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Tag: Television

  • ‘Arrested Development’ Soundtrack Is Reportedly On The Way

    Music has always been an important element in the genius behind Arrested Development. With Netflix’s Season 4, that’s no different. The Mark Cherry song, “Getaway” has quickly become a fan favorite (there’s now a ringtone version out there if you want it).

    Soon, fans should be able to get easy access to all their favorite Arrested musical numbers. According to TV Guide, there is an Arrested Development soundtrack in the works. The publication spoke with the show’s composer David Schwartz, who says he’s currently working on a full-length version of “Getaway” for the project. Michael Schneider reports:

    Schwartz is currently putting together the soundtrack, which is expected to include both songs and score from all four seasons of the cult favorite comedy.

    …

    “There are hundreds of pieces [that could wind up on the soundtrack], but I think I’ve cut it down to 40 or 50 so far,” Schwartz says of selecting the songs. “I’ve received so many requests and now I’m trying to whittle it down.”

    According to TV Guide, Schwartz also said he’s trying to get an extended version of another fan favorite, “Balls in the Air” on the compilation, and there will also be a medley of songs from Fantastic Four.

    Personally, I’m hoping for some Teamocil love, and maybe something from Mother Boy (pictured).

    It’s unclear when this soundtrack might be released, but we’ll let you know when we find out.

  • ‘Orange Is The New Black’ Season 2 Already Confirmed By Netflix

    Netflix seems to think its show Orange is the New Black is already a hit, which is interesting, considering it hasn’t even been made available on Netflix yet. The show is scheduled to debut with 13 episodes on Netflix on July 11th.

    Earlier this week, the show had its big start-studded red carpet premiere. Now, Netflix has officially announced that it is renewing the show for another season. Season 2 will debut in 2014. Production begins this summer.

    “Jenji and her team have produced a phenomenal series and we’re eager to get a second season to our viewers,” said Cindy Holland, Vice President of Original Content at Netflix.”

    “I am thrilled that Netflix has extended my sentence,” said series creator and executive producer Jenji Kohan.

    “We’re enormously proud of the brilliant work of Jenji, the cast and the entire production team,” said Kevin Beggs, president, Lionsgate Television Group, “and we’re delighted about this early second season renewal. Netflix has been a great partner on this series and we look forward to our continuing collaboration.”

    This is an interesting move from Netflix, which is known for making decisions based on data. It was only last week that Netflix announced it would renew Hemlock Grove, well after viewers had time to watch the whole series. House of Cards was initially set to have at least two seasons. The second is currently filming.

  • Marie Osmond Announces She’s Pregnant, Shocks Audience

    Marie Osmond was a guest co-host on “The Talk” on Monday, and the 53-year old entertainer made a huge announcement that brought shocked cheers from the audience.

    “I’m pregnant!” she said. After the applause died down, however, she added on, “No! No! But my daughter-in-law is!”

    Osmond’s son, Stephen Craig, delivered the happy news on his birthday as a surprise for his mom.

    “I am so excited I’m going to be a grandma,” she said. “I just can’t wait. We went in for my son — for his birthday — he turned 30, which is amazing ’cause I’m 29. He blew out the candles and then blew me away and said, ‘You’re going to be a grandma!’ It was really fun.”

    It’s unclear whether Craig shares his grandparent’s views on having a large family, or whether he wants his children to be in the entertainment business like his mom, aunts and uncles, but it’s clear that Marie doesn’t care either way.

    Osmond might have to slow down a bit to enjoy her grandchild; she’s still performing, hosting, and recording, and in 2011 had a Vegas gig with her brother Donny.

  • Netflix Readies Another Exclusive With ‘H2O: Just Add Water’ Spin-Off ‘Mako Mermaids’

    Orange is the New Black isn’t the only Netflix exclusive show debuting in July. The company will also launch Mako Mermaids, a spin-off of popular Australian teen snow “H2O: Just Add Water“.

    The show will reportedly debut on July 26th. The LA Times reports (in an article tweeted by the official Netflix account) that the show is a result of a deal Netflix struck with Jonathan M. Shiff Productions. Netflix has the rights to go forward with 26 episodes in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Nordics.

    The report quotes Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos as saying, “We are thrilled to be the exclusive home of ‘Mako Mermaids’ in all Netflix territories. H2O’ hit an amazing chord with teens around the world who love the clever mixture of action, comedy and romance.”

