Laurie Holden
Laurie Holden took one of her first on-camera bows as a teenager, in Michael Anderson's sex farce Separate Vacations (1986), then forked off into a series of programmers that included the 1989 Burt Re...
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BirthDate BirthPlace |
12/16/1972
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David Morrissey To Return as The Governor in 'The Walking Dead' Season 4
April 01, 2013 12:09pm ESTIf you haven't seen the Season 3 finale of The Walking Dead yet you probably don't want to read this post, as it contains spoilers. But that's, like, common sense, right? If you thought the Governor's ride into the great plains of Georgia with his trusted, terrified companions Caesar and Bowman would be the last you'd see of our terrifying, one-eyed villain then you would be wrong. David Morrissey, the British actor who plays the Governor, has been confirmed as a series regular for Season 4 of the AMC zombie drama, The Hollywood Reporter reports. In rare Walking Dead form, the biggest shock of Sunday night's finale was not who perished (although we will sorely miss Laurie Holden's Andrea and Dallas Roberts' Milton) but who survived. I don't think anyone expect to see the Governor survive the season. RELATED: The 'Walking Dead' Death (Almost) No One Saw Coming Even though we didn't see the Governor kick the bucket on screen, his fate was left up in the air. Would good ol' Phillip, Caesar, and Bowman continue on the road trip from hell right out of the series forever? Or would they come back to challenge Rick and the prison-squatters — which now includes all the Woodbury children and elderly — one final time? Morrissey's return to the show promises our patch-wearing psychopath will get a lot of screen time when the show returns in the fall. Follow Abbey On Twitter @AbbeyStone [Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC] From Our Partners:40 Most Revealing See-Through Red Carpet Looks (Vh1)33 Child Stars: Where Are They Now? (Celebuzz)
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'The Walking Dead' Finale Recap: The Death (Almost) No One Saw Coming
April 01, 2013 12:04am ESTWell that was certainly unexpected. When the kind folks behind The Walking Dead promised 27 deaths during Sunday's finale, I (and probably, all of you) was picturing utter mayhem. Baby Asskicker dying in Carol's bloody arms. Beth singing Tom Waits as she was slowly drained of life from her bullet wounds. Maggie shooting herself because she couldn't live without Glenn, who had been decapitated by Martinez. Rick and the Governor standing in the street for a high noon showdown, which only one would survive. You know, the usual stuff. Instead, we saw the mental deterioration of one character, and the death of another character that any reader of Robert Kirkman's comics certainly never saw coming. [WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD] RELATED: 'The Walking Dead' Star Steven Yeun Talks Sunday's Finale, and That "Interesting" Proposal So, Andrea died. Andrea — being one of the comics' most popular and long-running characters — just never quite "made it" on this show. She had, essentially, everything it took to become a beloved member of the team. Guts. Strength. Determination. Shiny hair. But the writers just never seemed to know what to do with her. When she wasn't whining about not having enough pull in the group, she was sleeping with and/or pining over the wrong guy. It was frustrating, and instead of turning her around, they listened to the fans and killed her. But I will not crucify TWD's writers in this recap, because her death was pretty damn spectacular. She didn't die in a bizarre blaze of glory like Merle, but her ticking time bomb death with Milton — which was, let's face it, something right out of a Saw movie — was absolutely horrifying. The Governor delivered a fatal blow to Milton in the first few minutes, then gave him (and Andrea) his final farewell: "You're gonna die, and you're gonna tear the flesh from her bones." He locked her in a room with her own death. So she could know it. For hours. As Milton faded, he asked Andrea — who, as my colleague pointed out, should really have tried multitasking as she chatted and considered her own doom — why she didn't go back to her friends once she found out that they were alive. "Well," she explained. "The Governor has a really huge penis." That's not actually what she said, but I'm sure that she spent her final moments feeling preettttyyyy stupid over that decision she made a few weeks ago, when she thought that she could change Woodbury for the better so she stuck around, even though she was dating this world's most obvious psychopath. She saw the zombie heads in the tanks and the weird pit-fights, and still didn't run away. I have a hard time believing that any human woman (with a law degree!) could be this stupid. RELATED: 'The Walking Dead' Recap: Tears of a Dixon And Milton, being a kindly fellow, pointed out that there was a pair of pliers on the ground — he had dropped the Governor's unused tools on the ground before the Governor stabbed him, and hidden this fact from his captor. If Andrea could move her foot just so, she could grab them with her pedicured toes and free herself, then stab Milton in the head before he turned. She finally did it after some fumbling, but it was way too late. In my humble opinion, she could have tried a whole lot harder. Remember a few months back, when Glenn killed a Walker with his hands tied behind his back? Andrea just… stayed Andrea till the very end. She just was never quite good enough. So, yeah. The Governor, that Martinez everyone is talking about, and basically everyone else in Woodbury besides Tyreese and Sasha (who explained that they would fight the dead, not the living) raided the prison with a s**t ton of automatics and a thirst for blood. But like — nothing really happened. The Grimes Gang had booby trapped the place with Walkers, and all the Governor managed to do was blow up their watch towers and explode some of the Walkers that were surrounding the place, which was actually sort of a favor for the Gang of Grimes. So — thanks? This was the best well-executed bloodless defense plan ever. The gory, devestating shootout we were anticipating just never happend. Instead, our main drama at Camp Grimes was the moral degradation of Carl Grimes. Before the Governor raided, Carl took a final look at his family picture and his father's badge and said, "Screw the noble path. I'm going to embrace a life of crime!" Since putting trust in others had had tragic results in the past — they trusted that prisoner and he ended up unleashing Walkers that ultimately killed Lori, and didn't kill the Governor and he ended up killing Merle — so, Carl was just going to kill everyone from now on. I guess he was snoozing during Rick's inspiring morality speech last week. He ended up killing a left behind member of the Governor's failed militia. The kid was handing over his gun, and Carl shot him right in the head in front of a horrified Hershel. This, of course, came right around the time when Rick proudly told Michonne (who forgave him for almost giving her up, because she's awesome now) that it was Carl who displayed his burgeoning maturity by allowing her into the group. So I guess Carl is going to be next Governor now — and we're going to spend at least a season dealing with Rick emotionally grappling with Carl's lost innocence as he becomes this hardened, brutal solider. The thing is though, that kid did look mighty suspicious as he handed over that gun. If he had dropped it and Carl had shot him, I would be quicker to condemn him for his actions. He's seen a lot of people die due to mercy and/or indecision, so he acted on instinct. He's adapting to the world around him, which is making him a not so great person, but a good soldier. He's at war, and he's acting like it. The Governor, bee tee dubs, responded to his failure by massacring the entire Woodbury army (minus one pretty curly haired lady who played dead) except for Martinez and one other beefy dude. They drove off into the sunset, and I'm still not sure how I feel about this. We've spent an entire season waiting for this showdown. Why didn't it happen? I get that TV is a different medium than comic books, and that we as an audience are more attached to these on-screen characters than their page counterparts, so killing too many of them at one time could alienate TWD's audience. Still, we all really wanted, and were waiting with great anticipation for, an epic battle. And now the Governor just... gave up? When will we see him again? Now, with (Glen Mazzara and his vision for the show) exiting Season 4 with the Governor still alive, I just have absolutely no clue where we're headed. I'd love to see the Grimes Gang manage to get more than 10 miles away from where they started two years ago, which could be a potential blank slate fresh start for the new showrunner Scott Gimple. I'd also love less episodes weighed down by tiresome trips into Rick's psychosis. Like, on Breaking Bad, we don't get entire episodes where Walt sees the ghosts of the bodies he's responsible and loses his s**t ("Fly"is an excellent example of a protagonist losing his mind episode — Walter was compelling and terrifying) and on Game of Thrones when someone kills someone, we don't spend the next episode watching them deal with the emotional aftermath. But, anyway. Moving on. Andrea's death was touching, but, really, that was only because of Michonne. Daryl, Rick, and Michonne — you know, The A-Team — went in to raid Woodbury, but there was nothing left to raid. The fighters had all been massacred, and since they had