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Tag: Television

  • Michael J. Fox On Working With Parkinson’s

    “Vanity’s really overrated,” Michael J. Fox says. “I don’t need to be pretty anymore. I just am who I am.”

    Those are pretty harsh words for a guy whose adorable features helped to propel him to stardom in the ’80s and saw teen girls everywhere hanging up his Tiger Beat posters on their walls. But Fox, whose new show premieres tonight on NBC, has been through too much in recent years to care much about such trivial matters as looks. In 1991, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and told he might have ten more years of acting work left in him. The news hit hard, especially as it came right after his success with the “Back To The Future” trilogies and the start of his family with wife Tracy Pollan.

    “My first reaction to it was to start drinking heavily,” he said. “I used to drink to party, but then I was drinking alone…Every day. It was about a year of a knife fight in a closet, where I just didn’t have my tools to deal with it. But then after that I went to therapy, and it all started to get really clear to me.”

    Throughout that time, however, Fox was working, on “Spin City”. When that show ended in 2000, he was still around, appearing on successful shows like “Rescue Me” to great reviews. Yet many think he disappeared from the spotlight.

    “It’s funny, it is kind of weird to have been low-key for a few years … but I never really went anywhere,” he said.

    Fox says that learning to live with Parkinson’s hasn’t been an easy road, particularly for an actor who makes his living relying on facial expressions. But there came a time when he knew he was ready to go back to work, even if he knew it would be difficult. His character on the show addresses some of those issues in the first episode.

    “It’s more (work) than I thought it would be, but I’ve handled it better than I thought I would,” he said. “It’s what I do, it’s what I have done for years, and it’s what I enjoy doing,” he said.

    “The Michael J. Fox Show” airs Thursday nights at 9 on NBC.

    Image: Wikimedia Commons

  • ‘Arrested Development’ Season 5 Or Movie Will Come To Netflix, ‘No Question’

    I’m not sure if there was really much question at this point anyway, but we now have new comments from Netflix indicating that there will be more Arrested Development coming to the service without question. The question is still whether it will be in the form of a movie or a fifth season (or both).

    It’s looking like it’s most likely going to be a movie since creator Mitch Hurwitz is already writing it. It still needs to get Fox’s blessings, but from the sound of it, that’s all that’s holding it up. Actor Jason Bateman suggested that the movie could be just for Netflix, though this is not confirmed.

    Here’s the quote from Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos via Reuters:

    Sarandos said there was “no question” there would be more “Arrested Development” on Netflix, either as a new series of episodes or a movie. “It is just a matter of when and what form it takes,” he said at the “The Grill,” a conference hosted by Hollywood website The Wrap.

    Sarandos recently said that Netflix intends to double its investment in original content.

    So far its other original shows House of Cards, Orange is the New Black and Hemlock Grove are all moving forward with new seasons. The second season of Lilyhammer, its first original series, has already finished, and is expected to be released this fall.

    Image: Netflix (YouTube)

  • Netflix Launches Breaking Bad ‘Spoiler Foiler’

    While die hard fans won’t have to worry about it for too much longer, Netflix has created a “Spoiler Foiler” designed to keep Breaking Bad spoilers out of fans’ Twitter feeds. It’s a Twitter app designed to keep you from seeing Breaking Bad-related tweets you don’t want to see.

    “Behind on Breaking Bad? Now you can check your feed without fear,” the app site explains. “Any tweets with danger words get blacked out..When you’ve caught up, it’s safe to go back to normal Twitter. Until Heisenberg comes knocking again on Monday.”

    It appears to block out text from any tweet even containing the word “bad”.

    While there is only one episode left to air, a lot of people will still be making their way through the series for the first time using Netflix (or other means). Of course viewers in the UK relying on Netflix to get the episodes the day after they air here in the U.S. have to worry about us here int he states ruining it for them.

    Image: AMC (YouTube)

  • Phil Hartman Celebrated On 65th Birthday

    Phil Hartman was one of the most beloved comedians of our time. He won our hearts portraying a randy Bill Clinton on “Saturday Night Live” and a sarcastic but lovable grouch on NewsRadio; his unmistakable voice made us laugh from the moment one of his characters appeared on “The Simpsons”. Hartman was shot and killed by his wife Brynn in 1998 during a marital dispute, but today, on what would have been his 65th birthday, fans and friends remember the man who gave us so much during his short time on this Earth.

    Hartman died 15 years ago this past May; his old friend Jon Lovitz took to Twitter on the anniversary to remember his “big brother”.

