Posts tagged news
Television, pop culture and a healthy dose of snark
‘Smash’ Says Goodbye to Ellis And Dev
Have you spent all season watching slimy Ellis on NBC’s “Smash” while throwing things at the screen? Well tell your TV there’s some good news, because the abuse will stop soon.
NBC revealed to Entertainment Weekly that two characters will be exiting stage right when the Broadway musical set drama premieres in season two.
While the network didn’t comment on the fact that both characters were reviled by both critics and fans, I think we can all read the writing on the closing curtain.
Neither Karen’s philandering fiancée Dev (Raza Jaffrey) or the scheming producer wannabe Ellis (Jaime Cepero) will be present when the curtain rises on season two of NBC’s much maligned show. The characters might pop up in an episode or two wrapping up their characters, but they will no longer be part of the ensemble as ‘Bombshell’ inches closer to Broadway.
This is almost undoubtedly in response to strong fan criticisms against both characters. Fans have rallied against almost both since the show’s pilot. Before cheating on fresh-faced ingénue Karen, Dev was mostly seen as a boring distraction from the main storyline about putting on a show. After cheating on Karen, viewers were ready to show Dev the door.
But nothing could equal the hatred felt by viewers for conniving Ellis. Whether it was poisoning smoothies on being literally everywhere at every time to hear every conversation, viewers tired of Ellis about halfway through his first sentence.
Personally, I’m going to miss Ellis, if not Dev. Before you throw something, I gave up on “Smash” being a quality show somewhere around halfway through it’s run. Perhaps new showrunner Josh Safran can pull the Broadway soap out of it’s tailspin. Judging by this last season of “Gossip Girl” Safran exec produced, I’m guessing not.
As “Smash” got more and more soapy and ridiculous, Ellis became infinitely funnier to me. If there was a personal conversation, Ellis was there to overhear it. If people were having sex behind a closed door, Ellis was there to overhear it. If an actress with a peanut allergy was ruining the show, Ellis was there to attempt to murder her. He went from overbearing social climber to mustache twirling villain at the drop of a hat.
I’ll miss you Ellis. Somewhere out there, I like to imagine Ellis is now working as a server in the theater district, poisoning people he doesn’t like.
What do you think? Are you glad Dev and Ellis are out?
5 Things We Learned from the ‘Pretty Little Liars’ Season 3 Preview
Are you still catching your breath from Pretty Little Liars’ twisty season two conclusion? Well maybe you should sit down, because the show’s third season looks to continue the thrills and chills.
The show’s second season ended with the unveiling of A….or did it? Watch this preview for the third season starting June 5 at 8pm on ABC Family. After you watch the preview look below for our top five reasons to be excited.
5 Important Things We Learned from the Preview:
1. Hanna cut her hair! What? It’s important!
2. Spencer sees Garrett in jail. This season will the show have two Hannibal Lector-type incarcerated characters? Should these girls be concerned that half of their social circle are potential murderers or behind bars?
3. Grave Robbed? From the looks of the preview, someone has dug up Ali’s body. Well maybe it’s Ali’s body; the tombstone is indecipherable in the clip. It could also be any number of people who’ve died mysteriously on this show. Ian, Alison or…Maya? But my money is on Alison zombie walking down the street somewhere, doing the dance from “Thriller”.
4. Hanna’s a bit unhappy with Mona. I mean, I guess I would be a bit bummed if I found out my former bestie was basically trying to kill me. I think Hanna probably has a few issues to work through with Mona at the mental hospital. But god Hanna, what did that chair ever do to you?
5. “A” Return. Looks like it might have been too soon to write off the “A” mystery as dead and buried. (Apparently things are being dug up all the time in Rosewood anyway. Even dead bodies!) As the preview shows, the girls are still being harassed…and by a familiar culprit. Time to redraw your suspect list because “A” is still on the prowl.
— Read the full article and watch the season three PREVIEW on BuddyTV HERE!!
HBO Cancels ‘Luck’ After Multiple Horse Deaths
We hardly knew ye “Luck”! The HBO drama about horse racing featuring the star power of Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte has officially closed up shop today, according a statement from HBO.
This is hot on the heels of several scandals of the equine-death variety. At least three horses that starred in the booze-soaked tale of gambling on horse races have died since the show started production. This has angered animal rights activists and drawn sharp criticisms.
Below is the full release from HBO Networks on the cancellation of “Luck”:
It is with heartbreak that executive producers David Milch and Michael Mann together with HBO have decided to cease all future production on the series LUCK.
