Filming is underway on season four of Syfy’s Haven with a new cast member who’s very familiar with the network. Eureka star Colin Ferguson has signed on to the 13-episode season four of the popular series, set to play a character named William who is “a handsome, mysterious stranger whose secret agenda leads him to Audrey (Emily Rose).”
Production just began in Halifax, Nova Scotia on May 8, 2013 on the upcoming season.
Season three of Haven averaged 2.3 million viewers. Syfy reports it was the #1 cable drama on Friday nights at 10pm.
The Plot:
Season 4 of Haven picks up six months after the devastating events of the Season 3 cliffhanger in which the town was pummeled by a violent meteor storm. Audrey and Duke (Eric Balfour) vanished into thin air leaving an injured Nathan (Lucas Bryant) marooned in Haven.
The cast of Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks has expanded by two. Two-time Oscar nominee Jacki Weaver (Silver Linings Playbook, Animal Kingdom) and Julian Sands have signed on to join a cast that includes Gena Rowlands, Cheyenne Jackson, Rita Moreno, Kathleen Rose Perkins, Anthony Zerbe, and Simon Miller.
The movie is based on Richard Alfieri’s popular play. Alfieri adapted the story for the screen and Arthur Allan Seidelman is directing. Filming is currently underway in Budapest, Hungary, with additional locations including St. Petersburg, Florida.
“We’re particularly excited to have Jacki Weaver join the cast as a follow-up to her Oscar-nominated role in Silver Linings Playbook,” stated producer Andras Somkuti. “She, Gena Rowlands, Cheyenne Jackson and Julian Sands reflect the caliber of actors that our casting director Paul Ruddy has reached out to for key roles in the film.”
Michael J Fox’s real-life challenges dealing with Parkinson’s disease are part of the storyline in the new NBC comedy, The Michael J Fox Show, premiering this fall. Fox also executive produces the series along with writer Sam Laybourne (Cougar Town) and director Will Gluck (Easy A, Friends with Benefits), and NBC’s given the new comedy a Thursday night timeslot as part of its new comedy block with Parks and Recreation, Welcome to the Family, and Sean Saves the World.
The Plot:
Look who’s making the news again. One of New York’s most beloved news anchors, Mike Henry (Fox), put his career on hold to spend more time with his family and focus on his health after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. But five years later, with the kids busy growing up and Mike growing restless, it just might be time for him to get back to work.
Having never wanted Mike to leave in the first place, his old boss Harris Green (Wendell Pierce) jumped at the chance to get him back on TV. The trick, as it’s always been, was to make Mike think it was his idea. Now the plan is in motion and Mike will be back to juggling home, family, and career — just like the old days, but only better.
It’s dark and creepy, action-packed, and there are even some lighter moments all stuffed into one three minute trailer for the upcoming Fox series, Sleepy Hollow. The new series from co-creators/executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (the Star Trek and Transformers franchises, Fringe) is set to debut this fall, with Len Wiseman directing the pilot.
What if you suddenly woke up from the throes of death 250 years in the future to find the world is on the brink of destruction, caused by unimaginable events, and you are humanity’s last hope? Welcome to Sleepy Hollow, the thrilling new mystery-adventure drama from Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. In this modern-day retelling of Washington Irving’s classic, ICHABOD CRANE (Tom Mison) is resurrected and pulled two and a half centuries through time to unravel a mystery that dates all the way back to the founding fathers.
Revived alongside Ichabod is the infamous Headless Horseman who is on a murderous rampage in present-day Sleepy Hollow. Bound to the Headless Horseman by a blood spell cast on the battlefield of the American Revolution, Ichabod quickly realizes that stopping Headless is just the beginning, as the resurrected rider is but the first of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
As this re-invented Ichabod finds himself in present-day Sleepy Hollow, he discovers a town and a world he no longer recognizes. All that is brutally familiar are Headless and Ichabod’s determination to annihilate this immortal being. It’s a mission he must complete quickly, as Headless already has viciously slain Sheriff AUGUST CORBIN (guest star Clancy Brown). Grey served both as mentor and father figure to Detective ABBIE MILLS (Nicole Beharie), a young cop whose own supernatural experiences help her form an unlikely bond with Ichabod.