rescued the pretty curly haired lady who vouched for them, Tyreese and Sasha let them through. They found Andrea and Milton — who had been successfully put down by his victim — minutes too late. She had a nasty Walker-hickey on her neck, and was getting ready to shoot herself with a gun that no one would have let her use back in Season 1. Now, this death wasn't particularly heartbreaking because of Andrea herself, since, as I said earlier, the show never figured out what to do with her and not many will be devestated to see her go. It worked because of Michonne's touching reaction — she cried, and sat with her friend till the very ugly end. Michonne right now is like the antithesis of Andrea — I'm extremely impressed with what they've done with Michonne, who was nothing but a scowly nonentity with a cool sword until "Clear," when she became oddly likable. Now she's like my favorite person to watch besides Daryl, who maybe I shouldn't count because I find him to be extremely sexually attractive and that clouds my judgment. So, here we are: other than Carl's innocence, Andrea, Milton, the Governor, and the people he mercilessly slaughtered, everyone made it through. The 27 promised dead bodies were not our friends (unless you count Andrea), they were of mainly faceless strangers. The newly Lori-free (I think?) Rick Grimes welcomed the remaining Woodbury-ians into the prison, so it looks like we're in for tons of random zombie-bait B characters next season, and a location change is seeming less likely. But I'm perplexed, kids. I could be wrong. Where do you think they're going with this? Do you want the Governor to be a major part of next season, or are you hoping for a totally new game? Are you sad to see Andrea go? Also, do you have a good therapist you could recommend for Carl? Shout it out in the comments, and I'll see you next fall! (Unless you also watch Game of Thrones, in which case, see you next Sunday.) Follow Shaunna on Twitter @HWShaunna [Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC] You Might Also Like:Topanga's Revealing Lingerie Shoot: Hello '90s! 13 Most WTF Fan Tributes
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'The Walking Dead' Recap: The Hunting of (Wo)Man
March 17, 2013 9:59pm ESTI believe it was Hemingway who said, "There is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never care for anything else thereafter." And it was pretty much every fan of the televised version of The Walking Dead who said, several times, "I hate Andrea." But after tonight's airing of The Most Dangerous Game: Walking Dead Edition, even the most avid Andrea-haters should be warming up to the beleaguered blondie, or at least hoping that she doesn't die at the hands of the sadistic, misogynistic Governor. And if you're not — well, I know a great therapist who takes insurance. Because watching 40-odd minutes of a large, formidable man literally hunting a small, relatively helpless woman (not because she isn't a sharpshoot — because she didn't have a gun) was Hitchcock-ian terror at its very best. The show's "Andrea problem" is a tough one. She's a beloved character in the comics, but TV-Andrea has never really found her footing. It's like they just don't know what to do with her — they tried something new with this whole Woodbury thing, but making her sleep with the Governor made everyone like her even less. It's sort of like with Kate from Lost — you know you should like her, because on the outside she's this badass fighter chick, but most of her actions on the show have revolved around what the (often shitty) men around her are doing. Quite literally, her actions on this show have been as follows: 1. Complain about not being able to have a gun. 2. Give up and attempt suicide. 3. Pine for Shane. 4. Sleep with clearly insane man who is trying to kill all of the heroes on this show. Like DARYL. RELATED: 'The Walking Dead' Recap: Merle is Always Right About Everything That's not to say that I think that Andrea is a hopeless case — Laurie Holden is an undeniably talented actress — and I think that this episode was a step in the right direction. Should she have gone home with the men of Grimes last week, after the "negotiation" went down? Absolutely. But then, the writers wouldn't have been able to give us this fantastic horror movie of an episode, where we find ourselves biting our nails and holding our breath for a character we've always found to be grating. Sneaky. So, here's how it all went down: For whatever reason, the episode started with a strange little flashback to Andrea's time with Michonne. The ladies shared a meal in the woods with Mich's Walker friends — a "girls' night" as the increasingly likable character called it. Michonne, you silly. And this being a girls' night, it eventually came time for a game of truth or dare. "Truth," said Michonne. So Andrea asked her where her Walker pals had come from — were they some random Joes that attacked her? Or, had she known them? From Michonne's scowl, you could tell the answer was "B." "I'm so sorry," Andrea replied. "Do you want to talk about it?" (This must have been early on in their relationship, because we all learned in like, ten minutes that Michonne doesn't want to talk about anything.) "They deserved what they got," she said. "They weren't human to begin with." Now, I'm not saying that this scene wasn't completely awesome — it was only strange because Michonne wasn't in the rest of the episode, at all. We flashed from the campfire scene — focusing on the Walkers' chains — to the Governor holding the same chains, in the Hostel-esque torture chamber he was building with Princess Scowleypants in mind. Since we're being all literary here, it was Chekhov who said that, once a gun appears in a story, it has to go off. So when you saw those torture chains, you knew SOME unfortunate bastard would be stuck in s**t's creek by episode's end. Foreshadowing 101, guys. Only this week, Andrea would be the unfortunate victim. But, thankfully, she wouldn't go down without a severe, devastating fight. His friendship with Daryl long forgotten, Martinez was gathering ammo for Woodbury's meeting with Team Grimes — you know, the one where they're going to murder everyone. Andrea saw this go down, and finally — FINALLY — concluded that the Governor did not have peace in mind. The "it's just a show of force" excuse can only work on so many occasions, kind of like lying about a dead relative to get out of midterms. You only have FOUR grandparents, kid! So Andrea and Milton — who I still kind of hate, for being a giant p-word — decided to stop the Governor from unleashing Hell. Andrea was to run to the prison to warn the others, Milton was to… ask him politely to not go through with it. David Morrissey was absolutely chilling in his resolve when Milton "confronted" him, eerily reinforcing that revenge on the entire Grimes Gang was "all that matters." Then there was this other truly terrifying sequence that let us know just how fully nutters the Governor is: Milton and Andrea watched from above as he looked over his (many) torture tools, happily whistling under a single lightbulb. Because it's not a torture dungeon if there's more than one light. Andrea took out her pistol and was ready to go, but Milton stopped her. Again, I hate him. "I knew Philip before he became the Governor," Milton said, when Andrea asked why he still protected his boss. "That man still exists." Ugh. Milton is going die in the finale, right? Right? He made a good point when he said that, if the Governor died, Martinez would take over and the cycle of violence would continue, BUT STILL. Despite his cowardice and stupidity, Andrea gave him a pass, and invited him back to the prison, using the saddest PR pitch I've ever heard (and I get weekly emails from the "My Strange Addiction" team): "You know Merle — he fit in! You'll be fine." Hahahaha. Everything about Merle makes me giggle. So Andrea took off, and the hunt began. Unfortunately, before she snuck out, Martinez took her guns. Then the Governor approached her and explained that he wanted to keep her safe and separate from "all this," rubbing her shoulder while he did so. It was creeeeepy, and Andrea looked sort of like Skyler White during the last season of Breaking Bad with her hiding-my-disgust-face. The little bird flying the coop then faced a second obstacle: Tyreese and Tyreese's sister, Sasha, who I forgot we're supposed to care about. I really don't. They were guarding the wall, and Andrea tried this half-assed "OMG Walkers! Over there!" diversion to get them to leave, and it totally didn't work. They wanted word from the Governor himself. So then she explained that the Governor is actually a psycho killer, and despite their disbelief, they let her go. Free will, and all. (Sasha is also going to be dead by the finale, right?) "We stand on that wall to stop Biters, not keep people in," Tyreese argued when he explained their actions to the Governor later on. The Governor is an evil genius and he's still trying to keep Tyreese and Sasha on his side, so he used the "women be crazy" argument, saying that Andrea had spent the whole winter by herself (lies! She was having girls' night with Michonne!) and was now just a poor fractured soul who was also on her period, so. "Did she say anything?" the Governor casually asked. "Like, panicked?" This should have been your number one red flag here, guys. But no. Everyone in Woodbury is stupid. Including Milton, obviously, who made it SUPER CLEAR to the Governor that he had told Andrea about his nefarious plans. "You should let her go," he said. "She just wants to be with her people." The Governor then slammed him against his locker, stole his lunch money, and made