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'Once Upon a Time' scoop: Rose McGowan returning as Cora

By James Hibberd on Jan 25, 2014 at 11:00AM

Once Upon a Time is resurrecting Cora — kind of!

Actress Rose McGowan has signed on to reprise her role as the youthful version of the villainous Queen of Hearts.

McGowan (Charmed, Death Proof) previously played Cora in the pivotal episode “The Miller’s Daughter” last March, which was an origin story for the character (normally played by Barbara Hershey) and also showed her death. The character hasn’t been on the show since. McGowan will return to Once Upon in the 18th episode this season.

Here’s a clip of McGowan’s previous appearance on the show that includes a smooch with Rumple.
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CW's 'Flash' pilot adds 'Vampire Diaries,' 'Necessary Roughness' alums

By Sandra Gonzalez on Jan 24, 2014 at 10:33PM

Image Credit: Michael Bezjian/WireImage; Amanda Edwards/Getty Images

Central City has just added two new residents.

EW has confirmed that Rick Cosnett, best known for playing Dr. Wes Maxfield on The Vampire Diaries, and Danielle Panabaker, who was last seen on USA’s Necessary Roughness, have been cast in the CW’s Flash pilot.

Cosnett will play Eddie Thawne, a star detective who recently transferred to Central City and harbors a dark secret. And Panabaker will play bioengineer Caitlin Snow, who lost her fiancé during an explosion at S.T.A.R. labs. (Fun fact: Caitlin Snow is also the name of the most recent incarnation of D.C villain Killer Frost. Hmmm…)

The actors are just the latest additions to a growing cast that also includes Grant Gustin, who plays the title role, and Jesse L. Martin, who joined the show earlier this week.

Gustin’s Barry Allen made his debut on the CW’s Arrow at the end of 2013 to rave reviews, and just before his inaugural appearance, producers announced their plans to produce a standalone pilot around the character. Originally, the plan had been to make the 20th episode of Arrow a backdoor pilot.

'The Walking Dead' cast, producers tease 'more brutal world' in second half of season 4 -- VIDEO

By Sandra Gonzalez on Jan 24, 2014 at 8:36PM

With their prison home in shambles, the The Walking Dead gang is on its own during the second half of the fourth season.

In this trailer for the show’s return, the cast and producers talk about life outside the prison for the now-scattered gang and the “brutal” world that awaits the micro-groups. Also, after the devastating loss of Hershel, some of the members will find themselves juggling their fears over their new, terrifying circumstances with intense grief that will affect everyone differently. (Look out for a very angry Maggie.)

As for increasingly zombie-looking Rick? He seems to be in for a roller coaster, too, as Andrew Lincoln talks about the character’s lingering physical and psychological damage.

In sum? It’s a brutal world out there…and they’re dead men walking.
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Margaret Cho cast in Tina Fey-produced comedy

By Sandra Gonzalez on Jan 24, 2014 at 7:54PM

The cast for Tina Fey’s multi-cam Fox comedy continues to take shape.

The latest new recruit to the show, about a women’s college that starts to admit men? Margaret Cho, who has secured a role as an administrator at the college named Laura Thibault. The Drop Dead Diva actress will join the series, which does not yet have an official title, as a series regular. The Hollywood Reporter first reported the casting.

The series, which comes from Fey and 30 Rock writer Matt Hubbard, currently has a cast that includes former Third Watch actress Bonnie Dennison, who plays an uptight sophomore who opposes the admission of men, and Jack Cutmore Scott, who plays one of the new students.

The comedy, which starts production in March, currently has a series commitment from Fox.

'Arrow': Stephen Amell teases 'biggest shot' yet on show -- LISTEN!

By Mandi Bierly on Jan 24, 2014 at 5:43PM

Image Credit: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images

Those who visit Stephen Amell’s Facebook page know that the Arrow star has already said “The Promise,” airing March 5, is the “grandest, most challenging and most difficult episode” he’s filmed. We got another tease about the island-centric hour when he popped by Entertainment Weekly Radio (SiriusXm 105) this week. Listen to him describe an epic shot — and what made him nervous about it — below.

Catch the full interview Monday, Jan. 27 at 12:45 p.m. ET on The TV Editors Hour. Spoiler alert: Stephen, father of three-month old Mavi (short for Maverick), also reveals whether his cousin Robbie Amell (The Tomorrow People) has changed a diaper. READ FULL STORY

Nat Faxon, Judy Greer comedy among new series picked up by FX

By Sandra Gonzalez on Jan 24, 2014 at 3:40PM

FX’s comedy slate expansion continues, this time with an announcement from the network that it has ordered two new comedies to series, both set to debut this summer.