  • Netflix Rival Redbox Runs ‘House Of Cards’ Promotion

    Netflix competitor Redbox is running a contest, giving away the first season of Netflix original series House of Cards on DVD. In a post on the company’s “Redblog,” it says:

    You’ll understand why this new series has earned a whopping NINE Emmy nominations—including Outstanding Drama Series, Lead Actor, Lead Actress and Director—if yours is the name we draw on Wednesday. You’ll become the proud new owner of Season 1 of House of Cards (Approximate Retail Value (ARV): $55.99)!

    Nice words from a company competing directly with Netflix. Redbox Instant launched earlier this year.

    Redbox is currently offering users episodes 1-6 through its kiosks. The other half of the season will be available next month.

    House of Cards: Season 1 was released on DVD and Blu-ray, as well as on-demand back in June. Amazon, another competitor of Netflix’s, has also been promoting it. This is a significant sign that Netflix is onto something with its original programming (as if the Emmy nominations/wins weren’t enough).

    Netflix has indicated that it will double its budget for original programming, and the shows being released via other channels ensures that they will find broader audiences outside of the Netflix universe, which could ultimately lead to more memberships in the long run. Orange is the New Black will also be making its way to DVD.

    On Sunday, House of Cards won director David Fincher an Emmy. The show also took home Emmys in the casting and cinematography departments.

    Image via Redbox

  • Aziz Ansari Netflix Special ‘Buried Alive’ Gets Trailer (Which Features Seth Rogen)

    Netflix has just released the trailer for the upcoming stand-up special from comedian Aziz Ansari, Buried Alive. As an added bonus, the trailer also features Seth Rogen, with whom Ansari discusses some interesting alternatives to a Netflix release.

    Here’s the official description:

    Filmed live at the Merriam Theater in Philadelphia, “Buried Alive” features “Parks and Recreation” star Ansari focusing his unique viewpoint on pending adulthood, babies, marriage, and love in the modern era. The show follows Ansari’s successful live tour of the same name, during which he performed in front of sold out crowds in over 75 cities all over the world at venues including New York’s Carnegie Hall, London’s Hammersmith Apollo and the Sydney Opera House. It is a follow-up to his previous stand-up performances “Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening” and “Dangerously Delicious,” also available on Netflix.

    The special, which is set to debut on November 1st, was announced last month. Netflix will reportedly give it the same type of promotion it usually reserves for its original shows like House of Cards and Orange is the New Black.

    In case you haven’t heard, Netflix is really starting to crank out the exclusive stand-up comedy specials from a variety of entertainers. Currently available specials include those from John Hodgman, Rob Schneider, Doug Stanhope, Mike Birbiglia, Kathleen Madigan, Moshe Kasher and Broken Lizard’s Steve Lemme and Kevin Heffernan.

    Late last week, Netflix released the trailer for its upcoming Russell Peters special and docu-series (titled Notorious and Russell Peters Vs. The World, respectively).

    Beyond stand-up specials, Netflix has offered a pretty wide variety of both exclusive and non-exclusive comedy offerings. Here’s comedian Reggie Watts talking about how Netflix has helped his show Comedy Bang Bang:

    Buried Alive will become available for $5 download six months after the Netflix release.

    Image: Netflix (YouTube)

  • Breaking Bad: On the Emmys Win and Upcoming Finale

    Sunday night was a huge night for the AMC hit series “Breaking Bad.” Not only did the next-to-the-last episode air on AMC, the cast and crew behind the show was in Los Angeles for the 2013 Emmy Awards where they just happened to snag the Emmy for outstanding drama series.

    While “Breaking Bad” has been on TV since 2008 and has had two other previous Emmy nominations, this is the first time the show has won for best drama series. The timing couldn’t be better, since “Breaking Bad” is preparing to wrap up its five-season run on AMC on Sunday.

    Bryan Cranston, who plays meth mastermind Walter White on the series, has won three Emmys for best actor in the past, and was ecstatic over the show winning the award for best drama series. “This is an answer to a wish and a prayer,” Cranston said. “I’ve been blessed in the past, and this show has been nominated in the past, but what I really wanted was what we got: to celebrate the entire writing crew and cast. This is for all the crew that has worked so hard for us the past six years. This is the culmination of everything. This is one hell of a party, and what a way to go out.”

    What a way to go out indeed, Mr. White. And speaking of going out, to prepare fans for the show ending, a “Breaking Bad” marathon will air starting Wednesday, so clear out those DVRs or get ready to call in sick. Cranston spoke on the series finale during an interview with Ryan Seacrest on the red carpet on Sunday.

    “The ending is perfect,” Cranston said of the series finale. “Unapologetic. It is perfect Breaking Bad.” And what might be a bit of a clue in what the Sunday night finale holds for fans, when Cranston was asked about the plans announced for the spin-off “Better Call Saul,” Cranston said, “We have to see if anyone survives the holocaust.”