him (and us) s**t our pants with his intensity. Go after Andrea, he would. Tyreese had an inkling that SOMETHING weird was going on when he learned that people were going after Andrea, but his horrible white friends (who will be dead by the end of the finale, right?) insisted that they had a good thing here, she should help the Governor go after the "that crazy-ass cowboy and the chick with the sword." We got some (unnecessary?) background about why that one white guy (whose name is not worth the Google search) has an obvious beef with Tyreese, and it's because big, handsome Tyreese saved her from some Walkers before that one time she died from Walkers. She had a bit of a crush on him after that, and white guy has been a total dick ever since. I really don't care about this guy's insecurities — I think this scene was put here so we'd cheer when he gets violently killed in the finale. Maybe by Carl. Or Beth. Beth! Can you imagine the humiliation? Tyreese and Sasha's "This Place is F**ked Up Tour" continued, with their next stop being the large pit of Walkers/Biters that Martinez had assembled to unleash, again, upon the Gang of Grimes. "This is awesome!" white guy said, literally. "They've got women and children!" Tyreese replied. Then white guy and Tyreese got into a fight which led to Tyreese ALMOST pushing his fair-skinned companion into the pit, which would have been awesome. But, not today. That's a finale type of move. "Take him back to town," Martinez scowled. "Let him do some knitting." Making men feel inferior by suggesting they do things that women like: middle school playground tested, adult men approved. Cut to Andrea on the road, where we learned right away that this would not be an uplifting journey home. Armed with only a very small knife, she got attacked by three Walkers pretty much right away. She killed them all with some degree of ease, but the true enemy was yet to emerge. Fight the dead, fear the living — remember? It was pretty cool that she was deep in the middle of an open field and he just charged at her, guns blazing, in his truck. She snuck into the forest, but he was hot on her tail. Her next stop was some abandoned warehouse, and he found her in all of ten seconds. Hunting humans is eeee-zzzzy. We always go for the totally obvious hiding spot, and knock a ton of s**t over when we get there. It was dark and scary, and the Governor opened up the door and strolled in with the slow bravado of a man who knows he has the upper hand. Poor Andrea tried to hide, but A it was quiet and every breath she took put her at risk, and B, there were biters in the joint! Not the quietest creatures, that's for sure. Even the Governor's creepy serial killer whistling couldn't hide the sound of brains being smushed. She had been caught. "Andrea!," he whisper-shouted. "Come back to me. Come back to Woodbury. We need you. That's your home now — your people." To drive that inviting point home, he started smashing things to terrify her. This horrifying cat and mouse game continued, with the Governor brutally killing several Walkers to, again, let us and Andrea know just how violent he tends to be. But then, finally, the mouse managed to trap the cat in a room full of Walkers. Escape at last! Death for the Governor! Anticlimactic end to the season! RELATED: 'The Walking Dead' Recap: S**t Could be Worse But no. Andrea ran away, and became the first person this season to actually be happy to see Rick Grimes when she spotted him on lookout from beyond the prison fence. She jumped. She screamed! She was elated — she was home. But then, the Governor came out from behind her and covered her mouth. Ohhhhh it was that terrible moment from every horror movie where you just feel for the victim, so so much, because they actually had one beautiful moment of relief before the terror continued. Being a woman, and living through the unfortunate knowledge that your size and physical strength makes you an easy victim, I just felt so much for her. She had no chance with this big, beefy, crazy man on her trail. It was even worse when the Governor pulled back into Woodbury, and wouldn't even tell Martinez that he'd found Andrea. That's when you knew he had something truly f**ked up in mind for his former paramour. What was that f**ked up thing, you ask? Why of course, the prime seat under the lightbulb in The Governor's chamber of horrors. She wasn't shackled quite yet, but the show ended with a shot of a terrified Andrea bound, gagged, and all alone in Hell. The next couple of episodes are going to be rough. Oh, and one other thing — someone, in the middle of the night, burned all of the pit-Walkers. Was it Milton? Was it Tyreese? Could it be — gasp — Martinez? No, it probably was not Martinez. The Governor was not too excited to hear about this latest development, but when Tyreese and Sasha confronted him re: how terrible the whole thing was, he again used the "scare tactic" defense. "Why didn't your men just say that?" Tyreese asked. Because they don't share defense tactics with people they don't know, duh! And with that, Tyreese was once again totally cool with the Governor. But one more thing: "Where did you get the gasoline?" The Governor asked. "Come again?" Tyreese replied. Sorry Milton — your number is up. "I hope you find out who did it," Milton said, calmly, on the street. "Already have," Governor replied, with an eery sense of calm. Some men just want to watch the world burn. So, what did you think of the episode? The best Andrea-centric one we've had yet, no? Does it change your opinion about her, even a little? Sound off in the comments. (And that's why, you always leave a note.) Follow Shaunna on Twitter @HWShaunna [PHOTO CREDIT: Gene Page/AMC(2)] You Might Also Like:14 Movies Thshiat Are, Surprisingly, Not PornStars Who Have Lost Roles For Being Too Hot (Celebuzz)
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'The Walking Dead' Recap: Who Will Kill Andrea?
February 24, 2013 10:59pm ESTI know, I know. Andrea is one of like, four people currently alive in Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead comic. (The other three are Laurie's ghost, Carl's hat, and Arya Stark.) But the TV version of TWD has proven that it don't mind going off book — like with lack of Michonne's game-changing rape, ghost Lori, and the general existence of Daryl Dixon, to name a few. So, after tonight's Andrea-centric episode, a major question burns: would the show dare to change canon by killing off the not as maligned as Lori, but still very much maligned Andrea? Because blondie is stuck between a very sh***y prison rock and a crazy hard place, and no one on either side (except for Carol, who is useless) really likes her. Her death wouldn't be a completely shocking, or unrealistic, turn of events. But I, for one, seriously hope that Andrea sticks around for the long haul. Yes, she has horrible taste in men, and her desire for post-apocalyptic respect and a strong male partner has often clouded her judgment. But she's also one of the few characters on the show who isn't solidly black or white — likable or unlikable — now that the terribly annoying Lori and Shane are gone, and TWD would suffer without Laurie Holden's presence. First, Andrea is a highly effective Walker-killer (up there with Michonne and Daryl), and if she wasn't so easily influenced, she'd be one of the more capable leaders on the show. She doesn't second-guess her decisions and torture herself like Rick does, and she's more capable of forming genuine human relationships than Daryl. She's emotionally tougher than Maggie, and able to positively influence a group (unlike, say, Michonne). But still, there's something that's just not quite right. I enjoy the fact that Andrea could be so, so much better than she is — and she's trying. It's like all of the pieces are there, but something in the way they're assembled has her not quite right. Just like pretty much everyone else in real life, but not enough characters on this messy TV show. And Andrea knows she's a screwball. She knows that hooking up with Philip and ditching Michonne was the wrong choice, and she's trying the best she can to fix it. But there's no "fixing it" this time around, and her ridiculous optimism could just be her downfall. We shall see. Anyway, let's move away from Andrea for a sec. The Grimes Gang are f***ed. The Grimes Gang are no food, no-ammo, Beth eerily singing Tom Waits to somehow improve morale f***ed. They can't get rid of the Walkers in the yard without blowing through their ammo, and now that the Gov knows their location, he has men waiting on the road to blow them to bits if they go for a run. They're trapped like rats in a cage, which is driving everyone slightly insane but Merle, who still seems to be pleasantly amused by the whole scenario. "That whole truck through the door thing?" he said. "That's just him ringing the doorbell… He could just starve us out if he wanted to." It's true. And their dire circumstances were causing some division within the group. Hershel wanted to leave, but Rick was demanding they stay put. Hershel pointed out that Rick once stated that the group wasn't a democracy (it was a cheer-ocracy), and now he had to own up to that. Basically, he needed to step down, because his cray-cray self wasn't capable of leading the Grimes Gang to some sort of safe spot 2.0. The episode is called "I Ain't a Judas" — and of course, they're referring to Andrea — but the same could arguably be said of other members of the Grimes Gang. Like Carl! Guys, did you ever think you'd see a day where Carl was more competent and capable than Rick? Did you think that that day would come in Season 3? I didn't! But when Carl pulled Rick aside and