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Tag: Television

  • Taissa Farmiga On “Coven”, Older Sister’s Success

    Taissa Farmiga caught the spotlight during her time on the first season of “American Horror Story”, when she played a troubled teen living in a very haunted house; now, after taking a bit of a break, she’s back for the third installment of the series and says she’s excited to tackle a whole new batch of problems. Because “American Horror Story” is not a continuing storyline–each season has a completely different cast of characters and plot–it wasn’t known after the first run if Farmiga would be back.

    Farmiga, who plays a young witch shipped off to a special school in New Orleans, says the character is pretty different from Violet, the role she portrayed in the first season.

    “The character is very different. The tone of this season is very different. For me, I’m a little older, a little more mature, I play a character who is in a different stage of her life than Violet was, it’s just different hurdles,” she said.

    The 19-year old actress says that creator Ryan Murphy was adamant about this season being as realistic as possible, as a show about witches can become over the top very easily. As for the sudden surge of witch stories to be found on television and in movies recently, Farmiga says there’s just something about the idea of having powers that intrigues everyone.

    “There’s something about the supernatural and having powers to make things easier. It’s trying to let your imagination run wild. Being able to move things or read people’s minds, it’s appealing to people, it’s weird and special,” she said.

    Taissa’s older sister Vera has some experience in the entertainment business–she’s an Academy Award-nominated actress who starred in “Up In The Air” with George Clooney and can currently be seen on A&E’s “Bates Motel”–and Taissa says she does indeed ask for advice at times.

    “She’s always there for me and she’s got so much for experience. It’s so lovely having someone like that there for you. I love watching her on “Bates Motel,” she’s so incredible and I get so inspired,” she said.

    “American Horror Story” airs Wednesday nights on FX.

    Image: Entertainment Tonight screenshot

  • Twitter Partners With NBCUniversal & Comcast On ‘See It’ Feature And Ads

    Comcast, NBC Universal and Twitter announced a strategic partnership on Wednesday for the creation of a feature called “See It,” which lets Xfinity TV customers access TV shows, movies and sports directly from tweets. It will debut in November on NBCUniversal networks.

    Comcast and Twitter are also in discussions for further integrations into Comcast’s X1 platform.

    With See It, Twitter users will see a button in their feeds when looking at social content about certain shows. From there, they will be able to access a menu, which will allow them to tune to live TV or start a show on demand on their set-top box, tune into a show online or on their mobile device, set DVRs, set reminders, and/or buy theater tickets through Fandango.

    See It

    To kick the whole thing off, NBC, NBC Sports Network, CNBC, MSNBC, USA, SyFy, Bravo, Oxygen, E!, Esquire Network and The Golf Channel will utilize the feature for the following programs: The Voice (NBC), The Blacklist (NBC), Chicago Fire (NBC), The Michael J. Fox Show (NBC), Sunday Night Football (NBC), Access Hollywood, NHL, Premier League Soccer, Sochi Olympics (NBC and NBCSN), Today Show (NBC), Psych (USA) and Suits (USA), etc.

    “Twitter is where television viewers come to talk about what they’re watching on TV when they’re watching it,” said Twitter CEO Dick Costolo. “Millions of users are exposed to the live conversation that unfolds on Twitter while a show is on the air and now, with See It, they’ll be able to tune in directly from a Tweet. It’s a great example of Comcast’s leadership in bringing TV to new platforms.”

    “See It is a simple yet powerful feature that creates an instant online remote control,” said Comcast CEO Brian Roberts. “Comcast is taking a leap forward in social TV by enabling Twitter users to more easily find and view the shows they want to watch and discover new shows. Twitter complements the live viewing experience and is an ideal partner for Comcast and NBCUniversal.”

    More networks will follow, as Twitter and Comcast are working on expanding to more distribution partners, TV networks and websites. Expect more in the coming months.

    Obviously there are tremendous advertising opportunities here, and with Twitter’s IPO on the way, investors will be keeping a close eye on how this goes.

    Twitter has a new advertising partnership with NBCUniversal, which will see the latter’s clients expand onto Twitter via its Amplify program. This means that NBCUniversal’s entire portfolio can be expanded to Twitter. Its clients get access to Twitter’s promoted platform.

    “NBCUniversal’s content is driving the most popular conversations in social media,” said NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke. “Now with this partnership, our advertisers will be able to reach even more of the specific audiences that they desire.”

    NBCUniversal President, Advertising Sales, Linda Yaccarino discusses the ad partnership further here.

    Some people believe Twitter can help save networks from the cord cutting trend. It will be interesting to see if the See It integration can keep users engaged enough.

    Image: Comcast

  • Kanye West and Jimmy Kimmel Clear the Air [VIDEO]

    It’s okay to let out that breath you were holding–Kanye West and Jimmy Kimmel are going to be just fine following their Twitter feud. West appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live last night to discuss their war of words.

    After Kimmel poked fun at West in a spoof interview last month, West went to Twitter (where else?) where he did the Internet version of a Hulk smash. West filled his page with angry Tweets in ALL CAPS. One post from Kanye’s Tweet rage said, “YOU CAN’T PUT YOURSELF IN MY SHOES. YOUR FACE LOOKS CRAZY… IS THAT FUNNY?… OR IF I HAD A KID SAY IT WOULD IT BE FUNNY???”

