Entertainment Link-Off: Splash or Splat!

katie cassidy 3

UPDATE: The finale for Harper’s Island was appropriately titled “Sigh”. The limited-run series went out barely noticed as it snagged about 3.84 million viewers during its final two hours. It’s too bad. While the series itself was uneven (a mixed bag of great and mediocre moments), it was a fun thrill ride overall. I wasn’t thrilled with the ending, but it was satisfying. Kudos to CBS for airing all the episodes despite the lack of eyeballs tuning in. (TV by the Numbers)

Steve beat me to it and already featured Katie Cassidy in his Wednesday Link-Off. However, that doesn’t stop me from featuring her again in celebration of the Harper’s Island finale tonight at 9 p.m. on CBS. Most Canadian viewers may have already watched the finale on Thursday night, but to those who haven’t seen it or if you don’t have anything better to do tonight, just sit back and enjoy 2 hours worth of a fun slasher-fest.

I’m kicking this off with a non-entertainment news. Facebook users entering university watch out! There are fake university groups popping up because of those evil marketing companies! (The Toronto Star) Alright everyone, to be on the safe side, let’s all just go to the South Harmon Institute of Technology. We know that school is legit.

After the jump some movie news to tickle the moviebuffs, what James Franco’s UCLA commencement speech would have been like and things that will make a splash or fail miserably.

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NBC Announces Primetime Schedule for 2009/2010 Season

nbc-shows-09-10You’ve already heard about the batch of new shows when NBC decided to announce part of its schedule earlier in the month. Now the full schedule is available for you to check out! Continue reading

Breaking News: Chuck Renewed!

chuck 3So there is a TV God out there! While the official word will come out during the NBC’s presentation, multiple sources indicate Chuck received a 13 episode renewal, but there is a catch! Continue reading

Entertainment Link-Off: Good News, Bad News

minka kelly 3The television networks are preparing to announce their fall schedules next week. Headlining this article is Minka Kelly. The soon to be former Friday Night Lights star is set to play the lead in the new CW pilot Body Politic. Unfortunately the pilot is being overshadowed by Twilight: The Series Vampire Diaries, recycled material Melrose Place 2.0 and a scripted version of America’s Next Top Model Beautiful Life. So here I am doing another plug in hopes of generating more attention to a potentially good show, unlike the other stuff that the CW has to offer. I want the show to make it into the fall schedule because it has a great cast and it has a storyline that doesn’t involve a bunch of rich spoiled teens (also the inner VM/FNL fan is also yearning to see this)! While Body Politic isn’t generating enough buzz, the good news is that it appears people are starting to warm up to it. However, the bad news is that the CW usually makes the wrong decisions and are too stupid to realize it until it’s too late (in this case, pick up Vampire Diaries, Beautiful Life and Melrose Place 2.o instead).

After the jump… some good news… and bad news… Continue reading

Forget NBC! Gladiator-maniacs to the Big Screen!

gina carano 1While NBC has yet to take down the official site for the reincarnated American Gladiators, don’t look for it to air anywhere on the network this summer. NBC did have tentative plans to bring back American Gladiators for a third season, however that plan was scrapped after the show barely averaged 4 million viewers last summer. Part of the blame for the low ratings is NBC’s idiotic scheduling. Having the second season air just three months after the first round didn’t generate enough hype for people to carry over to the second season. Also, since the show was going to be dumped as summer programming, they shouldn’t have high expectations to begin with. As an American Gladiators fan, I am disappointed that I won’t get a weekly fix of this show. I’m going to miss the awesome events like Joust or Powerball. I’m going to miss watching those gladiators pummel the contestants. I’m going to miss the Hulkster doing ridiculous poses while hosting the show. In fact, I’m really going to miss Crush (picture on the right) and Phoenix! Now I have nothing to watch over the summer (except for CBS’ Harper’s Island, which got banished to Saturdays)!

