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‘How I Met Your Mother’ Cast Talks Ending 9-Season Run at PaleyFest
3 hours ago
It’s the final countdown.
Nine seasons and about 40 potential moms later, “How I Met Your Mother” is three episodes shy of closing its final chapter.
The cast, show creators and director were tight-lipped about the series finale during Saturday night’s PaleyFest panel (moderated by comedian and recurring guest star Wayne Brady) following speculation that the mother — newcomer Cristin Milioti — dies in the near future.
Writers/show creators/exec producers Carter Bays and Craig Thomas dodged the question about the potentially morbid ending.
“I think one of the great things about ‘How I Met Your Mother’ is it’s surprising,” Thomas said. “It does super weird things at times and thank you guys for going with it. What a weird show it is.”
However, close scrutiny of everyone’s answers revealed that Robin (Cobie Smulders) and Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) will exchange vows, the final slap will be dealt, »
- Maane Khatchatourian
TV Review: ‘Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe’
6 hours ago
Beyond its crass practical considerations — promoting the soon-to-be-released “Captain America” sequel, while giving “Agents of Shield” a week off — ABC’s super-synergistic special “Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe” contains a pretty interesting business and creative story. While it might all make sense in hindsight, there was appreciable audacity in Marvel’s plan to release five loosely connected movies from the same hero-filled world, beginning with the cinematically unproven “Iron Man” and culminating with superhero team “The Avengers.” As such, this fast-moving hour qualifies as more than just a cut-and-paste job from electronic press kits, although there’s an element of that, certainly.
Of course, Marvel’s positioning as an independent upstart with scant margin for error has changed since its acquisition by Disney, which beyond its deep pockets and marketing apparatus provides the shelf space for “Agents of Shield” and this special. At the time, though, the studio’s gamble was impressive, »
- Brian Lowry
Former WGA West President Patric Verrone to Run for State Senate
22 hours ago
Former Writers Guild of America West president Patric M. Verrone, the leader of the WGA’s raucous 2007-08 strike, is seeking a seat in the California State Senate.
Verrone is one of six Democratic candidates who have filed to succeed Democrat State Senator Ted Lieu, who is running for the Congressional seat of retiring Rep. Henry Waxman.
Verrone is a resident of Pacific Palisades, the northern part of the 26th District which runs on the coastline starting in Palos Verdes and including Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and part of Hollywood.
Other declared candidates include Santa Monica school board member Ben Allen; attorney Barbi Appelquist; former Assemblywoman Betsy Butler, who represented another district from 2010 to 2012; women’s rights activist Sandra Fluke; and Manhattan Beach Mayor Amy Howorth. California’s primary election takes place June 3 and its general election is Nov. 4.
Verrone, who won a two-year seat on the WGA West board in September, »
- Dave McNary
Comedian David Brenner Dies at 78
22 hours ago
Comedian David Brenner, a staple of Johnny Carson’s “Tonight Show” in the 1970s and ’80s who was known for his observational humor, died Saturday at his home in New York City. He was 78.
Brenner’s death was confirmed by his publicist, Jeff Abraham.
The gangly, toothy comic made more than 150 appearances as a guest and substitute host on “The Tonight Show,” starting in the 1970s.
His “Tonight” exposure turned the former documentary filmmaker into a hot comedian. Brenner was a regular on other TV talk shows and game shows and starred in four HBO comedy specials. He also briefly hosted his own syndicated talk show in 1987.
In recent years, Brenner continued to work steadily doing standup shows. A four-day gig last December included a New Year’s Eve show at a casino-resort in King of Prussia, Pa.
Comedian Richard Lewis called Brenner a mentor who even loaned him money »
- Associated Press
‘Pretty Little Liars’ Alum Bryce Johnson Joins ‘Supernatural: Bloodlines’
15 March 2014 12:53 PM, PDT
After being killed off ABC Family’s “Pretty Little Liars,” Bryce Johnson is headed to The CW’s “Supernatural: Bloodlines.”
He joins “Pll” alums Sean Faris and Nathaniel Buzolic for the “Supernatural” spin-off (previously titled “Supernatural: Tribes”). The pilot is currently being filmed in Vancouver.
Johnson played Detective Darren Wilden on “Pll.” His character was murdered in 2011′s season four premiere.
Written by Andrew Dabb and directed by Robert Singer, “Bloodlines” revolves around the various mafiosa monster families that run the underbelly of Chicago. They’re being tracked by a hunter who’s trying to rid the city of supernatural beings.
“Bloodlines” will air as an episode of “Supernatural” on April 29.
»
- Maane Khatchatourian
‘Masters of Sex,’ ‘Mixology’ Stars Join ‘How I Met Your Dad’
15 March 2014 12:12 PM, PDT
Nick D'Agosto and Andrew Santino will join Greta Gerwig in CBS’ comedy pilot “How I Met Your Dad.”