The first, titled Married, stars Oscar-winning screenwriter and frequent Jim Rash collaborator Nat Faxon and Judy Greer as a married couple named Russ and Lina. Described as a half-hour comedy “about being miserably in love,” the show also features Go On alum Brett Gelman and Jenny Slate, who created the web series Marcel the Shell With Shoes On. Andrew Gurland (The Virginity Hit, Mail Order Wife), who wrote and directed the pilot script, will serve as exec producer/showrunner.

The other new comedy comes from Stephen Falk and stars The Wolf of Wall Street‘s Aya Cash and Chris Geere (The Spa). Titled You’re the Worst, it is billed as a comedy love story “about what happens when two toxic, self-destructive people (Cash and Geere) fall in love despite themselves and attempt the impossible — a relationship.”

Both series are set to debut in July.

The announcement comes in the midst of a busy comedy development season for FX, which has recently announced pilots from people like Denis Leary, Louis C.K., and an animated project from Seth Rogen.

Sharon Stone joins TNT pilot as first female U.S. vice president

By James Hibberd on Jan 24, 2014 at 2:20PM

Sharon Stone is headed to TV to play the first female U.S. vice president in a TNT action drama pilot.

The Emmy-winning actress (Casino, Basic Instinct) has been cast in a starring role in Agent X (working title) from The Bourne Identity writer William Blake Herron. Her character, “Natalie Maccabee,” steps into the race for vice president after her senator husband dies. She gets the job, and discovers being veep comes with a top secret duty — protecting the Constitution in times of great crisis with the aid of her Chief Steward and a secret operative designated “Agent X” (a role not yet cast).

On television, Stone in the 2001 HBO movie If These Walls Could Talk 2 and three episodes of The Practice, the latter earning her an Emmy. She hasn’t had a live-action series regular role on TV since 1983, when she co-starred in a short-lived NBC sitcom titled Bay City Blues. She was also been in episodes of Will & Grace, Rosanne and Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.

'Agents of SHIELD': Five scoops from the set

By Sandra Gonzalez on Jan 24, 2014 at 1:22PM

Image Credit: Justin Lubin/ABC

Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD is notoriously one of the most tight-lipped shows on TV. But on Thursday, a trip to the show’s top-secret homebase location revealed a few juicy scoops that are sure to excite fans.

Here are the highlights. [Warning: Spoiler-phobes will want to look away.]: READ FULL STORY

USA greenlights legal comedy with 'Happy Endings' star Eliza Coupe

By Dan Snierson on Jan 24, 2014 at 1:02PM

Image Credit: Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic; ABC

USA Network has put Eliza Coupe and Jay Harrington on the case, picking up the courtroom comedy Benched, the network announced today.

The Happy Endings actress will star as Nina, a driven corporate lawyer who suffers a public nervous breakdown after losing out on a promotion, and find herself in unfamiliar waters when she starts working as a public defender. Harrington, who headlined another ABC cult comedy, Better Off Ted, plays Phil, Nina’s new co-worker who is described as “tall, dark and handsome, if not a little scruffy, public defender and avid gambler.” READ FULL STORY

'Mork and Mindy' star Pam Dawber to reunite with Robin Williams on 'The Crazy Ones'

By Ariana Bacle on Jan 24, 2014 at 12:41PM

It’s been 32 years since sitcom Mork and Mindy ended and as a result, Pam Dawber and Robin Williams stopped gracing our television screens together. But now, the two are pairing up for a reunion on CBS comedy The Crazy Ones later this season.

“It will be a joy to work with her again,” Williams said in a statement. “It’s a dream come true.” In the episode, Williams’ Simon Roberts will go on a date with an eccentric author, played by Dawber. “I’m so excited to be able to see and work with Robin again,” Dawber said.

Fox wins Thursday but 'Rake' premiere fails to impress

By Lynette Rice on Jan 24, 2014 at 12:16PM

Image Credit: Richard Foreman/Fox

Fox scored another 18-49 on Thursday but it wasn’t because of the power of its new drama starring Greg Kinnear. On the contrary, a swell lead-in like American Idol (3.3 rating in 18-49, 95 million), didn’t do much to help the premiere of Rake, according to Nielsen.

The new hour only averaged a 1.7 rating — which was even with Fox’s fall performance in the time period. For what it’s worth, the net claims that’s still an above-average perf for a competitive midseason new drama this year but still — there has to be disappointment over at the net.

