'The Big Bang Theory' stars Jim Parsons (r.) and Simon Helberg (r.). (Ron P. Jaffe/CBS)

Bob Newhart on 'Big Bang Theory': The actor will guest star in May

By Molly Driscoll, Staff Writer / 03.21.13

Former TV star Bob Newhart will appear in a guest role on the popular CBS comedy “The Big Bang Theory,” according to a report by the website TVLine.

Newhart will portray Professor Proton, a TV science personality who hosted a children’s show. “Bang” characters Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki) were big fans of the show, according to producers Bill Prady and Steven Molaro, and when Sheldon discovers the professor can be hired to appear at events, he books Newhart’s character to come to their apartment. 

“We're really excited about it,” Molaro said during the show’s PaleyFest panel, according to NBC.

Newhart will appear on the May 2 episode of the CBS comedy.

The last time the actor appeared on television was 2005, when he had a guest-starring role on the ABC dramedy “Desperate Housewives.” Newhart is best-known for the TV shows “The Bob Newhart Show,” which aired from 1972 to 1978 and focused on Newhart as a psychologist living in Chicago, and “Newhart,” which ran from 1982 to 1990 and featured the actor as the owner of an inn in Vermont with an eccentric staff. “Newhart” went down in television history after it aired its series finale in which Newhart woke up in bed and looked over to see actress Suzanne Pleshette, who played the actor’s wife on “The Bob Newhart Show,” and Newhart described a dream he had had to her in which he ran an inn in Vermont.

More recently, Newhart appeared in the 2003 Will Ferrell comedy “Elf” and the 2011 comedy “Horrible Bosses.”

“The Big Bang Theory” is currently airing its sixth season, with its seventh season already having been renewed, and centers on a group of scientists and their respective girlfriends and wives. New episodes regularly win the night for ratings for the show’s network, CBS.

'Bates Motel' stars Vera Farmiga (l.) and Freddie Highmore (r.). Joe Lederer/AP

'Bates Motel': What are the reviews saying?

By Ben Frederick, Contributor / 03.21.13

"Bates Motel," which premiered on A&E on March 18, is inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's cinema classic "Psycho" and set in modern times. The show focuses on the relationship between Norman Bates and his living mother, Norma. Norman is played by Freddie Highmore who starred in the 2005 movie "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," and Norma is played by Vera Farmiga, most famous for her role in the 2009 movie "Up in the Air," which also starred George Clooney.

Reviews have largely been positive, with Los Angeles Times writer Mary McNamara complimenting Vera Farmiga's performance in particular, saying she "is reason enough to watch" "Bates Motel." Meanwhile, New Jersey Star-Ledger writer Vicki Hyman gave it an A-, saying, "[It] wastes little time in shedding blood (there is a rather graphic sequence in the pilot), but there's more suspense than outright scares. This property is definitely worth the hourly rate."

According to Screen Rant writer Sandy Schaefer, however, the fact that the audience knows where the story is leading could take away some of its drama, because many audience members are just waiting for Norman to snap.

Schaefer wrote:

"Alfred Hitchcock’s famous explanation about the real difference between surprise and suspense – a bomb exploding with no warning vs. being forewarned about the bomb in advance – lies at the heart of the difference between his film Psycho (based on the Robert Bloch novel) and the new A&E television series 'Bates Motel,' which examines Norman Bates’ upbringing and the events that will ultimately mold him into a cross-dressing murderer with dual personalities." 

However, The Star-Ledger's Hyman compared the setting of the show's sleepy town White Pine to that of the classic TV show "Twin Peaks." So if you were a fan of "Peaks" or of the original "Psycho" film, "Bates" is only three episodes into the first season. There's plenty of time to catch up... if you dare.

Ben Frederick is a Monitor contributor.

Jon Hamm stars as Don Draper on 'Mad Men.' (Michael Yarish/AMC/AP)

Jon Hamm and 'Mad Men' will return to AMC for two more seasons

By Sandy Schaefer / 03.21.13

Mad Men Season 5 proved to be the most polarizing in the show’s history to date (it even failed to snag a Golden Globe nod for Best TV Drama), but its themes of social, political and cultural upheaval – coupled with the emergence of modern domestic dissatisfaction – resonated with even the more critical viewers and fans.