    Kimmel tried to rekindle the bromance by having Kanye on the show last night, but it was hard for him to get a word in edgewise. Kanye went on another of his signature rants last night, and he went on and on to the point that Kimmel had to reschedule another guest just so West could keep going.

    The great thing about the interview is that Kimmel now has more material for another spoof video, should he choose to go that route again.

    Apparently, Kanye doesn’t usually have much of a reaction to how he is portrayed in the media, but Kimmel’s use of a kid to make fun of one of his interviews really struck a chord with the singer. “At a certain point these egos can flare up and we kinda just took it back to high school for a little bit,” West said.

    At certain points, Kanye? More like “at every point.”

    “A lot of times, I think you bring it on yourself,” Kimmel told the Yeezus rapper. “I don’t know if you know this, but a lot of people think you’re a jerk.”

    Kanye didn’t miss a beat. “For me to say I wasn’t a genius, I would just be lying to you and to myself,” West responded.

    Kanye went on to say that he isn’t “just” a celebrity and shouldn’t be treated like one. “I’m a creative genius, and there’s no other way to word it. I know you’re not supposed to say that about yourself and I say things the wrong way a lot of times, but my intention is always positive.”

    West didn’t stop there. He went on to talk about the happiness he and his family bring the world. “We bring something of joy to the world…and I should be respected as such when I walk down the street. Don’t ask me a question about something you saw on the tabloids. Don’t try to antagonize me, because it’s not safe for you in this zoo, you know? Never think that I’m not from Chicago for one second.”

    Watch the rest of Kanye West’s interview with Jimmy Kimmel below.

    Image via YouTube

  • Cord-Cutting, Twitter, And The TV Experience

    Cord-cutting, for those who may not be in-the-know, refers to “cutting” the cable cord in favor of sating one’s lust for television programming in a different manner, usually through pay-per-view services or the Internet. The practice has been steadily growing in popularity over the years, with many people turning to Internet options in particular. (Whether or not those options are legal or not is an entirely different discussion.) Other folks, such as this author, have opted for services such as Hulu and Netflix, which are much cheaper per month than average cable bills. Janko Roettgerrs perhaps sums the whole debacle up best by saying, “Young people can’t afford to pay $100 for cable, and most of us just watch 14 networks anyway.”

    The cable industry is far from panicking, however. They faced a similar problem in the 90’s, when a huge chunk of their demographic was whisked away by the lull of satellite television. When recalling this episode of time, Epix CEO Mark Greenberg remarked, “Some in the media business call this cord cutting. But three decades ago, we had a different name for this in the industry. We called it competition.”

    Whether or not cord-cutting is competition or not is up for debate, but the implications it has for the wallets of both cable companies and advertisers is not. Since, in theory, one would want to watch a show when the most other people are watching it (i.e., the first night it airs) in order to get better feedback, advertisers are willing to shell out more cash for time slots around the show so that they might get a chance at potential consumer’s wallets. This is where Twitter comes in; when your Twitter feed is completely full of hash tags relating to a certain show or topic, people want to see what the fuss is about, and they may tune in, themselves. That bolsters views, ratings, and revenue for both the broadcasters and the advertisers. (In theory, at least.)

    This begs the question, then; will Twitter be able to save cable television? The theory goes that Twitter may play a vital role in keeping people from cutting the cord. Since people take interest in sharing their opinions and connecting with other people interested in topics and shows they enjoy, they take to social media, like Twitter, as a way to express these interests. In order to keep up with the rapidly changing landscape, however, they need access to the new media and shows at the same rapid pace. Internet sources, both legal and not, instant streaming, and Netflix are all wonderful tools, but lack something that cable TV has; the near-monopoly over newly airing television programs.

    According to this argument, Twitter encourages people to stave off the cutting of the cable cord by simultaneously encouraging people to participate in a rapidly changing, highly engaged discussion culture relating to current, rapidly updating media. However, people who use Twitter are also likely to use things like DVR, which also skews views and revenue. As Magid Advisors president Mike Vorhaus says, “There are a lot of factors mitigating against increased live TV viewing outside of major events. People are busy, and they have a lot of time-shifting options, and those things aren’t going to change.” Perhaps, then, the solution is for the TV industry to innovate in order to accommodate for these busy, cash-strapped folks, as Jank Roettgers goes on to describe in their article, mentioned above.

    [Image courtesy of the official Twitter website.]

  • Ricky Gervais: Derek Is Not Disabled, But What Difference Would It Make?

    Derek, the latest “Netflix Original,” created by and starring Ricky Gervais has garnered a great deal of positive feedback. A few, however, have questioned if it is making fun of the disabled.

    Gervais has a pretty great response to such talk. He wrote a post for RickyGervais.com explaining the show’s titular character and his own intentions for the show.

    Basically, if you think Derek is disabled, you’re making your own assumption.

    An excerpt:

    Is Derek disabled?

    The short answer is, “no.” The longer answer is, “no, but what difference would it make if he was?”

    There would be no actual change in the fictional character or the programme in which he exists. The only possible change would be in people’s judgement of the show. Or rather, let’s be honest, in their judgement of me.