As for Idol, not near enough people are appreciating the great things Harry Connick Jr. is bringing to the judging table. The talent show was down 13% from last Thursday’s fast nationals in 18-49 (vs. 3.8) and down 8% in viewers (12.1 mil vs 13.2 mil). Where are you people?

CBS was second for the night in the demo, despite airing repeats of its comedies and Elementary. ABC eeked out a third place spot with The Taste (1.1) and a repeat of Shark Tank.

NBC was fourth despite airing originals of Community (1.1) and Parks and Recreation (1.2) and special airings of The Michael J. Fox Show (.7) and Sean Saves the World (.7). Parenthood, however, saved the day! The drama earned a 1.3 rating and averaged 4.3 million viewers and ended up winning the timeslot.

UFC announcer Bruce Buffer on catchphrases, nicknames, and his Oscar pick for Best Picture

By Kyle Anderson on Jan 24, 2014 at 10:23AM

Image Credit: Josh Hedges/Getty Images

The UFC falls under the category of “sports,” but since its television breakout a decade ago, the spectacle of the events has become great TV. Despite the dozens of crossover stars and ascendent champions the Ultimate Fighting Championship has produced, it’s entirely possible that the most recognizable face of the UFC is that of announcer Bruce Buffer. With his authoritative bellow intoning his signature catchphrase “It’s Time!” Buffer has turned the simple act of introducing fighters into top-shelf television. His history with the company runs deep, and he’s as much a fan as he is one of the company’s most high-profile employees.

His exposure has grown steadily since the UFC struck a deal with Fox to air major shows on free network television a few years ago. This Saturday, the UFC raids Chicago to present UFC on Fox 10: Henderson vs. Thomson, and next Saturday, UFC 169 adds to the excitement of Super Bowl weekend when it airs live on pay-per-view from Newark, New Jersey, just a few miles away from MetLife Stadium. EW caught up with Buffer (who is also a semi-professional poker player and game developer) to talk about his life in fighting and who newcomers should pay attention to this weekend.

Entertainment Weekly: You are referred to as “The Veteran Voice of the Octagon.” When did you actually get started announcing shows?
Bruce Buffer: I started in 1996, that was my first show—UFC 8. Then I did UFC 10. Then I guest starred on Friends, and right after that they asked me back for UFC 13. On the set of Friends, the then-owner of UFC and I had the discussion where I said, “Look, I’ve been waiting like a girl waiting on a date to the prom. I’m happy to do the shows, but I want to do every show because I want to do more than just be your announcer. I want to help build the sport with my media contacts. I love it, I believe in it, and let’s make a deal.” That was the best poker hand I ever played. I basically announced every show from UFC 13 on. I’ve missed three shows in the last 17 years.

What was it that drew you to the UFC in the first place?
I’ve been into martial arts since I was 12. I had black belts in a style called Tang Soo Do, and also I kickboxed for a number of years. I have fighting in my blood. My grandfather was the champion of the world in boxing in 1921 in the bantamweight and flyweight divisions, and I’ve just been involved in the fighting world my entire life. I have an appreciation for what the fighters go through and what it takes to be a fighter, and the fact that they put their blood, sweat and tears on the line every time they walk to the the cage. It’s the loneliest job in sports, in my opinion, and these guys and girls deserve praise and so much honor. I want to be able to give as much to them and to the fans as I can.

What do you see as the biggest difference between the live product and the TV product?
Any UFC fan has got to experience a live event at least one time. READ FULL STORY

Jay Leno was 'blindsided' by Conan replacement, but thinks Fallon on 'Tonight' makes 'perfect sense' -- VIDEO

By Hillary Busis on Jan 24, 2014 at 9:42AM

Image Credit: CBS

How did Jay Leno really feel in 2009, when NBC revealed its master plan to hand The Tonight Show over to Conan O’Brien? The comedian doesn’t mince words in an upcoming interview with 60 Minutes, telling Steve Kroft that the decision took him completely by surprise. “I was blindsided,” he says, according to CBS News.

And though Leno adds that he never asked his corporate overlords to explain their reasoning, hearing he was being replaced felt like being rejected by his girlfriend: “You know, you have a girl [who] says, ‘I don’t want to see you anymore.’ Why? You know, she doesn’t want to see you anymore, okay?”

This time around, though, Leno seems much more at peace with the network’s machinations — even though, as the host notes in the clip below, he “probably would have stayed [on Tonight] a little longer” if he had his druthers.

That said, Leno adds, “it’s not my decision” — and he believes that bringing in “an extremely qualified young guy” like Jimmy Fallon, whom Leno likens to “a young Johnny [Carson],” makes “perfect sense.” So maybe this isn’t a happy ending for Leno — but at least it’s one he can understand.

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