Category Archives: News

Dr. Horrible, the book

Well what do we have here? Something to hold us all over until the hotly anticipated Dr. Horrible sequel–that’s what! The Brothers Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen have put together a Horrible book that includes exclusive new material from the production team including a full transcription of the script, sheet music, a costume feature, a section highlighting the merchandise spawned by the musical, and contributions from the cast and crew. Said contributions from the cast include a discussion between Joss, Zack, Jed, and Maurissa, words from stars Felicia Day (Penny) and Simon Helberg (Moist), an afterward written by Neil Patrick Harris, a Horrible Haiku written by Nathan Fillion, and this introduction straight from the mouth of Captain Hammer himself:

People often ask me me to write the introductions to their books. They ask me to speak at their school, be the Godfather to their child, or make a spurty in their lady place.

I usually say no. Books don’t interest me, school is for sissies, and the Godfather was a bad man who did mob crime. The lady thing is okay, as long as it’s between consenting adults and no one gets hurt/slapped with a paternity suite. But to conclude this word section, books are for coffee tables.

But this book is different.

So yeah, this is a must-buy for every Horrible fan out there. It goes on sale March 29 and Amazon has it up for preorder at $13.57.

[Via SciFiMafia]

Netflix to bring original programming to its subscribers, starting with David Fincher’s ‘House of Cards’

In an interesting move, Netflix has made the decision to jump into the original programming pool. And with the talent they’ve managed to bring together, you can say they’re ready to make a giant splash. David Fincher (The Social Network) has signed on to direct the pilot House of Cards starring Kevin Spacey, a serialized one hour drama that explores the ruthless underside of British politics at the end of the Thatcher era. Reset against the backdrop of modern-day U.S. electoral politics, the show follows an ambitious politician (Spacey) with his eye on the top job. House of Cards is based on a 1990 Michael Dobbs novel which was turned into a four-part miniseries by the BBC that same year. The program will stream exclusively with Netflix when it releases in spring 2012. The streaming service has committed to 26 episodes (two 13-episode seasons) with Media Rights Capital producing it. Fincher will remain with the show serving as executive producer and over the next few months MRC will assemble teams of producers and actors. In a similar vein to Kiefer Sutherland’s The Confession (airing on Hulu later this month), House of Cards could be a game-changer in terms of original content distribution. Full PR after the break.

[Via Deadline; Netflix]

Continue reading Netflix to bring original programming to its subscribers, starting with David Fincher’s ‘House of Cards’

Adrianne Palicki is Wonder Woman

Here is the very first image of Adrianne Palicki (Friday Night Lights) suited up as Wonder Woman. NBC wants to reboot the classic 1970s series and they’ve tapped David E. Kelley to write and executive produce it. Can the man with a TV degree in law (The Practice, Ally McBeal, Boston Public, Boston Legal, Harry’s Law) successfully bring back the DC Comics superheroine in a way that is relevant and exciting? Time will tell. But for now gaze at the wonderful image sitting above. Palicki certainly has the looks to play the part. But I’ll wait for a teaser before making any further judgement. Cary Elwes (Saw), Tracie Thoms (Cold Case), Pedro Pascal (The Good Wife), and Elizabeth Hurley are attached to the Warner Bros TV project.

[Via Deadline]

NBC renews ‘Community’, ‘Parks and Recreation’, ‘The Office’

Fantastic news everybody: NBC has renewed Community, Parks and Rec, and The Office for a third, fourth, and eighth season, respectively! NBC’s other staple comedy 30 Rock was renewed for a sixth season late last year. It will surely be interesting to see how The Office performs without its star Michael Scott (Steve Carrell) and I’m equally looking forward to the return of the Greendale and Pawnee gangs. These shows have proved time and time again that they’ve found their stride. I am beyond elated that NBC has saved these shows from sitting on the cancellation fence and determined their value residing in the network’s Thursday night comedy lineup.

NBC chairman Bob Greenblatt: “Along with 30 Rock, they represent the best of what the NBC comedy brand stands for in terms of originality, wit, and sophistication. The Office continues to fire on all cylinders on the most competitive night of television; Parks & Recreation has come into its own this season as the rightful companion to The Office; and Community is one of the freshest comedies on any network and a solid foundation for Thursday night.”

Greenblatt has ordered 13 comedy pilots each vying for a spot in this talented lineup. Things are not looking up for Outsourced and midseason player Perfect Couples.

