TVLine

John Barrowman to Host Celeb Singing Series

Vlada Gelman — Tue, 21 May 2013 01:16:13 +0000

Arrow villain John Barrowman is heading in a very different direction — as the host of ABC’s upcoming reality competition Sing Your Face Off, EW.com reports.

The Torchwood alum isn’t new to the reality genre, having appeared as a judge on the UK series How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? and Any Dream Will Do.

Former Saturday Night Live cast member Darrell Hammond and pop singer Debbie Gibson will serve as judges on Sing Your Face Off, in which five celebrity contestants learn to perform the hits of famous music stars.

Among the competitors are ex-Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach, comedian Jon Lovitz, Toronto Raptors player Landry Fields, actress-singer China Anne McClain (A.N.T. Farm) and former soap star Lisa Rinna.

No air date has been announced yet for the six-episode series.

X Factor Makes It Official: Kelly Rowland, Paulina Rubio to Judge Season 3 With Simon and Demi

Team TVLine — Tue, 21 May 2013 01:00:51 +0000

It’s official: Grammy-winning recording artist/Destiny’s Child founding member Kelly Rowland and Latin pop star Paulina Rubio will join The X Factor Season 3 as judges, Fox announced on Monday evening.

The duo thus join executive producer Simon Cowell and returning Season 2 judge Demi Lovato at the dais.

In a statement, Simon (of course) says he is “delighted” with this “Beauties and the Brit” foursome (as Fox is billing it), adding, “It just feels like the time to do something different.”

Rowland’s credits include the UK version of X Factor, while the Mexico City-born Rubio has judged La Voz México (aka Mexico’s The Voice) and Telemundo’s La Voz Kids.

“I am very excited to be reuniting with Simon Cowell and the X Factor family,” Rowland said. “It feels great to be able to take this journey here at home in the States!” Rubio meanwhile quipped: “Simon, be careful what you wish for. Let’s see if you are ready to handle me, empieza la fiesta, amigo!”

What do you think of X Factor‘s new judging panel? An improvement on the Britney Spears/L.A. Reid edition?

The Goodwin Games: Will You Keep Playing?

Kimberly Roots — Tue, 21 May 2013 01:00:21 +0000

“Congratulations! You are the winner!” Benjamin Goodwin (played by Stargate SG-1‘s Beau Bridges) announces at the opening of Fox’s new comedy, The Goodwin Games – moments before dying in his office desk chair.

The next time we see the dearly deceased – via video tape – he’s outlining the terms of his will for his three adult children, all of whom had been estranged from their father for some time.

There’s Henry (played by Felicity‘s Scott Foley), an overachieving doctor who has perfected the art of the humblebrag; Chloe (Ugly Betty‘s Becki Newton), an actress whose departure broke her dad’s heart; and Jimmy (Cloverfield‘s T.J. Miller), a recently out-of-prison screw-up with a cute, young daughter who’s more mature than he is.

The Goodwin siblings are shocked to learn their dad was worth $23 million. They’re even more surprised to find out that one person will take it all – provided they compete in a series of games he devised.

“You’re each living in your own metaphorical prison. Or, in Jimmy’s case, prison,” Papa Goodwin says from the beyond. The competition, which begins with a family-tailored round of Trivial Pursuit, is designed to bring them closer together.

When the sibs finally put aside their differences long enough to get through the board game, they’ve got another surprise: Trivial Pursuit was just the first step in a long journey toward the money – and they’re all going to have to move home to keep playing. “It’s time to be a family again,” Benjamin tells them from a video planted in a bar’s photo booth (?). “Who’s in?”

After watching Fox’s newest comedy, are you in? Grade The Goodwin Games via the poll below, then hit the comments to back up your choice!

Follow @kimroots

FX's The Strain Targets Alias Alum Mía Maestro

Matt Webb Mitovich — Mon, 20 May 2013 23:15:05 +0000

Alias alum Mía Maestro has landed the female lead in The Strain, FX’s pilot about a vampire virus.