Thus, anticipation remains high for the return of the Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce staff, following the S5 finale – and its ominous conclusion - but proceeding what has been acknowledged as the penultimate season, before we learn Don Draper’s (Jon Hamm) ultimate fate in the seventh season.

AMC has announced that Mad Men S6 will premiere this year on Sunday, April 7th at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT, beginning (like S5) with a two-hour episode – written by head showrunner and creator Matthew Weiner – before it returns to the regular 10 p.m. ET/PT time slot on the 14th, with an episode that Hamm is directing.

Here are statements from the official press release:

“To be able to continue exploring the stories of these characters for a sixth season is an amazing opportunity,” said Weiner. “We love mining this world andlook forward to bringing the audience stories that we hope will continue to both surprise and entertain them.”

“It is a calling card and a point of great pride for AMC to be the network home of’Mad Men,’ led by Matthew Weiner and his brilliant team,” said Charlie Collier, President and General Manager, AMC. “We can’t wait to share season six with the world and what better way to start than with a special two-hour premiere?”

“The success of ‘Mad Men’ is built on the exceptional artistry and imagination of Matthew Weiner, the cast, and the entire writing and producing team,” saidKevin Beggs, President, Lionsgate Television Group. “They continually strive to raise the bar and we look forward to bringing viewers another great season.”

Furthermore, during an interview with The Daily Beast, Weiner confirmed (again) that season 7 is going to be the last. He emphasized that having an end date was instrumental in shaping the overall narrative for S6 and that executive producers (and fellow showrunners) Maria and André Jacquemetton convinced him to not hold anything back for the final season; though, Weiner suspects he will “probably be painted into a corner by the end of the season,” but seems okay with the idea (in the public eye, anyway).

Weiner also confirmed the following:

• Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) is returning in S6, but there’s no guarantee she’ll ever reunite with Don (professionally or personally, for that matter).
• The final, cryptic, moments in the S5 finale are very important, in setting the stage for season 6. In fact, Weiner advises that viewers “just [re-watch] the last 10 minutes of Season 5 right before Season 6 starts.”
• Peter Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser) will NOT commit suicide this season, as Weiner admits the aura of despair – giving way to self-inflicted death – surrounding the character in S5 was “completely unconscious on my part.”

Lastly, Weiner says season 6 and 7 will have the most observable contemporary relevance of any seasons in the show to date:

“There’s always the intention to have it have something to do with the world we’re in right now. That’s only because I only can write from what I know. And for some reason or another, this season feels particularly related to where I feel that we are right now, as a country and as a society…There’s been a bit of a blow to our self-esteem. None of the economic realities of the ’60s, of any of the years that we’ve done the show, reflect what’s going on right now. It was really a boom time for the economy, for job creation, and American industry. But I think that the social order, the blow to our self-esteem and turning inward as we deal with the loss of something. The loss of our—now I’m being super-vague about it. I’m not prepared to talk about it.”

We’ll find out exactly what he means when Mad Men returns with its sixth season on April 7th, 2013, at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Sandy Schaefer blogs at Screen Rant.

Ted Danson stars on 'CSI' as night shift supervisor D.B. Russell. (Rodale Books/Business Wire)

Ted Danson's TV show, 'CSI,' will return for another season

By Molly Driscoll, Staff Writer / 03.21.13

CBS is keeping the crime drama “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” on the air for at least another season and renewed the contract of one of its stars, Ted Danson, for two more years.

“CSI” will be entering its fourteenth season next year and has spawned two spin-offs, “CSI: Miami,” which ended its run in 2012 after airing for 10 seasons, and “CSI: NY,” which has aired nine seasons so far, and its fate for next year is so far unknown. “Miami” starred “NYPD Blue” actor David Caruso and “NY” centers on “Apollo 13” actor Gary Sinise.

As for the original "CSI," CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler called the show “synonymous with CBS.”

“We are so proud of the series' creative and commercial legacy and its continued success on our network,” Tassler said in a statement. "The writers and producers have done an amazing job evolving CSI, reinventing the show around an incredible leading man in Ted Danson, the acclaimed Elisabeth Shue and our beloved and talented core of original castmembers.”

As has happened before on the “CSI” shows, the most recent “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” season eatured a crossover episode on which Sinise appeared as his “NY” character. “Crime” is scheduled to air its season finale May 15.

