TV News Roundup – April 2010 – Week 3
The Guild Season 4
Season 4 of The Guild is official – Microsoft has renewed the show for another season and new episodes of The Guild will be coming to Xbox, Zune and PCs this summer. Felicia is putting the finishing touches on the script for Season 4, which will pick up where Season 3 left off. Pre-production is underway, keeping producer Kim Evey and Streamy Award winning director Sean Becker very busy as cameras are set to roll sometime in May. Seasons 1 through 3 are currently available on watchtheguild.com, iTunes, Amazon and YouTube.
‘Wire’ star calls for Brit TV to diversify
Idris Elba promotes multiculturalism in upcoming BBC series
“If you look at American television, it is nothing to see a cast that is multiracial,” the English actor said. “So we shouldn’t shy away from demanding more diversity on British TV. Only because it reflects the culture we live in.”
Whoa! HBO renews ‘Treme’ after one episode
HBO has renewed its new critically acclaimed new drama series “Treme” for a second season. The move is a significant leap of faith for the network — the show just premiered Sunday night to 1.4 million viewers in its combined airings. By comparison, the final season of modestly rated “The Wire” averaged 890,000 for premiere episodes.
Will Dr. Horrible 2 resurrect Penny? She talks!
“I’m a writer as well,” Felicia Day said. “I know how hard it is to fall in love with a character and want to bring them back, but maybe not have the right moment for it. Listen, if they bring me back, I will do anything, but other than that, I know that they’ll do a best effort for bringing me back and including me.”
New Zealand lands first International Emmy
Web series ‘Reservoir Hill’ among winners at Monday’s event
New Zealand made history Monday night in Cannes by nabbing its first-ever International Emmy. “Reservoir Hill,” an interactive Web series from producer KHF Media, follows a 16-year-old as she is forced to solve a mystery when she moves to a creepy suburb. It topped the digital program for children and young people contenders.
Producer Steven Moffat on the New ‘Doctor Who’
Doctor Who doesn’t change with every new star or every new writer, it changes with every story. Literally every story is different in Doctor Who, every episode is a variation from the previous one. It’s a whole new movie. I suppose, just as a matter of automatic sensibility, this year is more of a dark fairy tale. Although obviously “dark” in relation to “fairy tale” is frankly redundant, because fairy tales are tremendously dark; or they are until Disney makes a movie of them.
Is Patton Oswalt leaving NBC’s ‘Beach Lane’?
Sources say talented comedian Patton Oswalt is out of his co-starring lead role after a table read Tuesday. Oswalt was just cast earlier this week in the multi-cam project alongside Matthew Broderick and Kristen Johnston. One source added that producers have offered Oswalt another part instead, but it’s unclear at this time if Oswalt is interested in staying on the show in a different role.
Peter Weller time-travels on Fringe; plus, RoboCop!
“The reason why I love Fringe, and not just because I was in it, is that it goes past the surface adventure of science and sort of plumbs the responsibility and accountability of science fiction,” he said. “Where the human being goes with it, what he has to suffer and what joy and also misery that he pulls out of messing with, if you will, fate or destiny, as the Greeks say, or a choice or the order of the natural world … that’s what Fringe does. It takes you a little bit deeper. As a matter of fact, in my opinion, a lot deeper than the usual science fiction program. It is all entertainment, but Fringe has an inquiry into what it means to be human along with this, and that’s what really turns me on to this show.”
Game designer inks deal with Science net
Will Wright will produce programming for the cable channel
Video game designer Will Wright has signed a development deal with Science Channel to produce programming for the network. Wright is co-founder of Maxis (now part of Electronic Arts) and designer of hit game series “The Sims.” He is charged with creating series and specials for Science that explore topics including time travel, different worlds and the future. Each program will have online and inter¬active components and will attempt to reflect the sensibility of Wright’s video game work.
Brannon Braga Finds ‘Terra Nova’; The Spielberg/Chernin Project Headed to Series
Star Trek veteran Brannon Braga has joined the upcoming Steven Spielberg/Peter Chernin pre-historic drama Terra Nova as executive producer/ showrunner. Though no deals have been finalized, with Braga on board, I hear the project has unofficially been given a 13-episode order and has started staffing.