The high-concept thriller is directed by Guillermo del Toro (the Hellboy films, Pan’s Labyrinth) — who also co-wrote the script with Chuck Hogan (The Town) — and exec-produced by Carlton Cuse (Lost, Bates Motel).

The Strain stars Corey Stoll (House of Cards) as Dr. Ephraim Goodweather, the head of a Center for Disease Control team in New York City that is tasked with investigating a mysterious viral outbreak with the hallmarks of an ancient, evil strain of vampirism. Per our sister site Deadline, Maestro will play Dr. Nora Martinez, a brilliant biochemist who must evolve into a brave warrior as the spreading epidemic threatens humanity.

In addition to her run on Alias, Maestro’s TV credits include a small arc on USA Network’s White Collar and a February 2013 episode of Person of Interest.

It's Official: 666 Park Avenue Returns in June

Matt Webb Mitovich — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:00:01 +0000

The Drake will reopen its doors on June 22, when ABC’s 666 Park Avenue returns to finish up its freshman run.

The ill-fated spooker — which ABC pulled from the schedule after its Dec. 2, 2012 broadcast — will unspool its four remaining episodes on Saturdays at 9/8c, with the finale airing July 13.

TVLine’s May/June premieres/finales calendar has thusly been updated.

Since the series’ producers had opportunity to deliver closure for its fans, Rachael Taylor, for one, gives the final episode two very enthusiastic thumbs up.

“I love the ending,” the actress told TVLine last week at NBC’s Upfront event, where she was touting her new series Crisis. “Everything gets completely flipped on its head, and it was very fun for me to play. My character is very different in the last episode. I’m really looking forward to people seeing the end, because s—t gets crazy.”

As previously announced, fellow ABC freshman Zero Hour will also wrap its run this summer, airing Saturdays at 8 pm beginning June 15 (with a double-header), leading to an Aug. 3 finale.

CBS Pulls Mike & Molly Tornado-Themed Finale From Monday Line-Up

Kimberly Roots — Mon, 20 May 2013 21:53:07 +0000

CBS has replaced tonight’s Mike & Molly season finale — which discuses a tornado hitting Chicago — in light of the real-life twisters touching down in the Midwest.

The episode did not contain any footage of the storm’s damage, EW.com reports, but a repeat will be shown in its place.

“Due to the tragic events this afternoon in Oklahoma, we are pre-empting tonight’s season finale of Mike & Molly, which has a related storyline,” a CBS spokesperson tells TVLine. “A repeat broadcast of ‘Mike & Molly will run in the time period. The season finale will be broadcast at an appropriate date.“

According to the finale’s synopsis, a tornado bearing down on the Windy City leads Mike and Molly to confess important secrets to each other.

Report: Michelle Stafford Exits Young & Restless

Kimberly Roots — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:15:51 +0000

Michelle Stafford is leaving CBS’ The Young and the Restless, E! reports.

The multiple Daytime Emmy winner has played the soap’s Phyllis, off and on, since 1994.

RELATED | Y&R Boss on the Fate of Kay Chancellor

Stafford’s exit comes not long after Y&R vet Jeanne Cooper’s death in early May; the drama will air a tribute to the Chancellor matriarch on May 28.

Stafford recently shot a retrospective video in honor of her show’s 40th anniversary (see clip below).

When she first started on the sudser, “I was actually told that I would be recurring and that I would only be on for six weeks,” she says in the spot, smiling. “But I knew in my mind that that wasn’t going to happen.”

How do you feel about a Genoa City without Stafford? Sound off in the comments!

TVLine Items: Has Jason Sudeikis Also Left SNL? Plus: X Factor Judges Update and More!

Megan Masters — Mon, 20 May 2013 19:28:48 +0000

Were we all too busy mourning Saturday Night Live‘s loss of Bill Hader and Fred Armisen to notice that fan fave Jason Sudeikis also vacated Studio 8H?