    How do you think “Breaking Bad” ends? Add your comments below.

    Read below for some celebratory comments cast members of “Breaking Bad” made on Twitter. Also, it’s worth noting that Aaron Paul stayed in character for his Tweet, so don’t scroll down if you’re easily offended (and if you follow “Breaking Bad” to the point that you’re reading an article on how they did in the Emmys, you probably won’t be):

    Image via YouTube

  • ‘Orange Is The New Black’ Season 2 Set Photos: The Latest From The Official Instagram Account

    We’ve been following the Instagram account for Netflix’s Orange is the New Black since filming of the second season began, and it has frequently been adding behind-the-scenes photos from the set, as well as various other candid shots of cast members.

    Here are some of the latest:

    The show is filming in New York, just below where they shoot Sesame Street.

    Don’t be surprised if the show gets some Emmy nominations next year. This year Netflix shows accumulated fourteen nominations, with House of Cards taking home the award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (David Fincher).

    Here’s Orange is the New Black star Taylor Schilling at the Emmys:

    Images: OITNB (Instagram)

  • Anna Faris On Her Sitcom Character, Getting In Shape

    Anna Faris first garnered attention in “Scary Movie”, and back then she had a very different look; over the years, she’s gone bombshell-blonde, but her sense of humor hasn’t changed a bit. The funnygirl recently spoke about her latest starring role and about getting in shape after giving birth, and says that lifting her heavy baby boy has definitely helped her tone up.

    “My arms have never been toned before and now they are because he’s huge. He’s got a huge head, a huge body. He’s like 60 pounds,” she said with a laugh.

    Her husband, “Parks And Recreation” actor Chris Pratt, is getting in shape as well, toning up and slimming down for his role in Marvel’s “Guardians Of The Galaxy”. But Faris says that their life habits don’t support being buff.

    “We both love to eat and drink, so I’m sure [the weight won’t stay off]. You have to live life sometimes, you know?” she said.

    Faris had been on hiatus in the last year after having baby Jack, but said when she got the script for her new CBS show “Mom”, she knew it felt like the right project to return to work with.

    “I had left the script on the kitchen counter, and my husband picked it up,” said Faris. “And he read the first page, and he said, ‘Whatever you’re doing, put it down right now.’ He’s like, ‘This is you.’ And it felt like that. Every once in a while you get fortunate enough to play a role that kind of feels like Cinderella’s shoe.”

    Faris says the role is a lot deeper and multi-faceted than characters she’s played in the past.

    “She’s a mess, very much like me. And it’s a story about relationships and character,” Faris said. “I’ve played a lot of one-dimensional characters in my career that haven’t been so bright.”

    “Mom” airs at 9:30 on Monday night and also stars Allison Janney.

    Image: Wikimedia Commons

  • Netflix’s ‘House Of Cards’ Wins David Fincher An Emmy

    Netflix original shows were nominated for a combined fourteen Emmys. On Sunday night, they came away with one as David Fincher won for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for House of Cards.

    Netflix released this congratulatory video for Fincher:

    In addition to this award, House of Cards had actually already won two Primetime Creative Arts Emmys announced last week. These were for Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series (casting directors Laray Mayfield and Julie Schubert) and Outstanding Cinematography for a Single Camera Series (Director of Photography Eigil Bryld).

    Other nominated Netflix shows included Arrested Development (Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series, Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing For A Comedy Series, Outstanding Music Composition For A Series) and Hemlock Grove, (Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music, Outstanding Special Visual Effects).

    Next year, Netflix may have even more horses in the race. Look for Orange is the New Black and Derek to generate some buzz going in. House of Cards will have another season to work with as well.

    Netflix also plans to double its investment in original content in the coming years, so we may be seeing quite a bit more from them in these awards shows in the future.

    Image: Netflix (YouTube)

  • LuAnn de Lesepps: Real Housewives Star is Single

    It’s official; “The Countess” is back on the market. Bravo television star and Real Housewives of New York City cast member LuAnn de Lesepps has called it quits with boyfriend, ten years her junior, Jacques Azoulay. The pair had been dating for four years and their love affair was displayed on the Bravo show throughout the span of the relationship.

    Prior to their courtship, de Lesseps had been married for sixteen years (1993-2009) to Count Alexandre de Lesseps, an entrepreneur and venture capitalist. Her ex-husband is the descendant of Ferdinand de Lesepps, builder of the Suez Canal. Their relationship was shared on the Bravo show while they were still married. The show also captured footage which showed signs of a marriage on the rocks. Viewers watched as the marriage fell apart while LuAnn put on a great face and picked up the pieces. The de Lesepps have two teenaged children together.

