Holiday weekend. Time for a marathon!

flipside@wvgazette.com (Amy Robinson) — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:33:23 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- When it comes to TV, holiday weekends are synonymous with marathons. Marathons have become the norm on some channels (USA, Im lookin at you), but others still wait for these long weekends to bring out blocks of their most popular progr...

The Office ends and other shows get the axe

flipside@wvgazette.com (Amy Robinson) — Wed, 15 May 2013 21:25:10 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- On Thursday, "The Office" will have its 75-minute series finale at 9 p.m. Its preceded at 8 p.m. by a retrospective that includes cast and crew interviews, audition footage and favorite moments. I cant spea...

Cancel or keep. Bubble shows fates to be revealed soon

flipside@wvgazette.com (Amy Robinson) — Wed, 08 May 2013 20:56:28 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- On Monday, the networks begin their upfront presentations, where they reveal their next seasons schedule. NBC goes first, with Fox later Monday. ABC is on Tuesday, CBS on Wednesday and The CW on May 16. In regard to returning shows, ...

Renewal news and canceled series make a comeback

flipside@wvgazette.com (Amy Robinson) — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:56:15 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Last week, among the shows I dropped quick info bits on were "The Vampire Diaries," "Grimm" and "Ready for Love." Well, this week, I have a little more news on all of them, plus a few more odds and end...

Quick hits: Vampire Diaries spin-off, Grimm move and more

flipside@wvgazette.com (Amy Robinson) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 21:35:32 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Theres lots going on in Charleston and TV land this week, and only so much space for us at the gazz to fill you in on all of it. So, to keep things brief this week, heres a look at some notable happenings -- as well as the usual comi...

Breaking Bad and other shows ponder spin-offs

flipside@wvgazette.com (Amy Robinson) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:23:04 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A "Breaking Bad" spin-off staring Bob Odenkirks shyster lawyer Saul Goodman has been mentioned before, but only in a speculative way. In recent weeks, though, the buzz has grown louder as the project has ...

Senate approves cut to film tax credit

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 19:49:44 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginias tax credit meant to lure movie and other film productions may soon become less generous. Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin has proposed cutting the capacity of the Film Industry Investment Act in half, to $5 million. The Senate ...

MTV canceling Buckwild after Gandees death

(Staff reports) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 07:36:11 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- MTV has decided to cancel the reality-based television show "Buckwild," which was shot in and around Sissonville, in the wake of the death of cast member Shain Gandee. In a statement Wednesday morning, MT...

Making up reality: five fake shows

flipside@wvgazette.com (Amy Robinson) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 20:34:03 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Theres a whole bunch of terrible reality shows premiering and returning this week -- everything from deer hunting on rich peoples land to a family of feral pig hunters to fighting over storage units to a...

NBC dishes out horror drama ‘Hannibal' this week

flipside@wvgazette.com (Amy Robinson) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 18:53:32 -0400

Buckwild cast member, two others found dead

Zachary.Taylor@wvgazette.com (Zac Taylor) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:28:14 -0400

Gandee promised more mudding in next season SISSONVILLE, W.Va. -- Shain Gandee, star of MTVs show "Buckwild," was one of three people found dead in Sissonville on Monday ...

Gandee promised more mudding in next season

lynch@wvgazette.com (Bill Lynch) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 21:16:17 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The immediate reactions on social media to the death of reality television star Shain Gandee ranged from sadness to the belief that the announcement was part of an April Fools prank to outright mockery of his show.MTVs "Buckwi...

Gazzopolis: GI Joe-a-thon on PopCult blog

( ) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 19:05:04 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- On his PopCult blog on the Gazette website, Rudy Panucci has posted a 22-minute video featuring highlights from March 17s JoeLanta 2013, a GI Joe Collectors Convention in Atlanta, where he was a feat...

Aziz Ansari brings the funny

(Staff reports) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:30:47 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Comedian Aziz Ansari, named 2011s "Funniest Dude in Prime Time" by People Magazine, performs at Huntingtons Keith-Albee Theater at 7 p.m. April 3. The Hollywood Reporte...

Comings and goings: ‘Happy Endings' returns, ‘Walking Dead' departs

flipside@wvgazette.com (Amy Robinson) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:31:17 -0400

You should check in to Bates Motel, but you might not want to stay

flipside@wvgazette.com (Amy Robinson) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 23:45:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- I really want to like A&Es "Bates Motel." When I first heard about it, I had the highest hopes for it of any new show this spring. Unfortunately, it gets off to a less than stellar start. ...

