Television News

Spoilers ahoy for those who haven't watched yet. The last episode of 2010 brought back the season's original bad guy, introduced an even badder guy in Wo Fat and -- most important -- started to mine some of the back story for both McGarrett and Chin Ho. "Five-0" isn't suddenly going to turn into "Lost," but after 10 post-pilot episodes of crime-investigation-local color-banter-case closed, some hint of an ongoing story line is very much welcome. The episode, "Hana 'a'a Makehewa," re-introduced Victor Hesse (James Marsters), who somehow survived being shot by McGarrett and falling into the water at the end of the pilot. He manages to cold-cock Chin Ho and place an explosiv…

"We're leading up to the baby being born and that's about where we finished shooting was the birth of the baby," McPartlin tells Zap2it. "I think that was originally going to be the end of the show [at the 13th episode], but thank God we just keep coming back. I think they actually timed the birth out though and they said it's close to the timing with the initial pregnancy announcement." Ten of the 13 episodes originally ordered for the season have aired so far, but NBC recently announced that it was ordering a back 11 episodes. "Fans like people naming themselves after us give us publicity," says the actor, referring to the man who legally changed his name to Captain Awe…

Spoilers! Don't make us take out our knives. Let's just fastforward to the most crucial scene, shall we? Jordan Chase (Jonny Lee Miller) has taken Lumen (Julia Stiles) to the River Jordan Camp for Boys and Girls, and Dexter (Michael C. Hall​) finds them, thanks to the Office of County Records, which had listed Eugene Greer for that property. Just when it looks like Jordan has the upper hand -- Lumen is strung up, Dexter is captured after flipping his car -- Dex surprises their captor with a hidden knife. Jordan is speedily strapped to a table (or is it a gurney)? After one of the most twisted conversations ever, in which Jordan keeps trying to make Lumen thank him for "tr…

That remains to be seen on the Season 5 finale "The Big One" on Sunday, Dec. 12 on Showtime. Her fate is in the hands of motivational speaker Jordan Chase(Jonny Lee Miller), who headed up a sort of rape/torture club for Lumen and other similar looking blondes. He's abducted her and is taking her -- well, we have no idea where. Last we checked, he was supposed to fly out of town on a speaking gig, but that was just a ruse. Dexter (Michael C. Hall) just needs to find them before it's too late. Aw, it's nice that Dexter has family, and Astor (Christina Robinson) surely cleaned up her look from last time. We just hope he'll be able to celebrate with them later. This has been …

That last bit of holiday imagery comes courtesy of "Hawaii Five-0", which on Monday (Dec. 13) will welcome back a nemesis from earlier in the season and place a member of the team in serious jeopardy. The episode is called "Hana 'a'a Makehewa" (per CBS, that's Hawaiian for "Desperate Measures"). Five-0 is called in to a hostage situation, during which Victor Hesse (returning guest James Marsters) resurfaces -- looking not even a little bit dead after getting beat up by McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin) and taking a tumble into the water in the series premiere. The team member in jeopardy, as you can see in the preview below, is Chin Ho (Daniel Dae Kim), who somehow winds up …

When lead actor Andy Whitfield stepped down from the role after a cancer diagnosis (and subsequent relapse), the "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" production team had to go to Plan B. Their prequel series, "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena," which takes place before Spartacus arrived at the House of Batiatus, begins January 21 on Starz at 10 p.m. EST. "You're going to love the next installment," DeKnight promises. "It's a six-episode prequel centering on the House of Batiatus and the intrigue and action that took place before the arrival of Spartacus." Though Spartacus himself will be largely absent from the prequel, it gives viewers the opportunity to spend more time with John Ha…

There's plenty going on in Mystic Falls that doesn't involve Tyler. Stefan is trapped in the tomb, Elena is still on a suicide mission, and Jeremy and Bonnie and Luka are part of the most lopsided love triangle ever. I spent a few days with the cast of "The Vampire Diaries" on their set in Atlanta this week and got some fun insight into the shooting of this episode, which is definitely my most anticipated episode yet. Can they pull off this wolf-out? Let's see. 8:00 p.m. - Trevino said that he made a point to be on set when Taylor Kinney shot his transformation scenes, even though he wasn't working that day. I can't wait to see how he makes it his own. Watching Tyler be…

In "All the Way," Alex (Lyndsy Fonseca​) gets yet another chance at a mission. For a recruit, she sure does get into the field a lot. She's posing as a photographer and the assistant to a wedding planner, but really she's supposed to get to the leader of a crime syndicate. As usual, Nikita (Maggie Q) helps her from the outside, but the mission is compromised in a surprising way, causing some desperate measures to be taken. We don't want to spoil too much of what will happen, but certain information (and photos) have been released that we feel comfortable teasing a few things now that we've watched our advance screener. For those who'd prefer their viewing experience to re…

