Sam Mendes to helm Bond 24 and 25?

With the huge success of the 23rd James Bond film, Skyfall, it was only natural that EON productions, headed by producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, would want director Sam Mendes to return and helm the 24th Bond film. But Mendes, whose first love is the theatre, told them that he had two projects in the pipeline -the West End production of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and King Lear- and that they were his first priorities. While Bond 24 had no release date, keeping to its two year release cycle, it was assumed that it would bow in November 2014, which meant production would need to start in January (John Logan, who co-scripted Skyfall, is writing the next two Bond adventures). So the producers, understanding his commitment to the theatre, decided to search for a new director. That started the rumor mill of who could do the film, with Christopher Nolan being the frontrunner. But Nolan (who has made it known he would love to direct a Bond film) is deep in pre-production on Interstellar, which begins filming towards the end of summer, so that means he was out as well. And apparently they could not find a director that could build on the success of Skyfall. So what do you do? 

After a lengthy negotiation, Sam Mendes will direct James Bond 24, but the film will be delayed by a year, now to (unofficially) bow in November of 2015. Roger Friedman over at Showbiz411-who is quite reliable on general scoops (and Bond ones in particular) - has also said that Mendes will likely helm Bond 25 as well -which should be Daniel Craig's last turn as 007. If this is indeed true, then it adds fuel to the fire (that writer Logan started months ago) that the next Bond film will indeed be a two-parter.

'Babylon 5' creator reveals the sad reason for Michael O'Hare's departure

For many fans of Babylon 5, the departure of Michael O’Hare (who played the Commander Jeffrey Sinclair on the J. Michael Straczynski created series) was a huge blow to a syndicated series that faced an uncertain future during its five year run. Some felt it odd, considering how much groundwork was being laid on Sinclair –both during the shows first season and what had been established before the shows start. Sinclair seemed to be important cog within JMS long-term, five year arc.

But in 1994, after the first season had wrapped, it was announced that O’Hare would not return for season two, and Bruce Boxleitner was announced as O’Hare’s replacement (albeit, a different character). At the time, the reason for his departure was explained as creative and that O’Hare –who spent a good portion of his acting career in the theater- wanted to return to the stage, that the rapid aspect of TV filming was something he could not adjust to.

But at this weekend’s Phoenix ComicCon, Straczynski spoke about O’Hare (and three other cast members who’ve passed since the shows end) and revealed a secret that he’s kept for 19 years, that O’Hare’s struggled with a severe mental illness and had asked to be replaced. While others on the series knew little of his fight, Straczynski said he was willing to shut down production until he got better, but O’Hare said no, averse to the idea that other people should be forced out of a job until he could get better. The actor eventually returned for a single episode in season two and completed the character’s arc in a 2-part episode during season three. 

Both O’Hare and Straczynski kept a pact saying that the reason for his departure would be taken to his grave, after that, the truth could be revealed. O’Hare died in September of last year following a massive heart attack at the age of 60 and this has been the first time since the actors passing that Straczynski has talked about it. 

He also talked about Richard Biggs, Andreas Katsulas and Jeff Conway, who left us in 2004, 2006 and 2011 respectively. Biggs, Straczynski revealed, was almost entirely deaf and that he had to learn not only his own lines, but the lines of everyone else in his scene. He would read his colleagues' lips to know when it was his turn to speak. Straczynski said that Katsulas faced cancer "with a grace and courage I’m still in awe of to this day." Katsulas, near the end of his life, called for a "last supper" with Straczynski and they talked and laughed through the night. "Tell me all the dirt. Tell me all the shit that went down behind the scenes that we never knew about. Who am I going to tell?"

According to Straczynski, Jeff Conaway took responsibility for his failing career and difficult life situation that brought him to audition for a small "day" role for Babylon 5. "He came in knowing he was starting over again," Straczynski said. As Conaway was leaving the audition he turned to Straczynski and, "Give me a chance to do this … I’ll make you proud." It took some lobbying before he became a regular, but Stracynski developed a deep respect for Conaway.