Big Brother to hold casting call in Charleston

(Staff reports) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 20:25:11 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The CBS reality series "Big Brother" is having an open casting call from 1 to 5 p.m. March 23 at Charleston Town Center Mall. For the shows upcoming 15th season, CBS and Kassting Inc. are looking to cast people who are out...

Small-screen hits get big-screen treatment

flipside@wvgazette.com (Amy Robinson) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 19:37:07 -0500

One small screen show is getting big Thursday night. "PaleyFest featuring The Walking Dead" comes to two area theaters, Regal Nitro 12 and Cinemark Huntington Mall (in Barboursville), beginning at 8 p.m. The two-hour event fe...

Switched at Birth features all-sign language episode Monday

flipside@wvgazette.com (Amy Robinson) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 20:16:53 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - On Monday, "Switched at Birth" will make television history. The ABC Family drama, airing at 8 p.m., will be the first scripted series on mainstream TV to broadcast an episode entirely in American ...

MacFarlane aims to perk up stodgy Oscars show

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 16:56:24 -0500

LOS ANGELES -- You think the Academy Awards are boring. Try the nominations. They only last a few minutes, but its generally a sleepy academy suit and a sleepy starlet droning a list of names at 5:30 in the morning. Except last time. Some baby-faced guy...

A vision of joy: Psych returns this week

flipside@wvgazette.com (Amy Robinson) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:31:29 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- While the midseason return of "The Walking Dead" on Feb. 10 was the highlight of my month, the Season 7 kickoff of "Psych" is a close second. With "The Walking Dead," I only had to w...

Twitter hits hyperdrive in mocking Oscars

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:14:07 -0500

NEW YORK -- You can simply tune into the Oscars -- or you can watch them with the peanut gallery on Twitter. While Hollywood parades in tuxedos and gowns, grandly celebrating itself, a freewheeling...

Underdog cartoon co-creator dies at 85

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 19:20:01 -0500

BOSTON -- William Watts Biggers, the co-creator of the cartoon "Underdog," the mild-mannered canine shoeshine boy who turned into a caped superhero to rescue his girlfriend, Sweet Polly Purebred, has died. He was 8...

The CWs twisted thriller Cult premieres Tuesday

flipside@wvgazette.com (Amy Robinson) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 19:44:56 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The CW premieres "Cult," its twisty new 13-episode murder thriller, at 9 p.m. Tuesday, and Im quite curious about it. Its about a journalist, Jeff Sefton (Matt Davis, "The Vampire Diaries"), who i...

Buckwild cast member arrested

(Staff, wire reports) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 09:16:04 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A cast member of the MTV reality show "Buckwild" is facing a drug charge in West Virginia. Salwa Amin, 24, is being held at the Central Regional Jail in Flatwoods on a felony charge of possession with intent to deliver. A...

Seagal, Arizona sheriff train posses to guard schools

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 17:07:13 -0500

PHOENIX -- The self-proclaimed "Americas Toughest Sheriff is joining forces this weekend with action movie star Steven Seagal to train volunteer armed posse members to defend Phoenix-area schools against gunmen. <...

MTVs Buckwild renewed for second season

lynch@wvgazette.com (Bill Lynch) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 15:17:57 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- For better or worse, West Virginia has not seen the last of "Buckwild." MTV officially picked up a second season of the reality show Wednesday morning. Despite vocal disdain for the show among some area residents and pol...

New school year starts Thursday on Community

flipside@wvgazette.com (Amy Robinson) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 17:01:15 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- I was going to write about the return of "The Walking Dead" this week, but I decided not to. Sure, Ive been eagerly awaiting the second half of season three, which starts Sunday, but so have the res...

TV show exploring the Blair Mountain battlefield

pjnyden@wvgazette.com (Paul J. Nyden) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 19:00:20 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The National Geographic Channel is airing a new episode of its "Diggers" television series at 10 p.m. Tuesday, titled "Of Mines and Men." The episode explores Blair Mountain, site of the August through September...

English castle is the real Downton Abbey

(The Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.)) — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 23:00:00 -0500

Englands Highclere Castle, the real-life Downton Abbey, has a past thats every bit as colorful and riveting as the "Masterpiece" series filmed within its walls. Besides serving as the main set for the hit PBS series that is in its third se...