But Sleepy Hollow’s head of police, Captain FRANK IRVING (Orlando Jones), isn’t buying any of this. In fact, the only person who is on Abbie’s side is Ichabod. His extensive first-hand knowledge of our secret American history, coupled with her superior profiling and modern threat assessment skills, will make them a formidable duo as they work together to triumph over evil.
The complex pasts of Ichabod and Abbie, from Ichabod’s inclusion in the powerful and secretive Freemasons Society and the ghostly appearance of his late wife, KATRINA (Katia Winter), to Abbie’s childhood visions, will help them solve the intricate puzzles of Sleepy Hollow in order to protect its future. As history repeats itself, the oddly-linked pair will draw on the real stories and hallowed secrets this nation was founded on in their quest to stop an increasingly vicious cycle of evil.
In the series, Davis plays an actor who is desperate to revive his career. He also spends his time managing a talent agency (Dwarves for Hire) while not attempting to the pick the brains of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant in an effort to get more connections in the entertainment business.
Life’s Too Short Special was written and directed by Gervais and Merchant.
The Plot:
After a long cold spell, things are looking up for the self-aggrandizing Davis, who once appeared in some of Hollywood’s biggest hits (the Harry Potter and Star Wars films). He’s living with his new girlfriend, Amy, and is elated to learn from fellow Willow star Val Kilmer that a sequel to that 1988 fantasy may be in the works – if Davis can help raise funds to finance the film. Is the prospect too good to be true?
The worst part of this preview for episode eight of season three is knowing that it means there are only three episodes of Game of Thrones left. Well, not left as in the series is ending, but left as in the season is coming to a close. 10 episodes just isn’t enough to cover a full novel by George R.R. Martin but unfortunately that’s all HBO delivers. Maybe we should start a petition to add more episodes…
The Plot of Episode 8:
Episode #28: “Second Sons”
Debut: SUNDAY, MAY 19 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Other HBO playdates: May 19 (11:00 p.m.), 20 (12:05 a.m.), 21 (11:00 p.m.), 22 (10:00 p.m.), 23 (9:30 p.m.) and 25 (1:15 a.m.)
HBO2 playdates: May 20 (9:00 p.m.), 23 (11:00 p.m.), 24 (midnight) and 26 (3:30 p.m.), and June 7 (11:00 p.m.)
King’s Landing hosts a wedding, and Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) and Sansa (Sophie Turner) spend the night together. Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) meets the Titan’s Bastard. Davos (Liam Cunningham) demands proof from Melisandre. Sam (John Bradley) and Gilly (Hannah Murray) meet an older gentleman.
Written for television by David Benioff & D. B. Weiss; directed by Michelle MacLaren.
It’s So Easy and Other Lies, the authorized biography of Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan, has been picked up by Vision Films. The documentary from writer/director Christopher Duddy is based on the New York Times bestseller and was produced by McKagan, Duddy, and Steven G. Kaplan.
Shooting on the documentary began in March during one of Duff’s book readings and also shot during Duff’s performances. It’s So Easy and Other Lies is also set to include “rare archive footage from Marc Canter, who filmed all the early footage of Guns N’ Roses behind the scenes and performances, as well as an ultimate collector’s soundtrack for the fans.”
Announcing the acquisition, Lise Romanoff, Managing Director and CEO of Worldwide Distribution, stated: “Vision Films is excited to begin sales of It’s So Easy and Other Lies. The title is a one-of-a-kind look into one of the most iconic bands in Rock History.”
The Plot: This authorized biographical documentary takes the audience on an incredible cinematic journey through the unbelievable rise of a driven teenager’s meager beginnings on the streets of Seattle, to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The man is Michael McKagan, better known to the world as “Duff.” The band is Guns N’ Roses. The band became the ultimate icons of sex, drugs and rock and roll, causing pandemonium in their wake, but the lifestyle caught up with Duff, leaving him close to death.
