Category Archives: Television

Go inside ‘Game of Thrones’ season 4 with juicy 15-minute featurette

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We are less than two months out from the season 4 premiere of Game of Thrones. To help pass the time between now and then, watch this nearly 15-minute featurette that is a behind-the-scenes preview of the upcoming season. You’ll hear from EPs David Benioff and D. B. Weiss as well as the majority of the expansive cast. The stars answer fan questions and a new character, Oberyn Martell, is discussed. You’ll also get an inside look at King Joffrey’s wedding to Margaery Tyrell. A few choice quotes follow.

Fans of Tyrion, beware:  “This is definitely the most dangerous season for Tyrion. It seems like almost every episode he’s in jeopardy of getting his head removed from his shoulders,” warns Benioff.

Benioff on Danyrs’ dragons: “With each season they grow and become more dangerous,” he says. And now? “They’re not babies anymore.”

How does season 4 compare to previous ones? “It’s more thrilling throughout than season 3 was,” says Jon Snow’s portrayer Kit Harington. “There are more climactic events in season 4 than there ever have been before,” shares Weiss. And Benioff adds, “Some of the most shocking and mindblowing scenes of the entire series come at the end of this coming season.”

Game of Thrones returns to HBO on April 6.

J.J. Abrams & Alfonso Cuarón introduce NBC supernatural drama ‘Believe’

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Levitation, telekinesis, the ability to control nature, see the future… since she was born, Bo (Johnny Sequoyah) has had gifts she could neither fully understand nor control. But now that she is 10 years old, her powers have become stronger and the threat from malevolent forces that would use her abilities to control the world has grown more dangerous. With her life and future in jeopardy, Bo’s protector, Milton Winter (Delroy Lindo, The Chicago Code), turns to an unlikely source to keep her safe – Tate (Jake McLaughlin, Crash), a wrongfully imprisoned death row inmate who’s lost his will.

Tate and Bo begin an extraordinary journey, one in which trust must be earned. On the run and traveling from city to city, every place they stop and everyone they meet will be changed forever. But they’ll have to keep going to stay one step ahead of the sinister forces after Bo’s power… because it will take a miracle to keep them safe forever.

That’s how NBC sets up Believe, the latest series from J.J. Abrams–the creative mind behind Lost, Fringe, and Person of Interest. Joining Abrams behind the scenes is Gravity director Alfonso Cuarón who serves as executive producer and director of the pilot episode.

Get acquainted with the cast and auspicious behind Believe in the clip embedded above. The exciting opening sequence brilliantly executed by Cuarón is on display and you’ll hear from him, Abrams, and some of the stars. “It, to me, was one of those great opening scenes that, when Alfonso described it, I had that sense of, ‘Wait a minute, I’m not changing the channel until I know exactly what’s going on,” gushes Abrams.

Believe premieres March 10. Watch a sneak-peek trailer after the break. Continue reading J.J. Abrams & Alfonso Cuarón introduce NBC supernatural drama ‘Believe’ →

Netflix announces return date for ‘Orange is the New Black’

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If you’ve managed to binge all the way through House of Cards season 2 this weekend then you were sent off with some exciting news. The second season of another Netflix-exclusive hit series, Orange is the New Black, now has a launch date. A title card at the end of the 13th episode of HOC exposed the date: OITNB returns with 13 new episodes this summer on June 6. Watch a brief teaser above featuring flashes of some of your favorite Litchfield Prison inmates. After her nasty outrage at the end of season one, it looks like Piper Chapman won’t be getting out of there any time soon. Hooray for us.

Preview Showtime’s upcoming psychosexual horror ‘Penny Dreadful’

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Some of literature’s most terrifying characters, including Dr. Frankenstein, Dorian Gray, and iconic figures from the novel Dracula are lurking in the darkest corners of Victorian London. PENNY DREADFUL is a frightening psychological thriller that weaves together these classic horror origin stories into a new adult drama.

That’s the current logline for Showtime’s upcoming psychosexual horror drama Penny Dreadful starring Josh Hartnett (Pearl Harbor), Eva Green (Casino Royale), Billie Piper (Doctor Who), and Timothy Dalton (The Living Daylights). The 8-episode series hails from James Bond filmmakers John Logan and Sam Mendes and Pippa Harris (Revolutionary Road).

There will be blood, and sex and scares. Watch the first trailer for Penny Dreadful above, and jump after the break to screen previously released teasers. It premieres May 11. Continue reading Preview Showtime’s upcoming psychosexual horror ‘Penny Dreadful’ →

TV reminder: 9 premieres to look out for in February

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January has come and gone and as we fold into February it’s time to take a look at nine series/season premieres airing this month. Jump after the break for all the deets. Continue reading TV reminder: 9 premieres to look out for in February →

Sonic & friends return in ‘Sonic Boom’ game, TV series & toy line

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Sonic the Hedgehog is racing back into the limelight with a new video game, animated TV series, and a fresh toy line. It’s all being introduced under a new Sonic brand called Sonic Boom.

The game is being developed by Big Red Button Entertainment and Sanzaru Games for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, respectively, in collaboration with Team Sonic. According to a blog post, the game will “introduce exploration, combat and a new Enerbeam tether mechanic that will allow the Sonic Boom world to be discovered in totally unique ways.” A launch date for the title has not been announced yet.

The game serves as a prequel to the TV series which is also called Sonic Boom and is being co-produced by SEGA of America Inc. and OuiDO! Productions. The CG show is described as “an ensemble comedy consisting of 52 x 11-minute standalone episodes packed full of high-adrenaline action. Every episode starts from a small character-driven story and explodes into an epic tale of saving the world, robot battles and more.” Sonic Boom is schedule to premiere during the during the 2014/15 season on Cartoon Network.