And now one of our favorite shows is doing its own take on the medium. "I love those specials," says "Community's" creator and executive producer Dan Harmon. "They have huge emotional value to me, because most of them are on the theme of awkward people realizing that it's okay for them to be awkward. That's what the 'Community' version of it is, as well." In the holiday episode, Abed (played by Danny Pudi​) wakes to find himself in a stop motion winter wonderland. The gang soon joins him for what ultimately becomes an exploration of Abed's brain. "It's a weird art form. It's about being meticulous, but also being completely off-the-wall," Harmon explains. "And that's very…

In "By the Light of the Moon," Tyler Lockwood, Mystic Falls' resident bully with a heart of gold, transforms into a werewolf in an excruciating scene that took two days to shoot. If you're anything like us, you're anticipating Mystic Falls' next full moon with an unsettling blend of excitement and dread. We couldn't wait to find out what happens, so Zap2it hit the show's Atlanta set this week -- with our shaky flip video camera in tow -- to get the scoop from the cast. There is one thing that everyone from Michael Trevino's co-stars to showrunners Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec agreed on unanimously: this is Trevino's episode to shine, and it's a story that's been well-…

Breaking Bad, 30 Rock, Modern Family and Boardwalk Empire lead the pack with the most nominations -- though fan favorites like "Friday Night Lights," "Lost" and "The Good Wife" are each represented as well. Recent years have seen WGAs go to "Mad Men," "30 Rock" and "House." Here's a partial list of this year's contenders: Dramatic Series "Boardwalk Empire" "Breaking Bad" "Dexter" "Friday Night Lights" "Mad Men" Comedy Series "30 Rock" "Glee" "Modern Family" "Nurse Jackie" "The Office" New Series "Boardwalk Empire" "Justified" "Men of a Certain Age" "Treme" "The Walking Dead" Episodic Drama "Boom" ("The Good Wife") "The Chrysanthemum and the Sword" ("Mad Men") "The End"…

Ty Burrell says that we can look forward to his character Phil Dunphy and wife Claire (Julie Bowen​) getting amorous, but we're not the only ones to witness the action. "This week we're taping an episode where the kids walk in on us while we're having sex," tells Ty. "It's a full 22-minute sex scene. Actually, it's sitcom sex, definitely appropriate." We didn't really expect ABC to go too racy with their Emmy-winning show with "family" in the title, but we do expect the subject to turn to the birds and the bees. "There's a difficult chat with the kids," Burrell confirms. "Phil comes through with shining colors as usual." Burrell won't be getting quite that much action on …

Last week, the whole gang's Thanksgiving was interrupted by the Portland police bursting in to take Tasha (Ksenia Solo) into custody after she hit Trey, Lux's former foster father. When the state department decides to press charges against Tasha, the whole family rallies around her to support her. When Zap2it last spoke to Britt Robertson, she told us firmly that despite her recent preoccupation with Eric (Shawn Sipos), Tasha is still one of the most important people in Lux's life. "They're each other's beginning," Robertson says. "Tasha's the one person in Lux's life that I think she really, really, completely trusts. She's been Lux's family since she was seven years ol…

He's not talking about himself. O'Neill was the only adult member of the show's cast not nominated for an Emmy, but the winner in his category -- outstanding supporting actor in a comedy -- was one of his castmates,Eric Stonestreet. O'Neill does, however, think that his on-screen wife, Sofia Vergara, deserved the comedy supporting actress over Jane Lynch of "Glee." "I love Jane, honestly I do," O'Neill told a group of international reporters at a recent press conference, according to TV Guide Canada. "I'm dying to star in one of Christopher Guest's movies alongside her, but I don't think she should have gotten the Emmy for that part. [Her character Sue Sylvester] is just …

Prior to the season finale of "Boardwalk Empire" Sunday night (Dec. 5), HBO aired a 10-minute making-of/preview special for "Game of Thrones." It was the usual mix of teaser footage, behind-the-scenes info and talking heads with the cast and crew -- but it was also the first extended look fans have gotten at the show. The video -- which features interview segments with author George R.R. Martin, whose novels form the basis of the series, as well as creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss -- is at the end of the post. But we also wanted to share a few new photos HBO has posted of the cast. Up above is Sean Bean ("The Lord of the Rings") as Eddard "Ned" Stark, and below is L…

ABC can't handle the The (Whole) Truth. Although the network was going to burn off the remainder of the legal drama's 13 episodes, they've reconsidered and decided to run reruns of Modern Family and Cougar Town in its place on Dec. 8, 15 and 29. Once Jan. 12 rolls around, midseason replacement "Off the Map" will debut in that slot. [The Hollywood Reporter] Have an appetite for satiric pop culture news? You're in luck. Joel McHale has signed a new two-year deal with E! as host of The Soup so we'll still get a double dose of Joel-y goodness with him over on NBC's Community. He'll also host the upcoming Independent Spirit Awards on Feb. 26. [Deadline] Neil Patrick Harris w…

The AMC drama finished its six-episode freshman season Sunday night (Dec. 5), drawing more than 6 million total viewers in the 10 p.m. hour. With repeat airings at 11 p.m. and 1 a.m., the total audience number swells to 8.1 million. The real boast, however, is the 4 million viewers in the 18-49 adult demo, the largest of any drama in basic cable history. Overall, the season averaged 3.5 million in the 18-49 demo, the best average of any basic cable drama going back to 1993. In the series finale, the group of survivors discover that their sanctuary at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is not the paradise they imagined. "The Walking Dead" has been renewed for …