Follow Duff’s journey through original archival footage and interviews with many of the people who took this wild ride, including a constellation of rock stars that rose to fame alongside him, and the people who inspired him to overcome his addictions.
Spike TV has given the go-ahead to 20 more Bar Rescue episodes starring Jon Taffer. Taffer’s a bar/nightlife expert with almost 30 years worth of experience in the business and with Bar Rescue he shares his knowledge to help struggling establishments.
Season two of Bar Rescue averaged 1.8 million viewers.
The Plot:
In Bar Rescue, Taffer travels nationwide, targeting a different failing establishment in each episode. His approach may ruffle feathers along the way, but Taffer pulls no punches and values bottom lines above hurt feelings. Owners and employees he believes are standing in the way of success are urged to check their egos at the door, as he employs a proven scientific approach to solving the problems befalling bars.
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In addition to Bar Rescue, Spike TV has signed up Taffer for a featured role in Hungry Investors‘ pilot. In the pilot episode, “Taffer teams up with two fellow restaurant industry experts to seek out ‘diamonds in the rough’ — neighboring establishments that are failing miserably, despite having amazing potential to succeed. The Hungry Investors put the struggling restaurants to the test in a head-to-head, challenge-based competition and the one enterprise that shows the most promise of turning things around earns a significant cash investment.”
Femme, executive produced and narrated by Sharon Stone, has been picked up by Vision Films for theatrical release. The documentary was directed by Emmanuel Itier (The Invocation) and features interviews with Stone, Marianne Williamson, Gloria Steinem, Nobel Peace laureates Shirin Ebadi and Maired Maguire, Maria Bello, Angela Davis, Maria Conchita Alonso, Barbara Marx Hubbard, Mary Buffett, Rickie Lee Jones, Jean Houston and Dr. Sue Morter.
“Femme is an innovative effort to illuminate the thoughts, voices and insights of women the world over,” explains Stone. “It is an opportunity for women to be heard and to hear one another in an unfiltered regard on issues that touch the core of the human condition both elegantly and eloquently. We have much to learn about each other and from each other.”
The Plot: Femme is a movie that will empower women and inspire them to keep leading in all areas of society: in religion as well as in economics and politics. Femme is also an education for men to better understand their female partners and to be more in touch with their feminine side in order to become more compassionate and attentive.
Barbara Walters announces her retirement on 'The View' (Photo Credit: ABC/Ida Mae Astute)
After five decades of television work, Barbara Walters is ready to relax. Walters officially announced her retirement on the May 13, 2013 episode of her series, The View, giving her fans plenty of warning, saying that in one year she will officially retire from being in front of TV cameras. Walters described her years in the media as fascinating, joyful, and rewarding – and said she wouldn’t change a thing.
Walters went on to say it’s her decision. And for those who worry it’s being made because she’s ill, she says she’s perfectly healthy.
Barbara Walters Biography [Courtesy of ABC]:
In September 2004, after 25 years as co-host and chief correspondent of ABC News’ 20/20, Ms. Walters left the show to begin a new phase in her career at the network. She remains an active member of the news division and network, substantially increasing the number of primetime ABC News specials, in addition to her Barbara Walters Specials. Ms. Walters joined ABC News in 1976 as the first woman to co-host the network news.
In her final season, Barbara Walters’ 20/20 newsmaker exclusives included the coveted first interview with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton regarding her highly-anticipated autobiography; the first with Martha Stewart before her trial and than again immediately following sentencing; traveling to Cuba to interview President Fidel Castro 25 years after their first headline-making interview; Former Vice President Al Gore in his first formal interview since the controversial 2000 Presidential election; President and Mrs. Bush, who gave 20/20 the first look at the White House at Christmas; a candid conversation with media phenoms, The Osbournes; and actor Robert Blake, who spoke out for the first time since being arrested for the murder of his wife.
Walters also tackled tough issues surrounding the war with Iraq, including reports on Iraqi women and children who lived through the first Persian Gulf war and now live in America.
