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Friday, November 12, 2010

'Rubicon': Canceled too soon?

AMC has announced the cancellation of Rubicon after its first season.

Here’s the network’s statement: “Rubicon gave us an opportunity to tell a rich and compelling story, and we’re proud of the series.  This was not an easy decision, but we are grateful to have had the opportunity to work with such a phenomenally talented and dedicated team.”

This is bad news for those of us who became enthralled by Rubicon‘s intricate tale of a small cadre of government data system analysts led by James Badge Dale. Yes, the first few episodes were slow going, and doubtless were responsible for many viewers giving up early, resulting in low ratings.

But by the end of its run, Rubicon had become a tense, witty brain-teaser, full of vivid personalities. Boy, was I looking forward to seeing how the show’s ongoing conspiracy (and a new season’s new cases) might turn out.

I know AMC is thrilled with its big ratings for The Walking Dead, and I’m not pitting one show against another, but I wish the network had found a place on its schedule for two such different new shows. After all, Mad Men and Breaking Bad are as different as possible, right?

I’ll mourn the loss of Rubicon at greater length soon.

Will any of you miss Rubicon?

Twitter: @kentucker


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Depp meets Jolie: See EW cover!

EW-1129-COVER-DEPP-JOLIEAngelina Jolie. Johnny Depp. They’re two of the biggest stars on the planet and, believe it or not, they’d never met before making The Tourist. Now, in this week’s Holiday Movie Preview issue, the two A-listers talk exclusively to EW about their new Venice-set romantic thriller (a throwback to glamorous Euro capers like To Catch a Thief and Charade), the struggles they faced getting the pricey movie to the screen, and, of course, a blow-by-blow account of when they finally got together for the first time.

How was it possible that these two stars, who have made 70 films between them and live within an hour of one another in the south of France, had never met? “We’re both not that social,” Jolie tells EW. “I don’t think either one of us goes out of our house, especially in France. We’re both locked away.” Depp admits that he’d always wanted to work with Jolie and was a fan, but wasn’t prepared for the woman he actually encountered. “So much has been written about Angie and Brad [Pitt]. They’re sort of the Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton of our era. I knew she was a big star, but I didn’t know what to expect…”

For the full story of how Angelina met Johnny and their upcoming film The Tourist, check out this week’s Holiday Movie Preview issue of Entertainment Weekly, on stands Nov. 12.


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Exclusive: Heidi’s wearing Mondo’s polka-dot dress!

project-runway-finaleImage Credit: Barbara Nitke/Lifetime TelevisionA Project Runway source tells EW that Heidi Klum plans to wear a different version of the black and white polka-dot gown created by season 8 runner-up (BOOOOOOOOO) Mondo Guerra to tonight’s Los Angeles premiere of Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan. Eh mah gahd, you gehs! Heidi Klum must read PopWatch! Our urgent demand in her native language — Tragen Sie das schöne Polkapunktkleid — must have really spoken to her. Gut, ja!

We’ll post a pic tomorrow. After this, Mondo’s clothes will surely start “sellin’ like bagels!”

Read more:
Would Heidi wearing Mondo’s clothes make you begin to accept the Runway travesty?
10 Things You Don’t Know About Gretchen Jones + 200 obnoxious facial expressions
All ‘Project Runway’ posts on PopWatch


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‘South Park’ kills Justin Bieber. Baby, baby, baby oooo-uch.

Oh my god! They killed Bieber! On last night’s new episode of South Park — the thrilling conclusion of the Coon & Friends trilogy — Cartman and the dark lord Cthulhu teamed up to rid the world of (Cartman’s version) of evil: the inhabitants of San Francisco, Burning Man’s hippies, Whole Foods, and, their “most challenging and most evil opponent,” Justin Bieber. “In order to save the Earth,” said Cartman as the Coon, “this little butthole had to be stopped.”

I suppose this is what you get when you’re responsible for a generation of hair-induced whiplash. See the video after the jump!

Read more:
‘South Park’: 20 ‘They Did WHAT?!’ Episodes
‘South Park’ apologizes for stealing ‘Inception’ parody dialogue
Teresa Giudice, Danielle Staub react to ‘South Park’ episode, look to ‘SNL’ next


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Nigel Lythgoe on new ‘American Idol’ judges: No softies on the panel!

american-idol-judgesImage Credit: Michael Becker/Fox; Toby Canham/Getty ImagesWhen it comes to the new American Idol judges, so far so good, claims executive producer Nigel Lythgoe. EW chatted exclusively with the Idol guru at a red carpet event recently and he had this to say about the new panel, which is auditioning wanna-be Carrie Underwoods and Lee DeWyzes today in San Francisco.

“It’s going great. It is a lot of fun to be there and test out the new judges,” Lythgoe said. “We’re having an awful lot of fun in the audition room. Hopefully, that will translate on to the program. Jennifer Lopez is not making glib over-rehearsed remarks. She’s listening to what they say and how they sound and commenting and being Jennifer Lopez. She’s seen the program and she knows what she’s doing and she is taking it seriously.

“Steven Tyler is giving great criticisms too,” Lythgoe continued. “I don’t think there are any softies on this panel, but if you legitimately wow them, they will tell you. They are still in the studio and working currently. They are still making albums and they really know the current business and what people are looking for, so that makes them great judges and sources of information and advice for these young people just starting out or those going down the wrong career path as it were.”

Today is the last day of auditions until Hollywood week, says Fox. The road auditions officially wrap tonight. – With reporting from Carrie Bell


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