Safety is always of paramount concern. We maintained the highest safety standards throughout production, higher in fact than any protocols existing in horseracing anywhere with many fewer incidents than occur in racing or than befall horses normally in barns at night or pastures. While we maintained the highest safety standards possible, accidents unfortunately happen and it is impossible to guarantee they won’t in the future. Accordingly, we have reached this difficult decision.
We are immensely proud of this series, the writing, the acting, the filmmaking, the celebration of the culture of horses, and everyone involved in its creation.
“The two of us loved this series, loved the cast, crew and writers. This has been a tremendous collaboration and one that we plan to continue in the future,” said executive producers Michael Mann and David Milch.
More cynically the HBO star-studder had taken a beating in the ratings, even for pay-cable standards. Perhaps HBO just saw an excuse to off-load an expensive and low-rated series, despite it’s prestige.
Kenny *Bleeping* Powers Returns: ‘Eastbound & Down’ Season 3 Gets 2012 Premiere Date
Have you been missing the wit and wisdom of Kenny Powers? Well you won’t have long to wait to delve back into his autobiography in progress. The hilariously raunchy HBO sitcom “Eastbound and Down” returns for a third season on Sunday, February 19th at 10 p.m.
This season will feature some new faces as well as some returning favorites as Kenny adjusts to his life in the minor leagues. “Saturday Night Live” star Jason Sudeikis joins the cast as Kenny’s new teammate on the Myrtle Beach Mermen. Truly, that is the most terrifying baseball team name I’ve ever heard. It also conjures up memories of this hilarious scene from the movie “Zoolander”. Will Mermen finally get the respect they deserve?
Last season saw Danny McBride’s titular hard-partying pitching ace turned small town antihero headed to Mexico to play baseball and nurse a broken heart. Along the way he started a chicken fighting ring, reconnected with his father and helped Stevie (Steve Little) smuggle his Mexican girlfriend Maria (Elizabeth De Razzo) across the border. In short, he was pretty busy. But not too busy to make a baby with on-again-off-again girlfriend April (Katy Mixon).
The third season picks up a year later, as Kenny Powers tears it up through what he terms the “Redneck Riviera”, Myrtle Beach. He has a new partner-in-crime Shane, a veteran catcher with the Mermen played by Sudeikis. While Kenny might refer to himself as the “King of Myrtle Beach” he struggles with new fatherhood and coming to terms with his age.
If you’re worried about what happened with old favorites like Stevie, Maria and April don’t fret too much. All will be back in the third season. Expect to see April in the premiere when Kenny takes a trip back home to Shelby.
We all know that wherever Kenny Powers goes, self-appointed sidekick Stevie is never far behind! He might be treading some dangerous waters this season, working for Ashley Schaeffer’s (Will Ferrell) car dealership. Plus what will he think of Kenny’s newest bromance? My guess is he won’t be reacting all that maturely.
So get ready for some partying, bad behavior and Kenny effing Powers. Who knows what kind of curve balls the show might throw in it’s third season?
White Collar Winter Season Previews; Plus Where is Elizabeth?
Missing your weekly dose of Matt Bomer’s baby blues? Well you don’t have long to wait until season 3 of “White Collar” returns to USA on January 17th. If you still can’t wait though, USA has released some new video previews that give some hints about where the show is going headed into the end of it’s third season. In case you forgot, “White Collar“‘s summer finale left viewers with quite a cliffhanger. Former con man Neal Caffrey returned to his criminal ways with pal Mozzie (Willie Garson) when they stole some Nazi artifacts. Unfortunately, they weren’t the only ones after this priceless treasure. So too was fellow criminal from Neal’s past named Keller. When Keller realized that Neal had the loot, he kidnapped partner Peter Burke’s (Tim DeKay) wife Elizabeth (Tiffany Thesisn). What happened to Elizabeth? That will be the crux of the season premiere when the show returns with an episode called “Checkmate”. But if you can’t wait that long to find out Elizabeth’s fate, maybe you want to do some detective work yourself? USA has up a website collecting fan theories and clues about what happened to the former Kelly Kapowski. Check out the site here: Where is Elizabeth Burke? and add your theory. You can also check back for daily evidence up until the show returns. While you’re putting on your thinking cap and poring over clues, why not watch these previews for the show’s return. It looks like Neal might finally have a chance to be truly free, but does he deserve it? And has he really changed ways?