    Many made up their own mind about Derek’s “condition”. Most made their decision before they’d even seen the series. I even had time to explore that question in the show itself because of all the assumptions flying around months before it had been written. Not once had I suggested that Derek had any disability. In fact I have explained hundreds of times in various interviews that he does not.

    If you watch the show, it becomes pretty obvious (pretty quickly) that Derek is a good person. A really good person. A better person than most. Even if he were intended to be “disabled,” it’s unclear how the show is “making fun of the disabled” as some have suggested. I believe the point is that more people should be more like Derek.

    The clear message of Derek is one of kindness. It promotes kindness, and Derek, the character, embodies that, and not in a throwaway comedy sort of way. Derek, the show, has a much more serious and heartfelt tone than the Gervais work that many are used to. It’s not just a comedy. It often borders on tear-jerking, but again, in no way at the expense of any disability.

    Gervais notes that he has received “touching” comments from autistic people, parents of autistic people and carers of autistic people, and while he says he never intended for Derek to be autistic, he’s fine with the connection being made by those who can identify with the character.

    “Derek, because of his positive message, sweetness, honesty, and inner beauty, has become a pin-up boy for autism,” he writes. “Initially this gave me a dilemma. I couldn’t suddenly pretend he was always meant to be autistic and embrace the flattery. However I was really touched by the fact that people identified with him on a personal level.”

    “But here’s the thing,” he continues. “Derek was meant to be different. He was meant to be marginalised by society. He was meant to draw assumptions by uncaring, thoughtless people who needed to label and pigeonhole individuals for their own peace of mind. He was meant to surprise and undermine stereotypes. And he was meant to look odd, speak funny, have bad hair and no fashion sense and not give a fuck about such things because he knew they weren’t important. He knew what was really important. Kindness.”

    He concludes the piece, “He is a hero. He is a hero of mine and I welcome him to be a hero to anyone else. Disabled or otherwise. Popular or ostracised. Derek is not meant to be autistic, but if anyone sees traits that they identify with then so be it. However different you are it’s nice to know there’s someone a bit like you.”

    Image: Ricky Gervais (Twitter)

  • ‘Hemlock Grove’ Season 2 Gains ‘Orange Is The New Black’ Cast Member [Netflix]

    Netflix announced in June that it was renewing horror drama Hemlock Grove for a second season, but things have been relatively quiet around the show since then (other than its two Emmy nominations).

    In early August, we learned that they were starting to set up for production, and last week, producer Eli Roth shared a photo from a read through for an episode.

    Now, some new casting news has come out. Deadline reports that Madeline Brewer will appear in the second season, playing a “graphic novelist entering town”. She will reportedly have a recurring role.

    Brewer already has experience working on Netflix dramas, having appeared in seven episodes of Orange is the New Black. She played Tricia Miller on the show. This is, so far, her only other acting credit. SPOILER: Given the fate of her character in the first season, it’s good to see she’s got more work lined up.

    According to Roth, there are going to be “so many cool surprises” in Hemlock Grove’s upcoming season. After the way the first season ended, I can’t even begin to imagine.

    Image: Orange is the New Black (Facebook)

  • Google Adds TV Show Listings To Knowledge Graph (Including A Few Netflix Titles)

    Google announced that it has added info about specific episodes of TV shows to its Knowledge Graph results. Now when you search for a show, you’ll see episodes listed in the “knowledge panels,” with their numbers, titles and air dates.

    Google explained in a Google+ post on Tuesday, “For example, say that you’re wondering when the next season of The Walking Dead starts. Try searching for [the walking dead tv show] and you’ll see all episodes listed along with their air dates. The first season kicks off with an episode called “30 Days Without An Accident” on October 13, which means you only have a few days to refresh your memory by watching last season’s final episode, ‘Welcome to the Tombs.’”

    “Don’t have time to re-watch that episode but still want a refresher? Click on the episode title and you’ll see relevant results,” Google added. “This new episode information is in addition to details you can already find through the Knowledge Graph, like ratings, cast, characters and more.”

    Interestingly, it’s already got up to the second episode of the upcoming season listed.

    The Walking Dead TV Episodes

    Walking Dead infected

    In addition to currently running shows, it works for old shows:

    Batman TV Show in Google

    It even works with Netflix shows:

    Google House of Cards results

    A few of them anyway. House of Cards, Orange is the New Black and Arrested Development all have episode listings. Hemlock Grove and Lilyhammer do not. Nor does Derek, which originally ran in the UK, but later hit Netflix:

    Derek google results

    In terms of British television, however, it does fine with Downton Abbey (showing the original UK air dates). The feature is obviously not exclusive to U.S. shows.

    Downton Abbey

    It also comes up short on Mako Mermaids, which debuted on Netflix in July, and airs on Australian TV, though H2O: Just Add Water (for which Mako Mermaids is a spinoff) does have the listings.

    It also fails on Bad Samaritans, which premiered on Netflix back in March:

    bad samaritans results

    Google’s feature obviously isn’t perfect, but as we’ve seen, that also goes for the broader Knowledge Graph. That doesn’t mean it won’t get better, and Google will certainly continue to add data to expand it. I do give the feature points for including Netflix shows at all. If they’re good enough for the Emmys, they’re certainly good enough for this.

