matt.mitovich

Season-premiere Teases for NCIS, CSI and More

Pretty much crumbs here, but CBS sent out a few season-premiere deets for its fall lineup. If your show isn't here, it's because A) it's new, B) you could have written the supervague preview yourself and/or C) it's a sitcom that thrives independent of its story arcs.Cold Case: Several weeks after being shot, Lilly returns to work and tries to convince Stillman and herself that she's emotionally ready for work.Shark: Jessica helps Sebastian with a double homicide case, enlisting added firepower (Kevin Alejandro) from an organized crime unit.How I Met Your Mother: Robin hooks up with Enrique Iglesias, so Ted storms the bar scene with Barney.NCIS: The showdown between the team and an arms dealer reaches a deadly conclusion.The Unit: As Jonah evades an assasin, Bob secretly reports to a mysterious entity.Criminal Minds: A college campus killing spree... I dunno, prompts Gideon to rendezvous with Richie Cunningham's big brother Chuck?CSI: "Sara's fate remains in question." Yeah?Without a...

Thu, Aug 23, 2007

Season-premiere Teases for NCIS, CSI and More

Freaks Geek Has Bones to Pick, and More Casting Bits

John Francis Daley (Freaks and Geeks, Kitchen Confidential) has joined Bones in the recurring role of a therapist.... Also per the Reporter, David Blue (a guest star during Season 1 of Dirt) is in final talks with Ugly Betty to fill the recurring role of Marc's potential new love interest.... Jack Carpenter will star in the Comedy Central pilot Held Up as well as play Lauren Ambrose's ex-boyfriend in Fox's midseason series The Return of Jezebel James.More TVGuide.com casting news: Smallville Gets "Fierce" with Top Model Champ, One Tree Hill Adds Another Beautiful Person, Julianna Margulies "Marries" Aidan Quinn

Thu, Aug 23, 2007

Freaks Geek Has Bones to Pick, and More Casting Bits

Jason, Michael or Freddy: Who Has the Fright Stuff?

Halloween is almost upon us  Rob Zombie's remake of the John Carpenter classic, that is  and thus my (sometimes dark) thoughts have turned to the big screen's best bogeymen.I am not at liberty to "review" per se the new Halloween, which I had the opportunity to screen a few weeks back, but I will say that Tyler Mane (a past cohort of Zombie's, and X-Men's Sabretooth) makes for a most imposing Michael Myers. I always gave Michael a fair shake, as he does the most with the mentally wrong and silent type. One of the best screams came from Carpenter's original, when Michael, coat hanger still in his eye, propped himself up in the background, as an oblivious Jamie Lee Curtis cowered.Freddy Krueger of the Elm Street pics always had an unfair advantage over mute murderers, able to win over the audience with his clever barbs and puns so bad they themselves nearly killed you.Jason Voorhees, most memorably committed to celluloid in several of the Friday the 13ths by Kane Hodder (o...

Wed, Aug 22, 2007

Emmy Presenters Include Office Boss and Jack Bauer

Steve Carell, Kyle Chandler, the cast of Entourage, Back to You's Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton, Katherine Heigl, Hayden Panettiere, Jimmy Smits (Cane), Jon Stewart, Kiefer Sutherland and Kate Walsh have been confirmed as presenters for the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards, airing Sept. 16 on Fox. Yes, Ryan Seacrest is still scheduled to host.

Wed, Aug 22, 2007

TV Guide Network Plans a Very Specials Emmys

Now that Joey Fatone has been announced as Lisa Rinna's cohost/cohort for TV Guide Network's awards-show red-carpet coverage starting with this year's Primetime Emmys, the cabler's complete plan for pre- and post-show coverage can be revealed:Sept. 8, at 8 pm/ETEmmy Awards Preview with Joey Fatone, including one-on-one interviews with nomineesSept. 16, 3 pmCountdown to the Emmy Awards, a three-hour special cohosted by Kimberly Caldwell and Rosanna TavarezSept. 16, 6 pmLive at the Emmy Awards, where Lisa and Joey invite you to join them on the red carpet as the stars arriveSept. 17, 8 pmEmmy Awards Fashion Wrap with Lisa Rinna, a highlight reel of the good, the bad and the overuse of body glitter