ABC rocks out a fall schedule & uses 'Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' to take on 'NCIS'

ABC makes one bold move this fall, as Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will take on the nation’s number 1 drama, CBS’s NCIS. It’s big, ballsy move by the alphabet network to try and wrestle the male skewing fans of the veteran procedural away to their male skewing series that begins so soon after the big screen adventure (and mega-hit) The Avengers. It’s be interesting to see if NCIS –which after ten seasons remains one of the most watched dramas week-in and week-out- can keep those same numbers once the Joss Whedon series debuts (and thus leaving the CW, NBC and FOX to pick-up any stragglers who won’t watch either of them).

Time, as they say, will tell.

In the meantime, Monday remains locked like last year, a 2-hour edition of Dancing with the Stars and the female driven Castle.

As noted, Tuesday begins with Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and is part of the night’s complete remake. Clark Gregg reprises his role of Agent Phil Coulson from Marvel’s feature films, as he assembles a small, highly select group of Agents to investigate the new, the strange and the unknown around the globe. Whedon helmed the pilot and will serve as Executive Producer.  Joining that show is two new comedies, The Goldbergs, a sitcom set in the 1980s that is about a geeky 11-year-old Adam (Sean Giambrone), a camera-wielding future director who’s crushing on an older woman. George Segal will play his grandfather. Trophy Wife stars Bradley Whitford (The West Wing) who marries his third wife (Malin Akerman) Kate, who now becomes the step-mother to his three children and two ex-wives, one played by Marcia Gay Harden. Lucky 7 fills out the night of new shows. Isiah Witlock, Jr (The Wire) plays the manager of gas station where the employees play the lottery every week in hopes of winning some money, because everyone within this station has more money woes than everyone else apparently. Luis Antonio Ramos and Matt Long also star.

Wednesday comedy block returns, and joining The Middle and Modern Family is Back in the Game and Super Fun Night. Maggie Lawson stars as a former All Star softball player who was headed for the big time until she got pregnant. She not only lost her scholarship, she gained a loser husband. She moves in with her estranged father and has kept her son away from competitive sports. That is until her son joins a Little League team of misfits and (only on TV) where a wealthy neighbor volunteers to finance a team for these bad news bears which Terry must reluctantly become coach for these kids. James Caan (Las Vegas) plays the grandfather. Super Fun Night stars the Australian comedian Rebel Wilson, who wrote the pilot and will executive produce the series, and is about junior attorney Kimmie Boubier (Wilson) and her two best friends, Helen-Alice (Liza Lapira) and Marika (Lauren Ash), who have had a standing date every Friday night for the last 13 years. But a promotion for Kimmie throws a wrench into their long-standing tradition and she tries to convince her friends that they should take their “super fun night” on the road to better parties and richer people. Nashville returns for a second season to close out the night.

Thursday has been a difficult night for ABC, and has not had a successful show begin the night in years. However, they seem to banking on the appeal of One Upon  A Time by airing a spin-off, Once Upon A Time In Wonderland. Set in Victorian England, we meet the young and beautiful Alice (Sophie Lowe) who tells a tale of a strange new land that exists on the other side of a rabbit hole. Surely this troubled girl must be insane, and her doctors aim to cure her with a treatment that will make her forget everything. Alice seems ready to put it all behind her, especially the painful memory of the genie she fell in love with and lost forever — the handsome and mysterious Cyrus (Peter Gadiot). But deep down Alice knows this world is real, and just in the nick of time the sardonic Knave of Hearts (Michael Socha) and the irrepressible White Rabbit (John Lithgow) arrive to save her from a doomed fate. Together the trio will take a tumble down the rabbit hole to this Wonderland where nothing is impossible. Grey’s Anatomy returns for a tenth season, while Scandal returns for a second and finishes out the night.

While Last Man Standing returns for a third season on Friday, it will now be paired with the returning The Neighbors, the sort-of updated take on 3^rd Rock From the Sun. While the show had a shaky start creatively, as it progressed it became a solid, odd and weird comedy. The reality show Shark Tank and 20/20 fill out the night.

