Midnight

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 Hannah's Batiatus, a favorite character. "The idea for the prequel basically came from a conversation I had with Hannah," says DeKnight. "He was telling me how much he enjoyed being on the show, how much he loved it, and that if we ever wanted him to come back to just ask him. He'd love to do it again. And I thought, you know what? There are some things I would like to fill in." The prequel focuses on a time when the gladiator arena was more ruthless than what "Bood & Sand" fans are used to. Honor wasn't as valued then, and every man was out for himself, trying to get ahead. Starz released the following description of the six-episode miniseries: "As the prequel begins, Quintus Batiatus is the acting Lanista while his father is on an extended visit to Sicilia. But Batiatus isn't satisfied with just the thought of taking over the Ludus one day; he aspires to political power and prestige in Capua, and perhaps beyond. In the class-conscious world of ancient Rome, the House of Batiatus must first earn the respect of politicians as well as socialites before being granted the right for its gladiators to fight in the much-revered championship bouts called the Primus. Batiatus must not only survive the harsh politics of Capua, but also compel his hedonistic fighter, Gannicus, to embrace being a champion gladiator who will bring esteem and respect to the House of Batiatus." In addition to John Hannah, Lucy Lawless, Peter Mensah, and Manu Bennett will return. They're joined by new cast members Jaime Murray and Marisa Ramirez. Murray plays Gaia, a social climber in Capua whose quest for social hierarchy may coincide with Batiatus' desire for political power. Ramirez is Melitta, Lucretia's body slave -- and yes, that's as sexy as it sounds. Jeffrey Thomas plays Batiatus' father, Titus, the extremely conservative head of Ludus. Don't miss the brand new trailer below to sneak a peek at the new series, which embraces the cinematic standards set by "Blood & Sand." While we'll certainly miss Whitfield in the role of Spartacus and hope for his speedy recovery, we're thrilled that Starz has given DeKnight the freedom to explore a different time in the arena. Source: http://blog.zap2it.c...and-action.html View full article

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 beg Mason for help is rough. It's almost like he'd be better off knowing Mason is dead than assuming that Mason is prioritizing surfing or Florida or yoga over Tyler. Hello, Jules! Michaela McManus' "One Tree Hill" character could not have been more boring, but she's a good actress -- and totally hot, obviously -- so here's hoping that Jules can do what Rose couldn't. We need an antagonistic, badass girl in town. (By the way, Tyler's computer background is pretty boring. He's so the type to have some Maxim girl up there. Or maybe Matt's mom.) 8:03 - "I'm taking Stefan's side with this one. We're not going to let you get used in some creepy sacrifice ritual." Does Bonnie know that it's not only Elena that would be included in the sacrifice, but also Tyler, Caroline, and Bonnie herself? That was a pretty major plot point, but it hasn't been mentioned since. Everyone is so focused on saving Elena that they've forgotten that half of the characters on the show might go into the doppelganger blood stew, too. No awkwardness between Bonnie and Jeremy after last week's almost kiss? (By the way, fun fact -- Steven R. McQueen tells me that he improvised that tension-filled moment. I'm so glad he did. It felt like a natural direction for the scene, and I liked that Jeremy was a little bit over-eager and made his move too soon. It felt true to his character.) 8:04 - So now Jeremy and Bonnie are scheming up plots to trap Elena in lies? It's so bizarre to me that everyone is allowed to be actively involved in this situation except for Elena herself, who is expected to sit quietly and catch up on "90210" while everyone around her gets their hands dirty and their necks bitten and all that fun stuff. Ha! Jeremy's self-satisfied smirk when Elena walks into the door is priceless. They've become friends this season, but at the root of it all, they're still siblings who give each other a hard time. Nina Dobrev and McQueen were perfectly cast as siblings - adopted or not - because they've got a sense of ease with each other that comes through even when they're giving each other a hard time. I love the way the door barrier looked on screen - that must have been the cleanest pane of glass ever. 8:05 - Ah, so it was Damon's idea! That makes much more sense. I love that Damon brings lanterns. Because a good old flashlight and some extra batteries would just mess with the aesthetic. Stefan seems so relaxed down there. Ever since Katherine returned, she's rarely been able to unnerve Stefan. Sometimes he looks amused by her, sometimes annoyed, but she never just flat-out pisses him off unless she's threatening Elena. I'm surprised he refuses the blood. Isn't sharing with Katherine better than turning into a mummy? Damon and Stefan have shown each other more trust and compassion in the handful of minutes they've spent together since Stefan got stuck in the tomb than they've shown each other all season. Stefan isn't worried about Damon moving in on Elena -- and Damon isn't even considering it. It's a relief. I'd hate for Elena to be able to come between them that easily when they've made so much progress. 