Television News

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 …

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 …

Today's New York Comic Con panel for The Walking Dead delivered some good, albeit obvious, news for the series in the form of a pickup for Season 11. Showrunner Angela Kang made the announcement, which comes just a day ahead of the post-apocalyptic horror drama's 10th season premiere. The long-running series continues to rank as one of cable television's top scripted series, though its current audience numbers are far from what they were in its heyday. To paint a picture, viewership in Season 9 was pulling in numbers similar to what it was drawing way back in Season 1, before it gained 'hit' status. It was also announced today that Lauren Cohan will making a ret…

Let's give thanks this holiday season that The Walking Dead will air its penultimate episode of the season on Sunday, Nov. 28 at 10 p.m. ET. Sadly, Andrea (Laurie Holden) is not celebrating after the loss of her sister Amy (Emma Bell) in that incredibly horrific zombie attack (we're still jumping at shadows). We really can't blame her, but the sad reality is that she needs to move on and "deal with" her sister's body. We don't think that there's necessarily a risk of Amy becoming a walker -- she just died from her wounds, and didn't come down with a fever -- but we could be wrong about how the zombie mythology works in this series. But it would be difficult to see Amy ad…

Can any of us really predict how we'd act under such extreme circumstances? In Sunday's (Nov. 28) episode "Wildfire," Shane (Jon Bernthal) considers breaking at least one of the Commandments -- on top of the whole "commit adultery" and "coveting thy neighbor's wife" ones, anyway. So yeah, Shane apparently has coveting issues. He's coveting Rick's (Andrew Lincoln) family hard, and killing him with friendly fire could be the answer to regaining that makeshift family Shane once had. It's pretty sad, really. Shane, not to prey on the weak, but Andrea (Laurie Holden) just lost her sister. Instead of trying to steal someone's family, why not try to offer support where it's nee…

As we can see from this episode, Shane (Jon Bernthal) is once again having to flex his muscles to keep the peace at camp. Jim is such a gentle soul though. We're not sure why this scene had to go down that way. The whole camp shouldn't have been called it as if it were some intervention. Most heartbreaking line ever: "The only reason why I got away is that the dead were too busy eating my family." We've seen this episode in advance, and there's so much action in it, including what Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and the other group are dealing with in Atlanta. Seriously, it's a good one. Episode 4, Vatos airs on Sunday, Nov.21 at 10 p.m. ET. Follow Zap2it and Zap2itHanh on Twitter …

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…

Fox announced today that another limited run of The X-Files has been ordered to continue the event series revival from 2016. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson will be back as agents Mulder and Scully, with creator and executive producer Chris Carter returning as well. The cult favorite sci-fi series was revived early last year after a 13-year absence. After a short, but successful run, fans were left unsure of its future after there was no mention of the show when the network announced its schedule for 2016-2017. At the time though, Fox executives stated that the door was being left open for an eventual return. Now after a one-year break, Fox has ordered 10 ne…

NBC announced today This Is Us has been given a huge three-season renewal that will take it to Season 6. The popular drama was last renewed in 2017 for two seasons after an impressive freshman debut. This Is Us came at the perfect time for the peacock network, as it was searching for its next bona fide hit. Premiering in 2016, it didn't take long for the show to make its mark. Its first episode was not only the highest-rated premiere of that season, but it was also NBC's most-viewed series premiere ever when factoring in its various delivery platforms. Since then the show has continued continued to be a reliable performer, consistently ranking as one of broadcas…

Just over a month after NBC broke the hearts of #Clockblockers by cancelling Timeless for a second time, it has been confirmed that the show will indeed be returning for a two-part series finale. The news will surely delight fans of the time travel drama, who were left hanging after a major cliffhanger at the end of its sophomore run. At the time of its cancellation, there were rumors of a possible return to properly wrap up its story but the likelihood of it actually happening was unknown. Timeless premiered in 2016 with a good amount of momentum behind it. Created by two veteran producers, the series was given a high profile time slot on Monday nights along wi…

