We shall find out when House premieres Monday, September 20 at 8PM on FOX. Check out two more promo shots in the gallery below.
Update: New House group shot is sitting in the gallery now. Look at the way Cuddy is looking at House. Huddy rules.
[Via EW, here & here; Aceshowbiz]
“After eight great seasons, Will [Forte] has made the decision to move on from SNL to pursue new opportunities. He is eternally grateful to [executive producer] Lorne [Michaels] and all of the incredible people he worked with over the years.”
That statement was released last Thursday when it was made official that one of Saturday Night Live‘s brightest cast members is leaving the show prior to the upcoming 36th season. Forte is best known for his laugh-out-loud characters like MacGruber, The Falconer, Mr. Dillon (in the Gilly sketches), politician Tim Calhoun, and his collaborations with Jason Sudekis as Greg Stink (in the ESPN Classic sketches) and a member of the reverse Bon Jovi band, Jon Bovi. He was even lucky enough to star in the very first SNL Digital Short, “Lettuce“, alongside Andy Samberg. Out of all his fantastic performances, there are three that stick out in memory. They are “Close Talkers” with Steve Martin and “Grapes” with Ashton Kutcher and Andy Samberg, and his rendition of George W. Bush. They are all embedded after the break.
I am glad that Forte is leaving the show on his own terms to go out and pursue other opportunities. We all know he star in an action-packed movie (MacGruber) and he has the comedic acting chops to continue to make us laugh no matter where he ends up. I have no doubt he’ll make his way back to SNL in a guest spot at some point. And if you’re a Parks and Recreation fan, you can look forward to an upcoming season 3 episode featuring Forte! Happy trails, Will, and thanks for the laughs.
I have not anticipated the premiere of a new fall TV series like this in quite some time. The Walking Dead, the famed comic book series from Robert Kirkman that follows a band of survivors in a zombie-infested world, is being adapted to the small screen with executive producer/director Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile) at the helm. I have attempted to hook you in from the start–reporting cast additions, production stills, and behind-the-scenes looks from the set. Today the four-and-a-half minute trailer, originally screened at Comic Con in July, has hit the ‘Net and boy does it impress. If nothing caught your attention in the past surrounding the development of the AMC series, this will. In it you will meet Rick Grimes, a man who gets shots and wakes up after a prolonged period of time in a hospital to find his home infiltrated by a hoard of flesh-hungry zombies. Said zombies look horrifyingly spectacular thanks to makeup/special FX extraordinaire Greg Nicotero. I implore you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the first in-depth peek at The Walking Dead.
We’ve been told that The Walking Dead would premiere in October sometime during AMC’s Fearfest schedule, which will include 14 consecutive days of horror-themed programming. Today THR reports that the zombie series will premiere on Halloween night, Sunday October 31 at 10:00PM ET. If you’re planning on spending the night trick-or-treating, don’t forget to set your DVR! The pilot episode, written and directed by Darabont, will run 90 minutes long.
[Via THR]
Locke & Key, a comic book series written by Joe Hill, illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguez and published by IDW Publishing, follows three teenage brothers, Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode Locke, who move to a Massachusetts mansion where they find the mystical Ghost Door which grants them powers, including the ability to separate his spirit from body and to transport between different worlds. The modern (2008-present) comic book is about to undergo a transformation with some HUGE names at the helm. A few months back, writers Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman (Fringe, Star Trek, Transformers) were approached to write a screenplay for a movie adaptation of the series. After much speculation, Vulture breaks news that the series will be adapted for television. In addition to Orci & Kurtzman, Steven Spielberg will serve as executive producer (via DreamWorks TV) and Josh Friedman, who was the showrunner of the dearly missed Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, will write and exec produce. Oh and you knnow Joe Hill, the writer of the comic book? He just happens to be Steven King’s son. 20th Century Fox and DreamWorks TV will back the venture. Now the wait begins to see which network is willing to scoop up all this talent and greenlight the production process.
From August 21-22 the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California was transformed into a Lost fan’s wet dream. Not only did it house Lost memorabilia for the show’s most diehard fans and collectors to bid on, but it also contained key set pieces from the show (ie. the Oceanic 815 plane, the hatch, pieces of The Black Rock and The Temple) and actors (Sterling Beaumon (Young Ben Linus), Andrea Gabriel (Nadia), and Daniel Roebuck (Dr. Arzt)) for fans to see and take pictures with. The auction was a smashing success; people in-person, over the telephone, and online paid a pretty penny to call themselves owners of some of Lost‘s most recognizable items. The first day of bidding netted around $900,000, and early estimates speculated that the second day would exceed sales of $1 million. Though it has not been disclosed where all the money will go, it has been made public that an undetermined portion of the proceeds will land in the hands of Hawaii-based charities.