Danson came aboard “CSI” in its twelfth season in 2011, essentially replacing actor Laurence Fishburne after the actor decided to leave the show. Danson’s character D.B. Russell became the night shift supervisor after Fishburne’s character, Ray Langston, left the show’s team.

The actor had guest spots on various TV shows and appeared in films including the 1979 movie “The Onion Field” and 1982’s “Body Heat” before he was cast as bar owner Sam Malone on the 1982 series “Cheers,” which ran for 11 seasons. Danson won two Golden Globes for Best Actor in a TV Series – Comedy or Musical for his role on the show as well as two Emmy awards for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.

More recently, the actor appeared in the 1998 movie “Saving Private Ryan” and guest-starred on the TV shows “Curb Your Enthusiasm” as himself as well as appearing on the show “Damages,” for which he was nominated for three Emmys as a guest star.

This file publicity image provided by 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation shows Harrison Ford, as Han Solo, Carrie Fisher, as Princess Leia Organa, and Mark Hamill, as Luke Skywalker. in a scene from the 1977 film 'Star Wars,' released by 20th Century-Fox. (20th Century-Fox Film Corporation/AP)

Harrison Ford: Has he confirmed his role in Star Wars: Episode 7?

By Robert Yaniz Jr., Screen Rant / 03.21.13

For years, Star Wars fans have wondered what a sequel trilogy to the original three films would look like. What had become of iconic heroes like Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford) after the destruction of the second Death Star? Then came Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm and the subsequent announcement of Star Wars Episode VII.

Ever since, one of the main questions on fans’ minds has been whether or not any classic characters would make an appearance. Hamill and Fisher have previously hinted that they were in talks for a return to their most famous roles, but no official announcement has yet been made regarding any actors appearing in JJ Abrams’Episode VII. 

However, WGN TV recently caught up with Ford and asked him if there was any truth to ongoing rumors that he’d return to the role of Han Solo. Here’s what he had to say:

“I think it’s almost true. I’m looking forward to it. It’s not in the bag yet, but I think it’s happening.”

Right from the start, we knew that Ford was “open” to the idea of returningas everyone’s favorite space smuggler. However, his latest comment lends even greater credence to the belief that his return is likely imminent. George Lucasrecently revealed that Ford and his co-stars were in final negotiations for the film, and Billy Dee Williams has also expressed interest in joining the fold.

Disney and Lucasfilm may be waiting until contract negotiations are finished to reveal their intentions for the new Star Wars, but it’s becoming abundantly clear that they are planning a reunion of sorts for Episode VII. Meanwhile, the debate rages on about if the return of so many beloved characters will help or hinder the film.

Do you think Episode VII needs Ford to return as Han Solo, and if he does reprise the role, how would you like the character to fit into the story? Sound off below with your thoughts.

Star Wars Episode VII is currently targeting a 2015 release.

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Source: WGN TV

Patrick Stewart wedding: Stewart (l.) and his bride (not pictured) will be married in a civil ceremony officiated by actor Ian McKellan (r.), McKellan said during an interview. (Jeff Christensen/AP)

Patrick Stewart wedding: Ian McKellan says he'll perform the ceremony

By Molly Driscoll, Staff writer / 03.20.13

“The Hobbit” actor Ian McKellan recently announced that he will be officiating at the wedding of his “X-Men” co-star Patrick Stewart. 

McKellan discussed the plan while appearing on the British TV show “The Jonathan Ross Program” over the weekend.

“I'm going to marry Patrick," the actor said at first, then added, "I am going to officiate at his wedding.”

Stewart is engaged to jazz singer Sunny Ozell.

Ross asked McKellan how he has the qualifications to perform the ceremony, and the “Hobbit” star said he wasn’t sure of the exact details.

“I don’t know,” he said. "But in Massachusetts, in the middle of America somewhere, you get a friend along, and I read out the words, and Sunny and Patrick will then be married.”

McKellan said he’d married a couple before.

“I’ve done it once before with two guys having a civil partnership," the actor said. "I was crying my eyes out.”

When asked about his sartorial plans for Stewart’s wedding, McKellan said merely, “You mustn’t upstage the bride.”

While it’s unknown whether the actor’s comments mean that Stewart’s wedding will be taking place in Massachusetts, the state does have a policy that, if a person provides a character reference and $25, they are allowed to perform a wedding ceremony for a family member or friend. Hopeful officiants apply to do s and hear back from the state in four to six weeks.

