TV Zone
News, scoops, reviews and more from TV land.
Steve Forrest, star of 'S.W.A.T.,' dies at 87
Steve Forrest, star of the '70s camp cop show "S.W.A.T." and one of TV's classic character actors of yore who appeared in a dozen or so westerns and even headlined a chestnut or two ("The Baron"), has died. According to reports, he was 87, and died "peacefully," per the Hollywood Reporter, surrounded by family.
Forrest was one of those actors with a square jaw, great action chops, and an ability to make you look at the small screen. He had classic looks too — younger brother of Dana Andrews — and used them to real effect in so many TV shows over so many years that it would be impossible to name them all here but included "The Virginian, "Death Valley Days," "Gunsmoke" and "The Longest Day." And the movies of course: "Rawhide," "Cimmaron Strip" and "The Name of the Game."
It was "S.W.A.T.," one of those '70s shoot-'em-ups so in favor then (and frankly, now too) for which he may best be remembered. Too bad, actually because this wasn't great TV but it was memorable TV.
It's easy to say about Forrest that they don't make 'em like this anymore, but they really don't make 'em like this anymore . . . He was a World War II vet who fought in the Battle of the Bulge and came back to Hollywood to begin work in a nascent television business where he worked continuously — and well. Another big loss to classic TV.
Check out the clip below — "Car chases" — revealing a cool customer of an action actor who indeed looked like his more famous bro. Surely some of you remember Lt. Dan "Hondo" Harrelson?
Billy Crystal in FX pilot
Photo credit: AP
Bill Crystal may be returning to TV - after a 30-year absence. FX Wednesday morning announced that he'll headline a new comedy, entitled "The Comedians," that will almost certainly land on the new FX comedy channel later this year or next. “It truly is an honor to be in business with Billy Crystal and Larry Charles, two of the all-time greats in comedy,” said FX chief John Landgraf, in a statement posted on Variety earlier today.
Charles: Yes, the same Larry of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Seinfeld" and "Entourage" and "Mad about You" and "Borat." More reason to assume this pilot order is a lock for a series pickup.
Show's about an aging comic who's paired with a young comic; he is apparently unhappy about this turn of professional affairs. (Sounds a bit like "Nashville," actually.) Crystal hasn't done series TV since the mid-80s and "Saturday Night Live," though there were brief cameos on "Friends" and "Frasier" in years past.
CBS re-signs with Tonys through 2018
Photo credit: AP
CBS's long and happy relationship with the Broadway League and American Theatre Wing continues: The network will continue airing the prestigious awards show through 2018, continuing a tradition that goes back to '78 when CBS first starting airing them.
The awards themselves are about to have their 67th annual awards ceremony on June 9 -- this time at Radio City after a couple of years at the Beacon. The ratings are never huge, but as mentioned, the awards themselves are prestigious and CBS does a terrific job mounting them -- in my humble opinion, those little AMPAS awards -- the Oscars -- could take some pointers from this show.
Billy Joel on next week's 'American Restoration'
Photo credit: AP
Among his many talents, Billy Joel knows something about restoration, specifically motorcycle restoration which (naturally) makes him a natural fit for "American Restoration," the Rick Dale-hosted History Channel series that brings new life to old things. Joel is on next week's episode, billed as a "special" one-hour one, in which the show and Dale get to restore a BSA Royal Star, circa 1967, and also visit Joel's own "shop'" - 20th Century Cycles- in Oyster Bay. Airs next Tuesday on History at 10 and - yes - we have clips:
CBS pulls season finale episode of 'Mike & Molly'
Photo credit: AP
CBS tonight took the unusual — and doubtless appropriate — step of dumping the season finale of “Mike & Molly,“ titled “Windy City,“ in the wake of a major tornado that devastated a swath of Oklahoma City earlier this evening. The clip below hints at CBS's action.
“Due to the tragic events this afternoon in Oklahoma, we are pre-empting tonight’s season finale of ‘Mike & Molly,’ which has a related story line. A repeat broadcast of ‘Mike & Molly’ will run in the time period. The season finale will be broadcast at an appropriate date,“ the network said in a statement.
Seth MacFarlane tweets the Oscars won't see him host again
Photo credit: Getty Images
Who wants Seth MacFarlane to return as host of the Oscars?
You do? Let's skip the "why" and go straight to the bad news then: He's done.
Or says he's done.
There's a difference between both phrases, and what eventually happens could be determined by time (his own) and ego (especially his own).
But for the moment, a reprisal in 2014 now seems remote. Monday MacFarlane...
Read more »'Mad Men' recap: Twenty mad crazy scenes from 'The Crash'
Photo credit: AMC
"The Crash" began with a crash, and ended with a crash, and kind of crashed multiple times during the entire episode, which is to say: Sunday night's "Mad Men" was quite possibly the most accurately entitled episode in show history.
But let's not tarry. Presumably you've already seen, so nothing will be spoiled here for you, but just in case, don't bother reading on. Too...
Read more »'SNL:' Was this Fred Armisen's farewell show, too?
Photo credit: IFC
Everyone knew Bill Hader - AKA Stefon, "James Carville,' "Keith Morrison," Alien Greg, and lots of game show hosts - was leaving "Saturday Night Live" after eight largely terrific seasons. And he did. As Stefon, almost getting married to Anderson Cooper on the 38th season finale...
But what about Jason Sudeikis and Fred Armisen? (Seth Meyers is being deposed from "Weekend...
Read more »'SNL:' Stefon's farewell
Photo credit: AP
It's not all that often that a very major presence on "Saturday Night Live" leaves this stage -- in this instance, Bill Hader, along with his rainbow coalition of characters, impersonations, and eyebrows. So Stefon's exit last night will forever remain one of those "SNL" moments we could never forget even if we wanted to. This exit is reasonably amazing.
So goodbye Stefon, and mazel tov.
Official final season trailer for 'Dexter'
"Dexter's" eighth and final season begins in just a month or so - June 30 - but until then, fans may content themselves with the final season trailer. And here it is!