So how much did some of the most exciting items go for? The Dharma Van proved to be the most valuable item at the auction; it sold for $47,500! Not even Hurley’s hot Camaro, which sold for $20,000, could top the vehicle that turned Hurley’s luck around. Somewhat fitting, isn’t it? Other top prizes include: Jacob’s dial mechanism and mirror array from “The Lighthouse” ($27,500); the frozen donkey wheel ($22,500); Faraday’s journal ($20,000); the Dharma Swan station computer ($16,000); the pilot script signed by J.J. Abrams & Damon Lindelof ($15,000); 12 cans of Dharma beer ($5,000); Locke’s wheelchair ($3,250); and Sawyer’s paperback copy of Watership Down ($2,750).
Look after the break for a slightly more extensive list of the top-selling items from the auction. Also after the break is a 12-minute video that will take you on a brief tour around the hangar.
[Via EW-PopWatch; TheWashingtonPost] Continue reading ‘Lost’ auction nets over $1 million, fans revel at The Island one last time
The Creative Arts Emmys ceremony acts as a precursor to the actual Emmys (which airs live next week) and many of the awards given cover guest spots and technical achievements. Betty White, Neil Patrick Harris, John Lithgow, and Ann-Margret took home Emmys for their guest roles in Saturday Night Live, Glee, Dexter, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, respectively. (Fun(ny) fact: When John Lithgow accepted his award for best guest spot in Dexter, he thanked HBO. Dexter is a Showtime series! Oops!) HBO took was awarded 17 trophies; its mini-series The Pacific brought in 7 of them. ABC (15 Emmys), FOX (9), and CBS, NBC, and PBS (7 each) followed.
Other notable winners include: Modern Family (Best Casting of a Comedy Series, Best Picture Editing for Comedy Series); Saturday Night Live (Best Makeup/ Multi-Camera (Non-Prosthetic), Best Direction of Variety); 24 (Best Music Score); Lost (Best Picture Editing for Drama Series (Single Camera)); Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (Best Short Form Picture Editing, Best Creative Achievement in Interactive); FlashForward (Best Stunt Coordination); Glee (Best Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series); The Colbert Report (Best Variety Writing).
Look after the break for the full list of winners. Make sure to tune into the Emmys hosted by Jimmy Fallon August 29 on NBC.
[Via EW; AP; LATimes] Continue reading Creative Arts Emmys made winners out of Betty White, NPH & network and premium cable series
Executive producers Mark Wahlberg and Steve Levinson, who currently work together on HBO’s Entourage and the upcoming series Boardwalk Empire, are teaming up with controversial writer James Frey to produce a new one-hour drama about the porn industry that will star both actors and porn stars. According to the NY Post, “The plot will focus on a giant video company under siege from Internet competitors and a girl from the Midwest whose boyfriend convinces her to move to Los Angeles to become a star.” Frey, who is currently writing the pilot, shares, “We’re going to make a sprawling epic about the porn business in LA. We’re going to tell the type of stories no one else has told before, and go places no one has gone before.” OK I’m hooked.
You probably know actress Malin Akerman for her pivotal role in Watchmen as Silk Spectre II or her comedic turn in Couples Retreat. More recently she has decided to foster her funny side by starring in Rob Corddry’s web series-turned-TV show Childrens Hospital. In season 2 of the satirical medical comedy Akerman plays Dr. Valerie Flame. In an interview with IGN she describes her character as “the new hot-to-trot lady in the hospital who gets all the guys going.” Season 1, which was filmed for the web in 2008, just finished airing on Adult Swim. It starred Lake Bell who lended her voice for narration of the series. After the show got picked up for TV, Corddry decided to film a second season made for TV. This time around, however, Bell was committed to HBO’s How To Make It In America, so her role was downsized and Akerman was given narration duty.
In the interview with IGN Akerman hints that if ratings continue to impress then the whole team would definitely consider filming a third season:
“As long as time permits and schedules all come together properly, then absolutely! I’d go back, and they have asked about availabilities and such, so I’m guessing that’s a good sign. There’s definitely been talk about a Season 3 – I see that possibly happening. The numbers have been great, and I think people have been watching and enjoying Childrens Hospital, which means there’s a lot of sick people out there which is great!”
If you happened to have missed season 1 of Childrens Hospital during its web and TV run, that’s OK. This is one of those shows that you can just jump into and start laughing. It really is hysterical. And with an all-star cast including Rob Corddry, Ken Marino (Party Down), Megan Mullally (Will & Grace), Rob Huebel (Human Giant) and Henry Winkler (The Fonz!) and guest stars including Ed Begley Jr. (Arrested Development), Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation), and John Cho (Star Trek), Childrens Hospital is a must-see. It returns with brand new episodes tonight (8/22) at 10:30PM on Adult Swim. Season 2 will consist of six 11-minute episodes and will run consecutively through Sunday September 26.