On Sunday's (Dec. 5) holiday episode, the show concludes with an all-puppet segment that features the "Firework" singer. It's a nod to The Muppets, not only The Muppet Show but also "Sesame Street," the PBS children's show that had yanked Perry's music video with Elmo from its broadcast because of negative attention paid to her low-cut dress. The tone and dialogue is classic "Muppet Show," and when the Mr. Burns puppet celebrates, he echoes Kermit's stiff armed, head back posture. "Yay!" It's all a little disturbing, but we do like Grandpa Simpson and his pal Jasper Beardly playing the Statler and Waldorf roles in the balcony. <span style='font-family:"Arial, Helv…

The Showtime drama starring Michael C. Hall​ as a serial killer who targets other serial killers has officially been renewed for a sixth season. It's no surprise really considering the show is on pace to post its highest ratings ever with its upcoming finale. The Nov. 28 episode "In the Beginning" drew the second-highest number of viewers in the series' ratings history, just shy of the Season 4 finale. The steady growth could mean big things for the most recent episode, "Hop a Freighter," and the Dec. 12 finale. "'Dexter' is the best suspense drama on television," says David Nevins, Showtime's President of Entertainment. "To grow its audience so significantly in its fifth…

First of all, love does not run smoothly in the "Dexter" world. As soon as a couple gets moony-eyed, we're afraid for the fate of their relationship or worse, their mortality. Both Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) and Dexter (Michael C. Hall) especially have bad track records. That doesn't mean we don't have hope though. We were reluctant at first but are coming around about Quinn (Desmond Harrington) and Deb together. She's seemed a little more steady, mature this season. And really, his declaration of love, saying that Deb's like a man, but in a good way, is just too adorable. Yeah, they deserve each other. We're not thrilled with how Deb's been making herself the target of Jor…

Spoilers! If you're reading this and haven't watched the finale yet, then you must have the brain activity of a zombie. Most of the finale was spent inside the CDC with all the adults pretty drunk off of Jenner's cache of wine. We're thinking that they sobered up and got over their hangovers in a hurry though when he told them the CDC would undergo decontamination that would rival a nuclear bomb. Although the episode wasn't action-packed until the end, enough went on and was revealed that it's worth breaking it down and tackling items one at a time: 1. Shane The opening flashback scene may redeem Shane in some people's eyes. He only abandoned Rick after he tried saving …

It's been quite a ride, and since we know that there's a Season 2 ordered, it'll continue in 2011. For now though, we're concerned with what the survivors find after they've entered the CDC and met Dr. Jenner (Noah Emmerich). In the finale, "TS-19," Jenner reveals that the designation stands for "Test Subject 19," a person who was bitten, infected and voluntarily allowed his/her body to be monitored and recorded and eventually dissected. "Everything you ever were or will be -- gone." It's a pretty grim subject despite the pretty lights, and you can tell this is disturbing Andrea (Laurie Holden) especially since this had just happened to her sister. We wonder though if thi…

On Sunday's (Dec. 5) episode "Hop a Freighter," Miami Metro isn't just looking for the rape club that targeted the Barrel Girls but also who might be taking out each of the guys -- well, Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) is anyway. Masuka (C.S. Lee) has found new evidence though, and Dexter (Michael C. Hall) isn't too thrilled that the police are trying endangering his prey (that's his job). Hmm, wonder how Laguerta (Lauren Velez) feels about Deb's little vigilante theory. Meanwhile, Dexter and Lumen (Julia Stiles) are all post-coital relationship-y feeling now. So of course they're cosy on the floor, doing what couples do best -- plot the capture of Jordan Chase (Jonny Lee Mille…

Michaela McManus makes her The Vampire Diaries debut on Thursday, Dec. 9, as Jules, a friend of Mason's who comes to Mystic Falls looking for him. Now, Stephen Amell has been confirmed as a guest star and what do you know? He has a connection to our dearly departed werewolf as well. As first reported by E! Online, Amell will be playing Brady, who producers say is "an old friend of Mason Lockwood who blows into town with a vengeance. [He's a] loyal friend or your worst enemy depending on who you are. Did we mention he was hot?" A hot guy on "TVD"? What a nice change of pace for the show. No word yet on if Brady is a werewolf or not. Amell will appear in two episodes, one o…

Previously on "The Vampire Diaries": Klaus is looking to break the moonstone spell that prevents vampires from walking in the sun. In order to do it, he's going to need to sacrifice Elena... and almost everyone she cares about. To get to her, he'll stop at nothing. There's a catch, though. That moonstone binds not only the vampires' spell - but also the one that forces werewolves to transform at every full moon. It's a bit of a race to the finish line, because once one spell is broken, the other will be eternal. I needed a little bit of clarification on the whole spell situation, so I checked in with executive producer Julie Plec, and she confirmed that if the werewolf sp…