8:06 - The dynamic between Tyler and his mom has changed a lot since his dad died. He's always acted out, but Carol and Richard seemed to keep him on a pretty short leash in Season 1 - keeping an eye on who he was hanging out with, making sure he was living up to Lockwood expectations. Now he seems to come and go as he pleases. I think I like Jules. She doesn't waste any time. 8:07 - Oh, cool, so Aunt Jenna let some random into her house. Can someone please just fill her in so that she can stop doing dumb things that she doesn't even know are dumb? Caroline is always at the Grill. Do they serve blood on tap? Also, Tyler kind of sucks at sneaking around. He's got "I've got sketchy stuff in my duffel bag and I'm about to go do sketchy things with it" written all over his face right now. Guilty, guilty, guilty. Why is Alaric giving them the hairy eyeball? Is he actually going to have a purpose in this episode? 8:08 - Here's the big moment. Damon is in Elena's house, Stefan is locked in a tomb with little hope of escape... is Damon going to make his move? Judging by the look on Elena's face, he'd have to be monumentally stupid to do so. Honestly, I think it's a very good thing that Damon didn't pursue Elena just because Stefan is temporarily out of commission. He's better than that now. I love the way that Damon is running this whole operation. He's got a mini-army of various supernatural creatures monitoring the town's various supernatural problems. (Also, his referring to Caroline as Vampire Barbie is magical.) The problem with Damon's plan is Jules -- getting busted for sloppily removing Mason Lockwood's heart isn't part of the Save Elena Or Bust detail. And more adorable-little-brother stuff from Jeremy. Most suicidal siblings ever? 8:09 - I can't quite tell what kind of car Caroline drives, can someone remind me? Just kidding. This is a great soundtrack junkie moment - and according to music supervisor Chris Mollere, it's "This Time Next Year" by Goldhawks. Unfortunately, it's not available for download anywhere. Yet. 8:10 - Meanwhile, back at the Lockwood mansion, Jules has the audacity to drive a Toyota! Are those even allowed within 100 miles of Mystic Falls? It appears that Jules is in cahoots with... some mysterious stranger on the other end of a cell phone call. The saddest thing about Mason's death - other than the way we won't get to see him come in from a run all sweaty and grinning ever again - is that he died even before Tyler triggered the curse. He'd have wanted to help Tyler through it. I almost find myself hoping that Jules will be able to do that somehow - even though Caroline can understand Tyler on some level, it seems like being a vampire is pretty easy in comparison. 8:13 - MATT! And he doesn't even get a line. 8:14 - While I was in Atlanta this week I got to look around in the cellar set where Tyler transformed. Even on the stages, it looks completely creepy - you get the feeling that nothing good goes on in there. "What should I wear? I don't think it's like 'The Hulk' where I get to keep my pants," Tyler says. At least he's got some semblance of his sense of humor left. I like that Caroline, who spent a good portion of Season 1 as Damon's chewtoy, gets anxious at the sight of Tyler taking off his shirt. (Yes, I suppose there's a possibility that Damon compelled her to sleep with him... but I'm going to hope that's not the case, because gross.) 8:16 - Ugh, Luka. I almost liked him for a moment there when he was standing up to Bonnie, and then he did that whole you're-so-pretty-I-forgive-you thing, and I had to roll my eyes. Whatever this guy's angle is, I don't like it. If Dr. ManWitch is collecting grimoires from all over the place, he's probably got an extraordinary amount of power and knowledge. Run, Bonnie. Run for your life. 8:18 - Yay, drunk Alaric! Or fake drunk Alaric, as the case may be. I've missed watching him and Damon team up against their common enemies. They are, as Ian Somerhalder said, "the oddest of bedfellows," but their dynamic works and feels really fresh because we don't get to see it often. Jules, however, isn't buying into it - and I don't blame her, because Damon isn't too convincing as the swooping-in-to-save-the-damsel-in-distress type. 8:18 - Back in the tomb... I think it's genius that Stefan and Katherine got locked up together because their chemistry is phenomenal. even if it is an obvious dream sequence. I have to admit, when I saw the promo for this episode, I hoped that the cave sex was the real deal. But in order for it to be genuine, it'd have to happen after ages and ages of Katherine manipulating Stefan into believing that Damon and Elena were up to no good above ground. There's no way he'd give in this easily. Even though I totally want him to. 8:20 - Oh, Aunt Jenna. 