    Netflix currently has 78 episodes of H2O available for streaming, in case you want to get caught up.

    Netflix will be providing more content for the younger crowds in time, thanks to a massive deal the company signed with DreamWorks.

  • Netflix Really Wants ‘House Of Cards’ To Win Some Emmys

    Netflix has been campaigning hard to win its original shows (especially House of Cards) some Emmy awards.

    Last week, reports came out that Netflix was having a Freddy’s BBQ truck delivering free lunch to influential players. Freddy’s BBQ is a place on House of Cards where Kevin Spacey’s Frank Underwood often eats ribs. The Hollywood Reporter, for example, wrote:

    The most competitive Emmy race in history got another dose of campaign stunt work on Monday when Netflix, which has two hot contenders in the race — House of Cards for drama series and Arrested Development for comedy series — delivered a BBQ lunch to the offices of The Hollywood Reporter. The lunch, earmarked for staffers who cover the shows, included an announcement that Cards’ fictional BBQ joint Freddy’s would be operating food trucks around Los Angeles this week, and ATAS voters would be eligible for a free meal upon presentation of their membership cards.

    The campaigning didn’t stop with free BBQ, however. Deadline reported on Monday that Netflix has been going door-to-door in “upscale neighborhoods with high concentration of TV Academy voters” offering yard signs (as if it were a political campaign) for House of Cards and Arrested Development. Click over to Deadline to see what they look like. According to the site, homeowners are being offered a choice of a six-month Netflix subscription, a a $50 donation to the Red Cross in their name, or a $50 AmEx Gift Card.

    Clearly Netflix wants the television world to know that it is serious about its original programming, and wants to be recognized for that fact.

    Emmy ballots due on June 28th.

  • Jodie Sweetin, “Full House” Star, Files For 3rd Divorce

    Jodie Sweetin, who played Stephanie on the sitcom “Full House”, has filed for divorce from her husband of one year, Morty Coyle.

    Sweetin cites irreconcilable differences in the divorce papers and is seeking full custody of the couple’s two-year old daughter, Beatrix. Just a few years ago, such a major life change would have worried friends and family due to Sweetin’s drug abuse, but she says she’s clean and has been for years now.

    “She seems in good spirits,” a friend told Us Weekly. “She’s sober still so she’s in way better shape than last time. It’s definitely true. I guess it’s not working out.”

    Sweetin had a difficult and much-publicized battle with drugs and alcohol in her youth, which she detailed in a memoir, “UnSweetined”.

    “I got sober for good on December 7, 2008,” she wrote. “I was flying to L.A. and I ended up taking a bunch of Nyquil and drinking a sh-tload. …From that day forward, I threw myself into going to AA and avoided people who do blow off their coffee tables.”
    “But life is good. I’m happier than I can remember.”

    Sweetin has been married twice before and has a 5-year old daughter with former husband Cody Herpin.

  • Netflix Just Released A Bunch Of New Arrested Development Videos

    Though most hardcore fans of Arrested Development have likely already finished watching season 4, Netflix continues to keep them engaged, offering up various interviews and behind-the-scenes videos. The company just put out eight new ones on its YouTube channel.

    Reviews have been mixed, but clearly a lot of fans are happy with the show’s return and want to see more. People are searching for Arrested Development-related terms like crazy, and searches for “season 5” have been spiking, indicating that there is demand for another season.

    Here are the new clips.

    Michael Cera As George Michael

    Creator Mitch Hurwitz says George Michael is the most autobiographical character of the show.

    Will Arnett as GOB Bluth

    Hurwitz took the idea of GOB’s name coming from his initials from his wife’s brother.

    Being Back On Arrested Development

    Cast members talk about what it’s like to be back as Bluths.

    Working With Mitch

    Cast and crew talk about what it’s like to work with Mitch.

    Costume Department

    Costume Designer Katie Sparks, who did the first season, discusses the Season 4 experience.

    Jessica Walter’s Favorite Moments

    Lucille talks about the rape horn.

    Portia de Rossi’s Favorite Moments

    Here favorite moments don’t involve her character.

    Tony Hale’s Favorite Moments

    Hale likes the scene where he goes off about Lucille to his siblings.