SNL castmember Jay Pharoah on Sunday tweeted (then quickly deleted) some sentiments that all but confirmed the third exit, stating: “Hader, Armisen & Sudekis the talent of those three and just them as people in general will be missed but we will be strong and carry on..” (Favstar captured the tweet before it was removed.)

VIDEO | Ben Affleck Hosts Saturday Night Live

NBC has yet to confirm or deny any Sudeikis-departure rumors, though it does seem odd that the standout — whose memorable characters include Mitt Romney and the Devil — wouldn’t be given his own celebratory goodbye after nearly 10 years with the late-night staple (two of them as a sketch writer).

Ready for more of today’s TV dish? Well…

• Destiny’s Child’s Kelly Rowland and Mexican songstress Paulina Rubio are said to be the frontrunners to join The X Factor, alongside Simon Cowell and Demi Lovato, in Season 3. The duo would replace departing judges L.A. Reid and Britney Spears.

• America Ferrera is looking to return to TV… and ABC. Per EW.com, the Ugly Betty alumna’s Romeo & Juliet-esque telenovela Pedro & Maria — which was originally developed at MTV three years ago — is nearing a limited series order on the broadcast network.

• NBC has acquired a new series, titled Siberia. The project follows 16 contestants on the Siberian territory of Tunguska. According to the official description of the “dramatic human experiment,” when a contestant is badly injured and no help arrives, “the contestants are met with the chilling realization that the strange occurrences are not part of the show. With their safety threatened, competing contestants must band together in an effort to survive.” Siberia premieres Monday, July 1 at 10/9c.

• In addition to CBS This Morning and his late-night PBS program, Charlie Rose will now host public television’s Charlie Rose Weekend, a half-hour Friday night program beginning in July, per The New York Times.

• If a Father’s Day spent watching One Tree Hill is your dream scenario, you’re in luck: SOAPnet is airing a marathon of the long-running CW drama on Sunday, June 16 from 10 am – 2 pm.

Which TVLine Items have you talking today?

Amy Schumer Kisses (Amber Tamblyn) and Tells All About Her Kinky Game of Thrones Fantasy

Michael Ausiello — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:13:13 +0000

If you were expecting my interview with the titular star of Inside Amy Schumer to be respectful and thought-provoking, a) you are going to be sorely disappointed, and b) put down the crack pipe.

PHOTOS | Fall TV Preview: Your Guide to What’s New!

During our no-holds-barred Q&A, Amy Schumer tells me everything she knows about her Comedy Central hit’s sure-to-be-ordered sophomore season (“Based on no one saying anything to me,” she hastens to add); she spills the beans about her episode 4 make-out session with House alum Amber Tamblyn; and she cops to imagining a Game of Thrones sex scene that’s so out-there, you have to see her describe it to believe it.

So make sure no one’s hovering around your computer and press PLAY.

Follow @MichaelAusiello

Ratings: Billboard Music Awards Tops Charts With 10-Year High, Apprentice Hits Finale Low

Matt Webb Mitovich — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:00:04 +0000

ABC’s broadcast of this year’s Billboard Music Awards not only humbled the Biebs, it also easily topped Sunday in both total audience — with 9.5 million viewers — and in the demo (scoring a 3.6).

Versus the 2012 BBMAs, that marks gains of 28 and 31 percent, hitting 12- and 10-year highs.

Elsewhere on the music-al front, CBS’ Tim McGraw special drew 6.2 mil and a 1.7, placing last in every half hour. Compared to a year-ago’s Jesse Stone swan song (13 mil/1.2), it delivered less than half the audience yet managed a 44 percent better demo number.

NBC’s not-yet-renewed Celebrity Apprentice (5.26 mil/2.1) rose week-to-week but was down 24 percent and a tenth from last year to hit a new finale low. (Will the Donald finally get his walking papers???)

Over on Fox, both The Simpsons (4.2 mil/2.0) and Family Guy (5.2 mil/2.5) were steady week-to-week yet down a smidgen from their previous finales.