    In case anyone was wondering, if you missed it from past footage, Lu Ann did address whether or not she would still hold her title, and alas, the title of “Countess” remained hers for the keeping.

    The dissolution of her relationship with Azoulay, a wine entrepreneur, is a bit between a rock and a hard place. The announcement comes before the anticipated sixth season of the series and right off the heels of a fifth season filled with baby talk among her and her ex beau.

    We expect she will recover with as much grace and zeal as one would expect from a woman of society, but more importantly, a Countess.

    Image courtesy of bravotv.com

  • Netflix Is Adding A Ton Of Additional TV Content In The Coming Week (Including More ‘Louie’ And ‘Family Guy’)

    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.

    The coming week is going to see a whole lot of additional television content coming to Netflix, including a lot of reality television. It’s not all reality though. You will find additional episodes of Louie and Family Guy, for example. Here are some of the things that you’ll see become available for streaming very soon.

    Available on 9/23:

    My Bride is a Mermaid: Season 1

    This anime television series follows the adventures of Nagasumi, a boy who agrees to marry lovely mermaid Sun after she saves him from drowning — only to discover that Sun’s father is a merman gangster who rules an undersea criminal underworld. Now as Sun hides her true identity and squares off against old rivals on land, Nagasumi must dodge assassination attempts and other attacks initiated by Sun’s ferocious father.

    Available on 9/24:

    Family Guy: Season 10

    In Seth MacFarlane’s no-holds-barred animated show, buffoonish Peter Griffin and his dysfunctional family experience wacky misadventures, from kidnapping the Pope to being forced to put up scythe-bearing Death for a few days after he breaks his leg.

    Last Man Standing: Seasons 1-2

    Mike Baxter likes to think of himself as a man’s man, but after his wife returns to work and her career takes off, he finds himself in charge of parenting their three lively daughters and trying to figure out how to stay afloat in all the estrogen.

    Available on 9/26:

    Cake Boss: Seasons 5-6

    Master baker Buddy Valastro is the spirited, dedicated boss at Carlo’s Bake Shop in Hoboken, N.J., where he and his extended family turn out one-of-a-kind confectionery creations and abundant culinary drama in this popular reality series.

    Deadly Women: Season 5

    This Investigation Discovery series explores the motives and methods of female murderers, delving deep into their psyches. While men are often driven by anger and impulse, women usually have more complex, long-term reasons to kill.

    Disappeared: Season 5

    Determine whether a missing person has vanished voluntarily — or become a victim of foul play — in these gripping real-life cases. Experts examine evidence leading up to the disappearance, revealing sometimes tragic, sometimes uplifting outcomes.

    Hoarding: Buried Alive: Season 3

    TLC goes inside the lives of compulsive hoarders to explore the psychological obsession to accumulate and save everyday things. Each episode tells the stories of two hoarders struggling to battle the behavior that threatens to destroy their lives.

    I (Almost) Got Away with It: Seasons 3-4

    Murderers, drug dealers, bank robbers or jail escapees. The stories are different, but the motive is always the same: to stay out of prison. See what pushed these fugitives to their crimes, and how they changed their identities to evade the law.

    Little People, Big World: Season 1

    Beginning with the pilot “Little People, Big Dreams” in 2005 and continuing with this reality series, viewers have watched the Roloff family struggle to make their way in a world where size does matter — especially when you’re four feet tall. On their Oregon farm and in the world at large, mom and dad Matt and Amy and kids Zach, Jeremy, Molly and Jacob overcome many obstacles — from seeing over bank counters to playing sports.

    Louie: Season 3

    Written and directed by comic Louis C.K. — who plays a fictionalized version of himself — this FX series eschews sitcom structure for a loose format that lets single dad Louie be his irascible self — through vignettes, club performances and more.

    MythBusters: Collection 10

    Fearless hosts Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman take viewers on an eye-opening — and often explosive — journey as they examine some of the most commonly held beliefs in popular science and culture.

    Nightmare Next Door: Seasons 3-4

    Brutality can emerge from even the closest community, as seen in this series that investigates violent murders that rocked small-town America. Gripping profiles of puzzling cases feature interviews, dramatizations and archival footage.

    Oddities: Season 3

    Obscura in New York’s East Village is renowned for having some of the most eccentric antique pieces found anywhere, plus with an assortment of unique patrons who are just as outlandish as the merchandise.

    Pit Boss: Season 5

    Shorty, a workaholic with a devilish sense of humor and quick temper, balances two jobs — running Shortywood Productions, a Hollywood talent management company for little people, as well as Shorty’s Rescue, his pit bull rescue.