Stewart and McKellan co-starred together in the first three “X-Men” films as best friends-turned-enemies Professor Charles Xavier and the villain Magneto, respectively. Stewart’s character Xavier was a wheelchair-bound head of a school for “mutants,” or those with special powers, who himself had the power to access the minds of others. Magneto, or Eric Lensherr (renamed Erik Lehnsherr in future films), had the power to manipulate metal and believed those with powers were better than un-gifted humans.

Actors James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender won praise for playing younger versions of the two men in the 2011 film prequel “X-Men: First Class.” Reports have conflicted on whether Stewart and McKellan will return to play the older versions of the characters alongside McAvoy and Fassbender for the new “X-Men” film, “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” with director Bryan Singer saying the two would be involved but Stewart and McKellan denying they knew anything about the project. However, Stewart and McKellan have both seemed game in interviews, with Stewart telling Entertainment Weekly, "I know nothing about this project. And I’m hoping that might change in the future," while McKellan told MTV that he was not officially involved in the project but that "when [director] Bryan Singer calls, on the whole, I follow."

It was also announced in January that the two actors will co-star in productions of "Waiting for Godot" and "No Man's Land" on Broadway this fall. The two had already starred in a "Godot" production in London's West End in 2009.

'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.' could star actor Tom Cruise if it's adapted for the big screen. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

'Man From U.N.C.L.E.': Will Tom Cruise star?

By Sandy Schaefer, Screen Rant / 03.19.13

Tom Cruise isn’t as invulnerable at the box office as he used to be (see: Rock of Ages), but WB is entrusting the Mission: Impossible star to carry another 1960s spy TV series-turned movie – in the form of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. adaptation.

Cruise is reported to have begun early talks for Man from U.N.C.L.E., presumably eying the role of American spy Napoleon Solo. We’re also hearing the actor is lining up to reprise his Jack Reacher role as the title character, drawing from one of the other seventeen books authored by Lee Child (whose eighteenth Reacher novel arrives this Summer).

Man from U.N.C.L.E. was going to be a reunion for screenwriter Scott Z. Burns and director Steven Soderbergh, with Channing Tatum being considered to star. Studio executives (reportedly) butted heads with Soderbergh on budget and casting, which prompted the director to move on and make Side Effects with Burns and Tatum instead. Sherlock Holmes producer Lionel Wigram and director Guy Ritchie were put in charge of the project after Soderbergh departed.

A Ritchie-directed take on Man from U.N.C.L.E. could lie in Cruise’s wheelhouse, as his version should feature the A-lister playing the “ordinary man with superhuman durability” type he’s perfected over the years. Soderbergh’s take would have fallen closer to The Informant! meets Haywire, which probably wasn’t a great way to attempt and jump-start a new lucrative franchise set on an international stage.

Will the masses be interested in watching Cruise trotting so close to his Ethan Hunt character, while crossing into Mission: Impossible territory (as far as contemporary spy game thrillers go)? There’s already a fifth Mission installment on the way, one which could reteam Cruise with Jack Reacher director Christopher McQuarrie.

Speaking of which: the Reacher sequel new comes as a surprise, following reports earlier this year suggesting that Paramount will only consider green-lighting the project after its predecessor reaches the $250 million global benchmark (according to Box Office Mojo, it’s at $215.6 million). The followup isn’t a sure thing, but the solid profits on a $60 million investment – coupled with good vibes surrounding Cruise and McQuarrie’s hard-boiled crime/action throwback – have convinced studio heads to not throw in the towel just yet.

Cruise returns to the big screen in next month’s Oblivion, a sci-fi blockbuster that could build on the momentum from Jack Reacher – demonstrating its lead can still draw a sizable audience, outside of when he defies the laws of physics in a Mission: Impossible movie.

Indeed, it would be a nice to see the Cruise/Ritchie Man from U.N.C.L.E. adaptation follow Brian De Palma’s Mission: Impossible - by focusing on cloak-and-dagger espionage rather than cartoonish superheroics – and not repeat the mistakes from Ritchie’s overblown Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Otherwise, a Jack Reacher followup sounds like the more enticing future Cruise project.

Which sounds better to YOU: Richie’s The Man from U.N.C.L.E. starring Cruise or a Jack Reacher sequel? Do both sound equally promising – or have you gotten your fill of Cruise saving the world on the big screen?