asked him to step down to let Hershel and Daryl "handle things," it was a powerful and well-acted moment. "You should stop," Carl said. "Being the leader… you deserve a rest." I mean, ouch. "You deserve a rest" in this instance is just a nice way of saying "you royally screwed this up, you crazy old bat." But Carl's a sweet kid. Rick didn't really respond, but you know that one had to hurt. And Carl was later proven right, over in Woodbury, when Tyreese and his merry gang of people I don't know were welcomed into the open arms of the Governor after that crazy guy from the prison threw them out. The rest of the gang seemed pretty cool, Tyreese explained to the suddenly chipper Gov, but that Rick character was a dang loon. My money's on the fact that the Gov would have killed all of them on sight had they not dropped the "we hate Rick" bomb, but we'll never know. The Governor is gearing up for war, and now he has four very able-bodied soldiers to add to his child army. NEXT: Everybody hates Andrea. Which brings us to the reason why Andrea left Woodbury in the first place: She was very unsure of her boyfriend after he made Daryl fight Merle, but when she saw that the Governor was rounding up the town's children (anyone 13 and above, asthmatic or not) to go to war with the Grimes Gang, she knew she had to intervene. Of course the Governor told her that the Grimes Gang was "bloodthirsty" and that they had struck first, but her Spidey sense told her that something was up. At this point, both Rick AND his nemesis were losing some of their most loyal followers, but the Governor has strength, ammo, numbers, and a sociopathic lack of conscious on his side. Yeah, my money's on the guy who has files on every child and arthritic old lady in his war room. So the Governor had Martinez — the character we all just heard about last week — gather the able-bodied children to start their training, and that threw Andrea over the edge. I'm sort of obsessed with Martinez, because his introduction to this show was kind of like when Tobias Funke from Arrested Development tried to make a name for himself at that production studio. "That Martinez is all anyone's talking about these days," said Woodbury resident #1. "That Martinez — OVERRATED!!" We didn't know who Martinez was two weeks ago, and now he's the most important guy in Woodbury after the Governor and Milton. Hey, someone had to replace Merle. Andrea asked Milton to help her out re: leaving town, since the Governor wouldn't let her leave without never coming back again. He reluctantly agreed to help her, then ran to his boss and tattled. The Governor thanked his employee for his loyal service, then asked him to help Andrea with her plan. "Do you really want me to do that, or is this some sort of test?" Milton asked, probably whilst sh***ing his pants. It wasn't a test. Andrea was the Woodbury resident under fire here, not Milton. But it's interesting watching the completely opposite leadership tactics in Woodbury and Cellblock C — the Governor rules with an Iron Fist and Rick with soft words, but both of them are dealing with unruly constituents. You just can't win in this world. Milton did "help" Andrea escape — and by that I mean he opened the door and allowed her to chop up a Walker to use as a decoy for when she arrived at the prison, while he cowered in fear. This guy will be dead by the finale, right? Right? Right. When she arrived at the prison, her welcome was slightly less warm than she was expecting. Remember, Andrea haters — we may know exactly what happened with the Governor and his horrific crimes against the Grimes Gang and his people, but Andrea was kept in the dark the entire time. Largely via smoke canisters. The only one there who has a 100 percent legitimate bone to pick with her is Michonne, which is why their inevitable hash-out was so devastating on Andrea's side. But more on that later. When Andrea rejoined the hostile Rick and the gang, she was shocked to see that Shane, Lori, and — what was his name, again? — oh yes, T-Dog, had perished. This lady was seriously more in the dark than the Governor's left eye. Andrea honestly thought that there could be some sort of peaceful reconciliation between Grimes and Woodbury, which is absurd. Yes, there is plenty of room in spacious Woodbury for the Gang, and their able-bodied presence would be undeniably helpful for the struggling town. But the Governor, or "Philip" as she calls him, would rather burn the entire town to the ground than let that happen. Andrea is still too donkey-brained to realize that. NEXT: Merle Dixon — unlikely voice of reason Which leads us to a segment I like to call "Merle Dixon — unlikely voice of reason." Now, Merle used to annoy me when he was walking out and about being racist, but I sort of love him when he's just sitting there in a prison cell, doling out wisdom bombs like a Homeland suicide bomb. He also totally doesn't give a s***, in that special "some men just want to watch the world burn" kind of way, which makes his scenes especially amusing. Anyway, Merle offered up these words of wisdom on the Governor to Hershel, when the two had their daily amputee-survival club/Bible study meeting. (Matthew 5:29:30: If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. How very appropriate! Also, what Jigsaw says during the opening of Saw VIII.) "He's going to kill me first," Merle explained. "Michonne. Then your girls— Glenn, Carl, the baby. Then he'll come for Quvenzhané Wallis. He'll save Rick for last, so he can watch his friends and family die ugly. He won't even touch Anne Hathaway. That's who you're dealing with." Merle was right, of course. But the only person who has a strong enough emotional connection with Andrea to convince her of this is Michonne, who finally confronted blondie once they got some one-on-one time. (Aside: Who else loved it when Andrea asked Michonne, "What have you told them?" And Michonne replied, "Nothing." So very, unfortunately true. That was a pretty miserable plot-fail during the raid on Woodbury, and I'm glad they sort of acknowledged it here, whether it was a "wink wink" or not.) Andrea told Michonne that all that she'd wanted was a soft bed to sleep on, and that the people of Woodbury needed her — which, of course, isn't unreasonable. But Michonne went straight for the jugular (also not unreasonable), saying that she didn't realize that the Governor's messiah complex was contagious, and that Andrea chose "a warm bed over a friend." Then she dropped the "he sent Merle to kill me" bomb, and when Michonne walked away, Andrea finally burst into tears. She was finally starting to realize just how wrong she had actually been. You guys, she's human. And the Governor is handsome. Before Andrea left for Woodbury, Carol — who, like Daryl, Glenn, and Maggie, had absolutely nothing to do in this episode — told Andrea that her best move was to give the Governor "the greatest night of his life," then kill him. Would she do it? Could she? No, she couldn't. As Beth and Tom Waits soulfully told us to "Hold On," Andrea went through with the sex part, but couldn't do the killing. This woman still has a lot of work to do, and again, I'm looking forward to the process. The Grimes Gang's weekly adventure ended with Rick making an actual decision — he would head out in the morning for a very dangerous run, with Michonne and Carl as his potential death-dates. This episode may have seen like the calm before the storm after last week, but it honestly was anything but — it was more like the eye of the hurricane, a brief respite before the devastation action continues. The storm is already here, but which way the wind blows is up to a few key figures with varying levels of mental capability. In short, everyone is f***ed. So, viewers — if anyone, who could kill Andrea? Would it be Michonne, who has the best reason? Or the Governor, who has the complete lack of human empathy? Hey, maybe it could even be Carl! Let us know your thoughts in the comments. Follow Shaunna on Twitter @HWShaunna [PHOTO CREDIT: Gene Page/AMC] From Our Partners:25 Most Scandalous Celeb Twitpics (Vh1)33 Child Stars: Where Are They Now? (Celebuzz)
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'The Walking Dead' Recap: Walk With Me
October 28, 2012 7:55pm ESTSo, where would you rather be — stuck in Cell Block C with Carl and Hershel's smelly stump, or the dystopian postmodern Dharmaville set up by the Governor, his brainless gun thugs, and those creepy Stepford Wives? I never thought I'd choose hanging out with Carl over anything, ever, but after seeing aquariums stuffed with zombie-heads, I'm going to go with option A. At least it has Daryl. Before we dive too deep into this madcap episode, I want to throw some theories out there: First, I think that the two plot lines are not running simultaneously, time-wise, and that it's still Merle watching the Grimes Gang from the prison yard. You could see from his conversations with the Gov that Merle still deeply loved (in his Merle way) and wanted to find his little brother, which seemed to be their main reason for keeping the ladies around. The other theory, and the other reason I think they want to keep Michonndrea around, is the 28 Days Later tactic — they want their fertile wombs. If that's the case, I think they picked the wrong girls. One of the many, many reasons why Season 3 is infinitely better than its predecessors is that not only has it has cut out much of the soapy relationship mumbo-jumbo that populated 1 and 2, but it's added in the deeply human moral issues that would naturally accompany any zombie apocalypse — when normal human beings have to become killers overnight, their biggest issues usually won't be related