    Twisted: Season 1

    After serving five years for killing his aunt, charming teen Danny Desai returns home to enroll in high school and reconnect with old friends. But he finds himself under suspicion when a new murder haunts his hometown.

    Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta: Season 3

    Southern charm comes to this familiar series. Set in the nation’s largest full-service bridal salon, viewers go behind the scenes at Bridal’s by Lori to see what each bride goes through to find the perfect wedding dress.

    Say Yes to the Dress: Seasons 6-7

    Dreams come true at Manhattan’s famous Kleinfeld Bridal boutique in this TLC reality series, which chronicles the daily retail drama as staff members bust their booties to accommodate clients’ outsized expectations and oversized budgets. Demanding brides, bossy relatives, last-minute weight gains, outlandish requests and catfight-provoking sales guarantee that there’s never a dull moment in this high-stakes salon.

    See more recent additions here.

    We’re still waiting for word on the addition of the last seasons of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Sons of Anarchy. With the addition of the latest season of Louie and the previous season of The League (both FX shows), it seems likely that we’ll be seeing them in the near future.

    Image via YouTube

  • Neil Patrick Harris Gets Ready To Host The Emmys

    Neil Patrick Harris is getting ready to host the Emmy Awards again this year and the stage is being set, as the show gets underway this Sunday. Harris has hosted both The Emmys and the Tonys before and has plenty of experience in the position. Many people probably know him as a child star from his days on Doogie Houser, M.D. and recently on the popular CBS comedy, How I Met Your Mother.

    He has been rehearsing plenty for the show and is very excited to be able to share the dance routines that he has worked out with the audience. The show will be held at the Nokia Theater in downtown Los Angeles, according to CBS News. The show will honor the best of the best in television and made for TV movies. Some of the biggest awards of the night include Best Drama and Best Comedy, along with the main actors that go along with the comedy and drama shows.

    The Best Drama category is always one of the biggest when it comes to any award show involving television or film. This year, it is filled with old favorites that fans have loved for a long time, including Breaking Bad and Mad Men, but also Homeland, which is getting ready to start its third season soon and House Of Cards, a Netflix original show that aired its first season this year. The full list of nominees can be seen here

    Netflix recently started streaming shows that are shown exclusively on the platform that are only available to Netflix subscribers. While a large number of people already use Netflix, this business venture could work to get more users as well, compared to people that might subscribe to HBO in order to watch a few particular shows. In addition to House Of Cards, which stars Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright, several other shows are being picked up by Netflix as well. Neil Patrick Harris has expressed great interest in the subject as well and is curious to see how these shows will do at the awards. He said “I think it’s really interesting to see how that’s going to shape the way we watch television.It questions commercials. It questions programming.”

    The awards are just a few days away now, and Harris is busy at work and working hands-on in order to help put the show together. His work in helping produce and host awards has even earned him an award, a Creative Arts Emmy, which he was awarded last Sunday for being the executive producer of last year’s Tony Awards, mentions the Minneapolis Star Tribune. The Tribune goes on to say that Harris won’t say whether he’ll perform any tricks during the ceremony, but promises “a lot of exciting things that have never happened before.” There is also a special musical tribute to Liberace that is to be performed by Elton John.

    Tune in this Sunday, September 22, at 8 PM, and catch the full show.

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

    Image via Youtube

  • “Mad Men” Final Season To Go “Breaking Bad” Route

    “Mad Men” will soon come to an end, as much as fans would like to pretend it won’t. But AMC execs say they’re giving us a bit longer to get used to the idea by splitting up the final season into two parts, much like the network did with “Breaking Bad”. The first half of the season, “The Beginning”, will air in the spring of 2014. The final half will air the next spring.

    “This approach has worked well for many programs across multiple networks, and, most recently for us with ‘Breaking Bad,’ which attracted nearly double the number of viewers to its second-half premiere than had watched any previous episode. We are determined to bring ‘Mad Men’ a similar showcase,” said AMC President Charlie Collier.

    Besides garnering more viewers, the approach also has a practical side; by splitting up the last bit of the story, writers can take their time and draw out the conclusion, which will effectively create suspense for the viewer and leave them thinking about it long after the final episode has ended.

    “We plan to take advantage of this chance to have a more elaborate story told in two parts, which can resonate a little bit longer in the minds of our audience,” creator Matthew Weiner said.

    AMC also split up the seasons of “The Walking Dead” to great effect; however, with “Mad Men” being a very different sort of drama from either of the other shows, many viewers are wondering what the writers have up their sleeves in order to blow us away without grafting on a last-minute sensational storyline.

