Before we go on with my usual entertainment blog we have the following trivia question…
What has more deaths than the average episode of Game of Thrones? Answer: this blog.
Seriously I generally report on celebrity deaths but for some reason it seems like there were an unusual number of them this time around. While everyone is screaming and crying over the passing of fictional characters in their favorite TV shows, how many fan tears were shed for these actual human beings? These were just the ones that I found and I left out some more obscure movie and TV producers, publicity people, behind-the-scenes people you never heard of. Here’s the list.
RIP composer James Horner whose film credits include Titanic, Braveheart, Avatar who died when the small plane was piloting crashed.
RIP actor Sir Christopher Lee known for Dracula and Saruman from Lord of the Rings. He was 93.
RIP comedian Anne Meara of comedy team Stiller & Meara and mother of Ben Stiller. She was 85.
RIP Suzanne Crough who played Tracy Partridge on The Partridge Family age 52 unreleased cause of death
RIP Sawyer Sweeten who played one of Ray Romano’s twin sons on Everybody Loves Raymond dead of apparent suicide at age 19.
RIP Grace Lee Whitney a.k.a. Yeoman Janice Rand from the original Star Trek dead at age 85.
RIP contestant on The Voice season 8 Anthony Riley died at age 28 of apparent suicide
RIP standup comedian/actor Rick Ducommun appeared in films The Burbs and Groundhog Day among others.
RIP Don Mankiewicz screenwriter who created Ironside and Marcus Welby. He was 93.
RIP Jane Meadows comedian actress who is married to the late Steve Allen. She was 95.
RIP mathematician John Nash who is the subject of the film “A Beautiful Mind” died in auto accident. He was 86.
RIP Betsy Palmer stage actress who is most famous for appearances on the 60s TV game show I’ve Got a Secret and as Jason’s mom in the original Friday the 13th movie. Trivia question answer as well. What was the name of the killer in Friday the 13th? It wasn’t Jason. It was his mom. Down
RIP actor Dick Van Patten who was the father in “Eight Is Enough”. He was 86.
The regular TV season wrapped weeks ago and summer series are in full swing. It’s time for another installment in my entertainment blog which is as usual long overdue. This blog actually took two days to compile I was so far behind. We’re going to talk about renewals and cancellations but if you want to skip all of my analysis you can just click on these links and see for yourself what’s renewed and what’s canceled. Or read my analysis and then click to see the shows I didn’t discuss.
Here is a link to TV Line’s Broadcast Renewal Scorecard
Here is a link to TV Line’s Cable Renewal Scorecard
It was a great season with outstanding new series such as The Flash, Gotham, and Daredevil all delivering strong stories for comic book fans and nonfans alike. Geek procedurals Scorpion and CSI: Cyber both got renewed and although not really inspired they are watchable. Surprisingly Sleepy Hollow got a third season. As did Agents of Shield and Agent Carter. I think the most pleasant surprise was the apocalyptic comedy “The Last Man on Earth”. I’ve decided it is the most realistic sci-fi series ever produced even though it is hilariously ridiculous. If there was a virus that wiped out all but a handful of people, I could totally believe everything that happened in those 13 episodes. I’m very pleased it will be back. Another improbable hit the musical sitcom Galivant was consistently funny will return next year. Other geek fair includes CW Network’s “The 100” which will be back along with iZombie which I enjoyed. The second season of Halt and Catch Fire is currently airing. FX Network vampire/virus show The Strain had its strong moments and will be back for a second season. SyFy Channel is bringing back 12 Monkeys and Z Nation for return seasons but will bid farewell to Haven and Continuum when they complete their current seasons. Falling Skies starts its final season this week.
I never did get into Parks and Recreation nor Mad Men so their passing didn’t really affect me. Speaking of it shows I never watched, I did check out season 1 of Breaking Bad streaming and now I understand why it was so popular. I intend to gradually catch up. Speaking of shows I never watched. The Simpsons has been renewed for season 27 and 28.