8:25 - Fantastic. So now Elijah is in the house, and Elena can't get out of the house. Great plan, Damon. Why is Elena knocking on Jeremy's door at a time like this? If there was ever a time to throw caution to the wind and bust in without knocking, it's when an unkillable vampire who wants to sacrifice you is hanging out downstairs making nice with your aunt. 8:27 - It's hard to care what's going on elsewhere in this episode knowing that Tyler is about to turn and that Caroline is down in that tomb with him. When we first met Tyler, he was easily the most flat character on the show. Unreasonable bully with a misogynistic streak, the product of crappy parenting. Boring. Somewhere along the way, though, viewers really started to feel for him. Though we still don't know what makes him tick, necessarily, we do see his vulnerability. Watching him pace and hearing the chains drag across the floor is unsettling. The noises he makes as he chokes down the wolfsbane are downright disturbing. I like that he apologizes to Caroline for his outburst, even though she knew what she was in for, to some degree. The old Tyler probably wouldn't have apologized at all. Their connection and chemistry is fantastic. She's really shown up for him in ways no one else has before. 8:29 - Daniel Gillies as Elijah was a great casting move. His undeterminable accent and sharp, Damon-esque way of delivering dialogue make him scary, but his casual posturing keep him oddly relatable. He confesses that he doesn't care about breaking the vampire spell - and why should he? He's got a daylight savings ring and werewolves aren't exactly an imminent threat to the vampire race when there are so few of them left. What he does want is to draw Klaus out of hiding. I dig his honesty here. "I'm a man of my word, Elena. I make a deal, I keep a deal." Of course, you'd better be damn sure you don't leave any loopholes in your dealmaking, as we saw with Rose and Trevor. Elena is pretty ballsy to try to negotiate with terrorists, but I've got to hand it to her for trying. She may be locked up, but she's not willing to sit idly by. 8:31 - Ugh, Luka. Once again, it seems like Bonnie is overestimating her own ability. Call me crazy, but a spell that encompasses all werewolves and vampires at the very essence of their curses should be more difficult than a spell that essentially locks a door, right? Why does Bonnie think they can do this after everything? Also, magic must be orgasmic, literally. The look on Bonnie's face every time she and Luka do anything magical makes me feel like I should look away. 8:32 - Tyler's voice and the desperate breaths he's taking are literally making my stomach churn. I've said it before - portraying all-encompassing pain can't be easy for an actor because there aren't a lot of reference points for it. Trevino is making me nauseous here... which is a good thing. Guys cry on this show all the time, but it's rare to see them actually sob, so I'm glad they went there here. It reminds me a little of when Stefan first went blood-crazy last season, because all vanity for the actor is out the window. It's an ugly process and they don't sacrifice authenticity in favor of making it look "cool." Caroline is so brave in this scene, I can't even stand it. Best character development ever. Props to the visual effects team - and the sound effects guys, for that matter - because Tyler's arm breaking and twisting was almost unwatchable... in a good way. This scene definitely isn't about the CGI, though. Tyler's "It hurts, it hurts" is what really got me. (Yeah, I'm crying, shut up.) This is pretty much the most necessary commercial break in the history of television. I need to walk it off. 8:37 - Jules is a great addition. She gives us the opportunity to see the other side of being a werewolf. Obviously her transformation is much quicker, since she's still in the bar while Tyler looks like something out of the exorcist. She also implies that she's got some control over what she does as a wolf, since she's threatening Damon specifically. I like that werewolves have a hyper sense of smell, too - that could come in handy... especially because if Tyler knows what a vampire smells like because of Caroline, he might catch on to Damon and Stefan. 