    Image: Wikimedia Commons

  • Jessa Duggar Allowed “Side-Hug” With Boyfriend

    Jessa Duggar, the third-eldest daughter of Jim Bob and Michelle, has entered a “courtship” period with a boy from a local town, and the family is thrilled…but that doesn’t mean anything will be happening anytime soon.

    The Duggars became famous after a one-off special about their large family on TLC turned into a series, “19 And Counting” and use their fame to spread the word about their beliefs through churches around the country. They don’t believe in birth control or sex before marriage and have very strict guidelines concerning dress and behavior, especially when it comes time to find a significant other. For that reason, Jessa must be very careful about her new relationship.

    A courtship is different from dating, according to Michelle, in that the young couple will spend a lot of time with their families rather than being alone away from the house.

    “Courting is getting to know each other in a group setting, both families spending time together and the couple setting goals together to determine if they are meant to marry. With dating, a couple will often pair off alone and that sometimes leads to a more physical relationship. Courtship is not just about having fun. You are really considering if this person could be your life partner – you pray about it and see what happens,” she said.

    Of course, the family is always in the know when it comes to the teens getting together, and have a definitive say on how physical they can get.

    “Dad allowed them to do a side hug when they were officially courting,” Michelle said.. “Jessa and Ben have said that was the only contact they would have, when they initially greet each other, when he comes to visit for their first hello, they have a quick 30 second or less side hug and a goodbye side hug and they agreed that would be the only contact they should have.”

    The family of 21–including eldest Joshua, who is married with three children of his own–will be back at it on Tuesday night on TLC.

    Image: YouTube

  • Breaking Bad Actors Do ‘Walking Dead’ [Spoiler Alert]

    Breaking Bad’s Dean Norris tweeted out a behind-the-scenes video clip of himself and co-star Steven Michael Quezada messing around on set. Turn away if you’re not caught up on BB. If you are, you get the joke.

    This probably in no way kept anything from being spoiled, so sorry. I tried. But in all fairness, if you’re worried about that, why would you even be looking at this page to begin with? You should be avoiding everything with “Breaking Bad” in the title.

    Watch the duo pay homage to another popular AMC show:

    Now go get caught up on Breaking Bad immediately.

  • Netflix’s ‘Sense8’ Hopes To Do For TV What ‘The Matrix’ Did For Film

    Earlier this year, we learned that Netflix secured the exclusive rights to a new sci-fi thriller series called Sense8, which comes from the Wachowskis (of The Matrix fame) and Babylon 5 writer J. Michael Straczynski.

    So far, little is known about the plot, but there’s a good reason for that. Straczynski talked a little bit about the show in an interview with Comic Book Resources:

    “We wrote the first three scripts on our own,” he says. “We specced it out, brought it to Netflix, and the funny thing is we had four days of pitches planned. Netflix was our first meeting at I think 11:00AM on a Tuesday, and then we were gonna go to HBO….”

    By 2:00, he said, Netflix had called and said they wanted the show.

    “The series is contemporaneous with current events,” he explains. “It is somewhat science fiction in some respects. It concerns eight characters around the world, who are joined telepathically with each other, or empathically, and those who are after them and hunting them to try and stop this next evolution. And the cool thing is that we’re gonna shoot this in the countries that the stories are taking place.”

    He said that shooting will take place in Mumbai, Nairobi, London, Mexico, the U.S., Germany, and possibly Russia.

    “This is gonna be a show that will be shot around the world simultaneously,” he says. “We’re gonna have five different units shooting at the same time to tell the story, and it’s gonna be ridiculously huge, and the cool thing about working with the Wachowskis…when they did The Matrix, they didn’t want to do a show like anything else they’d ever seen before, and The Matrix created a whole new cinema language. And they said, ‘If we’re gonna do television, then we have to do the same thing. We have to create a whole new vocabulary for television production…for television, which you can do in TV. And so coming into this, working with them, we’re pioneering some new techniques and new approaches in television storytelling. It’s quite extraordinary.”

    When asked about how they convinced Netflix to put up a budget for this kind of thing, he says, “The international marketplace is a large part of this certainly. We had to come at them with a production model that said we can control the costs on this. We start shooting in Chicago, doing our stuff on set, jump out, blow out the set, jump out to locations in and around Chicago, then we jump out to our individual locations having four or five units shooting at the same time….mainly outside locations….using local production teams – camera teams – so that each area has its own distinct look, and we did the budget, worked it out, and said we can make this for this kind of money, and they said, ‘Go for it.’”

    He didn’t give any figures, but it certainly makes you wonder just how large the budget for this project is. It’s even more interesting to consider in light of recent comments from Netflix content chief Ted Sarandos, who said last week, that Netflix will be doubling its budget for original content over the coming years.