  • Betty White To Join Madame Tussauds Wax Museum

    Betty White, the popular television actress, has been chosen to join Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. The museum is located in Washington D.C. and will soon be the home to a wax sculpture of the television icon. The museum is well-known and has featured many other notable celebrities over the years, in addition to the many U.S. presidents. It is always an attraction for people to see, and the new wax figure featuring White will be unveiled on Wednesday.

    Betty White has enjoyed an incredibly successful career in television including her role as Rose on The Golden Girls. Since then, she has recently appeared in Hot In Cleveland, which gained her recognition from many critics and several awards shows. She also hosted a situation comedy show called Betty White’s Off Their Rockers, which premiered in 2012. She is also known for her role on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, years before she appeared in The Golden Girls.

    In addition to being a television and pop culture icon, Betty White has also gained attention for her work with animals and being known to the public as an animal lover. Lisa LaFontaine, CEO of the Washington Humane Society, will unveil the figure to pay homage to the star’s passion for animals, according to NBC News. The Human Society will also have its mobile adoption center at the museum Tuesday for visitors to adopt animals.

    The veteran actress turned 91 earlier this year and does not show any sign of slowing down, as she continues her role on Hot In Cleveland, and continues to make public appearances. She also played a voice in The Lorax in 2012. In the past few years, she also appeared on several talk shows and even as the host of Saturday Night Live. She is the last surviving member of the cast of The Golden Girls, and continues to gain popularity with younger audiences as well, due to her outrageously funny antics.

    Image via Madama Tussaud and Wikimedia Commons

  • Ron Burgundy is Now a Commercial Star [VIDEO]

    There are very few times when commercials render DVRs useless outside of Super Bowl Sunday, and this is one of those times. Chrysler has Will Ferrell in character as Ron Burgundy in some new commercials to promote the 2014 Dodge Durango, which you might have missed while in a hurry to keep watching your TV show.

    Don’t be too disappointed if you didn’t get to take in the undeniable greatness that is Ron Burgundy, as Dodge has posted all of the ads online. Under Dodge’s YouTube page featuring the Ron Burgundy commercials, they have the tagline: “Durango. Burgundy. It’s kind of a big deal.”

    True story. Even though Dodge’s cars aren’t made of the finest mahogany, they’re still kind of a big deal, especially now that Ron Burgundy is endorsing them. There are several commercials, so make sure your keyboard is at an appropriate distance from any beverage you happen to be sipping on and turn up those speakers.

    Lie in Wait

    Staring Contest

    Ballroom Dancers

    Gumball Machine

    Ride

    And in case you’re wondering how Chrysler came up with enough money to get someone like Will Ferrell to promote their cars, they didn’t.

    Ferrell agreed to be in the Chrysler commercials only if he could star as Ron Burgundy, to promote Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, which is hitting theaters in December. According to Olivier Francois, Chrysler’s marketing chief, Ferrell was given free reign with the ads, which is a gutsy move considering we’re talking about Will Ferrell.

    The commercials have been a hit so far. “If I run an ad with running footage and a couple of stats, it would just get lost,” said Tim Kuniskis, CEO of the Dodge brand. “Now I can run an ad with Will Ferrell and immediately everyone is going to pay attention, look, notice.”

    Check out the Anchorman 2 trailer below.

    Image via YouTube

  • Kathleen Sebelius Gets Roasted By Jon Stewart

    Kathleen Sebelius is the Health and Human Services Secretary, and as a result of Obamacare recently going into effect, she has been put on the hot seat with Jon Stewart. The Daily Show With Jon Stewart certainly has a reputation of teasing and poking fun at celebrities, politicians, and all sorts of other issues in our culture, and this episode was no different. He pressures her on the difficult questions of the program throughout the show, and made it very difficult for her to respond.

    Stewart opened the show with a very funny challenge that he offered to Sebelius, saying “I’m gonna try to download every movie ever made, and you’re going to try to sign up for Obamacare and we’ll see what happens first.” This line, of course, was received with great laughs from the audience. Stewart is a liberal and as he appeals to a liberal audience, he also brought up the fact that the Affordable Care Act is not aggressive enough, and in fact the single-payer option would be the way to go, in his opinion.

    He began by teasing her about how incredibly slow the federal online health insurance marketplace has been, since its release last week. Obamacare launched last week on October 1st on the same day that the government shut down. She appeared on The Daily Show in order to talk about the program and promote healthcare.gov, which is the the website and health insurance marketplace established as part of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

    Stewart continued to challenge her and the glitches of the presentation of the new website. Sebelius was continually forced to backfire at Stewart’s vicious questions and noted that a large majority of employers already provide insurance, and that government subsidies are going to be available for many individuals to help buy insurance. He questioned her and pointed out the numerous technical glitches that exist within the site, citing the issue that existed when the site crashed because of the large amount of people that were trying to log on to the site. This is also a testament to the interest that people have in the program, which is a contrast to the many people who claim that Obamacare will be such a harmful program to Americans.

    Sebelius went through the general talking points of the Affordable Care Act throughout the interview, and was stopped at one point when Stewart asked her if she knew how many people had signed up. She explained to Jon Stewart and his audience that she is not able to give a clear example of how many people are fully enrolled. Regarding his aggressive line of questioning, Stewart said “It feels like it’s frustrating to have to defend something that’s less than ideal or is functioning at a level of incompetence that is larger than it should be.” He also criticized the fact that businesses were granted exemptions for one year from the program, but those same delays were not provided to individuals.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXQVlVJzWFw

    Image via Youtube

  • Matt Lauer’s Miley Cyrus Interview: People Over 40 Don’t Have Sex

    NBC’s “Today” host Matt Lauer had a rough day on the show on Monday. First, he had to interview Miley Cyrus and second, he learned that apparently people over 40 don’t have sex.