to extramarital affairs. We've seen Rick grappling with the moral ambiguities of human-on-human violence, and whether killing other men makes him a bad person. (One of the only Rick-Lori dialogues I've ever truly enjoyed was during last week's episode, where she assured him that he was still a good man.) Now we're seeing the opposite end of the spectrum — a man who does not begrudgingly kill for a greater good. The Governor seems to have developed some sort of sociopathic God complex, (I mean, he literally said "We will rise again") and the sweet family photo on his mantle suggests that he wasn't always the type of guy that keeps aquariums full of decapitated heads. But let's go back to the beginning: Thank God that helicopter crashed — even though it resulted in the half-man who is officially this year's Well Walker — because if it hadn't, Andrea would probably have been a goner. We knew it would either be her constant puking or the rumbling of Michonne's Walker-pets that would attract the Gov and his men's attention, and it said a whole lot (as we learned later) that Michonne would rather cleanly and quietly decapitate her Walker-friends than trust new people. (Michonne isn't really a talker, so her character exposition will probably be an "actions speak louder than words" type of deal.) But in the end it was the long-lost Merle that got them: "How's about a big old hug for your old pal Merle?" he said, with a s***-eating grin, and weaponry for a hand. I'm surprised Andrea fainted, because I would have thrown up again. Daryl got all the looks/charm in the family. NEXT: Welcome to Woodbury, where the women are soft and the men are psychopaths. The ladies' ride to Woodbury, seen from Andrea's sickly perspective, was dark and foreboding, and I loved the Nightmare Before Christmas-esque "Warning Walker" hanging from a tree. Too bad it didn't sing! Laurie Holden's acting in the sickbed scene with Merle was stellar, as she tried to quietly quell his anger towards the Grimes Gang and get him on her side. Even better was Michonne's silent scowl, which she pretty much maintained throughout the entire episode. Though Merle obviously still hates Rick (and T-Dog, right?), he seemed giddy at the prospect of Andrea being in his debt, and, of course, having a lead on Daryl. Another key moment in this scene was the Governor telling the ladies the same truth Rick told the Gang seven months ago, that everyone becomes a Walker when they die. Wonder how he figured that out? The next day was such a stark contrast to the night before, it was almost eerie. Scratch that, it was totally eerie. The town (pop. 73) could have been a Norman Rockwell painting, and all of the women wore these pretty, floral dresses that made them look more Revolution than Walking Dead. You could tell right away that the women in Woodbury have a much different role than the women in the Grimes Gang, who are equals. "Those men put their lives at risk every night to protect this town," said the pretty brunette tasked with showing Michonndrea the town. The only guy we met this episode who didn't seem like a total prick was the town scientist, who does experiments on Walkers because he thinks that they might have some recollection of who they once were. God, that would be awful. He learned that Michonne's pets (whose heads were kept alive) became docile once their arms and jaws were removed, and we learned over a nice breakfast that the same Walkers somehow protected the gals over the last several months. This eventually led to an awkward conversation between Michonndrea, when Andrea confronted her pal for not telling her the story of her pets, or letting her know anything else about her, really. Michonne definitely doesn't seem like the "sharing" type, which is a welcome relief after two years with the Grimes Gang. Now, to the main(ish) event: We knew something was off about the Governor the whole episode, and his conversation with the helicopter's pilot — the crash's only survivor — seemed too good to be true. The Gov literally waved the white flag as he approached the pilot's friends on the highway, offered them a safe haven, then had his men ambush and brutally slaughter them for their weapons. My guess? The Governor's God complex, and his adorable little town, has no room for additional alpha males. If that were a group of women, things probably would have gone a lot differently. When the Gov and co. got back to town, he addressed his disciples from up high, spreading lies about the men having already been attacked by Walkers. "We'll honor their sacrifice, but not take what we have here for granted," he said. The only ones who didn't seem to buy into this load of crap were Michonne, and the scientist. Michonne (wisely) wanted to get the f*** out of Dodge, but Andrea was definitely walking right into the Governor's trap. At one point, it even seemed like she was flirting with him. First Shane, and now Governor? Daddy. Issues. The fact that he refused to tell Andrea, or anyone else, his real name should have been a huge indication that he was insane, but Andrea didn't seem to mind. We ended with a peek at the Governor's homestead: Not only was there the aforementioned family photo and secret room full of decapitated heads — which now included the poor helicopter pilot, natch — there was also a woman passed out in his bed, who may or may not have had a stump for an arm. I rewound and freeze-framed that sucker several times, but still couldn't tell. It looked stumpy to me. So, what did you think of the episode? I loved this introduction to the Governor/Woodbury, and Michonndrea getting their own episode. There was way too much information to process to merit cuts to the Grimes Gang. But seeing how Merle reacts to the info on their whereabouts should be a thrill (and so should the inevitable Merle/Daryl reunion), and I can't wait to slowly unravel the mystery that is Woodbury. The pacing of Season 3, to date, has been stellar. Oh, and finally — what is in that tea?! Follow Shaunna on Twitter @HWShaunna [PHOTO CREDIT: AMC] MORE: 'The Walking Dead' Recap: Keep Your Friends Close and Your Enemies in Cellblock B 'The Walking Dead' Recap: Seed Create Your Own Adventure: 'The Walking Dead' From Our Partners: ’Bring It On’ Star Struck By Car and Killed (Celebuzz) Tom Cruise’s $50m Defamation Suit Over Suri Abandonment Claim: What Are His Chances of Winning? (Celebuzz)
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'The Walking Dead': Get Up To Speed Before Sunday's Premiere
October 13, 2012 2:15pm ESTReturning Series: The Walking Dead Premiere Date: Sunday, Oct. 14 at 9pm ET Number of Seasons On the Air: This will be The Walking Dead's third season on the air, but so far we've only seen a few episodes with new showrunner Glen Mazzara. You’d Like It If…: You don't mind depressing, post-apocalyptic scenarios. You find dystopias to be fascinating. You enjoy the intense, morally ambiguous debates about how to govern a government-less society on shows like Fringe and Battlestar Galactica, but think both of those shows would benefit from more gore. You’d Hate It If…: You like all of your zombie fare to be as fast-paced as, say, 28 Days Later. Walking Dead can be a slow burn. Also, if you're not a horror fan. Walking Dead’s Formula: Day of the Dead's zombies meet Battlestar Galactica's band of lost, aimless misfits meets Dallas' southern accents meets The Road's horrifying portrayal of human-on-human post-apocalyptic violence. Ratings: Pretty damn sexy for a cable series. Last year's finale brought in 9 million viewers, which is like four times the amount of your average NBC comedy. Accolades: None of the actors have received any Emmy love, but the series has won for its makeup and prosthetics two years in a row. In 2011, Walking Dead received a Golden Globe Best TV Drama Series nom. Not bad! Where The Walking Dead Left Off: Phew. Got a sec? After an attack on Hershel's farm (which resulted in the deaths of a few of his many family members), Andrea was separated from the gang, and eventually teamed up with badass newcomer Michonne. Rick told the rest of the Grimes Gang — who congregated on an abandoned highway — that he had killed Shane, and that the walker virus had infected all of them. In Walking Dead speak, that means that even dying a natural death will turn people into zombies. Not. Cool. As the show faded to credits, a large prison was shown, looming in the background. Where The Walking Dead Is Headed: To prison! Most of the Grimes Gang will battle walkers in the aforementioned prison, where they'll find, at least temporarily, some cots, food, and protection. Andrea and Michonne will eventually meet up with the mysterious new villain, the Governor, who has developed some sort of utopian village amidst all of the chaos. Of course, nothing in the village will be as it seems. We still don't know when these two plotlines will intersect, but Norman Reedus told us that they definitely will at some point this season. Cast: Where do I start? We have Brit Andrew Lincoln as Rick, the former Sheriff charged with making most of the impossible moral decisions on the show. Sarah Wayne Callies is his pregnant wife, Lori, who had an affair with Rick's recently deceased, former best friend Shane. Chandler Riggs is their son Carl, who wears a stupid hat and does stupid things. Steven Yeun is the priceless Glenn, Lauren Cohan is Glenn's new ladylove, Maggie, Scott Wilson is Maggie's dad, Hershel, and Emily Kinney is Maggie's frequently suicidal sister, Beth. Laurie Holden is the long-suffering Andrea, who has teamed up with newcomer Danai Gurira's Michonne. Rounding out the gang are IronE Singleton as T-Dog, who maybe has one line per episode, and