    “Each episode cuts back and fourth though,” Straczynski says of the Sense8 format. “Your anchor is the original stuff you started with on set. That kind of sets your style and your tone…”

    He says each location will have its own look, but the set stuff will provide a general continuity.

    He said he wouldn’t go much beyond that in terms of the plot, because “they like to keep things very close to the vest,” and he supports that. He says that’s why there isn’t much online about the story.

    “What we’re doing is really kind of new and innovative,” he said, adding that he didn’t want to have someone else eat their lunch.

    He did say he’ll be directing the London sequence. They’ll be shooting about three weeks in London next year.

    “Andy and Lana Wachowski and Joe Straczynski are among the most imaginative writers and gifted visual storytellers of our time,” said Sarandos when the project was announced. “Their incredible creations are favorites of Netflix members globally and we can’t wait to bring Sense8 to life.”

    “We’re excited to work with Netflix and Georgeville Television on this project, and we’ve wanted to work with Joe Straczynski for years, chiefly due to the fact his name is harder to pronounce than ours, but also because we share a love of genre and all things nerdy,” said Andy and Lana Wachowski in a joint statement at the time. “Several years ago, we had a late night conversation about the ways technology simultaneously unites and divides us, and out of that paradox Sense8 was born.”

    So far, Netflix has hardly disappointed with its original content offerings, and from the sound of it, Sense8 could its most ambitious project yet. It’s hard to say when we’ll see the first season debut, since it doesn’t even start shooting until next year, but it’s scheduled for sometime in late 2014. It will start with ten episodes.

    Image: Comic Book Resources

  • James Gandolfini, Cory Monteith Tribute Planned

    America saw quite a few celebrity deaths in 2013, and a few of them will be honored in a special tribute during the 2013 Emmys. James Gandolfini and Cory Monteith are two of the five individuals who will receive the special memorial.

    From the Emmy Awards website:

    This year’s Emmy Awards will feature the traditional In Memoriam segment that has become an industry award show staple, and in addition, the telecast producers have selected five individuals who warrant special recognition. To honor them, close friends and co-workers have been invited to provide personal tributes which will be presented during the ceremony…

    James Gandolfini (1961-2013)

    Many people were shocked to hear of Gandolfini’s passing over the summer. The actor died at the age of 51 and was best known for his role as mobster/family guy Tony Soprano. “The Sopranos” lasted for six seasons on HBO, and Gandolfini won three Emmy Awards for his portrayal as the mobster with a mental disorder.

    Gandolfini died of a heart attack while on vacation in Rome, Italy on June 19. His 13-year-old son Michael discovered him in the bathroom of the hotel they were staying in and contacted paramedics, but Gandolfini was announced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital. Gandolfini’s on-screen wife, actress Edie Falco, will present his special tribute.

    Cory Monteith (1982-2013)

    Canadian Cory Monteith was known for his role Finn Hudson on the FOX show “Glee.” Monteith died in July of a drug overdose at 31, just months after he went through rehab. The young actor won a 2011 Teen Choice Award for his performance as Finn. Jane Lynch, Monteith’s former “Glee” co-star, will deliver his tribute during the Emmys.

    The other three individuals who will be remembered during the special tribute are “Family Ties” producer Gary David Goldberg, “All in the Family” cast member Jean Stapleton and “Mork and Mindy” actor Jonathan Winters.

    The 65th Emmy Awards will air on Sunday, September 22 at 8:00 ET on CBS. See a complete list of nominations here.

    Image via YouTube

  • ‘Breaking Bad’ Would Win Drama Emmy If Searches Determined Winners

    Yahoo is sharing some data related to Emmy-nominated television shows.

    “If winners were predicted by Yahoo searches, [breaking bad] would be this year’s Outstanding Drama Series as it’s the highest searched show this month,” a Yahoo spokesperson tells WebProNews. “Coming up next is [game of thrones], which is searched for nearly 6x more than [house of cards], [homeland], [mad men] and lastly, [the newsroom].”

    Not a lot of change there. Yahoo told us back in July that Breaking Bad was the most-searched for show from the Outstanding Drama Series category.

    “Last year’s Best Actor in a Drama, [damian lewis], trails last in Yahoo searches among other nominees, with [bryan cranston], [kevin spacey] and [jon hamm] leading,” the spokesperson says. “The leading lady for Best Actress on Yahoo searches this month is [kerry washington], her first time nominated for an Emmy, followed by [claire danes], [michelle dockery] and [robin wright].”