Through the years she has interviewed such world figures as Russia’s Boris Yeltsin, China’s Premier Jiang Zemin, Great Britain’s former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Libya’s Moammar Qadaffi, and Iraq’s President Sadaam Hussein. She was also the first American journalist to interview Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and the first interview with President and Mrs. Bush following September 11.
At the other extreme, in 1999 Ms. Walters conducted the first interview with Monica Lewinsky, which became the highest-rated news program ever broadcast by a single network.
She has interviewed every American President and First Lady since Richard Nixon. She made journalism history by arranging the first joint interview with Egypt’s President Anwar Sadat and Israel’s Prime Minister Menachem Begin in November, 1977. Another of her “firsts” was an hour-long primetime conversation with Cuban President Fidel Castro — an interview which has been printed in half a dozen languages and shown all over the world.
The Barbara Walters Specials are continuously the top-rated specials of the year and have included such legends as Sir Laurence Olivier, Bing Crosby, John Wayne, Bette Davis and Audrey Hepburn. More recent interviews of superstars have included Julianne Moore, Nicholas Cage, Renee Zellweger, Matt Le Blanc, Diane Keaton, and Billy Crystal. Ms. Walters’ The 10 Most Fascinating People special broadcast, launched in 1993, offers a year-end review of the most prominent newsmakers of the year, as well as the selection of the “most fascinating” individual.
Ms. Walters’ is also co-owner, co-executive producer and co-host of The View, recipient of the 2003 Daytime Emmy Award for “Outstanding Talk Show.”
Recent ABC News specials include an award-winning report on transgender children and reports on heaven and longevity.
Prior to joining ABC she appeared on NBC’s Today Show for 15 years. She began as a writer on the Today Show, and within a year became a reporter-at-large, developing, writing and editing her own reports and interviews. In 1963 she became a co-host of the program without the official title, but in 1974 NBC officially designated her as the program’s first female co-host.
Ms. Walters was a member of the NBC News team that went to the People’s Republic of China to cover the visits of President Richard Nixon in 1972 and President Gerald Ford in 1975. In addition to the Today Show, for five years Ms. Walters also hosted her own popular syndicated series, Not for Women Only. The program went off the air when she left for ABC. Early in her career she was a writer for CBS News and, before that, she was the youngest producer with NBC-TV’s New York station (WNBC-TV).
Her candid autobiography Audition, which was published in May 2008, became an instant bestseller, gracing the top of all major bestseller lists.
Over the years Ms. Walters has received national recognition for her work and has been the recipient of numerous prestigious honors and awards. Among these are:
* Induction into the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ Hall of Fame “for being acknowledged worldwide as one of television’s most respected interviewers and journalists,” 1990.
* Induction into the Museum of Television and Radio in Los Angeles, 2004.
* The Lowell Thomas Award for a career in journalism excellence by Marist College, 1990
* The Overseas Press Club’s highest award, the President’s Award, 1988
* Salute by the American Museum of the Moving Image, March 19, 1992
* Lifetime Achievement Award, International Women’s Media Foundation, 1991
* Lifetime Achievement Award, Women’s Project and Productions, 1993
* Honored by the Museum of Television & Radio for her contributions to broadcast journalism, 1996
* The Muse Award from NY Women in Film and Television, 1997
* Lifetime Achievement Award, National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, 2000
* 2003 Daytime Emmy Award for The View (“Outstanding Talk Show”); executive producer
Ms. Walters is the recipient of honorary doctoral degrees from Sarah Lawrence, her alma mater, as well as Ohio State University, Temple University, Marymount College, Wheaton College, Hofstra University and Ben-Gurion University in Jerusalem.
A native of Boston, Ms. Walters is the daughter of the famed entertainment impresario Lou Walters and has one daughter.
Spike TV has given the go-ahead to 20 more Bar Rescue episodes starring Jon Taffer. Taffer’s a bar/nightlife expert with almost 30 years worth of experience in the business and with Bar Rescue he shares his knowledge to help struggling establishments.
