MSN TV Blog - TV Buzz

FEATURED POST

Rumor mill spins that racy French actress will play Jessica Lange's nemesis

By Kenny Herzog Apr 12, 2012 9:40AM
Oh, those crazy, liberated French. Up until now, sultry 27-year-old Parisian actress Lizzie Brocheré has been largely obscure to American audiences but well-known overseas for bearing all in a number of X-rated foreign features. But according to TV Line's unnamed "insider," Brocheré is ready to cover up that birthday suit for the part of Gia -- Jessica Lange's primary foil -- in this fall's second season of "American Horror Story." 

Bing:
More on "American Horror Story" | Lizzie Brocheré | Jessica Lange

TV Line's story cites earlier casting calls that supposedly requested a ferocious, no-nonsense presence à la Angelina Jolie in "Girl, Interrupted." Ironically, one of Jolie's breakthrough roles was as the title character in HBO's "Gia," a movie in which she herself was frequently nude. 

Hopefully, Brocheré and Lange will help scare the pants off "American Horror Story" fans.

Season 2 of "American Horror Story" returns this fall on FX.
 

New Season 8 trailer suggests the serial killer's sister gets chatty

By Mekeisha Madden Toby Fri 2:02 PM

Season 7 of Showtime's hit serial-killer drama, "Dexter," ended with Debra Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter) making a horrible choice. It's a choice that changed her life and the way she looked at her brother, Dexter (Michael C. Hall), forever.

 

Plus: 'Felicity': Where are they now? | 'The Bachelorette' Season 9 | What we learned from 'The Office' 

 

When the beloved series returns in June, for its eighth and final season, Deb's decision continues to haunt her as her life takes a downward spiral. But what will Deb do? Will she confess and turn in herself and Dexter, too? That's certainly what the show's newly released trailer suggests. Check it out:

 

"Dexter" Season 8 debuts Sunday, June 30, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime.

 

Juicy conclusion and spoilers for next season dominate Twitter and the web

By Mekeisha Madden Toby Fri 1:01 PM

SPOILER ALERT: This post includes plot points from the Season 2 finale of "Scandal."

 

To call "Scandal" a guilty pleasure after Thursday night's delicious Season 2 finale would be a misnomer. After all, why should anyone feel guilty for watching what was arguably one of TV's most gratifying and twist-filled closers this year?

 

Not only did fans see mole Billy Chambers get his comeuppance but the rise and painful fall of Olivia (Kerry Washington) and Fitz (Tony Goldwyn) once again. This, after Olivia devised such an awe-inspiring divorce package for Fitz and Mellie (Bellamy Young). The bit on Mellie being labeled a racist was a thing of beauty in and of itself. But the best part was when viewers learned that Rowan (Joe Morton), the underhanded CIA-B613 boss, is none other than Olivia's dad. Whaaaaat!

 

Bing: More on ABC's 'Scandal' 

 

This revelation and all the other juicy twists and turns -- including Quinn's (Katie Lowes) penchant for torture and Cyrus' (Jeff Perry ) heart attack and break-up abilities -- captured the attention of 9.1 million viewers. Many of these same viewers flocked to Twitter, GetGlue and the web to give voice to their shocks and delights.

 

Plus: 'Felicity': Where are they now? | 'The Bachelorette' Season 9 | What we learned from 'The Office' 

 

"Exhausted after the #Scandal finale," tweeted fan Mona Scott-Young. "I feel like I've been 'fixing,' drilling & went into cardiac arrest my damn self! #Wow!!" Meanwhile, Lena Dunham got in on the action, too. Not one to be excluded from a good time she tweeted, "Not leaving the house this weekend until I'm caught up on Scandal. I feel left behind & left out like the last girl to get my period."

 

And if you think the Season 2 finale was a head-spinner, creator and executive producer, Shonda Rhimes, promises a Season 3 filled with more suspense and intrigue, especially when it comes to Rowan and Olivia's troubled father-daughter relationship.