New Star Wars TV toon may feature Luke, Han and Leia!
During a Q&A session at C2E2 on Saturday Steve Sansweet, LucasFilm’s Director of Fan Relations, revealed that this new animated series would feature the post-Return of the Jedi adventures of the original characters. It happened when a fan asked, “I would really love to see new adventures after Jedi with our favorite characters Luke, Han and Leia,” to which Sansweet replied, “And you will, in the new animation.” (via IGN)
Drew Carey develops hidden camera show for CBS
The host of “The Price Is Right” host is teaming with producer Tom Forman for a project with the working title “WTF!” — which in this case stands for “Wow That’s Funny!” “WTF” shot a pilot presentation Saturday in which Carey and a troop of comedic agents wreck havoc in public places. The project combines a hidden-camera show with flash-mob tactics as the group pulls benevolent pranks on deserving citizens.
The Doctor and Jo Grant join CBBC’s The Sarah Jane Adventures in special episodes written by Russell T Davies
Sarah Jane Smith is reunited with another of The Doctor’s former companions, Jo Grant (Katy Manning), in a new series of The Sarah Jane Adventures, set to air on CBBC this autumn. They’ll be joined by The Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith), in special editions penned by executive producer Russell T Davies. The two episodes will see The Doctor and his two former time-travelling partners caught up in an alien-busting adventure that will entertain Doctor Who fans of all ages.
‘Top Gear’ to launch U.S. version in fall
History orders 10 episodes from BBC Worldwide Prods.
“Top Gear” is crossing the pond. History is teaming with BBC Worldwide Prods. to launch a U.S. version of the series in the fall. The network has made a 10-episode commitment to “Gear,” which showcases all things automotive: customization, stunts, reviews and auto-centric celebrity interviews. History’s “Gear” will be hosted by comedian and “Rescue Me” co-star Adam Ferrara, stunt driver Tanner Foust and racing analyst Rutledge Wood. Scott Messick will executive produce.
HBO renews ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ for eighth season
“After much soul searching – and by the way, it was nowhere to be found – I have decided to do another season of ‘Curb,’ ” creator David said. “I look forward to the end of shooting, when I can once again resume the hunt for my elusive soul. I know it’s here somewhere or perhaps in the rugged mountainous regions of Pakistan.”
But Wait, There’s More…
- Sophia Bush joins ABC comedy pilot, ‘Southern Discomfort’
- Kevin Pollak’s web series ‘Vamped Out’ follows the Hollywood struggles of a true bloodsucker
- Doctor Who’s Matt Smith: Talking About Regeneration
- Doctor Who Head Writer, Steven Moffat
- RoboCop Battles The Bishops: Peter Weller Talks Fringe
- Interview: Steven Moffat and the Future of Doctor Who
- The MONGOLIAN DEATH WORM Is Coming To Syfy
- Comedy Central greenlights Onion series
- ‘True Blood’ Michelle Forbes helps fill out AMC’s ‘Killing’ cast
- How Supernatural’s Web spinoff will take your pants off
- HBO supersizes ‘Real Time With Bill Maher’
- How top TV shows compare to last season
- Spike TV greenlights comedy pilot ‘Playing With Guns’
- HBO acquires rights to ‘Al Qaeda’ doc
- ‘Friday Night,’ ‘Criminal Minds’ add to casts
- USA’s ‘Burn Notice’ renewed for two seasons
- Comedy Central re-ups Stewart, Colbert deals
- AMC sets ‘Mad Men,’ ‘Rubicon’ premiere dates
- Laurence Fishburne renews ‘CSI’ deal
- NBC renews ‘Parenthood’
- A&E, FX set summer premiere dates, ‘The Glades’ debuts July 13; ‘Rescue Me,’ ‘Louie’ in June
The Fine Print
This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive roundup of the entire weeks’ news. All stories are chosen by me for no other reason than that they got my attention and might capture yours. If something you think is more important chime in on the feedback; we’d love to hear comments and have a conversation about it.
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