TV Zone
News, scoops, reviews and more from TV land.
Mike Darnell, Fox reality chief, leaving network
Mike Darnell, Fox reality chief and the (oft-called) dark prince behind some of the genre's worst excesses - oh yes, and some of its biggest successes - the last couple of decades, is leaving the network, Fox just announced.
Call this a surprise, conveniently released on the day before a long weekend, all the better to bury any suggestion that his departure is linked to...
Read more »Grading 41 network fall 2013 shows: From first to worst
Photo credit: AP
What are the best new shows of the fall 2013-14 season?
Let's rephrase that for this Must-See/Must Avoid list: What look to be the most intriguing, most noteworthy, most watchable new shows of the fall season, on Fox, NBC, The CW, ABC and CBS?
Ah, that's easier, right? Let's get some basics in order before we proceed here. Foremost, what you are about to read is based entirely on fleeting...
Read more »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!
'Community:' Expect a fifth season
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Let's go all out here and make a prediction that we can all hope comes true Sunday night when NBC unwraps the 2013-14 fall lineup: "Community" will return for a fifth season. I could of course be wrong — there are different timelines, some evil, that could also play out.
But I think this will happen.
Tonight's the finale, and you may want to watch if you're a fan, even...
Read more »'Dexter' will wrap after the eighth season, Showtime says
Photo credit: AP
One of the enduring mysteries in TV now has a final answer: "Dexter" will end, after next season, its eighth. (And believe me, there was a time when it looked as if "Dex" would go on forever -- or until every last monster, serial killer and evildoer in South Florida was dispatched by the blood-splatter specialist with a secret ... )
The eighth and final season begins June 30 at 9 p.m.
"'Dexter' is a landmark franchise for our network, and we cannot wait to unveil the conclusion of this series, as we know it, to the millions of passionate fans who have supported the show season after season," said David Nevins, president of entertainment of Showtime Networks Inc. "We'd like to thank Michael, Jennifer and 'Dexter 's' indomitable cast, executive producers, writers and crew for eight incredible seasons."
Tim Hetherington profiled on HBO this Thursday
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A profile of a brilliant and acclaimed photojournalist, Tim Hetherington arrives this Thursday on HBO: "Which Way is the Front Line from Here? The Life and Times of Tim Hetherington. Airs at 8 p.m.
Timing here is perhaps notable and entirely unintentional: Hetherington, who died April 20, 2011, in a rocket attack in Misurata, Libya, where he and a group of reporters were covering...
Read more »Michael Imperioli to 'Californication' in guest role
Photo credit: Jim McIsaac
And now this: Michael Imperioli will join "Californication's" seventh season, Showtime just announced. Described as a mulit-arc guest role. For '14. Per Showtime: His character is "Rick Rath, a successful old-school television producer who will play a key role in Hank’s (series star and executive producer David Duchovny) latest venture...." Should we stand up stand cheer? Well, we do love Imperioli, but I am also mindful of Maureen Ryan's - Huffington Post TV editor - tweet reaction: "Any time I see an actor I respect is gonna be on Californication, my 1st response is "I'm sorry that person's career is going that badly.""
In fact, he's been pretty busy - on post-production for a handful of movies, though he hasn't been in an extended series role since "Detroit 1-8-7" ended in 2011.
Barbara Walters to retire in May 2014
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Ending years of rumors, speculation, and even jokes - usually told at her own expense - Barbara Walters finally has the answer to the most pressing question of her remarkable career: When will it end?
She will announce later this spring that the final date will be in May, 2014. That will mark exactly 50 years on television, beginning in 1964 when she became a co-host alongside Hugh Downs at "Today."
Walters, 83, could not be reached earlier today, and Cindi Berger, her longtime spokeswoman, did not respond to a call or email. But an industry executive familiar with Walters' exit strategy said she will announce her departure on "The View" "in the coming months."
A long farewell was always to be expected although in the case of "The View" - which she and her longtime production partner Bill Geddie launched in 1997 - it may be a necessity. Joy Behar is leaving this summer, and persistent reports point to a late summer departure for Elisabeth Hasselbeck too. Even given a year's lead time, that represents an enormous rebuilding project for the talk show. It's expected to use those months to air a long valedictory to its legendary founder, but also develop new hosts.
Clearly Walters was caught unawares by the news of her retirement, first reported on industry website Deadline, even though she and ABC have been planning this for months.
In recent years, she has gradually stepped away from other commitments - notably "20/20" in 2009 - but when she ended her popular Oscar special -, a pre-awards fixture for nearly 30 years - in 2011, speculation about her tenure on "The View" ramped up. After an interview with President Obama later that year, she leaned over to him saying, "I need one more interview with you, because I'm retiring next year." The comment was caught on an open mic, and Walters later laughed it off as a joke.
Last year, in Washington to attend the president's inauguration, she fell and suffered a concussion, and doctors later found that she had adult on-set chicken pox. There were no indications today her retirement is related any health issue.
'Homeland' producer Henry Bromell dies
Henry Bromell, an esteemed TV writer who helped propel "Homeland" to the front of the TV drama pack, has died; Showtime has confirmed while Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa, the executive producers of the acclaimed series, have released a statement saying:
“Henry was a profoundly decent and generous man. A great writer and a great friend. No matter how crazy things got, when he was in...
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