[imgleft] [/imgleft]Having "30 Rock's" Kenneth the Page (Jack McBrayer) give a tour of the soon-to-be-vacated "Tonight Show" set, it's not surprising that Conan O'Brien has "jokingly" put the show itself for sale on Craigslist. But it's still funny. Posted Wednesday (Jan. 13) afternoon under the "collectibles" category, the listing begins: "4 SALE: BARELY-USED LATE NIGHT TALK SHOW - MAKE ME AN OFFER!!! (Universal Studios)." Accompanied by a couple of sad photos of the empty set, the rest of the specs are pretty straightforward: This is a chance of a lifetime to own your very own late night talk show--guaranteed to last for up to seven months!! Really must…

The American version of "Torchwood" is staffing up quickly after the proposed series bounced back and forth between networks, landing at Starz. Earlier this week, we reported that Mekhi Phifer enlisted to join Captain Jack and now the team has found their villain. According toDeadline, film star Bill Pullman has signed on as a series regular. The star of popular nineties films ("Independence Day," "While You Were Sleeping") returns to the small screen as Oswald Jones, a convicted criminal who gets off on a technicality and becomes a media success. In typical "Torchwood" fashion, clever Orson gets involved in a plot that could cause international havoc and the team wi…

Former "ER" star Mekhi Phifer, late of FOX's "Lie to Me," has been cast in a lead role opposite John Barrowman and Eve Myles, Deadline reports. He's playing a CIA agent named Rex Matheson, who "become embroiled in the Torchwood legend and investigate what Torchwood is or was," as creator Russell T. Davies put it last summer. Rex is described as a character who's rising in the agency's ranks and has a very sharp sense of humor. In casting Phifer, Starz and the BBC (which are co-producing the new season) have gone in a different direction than what was reported earlier in the fall, when "Dollhouse's" Enver Gjokaj and former "One Tree Hill" star Chad Michael Murray were rumo…

CBS has made a scheduling change to its Thursday night lineup, moving Training Day to Saturday nights when it returns from its current month-long break. The freshman drama has struggled to find a sizable audience since its February premiere, reaching under 5 million viewers per episode and garnering below-expected ratings in the adults 18-49 demographic. Inspired by the 2001 crime thriller of the same name, Training Day stars the late Bill Paxton as a boundary-pushing veteran detective of the LAPD who is partnered with a younger, by-the-books officer who is actually undercover as part of an operation to spy on his new partner regarding his questionable methods. …

[imgleft] [/imgleft] "True Blood" has filled in the last major piece of its season 3 casting puzzle, adding Brit Morgan to the ensemble. Morgan ("The Middleman") will have a recurring part on the HBO hit as Debbie Pelt, the ex-girlfriend of Alcide (Joe Manganiello), according to The Hollywood Reporter. As is the case in the Sookie Stackhouse books on which the show is based, Debbie is -- to put it mildly -- not a fan of Sookie's (Anna Paquin). Morgan's other credits include a guest spot on "Cold Case" and the Toby Keith movie "Beer for My Horses." In other casting news: - Emily Rose ("Brothers & Sisters," "John From Cincinnati") will play the lead role…

[imgleft] [/imgleft] We know what you're thinking. Matt just left for Botswana and Betty is already hopping into someone else's arms? We have to admit, Betty has been known to be that girl. ABC confirms to Zap2it that 'Mad Men's' resident pushover will be appearing on "Ugly Betty" this season. In contrast to Matt, Sommer will play a working class fireman who hopes to extinguish the flame Matt left behind. The role may be recurring if the chemistry is right, since he'll be taking Betty on a disastrous first date. Before you judge Betty too harshly, it's not like she kissed Matt goodbye and then immediately hitched a ride on a fire engine. Sommer's episode is set to a…

[imgleft]http://ewausiello.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/the-oc_l.jpg?w=300&h=400[/imgleft] Julie Cooper’s comin’ to Mystic Falls! Sources confirm to me exclusively that Vampire Diaries has tapped the inimitable Melinda Clarke (The O.C., CSI) to play Kelly Donovan, Matt’s irresponsible, hard-drinking absentee mother. How rotten is this woman? She didn’t even bother to show up to her own daughter’s funeral. (In other words, my kind of gal!) I’m told Clark’s scenery-chewing boozehound will blow into town in March and stick around for at least three episodes. Memo to Kevin Williamson: Let’s get that series regular paperwork started now! Source: EW.COM