The actors, who are best known for their work on “Masters of Sex” and “Mixology,” respectively, will round out the “How I Met Your Mother” spinoff’s primary cast, which also includes Drew Tarver and Krysta Rodriguez.
The show tells a “Himym”-esque story from a female point of view (Gerwig’s character of Sally). D’Agosto will play Frank, Juliet’s (Rodriguez) coworker who falls for Sally, while Santino will take the role of Danny, an uptight lawyer and Sally’s older brother.
Santino is a guest star; his casting is in second position to his ABC sitcom “Mixology.” D’Agosto will continue as a regular on Showtime’s “Masters of Sex.”
The pilot, from 20th Century Fox TV, was written by Emily Spivey and “Himym” co-creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas. »
- Maane Khatchatourian
Israeli TV Game Shows Raise the Stakes at Mip
15 March 2014 9:28 AM, PDT
Tel Aviv – Israel is upping its game ahead of April’s Miptv, with two new game show formats set to be shopped at the content market.
Media goliath Keshet, which dominated October’s Mipcom with its interactive talent show “Rising Star,” will unveil “Boom!,” a trivia game in which teams of four must correctly answer a series of knowledge-based questions or risk the explosion of a fake bomb. Multiple-choice questions are presented by colored bomb wires, and players must cut the right wire or set off a set-shaking explosion.
Keshet execs hope “Boom!,” which will air on Israel’s Channel 2 beginning in April, will deliver a jolt to the game-show genre and get them back into primetime.
The format is likely to go head to head with another game show offering, “The Big Picture” — a reboot on the get-rich-quick game show model that allows home viewers to play along and »
- Debra Kamin
‘Orange Is the New Black’ Talks Sex, Love and Women at PaleyFest
15 March 2014 8:35 AM, PDT
Let’s go to Litchfield.
The second night of PaleyFest Friday at the Dolby sounded off with the cast of “Orange is the New Black.”
To some disappointment, fans did not get to see any unseen clips of the second season, and the actors were mum on what they could reveal.
But we were able to hear from the new prison mate Vee, played by Lorraine Toussaint, who is headed to Litchfield for season two as the streetwise drug maven who runs children.
“She shakes things up. Nothing is the same because of Vee,” said Laverne Cox.
“She plays and enjoys the game,” Toussaint said. “I had a great deal of fun,” she said with a hint of villainy.
The estrogen-filled panel talked about the role of women on the Netflix series and the conversations this show has sparked.
“It made us dream differently. I remember feeling reverberated from my being. »
- Nikara Johns
PaleyFest: ‘Orange Is the New Black’ Gang Talks Season 2
15 March 2014 5:20 AM, PDT
Jenji Kohan and the cast of Netflix’s “Orange Is the New Black” charmed fans Friday night at PaleyFest.
The gang from the femme prison drama talked up plans for season two — get ready for much more backstory on key characters and a different pacing for the episodes, per exec producer Kohan.
The panel was big — and got bigger when actress Lea DeLaria (aka Big Boo) ran up from the audience at the Dolby Theater to join the panelists on stage.
Pictured above from left: Michael Harney, Uzo Aduba, Lorraine Toussaint, Laverne Cox, Jason Biggs, Laura Prepon, Yael Stone, Taylor Schilling, Kate Mulgrew, Taryn Manning, Jenji Kohan, Natasha Lyonne, and Danielle Brooks. Pictured below: Lea DeLaria gets a hand joining the panel.
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- Variety Staff
Nancy Lenehan Joins CBS Pilot from Matt Damon and Ben Affleck
14 March 2014 5:47 PM, PDT
Nancy Lenehan has been cast as the family matriarch in “More Time with the Family,” the CBS comedy pilot executive produced by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.
The half-hour multicamera project produced by 20th Century Fox Television stars Tom Papa as a husband and father who decides to make a career change so he can, as the show’s title suggests, spend more time with his family. Lenehan (“The New Adventures of Old Christine”) will play Tom’s mother. Joe Pantoliano has already been cast as his father.
The cast also includes Alyson Hannigan, Jack Gore and Zoe Pessin.
Damon and Affleck are exec producing through their Pearl Street shingle. Scribes Josh Goldsmith, Cathy Yuspa and Papa will also exec produce with 3 Arts’ Dave Becky and Josh Lieberman.
Lenehan is repped by Pakula/King & Associates, Imperium 7 Talent Agency and Meghan Schumacher Management.
»
- Whitney Friedlander
‘The Wire’ Actor Joins CBS’ ‘Odd Couple’ Pilot
14 March 2014 5:46 PM, PDT
Wendell Pierce has joined the cast of the CBS reboot of “The Odd Couple,” a multi-camera comedy pilot that stars Matthew Perry and Thomas Lennon as the titular pair.