 

"At the very least, Rowan was trying to get Jake (Scott Foley) to have sex with her and then make a tape of it, which seems creepy on many levels, right?" Rhimes told reporters at a "Scandal" event the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences held Thursday night. "I don't know if they were trying to kill her. That's up to interpretation."

 

Rhimes also said she and the writers considered an ending where Olivia and Fitz spooned in bed and ended up together but, ultimately, they wanted Olivia to have clean hands. "It was charming, adorable and really, really sexy and I love the scene and maybe one day someone will get to see it," Rhimes said. "But the problem with it was that Olivia put the white hat back on and emotionally you felt like she had found her inner core after losing it so badly. It felt like a cheat -- that we were cheating her out of trying to do something good."

 

"Scandal" Season 3 kicks off this fall on ABC. 

 

Network says comic-book drama remains in the works

By Mekeisha Madden Toby Thu 3:19 PM

'Wonder Woman' '/' Warner Bros.

Wonder Woman could get another shot in primetime.

 

"Amazon," the CW's prequel starring the beloved comic-book hero, is in development still, even though it didn't land on the network's fall schedule. "It's being redeveloped," said Mark Pedowitz, the CW's president, following an upfronts presentation Thursday. "We don't want to produce something (inferior). It's the trickiest of all the DC characters."

 

Bing: More on 'Wonder Woman' 

 

The original "Wonder Woman" with Lynda Carter aired on ABC from 1975-79. David E. Kelley and NBC attempted to reboot the series, starring Adrianne Palicki  in the iconic title role (pictured), for the 2011-12 season but the project died on the vine. Earlier this year, Warner Bros. TV sent out a casting call for a young woman, 5'8" or above, for a series about "the teenage years of the heroine who will become Wonder Woman," EW.com reports.

 

Plus: 'The Bachelorette' Season 9 | What we learned from 'The Office' | 10 reasons to love 'The Mindy Project'

 

The description of the show also included details about the heroine hailing from a "secluded country where she was raised as a solider in a brutal environment. Now a stranger in a strange modern big city, she's a fierce warrior with the innocent heart of a romantic ­and she will fight to the death to make the world safe."

 

Pedowitz said the "basics" were all there, but the execution needed work. Producers and networks don't usually cast series until a pilot is ordered, but a project like "Amazon" cannot succeed without the right woman in the lead role. 

 

Soap reboot experience remains a work in progress

By TVDeeva Deanna Barnert Thu 1:18 PM

"All My Children" and "One Life to Live" have remained in the top 10 on Hulu since premiering on April 29, but the online soap reboots are reducing the number of episodes released per week. Viewing patterns indicated the shows were producing too much content for many viewers to consume, so fans can expect two episodes of each show to air each week, starting Monday, May 20.

 

Bing: More about "All My Children"  | "One Life to Live" 

 

New episodes of "All My Children" will now be released Mondays and Wednesdays, with fresh episodes of "One Life to Live" posted Tuesdays and Thursdays. The behind the scenes series "More" will run as a single show on Fridays.

 

"When it comes to online, as with all new technology, it's adapt or fail," Prospect Park explained in a news release. "We feel fortunate to be an online company and to have such an opportunity to adapt. Of course, we will continue to evaluate all the data that comes in and will be vigilant about revising our strategy as needed."

 

The change stems from viewing patterns that have emerged during the first month of streaming. First, fans have been binge viewing or watching on demand, usually during the weekend: That means many fans have been trying to cram five hours of soaps into their weekend. On ABC, fans watched episodes close to their airdate, so they didn't fall as far behind. They also tended to watch only two to three episodes a week. But with the action-packed reboots, it's not as easy to follow when you've missed episodes. Plus, Prospect Park clearly doesn't want fans skipping episodes. 


Plus: 'The Bachelorette' Season 9 | What we learned from 'The Office' | 10 reasons to love 'The Mindy Project'

 

Another interesting shift in viewing was that fans aren't watching both shows. On television, maintaining audience is a key factor, with fans often watching whatever airs next. That doesn't apply on the Internet. Prospect Park likely hopes that, with less to consume, fans will go back to watching both series. 

