The Weekly Round-Up for Nov. 9 to 13
November 15, 2009 by Rueben
Filed under Uncategorized
Here are the sci-fi based news items for this week (November 9 to 13):
NOTE: Typically the weekly round-ups are posted every Friday night or early Saturday morning, but unforeseen circumstances delayed that from happening this week.
NEWS
ABC has confirmed that no new episodes of their brand new series Eastwick will be produced beyond the original 13-episode commitment. ABC higher-ups are considering moving Ugly Betty to Wednesdays at 10 PM in January as part of a flashy re-launch of the show in an effort to save it. What that means for the return of Lost, which normally holds the Wednesday at 10 PM time slot, is uncertain. The Ugly Betty move is only speculative at this point.
Producers at True Blood are now casting for Caroline Compton (Bill’s wife), who, in another flashback to his earlier life, is surprised to discover her man was not killed in the Civil War, as she had thought.
The CW has decided to package Smallville’s upcoming (and highly-anticipated) Justice Society-themed two-parter into a two-hour movie event airing on January 29. The Geoff Johns-penned episodes — titled “Society” and “Legends” and featuring such DC Comics characters as Stargirl, Hawkman, and Dr. Fate — were originally designed to air separately. But, according to Smallville insiders, CW execs felt they could get more mileage out of combining them.
UPDATE: It’s been stated online that this special two-movie has been moved to February inside of January.
Dollhouse has been canceled by FOX, but the show is expected to finish its 13-episode order. The remaining episodes will air on December 4, 11 and 18 as well as January 8, 15 and 22 (which will be the finale, of course).
It looks like the British favorite TV series Torchwood will be back for a fourth season. Things will hopefully star to move in January.
Syfy has quietly cut back the episodic order of Battlestar Galactica prequel series Caprica by one episode, bringing the total to 19 installments.
NEW DEVELOPMENT SLATE
Author Ray Bradbury has signed a deal with indie producers White Oak Films to develop The Bradbury Chronicles, a six-hour miniseries based on six of his short stories. No network is currently attached to the project, which will be executive produced by Bradbury, John Dayton, Merrill Capps, Todd Klick, Cory Travalena, and Dale Olson, with Bradbury himself adapting his own work.
NEW SEASON TALLY
The following is a run-down of the general state of the TV shows for the fall season – not just the sci-fi (ish) based shows, but excludes reality:
The shows that have been canceled so far this season are: Dollhouse, Hank, Eastwick, Trauma and The Beautiful Life. Numb3rs has essential been canceled in lieu of a minimized season this year. The shows that are still in jeopardy are: Brothers, Cold Case, Fringe, Gary Unmarried, Law & Order, Melrose Place, Three Rivers, ‘Til Death and The New Adventures of Old Christine.
And given the growing prevalence of DVR viewing, a number of shows have increased their viewership – in some cases quite significantly. Over the course of the fall season – from September 21 to October 25 – the following series, in order of appearance, had the biggest gains thanks to DVR viewership:
Grey’s Anatomy
The Office
Criminal Minds
The Big Bang Theory
Private Practice
FlashForward
NCIS
Desperate Housewives
Glee
CSI: Miami
NCIS: Los Angeles
Castle
The Good Wife
Modern Family
CSI: NY
House
Heroes
Brothers & Sisters
30 Rock
Law & Order
Numb3rs
Cougar Town
Ghost Whisperer
Medium
BOX OFFICE NEWS
Krysten Ritter (Breaking Bad and Confessions of a Shopaholic) has been cast in the romantic comedy film with a vampire twist, by writer/director Amy Heckerling (of Clueless fame), called Vamps. The film is a modern-day tale of two young female vampires living the good life in New York until love enters the picture and each has to make a choice that will jeopardize their immortality.
Duncan Jones, who directed the much buzzed about movie Moon will next direct the sci-fi thrilled Source Code. Jake Gyllenhaal is in negotiations to star. The movie centers on a soldier who wakes up in the body of an unknown commuter and is forced to live and relive (over and over) a harrowing terrorist train bombing until he can determine who is responsible for it.
Marti Noxon has been hired to pen a remake of the classic 1985 horror comedy Fright Night by Dreamworks.
AS HEARD ON/MUSIC NEWS
The song “Unthought Known” by Pearl Jam was featured in this past week’s episode of FlashForward.