    Some other interesting Emmy-related stats from Yahoo:

  • 68% of Emmys searches come from females in the past week.
  • Top searched Emmy nominated actors for comedy, ranked in order this month on Yahoo are: [alec baldwin], [jim parsons], [jason bateman], [louis ck], [don cheadle], [matt leblanc]. [alec baldwin] is spiking 283% this month on Yahoo.
  • If Outstanding Comedy were won by number of Yahoo searches, [big bang theory] would be the winner as the top searched comedy. Ranked in order, other top searches include [modern family], [30 rock], [louie], [girls hbo] and [veep]
  • Top searched Emmy nominated actresses for comedy, ranked in order this month on Yahoo are: [amy poehler], [tina fey], [julia louis-dreyfus], [laura dern], [lena dunham], [edie falco]. [amy poehler] is spiking 330% this month on Yahoo

    • Many of us are wondering how Netflix shows will perform in the Emmys this year, as simply being part of the race is something that has never happened before for online-only shows. Netflix shows have received a total of fourteen nominations, and House of Cards has already won two awards for casting and cinematography.

    Yahoo shares these stats about Netflix shows:

  • [netflix new releases], [house of cards 2013] and [house of cards season 2 release date] are spiking off the charts this month on Yahoo
  • [robin wright] is spiking 70% this week on Yahoo
  • Top Netflix original shows ranked in order this month on Yahoo are: [orange is the new black], [house of cards], [arrested development] and [hemlock grove]
  • Most Netflix originals – [house of cards], [arrested development] and [hemlock grove] are preferred by men, however [orange is the new black] is preferred by women
  • [orange is the new black] searched for 58% of the time time by women this month on Yahoo
  • [hemlock grove] searched for 54% of the time by men this month on Yahoo
  • [house of cards] searched for 63% of the time by men this month on Yahoo
  • [arrested development] searched for 61% of the time by men this month on Yahoo

    • Out of all of these shows, Orange is the New Black is the only one not up for any Emmys this year. It just came out too late. Next year, look out.

    As previously reported, Yahoo has actually partnered with the Emmys this year, and will be live streaming from the red carpet, as well as backstage and the post-party Governor’s Ball on Sunday.

    Image: AMC

  • Netflix’s ‘House Of Cards’ Has Already Won 2 Primetime Creative Arts Emmys

    Netflix announced on Sunday that its show House of Cards has already won two Primetime Creative Arts Emmys, “making history” as the first win in a major Primetime Creative Arts category for non-linear programming.

    House of Cards won for Oustanding Casting for a Drama Series and Outstanding Cinematography for a Single Camera Series. The awards went to casting directors Laray Mayfield and Julie Schubert and Director of Photography Eigil Bryld.

    “We are so proud that both Casting and Cinematography were recognized with these historic Emmy wins for ‘House of Cards’ and Netflix,” said Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer for Netflix. “Laray Mayfield, Julie Schubert & Eigil Bryld’s work was truly exquisite, and the Academy’s acknowledgement for their work is richly deserved.”

    Netflix shows are up for a total of fourteen Emmys. House of Cards makes up nine of those nominations, with the others going to Hemlock Grove and Arrested Development.

    This all must be very encouraging to Netflix. Sarandos indicated last week that the company is about to double its budget for original programming. Also last week, Netflix debuted its latest original, Derek.

    Filming for the second season of House of Cards is currently underway. It will debut next year.

    Image: Netflix

  • Janet Tamaro to Step Down as ‘Rizzoli and Isles’ Showrunner

    Janet Tamaro has announced she will step down as showrunner for crime procedural series Rizzoli and Isles. She will continue on in a consulting role for Season Five.

    Tamaro developed the one-hour TNT drama based on a series of novels by Tess Gerritsen. She said she is “incredibly proud” of the work she’s done in the first four seasons of the show and is leaving it in great shape. She told Variety that she is at the top of her game creatively and wants to keep that momentum going as she branches into other projects.

    News of Tamaro’s departure comes just on the heels of the production wrap of Season Four. The final four episodes of that season will air in January, 2014.

    Rumors of changes have circulated in recent weeks. Production was halted following the August 19, 2013 suicide of 29 year-old cast member Lee Thompson Young.

    Tamaro reveals that while Young’s death was not the reason for her departure from Rizzoli and Isles, it played a role in the decision to move on: “It was a catalyst for me to examine what I want to be doing next.”

    Tamaro said she hopes to continue collaborating with Warner Horizon Television and TNT for future projects. She says they have “been a dream to work with.”

    No showrunner has been chosen to replace Tamaro.

    Rizzoli and Isles was recently renewed for a 15-episode fifth season. The summer finale aired September 10, and the show’s Twitter account is already talking up its January return.

    The series’ titular roles are filled by Angie Harmon as homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and Sasha Alexander as forensic expert and Massachusetts state Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Maura Miles. Other cast members include Jordan Bridges, Bruce McGill, and Lorraine Bracco.

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