The Sonic Boom franchise features classic characters like Tails, Knuckles, and Doctor Eggman but with a twist; their physical attributes have been updated–as you can see in the image above Knuckles has bulked up quite a bit and Sonic wears a brown scarf around his neck. Toy partner TOMY “will develop a comprehensive toy range across a broad number of categories including plush, action figures, RC, role play, vehicles and novelty.”

Sega’s John Cheng commented on the latest Sonic revival: “We want to ensure that the Sonic brand continues to evolve and appeal to new generations of Sonic fans and this different look introduces a fresh approach that will be at once both familiar and new to consumers. We are committed to supporting this initiative to provide great entertainment to fans for all aspects of their lives.”

Check out clips from the upcoming game and TV series after the break. The title looks extremely engaging and I’m excited to see how the development teams tap into the unique Wii U GamePad and 3DS’ functionality repertoire to control Sonic and friends. The show looks like a ton of fun. Scroll to the bottom of this page to view concept art from the game and the show.

[Via Sega] Continue reading Sonic & friends return in ‘Sonic Boom’ game, TV series & toy line →

Super Bowl XLVIII: the commercials and the trailers

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It was a blowout today as the Seattle Seahawks crushed the Denver Broncos 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII. And now that it’s over let’s check out my favorite commercials that aired during the telecast–it’s tradition after all and it’s all after the break. Alternatively, you can view all the spots on YouTube.

Update: The data is in and whaddya know–this year’s Super Bowl is another record breaker becoming the most-watched U.S. telecast of all time. A grand total of 111.5 million people tuned into the football matchup just beating the previous record-holding telecast that was the 2012 Super Bowl; that one attracted 111.34 million viewers. Continue reading Super Bowl XLVIII: the commercials and the trailers →

JACK IS BACK! ’24: Live Another Day’ teased across 5 promos

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24 fans were treated to quite the surprise today during the Super Bowl when FOX aired not one not two but five terrific teasers for the upcoming event series 24: Live Another Day. The network smartly sprinkled four 13-second clips briefly highlighting destruction and mayhem on the streets of London (watch them after the break); to the uninformed these spots were likely confusing because they didn’t specifically point out what they were promoting. Each of them, however, ended with a flash of the famous ticking clock–an unmistakable visual cue and sound for loyal 24 viewers. The four clips eventually culminated in a grand 48-second teaser finally revealing Kiefer Sutherland’s Jack Bauer fending off the off-screen baddies and protecting his partner in crime Chloe O’Brien. The former CTU analyst played by Mary Lynn Rajskub rocks a dark new look and it makes sense; at the TCAs produces shared that Chloe has since become an Edward Snowden-type who has “turned herself against the government.” She looks bad-ass; in fact, the entire teaser is bad-ass in all its destructive glory. FOX’s marketing team did a stellar job with the mysterious gradual reveal and as a longtime 24 fan I couldn’t be happier to see Jack and Chloe reunited for a new intense season set across the pond.

24: Live Another Day premieres May 5. Continue reading JACK IS BACK! ’24: Live Another Day’ teased across 5 promos →

Stars & producers discuss what’s next on ‘The Walking Dead’

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The Walking Dead returns next Sunday for the second half of season four and [spoiler alert] it’s time to deal with the aftermath of losing the prison and Hershel’s death.

“It’s going to be about how do you get everybody back together, how do we stay safe, and how do we find sanctuary,” says EP David Alpert in the first look video at the back eight episodes posted above. Showrunner Scott M. Gimple, producers Gale Anne Hurd, Greg Nicotero, and Denise Huth, and many of the show’s stars also talk about the upcoming batch of episodes here.

“Everybody’s been separated and it’s a terrifying world that we inhabit, again,” Andrew Lincoln warns. The series is “moving into a much more psychological horror” he says and with a smirk he adds, “we’re jumping off the cliff in this back eight.”

The Walking Dead is back Sunday, February 9 on AMC.

First look: Inside ‘Bates Motel’s second season

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Viewers don’t get to check back into A&E’s Bates Motel until March 3, but that doesn’t mean they can’t sneak a peek at what’s in store for season 2 right now. Click play to hear from stars Freddie Highmore, Vera Farmiga, Max Thieriot, newcomer Michael Vartan, and executive producers Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin. Yes, there’s new footage, and yes, Norman and Norma are spooning in bed.

TV teasers: CBS’ ‘Extant’ & FX’s ‘The Strain’

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Here are a couple tantalizing teasers to chew on. First up is Extant, a new original series from executive producer Steven Spielberg and starring Halle Berry. Extant is “a futuristic thriller about a female astronaut (Berry) trying to reconnect with her family when she returns after a year in outer space. Her experiences lead to events that ultimately will change the course of human history.” A bit vague, yes, but allow the teaser hanging above get your mind reeling. Extant joins another Spielberg-produced series, Under the Dome, when it debuts this summer on CBS.

Learn about vampire thriller The Strain after the break. Continue reading TV teasers: CBS’ ‘Extant’ & FX’s ‘The Strain’ →

‘SNL’ names Seth Meyers Weekend Update successor

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Turns out Cecily Strong won’t be manning the Weekend Update desk alone now that Seth Meyers has signed off Saturday Night Live for Late Night pastures. Replacing Meyers and co-anchoring with Strong is Colin Jost (rhymes with most) who is also SNL‘s head writer. He’s one of the masterminds behind popular Update characters like Drunk Uncle, second-hand news correspondent Anthony Crispino, and Strong’s The Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started a Conversation With at a Party. Jost has big shoes to fill, and it’ll be interesting to see his rapport with Strong in the coming weeks; can they pull off the perfect comedic timing that reigned during Jimmy Fallon and Tina Fey’s co-anchoring tenure?

[Via Deadline]