 

While the shows will release fewer episodes at a time, production will continue at the same pace through mid-June. Prospect Park will focus on editing while productions halts in July, with production resuming in August.

 

Want more TV? Find MSN TV on Facebook and Twitter


Hulu will continue to stream all current episodes for free so that viewers who've fallen behind can catch up. There is no mention in the release about how this affects iTunes or how the show is performing there.


"All My Children" and "One Life to Live" can be streamed via Hulu, Hulu Plus and iTunes.

 

New 'Late Night' host says the new 'Tonight Show' star paved the way

By Mekeisha Madden Toby Thu 12:41 PM

'Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers' '/' NBC

 

Seth Meyers is sending a lot of love and gratitude Jimmy Fallon's way.

 

Meyers said he wouldn't have been promoted to his new "Late Night" hosting gig if Fallon hadn't proved that anchoring "Weekend Update" is the perfect training ground. Fallon will take the lead on "The Tonight Show" in February 2014. And Meyers will step into his new job around the same time, NBC announced this week.

 

Bing: More on 'The Tonight Show' | Jimmy Fallon | Seth Meyers

 

"I think I owe a debt of gratitude to Jimmy for having gone from 'Update' to 'Late Night' and shown that it's a nice progression," Meyers said on the 'Today' show Thursday. "So I'm very happy to be doing it. But, I mean, I think if you sit at that 'Update' desk, you learn how to talk about topical stories and certainly with the guests, you learn to talk to crazy people. Although, if you do late night there are real crazy people as opposed to Bill Hader  pretending to be one."

 

Plus: 'The Bachelorette' Season 9 | What we learned from 'The Office' | 10 reasons to love 'The Mindy Project'

 

Hosting "Late Night with Seth Meyers" wasn't his only option. ESPN had been courting Meyers to helm a new late-night sports talk show. Meyers impressed ESPN executives when he twice hosted the ESPY Awards. But in the end, Meyers wanted to keep working with his "SNL" boss, Lorne Michaels, and opted to stay at NBC. Meyers, who is the head writer for "Saturday Night Live," will continue working on the show through the fall.

 

"I'm nowhere near emotionally ready for Saturday to be my last show -- I wouldn't be able to handle that," Meyers said of the "SNL" season finale, which airs May 18. "It's very strange to get a job that doesn't start for eight, nine months. So I think we'll do a lot of talking about it. But I think it'll be one of those things where the first show you do you're gonna learn 1,000 things you didn't know yet."

 

The "Saturday Night Live" Season 38 finale airs Saturday, May 18, at 11:35 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" airs weeknights at 12:35 a.m. ET/PT on NBC.

 

Would the Dowager Countess approve?

By MSN TV Wed 3:42 PM

By Michelle Strub

MSN TV

 

So many questions! Sean "Diddy" Combs tweeted Wednesday afternoon that he's joining the cast of "Downton Abbey." Right now it's unclear if this is real, a publicity stunt, he's having a public meltdown, or if the rapper-turned-sometimes-actor has been hacked.

 

Twitter/@iamdiddy

 

 

Bing: Sean "Diddy" Combs | 'Downton Abbey'

 

"Downton" producers previously announced that they're adding the show's first black character in Season 4, but named Gary Carr as the actor to play the part.

 

More: 'Downton Abbey' Season 4 gets January 2014 date in U.S.

 

We're sure we'll know soon whether this is actually happening -- thank you, Internet sleuths (and/or hopefully a statement from PBS)! Until then, we'll just sit here pondering all the ways this could go wrong ... or right?

 

What do you think the Dowager Countess would say about all of this? Tell us at MSN TV on Facebook and Twitter.

 

UPDATE [3:08 p.m. PT]: According to the Sun-Times, a spokeswoman for WGBH, the Boston public TV station that brings the British series to America, has said this is untrue -- Diddy is NOT joining the cast.

 

UPDATE [3:32 p.m. PT]: Diddy continues to tweet as if it's true and has Instagrammed a photo from the set as "proof." 