For those of you who follow the ratings game: The Office averages a 4.0 rating/10 share in adults 18-49 and 7.7 million viewers; Parks and Rec sees a 2.8/7 and 5.5 million viewers; Community gets a 2.1/6 and 4.7 million.

[Via Deadline; EW]

‘V’ exec producer hints the best has yet to come

If you thought the V season 2 finale was phenomenal, apparently the best has yet to come. In an interview with EW, V executive producer Scott Rosenbaum shared his gripes about the shortened season and what he has planned for a third season if ABC decides to pick it up again.

“We had been given an initial episode order of 13, so I had planned a 22-episode season,” Rosenbaum told EW. “When they reduced the order, I had to make a decision. I didn’t feel like it was possible to wrap the show in that amount of time, so I said, ‘You know, I’m going to hope there’s another season, because I’ve pushed the story too far [and] it won’t make sense [to conclude it this soon]. I don’t feel like the audience will feel like we’ve earned those moments.’ So I’m going to keep my fingers crossed and leave it organically where I think the show should end after 10 episodes. I went with hope, and tried to make it feel like a satisfying conclusion.”

He continued, “It’s risky to cancel a show that’s actually garnering some buzz for the network and instead role the dice on something untested.” While that is true, unfortunately it all comes down to ratings. Though this week’s finale managed to reel in 5.3 million viewers (1.8/5 rating in the 18-49 demo) and jump 6% compared to last week, the episode was down 14% from last year’s finale. V is not the ratings boon it deserves to be, but it’s also not ABC’s worst performer; Detroit 1-8-7 (1.3/4) and No Ordinarily Family (0.9/3) have seen their better days.

But let’s end things on a positive note. According to EW, “Rosenbaum says he’s always wanted at least one full season to properly set up the conflict” between the Fifth Column (erm, Project Aries) and the Visitors. Unfortunately he has never received the opportunity to do so since this season was shortened and season one was only alloted 12 episodes in total. He concludes, “What’s so interesting is I feel like the best of the show is ahead of itself.”

Adds star Elizabeth Mitchell: “I fought so hard and so did everyone else. All of the writers, all of the actors, we all tried to put our best foot forward. I feel like we’ve given it everything we can. We’ll see what happens.”

“Mother’s Day” left viewers with a major cliffhanger, so many deaths, and most importantly it opened up windows of imaginative opportunity. This show has never felt so alive; it would be a damn shame if ABC doesn’t give it a chance to shine.

[Via EW (1) (2), Deadline]

WiFi-only Moto Xoom releases March 27 at $599

The post title says it all, really. Come Sunday, March 27 you’ll be able to buy a 3G/4G-less Motorola Xoom that solely relies on a nearby WiFi signal to connect to the Internet. Everything else remains the same: 10.1-inch display, 1GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 32GB of memory, Honeycomb, etc. The MSRP is set at $599 and it’ll be available for purchase at the following stores: Amazon, Best Buy, Costco, RadioShack, Sam’s Club, Staples, and Walmart. Full PR after the break.

[Via Engadget] Continue reading WiFi-only Moto Xoom releases March 27 at $599

The Sidekick returns with Android, a touchscreen, 4G, and front-facing cam this spring

On July 2 T-Mobile halted sales of the Sharp-produced, Danger-powered Sidekick. On May 31 they pulled the plug on the Danger Service, effectively shutting down data services for the fliptastic handset. Today they made good on their promise that the “storied Sidekick franchise” would continue with the introduction of the T-Mobile Sidekick 4G. The “new and fresh experience” they hinted at has been detailed today in a press release straight from the carrier. Though the new Sidekick holds on to that long-lasting brand and shares similar looks to its predecessors, things have changed considerably. The Sidekick 4G is manufactured by Samsung and it runs Android 2.2. It’s the first Sidekick to have a touchscreen which measures 3.5-inch (WVGA). A sturdy “pop-tilt” hinge reveals a five-row QWERTY keyboard that Sidekick owners should be well adjusted to by now. The device is powered by a 1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird processor and packs a back-facing 3 megapixel camera and a front-facing VGA camera for video chatting. T-Mobile Video Chat powered by Qik is preinstalled to enable that function. Speaking of preloaded items, the Sidekick will also come loaded with Facebook and Twitter apps, YouTube, T-Mobile TV, Slacker Radio, and Samsung Media Hub; that hub allows customers to rent or purchase movies and TV shows from CBS, Fox, MTV Networks, NBC Universal, Paramount, and Warner Bros. T-Mobile has also included two Sidekick-specific messaging features called Group Text and Cloud Text. The former lets customers create, name, manage and participate in reply-all group text conversations; the latter allows customers to text with friends or groups across platforms (i.e. using a PC or smartphone). Lastly, T-Mobile’s DriveSmart service helps prevent distracted driving by automatically informing incoming callers and text messages that the Sidekick user is driving and will respond at a later time.