Sandy Schaefer blogs at Screen Rant.

'Dancing with the Stars' features its youngest-ever contestant this year with Disney Channel star Zendaya, who is 16. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

'Dancing with the Stars' premiere: Who triumphed and who needs improvement?

By Molly Driscoll, Staff Writer / 03.19.13

“Dancing with the Stars” kicked off its sixteenth season by introducing one of the new dance styles which will be performed on the popular reality show.

The celebrity cast members for the current season include former Olympic skater Dorothy Hamill, singer Wynonna Judd, comedian Andy Dick, and actor D.L. Hughley. Other celebrity dancers are “The Bachelor” star Sean Lowe, former “American Idol” contestant Kellie Pickler, soap star Ingo Rademacher, “Shake It Up” star Zendaya, boxer Victor Ortiz, NFL player Jacoby Jones, “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Lisa Vanderpump, and Olympic gymnast Alexandra Raisman. Zendaya is the show’s youngest contestant ever, at 16.

Four professional dancers, Anna Trebunskaya, Chelsie Hightower, Louis van Amstel, and Maksim Chmerkovskiy, opted not to return for the current season. The new professional partners are Sharna Burgess, Gleb Savchenko, and Lindsay Arnold.

Judges Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Bruno Tonioli all returned for the new season, as did hosts Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke Charvet.

For the first episode, three of the couples performed contemporary routines, while the rest focused on the foxtrot and cha-cha-cha.

Hughley and his partner, Cheryl Burke, had the low score for the week, coming in with a 12/30 for their performance, several points behind second-lowest-scoring couple Andy Dick and Sharna Burgess's 17/30 score. Many of the contestants clustered with scores between 18 and 21, and Zendaya and her partner, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, captured the high score with 24/30.

According to the website Wetpaint, Pickler expressed trepidation over what she saw as high expectations for her performance.

“People are expecting me to be good, and I don’t know if I am or not,” she said. “I hope people don’t have too high of expectations for me, because I’m not a dancer.” 

The past several celebrity winners for the competition have been a mix of reality TV contestants (fall 2012 winner Melissa Rycroft), football players (spring 2012 champ Donald Driver and spring 2011 winner Hines Ward), and actors (fall 2011’s J.R. Martinez, who is also a former soldier, and fall 2010 winner Jennifer Grey). The professional winners during the past several seasons have often been different, with only dancer Derek Hough winning twice in the last six seasons, when he won the title for the spring 2010 and fall 2010 seasons.

Business Wire

Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock: Will they tour?

By Ben Frederick, Contributor / 03.15.13

Rumors have started to spring up about a Chris Rock/Dave Chappelle comedy tour, and it's all because of some comments made during a rare appearance by Chappelle onstage with fellow comedians Rock, Kevin Hart, Marlon Wayans, and Paul Mooney on a three-night stint at New York's Comedy Cellar.

During the show, Chappelle jested about himself and Rock going on tour, and Rock invited Chappelle down to Palm Springs, Fla., to which Chappelle replied, "After next Tuesday, I’m free for like 11 years," according to the Los Angeles Times. He went on to suggest that the show could be "Fireside Chats with Chris Rock."

In 2005, Chappelle left his extremely popular "Chappelle's Show" mid-production to spend time in Africa. Chappelle later returned to the US and told Oprah Winfrey during an appearance that doing the show was "incredibly stressful."

"When you're a guy who generates money, people have a vested interest in controlling you," he said.

For the past seven years, since Chappelle left the limelight, every time the slightest rumor of a return comes surfaces on the Web, the whole Internet seems abuzz with hope. However, if his previous comments are anything to go by, a complete return to show business may not be in the cards for Chappelle. During an "Inside the Actor's Studio" interview in 2006, he seemed disillusioned.

Chappelle told the crowd of students from Pace University in New York, "You guys are students now, so you're idealists. You don't know about where art and corporate interests meet yet. Just prepare to have your heart broken... get your Africa tickets ready, baby. Because you have no idea!"

If you've never heard a Dave Chappelle stand-up set, be prepared for a lot of expletives, drug references, and racially charged language. However, much of the comedian's work is devoted to seriously questioning race relations in contemporary America. Fans will probably always hope that rumors of a return are true – but don't count your chickens quite yet.