  • Mayim Bialik Is Getting Tired Of Explaining Her Breast-Feeding Choices

    Mayim Bialik opened up recently about “attachment parenting”, which she practices, and says that because she’s an actress and in the public eye, strangers think it’s okay to confront her about her choices.

    Bialik, who was a child star on the hit sitcom “Blossom” before moving on to more adult fare like “Big Bang Theory”, has two children and says she educated herself about the process of attachment parenting–which includes holding a baby or carrying him in a sling rather than using a stroller, allowing the child to sleep with the parents, and long-term breast feeding–before making the decision that it was right for her. But with public breast feeding having become such a hot-button issue in recent years, the idea of nursing past a certain age runs the gamut of emotions for many, from disgust to curiosity. And those things lead to awkward questions.

    “Obviously the notion of an older child nursing is very strange to some people. In certain cultures it’s not. And I was very careful about when and how I chose to breastfeed my older child. I put a lot of boundaries and limits around it and again took the guidance of women who had sort of walked this path before me,” Bialik, who weaned her son from the breast when he was four, wrote on her blog. “I think the notion of breastfeeding at all is still very controversial in some circles.”

    The actress says she’s not looking for a fight, although many people who approach her are.

    “If I’m talking to girlfriends, if I’m talking to random people, and we’re talking about parenting, I tell them what works for me and why. But a lot of people want to ask me things so that they can fight with me,” she said. “And just because I’m a public person, who happened to have breastfed and slept with her kids, that doesn’t mean that I want to fight with you on the street or in the supermarket. So, I think you have to be really careful to understand why people want to know what they want to know.”

  • “The Sopranos”: Some Of The Best Scenes

    “The Sopranos”: Some Of The Best Scenes

    With the sudden death of James Gandolfini this week, fans are taking a look back at some of his best roles and, of course, some of the best moments in “The Sopranos”…of which there are many.

    From comedic to heart-wrenching, the hit HBO show ranged the gamut of emotions over the years; from Paulie Walnuts’ wings to Christopher’s ridiculous temper, the episodes that kept us watching were the ones that had a little bit of everything. Here’s a sampling of some of the best moments.

    NSFW, obviously.

  • Edie Falco Talks About Love Affair With James Gandolfini

    Edie Falco mourned the sudden passing of onscreen husband James Gandolfini today, and said that it was difficult to separate the love affair her character had with his from real life sometimes.

    “It was weird to sit down at a table read with the actresses playing Tony’s girlfriends,” she told The Daily Mail. “Occasionally I would get a sharp twinge at the back of my neck, because, especially if I’m tired, the emotional lines would bleed into each other and I’d have to kind of keep my bearings and remember, No, no, no, this is your job, and at home you have your life. Even years later, I remember when I saw Jim in God of Carnage on Broadway, and he was Marcia Gay Harden’s husband, and I had this “How come I have to be O.K. with this?” kind of feeling.”

    Indeed, Gandolfini said once that he would always be in love with his television wife.

    “I’m still in love with Edie. And, of course, I love my wife, but I’m in love with Edie. I don’t know if I’m in love with Carmela or Edie or both. I’m in love with her,” he said in a Vanity Fair interview.

    Gandolfini succumbed to a massive heart attack on Wednesday while on vacation in Italy, and since news broke, social media sites have been flooded with mentions of the actor who brought a troubled but lovable mob boss to life on “The Sopranos” and had a colorful career in film. Despite Tony Soprano’s adulterous ways and fathomless anger, Falco said that the love he shared with his wife was remarkable.

    “The love between Tony and Carmela was one of the greatest I’ve ever known,” she said. “I am shocked and devastated by Jim’s passing. He was a man of tremendous depth and sensitivity, with a kindness and generosity beyond words. I consider myself very lucky to have spent 10 years as his close colleague. My heart goes out to his family.”

  • Gandolfini Reactions Hit Twitter, Co-stars Mourn

    The death of James Gandolfini on Wednesday in Italy hit home hard; as soon as news broke, it was dispatched around the web as social media sites blew up with everything from shocked reactions to disbelief.

    Many fans were hoping it was just another celebrity death hoax; sadly, the “Sopranos” actor passed away after a massive heart attack while on vacation, it was confirmed. Immediately, friends and former co-stars took to the web to express their sadness and remember the man who made a womanizing, murderous mob boss a likable character.