8:38 - Speaking of Tyler... can this just end already? Trevino's performance is blowing my expectations out of the water (which is saying something, because my expectations were pretty high to begin with) but I don't want to see any more of it. It's scaring me. 8:39 - Aw, Alaric. Protecting Damon from the Big Bad Wolf... and Damon actually listening. 8:40 - How awesome is it that when Tyler begs Caroline to get out, she just holds him closer? Matt who? Wow, Tyler is freaking scary as he reaches the end of his transformation. With vampires, there's still such a human element of control - they can be calculated and graceful in their kills. With werewolves, the person is reduced to their animal instincts... and apparently vampires taste delicious. I like that a lot of the transformation is in shadow, so there's not much CGI needed. It's better to show too little than to show too much and in this case, they've got a great performance to rely on, which makes the effects a nice bonus, but not necessary to have the right impact. Caroline crying outside the doors is one of the best parts of this, too. She's crying because she's scared for herself and for Tyler. 8:48 - Oh, look, Rose is back. Zzzzzz. I'm not sure why I'm so uninterested in her character. I prefer my vampires with a motive and a purpose as opposed to just... kind of lost and wandering. That werewolf attack scene would've been great - I love that they used an actual wolf in some shots - but after Tyler's cries of pain, Rose's endless scream just sounds kind of bored. Two seconds ago Damon was telling Rose to hit the road, and now he's holding her and soothing her as she recovers from a wound that's... basically gone already? I don't get it. 8:50 - Oh, Luka isn't too pleased with being his father's little minion, is he? He's got an attitude. 8:51 - Back in the tomb, Katherine and Stefan are having the same conversation that they always have. "Prove to me that there's something inside of you that's actually worth trusting," Stefan says. But what, exactly, is she supposed to do? They're locked up underground. Frankly, I don't really want to see the human side of Katherine. As Elena learns to manipulate people for the sake of her own survival, she's becoming more like Katherine -- we don't need Katherine to become more like Elena, too. It's interesting that Katherine says Isobel found her... but Isobel says that it was Katherine who did the finding. "Genetic curiosity," I believe it was. 8:52 - "Good evening Katerina. Thank you for having the good sense to be frightened." Oh, I freaking love Elijah. Love. So Stefan's out of the tomb. I can't help but feel like a great story opportunity was kind of wasted - I would have liked to see much more of Stefan and Katherine's manipulative mind games while he was trapped with her. She brings out a slightly darker side of him that's really interesting. 8:56 - Caroline is in the forest in fog with crows. Anyone else getting pilot flashbacks? Thankfully, the night is over. Soundtrack junkie moment: Howie Day's "Longest Night" is highly appropriate, I think. Tyler's broken voice when he says Caroline's name KILLS me. "You're okay" she says. "No," he says. "I'm not." More tears from me. He's supposed to go through this every month? I'm guessing we're going to see another Mystic Falls resident with a death wish. Yikes. 8:58 - What a great moment, where Elena sees Stefan's reflection in her window! It's another callback to the pilot, where she saw him through the window at the end of the night. His smile is adorable, too -- Paul Wesley has been looking extra good lately. I'm not sure their reunion is quite due yet, because everything that was unresolved when they broke up is still resolved... but I'm glad to see them smile for once. They've got enough to brood over without missing each other, too. Close your blinds, Elena! Dang. 9:00 - Damon and Rose... okay, okay, there's definitely chemistry here. Then again, Damon would have chemistry with a garage door, so we'll see where this goes... especially since her shoulder seems to have been infected with flesh-eating werewolf bacteria. Gross. It's interesting that they chose to end the mid-season finale without a cliffhanger. Unless you consider Rose possibly dying a cliffhanger, which I don't, because I don't think anyone's too invested in her living at this point. If it had been Caroline with the werewolf bite, maybe, but I'm not too worried about Rose's life on the line. Overall, this is one of my favorite episodes of the season. I like when the focus is taken off of the "triangle" a little bit -- they can get exhausting with their back-and-forth. Even so, it's nice to see Stefan and Elena back together, and Damon is showing his softer side more than ever now. I do wish we'd seen some follow up on the great moment between Matt, Caroline, and Tyler, but I realize that this wasn't the place. Poor Matt - now that Caroline and Tyler have been through this hell together, he doesn't stand a chance. I knew Trevino would land the MVP for this episode, but I didn't think it'd be this good. That'll teach me to underestimate people! He's been arguably the most compelling cast member to watch this season, since last year we didn't know Tyler much at all. Tonight's episode only proved that he's got plenty more where that came from, especially when it comes to working with Candice Accola. Holy chemistry. Your turn, vamp fans! I want to know your thoughts on EVERYTHING, so drop me a comment below. Source: http://blog.zap2it.c...gest-night.html View full article

