Previously on True Blood: Everyone was naked, gay, or reenacting sex acts that could get us flagged for language if I even mentioned them. While that might sound like a typical True Blood episode, this week's installment put up quite a fight! Let's recap the sexcapades and bloody action of last night's episode and see if graphic violence can out-tally graphic doin' it.
This just in: Glee's most vocally talented cast member, Lea Michele, will finally have some competition next season when international pop talent Charice joins Ryan Murphy's series. According to EW, the musical prodigy will guest star as a foreign exchange student who competes with Michele's character for the New Directions' spotlight. Instead of waiting until September to see the ladies compete for the McKinley High crown, Movieline has staged what will inevitably be the first of many overly dramatic sing-offs -- and since Schue is currently unavailable, we are enlisting you, dear readers, to declare the round one winner.
After three seasons on TNT, we have to bid adieu to Grace Hanadarko, Saving Grace's gritty detective. It's also somewhat karmic that Saving Grace -- which co-stars Laura San Giacomo -- would be canceled just as two of that actresses' Just Shoot Me alums win roles on new series. I suppose we can honor her memory by looking forward to Wendie Malick on Hot in Cleveland and George Segal on Retired at 35. And David Spade on Rules of Engagement's second season. I suppose.
Summer 2010 ranks among the unfriendlier times to premiere a television drama -- the supernatural mystery Persons Unknown pulled in a wan 1.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic a couple weeks ago, and Fox's fun new Colin Hanks dramedy The Good Guys garnered a 1.4. ABC premiered two new series last night that possess at least one ingredient for success -- Scoundrels is based on a successful New Zealand series while The Gates packs vampire appeal. Did they beat the cruel summer?
We've got good news for anyone who has spent the past twelve years praying for a new medium in which Norm Macdonald can laugh through crude punchlines early in the morning. The comedian is helping Saturday Night Live writer Fred Wolf launch Beyond the Comics, a series of raunchy, animated comic strips that will appear on the websites of seven newspapers this week. Depending on how popular the videos are (and this initial crop features the voices of David Spade, Sarah Silverman, Dana Carvey, Kevin Nealon, Colin Quinn and others), other newspapers all over the country will have the opportunity to buy and post the animated shorts on their websites, effectively ushering the funnies into the 21st century. Now who's in the mood for a good Sarah Silverman one-liner about peg legs?
Network marketing departments, take note! The publicity campaign for the fourth season of Mad Men continues to be an expert course revealing nothing. Between the interviews with Matthew Weiner, the first look image and, now, the season four poster (which premiered at EW), the one unifying thread has been something will happen. What that something is -- well, who knows? But based on the poster, expect some furniture purchases.
In last night's third episode of The Next Food Network Star, Dzintra Dzenis more than lived up to her burgeoning reputation as the reality-TV villain of the future. She called last week's experience of being in the bottom group of contestants among the "worst of her life," vowing that she would not endure such indignity in this go-around. And damn if she didn't give her all to keeping her promise. But there she was again, explaining and defending herself in equal measure until the judging panel expressed its vote of no confidence for the last time. Yes, Dzintra was cast-off. So: Does anyone need a classically-trained, condescending, shushing, tear-streaked chef who just knows she can do this? Because Dzintra is your gal, and I miss her already.
After a difficult month that included the release of an embarrassing Mamma Mia! audition tape, an even-more-embarrassing attempt to rediscover relevance via a parody of his audition tape and one DUI, where his blood alcohol level was reportedly nearly three times the legal limit, Chris Klein has checked into rehab for alcohol addiction. Klein's publicist confirmed "After recent events, Chris was forced to take a clear look at a problem he has been trying to deal with himself for years. He understands now that he can not beat this disease alone." [People]
· It wouldn't be Monday without a rumor about the future of Glee, so here goes: Movieline sister site Hollywood Life reports that the Glee cast members have clauses in their contracts committing them to three feature films based on the series. Of course this doesn't really mean anything -- certainly not that Twentieth Century Fox will turn Glee into a movie franchise -- but considering the popularity of the show, why not? Here's hoping movie plots include the outing of Cory Monteith as a robot, a more elaborate Jonathan Groff cheeseburger costume and yet another arrangement of "Don't Stop Believin'". [Hollywood Life]
Jason O'Mara gets (another) shot, American Idol lines up audition cities and more TV Bites after the jump.
Chris Colfer, who plays America's favorite gay teen Kurt Hummel on Glee, stopped by UK chat show Jonathan Ross last night with fellow castmates Amber Riley and Matthew Morrison. Amber busted out a little Michael Jackson and Mr. Schuester talked about his waiter days, but Chris decided to take this opportunity to come out of the closet...the "bad-ass with swords" closet. Whirling around his sais, he looked impressively deadly until you realize that what are swords really but pointy batons? And I think we'd all expect baton-twirling to be in any good glee clubber's wheelhouse. Video evidence after the jump.
From the same network that brought you such hard-bitten, time tested journalists like Jenna Bush and Luke Russert, NBC has announced that Kathie Lee spawn Cody Gifford has joined the Today show as an "intern" who will "review" movies. Sure, he may not be legally old enough to buy a beer, but wee Master Gifford brings the dewy vibrancy of youth to table, unlike the oldsters out there who might be "a little out of touch with contemporary issues, films, and whatnot." You hear that, Old Man Ebert? You are far too old to appreciate the subtle, youthful intricacies of MacGruber!
I'm a militant Project Runway defender, but I can't deny that seasons six and seven have been its weakest. Everything from Lifetime's casting to the unimaginative challenges to the studied formula is a snore compared to seasons 1-3, when contestants snuck some spontaneity (and the occasional pattern book) into the fold. That's why it seems bizarre that Lifetime, aware of the show's sagging ratings, has expanded Runway to 90-minute episodes for its eighth season. While that extra half hour will make the Project Runway/Models of the Runway lineup a solid two-hour block, will it actually help revive Runway?
Finally, someone is coordinating a celebrity telethon to help the victims of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. This Monday, CNN will host a special two-hour Larry King Live featuring Justin Bieber, Ted Danson, Cameron Diaz, Randy Jackson, Robert Redford and a performance by Sting. Cameron, we commend the effort but if you really wanted to raise money, shouldn't you head to a program that is watched by more than 800,000 viewers? [AP]
Summer is finally here, for real, and just as you might drink and/or dress with the seasons, movies can nitro your vibe, if you know where to look. Cable programmers tend to think with the weather, too, and summertime means more out of the multiplex than hundred-million-dollar blockbusters...
We may not know why Bravo VP Andy Cohen hosts a weekly late night talk show where he feels up D-List talent, but we are are dedicated to chronicling his strangeness. With that in mind, let's review the wackiest moment from last night's Watch What Happens Live, featuring Kathy Griffin. Those easily offended may not want to click through.
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