Expert safecracker Phil Crawford stars in the new unscripted series The Safecrackers coming to truTV on March 24, 2014. The half-hour series is executive produced by Mountain Monsters and Diamond Divers‘ Duke Straub, Colt Straub and Royal Malloy.
Commenting on the upcoming debut of the new show, truTV President and Head of Programming Chris Linn said, “Providing an in-depth look into a world rarely seen, The Safecrackers features fascinating characters, suspense, humor and surprising reveals in every episode.”
The Plot:
Phil Crawford and his best buddy Blaze they travel the country determined to unravel the mysteries and unlock the secrets lurking in lost and abandoned safes. Phil, Blaze and their fun-loving crew of family and friends can track down and crack open just about anything, from giant bank vaults to intricate antique safes and even armored vehicles and underground bunkers.
Showtime’s set to launch the new horror series Penny Dreadful on May 11, 2014 and to help build up the anticipation, the network’s just unleashed a new full-length trailer. The “psychosexual thriller” was created by John Logan (Hugo) and executive produced by Logan, Sam Mendes (Skyfall), and Pippa Harris.
Logan wrote the series and Juan Antonio Bayona (The Orphanage) directed the first two episodes. Josh Hartnett, Timothy Dalton, Eva Green, Reeve Carney, Rory Kinnear, Billie Piper, Danny Sapani, and Harry Treadway star in the eight-episode season.
The Plot: In Penny Dreadful, some of literature’s most famously terrifying characters – including Dr. Frankenstein, Dorian Gray and iconic figures from the novel Dracula, all brilliantly reimagined in a whole new light – have become embroiled in Victorian London.
Downton Abbey‘s Jessica Brown Findlay (‘Lady Sybil Crawley’) plays the gorgeous daughter of a wealthy businessman who’s led a sheltered life because she’s suffering from consumption in the romantic drama, Winter’s Tale. Findlay’s part of the time-traveling tale is set in the 1900s when her character meets and falls instantly in love with a handsome rogue who has broken into her family’s home to rob it.
In this interview courtesy of Warner Bros Pictures, Findlay chats about her character, getting the opportunity to shoot on location rather than on a set, and what the story’s about. She also talked about working with Colin Farrell and being directed by Akiva Goldsman.
Michael Keaton stars as the owner of a billion-dollar corporation that wants to put robots on the streets of the U.S. to keep the peace in the 2014 remake of RoboCop. And in this interview courtesy of Columbia Pictures, Keaton discusses working with Joel Kinnaman (who takes on the title role), the appeal of the film, and what audiences can expect.
CBS is changing things up, shifting The Crazy Ones from its Thursday night spot at 9pm ET/PT to 9:30pm. That means Two and a Half Men will now air at 9pm instead of 9:30pm beginning February 27, 2014.
The network’s also set mid-season premiere dates for Bad Teacher and Unforgettable. Bad Teacher will have its season one premiere on April 24th at 9:30pm following the end of this season of The Crazy Ones on April 17th. The half-hour comedy is based on the feature film starring Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, and Jason Segel, and stars Ari Graynor, Sara Gilbert, Ryan Hansen, David Alan Grier, Kristin Davis, and Sara Rodier.
Unforgettable will return to the CBS lineup on Friday, April 4th at 8pm. The one-hour drama stars Poppy Montgomery, Dylan Walsh, Jane Curtin, Dallas Roberts, James Hiroyuki Liao, and Tawny Cypress.
The Bad Teacher Plot:
Bad Teacher is a single-camera comedy based on the hit feature film about an always inappropriate, fearless and unapologetic former trophy wife who masquerades as a teacher in order to find a new man after her wealthy husband leaves her penniless. Dumped, divorced and broke due to a bad pre-nup, Meredith Davis is inspired by her friend’s smart, awkward stepdaughter, Lily, to devise the perfect three-step plan: 1) Pose as a teacher at Lily’s ritzy middle school; 2) Meet and marry a rich single dad; 3) Return to a lavish lifestyle. Using a phony resume, quick-thinking Meredith effortlessly charms Principal Carl Gaines, who is easily duped and oblivious to her agenda.
The faculty includes Joel, her handsome former high school classmate turned gym teacher, who sees right through her but is amused by her antics; Irene, a shy, introverted teacher who’s overly excited at the possibility of making a best friend; and Ginny, the up-tight Faculty President and busybody who resents Meredith and suspects something’s fishy. Meredith might be the worst teacher ever, but she’s the only one qualified to impart much-needed life lessons to Lily and her friends, while she keeps an eye out for husband #2.
The Unforgettable Plot:
Unforgettable stars Poppy Montgomery as Carrie Wells, an NYPD detective with a rare ability that makes her memory so flawless that every place, every conversation, every joy and every heartbreak is forever embedded in her mind, ready to be accessed at a moment’s notice. Feeling that her ability prevented her from leading a normal life, Carrie withdrew from police work for several years, until she was unexpectedly reunited with her ex-boyfriend and partner, Detective Al Burns. After consulting on a case, Carrie decided that she belonged back on the job and joined Al in the Queens PD.