Wed, Aug 22, 2007

TV Guide Network Plans a Very Specials Emmys

Todd McFarlane Revisits a Dark and Edgy Oz

Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow Pictures are teaming on Oz, Spawn creator Todd McFarlane's revisionist take on the L. Frank Baum books that begat the Wizard of Oz chestnut. Though McFarlane's vision is described as "dark, edgy and a muscular PG-13," and an Oz toy line he launched years ago reimagined a rather buxom Ms. Gale, screenwriter Josh Olson (A History of Violence) tells Variety, "Dorothy as some bondage queen isn't something I want to do. I want this to be Harry Potter-dark, not Seven-dark."

Wed, Aug 22, 2007

Todd McFarlane Revisits a Dark and Edgy Oz

In the Works: Brad Pitt Is Feeling Trans-sexy, and More

FX has greenlit the pilot for 4 Oz., a drama cocreated by Nip/Tuck's Ryan Murphy and featuring Brad Pitt as an executive producer, and concerning a family man who realizes he is a transsexual and embraces it. Since the original pitch, the as-yet-uncast lead character has been changed (as it were) from a sportswriter to a gynecologist.... Also says Variety, A&E has signed off on a pair of pilots: The Beast, about an FBI vet mentoring a young partner, and The Cleaner, based on the true story of a former addict turned interventionist.... Lifetime is adapting Kim Edwards' The Memory Keeper's Daughter as a TV-movie.

Wed, Aug 22, 2007

In the Works: Brad Pitt Is Feeling Trans-sexy, and More

Entourage Crazyman Joins 24, More Casting News

As first reported by Ausiello, Janeane Garofalo (whose name I will apparently need to learn to type correctly... ) is joining 24 for Season 7. Per a Fox press release, Garofalo is playing "Janis Gold, an FBI systems analyst assigned to the team investigating the crisis befalling Jack Bauer and company." Working alongside G-a-r-o-f-a-l-o, TVGuide.com has confirmed, will be Rhys Coiro (aka Entourage's Billy Walsh). 24's new day begins sometime in January 2008.... It's The Accused meets Top Gun! All that's missing is a barn-raising. Kelly McGillis will be guesting on The L Word this coming season, playing a military lawyer involved in a "Don't' ask, don't tell" case, says the Advocate.

Wed, Aug 22, 2007

Entourage Crazyman Joins 24, More Casting News

High School Musical Duo Snub Big Big-screen Bucks

As Disney Channel's High School Musical 2 continues to rack up ratings  in addition to the record 17.2 million who caught Friday's premiere, 8.4 mil tuned in for Saturday's rerun and 7.5 mil crooned in for Sunday's sing-along  talk continues of a feature-film adaptation of the original. Stars Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens, though, may not be available, if only because Disney is "only offering them $1 million each," a source tells the New York Post. A studio rep responds, "We are still in negotiations with the entire cast," but declined to comment further on the talks.UPDATED: An HSM2 encore is scheduled for Thursday at 8 pm/ET. Because you haven't seen it enough, Moms and Dads.

Wed, Aug 22, 2007

High School Musical Duo Snub Big Big-screen Bucks

Britney Back with Justin? She Just Won't Duet

Britney Spears bailed at the last minute on mixing a duet with red-hot former flame Justin Timberlake, robbing herself of a showstopping opener for the upcoming VMAs. Timbaland, who was producing the unlikely duet, "set aside a week out of his crazy schedule to do this and then, just before she was supposed to fly out, Britney abruptly canceled," a source tells the New York Post's Page Six. "It's crazy. She's looking for a comeback, and this would have not only been a huge hit, but something [that would have] really blown everyone away."Just how crazy is Brit? (Alleged hookups with Criss Angel aside?) "She needs help," another source tells the Post. "It's sad because what she's got  we've heard it's like bipolar disorder  can easily be treated with medication, but she won't do it."