    By now most people are probably a little more familiar with the Queen of Twerk than they want to be, thanks to Cyrus’s overly sexual VMA Awards show performance and her nude “Wrecking Ball” video. Just in case you were wondering how long Miley’s antics are going to last, she only plans to stick with the sexual phase for a couple more decades, which she revealed in an interview with Matt Lauer that had to be disappointing for him in more ways than one.

    Matt: Is it a phase? Is this a phase? Is the sexual side of you, that we’re seeing a lot of, something that’s going to be here for a while and then you’ll be on to something else?

    Miley: Well I heard that when you turn 40, things start to go a little less sexual. So probably around 40, around that time, I heard that’s when people don’t have sex anymore, so I guess maybe around then.

    Matt: Do you know how old I am?

    Miley: I’m going to guess 40.

    Matt: I love you again. I’m 55.

    Miley: 55? Oh well, then you’re really definitely not sexual.

    Awkward. It’s hard to tell whether Cyrus is being serious or just a little catty. It’s typical of younger people to think that 40 is, like, ancient, after all. Either way, Lauer went from loving Cyrus because she thought he was 15 years younger than he really is to being ready to smack her off that stool for suggesting his sex live has been over.

    And just in case you were wondering, as far as Cyrus’s sexual antics go, she’s not the one with a problem–it’s you.

    “I’m an artist, so I’m hoping that I get a little attention, otherwise my record sales might be a little sketch,” Miley told Lauer. “I don’t ever really plan to offend people, but sometimes that just happens, because I think people aren’t open to what they don’t understand.”

    So that’s the problem with the 20-year-old using her body to break some kind of an OMG record–people are too close minded. Good to know.

    Image via Twitter

  • Bryan Cranston Will Portray LBJ In Broadway Play

    After the end of Breaking Bad, Bryan Cranston has already taken on a new role. He will play former president Lyndon Johnson in a Broadway play called All The Way. For those of you going through withdrawals without Breaking Bad on Sunday nights, you will be able to catch him on Broadway soon enough, which will debut this winter.

    The premiere date is unknown, but it will mark the Broadway debut for the veteran television actor. Cranston gained a lot of fans and recognition for his role as Walter White and although fans are sad to see it go, they can rejoice in the fact that he has a new role to impress audiences with.

    All The Way is written by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Robert Schenkkan, and it tells the story of LBJ through his first year in office after taking over the presidency, following the death of JFK in 1963. It goes on to tell the story of how he get elected and beat out Barry Goldwater in the following year, according to CBS News. It also discusses his advancements in the field of civil rights and the passage of the Civil Rights Act.

    This role will be quite the contrast for Cranston who just finished a five-year-run of playing one of the biggest drug kingpins in the country. AMC’s Breaking Bad recently finished it’s fifth season and was shown to a record number of people, totaling 10.3 million. Cranston has been appearing in the play at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The production has been performing to a sold out crowd and is set to close out the run on Sunday.

    All The Way, which has a runtime of about 3 hours, The Los Angeles Times mentions that it has received mixed reviews so far. The news of Cranston’s casting was released from producer Jeffrey Richards over social media on Sunday. Cranston has been in theater performances before, starting back in 1987 with The Steven Weed Show, and appearing in a 2006 production of Sam Shepard’s The God of Hell.

    Well, it did. It looks like congratulations are in order for All The Way.

    Bryan Cranston is also getting ready to play Lex Luthor in the next Superman film.

    Image via Youtube

  • David Boreanaz May Be Leaving “Bones” [UPDATE]

    It looks like fans of Fox’s hit show Bones may never get the fairytale ending they’ve been hoping for Bones and Booth. According to Radar Online, a production source says that David Boreanaz, who plays Agent Seeley Booth on the show, wants to quit.

    Before Bones fans get too bent out of shape, it’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time Boreanaz has scared the crap out of everyone who has been rooting for Booth and Bones. Back in 2012, Boreanaz made some posts on Twitter that suggested he was ready to move on from the show, which is now in its ninth season.

    “Let’s put this in sports terms. I’m a free agent after this season. So the Bones fair well tour is in full-swing. You must always keep your options open and ready for new challenges. The fear is the unknown and that’s exciting,” Boreanaz said. He later deleted the posts.

    The bulk of Boreanaz’s acting career has consisted of playing two roles. He spent eight years as Angel, the vampire with a soul, on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and then Angel, plus he has put in eight years on Bones so far. Considering that, it’s not hard to understand why he’d be ready to move on.

    Writers for Bones teased fans for years with a romantic relationship between Bones and Booth before finally getting the characters on the same page. After the two finally got together and had a baby, it seemed like things were going to work out. Booth later proposed, only to cancel the pending nuptials at the end of season eight after being threatened by a serial killer.