Carrie’s memory helped her and Al close a staggering number of murder cases, which catches the eye of Eliot Delson, head of the Major Crimes Section of the NYPD. Carrie and Al agree to leave Queens to join Eliot’s team in Manhattan, though Carrie forces him to bring on Joanne Webster, a brilliant medical examiner well-known to Eliot for her acerbic personality. Armed with her unique ability and backed up by the people she trusts the most, Carrie now helps protect the citizens of New York, with each case more memorable than the last.
Jason Isaacs, known to millions of Muggles as Lucius Malfoy from the Harry Potter films, has landed the lead role in the six-episode event series, Dig. Set up at USA Network, the action-adventure thriller was created by Heroes‘ King Kring and Homeland‘s Gideon Raff.
According to USA Network, Isaacs is playing an FBI agent named Peter who “while investigating a murder of a young female archeologist, uncovers a conspiracy 2000 years in the making.”
Dig will air later this year.
In addition to the Harry Potter movie franchise, Isaacs’ film credits include The Patriot, Black Hawk Down, Green Zone, Friends with Money, Peter Pan, The Tuxedo, Sweet November, Windtalkers, End of the Affair, Armageddon, Event Horizon, and Abduction. His TV credits The West Wing, Entourage, and Brotherhood. Isaacs is currently busy filming the Rosemary’s Baby mini-series.
The Torrance family’s battle against demonic forces in a remote hotel comes alive on stage in Omaha, Nebraska for a special limited engagement to benefit the Benson Theatre. Stephen King’s bestselling horror novel The Shining will have a three-day run at Sokol Auditorium after King gave his approval to the Benson Theatre’s artistic director Jason Levering to put on the play. King approved the script by Levering and Aaron Sailors, and Levering is directing the production with all proceeds going to benefit Benson Theatre.
“Thanks to the generosity of Mr. Stephen King, we have a unique opportunity to bring his horror masterpiece to the stage for a great cause. A little-known fact is that Mr. King originally conceived The Shining as a sort of play – a tragedy with five acts – but it instead evolved into a novel with five parts,” said Levering.
The Shining will be performed on March 21 and March 22 and tickets are on sale for $30. For more details, visit the Benson Theatre website.
Miss Piggy is ready to deliver a smooch on Kermie’s cute little green face when she’s interrupted in this Valentine’s Day greeting from The Muppets. Everyone who knows Miss Piggy knows that you should never come between her and the love of her life, Kermit the Frog, so the uninvited guest gets exactly what he deserves.
Disney’s Muppets Most Wanted takes the entire Muppets gang on a global tour, selling out grand theaters in some of Europe’s most exciting destinations, including Berlin, Madrid, Dublin and London. But mayhem follows the Muppets overseas, as they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper headed by Constantine—the World’s Number One Criminal and a dead ringer for Kermit the Frog—and his dastardly sidekick Dominic, aka Number Two, portrayed by Ricky Gervais.
The film stars Tina Fey as Nadya, a feisty prison guard, and Ty Burrell as Interpol agent Jean Pierre Napoleon.
Masterpiece on PBS and Carnival Films just announced the casting of three new roles on season five of Downton Abbey. The new cast members joining the critically acclaimed dramatic series are Richard E. Grant (Doctor Who) as Simon Bricker (a guest of the Granthams at Downton Abbey), Anna Chancellor as Lady Anstruther, and Rade Sherbedgia as a Russian refugee.
In addition, Masterpiece revealed that Dame Harriet Walter will be back as Lady Shackleton and Peter Egan will return as Lord Flintshire.
“We look forward to introducing these new characters to our MASTERPIECE audience. They will make a wonderful addition to the beloved Downton Abbey ensemble,” said MASTERPIECE Executive Producer Rebecca Eaton.
Added Downton Abbey’s Executive Producer Gareth Neame, the Managing Director of Carnival Films, “We are delighted to welcome these talented actors to the world of Downton. The characters they play are set to bring yet more excitement and intrigue to the show.”
Among the cast members returning for season five are Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern, Jim Carter, Penelope Wilton, Phyllis Logan, Samantha Bond, Laura Carmichael, Lily James, Allen Leech, Brendan Coyle, Joanne Froggatt, Lesley Nicol, Sophie McShera, Rob James-Collier, Ed Speleers, Kevin Doyle, Raquel Cassidy, David Robb, Tom Cullen, Julian Ovenden, Daisy Lewis, Douglas Reith, Jeremy Swift, and Andrew Scarborough.
Community star and all-around funny guy Joel McHale has been tapped to host the 2014 White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner set to take place on Saturday, May 3rd. The annual dinner with the President, the First Lady, and journalists who cover the White House will once again be televised on C-SPAN.
“We’re thrilled that Joel will headline the dinner when we celebrate our centennial,” stated WHCA president Steven Thomma. “He’s sharp, funny, and just the type of comic who can navigate the unique challenge of our dinner, making fun of Democrats, Republicans and especially the news media. Washington can use a little good-natured ribbing.”
Proceeds raised at the event will help fund scholarships for aspiring journalists.
Details on the WHCA: “Founded in 1914 to represent the White House press corps, the association marks its centennial this year. It works to maintain independent news media coverage of the president, advocating for access, handling logistics for pools of reporters who stay close to the president and those who travel with him, and providing scholarships to journalism students.”