Ex-Buckwild cast member dishes on his experience

douglas@cnpapers.com (Douglas Imbrogno) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 18:56:12 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- For good or ill, the "Buckwild" reality train has left the station as the MTV series screens its fourth week of shows Thursday. (Th...

Adele to sing her James Bond Skyfall theme song at Oscars

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 21:37:36 -0500

NEW YORK -- Adele will perform her James Bond theme song, "Skyfall," at the Oscars, her first U.S. performance since last years Grammy Awards. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Wednesday that the British singer/songwriter wi...

SAG Awards include team honors

flipside@wvgazette.com (Amy Robinson) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 21:48:14 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Awards season is here, and next up in the run to the Oscars are the Screen Actors Guild Awards at 8 p.m. Sunday on TBS and TNT. The SAG Awards are much younger and not nearly as well known to the general public as th...

W.Va. native Steve Harvey to host NAACP Image Awards

( ) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 20:22:01 -0500

LOS ANGELES -- Steve Harvey is hosting next months NAACP Image Awards. The organization said Tuesday that presenters will include "Django Unchained" nominees Samuel L. Jackson and Jamie Foxx. Queen Latifah and Tony Goldwyn also will be among t...

Of syndication and second chances

flipside@wvgazette.com (Amy Robinson) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 20:53:36 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Syndication gives fans a chance to see more of their favorite shows, and its also a way to attract potential new fans. Most shows in syndication are still on the air, so if people see them often enough that way -- when airings can ...

List of Golden Globe winners

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 23:11:04 -0500

Winners of the 70th annual Golden Globe Awards, announced Sunday in Beverly Hills, Calif.:

MOTION PICTURES

-- Picture, Drama: "Argo.

Argo, Les Miserables win best-pic Globes

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 23:15:24 -0500

By David Germain

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- The Iran hostage thriller "Argo was a surprise best-drama winner at Sundays Golden Globes, beating out the Civil War epic "Lincoln, which had emerged as a...

Scott Finn named director of W.Va. Public Broadcasting

philk@wvgazette.com (Phil Kabler) — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:14:10 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- State Educational Broadcasting Authority members voted Thursday to hire a former West Virginia Public Broadcasting news director, producer and reporter as the new executive director of WVPB. Board members voted unanimo...

Is Live! a look at the future of reality TV.

flipside@wvgazette.com (Amy Robinson) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 19:43:47 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- From Jan. 1 through Wednesday, at least 20 new reality shows have premiered or will premiere. (Admittedly, I might have missed a few.) They cover everything from funeral parlors and custom bra shops to washed-up celebrities and red...

Buckwild cast member no longer works for South Charleston

(Staff reports) — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 16:02:49 -0500

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- One of the cast members from MTVs "Buckwild" reality TV series has lost his job with the city of South Charleston. Shain Gandee, who worked for the citys public works department, was fired about the same time the...

Buckwild premiere ratings beat Jersey Shore

(Kate White) — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 23:45:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- While reactions to MTVs reality show "Buckwild" have been mostly negative among West Virginians, its debut ratings surpassed the 2009 premiere of the channels popular "Jersey Shore.""Buckwild" averaged...

Jimmy Kimmel moves to 11:35 to compete with Leno, Letterman

( ) — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 15:36:38 -0500

By Chuck Barney

Contra Costa Times

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- In a long-overdue move, ABC next week will shift "Jimmy Kimmel Live" from midni...

Cable TV series features state trout fishing

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 16:37:20 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A cable television program will feature West Virginia trout fishing in several episodes this year.

The West Virginia Department of Commerce says six episodes of "Fly Rod Chronicles will...

Social media reactions to Buckwild mostly negative

Zachary.Taylor@wvgazette.com (Zac Taylor) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 23:10:54 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A collection of social media reactions to MTVs premiere of the controversial "Buckwild" television show Thursday night were mostly negative, with many sounding off about the unfavorable...

New shows, guest stars and more in 2013

flipside@wvgazette.com (Amy Robinson) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 21:24:33 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Last week I gave you five things related to specific shows that you can look forward to this year. This week, here are five that, for the most part, are more general. 1. New shows Lets face it; this falls crop of n...

The Charleston Gazette - TV