Madam Secretary had a strong first year and I’m pleased it has been renewed. The Mysteries of Laura had its funny moments but I’m surprised it’s getting a second season. Other female centric shows that didn’t make it include Bad Judge which I really liked and State of Affairs which was a total mess. I will say a fond farewell to Covert Affairs which I enjoyed but had probably run its course. Female centric newcomer How to Get Away with Murder which I originally did not like ended up changing my opinion and I’m looking forward to its second season.
The biggest cancellation that I’m bummed about is that Brian Williams will not be returning as anchor of NBC nightly news. Instead he will be covering “breaking news” on MSNBC. I guess that means he’s going to be sitting around the office all day waiting for something bad to happen. Such a shame.
None of the new romantic comedy sitcoms such as A to Z, Manhattan Love Story, and Selfie survived. Family comedy Blackish had its ups and downs but occasionally made me laugh and will be back. Other family sitcoms such as The Millers, Dads, About a Boy and The McCarthys got the axe.
Among canceled shows that I watched that will not return we say farewell to Revenge which was fun but had run its course. Helix which I watched on SyFy Channel but I probably won’t miss it. It was creepy and strange but it just never did really deliver. I will miss Forever about an immortal medical examiner in New York City. The Mentalist probably should’ve quit a year ago when they finally put the Red John storyline to rest. It was ready to go and it did.
Surprisingly the original CSI is wrapping up but will have a two hour movie to say farewell including the return of William Peterson and Marge Helgenberger. Also from the “beyond the sell by date” was the announcement that although American Idol will return next year, it will be its last season. The Following probably should’ve ended a year early as well but will not be back. Hell on Wheels will start the first half of its final season July 18. Broadchurch is getting a third season which I’m looking forward to. Luther will get a two part miniseries late this year. Of course we say very fond farewells to Justified and Sons of Anarchy. We will miss them.
Other cables shows of interest include Cinemax period medical drama The Knick was absolutely awesome and will be back for season 2. HBO’s bizarre departures series The Leftovers found an audience (me included) and will return. I will however greatly miss The Newsroom. History channel’s Vikings delivered a bloodied good season 3 and will be back for 4. Californication was fun for a while but had run its course. Episodes and Homeland and Penny Dreadful and Shameless will all be back on Showtime but we bid a fond farewell to Nurse Jackie. Starz pirate drama Black Sails was a real disappointment this year. Not as strong as its original season but it will be back for 3. Their new series Outlander a time traveling romantic drama put in an excellent first season and will be back.
We say a fond farewell to White Collar, Psych, and Necessary Roughness however USA will continue Royal Pains season 8 and we get more Suits later this month.
Many shows are finding new life on streaming networks. The Mindy Project is moving to Hulu. Longmire will have a new season on Netflix. River Street just wrapped up season three BBC America but Amazon Prime has ordered seasons four and five. Speaking of streaming… House of Cards gets a season 4. Daredevil and Grace and Frankie also are getting additional seasons as is Oranges the New Black and Marco Polo.
On PBS we get one more round of Downton Abbey and there will be a Sherlock special late this year followed by season 4.
For a complete grid showing the tentative fall schedule check out this link from TV Line.
In the links below read…
Season ending interview with executive producer Mom
Season ending interview with Will Forte about Last Man on Earth
Interview with Flash’s girlfriend Iris (actress Candace Patton) she’s glad Iris finally knows about Barry
Spoilers from Michael Ausiello dated May 7 (many may be out of date already)
Postseason interview with producer of Elementary
Interview with producer of Walking Dead spinoff series
Spoilers from Michael Ausiello dated May 19
Spoilers from Inside Line dated May 26
Season ending interview with producer of Outlander about intense finale and season 2
Spoilers from Michael Ausiello dated June 4
Spoilers from Inside Line dated June 11 and 22
Spoilers from Michael Ausiello dated today!
Not in the links below but also in the interest.
