TV REWIND: ‘Jersey Shore’ Does Good, ‘Downton’ Marks Return, ‘Boy Meets World’ Sequel In Development
By Carson Blackwelder
Television Contributor
Every Friday, Rachel recaps the week’s major TV-related news, announcements and gossip! This week, Carson fills in.
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TOP STORIES
• The cast of MTV’s Jersey Shore announced it will host a live telethon, entitled Restore the Shore, Nov. 15 to aid the real Jersey Shore, which suffered massive damage from Hurricane Sandy. The contributions will go to Architecture for Humanity, a nonprofit that funds reconstruction and design projects.
• PBS’s Downton Abbey returns Jan. 6. That is all.
• A sequel to ABC’s ever-popular Boy Meets World that will focus on Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel‘s daughter is in early development at Disney Channel.
• CBS gave freshman series Elementary the coveted post-Superbowl spot this year.
• NBC’s Coming Together telethon benefitting Sandy relief didn’t stand a chance against Malibu Country, the Reba McEntire-led ABC comedy.
SHOW BIZ
• The two-hour series finale of Fox’s Fringe will air Friday, Jan. 18.
• Diablo Cody (creator of HBO’s United States of Tara and Oscar-winning screenwriter of Juno) is heading back to TV. Cody sold a script, Alex + Amy, to ABC. The show will center on a 22-year-old guy and his older girlfriend.
• Sam Mendes and John Logan are teaming up for a vampire-hunter drama set in the 1800s. The show will feature horror favorites Van Helsing and Dr. Frankenstein.
• See ya, Political Animals. USA confirmed that the political miniseries starring Sigourney Weaver will not be returning for a second season.
• The CW’s Sex and the City prequel The Carrie Diaries is set to air Jan. 14.
• Neil Gaiman is writing another episode of the BBC hit Dr. Who. His 2011 episode “The Doctor’s Wife” won Gaiman a Hugo Award.
• Burn Notice has been renewed for a seventh season. There will only be 13 episodes, which will allow the series to hit a total of 100 episodes, making it only the third USA series to accomplish this feat.
• The CW’s Nikita is returning to its old time slot of 8 p.m. on Fridays beginning Nov. 30.
• CBS’s NCIS is using NCIS: L.A. to introduce a spinoff, which is not yet titled.
• Martha Stewart is producing a lifestyle sitcom about none other than … Martha Stewart. The show will be based on the upcoming book The Tao of Martha and will share that title.
• Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein‘s Portlandia is returning for a third season Jan. 4. Can’t wait until then? IFC will air a wintertime special Dec. 14.
• The ReelzChannel’s miniseries The Kennedys could be getting a sequel.
COMINGS AND GOINGS
• Will Champion, drummer for Coldplay, will appear as a drummer on season three of HBO’s Game of Thrones.
• Jane Seymour has been cast as BJ’s (Lucy Punch) mom on Fox’s Ben and Kate. Also, David Hornsby (FX’s It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia) will appear as a wealthy businessman who capitalized on one of Ben’s (Nat Faxon) ideas.
• The Talk‘s Aisha Tyler will guest star as Jake’s (Jacob Artist) mother on Fox’s Glee.
• Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter star Ben Walker will have the lead in HBO’s Cold War spy pilot, called The Missionary.
• ABC’s Last Resort will feature Sam Page (AMC’s Mad Men) as Kylie’s (Autumn Reeser) snobby older brother.
• Peter Gallagher (The O.C.) will guest star in an upcoming episode of CBS’s How I Met Your Mother as Ted Mosby’s (Josh Radnor) former professor.
• Once‘s Glen Hansard will make a cameo on a December episode of NBC’s Parenthood.
• Michelle Trachtenberg (The CW’s Gossip Girl) will show up as a guest on CBS’s Criminal Minds in an episode early next year.
• HBO’s True Blood‘s Daniel Buran will soon be singing the blues on ABC’s Nashville.
• Liza Weil, who played Paris on The CW’s Gilmore Girls, is set to guest star on ABC Family’s Bunheads.
RUMOR MILL
• Kristen Bell (The CW’s Veronica Mars) and beau Dax Shepard (Parenthood) are expecting a baby.
• In the constant quest to figure out “Will she? Won’t she?” Britney Spears casually says she will “definitely” be back as a judge next season on Fox’s The X Factor. After all, who wouldn’t say yes to that $15 million contract?
• The Talk‘s own Sharon Osbourne revealed she had a double mastectomy last summer.
• Mindy Kaling revealed opn TBS’s Conan Tuesday that she casts hot guys for the purpose of making out with them. That’s soo Mindy.
• Ryan Murphy teased Glee fans with a photo of Sam (Chord Overstreet) and Brittany (Heather Morris) clad in traditional wedding garb. What’s going on?
• TLC’s Honey Boo Boo Child‘s Alana Thompson adopted a new pet — Nugget the Chicken.
COMING UP
• Look out for Fox’s House alumna Lisa Edelstein on the Nov. 29 episode of CBS’s Elementary, entitled “Long Fuse.” (I’m sure it will be a “blast”).
• President Barack Obama‘s right-hand-man Joe Biden will guest star on an upcoming episode of NBC’s Parks and Recreation. Leslie Knope’s (Amy Poehler) dreams are about to come true.
• The CW’s The Vampire Diaries‘ Elena’s (Nina Dobrev) first kill will have some major consequences.
• Will NBC’s Grimm‘s Nick (David Giuntoli) finally reveal all his secrets to Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch)?
• ABC’s Castle is preparing for a mockumentary-style episode.
• Is Last Resort‘s Sam (Scott Speedman) going to cross the line?
FRIDAY FUN
• For you political junkies out there, here is the election explained in terms of HBO’s Game of Thrones.
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