Watch the Cast of ‘Happy Endings’ Crazy Audition Tapes
It’s hard to think of any other cast in ABC’s newest word-of-mouth comedy “Happy Endings”. But just like all projects, at one point the chemistry-filled cast had to audition for their roles. Now that their audition tapes have leaked, it’s amazing any of them got cast at all!
Here are some facts we learned from the “Happy Endings” auditions:
- Casey Wilson, who plays Penny, really likes to take her shirt off.
- Elisha Cuthbert, who plays wedding ditcher Alex, was actually raised by chimpanzees and learns all her lines phonetically.
- Damon Waynes Jr, who plays Brad, originally auditioned for Dave because he’s always wanted to play a white guy.
- Eliza Coupe, who plays uptight Jane, seems like she might have been auditioning for Lilth Fair instead of the bubbly friends-centered comedy.
- Zachary Knighton, who plays wedding ditchee Dave, things tridents are funny.
- Adam Pally, who plays gay slacker Max, did his best Joaquin Phoenix impersonation at the audition, showing up with a giant beard and being filmed the whole time. But don’t worry; he and James Franco are planning on opening a pizza restaurant in New Haven, Connecticut as an art installation.
The auditions are so crazy they almost don’t see real….which is because they aren’t. The cast staged these hilarious auditions as part of a new video for hilarious website FunnyOrDie.com. Needless to say, this video is amahzing!
Watch the ‘House of Lies’ Series Premiere Early (VIDEO)
Showtime is jumping the gun and premiering its new show “House of Lies” early. Looking to watch the show before any of your friends on January 8th? You won’t even need to be as good a detective as “Veronica Mars” to find it. Showtime has uploaded an edited version of the pilot (no nudity or explicit sexy times for you!) on YouTube. The Don Cheadle-fronted show certainly has an impressive pedigree of stars. There’s “Veronica Mars” star Kristen Bell, impressively-haired Jean-Ralphio from “Parks and Recreations” Ben Schwartz and Josh Lawson and Dawn Olivieri. The show centers around a management consultant group that seem to have issues managing their own lives. Cheadle’s ruthless Marty is dealing with an ex-wife addicted to painkillers and a son who just wants to play Sandy in “Grease”. While Bell’s Jeannie Van der Hooven is a no-nonsense character similar to the one she played hilariously in the short-lived but much-loved “Party Down”. The series is based on a book by Martin Kihn called House of Lies: How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Then Tell You the Time. The move on Showtime’s part to release the pilot early might seem like a bold move, but it’s one that’s tested postively for several freshman series. This year comedy hit “New Girl” about Zooey Deschanel being adorable was available to viewing on demand and on Hulu weeks before it’s premiere. “New Girl” has gone on to become one of the biggest comedies of the year. A few years ago FOX unconventionally showed the pilot for one of it’s new falls shows months early to build up buzz. That show? Mega-hit and iTunes single darling “Glee”. So Showtime’s thinking isn’t that out of the box.
Betty White is Turning 90 and You’re Invited!
No Facebook campaigns necessary, Betty White’s milestone 90th birthday party will be televised. NBC is planning a special party for the legendary funny woman and invitations are in the mail.
The struggling peacock network is planning to film the special in Los Angeles to air in January, close to the comic icon’s birthday on January 17th, 2012.
NBC has had it’s share of scheduling woes lately (bring back “Community”!) but it looks like a Betty White birthday bash is a safe bet. Who doesn’t like Betty White, birthdays and old people saying inappropriate things? People with no souls, that’s who.
— Read more details of Betty White’s bday bash at Yidio.com HERE!
Occupy Wall Street has had it’s share of celebrity fans. Susan Saradon, Alec Baldwin, even Kanye West stopped by with a pound of jewelry on to support the cause. Someone you might not find visiting the faithful at Zuccotti Park? “Batman: Year One” comic scribe and “Sin City” director Frank Miller.
Miller took to his blog to rant against the Occupy movement, calling protesters “louts, thieves, and rapists” among other things.
Here is just a sample of Miller’s take on the 99% posted over at his blog earlier last week:
— For the rest (including a excerpt from Miller’s blog post) read the rest on Yidio.com HERE.
Spoiler Alert: ‘Justified’ Spoilers
Last season FX’s western US Marshal drama Justified went out with a bang, or at least a glass of apple pie with some very unhealthy additives.
Thankfully, the phenomenal Margo Martindale received some Emmy recognition for her work as tough mama bear Mags. Less fortunately, Mags’ departure left a baddie power vacuum in Harlan. So what’s next for quick-drawing US Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant)? Read on to find out!
Beware, Justified spoilers ahead! This is your last chance to turn back!