Sunday has the returning America’s Funniest Home Videos, Once Upon A Time and Revenge. The one new show will be Betrayal, which is about two people –a photographer Sara Hadley (Hannah Ware) and Attorney Jack McAllister (Stuart Townsend)- who begin an affair. The only problem (beyond cheating on their spouses, I guess)  is they both become involved in high-profile case that puts them in an impossible situation — on opposite sides of a murder investigation because Sarah’s husband is prosecuting the young man accused of the murder (Henry Thomas), who is Jack’s wife’s nephew. 

Unscheduled shows include the Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica) drama Killer Women, the Steve Zahan and Christian Slater lead psychological thriller Mind Games and the supernatural themed Resurrection. On the comedy side, there is Mixology.

Gone are: Private Practice, Don't Trust the B– in Apt. 23, Zero Hour, 666 Park Avenue, Last Resort, How to Live with Your Parents, Red Widow, Body of Proof (though ABC is shopping this show elsewhere, so it make be back), Malibu Country, and Happy Endings (another cult show that maybe be resurrected on a cable channel, possibly USA Network).

FOX shuffles out its fall schedule

FOX has a problem. Beyond the aging franchise that is American Idol, it’s discovering –somewhat- that America is edging away from game shows/reality TV on the broadcast networks (leaving it to the cable nets, where the mass audience seems to be drawn to broader and dumber programming) and they’re coming back –somewhat- to the idea that scripted TV is good. Yet their fall schedule plays it safe and that’s bad for them in the long run. While they may not have the viewership of CBS, they’ve generally been number one in the all-important advertising demographic. And despite falling from number one to last this year, they seemed not to have noticed the dramatic shift.

The aging series Bones returns and launches Monday night. It is followed by Sleepy Hallow, a modern re-telling of the Washington Irving story. The 9pm hour on Monday has always been FOX’s best night to launch drama’s, but because The Following will be back at midseason on Monday (and mostly due to star Kevin Bacon’s condition that he does only 15 episodes a season), Sleepy Hallow will have an uncertain future. The concept is intriguing: Ichabod Crane (British actor Tom Mison) is resurrected and pulled two and a half centuries through time to find that the world is on the brink of destruction and that he is humanity’s last hope, forcing him to team up with a contemporary police officer (Nicole Beharie) to unravel a mystery that dates back to the founding fathers. It’s still a procedural, but one with a interesting twist.

Tuesday remains the comedy block, but just like this past season, it tried to launch two new comedies with returning ones. While Ben & Kate fizzled, The Mindy Project survived. Yet that show suffered due to the scheduling of The New Girl, which suffered a dramatic loss in viewership from its first season. While one assumes FOX loves The Mindy Project, as the concept was tweaked through most of its first season, it was not the huge breakout hit they wanted. Anyways, FOX will launch two new comedies starting at 8pm. Dads is from Seth MacFarlane, creator of The Family Guy. Martin Mull stars in the series which is about two successful video game entrepreneurs who have their lives turned upside down by nightmare dads, who unexpectedly moving in with them. Peter Riegert plays the other dad. The other comedy is Brooklyn Nine-Nine, starring former SNL actor Andy Samberg who is a talented but free-wheeling police detective with a new by-the-book captain (Andre Braugher).

Wednesday brings The X Factor (and American Idol replaces it in January).

Thursday has The X Factor results show followed by Glee (which got a two season pick-up earlier this year, despite a viewer drop off on a very competitive night on TV –both this show and ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy share virtually the same audience, and guess which one gets better ratings? I mean, it’s not a cheap show, so why the 44 episode pick-up and keeping it on Thursday then?). Eventually, the new legal procedural Rake -based on the Australian series about the chaotic, often-comedic life of a defense lawyer (Greg Kinnear)-will move into Glee’s spot. 

