of the season (the season finale falls on April 5).

Why I am telling you all of this? Because if happen to be a fan of this show like me (rocky start but recent surge in intriguing mythology), I thought it’d only be proper to prepare you for the inevitable. I hate to say it but ABC’s lowest-rated scripted program is likely to get the axe come this spring.

[Via TVSeriesFinale]

The Cape’s (likely) series finale will air online exclusively

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The adventures of Vince Faraday, his nemesis Peter Flemming, and Max Malini’s carnival of crime are coming to a close… online. Early last month NBC cut The Cape‘s episode count from 13 to 10 and decided more recently not to air the 10th and final episode of the season. The terribly rated superhero drama ran its ninth episode this past Monday “Razer” which was originally intended as a two-parter to close out the season; at the last minute NBC yanked the second hour from the schedule and placed a rerun of Chuck in that slot. Nothing against Chuck, but yeah, that’s how badly the Peacock wants this show off the air–they wouldn’t even let it whimper before killing it. So Cape fans (all five of you), the plan to release episode ten goes like this according to the official site:

Flash: The creators of The Cape are prepping an exclusive episode just for online fans! Keep watching this site in the days ahead to see a full-length special episode.

And that’s all we know. NBC has yet to officially cancel the show, but if they are so against airing one more episode to close things out for the season, I have much doubt we’ll be seeing Faraday and friends in the fall. When NBC announces the online-only air date for the finale you’ll know about it as soon as it makes itself known.

The Event will take over the Monday night 9PM slot starting next week (3/7). Curious to see how this one will perform after its lengthy and much needed hiatus.

[Via Deadline; TVSeriesFinale]

Directors Joe and Anthony Russo talk ‘Arrested Development’ movie, tease new Will Arnett pilot

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The Brothers Russo should ring a little bell inside your head. They’ve been credited for directing the Arrested Development pilot and helming several episodes of that spectacular, short-lived series. Recently they helped kick-start Mitch Hurwitz’ other failed FOX program Running Wilde and today they are called upon to direct episodes for NBC’s Community. The talented duo sat down with Vulture to talk about their Community gig and that show’s upcoming epic finale. Towards the end of the conversation, though, Joe and Anthony Russo were asked about the highly anticipated and long-awaited Arrested Development movie. When asked why they were not chosen to direct the flick Joe responded, “We’re very close with Mitch. This is Mitch wanting to stretch a different muscle and get a more intimate approach to his own material. He understands the medium as well as any show-runner we’ve been around, so I believe it’s a natural progression for him.” He continued, “There’s always going to be some sort of collaboration, whether it’s completely on the periphery or more formally involved. Anything we can do to help him, we will do.” And if you have any doubt about the movie’s conceptual existence, please keep reading. When asked if he believes the movie will get made Joe said, “I think so. Mitch is very committed and very focused. I think the next six months of his life will be about that film. It’s a very complicated concept to encapsulate into two hours. There are so many stories you could tell from that [series]; it’s difficult to pull the thread through. But I think everything’s finally lining up.” Hooray!

In the same jam-packed interview, the Russo brothers let slip news about a potential new show for Arrested and Wilde‘s funny man Will Arnett. “We love Will,” said Anthony. “We’d do anything for him. We’re actually talking about doing another show with Will — something very edgy, something very different on cable. We’re talking about a very funny concept where there’s not a lot of limitations, where he can swear and do dangerous material. Hopefully HBO or Showtime, that’s what we’re talking about. Will’s just a funny motherfu–er.”

And there you have it; more proof that the Bluths are alive and kicking.

[Via Vulture]