Pierce, who is known for his work as Det. ‘Bunk’ Moreland on “The Wire” and jazz musician Antoine Batiste on “Treme,” will again play a cop — this time a neurotic one who frequents the game nights thrown by Perry’s Oscar Madison. If the pilot goes to series, this year will shape up to be a busy one for Pierce, who was recently cast in a recurring role on Showtime’s “Ray Donovan.”
He is repped by Paradigm and Essential Talent Management.
Perry, who penned the CBS Television Studios pilot with Joe Keenan, is exec producing with Eric Tannenbaum and Kim Tannenbaum and Carl Beverly and Sarah Timberman.
“The Odd Couple” originated as a theater production and was adapted into the »
- Whitney Friedlander
Josh Lucas Joins NBC Drama Pilot ‘The Mysteries of Laura’
14 March 2014 4:39 PM, PDT
Josh Lucas has been tapped to join the NBC/Wbtv pilot “The Mysteries of Laura.”
The one-hour drama follows the life and relationships of the titular female homicide detective, played by Debra Messing. Lucas will play Jake, Laura’s soon-to-be ex-husband and also the clever cop who ends up being captain of her police precinct. The schmoozing serial cheater just needs to sign the papers for their divorce to be finalized. In the meantime, he’s stuck Laura with the responsibility of parenting their young twins.
The actor previously appeared in USA Network’s legal drama “The Firm” and has worked on numerous film projects, including 2001′s “Sweet Home Alabama,” in which his character was also under pressure to sign divorce papers.
“The Mysteries of Laura,” penned by Jeff Rake and helmed by “3 Days to Kill” director McG, is based on its Spanish-language counterpart “Los Misterios de Laura,” an original »
- Andrea Seikaly
CNN’s Primetime Ratings Surge, But For How Long?
14 March 2014 4:36 PM, PDT
CNN’s beleaguered primetime is doing something unexpected: climbing in the ratings.
Over the past few days, on several occasions, the Time Warner-owned cable-news outlet has trumped its rivals among viewers between the ages of 25 and 54, the demographic most coveted by advertisers. To be certain, Fox News Channel remains the most-watched cable-news network, but CNN is enjoying an uptick.
For two nights, CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360” has won more viewers in the 25-to-54 demo than Fox News’ “The O’Reilly Factor,” according to data from Nielsen. On Thursday, Cooper attracted an average of 454,000 viewers in the demo compared to O’Reilly’s 429,000, according to Nielsen. On Wednesday, Cooper won an average of 431,000 viewers in the demo, Nielsen said, compared to O’Reilly’s 386,000.
On Thursday, “Erin Burnett Outfront” at 7 p.m. on CNN notched more 25-to-54 viewers than Greta van Susteren on Fox News at the same hour. And “Piers Morgan Tonight, »
- Brian Steinberg
HBO’s 1970s Rock ‘n’ Roll Drama Project Adds Max Casella, Jack Quaid
14 March 2014 2:45 PM, PDT
HBO’s still-unnamed, long-planned 1970s rock ‘n’ roll drama pilot, set against the backdrop of New York’s emerging punk scene, is adding a couple more band members.
Max Casella (“The Sopranos”) and Jack Quaid (“The Hunger Games” movies) join the cast as music executives Julian “Julie” Silver and Clark Morelle respectively. While the hot-headed Jules struggles to stay hip and relevant, the younger Clark is just trying to get a foothold in this competitive, fast-paced world.
The project, which is scheduled to begin lensing this summer, stars Bobby Cannavale as Richie Finestra, the founder and president of a top-tier record label who is dealing with a crisis of character. Olivia Wilde plays his former actress-model wife and Juno Temple plays a manipulative, ambitious assistant at the record label.
“Boardwalk Empire’s” Terence Winter and “Breaking Bad’s” George Mastras co-wrote the script, which has been in development for a couple years. »
- Whitney Friedlander
‘132 Lb. Scrotum’ Star Wesley Warren Dies
14 March 2014 2:30 PM, PDT
Wesley Warren Jr., star of the TLC’s “The Man With the 132 Lb. Scrotum, has died. He was 49.
According to TMZ, Warren passed away Friday at University Medical Center after suffering two heart attacks in recent weeks.
TLC’s documentary followed the Las Vegas resident as he suffered from the rare medical condition scrotal lymphedema.
He underwent surgery in April 2013 to remove the growth.
Warren’s condition first aired on television on Channel 4′s “The Man with the 10-Stone Testicles” in 2013.
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- Variety Staff
‘Homeland’ Makes Nazanin Boniadi a Series Regular
14 March 2014 1:02 PM, PDT
Showtime and Fox 21 have announced that actress Nazanin Boniadi has been elevated to series regular for the upcoming season of the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning drama series “Homeland.”
