Between my internal clock being messed up due to Labor Day wherein I thought yesterday was Tuesday, and an unfortunate addiction to Candy Crush Saga, this week’s entertainment news is going to be a day or so late. One other excuse is that at last the Time Warner/CBS dispute is over with and I’ve got my Showtime back! I’ve been catching up on four weeks worth of back episodes of Dexter, Ray Donovan, Nurse Jackie, and Web Therapy.
First an obituary… RIP British broadcaster David Frost at age 74. While most famous for his interview with Richard Nixon, I always remember him for his satirical news program That Was the Week That Was which is sort of a precursor to Saturday Night Life’s “Weekend Update” and a little bit of Jon Stuart.
Other major news is that the judging cast for American Idol has been finalized. Keith Urban returns from last year and will be accompanied by Jennifer Lopez from two years ago and Harry Connick Jr. who I thought was one of the best celebrity mentors may have had. Randy Jackson will be back as mentor. Some people expressed surprise at this however he was scheduled to have that role last year and in a last-minute shuffle returned as judge. I’m just glad they got rid of Jimmy as mentor.
In the links below read
Details on ABC networks complicated split season scheduling for several shows
Matt’s Inside Line Spoilers for August 29
Michael Ausiello spoilers for September 4
Interview with Burn Notice show runner Matt Nix about the final upcoming episodes of the series.
Not in the links below but also of interest
Lisa Kudrow will guest star in multiple episodes of Scandal. No word if she’s going to play a web therapist
Fringe alumni Jon Noble will return to The Good Wife but we’re not sure how. His character was killed off in that show.
Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck will guest star on CSI
True Blood’s Anna Camp will guest star on How I Met Your Mother
Fox is developing a modern day version of Les Miserables about a successful lawyer with a checkered past the judge to stay one step ahead of a zealous US attorney
Fox’s developing a drama based on Jonathan Kellerman’s Alex Delaware mystery novels
SyFy Channel is adapting its Stephen King based Haven into a comic book
The Glades has been canceled by A&E despite strong ratings in its season finale
JJ Abrams and Jonathan Nolan are developing a sci-fi pilot called “Westworld” for HBO
Production on soap opera One Life to Live which moved from ABC to an online soap has been suspended pending a disagreement with its former host ABC.
HBO has confirmed that next season will be the final for True Blood. It’s been a great run but I think they were running out of ideas. 10 episodes will premiere summer 2014 and will be the final ones.
Lady Gaga will return to SNL as a musical guest and possibly host this season.
Although not 100% efficient, Newsroom star Jeff Daniels reports that it has been picked up for a third season. Season 2 has a couple of episodes left.
The cast of the next Dancing with the Stars includes Valerie Harper, blue-collar comedian Bill Engvall,, NFL star Keyshawn Johnson, Bill Nye the science guy, Jack Osbourne (son of Ozzie and Sharon), Snooki (I suppose this was inevitable), former King of Queens wife Leah Remini, and the usual mix of people I’ve never heard of before.
Game of Thrones has recast the role of Gregor Clegane — aka Westeros warrior The Mountain — for a third time. Icelandic actor Hafthor Julius Bjornsson will portray the character in season 4
Spartacus alum Naevia a.k.a. Cynthia Addai-Robinson will portray famous DC comics villain Amanda Waller in the upcoming season of Arrow.
Boyd Crowder a.k.a. Walton Goggins will guest star on upcoming episode of Community
Character actor William Atherton noted for his roles in the Die Hard movies has joined the cast of SyFy Channel’s Defiance for season 2.
Jason Priestley will guest star on the 300th episode of CSI
Longmire has been renewed for season 3 on A&E
Charlie Hunnman a.k.a. Sons of Anarchy’s Jax has been cast in the film version of Fifty Shades of Gray. Dakota Johnson (daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith) also cast in female lead.
The season premiere of Showtime’s Homeland season 3 has been leaked online a month early. Terrorists are suspected 🙂
The official title of Transformers 4 will be “Transformers Age of Extension”. We can only hope they’re talking about the franchise 🙂
Lionsgate films is licensing clothing based on the Hunger Games films.
Paramount will release a 2014 live-action film based on the Mattel toys “Max Steel”.
Fox films is working on a remake of the film Poltergeists
Betty White has been awarded a Guinness Book of World Records “Longest TV Career for Entertainer (Female) 74 years”. The category was created just for her.
Alec Baldwin will host at 10 PM Friday night current events and culture talkshow for MSNBC starting in October. Lawrence O’Donnell’s talk news show only runs four nights a week. Typically the Friday night timeslot is a prison documentary series.
The original British series “Strike Back” will air on Cinemax under the title “Strike Back: Origins”.
The sequel to Man of Steel will be shot in Detroit.
Bradley Cooper will supply the voice to Guardians of the Galaxy character Rocket Raccoon
Fall TV: Get Details on the Split-Season, Non-Stop Schedules for Grey’s, Once, Other ABC Shows
Matt’s Inside Line: Scoop on NCIS: LA, Once, Covert Affairs, Five-0, Big Bang, Haven and More!
Ask Ausiello: Spoilers on New Girl, Walking Dead, Glee, Big Bang, Nashville, PLL and More!
New Intel on Burn Notice’s Final Episodes and the Big Finale Death: ‘Nothing Can Prepare You’