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 remain unsullied, read no further. What to expect from "All the Way": Michael gives his opinion on women's fashion.Flashbacks of Alex and Nikita pre-Division mole operation.Hmm, that wedding planner looks an awful like Robin Givens.Birkhoff finally earns his keep.Thom is back, looking dapper in a suit and gives Alex a pep talk.Jaden comes on to Thom (again). He rebuffs her (again).Alex gets violent on her mission.Nikita gets inside Division.Amanda is her warm and charming self.Nikita makes a reference to BP.The recruits get a really hard workout.You might feel like crying View full article

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 Abed. The idea of stop motion animation - total control over a completely creative environment - and what that says about him." It's amazing just how spot-on the clay versions of the cast really are and Harmon says that it took a bit of serendipity and a lot of thought to capture each character's stop motion doppelganger. "You're making a million arbitrary choices in the likenesses of these characters," he says. "What is it about Joel McHale​ on 'Community,' not on 'The Soup,' that's popping out about the character? When you look at the doll for Jeff Winger, if you split-screen them next to Joel McHale, obviously you're not looking at the same face. But, what is it? Is it the angle of the eyebrows or is it spiky hair? The kind of expression on his face? We were very excited about those opportunities." To us, "Community" is like a TV sitcom test lab, which gives a nod to "the rules" while at the same time challenging their boundaries. Somehow the show makes action thrillers, space themes and zombie movie lore work while still preserving the characters' storylines. Harmon promises the Christmas episode was conceived in the same vein. "Doing your story in a different medium is a great way to send a signal to the audience that, hey, these guys are real," he says. "Because look how consistent they are, even if you put them in outer space or have them be stop motion for an episode." "Community's" stop motion animated Christmas episode airs Thursday, Dec. 9 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. View full article

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-earned. "Though the promos have focused heavily on the 'triangle' drama, honestly the episode really belongs to Michael Trevino, Tyler, as we watch him go through the most harrowing experience of his life," Plec says, referring to the CW's episode trailer, which may not do the actual plot of the episode much justice. I chatted with Trevino about his character's journey from the resident one-dimensional bully to the emotionally layered Tyler we'll see on screen this week. "Last year, Tyler would show up, get into a fight, and then leave for a few episodes," Trevino says. While we're sure those choreographed brawl scenes had their merits, this season, he gets to stretch the limits of his talent and training as an actor. In fact, the transformation was Trevino's most challenging experience as an actor. "By far," he says. "In all the TV stuff that I've done, guest stars and recurring, the two days of shooting the transformation scene by far was the hardest, most challenging I've ever done." Luckily, Trevino didn't have to go it alone. Marcos Siega, former supervising producer, returned to "The Vampire Diaries" while they filmed this important hour. Trevino found comfort in Siega's presence. "It's not only a difficult scene because you're not in your comfort zone, you know?" he says. "Your shirt's off, and this and that. There's all these different elements, so just to have that relationship where you totally 100% trust that person, that was Marcos." He was also joined on set by co-star Candice Accola. "It was a very beautiful, painfully beautiful day at work," she says. "You'd walk on set and the tone was set. Everyone was there to work. It was very serious. Everything that he was doing was so beautiful, creatively, that it was a very intense two days. They put him through the ringer. He went for it, he went