Melissa McBride as Carol, who lost her daughter Sophia after a painfully long search last season. David Morrissey will join the cast later this season as The Governor, one of the comics' main antagonists, who leads another pack of survivors. Oh, but wait, and am I forgetting someone? Oh yes, Norman Reedus stars as Daryl Dixon, the most badass, wonderful, crossbow-wielding character on the show. We love him. We love him so much. High Point: The final three episodes of last season, which almost made up for the torturous pace of the entire first half of the season (see below). First was the impossible debate over executing teenage prisoner Randall, then there was the heartbreaking death of father figure Dale. That was week one. Then came Shane's final betrayal — convinced that he would be a better father and leader than Rick, he led him into the woods for a good old fashioned murder. Rick got to him first, stabbing him to death. Rick's young son, Carl, was watching the whole time, and when he shot the newly zombie-fied Shane in the head, a massive number of walkers headed their way. Eek! This led to an epic finale, where the gang (arguably) won the battle at Hershel's farm, and learned that they would all be walkers one day. Rough. Low Point: The first seven episodes of last season. We love Frank Darabont, but dedicating seven episodes to the search for a minor character — while nothing else happened — was an epic fail. By the end, the reveal that she was a zombie in Hersel's barn the whole time wasn't even that shocking. Who To Watch It With: Your significant other, because you might need someone to cuddle up to during the scary parts. If you don't have an SO, I'd recommend buying a teddy bear. Who Not to Watch It With: Frank Darabont. Appropriate Food and Beverage Pairing: You might want to avoid food for this one, as some of the walkers on this show are pretty vomit-inducing. (See: the "well walker" below.) As for beverages, I'd go for a nice, cold beer — there won't be many after the zombie apocalypse! Cringeworthy moment: Try to forget the well walker. We dare you. Cast Member to Root For: Daryl Dixon. We're a sucker for this occasionally profound, fiercely loyal redneck with a heart of gold. His kind words for Carol last season were pretty heartbreaking, and he's not afraid to do what needs to be done — even if that means shooting a beloved character (Dale) in the face. Cast Member to Root Against: We hate to say it, but Lori. The female characters on this show don't get a lot of love (though we do like Maggie, Carol, and occasionally Andrea), but Lori is just the worst. She's a classic damsel in distress type on a show that really just needs some badasses. Also, she slept with Shane, which is pretty gross. What You’re Most Likely to Yell at the Screen: "BEHIND YOU!" So, Will You Watch It?: Hell yes you will! It's water cooler fare at its finest, and even though it's up against some fierce competition (cough cough, Revenge), this one is worth a DVR at the very least. Follow Shaunna on Twitter @HWShaunna [PHOTO CREDIT: AMC] MORE: Create Your Own Adventure: 'The Walking Dead' 'Walking Dead' Season 3 Photo Puzzle: Almost There! — EXCLUSIVE CONTEST 'Walking Dead' Season 3 Spoilers: Lori & Rick "Eroding from the Inside Out"
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'The Walking Dead': Norman Reedus on the 'Season of Rage' and Merle's Return
October 12, 2012 9:29am ESTIt's been seven months since Rick Grimes and his merry band of post-zombie-apocalypse travelers won(?) the battle at Hershel's farm, and now, in Season 3, things are going to be darker (and gorier) than ever. Everyone knowing that they carry the "walker virus" will hang heavy over our heroes' heads this season, and according to our crossbow-wielding favorite cast member Norman Reedus (sorry, we're biased), this will result in one major, communally-shared feeling: Rage. "The first season was an introduction to this world," Reedus told Hollywood.com over breakfast during San Diego's Comic Con. "The second season was fear, [and] this season is rage. Everyone is full of rage. There's a lot of kills this season." Yikes. Since this show has already delivered some devastating deaths and the creature forever known as the "well walker," we'll surely be watching much of this season between our fingers. But, as Reedus explained, the Grimes Gang has good reason to be so violent and despondent. "Look at the world," he said. "You're infected. You're going to become one of these [walkers]. There's nowhere to go. There's nowhere safe you can find... there's no light at the end of the tunnel." Well, the "nowhere safe you can find" part isn't 100 percent true. Hollywood.com has already screened the first two (gory, fantastic) episodes, which find most of the Grimes Gang fighting for a safe haven in that prison we saw looming in the distance during last season's finale. "We have two different stories going on this season, [Andrea and Michonne's] story and our story," Reedus explained. "In our story, we find a prison. It's beautiful, which is odd already." Of course, since this is The Walking Dead, things won't stay beautiful for long. Soon, Andrea (Laurie Holden) and Michonne (Danai Gurira) will find themselves face-to-face with one of the comics' most infamous villains, The Governor (David Morrissey), in a seemingly perfect self-contained town he's created. When the two plot lines will intersect is still unknown, but Reedus assured us that it will happen. "You have this town, where [The Governor] is screwing all these people. Sooner or later, those worlds will collide." Sounds like a blast — but we have to admit, the number one thing we're excited about this season is the return of Daryl's petrifying, hand-less older brother, Merle (Michael Rooker). "Where Merle fits in... I can't even tell you!" Reedus said. "He's definitely coming to stir up some s***, you know what I'm saying? It's going to be fun." While the old Daryl may have been tempted to join his racist, sexist, generally horrific older brother in his post-apocalyptic adventures, Reedus assured us that his years with the Grimes Gang have greatly changed him. "When you think of someone like Daryl growing up with a big brother like Meryl, he's always put down — he's always second fiddle," he said. "Once that pressure is away from him, he doesn't trust anybody. A lot of Season 2 was him saying, 'I'm going to go find this little girl,' and [the Grimes Gang] saying, 'No, wait for us.' He's like, 'Screw you guys, I work better on my own.' He wasn't really trying to fit in. Season 3 he's joined the group a little bit more. He's taking on a leadership role, and he respects them. They brought him in, they trust him, and they need him. It means something to him to fight for these people, and I think he would fight to the death for every single one of them." The Walking Dead returns Sunday night at 9 p.m. ET/PT on AMC. Follow Shaunna on Twitter @HWShaunna [PHOTO CREDIT: Gene Page/AMC] MORE: 'The Walking Dead' Season 3: Who's Lurking in This Image? — EXCLUSIVE CONTEST 'The Walking Dead' Premiere Sneak Peek: Walkers, Walkers Everywhere! — VIDEO 'The Walking Dead': Is That Carl or Mini-Rick? — EXCLUSIVE PHOTO
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Pilot Watch: Inside The Networks' 2013-2014 Development Season
August 15, 2012 7:08am ESTThe new fall pilots haven't even premiered yet, but already the networks are looking forward to their next big task: finding the right pilots and scripts to order for the 2013-2014 season. Development season is well underway and has been for the past few weeks — although this season is marked by a declaration from some networks (namely ABC and NBC) that the typically order-happy suits would not be as quick to bulk up their pilot orders this year. In other words, less is more. Most of the majors have already made their first-round choices for specific projects, and the trends that have emerged seem to be all about big-name attachments (e.g. Vince Vaughn, Jodie Foster, Ryan Reynolds), period dramas (e.g. Aztec empire, Cold War America, 1890s Europe), international transplants (from Israel, England and Scandinavia) and — in an interestingly-revived yet well-worn trend — book adaptations (including Dracula and two Sleepy Hollow reboots). Here's what ABC, CBS, The CW, FOX, NBC and more have coming down the '13-'14 pipeline so far: ABC — Dumb F*ck: Single-camera comedy about an average Joe and his brilliant wife who move in with her intelligent yet emotionally stunted family of geniuses; written by Hank Nelken (Saving Silverman), executive produced by Vin Di Bona, Bruce Gersh, Susan Levison and Shaleen Desai. — Burns & Cooley: Medical procedural about two New York neurosurgeons who compete as they strive to be the top in all aspects of their lives; written by Meredith Philpott (Awkward), exec produced by Matt Gross (Body Of Proof). — Founding Fathers: Drama about a war veteran whose Texas hometown is in the hands of a militia group led by his older brother; written by Rich D'Ovidio (Thir13en Ghosts), produced by Lorenzo Di Bonaventura and Dan McDermott. — Untitled McG Project: Retelling of Romeo and Juliet, revolving around two rival families fighting for control over Venice, California; written by Byron Balasco (Detroit 1-8-7), produced by McG (The OC, Supernatural, Nikita). — Untitled Kurtzman/Orci Project: Drama about a mysterious game; written by Noah Hawley (The Unusuals), produced by Heather Kadin, Alex Kurtzman and Bob Orci. NBC — Dracula: 1890s-set period piece about the iconic vampire; written by Cole Haddon, produced by Tony Krantz and Colin Callender; starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors). — The Blacklist: