Friday, March 14, 2014

Around the Tubes: 3/14/14




I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Deal with It, Being Human, Susan Boyle: Her Secret Struggle, Rufus Wainwright, Billions, Masters of Sex, Bermuda Tentacles, Ascension, and the summer schedules for TNT and ABC Family.

- TBS has great news for comedy fans who just can't wait for the return of the network's popular hidden-camera prank show Deal With It, hosted by Theo Von and executive-produced by Howie Mandel, and the launch of the brand new competition series Bam's Badass Game Show, hosted by Bam Margera (Jackass). One week before the shows launch on TBS, the network is offering full-episode previews of the season openers via TBS's social media platforms, website and mobile apps. The season premiere of Deal With It is already available for viewing through TBS's YouTube channel, while the first episode of Bam's Badass Game Show will be featured on TBS's Facebook page beginning Monday, April 7. This marks the first time that TBS has ever offered full-episode previews of its shows via social media.

- DweebCast host Andy Riesmeyer interviews Sam Witwer, star of SyFy's Being Human. SyFy announced last week that the show's fourth season would be its last, to the chagrin of its devoted fan base. In the interview, Sam explains how the cast of the show has known of the impending cancellation for more than a year. He also explains some of the financial reasons for the cancellation and how the producers and actors are happy because they feel they get to end their show in the best way possible. Sam also mentions that there won't ever be a chance for the show to come back after the end of this season.


- On Wednesday, April 9 at 10:00, Ovation, America’s only arts network, will present the U.S. television premiere of Susan Boyle: Her Secret Struggle. This all-access, intimate and inspiring documentary travels with Boyle as she embarks upon her first tour and uncovers her battles with Asperger’s Syndrome.

- Operatic pop singer Rufus Wainwright has announced a PledgeMusic campaign for the pre-order of the upcoming Prima Donna album, a studio recording of his first opera Prima Donna with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Praised lavishly for his emotionally raw lyrics and recognized for his "genuine originality" from The New York Times, Wainwright has been called "the greatest songwriter on the planet" from the legendary Elton John and has excelled in the worlds of rock, opera, theater, dance and film.

- Showtime has ordered Billions, a new complex, contemporary drama pilot from a script by Andrew Ross Sorkin (Too Big To Fail), and Brian Koppelman and David Levien (Ocean's Thirteen, Rounders), who will also executive produce. Billions is a fictional drama that focuses on the collision and, at times, collusion between an aggressive U.S. attorney in New York and some of the richest hedge fund billionaires in the country. Billions marks the first pilot pick-up for Showtime this year.

- Multi-talented performer Keke Palmer is joining the season two cast of the acclaimed Showtime drama series Masters of Sex. Palmer will recur in the guest starring role of Coral, the nanny hired by the Masters to care for their new baby. Production on season two will begin mid-March in Los Angeles.

- Linda Hamilton (The Terminator) will star as an Admiral of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier battling an ancient monster in the new Syfy Original Movie Bermuda Tentacles, premiering Saturday, April 12 at 9:00. When Air Force One goes down over the Bermuda Triangle, the Navy sends its best rescue team. But in saving the President, the team awakens a monster which threatens America’s entire Eastern Seaboard and, ultimately, the world.

- Syfy is reigniting the channel’s traditional long-form scripted programming event for 4th quarter with the greenlight of the 6-hour series Ascension, it was announced this week by Syfy President Dave Howe. Ascension is an ambitious original drama created and written by Philip Levens (Smallville) who will serve as Executive Producer and Showrunner. Said Howe, “Syfy is more committed than ever to bringing to life epic event television. We have a rich history in this arena, from Steven Spielberg’s ‘Taken’ to the highly acclaimed mini that launched the ‘Battlestar Galactica’ series, to reimagined takes on classic tales such as ‘Alice’ and ‘Tin Man.’ In keeping with that grand tradition, we are delighted to bring this thrilling, provocative and intelligent event to our fans later this year.” In 1963, the U.S. government launched a covert space mission sending hundreds of men, women and children on a century-long voyage aboard the starship Ascension to populate a new world. Nearly 50 years into the journey, as they approach the point of no return, a mysterious murder of a young woman causes the ship’s population to question the true nature of their mission.

- This week TNT unveiled its summer schedule. Here are the highlights:

The Last Ship (New Series): Sunday, June 22 at 9:00
Falling Skies: Sunday, June 22 at 10:00
Legends (New Series): Wednesday, August 20 at 9:00
TNT's summer slate will also include new seasons of the hit series Major Crimes, Rizzoli & Isles, Perception and Franklin & Bash; new episodes of Dallas; and the launch of Stephen Bochco's new crime drama Murder in the First. Premiere dates for those series will be announced later.

- ABC also unveiled its summer schedule. Again here are the highlights:

Pretty Little Liars: Tuesday, June 10 at 8:00
Chasing Life (New Series): Tuesday, June 10 at 9:00
Switched at Birth: Monday, June 16 at 8:00
The Fosters: Monday, June 16 at 9:00
Young and Hungry (New Series): Wednesday. June 25 at 8:00
Mystery Girls (New Series): Wednesday, June 25 at 8:30

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