Williamson is working on a project that could be a "companion series" to "TVD," The CW's most-watched show. Deadline describes the new show as "'The X-Files' meets 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'" and says it revolves around people who track unexplained phenomena. (So, more "X-Files" than "Buffy," based on that logline.) The rather large catch at the moment is that Williamson hasn't actually written a script yet, and The CW hasn't committed to anything. Williamson may co-write it with fellow "Vampire Diaries" creator Julie Plec. "Companion series," by the way, doesn't mean "spinoff." That's TV-exec-speak for a show that people think might be a good match with "TVD" on The CW's…

Heh. "Suckers." When Trevino and co-star Candice Accola visited the Zap2it offices last week, I had to get the scoop - especially considering how Accola has been playing out Caroline's vampire transformation this season. "I felt a little fortunate, Vicki transformed so I got to use that as kind of a note sheet, of sorts, a cheat sheet," Accola says. "I mean, I kind of had a certain map to go off of, which there really hadn't been for a werewolf transformation." Luckily, Trevino didn't have to go it alone. Tyler's new friend, and possible love interest, sticks by him throughout the whole grueling ordeal. "It was very interesting. We shot it over 2 days. Candice was with m…

[imgleft] [/imgleft] "The Vampire Diaries" could have a super-scary vampire visiting, one that looks eerily like Blair Waldorf. That's right, "Vampire Diaries" and "Gossip Girl" executive producer Bob Levy says that he's going to "work on" having real-life friends Nina Dobrev and Leighton Meester make guest appearances on each other's shows, says E!. We think this is a fantastic idea. Think about it: Dobrev could visit the Upper East Side and either try to out-bitch the Queen B or worse yet, put her in an uncomfortable situation like have her visit a garage sale. Eww! Used and dirty! Of course, if Meester visits Mystic Falls, she would make a damn fine vampire wi…

Syfy announced today that Van Helsing has been picked up for a fifth and final season. The news, which comes three days ahead of its fourth-season finale, ensures that showrunners will have plenty of time to craft a fitting end to the saga on their own terms. Van Helsing is a re-imagining of the perennial Dracula brand that follows the resurrection of Vanessa Helsing, a descendent of the legendary Van Helsing lineage of warriors, and her quest to lead mankind against a world controlled by vampires in the post-Rising landscape. The cable network has ordered another 13 episodes for the show's final run, matching the length of each of its other season…

Syfy announced today that Van Helsing has been picked up for a fourth season. The good news comes with two episodes remaining in the vampire hunting drama's third season, which will conclude just before the new year on December 28. The cable network has ordered another 13 episodes for Season 4, matching the length of each of the show's first three seasons. Jonathan Walker, who writes and executive-produces the series, will take over as showrunner going forward, replacing Neil LaBute. Van Helsing is a re-imagining of the perennial Dracula brand that follows the resurrection of Vanessa Helsing, a descendent of the legendary Van Helsing lineage of warriors, and her…

History confirmed today that Vikings will be coming to an end after its already-announced sixth season. The news comes well over a year since the veteran drama was last renewed, though a premiere date for its final run has yet to be announced. The series has been a resounding success for the cable network. Since its debut in 2013 as History's first scripted original series, the show has been earning consistent critical acclaim while becoming a Top 5 drama on ad-supported cable with strong viewership in key demographics. Inspired by the epic sagas about the trading and exploring Norsemen of early medieval Scandinavia, the Irish/Canadian co-production focuses on l…

At San Diego Comic-Con today, the creators and cast of Wynonna Earp announced that the supernatural western has been renewed for a fourth season. The good news, which was delivered at its convention panel for the third year in a row, comes the day following the premiere of Season 3. The Canadian-American production, which was adapted from Beau Smith's comic book series, follows the great granddaughter of Wyatt Earp fighting to bring demons and other paranormal beings to justice. The show's first two seasons have garnered high critical praise while amassing a steadily-growing loyal fan base. And judging from early feedback, Season 3 is set to deliver more of the …

Ahead of tonight's sophomore premiere, Paramount Network announced today that Yellowstone has been picked up for a third season. The early renewal indicates that the network is anticipating another strong run from its sole scripted drama series, which was last year's most-watched new show on cable despite a mixed critical reception. The series follows the Dutton family, who are owners of a Montana ranch that is the largest of its kind in America. Kevin Costner plays patriarch John, who leads the Duttons as they constantly contend with attacks from land developers, conflicts with the country's first national park, and tense encounters with a neighboring Indian reserva…