Wed, Aug 22, 2007

Britney Back with Justin? She Just Won't Duet

HBO Aims to Rub Out Meerkat's Sopranos Ad

Have you seen and don't you love those print ads for Animal Planet's Meerkat Manor, presenting the critters in a Sopranos-style cast photo and declaring "The Family Is Back" in the same typography? Yeah, well, according to the New York Daily News, cranky, stuffy HBO isn't wild about the animals, and has sent the cabler a cease-and-desist letter claiming copyright violation. In response, a representative for the meerkats chittered something that sounded an awful lot like, "Thanks for the free publicity, idiots!"

Wed, Aug 22, 2007

HBO Aims to Rub Out Meerkat's Sopranos Ad

Jennifer Garner Rox Broadway's Cyrano

Alias' Sydney is teaming with another undercover agent of sorts  shy and super-schnozzed Cyrano de Bergerac  in a new Broadway staging of the romantic classic. Playing Cyrano to Jennifer Garner's Roxanne is Kevin Kline, while Rescue Me's Daniel Sunjata will fake ownership of Cy's poetic profferings as the delish-yet-dim Christian. Cyrano starts previews Oct. 12 before opening Nov. 1.

Wed, Aug 22, 2007

The Heroes World Tour: Is Your City on "The List"?

NBC Universal has released details on the "Heroes World Tour," a global marketing initiative in which 12 cast members will swoop down on eight countries beginning Aug. 26  two days before Season 1 arrives on DVD and HD-DVD. The tour has been split into three legs, as follows:North America: Noah Gray-Cabey, James Kyson Lee, Zachary Quinto and Dania Ramirez, with co-executive producer Jeph Loeb and acclaimed graphic-novel artist Tim Sale New York City, Aug. 27-29 Toronto, Aug. 30-Sept. 1Europe: Jack Coleman, Hayden Panettiere, Adrian Pasdar and Milo Ventimiglia, with executive producer Dennis Hammer Munich, Aug. 26-27 Paris, Aug. 28-29 London, Aug. 30-Sept. 2Asia: Greg Grunberg, Ali Larter, Masi Oka and Sendhil Ramamurthy Tokyo, Aug. 26-28 Hong Kong, Aug 29-30 Singapore, Aug. 31-Sept. 2Everyone else can keep tabs on the escapades via daily reports and exclusive video at NBC.com/HeroesWorldTour.Related: Heroes Cast Launches World Tour

Wed, Aug 22, 2007

The Heroes World Tour: Is Your City on "The List"?

Power Surge: CBS Doubles Up on Drew Carey Quizzer

CBS has ordered four additional episodes of the Drew Carey-hosted Power of 10 game show, which will air two nights a week  Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 8 pm/ET  starting, well, tonight. To accomodate the extra Power, NCIS repeats will be pushed back to 10 pm.The Power of 10 season finale is now slated for Sunday, Sept. 23, as to not conflict with the Wednesday, Sept. 19, premiere of Kid Nation.

Tue, Aug 21, 2007

Power Surge: CBS Doubles Up on Drew Carey Quizzer

Big Brother, Spike's Sexy Barmaids and More Short Cuts

Sunday's Big Brother enjoyed its largest Sunday audience of the season, delivering 7.7 million viewers.... Food Network and Cooking.com are partnering on an e-commerce site also offering product reviews, tips and product videos (but no Giada swimsuit posters). FoodNetworkStore.com launches Oct. 1.... "Kids' WB" on The CW has added Skunk Fu!, an animated series that's superpopular in the U.K. and Down Under, for the 2007-08 season.... Texas Hardtails alum Debbie Beal is among the ladies vying for the honor of Spike TV's Sexiest Bartender. Cast your vote here.... Would you let your kid participate in CBS' Kid Nation? Vote here.

Tue, Aug 21, 2007

Big Brother, Spike's Sexy Barmaids and More Short Cuts

David Letterman and Craig Ferguson Phone It In

Verizon Wireless and CBS Mobile are now offering full-length, commercial-free episodes of Late Show with David Letterman and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. In making this announcement, CBS becomes the first broadcast network to offer V CAST subscribers access to full-length, on-demand programming.Granted, to fit the screen Letterman's top-10 list will now be reduced to about 7.75 items, but still....