There is a possibility that the show will come back on a different network, but I’m not confident that it will. On the bright side, the creator of the show plans on doing a feature film for American Gladiators! Oh sweet silver lining! Continue reading

Entertainment Link-Off: The Boobtube Busts

hayden-panettiere-star-trek-01Did anyone check out the series* finale of Scrubs on Wednesday night? It was such a brilliant episode! Definitely one of the best series finales ever… assuming ABC does not extend the show for a 9th season out of desperation. Anyway, headlining the article today is Hayden Panettiere doing the Vulcan hand sign. No, she’s not in the latest Star Trek flick (that was released Thursday night), but she did appear at the premiere. The film currently sits at 96% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Perhaps J.J. Abrams did manage to revive the franchise that was declared dead after the disastrous 10th flick Star Trek: Nemesis.

Let’s start off with a very random entertainment news. Apparently Chuck Norris can still kick ass… even if it’s just a cardboard version of him! (Olivia Munn)

After the jump, some movie news, a tiny bit on new music and the end of network television! Continue reading

NBC Announces Part of Their 2009/2010 Schedule! Should We Even Care?

carly-pope-1No not really, especially since the network decided to hold off the renewal announcement of its most buzzed about bubble show Chuck. Headlining the article today is Canadian actress Carly Pope. She will be appearing in the NBC “event series” called Day One. After the jump, previews for the 6 new NBC shows and my thoughts based on their promotional clips.

As previously mentioned in Saturday’s Entertainment Link-Off, the Chuck announcement won’t come until the May upfronts. Remember fellow Nerd Herders, send some nerds and watch Chuck vs. the Colonel tonight on NBC.com or at hulu. Several sources indicate that a Chuck renewal looks good, but it’s not a sure thing. It depends on the negotiations between WB and NBC and whether NBC can fit the show into it’s fall/winter lineup.

In the meantime, keep track of Ausiello’s Fall TV Cheat Sheet to stay up to date on the status of your favourite shows!

NBC has already renewed 30 Rock, The Biggest Loser (*headdesk), Celebrity Apprentice, Friday Night Lights (Yay!), Heroes (Really?), Law and Order: SVU, The Office, Parks and Recreation (it will always live in the shadow of The Office), Saturday Night Live (yawn), SNL Weekend Update Thursday (double yawn) and Southland. Joining these shows are the new comedies 100 questions and Community and the new dramas Day One, Mercy, Parenthood and Trauma.

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Entertainment Link-Off: Welcome to the Dollhouse

dichen-lachman-1Since Eliza Dushku has been featured in an earlier edition of the weekend link-off, I thought I would let her Dollhouse costar Dichen Lachman headline this post. The season finale of Dollhouse airs next Friday at 9 pm on FOX (since the network decided not to air the 13th episode titled Epitaph One). While this show has little to no chance of returning next season, perhaps an uptick in viewers for the finale might help change FOX’s mind.

I know this is an “entertainment link-off”, but this first article is too good to pass up. A new Viagra rival is actually an ointment that can be rubbed onto the skin. [Insert ‘rubbing to turn something on’ joke here]. Apparently this product can lead to quicker hard-ons compared to Viagra. I guess this could generate some entertaining results. [Daily Telegraph]

After the break, Dollhouse, Chuck, some music news and the latest Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen trailer! Continue reading

Crosby And Ovechkin Get Four Periods On NBC

The word has come down from NBC executives:  Game one of Eastern Conference semi-finals between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals will be on the network for regulation and one overtime period.  After that, coverage will switch over to Versus because NBC will begin coverage of the Kentucky Derby. Continue reading

The Chuck Season Finale Primer

On Monday, Chuck wraps up its second season. A big rating would go a long way to keeping it on NBC. Of course, it’s not just Chuck that’s “on the bubble.” Now that Jay Leno is doing five hours a week in primetime, a lot of NBC shows are on the verge of cancellation. However, Chuck is the best of the bunch. So to get you to watch the finale, I’ve put together a little visual recap of the season to catch you up. Continue reading