there, and I think it's going to make for a great, shining moment for Trevino. I think it's a great episode for him." Tyler will never be the same after this transformation, and not just because once a month he'll wolf out. The changes he goes through will alter his relationships with his friends and make him question his place in Mystic Falls as the two monster species collide. Ian Somerhalder​ says that the heart of Tyler's story is whether or not he can step up, accept his fate, and do what it takes to protect his home and his family. "Or what's left of his family, the poor guy," Somerhalder adds. "We killed his dad, we killed his uncle. I think we need to figure out, first of all, what Tyler wants. My guess, hopefully, is that he realizes that this is his home. This is where it all started and where it should end." Watch the video below for more from Trevino, Accola, and Somerhalder -- including some scoop on Damon's relationship with a new female character and just what separates a Lockwood werewolf from a "True Blood" wolf. View full article

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" ("Lost") "Help Me" ("House") "I.F.T." ("Breaking Bad") "I See You" ("Breaking Bad") Episodic Comedy "Anna Howard Shaw Day" ("30 Rock") "Earthquake" ("Modern Family") "Nightmayor" ("The Sarah Silverman Program") "Starry Night" ("Modern Family") "When It Rains, It Pours" ("30 Rock") "Wuphf.com" ("The Office") Long Form, Original "The Special Relationship" "You Don't Know Jack" Long Form, Adaptation "The Pacific," "Part Four," "The Pacific," "Part Eight," "The Pillars of the Earth" "Temple Grandin" Animation "Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences" ("Futurama") "Moe Letter Blues" ("The Simpsons") "O Brother, Where Bart Thou?" ("The Simpsons") "The Prisoner of Brenda" ("Futurama") "Treasure Hunt" ("Back at the Barnyard") Comedy/Variety, Series "Penn & Teller: Bullshit!" "Saturday Night Live" "The Colbert Report" "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" Comedy/Variety, Specials "The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special - In 3-D On Ice!" "Jimmy Kimmel Live: After the Academy Awards" Daytime Serials "As the World Turns" "General Hospital" "One Life to Live" The WGA has the complete list, including categories for news, promos and children's programming. View full article

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 Wednesday's (Dec. 8) episode. In "Dance Dance Revelation," Manny and Luke (Rico Rodriguez, Nolan Gould) have their first school dance, and Phil and Jay (Ed O'Neill​) accompany them to the mall to prepare. Fans of the show know that Jay isn't Phil's biggest fan, and we guess the mall is not where Jay is happiest. "They take the boys out shopping and it comes to a head," Burrell reveals. "It's part of the ongoing struggle between Jay and Phil about respect and whether or not Phil deserves it or not. His manhood is threatened as usual." Burrell also shares how he's like Phil, thoughts on his co-stars and a telenovela he's working on with Rodriguez. Are you an early adopter of technology like Phil? Ty Burrell: No I'm really not. I'm not a Luddite, but I'm not like up on what's the newest, coolest thing. Of course Steve Levitan from our show is. That's where our storylines generate. He basically tells me if I'm anywhere close if I'm trying to operate a computer with a rock and a flame. What's the fanciest piece of technology you own? Burrell: I have an iPad. I mainly work on scripts with it honestly. There are a couple of apps on there that allow you to make notes on the PDF so you can score a script. It's made it really easy actually to not need paper except for certain situations. I think the show in general has gotten pretty far at being paperless. It's pretty cool. As a new parent, what's one trait you'd take from Phil's parenting skills? Burrell: I think one of positivity. He's kind of a militantly positive guy. He's sort of relentless. If I am that positive parent, I will be extremely grateful. I'll be very glad if that happens. Although Phil and Jay don't get along, how is it working with O'Neill? Burrell: It's amazing. I can't say enough good things about him. He's always been sort of a paterfamilias for us both onscreen and off. I love working with him because he's a total pro. He's not one of those guys who has a lot of ups and downs. You can kind of count on Ed being there all that time whether you're working late into the night or early in the morning or whatever is going on in any of our private lives. He's really one for coming to work to work. Throw in the fact that he's a genius. He's so effortless as a performer. It's just a lot of fun. Do you feel the partnership with Julie Bowen that Phil and Claire have? Burrell: I've been describing her most recently as the ultimate teammate. She has an incredible