    The wedding is back on now, and Bones and Booth will finally tie the knot in the October 21 episode, so the rumors about Boreanaz quitting couldn’t come at a worse time for fans. The source did say that Emily Deschanel, who plays Bones, wanted to continue the show without Boreanaz, but it’s hard to imagine Bones without Seeley Booth.

    UPDATE: David Boreanaz responded to a fan question regarding whether he is leaving Bones on Twitter and says that he will be back if the show gets picked up for a tenth season.

    Image via YouTube

  • When Will ‘It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’ Season 8 Hit Netflix?

    Update: Season 8 is now available for streaming. American Horror Story: Season 2 is due in December.

    With the ninth season of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia already in progress, fans are no doubt wondering when the last season is going to hit Netflix. We haven’t heard a date for when it will be available for streaming yet, and it’s already out on DVD.

    In fact, Netflix currently offers it through its DVD service:

    Sunny on DVD

    While we can only speculate, it seems like a December release is likely at this point, considering that Netflix debuted the other seasons in December last year.

    Netflix does continue to add streaming content from FX. It recently added seasons of Louie and The League, for example.

    Still, fans continue to wait for Netflix to catch up on the last seasons of Sunny, American Horror Story and Sons of Anarchy. Perhaps lending more weight to the speculation of the November addition of Sunny: Season 8, these other two shows have also yet to reach their anniversaries of prior season Netflix releases.

    Season 4 of Sons hit Netflix in late October last year, with the first season of American Horror Story appearing in late November. If these shows follow suit this year, it will certainly give us a better idea of what to expect next year, provided unforeseen circumstances don’t change anything.

    Either way, Sunny fans can expect to see a McPoyle brother in Netflix’s House of Cards early next year.

  • Kris Jenner: Kanye West is an “Amazing” Person

    By now everyone with Internet access has probably heard of the Twitter feud Kanye West had with Jimmy Kimmel last week. Apparently a spoof Kimmel did on one of West’s interviews rubbed him the wrong way, and Kanye reacted in typical Kanye fashion–by making a million tweets in ALL CAPS (the tweets have since been deleted from his account, but you can read them here).

    Fast forward a few days–Kris Jenner, mom of Kanye’s girlfriend Kim Kardashian, has come to the rapper’s defense, so Kimmel now knows for sure that the Twitter feud wasn’t a prank.

    Despite Kanye’s never-ending antics, Jenner has nothing but positive say about her daughter’s boyfriend and father of her grandson, North West. Jenner said that she gets to see a different side of Kanye at home, one that is apparently very different from the side he often shows the public. “I love him so much,” Jenner said during an interview with Ross Matthews, “and he’s such an amazing boyfriend to Kim and a great dad and a wonderful person.”

    Jenner had Kanye on her talk show Kris at the end of August and said that she thinks her interview with him showed people a new side to the “I Am a God” rapper.

    “I think people saw this other side to him,” Kris said during the Hello Ross interview. “He’s creative and he’s an amazing, amazing human being, he really is. And he doesn’t always do interviews and get the chance to really express himself like that, so I was really glad that I got a chance to sit down and talk with him. And it made me so happy that, you know, you guys got to see the Kanye that I know at home.”

    It’s a good thing Jenner is happy with Kanye–he probably seems like a knight in shining honor right now compared to Lamar Odom, who is daughter Khloe Kardashian’s (soon-to-be ex) husband. Odom and Khloe have split up following news of his DUI, drug problems and multiple affairs.

    Image via YouTube

  • American Idol 2013 Auditions: The New Judges Are Clicking

    After American Idol’s previous disaster season, many fans are ready to put the past behind and are looking forward to the changes the show is bringing in 2014. In addition to a new format and producers, Idol made some big changes to the judging panel, which was largely to blame for the drop-off in ratings in 2013. There is only one new face on the judges panel, Harry Connick, Jr., plus Keith Urban is returning and Jennifer Lopez is coming back after taking a season off.

    American Idol wrapped up the second round of Salt Lake City auditions on Friday, and so far things seem to be going great. There’s no doubt that Urban has to feel a sense of relief since he won’t likely be in the middle of any cat fights between Connick, Jr. and Lopez, as he endured with Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carrey.

    The judging panel appeared on an episode of Ellen that aired Thursday, and the chemistry between the judges seemed very strong. No stink eyes, death threats or curse words were directed at anyone, which is a pretty big step up from 2013.

    Lopez had nothing but good things to say for her co-judges, and the feeling seemed mutual. “And, this (pointing to Keith and Harry) is working really great,” Lopez said. “So yeah, we’re having a great time. At the end of the day, everything that’s meant to be happens.”

    What do you think of the new judges panel for Idol? Respond below.

    The 13th season of American Idol will start on January 15. This will be the first season since the show began that the judging panel will be without Randy Jackson. The news that Jackson was leaving wasn’t a shock considering the Minaj-Carey-ratings situation, but it certainly took Idol to a new low.

    Fortunately for fans of The Dawg, Idol announced in early September that Jackson is returning as Jimmy Iovine’s replacement for the in-house mentor. Whew, crisis avoided.

    To shave a few minutes off of the 2.5 month wait to the American Idol season premiere, check out some of the worst auditions in Idol history.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVjhzlUJAlQ

    Image via WikiMedia Commons

  • ABC’s “Lucky 7” First on the Fall Chopping Block

    The ABC network has been making headlines all day. Their fall production line of drama series have garnered record-breaking numbers. However, their series “Lucky 7” didn’t quite make the record-setting list for laudable reasons, which is exactly why the show is getting the ax. ABC announced that the network plans to cancel the drama series “Lucky 7” after airing only two episodes.