Drama about an international criminal who surrenders himself and helps the government hunt down his former cohorts; written by Jon Bokenkamp, exec produced by John Davis, John Fox and John Eisendrath. — Hench: Based on the comic about a man who becomes a temp for super villains; written by Alexandra Cunningham (Desperate Housewives), exec produced by Peter Berg and Sarah Aubrey (Prime Suspect). — Cleopatra: Period drama about the Egyptian queen Cleopatra; written by Michael Seitzman (Americana), exec produced by Lorenzo Di Bonaventura and Dan McDermott. — Pariah: Drama inspired by Freakonomics about a rogue academic who uses economic theory to police San Diego; written by Kevin Fox (The Negotiator), exec produced by Kelsey Grammer, Stella Stolper and Brian Sher. — After Hours/The Last Stand: Medical drama about Army doctors who work the night shift at a San Antonio hospital; revisited from last season; written by Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah. — Untitled Parkes/MacDonald Project: Drama about an interpreter at the United Nations who works with diplomats and politicians from around the world; written by Tom Brady (Hell on Wheels), produced by Walter Parkes, Laurie MacDonald and Ted Gold. — Untitled Charmelo/Snyder Project: New Orleans-set drama, described as a "sexy Southern Gothic thriller"; created by Eric Charmelo and Nicole Snyder (Ringer), exec produced by Peter Traugott and Rachel Kaplan. — Untitled Rand Ravich Project: Drama-thriller following a secret service agent at the center of an international crisis in Washington, DC; created by Rand Ravich (Life), produced by Far Shariat. CBS — Island Practice: Based on the book Island Practice: Cobblestone Rash, Underground Tom, and Other Adventures Of A Nantucket Doctor, about an eccentric doctor with a controversial medical practice on an island off the coast of Washington; written by Amy Holden Jones (Mystic Pizza, Beethoven), produced by Brian Grazer, Francie Calfo and Oly Obst. — The Brady Bunch: Reboot of the series, about a divorced Bobby Brady who re-marries a woman with children of her own; written by Mike Mariano (Raising Hope), co-developed and exec produced by Vince Vaughn (Sullivan & Son). — A Welcome Grave: Based on the book series about a private investigator who comes under suspicion when a rival turns up dead. — Backstrom: Based on the book series about a House-like detective who tries to change his self-destructive nature; written by Hart Hanson (Bones), produced by Leif G.W. Persson (novel) and Niclas Salomonsson. — Ex-Men: Single-camera comedy about a young guy who moves into a short-term rental complex and befriends the other men who live there after being kicked out by their wives; written and directed by Rob Greenberg; starring Chris Smith and Kal Penn. The CW — Sleepy Hollow: Contemporary reinterpretation of the Sleepy Hollow short story; written by Patrick Macmanus and Grant Scharbo, produced by Scharbo and Gina Matthews. FOX — Gun Machine: Based on an upcoming novel (of the same name) about a New York detective whose chance discovery of a stash of guns leads back to a variety of unsolved murders; written by Dario Scardapane (Trauma), produced by Warren Ellis (book author), Scardapane, Peter Chernin and Katherine Pope. — Sleepy Hollow: Modern-day thriller based on the Sleepy Hollow short story, following Ichabod Crane and a female sheriff who solve supernatural mysteries; written by Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (Fringe, Hawaii Five-0) and Phillip Iscove, produced by Heather Kadin and Len Wiseman. — The Beach: Based on the 1996 novel and 2000 movie about a group of youths who try to start society over on a remote paradise; written by Andrew Miller (The Secret Circle). — Hard Up: Single-camera comedy based on Israeli series about four twentysomething guys who are strapped for cash; written by Etan Frankel (Shameless), produced by John Wells. — Lowe Rollers: Animated comedy about a struggling Titanic-themed casino in Las Vegas; written by Mark Torgove and Paul Kaplan (Outsourced) and Ash Brannon, produced by Ryan Reynolds, Jonathon Komack Martin, Steven Pearl and Allan Loeb. — Untitled Chris Levinson Project: Cop drama about a detective who puts his life under surveillance when he begins to lose his memory; written by Chris Levinson (Touch), produced by Peter Chernin and Katherine Pope. — Untitled Friend/Lerner Project: Drama set on an aircraft carrier following young naval officers and a female fighter pilot who tries to solve an onboard murder; written and produced by Russel Friend and Garrett Lerner (House). — Untitled Ryan Reynolds Project: Half-hour comedy about a disgraced hotelier forced to manage a rundown airport hotel; written by Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay (Clash of the Titans), produced by Ryan Reynolds, Allan Loeb, Jonathon Komack Martin and Steven Pearl. — Untitled Jason Katims Project: Romantic comedy about a single female attorney; written by Jason Katims (Parenthood, Friday Night Lights) and Sarah Watson. HBO — Getting On: U.S. adaptation of a British comedy about a group of nurses and doctors working in a women's geriatric wing of a run-down hospital; Big Love creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer to exec produce with Jane Tranter, Julie Gardner and Geoff Atkinson. — Buda Bridge: Belgian-set crime drama about a woman who is found dead on a famous bridge in Brussels; written and directed by Michael R. Roskam (Bullhead), produced by Michael Mann (Luck) and Mark Johnson (Breaking Bad). — Hello Ladies: Comedy about an oddball Englishman who chases women in Los Angeles; written, directed by and starring Stephen Merchant (The Office), produced by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky (The Office). SHOWTIME — Angie's Body: Drama about a powerful woman at the head of a crime family; written by Rob Fresco (Heroes, Jericho), directed and executive produced by Jodie Foster, Fresco and Russ Krasnoff. — Conquest: Period drama about Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes, who clashes with the Aztec ruler Moctezuma II; written by Jose Rivera (The Motorcycle Diaries), produced by Ron Howard, Brian Grazer and Francie Calfo. AMC — Low Winter Sun: Based on 2006 British miniseries about the aftermath that follows the murder of a cop by a fellow detective; written by Chris Mundy; James Ransone, Ruben Santiago Hudson and Athena Karkanis to star. — Those Who Kill: Based on Danish series about a detective and forensics scientist who track down serial killers; written by Glen Morgan, produced by Brian Grazer, Francie Calfo, Peter Bose and Jonas Allen, directed by Joe Carnahan. — Untitled LaGravenese/Goldwyn Project: Legal thriller about an attorney who discovers new evidence that re-opens a sensational murder case; written by Richard LaGravenese, directed by Tony Goldwyn, exec produced by David Manson; Marin Ireland to star as female lead. FX — The Americans: Period drama about two KGB spies posing as Americans in Washington, DC; created by Joe Weisberg, exec produced by Weisberg, Graham Yost, Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey; directed by Gavin O'Connor; Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys and Noah Emmerich to star. — The Bridge: Based on the Scandinavian series, about a murder investigation opened up after a dead body is discovered on a bridge connecting the United States and Mexico; written by Meredith Stiehm and Elwood Reid (Cold Case), produced by Carolyn Bernstein, Lars Blomgren and Jane Featherstone. — Untitled Dr. Dre Project: One-hour drama about music and crime in Los Angeles; written by Sidney Quashie, exec produced by Dr. Dre. Follow Marc on Twitter @MarcSnetiker [Photo Credit: ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, The CW]
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Comic-Con 2012: 'The Walking Dead' Season 3 Trailer and Release Date — VIDEO
July 13, 2012 2:03pm ESTIt may be Friday the 13th, but the date on everyone's lips at Comic-Con's panel for The Walking Dead was October 14, 2012. That's when the eagerly anticipated Season 3 for the terrifying AMC series will return, at 9 PM ET. But to whet all our appetites for braaaaaains, the cast and crew on the panel — which included stars Andrew Lincoln, Sarah Wayne Callies, Norman Reedus, Laurie Holden, Steven Yeun and Lauren Cohan, showrunner Glen Mazzara, comic creator (and series executive producer) Robert Kirkman, executive producers Gale Anne Hurd and Dave Alpert, and makeup genius (and co-executive producer) Greg Nicotero — debuted the official Comic-Con Season 3 trailer. Feast your eyes on the thrilling 4-minute clip, which — SPOILERS AHEAD IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE COMICS! — features scenes of the prison (if you weren't afraid of the dark before, you will be now), Michonne, the town of Woodbury, the Governor, the return of Merle Dixon, and of course, ZOMBIES! Watch it here: Whoa. What did you think of The Walking Dead Season 3 trailer? Will you be tuning on October 14? [Photo credit: AMC] More: Walking Dead Comic-Con Poster Elects New Characters Walking Dead Season 3 First Look: Zombies, Samurai Swords and the Prison Walking Dead Season 3 Spoilers: Lori & Rick "Eroding from the Inside Out"
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Comic-Con 2012: Burning TV Questions for SDCC
