What Do Awards Mean, Anyway?
Even though nominations for the 2012 Golden Globes and Emmys won’t be announced until Dec. 15 and Jul. 19 respectively, thanks to a few other recently released nomination lists, I think we can now safely deduce which shows will end up as frontrunners in the race to television award glory. The Writers Guild of America, Producers Guild of America, Screen Actors Guild, American Film Institute, and TIME Magazine have all chosen what they believe to be the very best in television within the past year.
Of course, the usual hit drama series Breaking Bad, Boardwalk Empire, and The Good Wife, as well as the usual comedy series Parks & Recreation, Modern Family, and Louie, made numerous appearances on these lists. However, all eyes seem to be on the newest crop of shows to get award buzz: Showtime’s Homeland (nominated for three WGA Awards, an AFI Award, and listed in TIME’s Top 10 of 2011) and HBO’s Game of Thrones (nominated for two WGA Awards, two SAG Awards, an AFI Award, and also listed in TIME’s Top 10 of 2011). Could we perhaps see one of these two new series displace the almighty Mad Men next year at the Emmys?
News to Make You Squeal
Meanwhile, the cold winds are rising on Game of Thrones. Set to return in April 2012, HBO has released a new teaser trailer for the upcoming second season of its hit series to YouTube. Is it just me, or does Stannis Baratheon’s icy voice send chills down your spine? It definitely sounds like he’ll be a worthy opponent for the Iron Throne.
Pretty Little Liars has already been renewed for a third season, but now we’ve learned from EW that someone will be arrested for Alison’s murder and the identity of ‘A’ will be revealed in this season’s finale. For the show to continue afterward, I’m guessing there’ll be a big twist to the story at the same time.
Castings to Make You Happy
When The Killing returns for its second season, it will have a little help with solving who killed Rosie Larsen, a mystery that has plagued the series ever since it remained unsolved in the season finale. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Desperate Housewives‘ Mark Moses will join the investigation for a major arc as Lt. Carlson.
Revenge will also be getting some help soon but in the divorce department, reports EW. Starting in episode 14, William Devane as Conrad Grayson’s father, Edward Grayson, will stop by the Hamptons at the request of Victoria Grayson, who has called on him to help her in the divorce battle against Conrad.
Jennifer Beals is putting The Chicago Code behind her and moving to New York City for a two-episode arc on Castle during February sweeps. Per TVGuide, she will play Sophia Conrad, a CIA agent who has a long and complicated history with Castle and will no doubt be around just to make Beckett jealous.
Yet, Jennifer Beals isn’t the only The Chicago Code alumni to be cast on a television show this week. Manny Montana, who played her right-hand man Antonio Betz, has been cast as an undercover FBI agent for USA Network’s new drama pilot from White Collar creator Jeff Eastin. According to Deadline, Montana’s character will be living in the same undercover house in Southern California with The Killing‘s Brandon Jay McLaren and Catch Me If You Can‘s Aaron Tveit. This should be interesting.
Seems like that pesky triangle on ABC’s Once Upon a Time between Snow White, Prince Charming, and his fake wife is about to reach its end. Deadline reports that Anastasia Griffith has been cast in BBC America’s first scripted series, Copper. I suppose she could pull double duty with both shows, but I really hope not. No offense to her, of course!
Developing Latin-palooza
Having now sold three pilot scripts to ABC and CW, Desperate Housewives‘ Eva Longoria is on a roll this development season, Variety reports. The first for ABC, Soy Tu Duena is about a Texas heiress who loses her money. The second is Behind the Seams, a comedy about two Latina sisters who open a bridal boutique after their careers fall apart. The last is Vega vs. Vega for CW, about a young lawyer who is forced to go into practice with her mother. There’s been a curious increase in Latin-flavored pilots for next season.
Movie News That Frightens Mere Mortals
The fans have spoken by making Men in Black 3 a trending topic on Twitter, but critics are rightfully fearful after word got out during filming about script issues. So I bring it to you: What do you think about the trailer on YouTube for the newest entry in the Men in Black franchise? Yay or nay?
I’m also afraid of the trailer for Rock of Ages. When are studios going to learn that casting a bunch of big actors in a movie doesn’t guaranty a hit?
City of Bones‘ lengthy gestational period is beginning to make a lot of sense now that we know the script for the first film adaptation of Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments series had to be completely rewritten. According to The FABlife, Now and Then writer and Pretty Little Liars‘ creator Marlene King was brought in to give the script a teen voice and return important characters and plotlines to the story. Personally, I don’t care how long it takes to write the script, just please make it true to the books.