More: Most shocking moments of 'Downton' Season 3 

Instagram/@iamdiddy

 Instagram/@iamdiddy


Update [5:18 p.m. PT]: Diddy posted yet another photo supposedly from the set of "Downton." That facial hair doesn't really seem to match the era in which the show takes place, right? Looks like we'll be anxiously awaiting midnight to see what it is he's pulling. That Diddy!


Instagram/@iamdiddy

UPDATE [12 a.m. PT]: Well, Diddy wasn't kidding after all. Downton Diddy he is.

 

Barbara Walters, Shaquille O'Neal, Katie Couric, Selena Gomez, Honey Boo Boo and more

By TVDeeva Deanna Barnert Wed 1:32 PM

Daytime hosts, notable athletes, sports newsman and reality TV stars turned out to help "Maury" celebrate its 2500th episode, airing Friday, May 17. The landmark episode also caught up with memorable first guests and featured a few surprises for Maury Povich, including his wife Connie Chung jumping out of a cake!


Bing: More about "Maury" | Watch clips and episodes of "Maury"

 

The guest list for the big "Maury" episode featured Barbara Walters, Shaquille O'Neal, Katie Couric, the ladies of "The Talk," Donald Trump, Joan Rivers, Kathy Griffin, NeNe Leakes, Steve Harvey, Wendy Williams, Jack Hanna, Billy Bush and Kit Hoover, Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, former Washington Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann, "Pardon the Interruption" hosts Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon and fellow NBC Universal talk show hosts Jerry Springer, Steve Wilkos and Trisha Goddard. 


Plus: 'The Bachelorette' Season 9 | What we learned from 'The Office' | 10 reasons to love 'The Mindy Project'


Selena Gomez and Honey Boo Boo also got involved in the celebration via video messages. Gomez had a surprise for a returning guest, while Honey Boo Boo let Povich know that he's not the father. Phew!

 

"Maury" will also catch up with the guests who started it all, including the guests who took the very first paternity and lie detector tests and the show's first out of control teen.

 

Want more TV? Find MSN TV on Facebook and Twitter


Povich has more than 2500 reasons to celebrate. "Maury" goes into its landmark episode with 100 consecutive weeks as the #1 syndicated talk show among Women 18-34, Adults 18-34 and Adults 18-49.

 

"Maury" airs weekdays in syndication. 

 

Jacqueline MacInnes Wood is exiting, but not for good

By TVDeeva Deanna Barnert Tue 5:50 PM

 

"The Bold and the Beautiful" beauty Jacqueline MacInnes Wood (Steffy) is taking a break from the drama this summer, but the Daytime Emmy nominee is not leaving for good.


Bing: More about Jacqueline MacInnes Wood | 'The Bold and the Beautiful'

 

"Jacqueline MacInnes Wood is taking a short break, as she has done in the past, from 'B&B,'" a show rep told MSN TV. "She remains as the character of 'Steffy Forrester'; and is continuing to tape, currently, with episodes airing through July of 2013 and then beyond."  


Plus: What we learned from 'The Office' | 10 reasons to love 'The Mindy Project' | TV's hottest moms


During Wood's past breaks from the soap, she shot the blockbuster "Final Destination 5," the pilot for "Arrow" and the upcoming Lifetime thriller "Her Husband's Betrayal." A DJ and singer, Wood also released her debut single "After Hours" in January 2012.

 

As "The Bold and the Beautiful" fans know, Wood's character Steffy been caught in a love triangle that aims to rival the show's epic Taylor/Ridge/Brooke triangle. As the scheming vixen of the younger set, Ridge and Taylor's daughter stooped pretty low in her battle to win Bill's son Liam away from Brooke's daughter Hope. Though Steffy seemed to have no limits, she's shown a softer side of late. That and a bun in the oven helped her finally marry Liam, but as news of Wood's short-term exit broke, Steffy was mowed down in a motorcycle accident on the show. 


Want more TV? Find MSN TV on Facebook and Twitter


With Woods set to tape scenes Friday, May 17, and air into August, one can expect Steffy will wake up before exiting the canvas this summer. The fate of her unborn baby is another matter. 

  

"The Bold and the Beautiful" airs weekdays on CBS.