  • Netflix: Hemlock Grove Season 2 Is Now Official (Coming in 2014)

    After a great deal of speculation that Hemlock Grove would be renewed for a second season, Netflx has now made it official. The company announced that it will move forward on another season. This second season, however, will be shorter than the first.

    The show has picked up “seasoned showrunner” Charles H. (Chic Eglee) of The Walking Dead, Dexter and The Shield fame as an executive producer.

    Executive Producer Eli Roth says, “The worldwide fan response to ‘Hemlock Grove’ was phenomenal. Netflix members loved the potent combination of sexy monsters, mystery, and the dark family soap opera that ended with a huge twist, leaving audiences worldwide totally shocked. Season One was just a warm up for what we have in store for season two. Get ready to be scared in ways you never expected.”

    “We are thrilled to be working with Netflix on the second season of ‘Hemlock Grove’, a show that the audience has enthusiastically embraced,” commented Katie O’Connell, CEO of Gaumont International Television.

    The second season will be released sometime next year. There will be ten episodes. Whether it will continue from there is anybody’s guess.

  • Want A Hemlock Grove Season 2? These Words From Netflix Are A Pretty Good Sign

    Update: It’s happening. Netflix has made it official.

    It’s looking more and more like Netflix will renew the show Hemlock Grove for a second season. To be clear, this is still unconfirmed, but pretty much all the signs indicate a renewal is likely.

    When we reached out to Netflix to ask about it a couple weeks ago, the company told us it had not made any decision on it yet. Officially, it would appear that is still the case. However, Dean O’Dell, the show’s art director recently indicated that he thinks the second season will happen. On Twitter, he told us Netflix should confirm “very soon”:

    While Netflix hasn’t confirmed, the company has been talking about the show, with apparently nothing but good things to say about its initial run.

    Yahoo News reporter Peter Nowak writes that Netflix considers Hemlock Grove a “success,” despite negative reviews from critics.

    He quotes Netflix Director of Product Innovation Chris Jaffe as saying, “It’s one of those things where critics were saying one thing, but the popular audience was another. If you look at Twitter, it was crazy. The Internet and data allow us to thin slice it even more. A show like this doesn’t have to be watched by 90 million people. If shows find audiences, we can see that and make relative judgments there. It doesn’t have to be as cold and calculating as a formula.”

    To me, that sounds like the show has a pretty high chance of being renewed.

    Update: It sounds like Eli Roth, who served as executive producer and director on some episodes, would be happy for a second season. He retweeted this today:

  • Arrested Development’s Mark Cherry ‘Get Away’ Song Gets Ringtone Treatment On SoundCloud

    Arrested Development’s Mark Cherry ‘Get Away’ Song Gets Ringtone Treatment On SoundCloud

    Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz did a reddit AMA on Monday in which he talked about many topics related to the show, including the next chapter and never-nudes.

    One question, which got 1,096 points, was: “I want to download/buy the song “Getaway” by Mark Cherry to use it as a ringtone, how can I have it?”

    “We are really working on it, actually!” responded Hurwitz. “It’s tricky because 20th doesn’t really have a record label, which a lot of the other studios do, so they don’t have a mechanism in place, but all of David’s music is so great and I really want to get it out there.”

    David would be David Schwartz, who does the music for the show (here’s a great new interview with him from A.V. Club).

    On SoundCloud, Jonathan Irons has filled the void, putting out a ringtone version of the song:

    And in case you’re not familiar with the jam:

  • Netflix Shares New ‘Arrested Development’ Cast Q&A [Video]

    Netflix has put out a new Arrested Development video in which cast members Jessica Walter, David Cross and Portia De Rossi answer questions from fans.

    Jessica Walter answers burning questions about where she gets the inspiration for Lucille, how she mastered the wink, what other breakfasts Lucille likes, how Lucille ended up with a son like GOB, and which came first: “loose seal” or Lucille”.

    David Cross and Portia De Rossi take on questions about their favorite AD outfits, how they would describe the show to someone who’s never seen it, and what a female “nevernude” would wear.

    On Monday, Mitch Hurwitz, the show’s creator, participated in a reddit AMA answering a lot more good questions about the show. Here are some highlights.