July 09, 2012 5:10am ESTFrom what we hear, San Diego's Comic-Con used to be all about comic books and movies —what a strange, novel idea! While comic classics and big-screen adventures are still a major part of the convention, SDCC can now be viewed as a litmus test for television's growing popularity. In recent years, the infamous Hall H has been flooded with frantic fans flocking to see their favorite hits from the small screen, and 2012's convention will feature more shows than ever before. Hollywood.com will be on the floor for many of your favorite shows, bringing exclusive scoop and interviews from their hottest stars. But before we grab our badge and brave the crowds, let's run down what we already know from your favorite hits, and, more importantly, what we're dying to find out. MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD! Dexter: At the end of season 6, fans were treated to the moment they'd been waiting for since the days of the Ice Truck Killer: Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) walked in on a kill. This. Changes. Everything. What We Need To Know: To put it mildly, season 6 of Dexter was a disappointment. In fact, things haven't been quite the same since the phenomenal John Lithgow took his final bow. Having Deb in on the game (or battling Dexter) would certainly shake things up, but fans really need to know how they plan to keep things fresh for season 7. Showtime has been pretty mum about this season's new big bad, but we do know that newcomer Ray Stevenson will play a high-ranking member of an Easter European crime ring, with Katia Winter recurring as a Russian stripper. This high-power organized crime factor is new territory for Dexter, so we're keeping our fingers crossed for a quality trailer. Community: Creator Dan Harmon was fired after a tumultuous season 3, and a series of leaked voicemails that exposed extreme personal and creative differences with Chevy Chase. David Guarascio and Moses Port (Happy Endings) will take the reins for season 4, while Chase has confirmed that he will definitely return for another year at Greendale. When we last left the study group, Jeff (Joel McHale) was searching for his father, while Troy (Donald Glover) became the "messiah" of Greendale's Air Conditioning Repair Annex. What We Need To Know: How the new showrunners plan to handle the transition, and their plans for the tone of the show. Community is one of television's most unique treasures, and its devoted fans are fiercely loyal to Harmon. Guarascio, Port and the cast have been relatively quiet since Harmon's firing, so Comic Con will be their big debut. Expect plenty of scoop on the Community front, Human Beings. The Walking Dead: They're everywhere! At the end of season 2, Andrea (Laurie Holden) was rescued by a hooded woman when she became separated from the rest of the besieged gang, who were forced to flee Herschel's (Scott Wilson) farm. It was soon revealed that this woman is none other than Michonne, a popular sword-wielding heroine from the comics. Meanwhile, the Grimes Gang were left reeling over the news that the virus that makes "walkers" is alive in all of them, so even a natural death would result in zombie rebirth. What We Need To Know: Michonne's casting has already been revealed — Treme's Danai Gurira will join the cast when the show resumes next fall, along with David Morrissey as a formidable villain known as The Governor. (Check em' out in the brand new poster!) But more importantly, we want to know how season 3 will look with new showrunner Glen Mazzara officially at the helm. Will he quicken the dull pace of season 2? The final 3 episodes of last season were a vast improvement over fall's poorly received Sophia snooze-fest, so we have high hopes for Dead's panel at this year's Con. Game of Thrones: Stannis (Stephen Dillane) is (maybe?) defeated! Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) lost his power over the realm! Jon Snow (Kit Harington) is a wildling! Theon (Alfie Allen) and Davos (Liam Cunningham) might be dead! So much happened in last month's finale that there aren't enough exclamation points in this world to encapsulate. We doubt the GoT crew will give away too much about season 3 since it's (unfortunately) eons away, but George R. R. Martin knows how to give a good panel. (Though it's pretty hard to adequately tease plot lines when everything already exists in a book.) What We Need To Know: They've already announced a bevy of characters that will join the cast for season 3 (which will be based on the third book in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Storm of Swords). We'll on the lookout for any casting announcements, or new exotic filming locations to expand upon the already vast world of Westeros. Also, since A Storm of Swords will be split into 2 seasons, we're curious to know where this one cuts off. Breaking Bad: The fifth season of AMC's groundbreaking drama premieres on the final night of 'Con (Sunday the 15th), so fans won't have to wait too long to see where Walt (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse (Aaron Paul) ended up after last season's dramatic face off. (Get it?) What We Need To Know: Is Walt really capable of killing a child? After seeing that Lily of the Valley plant in his backyard, it would certainly seem so. Was Saul in on the scheme? Also, getting rid of Gus leaves plenty of room for a new big bad — but will this season's opposition be a brand new face, or has Walt himself become the show's main antagonist? We expect Cranston and co. to touch on all of these issues and more, so be sure to check back for updates! Once Upon A Time: The first season's finale brought good news and bad news. In the "good" column, residents of the cursed Storybrooke, Maine regained their memories when Emma (Jennifer Morrison) finally broke the evil spell. However, fans were left with a cliffhanger when Mr. Gold/Rumpelstiltskin (Robert Carlyle) and Belle (Emilie de Ravin) seemingly went ahead and cast another one. It looks like magic has finally made its way to "our" world, but what this means for our favorite characters is yet to be seen. What We Need To Know: Well, besides more details about the latest curse, we'd like to see what the newly cast Mulan and Sleeping Beauty will be up to. Jamie Chung (who will now and forever be known as the girl from The Real World: San Diego) and The Tudors' Sarah Bolger have officially joined the roster, but the Once-lers have kept mum about their role in Storybrooke. We're hoping for some overall badassery from Chung (and not only to make up for Sucker Punch). The Vampire Diaries: In the final moments of May's third season finale, TVD fans were shocked when Elena (Nina Dobrev) died, only to re-emgerge minutes later as a bona fide creature of the night. Also, Klaus is somehow occupying Tyler's (Michael Trevino) body. What We Need To Know: We're not sure if anything can beat Caroline's (Candice Accola) hilarious-slash-heartbreaking season 2 transformation, but we're curious to see producer Julie Plec and co. try. Also — if Klaus is occupying Tyler's body, what does that mean for his soul? And how the heck does Trevino plan to pull off the conniving Brit Joseph Morgan? True Blood: Since we're right smack in the middle of the season, the True Blood gang might not have too much to give away. But after an intense make-out session between Sookie (Anna Paquin) and Alcide (Joe Manganiello), fans will be chomping at the bit for any details on Sookie's love... quadrangle? What We Need To Know: How they plan to proceed without showrunner Alan Ball leading the way. The show just got picked up for another season, which will be its first with co-executive producer Mark Hudis at the helm. Does he have any plans for a change of direction? Fringe: Fringe's final season will debut this fall (tear), and after a madcap season 4 that included a special flash-forward to a dystopian 2036, Peter (Joshua Jackson), Olivia (Anna Torv) and Walter (John Noble) experienced some sort of happily ever after when they saved our universe and learned that Olivia was pregnant. However, this pregnancy fits perfectly with the grim future presented in the flash-forward, where Peter and Olivia's daughter tries to survive a world run by evil Observers, and Olivia is supposedly dead. What We Need To Know: According to Noble, Fringe's final go-round will take place almost exclusively in 2036, where the original Fringe team (plus Peter and Olivia's daughter, Etta) are wanted insurgents. Using the Observers as final-season villains is a huge plot shift, because we always thought September was our dearest friend. Does this mean the Observers were behind everything all along (even September)? Will we ever see the alternate universe (and our beloved Lincoln Lee) again? Are peacoats still in style in 2036? In case you couldn't tell, we're pretty excited for the Fringe panel. Please excuse the impending exclamation points. Sons of Anarchy: Season 4 of SoA ended on a major bang: Jax (Charlie Hunnam) finally learned that Clay (Ron Perlman) killed his father (and tried to kill Tara), but now he has to keep the old bastard alive. Agents in the CIA-backed Galindo cartel are using the Sons as their drug and weapon runners for their deal with the Irish Kings, who will only deal with Clay. Galindo will crush the now Jax-led Sons if their Irish investigation fails, so Jax will need to try his darndest to keep internal issues at bay. To make matters worse, Tig (Kim Coates) ran over the daughter of the most infamous drug kingpin in Oakland. What We Need To Know: We learned on Lost that Harold Perrineau will do anything for his kin. So when we heard the news that Perrineau had joined the cast as Damon Pope, the famous gangster/father of the woman run over by Tig, we were thrilled. ANY news on his character, and upcoming gang drama for the Sons, is necessary. Follow Shaunna on Twitter @HWShaunna More: Comic-Con 2012: The Web's Most Anticipated Panels The Future of Marvel Movies Looks Absolutely Insane Comic-Con 2012: Official Lineup Highlights