[Via IGN]
Last night comedian Chelsea Handler announced on her E! late night show Chelsea Lately that she will be the host of the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. But why Handler? She explains, “This has been a huge year for hip-hop and rap, and it is well-known that I have the closest ties with these communities — musically and sexually. I am to rap and hippity-hop, what Warren Buffet is to finance, minus the sex.” Yup, that’s Chelsea. Fun fact: She is first female to host the awards show since 1994. With expected performances from Kanye West, Justin Bieber (eh), Drake, Jay Sean, B.o.B, and Florence + The Machine, this year’s VMAs should be memorable in just the right way. The VMAs airs live from the Nokia Theatre in LA September 12. Check out this year’s nominees! Look after the break to watch Chelsea make the exciting announcement.
[Via EW-Popwatch] Continue reading Chelsea Handler to host the VMAs
On the final day of the TCA press tour, HBO programming president Michael Lombardo strung together these words in a sentence concerning the premium cable network’s longest running series Entourage: “Next summer will definitely be the final season.” Yes, tear. After seven seasons of watching Ari Gold and crew perform their comedic magic creator Doug Ellin is ready to call it quits. Summer 2011 will be host to a shortened final season that will likely air a six episode story arc that may or may not lead into an Entourage theatrical release sometime in the future. Lombardo: “[Ellin] wants to write a film, but wants to do it when the story will make sense.” Hey–at least the idea of a movie was mentioned; better than no news at all. Apparently Ellin is ready to move on to new projects. He’s already pitched multiple show ideas to HBO. Lombardo “expect[s] that within the next couple years” he will have another show up and running on the network. Entourage fans, it’s been a great run. (But what am I saying? We still have this season plus the mini-season next summer, then possibly a movie; it’s not over just yet!)
Since Arrested Development executive producer and Narrator Ron Howard uttered the final line of the 2003-06 FOX series (“No, I just don’t see it as a TV series. Maybe a movie?”), fans of the cancelled cult hit have been yearning for an official press release stating that a movie based on the Bluth family is a-go. Though word has yet to escape from the mouth of a studio exec, AD creator Mitch Hurwitz has kindly updated fans on the matter. Hurwitz was on hand this week at the Television Critics Association press tour (touting his new FOX series Running Wilde, starring AD alum Will Arnett and David Cross) and he gave this straight answer to the press: “We’re writing it [the script]; we’re about halfway through.” He sounds very confident that the script will get picked up and things will move forward as planned. “We will make this movie. The only stumbling blocks will be scheduling. Everybody wants to play together.” That is true; virtually every actor from the ensemble cast has publically state they are willing and excited to reprise their roles for a movie. Hurwitz added, “It’s not going to be a big money maker. It’s going to be fun, like a family reunion.” That is exactly what I am expecting it to be, nothing more. To see Michael, George Michael, G.O.B., Buster, Lindsey, Tobias, Maeby, Lucille, George Sr., and Oscar together again, for one last hurrah, would be a wonderful treat. Oh, and who could forget…STEVE HOLT! The only information Hurwitz would divulge is that political references are being changed (from George Bush to President Obama) since the script was “started it awhile ago” and that “the Bluths may not be vacationing in the Gulf of Mexico anymore.” Beyond the rewrites, completing the script, and recasting the Uncle Mel character, “we have a clear path”, Hurwitz reassures. I will be keeping my ear to the ground with this one; as soon as a deal is struck with final script in tow you will be informed.
The MTV Video Music Awards is just a month away, so it’s time to peruse the nominees list. Lady Gaga swept the boards with a record-breaking 13 nominations, two of which include Best Pop Video and Best Female Video. Not only does she now hold the record for most VMA nods in a single show, but she is also the first female artist to be nominated for two different videos in the Video of the Year category (“Bad Romance” and “Telephone”). Eminem’s hit single “Not Afraid” helped him received 8 nods. First-time nominees include Ke$ha, Drake, Justin Bieber, and Florence + The Machine. B.o.B’s “Airplanes”, Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness”, Janelle Monáe’s “Tightrope”, 30 Seconds To Mars’ “King & Queens”, and Dan Black’s “Symphonies” also made the cut. Check out the full breakdown of nominees organized by category after the break. The VMAs will air live from Los Angeles on Sunday, September 12 at 9PM on MTV. According to recent whispers Kanye West will be in the building to perform a song off his upcoming album, so you don’t want to miss a potential “Imma let you finish but…” moment!
[Via EW-MusicMix] Continue reading MTV VMA nominees announced, Lady Gaga nabs record-breaking 13 nods