Junior Master Chef launches Friday, a new competitive cooking show with Gordon Ramsey and a bunch of pre-teens and teenagers. Sounds fucking fun. Reruns of Sleepy Hallow will fill the 9pm slot, before the returning Raising Hope and the new comedy Enlisted debut after the World Series in November. Bones will relocate here as well in November. 

FOX keeps Sunday as their Animation Domination, though American Dad seems destined to be shelved, as the network will debut a new animated series, Murder Police, at midseason. With Bob’s Burger shining as a worthy successor to The Simpsons (which ain’t going away) and Family Guy not going anywhere either, the only place for that new animated show is where American Dad now resides. 

Not yet scheduled is the drama Almost Human from JJ Abrams, a cop series set 35 years in the future where police officers are partnered with highly evolved human-like androids. It stars Karl Urban (Star Trek) and Gang Related, with Ramon Rodriguez as former gang member who is a rising star on Los Angeles’ elite Gang Task Force led by Sam Chapel (Terry O'Quinn). Also two comedies, Us and Them that stars Jason Ritter and Alexis Bledel as couple whose path to happily-ever-after is littered with screwed-up people and Surviving Jack, which stars Christoper Meloni (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) as an oncologist learning to be a father just as his son is starting high school. 

FOX also announced that 24 will return next summer as 12 episode series.

Gone are: Ben & Kate, Fringe, Touch, and The Mob Doctor

NBC's fall schedule shakes loose

The Up Fronts begin on Monday; it’s where broadcast networks offers its fall slate, revealing the new shows to the viewers who care about this, as well as the advertisers who’ll paying for them. NBC will reveal much on Monday, but their new primetime schedule was revealed on Sunday night.

Blacklist will bump Revolution (which will move to Wednesday for season two) from its cushy post The Voice timeslot on Mondays. The new serialized thriller is about one the most wanted men, played by the always watchable James Spader, who offers to give up to the FBI –and new minted agent Elizabeth Sheen (Megan Boone) only- all the bad guys the good guys know nothing about. 

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Peacock offers The Biggest Loser, the second edition of The Voice and moves returning Chicago Fire at 10pm. Wednesday starts with the relocated Revolution, followed by the long-running Law & Order: SVU and then a reboot of the classic Raymond Burr series, Ironside, with Blair Underwood now playing the paralyzed cop. NBC’s long-time Thursday comedy block remains, but only Parks and Recreation remains (Community did get picked-up for a 13 episode fifth season, but will be held for midseason) and will launch the night. Welcome to the Family, starring Glee’s Mike O’Malley follows, with Will & Graces Sean Hayes taking over the ending The Office timeslot with his new show, Sean Saves the World. Michael J. Fox returns to TV with his own self named series, The Michael J. Fox Show. Underappreciated Parenthood returns for another season, and will take over the plum 10pm timeslot where no show since the end of ER has survived (and NBC has said nothing about the fate of  Hannibal, which has scored well, but still not huge numbers for its production budget). Dateline NBC remains on Friday, followed by the returning Grimm and then another genre show,  the limited-run series Dracula starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers as the titular vampire. Waiting for midseason is a new Tuesday night comedy block that will take over for The Voice. About a Boy is a series based on the movie, and stars David Walton and Minnie Driver. The Family Guide is from comedian DJ Nash. Also for 2014 is Crossbones, a historical pirate series from writer Neil Cross (BBC’s Luthor) which stars John Malkovich. Believe is a series from JJ Abrams, and not much is known about the premise beyond it featuring some elements of the supernatural. And Crisis is a conspiracy series that stars former The X Files actress Gillian Anderson and Dermot Mulroney. 

As mentioned, Community was given a 13 episode fifth season, yet remains unscheduled at this time. But it’s a good bet the show will be used to fill in when one of NBC’s other comedies fails. Also not scheduled is the Chicago Fire spin-off Chicago PD as well as The Night Shift and the comedy Undateable.

Gone are: Deception, Animal Practice, Do No Harm, 30 Rock, Guys with Kids, The Office, Smash, Up All Night, Whitney, Go On, The New Normal and 1600 Penn.