David Lynch has resolved his dispute with Showtime and is back involved in the renewal of Twin Peaks. The schedule has been expanded to more episodes and he will direct them all.
Former Fringe and Sleepy Hollow star John Noble has been cast as Sherlock’s father and will be a series regular in the next season of Elementary. We are very well pleased.
Orlando Jones will not be back for season 3 of Sleepy Hollow as Capt. Irving
SyFy Channel is developing a series with Amblin Entertainment based on Aldous Huxley’s novel Brave New World.
Hulu is developing a drama titled “Myst” based on the 90s computer game. I don’t think I ever did finish it.
Supergirl has been ordered to series at CBS for this fall. The pilot episode was leaked online and if I was the kind of guy who downloads illegal files I could tell you it was really cool. But I can’t tell you that… Wink Wink
Although season 3 of Orphan Black just wrapped, season 4 has been approved and we are very pleased.
Rosario Dawson a.k.a. nurse Claire Temple will return for season 2 of Daredevil and may cross over to other Netflix/Marvel series.
A possible spinoff series for Agents of Shield to center on Bobbi Morse and Lance Hunter has died before it got started.
Mike Epps will star as Uncle Buck in an ABC sitcom based on the John Candy movie of the same name.
Fox romantic comedy Undatable has been renewed for season 3 in which all episodes will air live. They tried it as an experiment earlier this year and decided to go with it permanently.
Fox has order to series Lucifer based on the DC/Vertigo comic of the same name and Minority Report based on the Tom Cruise film.
Fox’s hip-hop music series Empire will get 18 episodes for season 2 instead of the original 12.
Person of Interest season 5 has been reduced to 13 episodes which may mean the series is wrapping up although nothing official yet.
Browncoat’s rejoice! Morena Baccarin has been promoted to series regular for season 2 of Gotham as Jim Gordon’s favorite medical examiner/girlfriend. We are well pleased.
Gotham’s favorite coin flipping ADA Harvey Dent played by Nicholas D’Agmosto has been promoted to series regular for season 2.
Peter MacNichol will not return for season 2 of CSI: Cyber
Harry Shearer has been fired as voice actor for many characters on The Simpsons he was offered the same deal as other voice actors on the show and turned it down. His characters will be recast.
A proposed spinoff of TNT’s Major Crimes to be titled Special Operations Bureau did not get picked up.
Bill Murray will do a Christmas special for Netflix
It was touch and go to get the main characters of Castle back for another season with lots of last-minute signings however Penny Johnson Jerald will not be back as Capt. Gates next season.
Sendhil Ramamurthy will reprise his role as Mohinder in the upcoming Heroes Reborn on NBC in the fall. Also Christine Rose is returning as we could mother Angela Petrelli. One of our favorite villains of the series.
Fox is developing a limited series reboot of Prison Break
Jason George who plays Bailey’s husband on Grey’s Anatomy has been promoted to series regular next season. Also show runners are seeking an established male actor to replace Patrick Dempsey whom they killed off this season.
Former MASH doctor David Ogden Stiers will play Dr. Isles adoptive father on Rizzoli and Isles
Producers of Game of Thrones sure us that yes he really died in the end.
Former Dr. Who Matt Smith and John Lythgoe will star in a Netflix series about Queen Elizabeth II
Missing Justified? It’s EP is developing a Western for AMC based on Elmore Leonard’s novel “Gunsites”. Justified was also based on works by Elmore Leonard in case you didn’t know.
“Bombshell” which was the fictitious will musical about the life of Marilyn Monroe which was the centerpiece of the TV series Smash is indeed going to get produced for the stage. They did a charity performance of it in New York but now it’s going to really be produced as a stage musical. No word on whether it’s Broadway, off-Broadway, or touring company yet.
USA networks “Mr. Robot” which premieres tonight has already been picked up for season 2.
A&E Networks is renaming “H2” channel to “Vice” to be managed by the people who make the HBO documentary new series of the same name.