amount of skill as a comedian but she's got your back as far as trying to negotiate teams. She's just not one of those people that increases the challenge so to speak. The scenes are enough of a challenge to figure out for everyone, to try to basically get the genius writing to come across. She's not ever one to add to that challenge. She's just really an awesome. Who's the biggest jokester on set? Burrell: Probably Rico. Rico is, contrary to his character, a true joyful kid. He loves to run around doing jokes and bits and stuff. It adds a ton of life to the set. He and I were working on a sort of telenovela, Latin American soap opera. We've got an episode essentially worked out. Eventually we'll have three or four episodes hopefully. We'll have a side job. We don't write it down. We just sort of memorize these scenes between these two incredibly dramatic long-lost relatives. Do the actors who play your screen kids (Sarah Hyland, Ariel Winter​, Nolan Gould) respect you? Burrell: I think it's fairly typical. I think they look on us with pity like any kid would with an adult. They can see that we're slowly decomposing. View full article

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 old. You'll see in the next episode that their relationship continues to grow. Despite all of their mistakes, they'll always be there for each other." When Lux is asked to testify in Tasha's case, she hesitates, concerned that revealing the truth about her time in foster care will push Eric away and make her family look at her differently. The lengths that Lux goes to to keep her past in the past may not only jeopardize her relationships, but could land Tasha in a federal penitentiary. Lux's testimony is so shocking that a courtroom brawl breaks out -- but the person who lands the first punch will surprise you. The hits just keep on coming after that. If you think things have settled down, don't get too comfortable - there's a reveal in the final moments of the episode that could prove to be devastating to one of our favorite characters. We don't want to give too much away, but suffice to say that "Stand Taken" is easily the series' most powerful episode. You'll see characters you thought you knew in an entirely different light. Robertson and Kristoffer Polaha in particular give performances that are subtly heartbreaking - arguably the best of their respective careers. Basically, if you don't cry... we think you should get your tear ducts examined. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOICucUcKSc&feature=player_embedded Follow Zap2it on Twitter and Zap2it on Facebook for the latest news and buzz Photo/Video credit: CW Source: http://blog.zap2it.c...everything.html View full article

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 a one-note character." Vergara and Julie Bowen were both nominated in the category this year, but O'Neill gives the nod to his TV wife over his TV daughter: "Sofia is just so, so funny," he says of Vergara. "I don't think people realize how hilarious she is. She's so sharp with her wit, it's amazing." We don't really have a beef with Lynch winning the award -- and wouldn't have with Vergara either; both are great in their roles. What do you think of O'Neill's comments? View full article

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 Lena Headey ("Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles") Cersei Lannister: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau​ ("New Amsterdam") plays Cersei's brother Jaime: Peter Dinklage​ as the third of the Lannister siblings, Tyrion: Emilia Clarke is Daenerys Targaryen: Here's the video, in which you'll also see (among others) Harry Lloyd as Daenerys' brother Viserys, Mark Addy as Robert Baratheon and, briefly, "The Wire's" Aiden Gillenas Littlefinger. "Game of Thrones" premieres in April. View full article

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 will continue to add to his extraordinary hosting resume with the Spike TV Video Game Awards on Dec. 11. Oh, and he does have video game cred. He's the star of "Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions." [Spike TV] Be Good Johnny Weir is skating from Sundance to Logo. Its first season will re-air in early 2011 and then its new season is aiming for that summer. The cable net has also greenlit two other series -- "Pretty Hurts" about a Beverly Hills "lip injector" and "Setup Squad" about a NYC dating service that provides wingmen or -women. [THR] Move over "Boardwalk Empire," Starz is committing to 10 episodes of "Magic City," set in a Miami hotel during the time when Fidel Castro takes control of Cuba and shuts down gambling in Havana. Where's a decadent, sleazy gambler to go? Miami! [Deadline] View full article

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 a second 13-episode season. View full article