    If you want more from Walter, check out what she had to say about the show to Anderson Cooper ahead of the release of the fourth season.

  • Arrested Development May Have Helped Google Clean Up Its Search Results

    Mitch Hurwitz, creator of the hit show Arrested Development, participated in a reddit AMA (ask me anything) today. Here’s what he had to say about the story going forward (which could be a fifth season or a movie).

    As we cover both Arrested Development and Google quite a bit, one particular response unrelated to actual ‘Arrested’ news seemed worth highlighting.

    Fans of the show know what a “never nude” is. For the rest of you, Tobias Fünke, a character played by David Cross, is one of these. It’s a psychological condition in which he can never bring himself to be nude, so instead, he always wears a minimum of blue-jean cut-offs.

    One redditor asked Hurwitz ” if there was any inspiration in real life that led to the idea of Tobias being a Never Nude?”

    His response was this:

    No, there wasn’t. The Never Nude thing – I will trace the etiology of that idea, and it’s this. We had this joke that just put us out, that was Tobias keeps crying in the shower. And then I had pitched – I was thinking about production, and the way they shoot those things, they always put people in flesh colored bathing suits, and I said, what if we show part of the flesh colored bathing suits for 3-4 weeks – and then in the 4th week we reveal that he showers in a flesh-colored bathing suit because he doesn’t like showering naked. And then Richie Rosenstock (who’s an absolutely brilliant, hilarious guy – and is responsible for so many of the giant laughs in the show) said without hesitation: “Oh, he’s a Never Nude.”

    And everybody in the room froze. And looked at him, and said, “is that a real thing?” and he shrugged, and it was just so funny. It wasn’t a funny idea until Richie called him a Never Nude, which took the joke from being just a sight gag, to a psychological affliction that really elevated it in such a brilliant way. And then I remember looking up to see online if there was such a thing as a Never Nude – and guess what you can’t search for besides finding pornography? “Never Nude” – back then you’d get 25,000 pages with the word “Nude” in it. Even if you used the Boolean quotation marks, you would still get things like “Hot 18 year old who’d NEVER been NUDE in front of a boy!” So we’ll never know if it was a thing before ARRESTED. Although I suppose I could just ask Richie.

    He doesn’t specifically mention Google, but this is somewhat amusing given that Google has been going out of its way to hide nudity in image search results in recent months.

  • Arrested Development Creator Is ‘Gathering Up Ammunition’ To Get ‘Next Chapter’ Made

    Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz participated in a reddit AMA (ask me anything) this afternoon. Inevitably, the subject of the long-rumored Arrested Development movie came up.

    First, before we look at what he had to say about that, let’s recall a recent interview Hurwitz recently did with TV Guide. Discussing the current season (season 4), he said, “There’s a lot in this show that not only refers to later episodes but that also refer to a future story. A lot of what we were doing was setting up a future for this world.”

    When asked if that means another batch of episodes is to come, Hurwitz said, “It was important to me that I had a story behind this one that we built to. Whether that ever becomes a feature or a puppet show or a graphic novel or a needlepoint pattern, I’m not sure.”

    The point is, he’s got some things in mind for where to take the story next, and that could be more show, a movie, or who knows? Netflix has recently indicated that it would like to do more, so it could very well be that we’ll see Arrested Development Season 5 appear on Netflix similar to the latest season.

    Now, onto that reddit AMA. Hurwitz was asked: “Do you think that producing the new season as a prequel to the movie took away from its potential?” and “What can you tell us about the movie?”

    His responses were as follows:

    I’m going to try to interpret that question because it could mean a couple things. One version of that question is “Do I think it will hurt the chances that the movie will get made” – and I would say that I’m more interested in telling the ongoing saga of this family than working out a particular strategy for how to do it. I kind of feel like the form will emerge in a way that I wouldn’t have anticipated – like Netflix a few years ago – so it’s possible that a film studio says “There’s a lot of AD out there. Do we want to invest in more” or it’s possible that a film studio says “Wow, we had no idea there was this kind of a following.” And I think the latter scenario is possible. Just because I didn’t think there was that kind of a following! But if your question is “Does the story we’ve told detract from a movie”, I would say it definitely doesn’t, or wasn’t intended to – it was intended to set up (among other things) a murder-mystery and a family that really now has to come together to save one of their own at a moment when their tensions are the highest.