Warner Bros. is developing a film “The Forever War” possibly to be the first in a series. It will start Channing Tatum and is based on the classic sci-fi novel series by Joe Haldeman
Martin Freeman a.k.a. Bilbo Baggins The Hobbit has been cast in the new Capt. America movie. No word on which character.
Amy Schumer has taped her first in the special for HBO which will air later this year. Date unspecified as yet.
Samuel L Jackson will star in the remake of the 1958 sci-fi classic “The Blob”. No word on whether the script includes any lines like “Get this m…f… blob out of this m…f… town”.
ABC news man George Stephanopoulos has stepped down as a GOP debate moderator after it was revealed he had donated to the Clinton foundation.
Paramount announced that “World War Z 2” will be released in the summer of 2017.
Kurt Sutter’s “Bastard Executioner” has been picked up to series by FX channel for the full.
James Frain will be the next bad guy on Gotham season 2. He will play Theo Galavan brother to Tabitha a.k.a. DC comics character Tigress.
Amazon just gender series Transparent has been renewed for season 3 even before season 2 has been released.
Jimmy Smits will star in Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming musical series for Netflix title “the Get down” set in 1970s New York about a bunch of South Bronx teenagers who live on the street. Smits will play a political boss.
Greg Kinnear will play Joe Biden in HBO docudrama about the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings.
Despite rumors it turns out there will not be a Tron 3 after all.
Eddie Redmayne who recently portrayed Stephen Hawking has been cast as Newt Scamander in the Harry Potter prequel film “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”
Spanish-language network Univision has dropped the Miss Universe pageant after producer Donald Trump called Mexican immigrants criminals and rapists. Trump blames Mexican government as the “real cause”.
Disney Channel will make an animated series “Tangled” based on the film. Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi will return to add their voices.
Jon Bernthal a.k.a. Shane from The Walking Dead has been cast as Frank Castle/The Punisher for season 2 of Daredevil on Netflix and we can’t wait.
Starz series “Power” has been renewed for season 3 just days after season 2 premiered.
Showtime’s Matt LeBlanc comedy “Episodes” renewed for season 5.
Chris Hemsworth will play Ghostbusters receptionist in all-female remake. Basically he is Annie Potts. Cast will include was McCarthy, Christian Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones..
Chiwetel Ejiofor voted by Chris Young as the actor whose name is least likely to be understood by his dictation software. He’s also playing Baron Mordo in the upcoming Dr. Strange movie.
John Sayles is writing the script for “Soul Catcher”based on the novel by Dune author Frank Herbert. Story is about a Native American activist driven by ancient spirits and injustice against his people who seeks revenge.
Demi Lovato will voice Smurfette and Rainn Wilson the villain Gargamel in “Get Smurfy” film. Third in the series.
Disney is working on Maleficent 2.
Jurassic World (which is awesome by the way) is the fastest film to reach $1 billion in worldwide box office.
Verizon has purchased AOL for $4.4 million. Shocking. Who knew AOL still existed?
Tom Holland relatively unknown young actor cast as next Spiderman for 2017 release
Netflix shares reached over $700 per share before it’s 7 to 1 stock split.
Martha Stewart is selling her company for $353 million.
After just premiering last night, Mr. Robot on USA network has been picked up for season 2.
Howard Stern says this is last season of America’s Got Talent suggests Simon Cowell should replace him.
Producers hint recently canceled Hannibal TV series may find a home on Amazon or other streaming service.
Tommy Chong says his rectal cancer is a pain in the butt but at least he gets to use more medical marijuana. Hopes to be the disease.
Last Man on Earth Finale Post Mortem: Will Forte Talks Outta This World Twist
Elementary Boss on Sherlock’s Spiral, [Spoiler]’s Season 4 Arrival and More
Ask Ausiello: Spoilers on Bones, iZombie, Fear TWD, Empire, New Girl, Major Crimes and More