The T-Mobile Sidekick 4G, which takes advantage of T-Mo’s “4G” HSPA+ data speeds (download speeds of up to 21 Mbps), will be available in matte black and pearl magenta when it goes on sale “later this spring.” Exact release date and pricing has not been disclosed yet. Long live the Sidekick!

Update: Along with the PR you’ll also find a brief video demonstration of the “killer messaging device” after the break.

[Via Engadget; T-Mobile]

Continue reading The Sidekick returns with Android, a touchscreen, 4G, and front-facing cam this spring

HTC Thunderbolt, Verizon’s first 4G LTE smartphone, on sale March 17 for $249.99

HTC manufactures dozens of aesthetically-charged handsets powered by Android and their acceptable skin HTC Sense. The Thunderbolt, however, is a standout. In just two days it will officially release and become Verizon Wireless’ first 4G LTE device on the market. VZW says that customers can expect download speeds of 5 to 12 Mbps and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps in the 4G Mobile Broadband coverage area (check to see if you’re covered here). So if you’re not near a WiFi signal data speeds will be blistering fast (when compared to current 3G speeds, that is). Other specs include: 4.3″ WVGA display, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 8 megapixel rear facing camera with HD (720p) video recording, 1.3 megapixel front facing camera with video chat capability, 8GB of onboard memory and a pre-installed 32 GB microSD card, and around the back there’s a built-in kickstand. Additionally, the device can act as a Mobile Hotspot and can share its 4G connection with up to eight WiFi-enabled devices (a 2GB monthly cap is in effect). Note that after Verizon’s grace period ends on May 15 you’re required to pay an additional $20/month on top of your current phone bill to enable hotspot functionality. The handset is preloaded with Android 2.2 (Froyo) and HTC’s latest version of Sense (v2.0).

The HTC Thunderbolt lands on Verizon Wireless on March 17 and will cost $249.99 after signing a new two-year contract. Order from Verizon or Best Buy. According to the official press release (which is sitting after the break), the phone will launch with an unlimited 4G LTE data plan costing the standard $29.99/month. Like the other wireless carriers, Verizon will eventually transition its 4G data plan into tiered (read: data capped) options but for now it looks like Thunderbolt owners will have the freedom to go wild with their crazy fast speeds.

Update: HTC has put together a promo video featuring the Thunderbolt and its bold design. Check it after the break.

[Via Engadget]

Continue reading HTC Thunderbolt, Verizon’s first 4G LTE smartphone, on sale March 17 for $249.99

Kanye West to perform at SxSW later this week

If you couldn’t pick up on the not-so-subtle hint in this cryptic teaser released in late February, the exciting news has been made official today: Kanye West will perform at the South by Southwest music festival. The last time West made an appearance at the Austin, Texas event was back in 2009 when he took the stage at the Fader Fort venue with G.O.O.D. Music artists Mr. Hudson, Consequence, and Big Sean. This year he’ll be performing at the VEVO Power Station. Guests have not been revealed, but you can expect featured artists on Ye’s latest album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy to tag along (Nicki Minaj, John Legend, Rick Ross please!). It all goes down Saturday, March 19 at midnight. If you’re not at the event don’t fret–it will stream live online so make sure to check back here for the link.

[Via Idolator]

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

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

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]

Call of Duty: Black Ops becomes the best-selling game ever

After being hailed for the biggest entertainment launch in history, Call of Duty: Black Ops has become the best-selling game ever in the US. According to NPD analyst Anita Frazier, Black Ops has surpassed Wii Play as the best-selling game. Though Activision has yet to officially announce the news, we know that the game sold 5.6 million copes ($360 million in revenue) on November 9, the day it launched in the US and UK. And according to Joystiq, as of October Nintendo sold 13 million copies of Wii Play, the game that ships with the console. So we can surmise that the Black Ops has sold, um, more than that. Way to go Activision & Treyarch!

[Via Joystiq]