    …

    Well what we’re calling the movie is just the ongoing story – so at the moment, there is nothing really up with it, except that I am gathering up ammunition to try to get the next chapter made.

    It’s clear that Hurwitz wants to continue to create more Arrested, regardless of what form it takes. Reviews of the current season have been mixed, but there is surely a big enough audience craving more Bluth family fun. Let’s not forget about this show’s history of turmoil, and its incredible journey back into the living room. As with season 4, no doubt getting the cast together will be the biggest challenge. A movie could be easier to pull off, but they made it work this time, so another season doesn’t seem out of the question.

    Hurwitz also had this to say about the Netflix model:

    …And one of the burdens that network television implicitly has – they’re not allowed to just respect the cleverest in their audience, they have to please everyone. And I think the Netflix model makes it a little more like publishing – there are different books for different people, and still within that world there are top 10 books that are blockbusters, and then there’s fiction that’s not for everybody.

    …

    Netflix was amazing. I’ve become very close to the people over there, and they are all really funny, so if they did have suggestions, they were generally pretty funny, great ones – particularly Ted Sarandos, who runs content for them. And they loved the ambition of the show, and encouraged it.

    Update: He just answered another question about a fifth season, in which he said:

    For the 5th season, it would DEFINITELY be about the family all together. That was always the design. The idea was originally to have them even together LESS for Season 4 – it really was going to be basically 9 stories (like the Salinger collection) that had nothing to do with one another, and just showed everybody’s life, so that everybody’s life could get to a point of peril, and then the family could truly have no choice but to get back together for the next iteration.
    Let me put it back to you- which would YOU prefer? Movie or Season?

    Update 2: He just opened up a bit more about where the story is going next:

    It will definitely continue where we left off – and also, thank you for that because I think that episode is unlike the others in that it really shows a side of Lindsay we haven’t seen before, and it really takes the idea of her superficiality from being a joke to something she really struggles with, and in many ways I feel like it’s the most honest telling of the life of this family. But yes, we will definitely pick her up – she’s left running as a Republican for office, so she is going to play out some ancient high school agendas.
    For Michael and George Michael – I think one of the things that is fun to do and also sometimes generates great material (and sometimes doesn’t) is to “paint yourself into a corner” when you’re writing or performing or doing anything creative. And it reminds me of cutting off Buster’s hand. It’s like, what do you do now? And the answer is – a LOT MORE than you’d do without it. So I wanted to get to an honest point in their relationship that was very uncomfortable, so that there wouldn’t be a pat solution, even for me.

    Update 3: And a bit more (regarding Lucille Two falling down the stairs):

    “That’s one of the abiding mysteries that Film Studios (or Netflix) will have to find valuable enough to discover to fund more of the show. And what’s YOUR theory? I’m truly curious.”

  • Kevin Spacey Gave Woody Allen A Netflix Gift Subscription So He Could Watch ‘House Of Cards’

    Variety ran an interview with Keven Spacey, star of the hit Netflix original series House of Cards the other day. Toward the end of the piece, Spacey mentioned that Woody Allen is a director that he’s never worked with, but would like to. Apparently Spacey sent Allen a letter introducing himself, and gifted him a Netflix subscription.

    Variety quotes Spacey: “There are some directors where I think, ‘Why do you never call?’ I wrote a letter to Woody Allen recently. I introduced myself as an actor he might have heard of, but perhaps not, and I gifted him a Netflix subscription so he could watch my show.”

    The publication notes that Allen did write back to Spacey, which the actor said was “even more awesome”. It’s unclear whether or not Allen watched House of Cards or whether he will cast Spacey in a forthcoming project. But come on. How could you not cast Kevin Spacey in something if he actually wants to be in it?

    House of Cards, meanwhile, is in the middle of filming for season 2, and is picking up a handful of new cast members along the way.

    The other day, the crew began transforming Maryland’s State House into a set for the show for scenes filming this week. They’re reportedly remaking the House of Delegates chamber so that it resembles that of the U.S. Senate. According to The Huffington Post:

    Portraits of former speakers of the House that lined the chamber’s walls have been sent to archives. Walls with plaques have been covered by faux marble walls. Blank facades were placed over the voting boards that display the names of Maryland delegates.