Tue, Aug 21, 2007

David Letterman and Craig Ferguson Phone It In

Katie Couric Bio Dismissed as "Baseless Gossip"

The unauthorized biography Katie: The Real Story claims, among many other things, that Katie Couric (during her bachelorette days) crippled the marriage of a CNN exec who promised to crown her a star, then as Today cohost deliberately ate into Matt Lauer's airtime and "did everything in her power" to squash the ascension of rising star Ann Curry.Author Edward Klein (who previously penned The Truth About Hillary, also posits that Couric's marriage to Jay Monahan was merely for show by the time he succumbed to cancer, and that only "her fear of negative publicity" kept them husband and wife. Asked for comment by the New York Daily News, Couric's spokesperson says, "The baseless gossip... doesn't merit a response."

Tue, Aug 21, 2007

Katie Couric Bio Dismissed as "Baseless Gossip"

NBC Prime Time Is Game for Olbermann's Countdown

MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann news/talk program will get a prime-time showcase on mothership NBC this Sunday at 7 pm/ET, when it presents a live broadcast leading into coverage of the Eagles-Steelers NFL preseason game. An ESPN alum, Olbermann will also serve as a contributor this season to the Peacock's Sunday Night Football in America telecasts.

Tue, Aug 21, 2007

NBC Prime Time Is Game for Olbermann's Countdown

Logan's Run Back on Its Feet, and More Movie News

Someone wake up Farrah Fawcett. On second thought, we don't have time for that. A reboot of 1976's Logan's Run is back on track, with Joseph Kosinski now at the helm. Long in gestation, the project has had at different times the likes of Bryan Singer (who bailed to do Superman Returns) and James McTeigue (V for Vendetta) attached to direct.... Also per the Reporter, former model Natalie Martinez is in talks to play the romantic lead opposite Jason Statham in Death Race, Paul W.S. Anderson's remake of the cult classic.... Per Variety, Peter Berg will adapt and direct Lone Survivor, based on the story of Marcus Luttrell, a Navy SEAL who led a mission into Afghanistan to kill a Taliban leader but was the only one to emerge alive.... Penélope Cruz, Marion Cotillard and Javier Bardem are the latest names being eyed for Rob Marshall's Nine.

Tue, Aug 21, 2007

Sopranos Strip-club Wares Shimmy onto eBay

The owners of Satin Dolls, the Lodi, New Jersey, gentlemen's club that doubled as The Sopranos' Bada Bing (and which I drive by every morning on the way to work  but only then), are auctioning off stripper poles, barstools, the fluorescent-purple men's-room sign and other fixtures spied on the crime drama, as the venue undergoes an augmentation/renovation. Said keepsakes are expected to surface on eBay this week (Lysol not included).

Tue, Aug 21, 2007

Sopranos Strip-club Wares Shimmy onto eBay

Kevin Federline to Seminally Rock One Tree Hill

Britney's ex turned subpoena machine Kevin Federline will guest-star on the CW's One Tree Hill when it returns midseason, playing Jason, "the cocky, enigmatic frontman for No Means Yes, a seminal rock band from the fictional town of Tree Hill, North Carolina."Federline will appear in a multi-episode arc, or at least until he's earned enough money for a new Xbox game. His previous acting credits include a not entirely awful October 2006 eppy of CSI.

Tue, Aug 21, 2007

Kevin Federline to Seminally Rock One Tree Hill

And the Emmys Hosting Gig Goes to... Ryan Seacrest?

Fresh from Fox:Ryan Seacrest will host the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards airing live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Sunday, Sept. 16, on Fox."Ryan Seacrest appeals to a broad audience, including the highly desirable young-adult demographic," adds Dick Askin, Chairman and CEO of the Television Academy. Adds Ken Ehrlich, executive producer of the Emmycast: "This year's show will be different in a number of ways; the freshness, enthusiasm and professionalism that Ryan brings to everything he does will be a perfect match for some of the innovative things we have planned. Ive watched Ryans growth on live events with great delight, and were going to have a great time with him on the Emmys."Seacrest just days ago was dubbed the host of Fox's Super Bowl 2008 pre-show and halftime coverage.POLL: What do you think of Ryan being named Emmys host? Vote here.

Mon, Aug 20, 2007

And the Emmys Hosting Gig Goes to... Ryan Seacrest?