The songs featured in this week’s The Vampire Diaries included “Come Back When You Can” by Barcelona, “Houses” by Great Northern, “Lies” by Pablo Sebastian, “Post Electric” by Idlewild, “The Spectator” by The Bravery and “Think I Need It Too” by Echo & The Bunnymen.
CASTING SCOOP
Fringe is on the hunt for a fortysomething actress to play Walter’s wife. She’s described as being strong, broken, intelligent, attractive, likable, lovely and extremely versatile. This could be a possible recurring role.
Pam Grier (The L Word and Jackie Brown) is joining the cast of Smallville for multiple episodes, playing DC Comics villainess Agent Amanda Waller. She is expected to be seen starting in late January.
Sheila Kelley (L.A. Law) will play the recurring role of Kendall, an intellectual beauty with a sharp edge to her wit who is caught committing corporate espionage and has to lie her way out in the final season of Lost.
Sean Faris (Reunion) will appear in a multi-episode arc on The CW hit The Vampire Diaries. He will play Ben, an ex-high school football star-turned-bartender at the Mystic Grill, who is friends with Matt and there are hints that a possible romance will happen between Ben and one of the show’s females.
Robert Patrick (The Unit and The X-Files), will appear in the 10th episode of Chuck, playing Colonel Keller, a mysterious figure from Casey’s past. In this episode we also meet Alex, a young Marine; Kathleen, a strong, independent, attractive woman around 40; and Stanley, a short guy in his mid-30s who is a total geek.
Actor Matthew Del Negro, who had recurring roles on The West Wing and The Sopranos, but most recently turned up on United States of Tara and Trauma, has been cast as Danny Torcoletti in Eastwick despite the show not getting a full season pick-up.
Lost is currently looking for several Latin actors for its ninth episode of its upcoming final season. The roles include a loving wife and devout Catholic named Isabella, who has been suffering an illness for many years; a religious man named Ignacio who has turned to crime; a stern Catholic priest named Father Suarez, and a wealthy Latino doctor. Rounding out the guest cast for this episode, is a 30-something English military officer man named Jonas Whitfield.
Gina Torres (Firefly and Serenity) will guest star on the The Vampire Diaries’ 10th episode as Bree, a past associate of Damon’s, who holds the key to the more sinister Salvatore brother acquiring something he desperately wants – access to a tomb.
Kate Vernon (Battlestar Galactica) will soon join the cast of Heroes. Not much is known about the character she’ll portray, however.
RUMOR PATROL
Kevin Sorbo is reportedly close to agreeing to a schedule to play a bad guy on The Legend of the Seeker.
Len Wiseman (Underworld) is in talks to direct and produce an untitled apocalypse-themed pitch for 20th Century Fox. The story is based on an original idea about a group of people who survive the end of the world and the mystery surrounding how they got to that position. Writers are currently being sought for the project. Wiseman is still attached to the underwater military actioner Atlantis Rising and the futuristic war feature Shrapnel.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Here is a list of new episodes for the returning and new fall shows:
Sunday, November 15:
Dexter on Showtime at 9 p.m.
The Prisoner on AMC at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.
NOTE: Check your local listings for channel, date and time for next new episode of The Legend of the Seeker.
Monday, November 16:
Heroes on NBC at 8 p.m.
The Prisoner on AMC at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Tuesday, November 17:
V on ABC at 8 p.m.
The Prisoner on AMC at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Wednesday, November 18:
NOTE: Eastwick is being pre-empted tonight because of a special dedicated to Janet Jackson; and while the show has essentially been canceled, the network will air the remaining filmed episodes.
Thursday, November 19:
FlashForward on ABC at 8 p.m.
The Vampire Diaries on The CW at 8 p.m.
Supernatural on The CW at 9 p.m.
Fringe on FOX at 9 p.m.
NOTE: This will be the last new episodes of The Vampire Diaries and Supernatural until January 14, 2010.
Friday, November 20:
Ghost Whisperer on CBS at 8 p.m.
Medium on CBS at 9 p.m.
Smallville on The CW at 8 p.m.
Stargate: Universe on Syfy at 9 p.m.
Sanctuary on Syfy at 10 p.m.
NOTE: Please check your local listings for the correct air dates and times for all of the above.
Have a great weekend!
Please note that I will feature a weekly round-up of general news about non-sci-fi based series and movies posted at our sister site located at http://nicegrlstv.com/. Please visit there as often as you can. Thanks!
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