    With a mere 4.4 million viewers, the “Lucky 7” series premiere produced the lowest fall premiere ratings ever for an ABC drama series. Out of that 4.4 million viewers, the show only attracted 1.3 million adults in the popular 18-49 viewership age group. Then, to add insult to injury, the ratings saw even lower woes in the second week. Barely pulling in 2.6 million viewers, the staggering drop equated to a 41 percent decline in viewership. The percentage decline knocked the series to a 0.7 rank.

    “Lucky 7” was originally a television adaptation for a British production. Critics initially clobbered the series with foreboding reviews after the pre-launch, labeling it as ‘sappy and silly.’ The drama series centered around seven impoverished Queens, NY residents employed at a gas station. The lucky seven employees initially win and split a $45 million lottery fortune. However, the great fortune doesn’t bring them much luck in other areas of their lives. The show goes touches on the heartaches and trials they endure as a resulted of their acquired windfall.

    Repeats of the ABC hit series, “Scandal” will fill the show’s 10:00pm time slot starting next Tuesday.

     

    Image via ABC | Lucky 7

  • More Episodes Of Popular TV Shows Are Coming To Netflix

    Netflix is a revolving door of movie and television content, particularly on the streaming side of things. Though titles often disappear from availability, new ones are also frequently added. Sometimes these come in the form of Netflix original shows or even exclusive access to certain programming, but sometimes it’s just older titles that many find to be still worth watching.

    Content is added to Netflix streaming each week, and it can be difficult to keep up with what’s available all the time. With that, here’s a look at some new additions.

    Note: This is for the U.S.

    It’s going to be another big week for television content, documentaries and stand-up comedy for Netflix. We also learned this past week that Netflix has acquired award-winning documentary BrideGroom, got That ’70s Show back and will soon release an exclusive stand-up special from Marc Maron. We even managed to hear a little bit more about the second season of Orange is the New Black.

    Available on 10/4:

    Baby Daddy: Season 2

    New York bartender Ben unexpectedly becomes a parent when an ex-girlfriend drops off a baby girl for him to raise. But with lots of help from his mother and a childhood friend who secretly has a crush on him, he steps into the role of dad.

    Melissa & Joey: Season 3

    Single politician Melissa has her life turned upside-down when she is made guardian of her niece, Lennox, and nephew, Ryder. She hires Joe, an unemployed stockbroker, as a live-in “manny” (male nanny) to help out, a job he hopes will be temporary.

    Available on 10/5:

    Dan Cummins: Crazy with a Capital F

    No stranger to the stand-up stage or late-night talk shows, Dan Cummins has built his rep on being crazy when it comes to his comedy, and this off-the-wall set filmed live inside the Bing Crosby Theater in Spokane, Wash., doesn’t disappoint.

    Mother India: Life Through the Eyes of the Orphan

    Narrated by Rebecca St. James (Grammy Award Winning Artist), Mother India is a compelling documentary capturing the stories of abandoned and orphaned kids living in India. For one week, David and Shawn stepped into the lives of 25 boys and girls living alongside the railway station in the southern town of Tenali (Andhra Pradesh). With over 31 million orphans in India, the stories that emerge reflect the complexity of the issues and the challenge of rescuing kids from a life of begging and addiction. Find out what happens when these two friends eat, sleep, and play among this ‘family’ of street kids in an effort to experience life through their eyes. You’ll never be the same.

    The Fosters: Season 1

    Executive-produced by Jennifer Lopez, this offbeat drama follows an interracial lesbian couple — one a police officer, the other a school vice principal — and their multiethnic brood of biological, adopted and foster children.

    Toddlers & Tiaras: Season 5

    From “flippers” and feathers to sequins and “sexy babies,” this over-the-top TLC series captures the behind-the-scenes dramas of childhood beauty pageants … and the cringe-worthy antics of hyper-passionate stage parents.

    Available on 10/7:

    Beauty and the Beast: Season 1

    In this twist on the classic fairy tale, Catherine Chandler, a New York City homicide detective, and Vincent, a veteran turned into a beast by a military experiment gone awry, become allies after they meet by chance.

    Mindless Behavior: All Around the World

    Go behind the scenes with R&B/hip-hop boy band Mindless Behavior as they take the U.S. by storm in their exhilarating first major headlining tour. Home movies, interviews and concert footage offer an insightful look at these rising stars.

    Available on 10/8:

    90210: Season 5

    In this spinoff of the 1990s series, aspiring actress Annie and her adopted brother, Dixon, deal with nonstop drama at their exclusive new high school, where tumultuous friendships and roller coaster romances rule.

    Al Murray: The Pub Landlord Live – The Only Way is Epic

    Britain’s favourite publican returns with his critically acclaimed new show. Recorded at an epic lock in at Brighton’s Theatre Royal, The Pub Landlord serves up his unique satirical brew of ale-inspired acumen and bar-room buffoonery.

    Bones: Season 8

    Socially awkward forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan teams up with intuitive FBI agent Seeley Booth to investigate crimes that have left scant evidence behind: namely, the bones of the deceased.

    Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23: Seasons 1-2

    After Midwesterner June moves to Manhattan and finds her dreams of city living dashed, her hopes are punctured further when she’s swindled by her roommate, Chloe. Much to Chloe’s surprise, June turns the tables, and a beautiful friendship begins.

    Gossip Girl: Season 6

    Kristen Bell provides the voice of an anonymous blogger who narrates the action in this hit series set in an exclusive New York City boarding school. The plot centers on the day-to-day dramas of the school’s most privileged students.

    Lee Nelson: Live

    Filmed at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire on his sensational sell-out Lee Nelson Live tour, this show is an unmissable mix of banter, games and gags, making it unlike any other live stand-up!

    No Woman, No Cry

    Explore the grave issue of maternal mortality through this documentary, which profiles several pregnant women from around the world whose lack of access to basic health care and nutrition places them and their unborn children in unnecessary danger. Christy Turlington Burns directs this eye-opening movie that includes a compelling story from the United States, which holds a higher maternal mortality rate than Western Europe.

    Raising Hope: Season 3

    Slacker Jimmy suddenly finds himself a father after a one-night stand with a murderer, but his eccentric family — including his dim-bulb father, sarcastic mother and addled great-grandmother — reluctantly pitches in to help with the new arrival.

    The Following: Season 1

    When escaped serial killer Joe Carroll goes on a new killing spree, reclusive former FBI agent Ryan Hardy is called in, having captured Carroll nine years ago. Hardy soon discovers that Carroll has a loyal following of killers ready to terrorize.

    The World Before Her

    Exploring the contrast between the world of Western-style beauty pageants and Hindu fundamentalism, The World Before Her delivers a provocative portrait of India, the role of women in its society and cultural conflicts during a key transitional era.

    Available 10/9:

    Arrow: Season 1

    This adaptation of the story of DC Comics’ Green Arrow stars Stephen Amell as the titular character, an affluent playboy who becomes an archer superhero at night, saving the city from villains with his special arrows.

    Crash & Bernstein: Season 1

    Wyatt Bernstein, the only boy in his family, creates a puppet he names Crash who comes to life as the brother he always wanted.

    Movie 43 (2013)

    Kate Winslet, Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Naomi Watts, Jeremy Allen White, Anna Faris, Chris Pratt, Kieran Culkin, Emma Stone, Jason Sudeikis, Justin Long, Leslie Bibb, Uma Thurman, Kristen Bell, Bobby Cannavale, John Hodgman, Halle Berry, Seann William Scott, Elizabeth Banks, Stephen Merchant, Nicole Polizzi, Johnny Knoxville, Richard Gere, Jack McBrayer, Kate Bosworth, Gerard Butler, Terrence Howard, Chloë Grace Moretz, Josh Duhamel

    An eye-popping cast stars in this sketch-comedy pastiche, the new millennium’s take on classics such as The Kentucky Fried Movie. Stars from Kate Winslet to Justin Long to Richard Gere provide the laughs for nearly a dozen new and veteran directors.

    Image: ABC – Apartment23 Facebook Page

  • ‘Gossip Girl’ Season 6 (The Final Season) Gets Netflix Release Date

    Gossip Girl fans who have been waiting for the final season to become available for streaming on Netflix can breathe a sigh of relief, as we’ve just learned that it will soon join the other five seasons.

    Season 6 will become available on October 8th.

    Here’s the Netflix description for the show, just in case you’ve never watched it:

    Kristen Bell provides the voice of an anonymous blogger who narrates the action in this hit series set in an exclusive New York City boarding school. The plot centers on the day-to-day dramas of the school’s most privileged students.

    Netflix will be adding some other TV show seasons on October 8th as well, including seasons of 90210, Bones, Don’t Trust The B—- In Apartment 23, Raising Hope and The Following.

    See more recently added titles here.

  • Kevin Bacon Drama ‘The Following’ Is Coming To Netflix

    The Following, the Fox serial killer drama starring Kevin Bacon, will soon be available for streaming on Netflix. The show debuted in January, attracting 20.34 million viewers with its premiere.

    The Netflix description for the show is as follows:

    When escaped serial killer Joe Carroll goes on a new killing spree, reclusive former FBI agent Ryan Hardy is called in, having captured Carroll nine years ago. Hardy soon discovers that Carroll has a loyal following of killers ready to terrorize.

    It was created by Kevin Williamson, best known for movies like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer.

    Season 1 will make its Netflix debut on October 8th. There are fifteen episodes. The last season of Fox’s Bones will also appear for streaming on that date.

    The show will return to Fox with its second season in 2014. That will give you plenty of time to get caught up.

    Image: Netflix

  • ‘Bones’ Season 8 Is About To Hit Netflix

    ‘Bones’ Season 8 Is About To Hit Netflix

    Netflix continues to add back seasons of popular TV shows. We’ve learned that it will soon add the eighth season of the popular Fox forensic investigation show Bones.

    Netflix was unable to make Season 8 available ahead of the new season (something that seems to be happening a lot), which debuted last month, but it will be available on October 8th. Seasons 1-7 are currently available for streaming.

    While the show continues to air on Mondays, new episodes will begin hitting Fox on Fridays, starting November 8th.

    View more titles that Netflix recently made available for streaming here.