    No release date for the season has been announced so far, but 13 episodes are expected. Season 1 hit DVD and Blu-ray last week, opening the door for a wider audience to fall in love with the show everyone has been talking about since it launched.

  • House Of Cards Season 2 Picks Up Two More Cast Members

    As previously reported, House of Cards season 2 casting got underway in Maryland last month, and the show is currently filming, as confirmed Wednesday by Kate Mara:

    A couple more pieces of casting news came out this week, as the show has picked up Jimmi Simpson and Kate Lyn Sheil for the new season.

    TheWrap reports that Simpson has been cast in a recurring role on the show, but the nature and identity of his character is “being kept hush-hush by producers”. Simpson is known these days for his role on A&E’s Breakout Kings, and It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia fans will know him as the unforgettable Liam McPoyle (lead image).

    BuzzFeed reported earlier this week that Kate Lyn Sheil will also appear in the upcoming season. Her role is also being kept secret. Sheil has appeared in V/H/S, Sun Don’t Shine and Somebody Up There Likes Me.

    Mad Men’s Sam Page and Deadwood’s Molly Parker were previously confirmed for season 2.

    House of Cards Season 1 was released on DVD and Blu-ray on Tuesday.

    According to BuzzFeed, the second season will have 13 episodes. There is no release date scheduled yet.

  • Hemlock Grove Art Director Thinks There Will Be A Season 2

    Update: It’s happening. Netflix has made it official.

    Dean O’Dell, the art director for Netflix original series Hemlock Grove thinks Netflix will renew the show for another season.

    O’Dell appeared (as a call-in guest) on AfterBuzz TV’s Hemlock Grove show this week, in which he said, “Hopefully in a couple of weeks we’ll be able to yell and scream that Hemlock Grove is coming back. Like anything you never give a show away like a bird in the hand because it’s always one of those fears. In this industry, you gotta take what’s there. I’ve turned down a couple of projects in the hope that everything comes together because I firmly believe that it was such a good program that I believe that Netflix will go again on a second season. I’m trying to keep myself available for that.”

    In a recent article, we speculated that a second season was highly likely, as Netflix had boasted that the dhow outperformed the critically acclaimed House of Cards during the shows’ premiere weekends, and House of Cards has been renewed. It’s currently filming.

    Yahoo recently indicated that searches for “hemlock grove season 2 release date” were spiking, showing that there is a great deal of interest from fans. This interest has been further confirmed by the reader comments we’ve been getting on our coverage of Hemlock Grove.

    Author Brian McGreevy, who wrote the novel the series is based upon has indicated in the past that he would be working on sequels.

    We reached out to Netflix last week, and the company told us that they had yet to make any decisions on a renewal of the show.

    O’Dell’s “couple of weeks” remark is interesting. Perhaps the decision is not too far off.

  • Maria Menounos Parties With Kardashians, Dishes Dirt On Nicholson

    Maria Menounos is in headlines this week after celebrating her birthday with the Kardashians and then dishing some dirt on Jack Nicholson.

    Menounos threw herself a birthday fete at her home last week and invited the reality-show family as well as Derek Hough, Julianne Hough, and Mel Gibson. The luau-themed celebration was prefaced with a pool-party, during which everyone got hammered on all-you-can-drink Patron.

    “My pre pool party was so fun I am wasted am trying to get sober for my real party at 8!” she tweeted. “Over 50 people showering and getting ready in my house right now! So fun!”

    The “Extra” host also visited Conan O’Brien this week and talked about her run-in with Jack Nicholson at a Lakers game.

    “We made it our business, our second job, to go to all these games and really rally for our team,” she explained. “And all of a sudden — we’re courtside, I’m screaming, going crazy — I get booted! These guys come and pull us out! I’m like, ‘What is going on?’”

    Apparently Nicholson is a die-hard Lakers fan and didn’t appreciate that Menounos was wearing the Boston Celtics’ signature green. Later, after bumping into him in the Chairman’s Lounge, Menounos realized what had happened.

    “He’s like, ‘Heh, heh, heh, heh.’ And I thought really quickly and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, what if he…’ And he’s like, ‘I see they moved your seat.’ He got me kicked out! I heard later he called [late Lakers owner] Jerry Buss and had me removed!”