Boniadi, who guest-starred in season three, plays strong-willed Muslim CIA analyst Fara Sherazi. Her now-regular role will pick up where the final episodes left off, with Fara enlisting her relatives in Tehran to help CIA officer Carrie (Claire Danes) with a secret mission. In season four, Fara will have a key role working for Carrie at the CIA.
Boniadi, a human rights activist and an official spokesperson for Amnesty International USA, currently guest stars on ABC’s hit drama “Scandal.” Her TV resume also includes stints on “How I Met Your Mother,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “24.”
The fourth season of “Homeland” is expected to premiere next fall.
»
- Andrea Seikaly
TNT Prepping Diverse Summer Slate of 10 Original Series
14 March 2014 12:59 PM, PDT
TNT this summer will be airing an unprecedented nine original dramas, and 10 series overall, including new projects from Steven Bochco, Michael Bay and the producers of “Homeland.”
In addition to three new series, the cabler’s summer fare includes four of the 15 most popular dramas on basic cable (“Rizzoli & Isles,” “Major Crimes,” “Falling Skies” and “Perception”).
Michael Wright, president, head of programming for TNT, said he hopes the net’s summer slate points to the quality, variety and stability of the network’s programming.
“It’s a wonderful mix of old and new partners we’re working with … people known for making quality television,” Wright told Variety. “This really helps us burnish the brand.”
The diverse summer slate underscores the evolution of that brand, which not too long ago was driven almost entirely by crime shows like “The Closer.”
“We love our crime dramas, but we’re now programming in several genres… »
- Rick Kissell
Lena Dunham Says She’s Not Quitting Acting
14 March 2014 12:28 PM, PDT
Lena Dunham squashed rumors of her quitting acting , giving E! News a flat-out “no” when she was asked point-blank about her career Thursday night at the Television Academy’s an Evening With “Girls” panel.
The rumors started earlier this week with the release of a Glamour magazine piece where she is quoted as saying, “I don’t know if I’m going to want to act anymore.”
Dunham was joined at the Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre in NoHo Arts District by cast mates Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, Zosia Mamet, Andrew Rannells and producer Ilene S. Landress. They discussed criticism of the HBO show, whether “Girls” is scripted and rehearsed and even the time Mamet’s character had a doughnut-shaped hairstyle.
“It is rehearsed, but there’s a nice amount of improv in it … Lena uses it to help get us into the scene and character,” Kirk said.
The panel was moderated by Dave Karger, »
- Nikara Johns
ABC’s ‘Resurrection’ Rises to 17 Million Viewers in DVR Playback
14 March 2014 10:50 AM, PDT
ABC rookie drama “Resurrection,” which impressed in its premiere last Sunday, has grown its total-viewer number to 17 million thanks to early DVR playback.
According to Nielsen Live + 3 data, which incorporates same-night viewing and time-shifting done from Monday through Wednesday of last week, “Resurrection” grew by 22% — from 13.9 million to about 17 million. While not a particularly large percentage gain for three days, 17 million viewers is a number that few drama premieres achieve these days.
In fact, “Resurrection” is the most-watched regular-timeslot drama premiere of the season in L3, a bit ahead of NBC’s “The Blacklist” from September (17.043 million to 16.945 million). CBS’ “Intelligence,” which had an off-night premiere behind “NCIS” on a Tuesday in January (behind that show’s nearly 21 million viewers), tops all rookie dramas in L3 with 18.990 million viewers.
In adults 18-49, “Resurrection” grew by 32%, from a 3.8 to a 5.0, putting it not far behind NBC’s “The Voice” (5.3 rating), which was the week’s No. »
- Rick Kissell
Ronald Lauder, Pioneer of Central and Eastern European Broadcasting, Steps Down as Cme Chairman
14 March 2014 10:40 AM, PDT
London — Ronald S. Lauder, a pioneer of commercial broadcasting in Central and Eastern Europe, has stepped down as non-executive chairman at TV network Central European Media Enterprises, of which he was founder. He will leave the board.
Lauder was instrumental in establishing independent television broadcasting across Central and Eastern Europe, beginning with the launch of TV Nova in the Czech Republic in 1994 as that country’s first commercial broadcaster. Since then, the company has expanded rapidly in the region. Lauder served as the non-executive chairman of the company’s board for the past 20 years.
Cme operates television channels in six Central and Eastern European markets: Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Romania, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia.
In a joint statement, Michael Del Nin and Christoph Mainusch, co-ceo of Cme, said: “Over his illustrious career, Ronald has fostered the development of independent broadcasters in Central and Eastern Europe. Because of this, »
- Leo Barraclough
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company.