18 Jul 2014

8 Great TV Shows Unfairly Cancelled In 2014

Towards the end of every television season, the tension in the air is nearly palpable as loyal fans take a deep breath and prepare for the inevitable barrage of cancellations. Many might sigh in relief as their favourites emerge unscathed, others might cringe as they watch their show move to the Friday night death slot. Any cancellation is reason for sorrow, but no announcement is as heartbreaking as the one you never saw coming. For many shows, the surprise and outrage of thousands of fans begs the question: Where did it all go wrong?

“They’re trapped by their leadership, unfortunately,” Clinton said of the Palestinians during an interview with Jon Stewart of The Daily Show.

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Just days after her husband went on Indian television to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, former secretary of state and presumed presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton took to the airwaves in the United States to voice criticism of Hamas and express support for the Israeli military campaign in the Gaza Strip.

From sheds to sport, history to fashion, there's lots on the box to keep you entertained

TODAY

Live at Edinburgh Castle (BBC One, 8.30pm)

Ahead of Wednesday’s opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Welsh presenter and One Show host Alex Jones fronts this star-studded concert in front of one of Scotland’s most famous landmarks.

Weird is really only good when it works. You can apply this (weirdness) to anything. From films to music and art, if it works, cool. People will remember it forever, usually. But if the weird is bad, people will lock it away in the vaults inside their minds forever. It is with that thinking in mind that we decided to dig up some shows that were so insane, so twisted, that no one seems to remember them. TV is an ever-expanding medium, but sometimes that is not always a good thing. Here are five twisted TV shows that no one seems to remember.

Homeboys in Outer Space

We have brought this show up before, because part of us are convinced we made it up in our minds. Consisting or terrible urban stereotypes set against the backdrop of space and tainted by the zaniness of poorly written sci-fi. Homeboys in Outer Space was so bad, it wasn’t good. You know how some stuff is so bad it ends up being ironically good? Yes, this was not that.

After last week's repost of the TV show "The Outcasts" (HERE), what better time then to repost another article I wrote a few years ago about another long forgotten black TV show.

True, it wasn’t as obviously groundbreaking as "The Outcasts." It only lasted four episodes, but in its subtle and understated way, it was, in many ways, just as important and groundbreaking. I’m referring the 1973 NBC detective series "Tenafly" with James McEachin.

Let the guessing game begin: Disney has planted the flag on release dates for five untitled Marvel movies staring with July 27, 2017 and running through May 3, 2019.

The other dates are Nov. 3, 2017, July 6, 2018 and Nov. 2, 2018.

The studio made the announcement Friday afternoon, as part of an early move to lock down prime summer and fall berths for Marvel’s movies.

Consider this weekend to be like The Purge: Going outside is death. Except "outside" is "to a movie theater" and "death" is "watching Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel burn iPads for 95 minutes." Call it "The Bad Movie Purge." Since this summer's blockbusters have been pretty solid so far, filmmakers needed a weekend to get all the terrible movies out of their systems.

Exactly how grim is the situation in theaters this week? We'll let Rotten Tomatoes do the talking.

Moviegoers are expected to spend more than $140 million this weekend to see the top-10 offerings, with three new movies seen cracking the top five.

That would represent an 18% spending decline from the comparable weekend a year ago, and mark the sixth-straight weekend of double-digit percentage box office declines, according to data provided by MKM Partners.

We’re always looking for new movies to watch. We trek to theaters on the weekends seeking the latest feature Hollywood has to offer. We subscribe to streaming services like Netflix in order to have the best films at our fingertips. It can get overwhelming, at times, choosing the right movie to watch. So many films, so little time.

Cinema Blend – as always – is here to help. We have scoured the land to find the best movies on Netflix. You could click off this list and watch any of these movies streaming right now. How did we choose the films? This list was constructed by combining the IMDB Top 300 movies and the Rotten Tomatoes Top 100 Movies into one master list. We then checked each one to see if it was available to stream. In theory, this means we have a list that represents both critical opinion and common moviegoer opinion. These are the Best Movies On Netflix Right Now.

Over the past few years, Brit Marling has established herself as a reliable presence in the world of independent film, with a string of projects that wow Sundance audiences before making their way into art-house screens across the country. There was 2011’s Another Earth, 2012’s Sound of My Voice and 2013’s The East. Add to that list this year’s I Origins, Mike Cahill’s clever follow-up to Earth that pairs Marling with Michael Pitt playing molecular biologists on the cusp of a game-changing evolutionary discovery.

Though Marling’s resume skews indie, she insists she’s not resisting the higher(-budgeted) calling of Hollywood: “I think a big-budget movie made at a studio can be as moving and as poetic and as interesting as an indie film like Once, really handmade for very little money,” she told Yahoo Movies at the LA press day for Origins. “I was really moved by Avatar. I thought it had a lot of amazing ideas in it.”

‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ (PG-13, 2:22) The last time Spider-Man swung into sight, it was to fight a lizard man in a lab coat and cozy up to a living doll. The lizard landed in the clink, but the doll, Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), is back for the good of Peter Parker a.k.a. Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield) and the franchise that again is in the hands of the director Marc Webb. Ms. Stone brightens the movie, which until a late, lamentably foolish turn, generally balances blockbuster bombast with human-scale drama, child-friendly comedy and gushers of tears. Dane DeHaan makes a nice new addition to the mix. (Manohla Dargis)

‘Begin Again’ (R, 1:44) John Carney tries to recreate the magic of “Once,” this time in New York and with Mark Ruffalo and Keira Knightley as two music-makers who stumble into a professional collaboration and an almost-romance. The film’s easy charm makes it hard to dislike, and the scruffiness of its style almost disguises the fundamental banality of both the story and the music. (A. O. Scott)

In this week’s new releases, Richard Linklater's "Boyhood" is a unique coming-of-age tale filmed over the course of 12 years; it receives four stars. "Wish I Was Here," Zach Braff's follow up to "Garden State," is a comedy but also a tear-jerker.

★ ★ ★ ★ “Boyhood” (R) “‘Boyhood’ breaks open a brand new genre: a fictional drama contoured and shaped by reality; a lightly scripted ensemble piece executed by both professional and non-professional actors; an experiment in time, narrative and cinematic practice that utterly transforms the boundaries of what film can look like and feel like and achieve.” – Ann Hornaday

Jason Segel and Cameron Diaz are back together again. After starring in Bad Teacher, the 2011 comedy hit that topped $100 million, they reunite to play a married couple who’ve lost their spark. Kids, work, and age have taken their toll on what was once a spontaneous and prolific sex life, and Annie and Jay try to get it back by making their own homemade sex tape. But when their video gets uploaded to the Cloud by accident and sent to their friends, neighbors, and even their mailman, they have to race around town to prevent the naughty movie from becoming a scandal.

Just a week before Comic-Con, Marvel has unveiled several sweeping changes that will utterly transform their line of comic books. First was Tuesday’s announcement — made on ABC’s gabfest The View — that Thor, their Norse god superhero, would be a woman. But the company’s next reveal, made on last night’s episode of The Colbert Report, was perhaps even bigger: Namely, that Captain America, that finely chiseled embodiment of our country’s values, will be passing his shield onto longtime ally The Falcon. Who, as fans of the Captain America films know, happens to be an African-American named Sam Wilson.

UPDATE: Looks like I was premature in describing this as a sex tape movie. CBS Films informs me that yeah, there is a tape that circulates from a bachelor party that is the propulsion for the guys going to wilderness camp. But the guys in it keep their clothes on and merely act like complete doofuses and off they go to learn some street smarts. So the sex tape analogy has no staying power. Sorry about that.

Movie studios are following vacationers' lead this summer and hitting the road — but in big-rig-truck style.

It's not just films with natural truck tie-ins, such as Transformers, that are driving movie promotions to the nation's highways. The horror film The Purge: Anarchy, opening Friday, has had four semi-trucks that host an immersive escape-game experience touring the country to promote the movie.

The plot of Zach Braff’s new movie, Wish I Was Here, is indebted to the structure of the 1927 talkie sensation The Jazz Singer, which told the story of an entertainer (Al Jolson) choosing between the religious way of his father or secular life. The script also refers to an idea that dates back to the silent-movie era: the alleged Jewish control of Hollywood.

At one point in Wish I Was Here, the main character’s adolescent daughter Gracie is asked by a gentile neighbour why she had to drop out of private school, and she explains the family’s straitened means. “But I thought the Jews ran Hollywood?” says the boy. “Me too,” says Gracie mournfully. (The thought might have occurred to Braff, who is Jewish yet was compelled to finance his movie outside the studio system.)

EAST HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA.com) — Police Friday were looking for a suspect who brutally attacked a woman in the laundry room of her East Hollywood apartment complex.

The crime happened around 8 p.m. Thursday in the 1300 block of N. Edgemont Street, near Sunset Boulevard, the Los Angeles Police Department said.

Authorities believe the suspect, who may have been a transient, was trying to break into local businesses and cars when they received a 911 call from the victim.

The box office is down this summer in the US. And when the box office is down, especially in summer, it makes folks nervous. So all across Hollywood people are trying to figure out what went wrong. The good news is that there have been no big box office disasters like last summer's RIPD or The Lone Ranger, but the fact is that people especially young people seem to not be going to the movies. Data shows that the youth demographic of frequent moviegoers (ones who go at least once a month) is down between 15 and 17%

Interestingly, women, the entire gender that Hollywood has in the past dismissed because we were "unreliable" are shockingly becoming the most reliable audience out there. No shit. We've been saying this for years.

A project we've covered on this site previously, which opened at last year's Urbanworld Film Festival, "An American In Hollywood," comes to AMC theaters in New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia, PA today.

Kim Kardashian is set to make $200 million off her new app, Kim Kardashian: Hollywood. But what are you committing to spend by playing?

The app itself doesn't cost a thing. But if you were paying attention in the first sentence, Kim K is set to make $200 million off this. That's not all coming from ads – as it turns out, if you want to succeed in the game, you'll be shelling out more than a few extra dollars.

Microsoft is shutting down the bulk of its Hollywood unit as part of a broader restructuring at the software giant that will result in 14,000 jobs being cut.

Launched in 2012 with big expectations, Xbox Entertainment Studios will wind down operations in the coming months. Nancy Tellem, the former CBS President and Jordan Levin, a well-regarded programmer, will see through some current projects in development before exiting.

Matt Groening, "Weird Al" and Jon Lovitz will join cast members to screen never-before-seen clips

The Simpson family has been everywhere over the course of 25 years and more than 500 episodes, but this September they'll appear live on stage for the first time. The Simpsons Take the Bowl will hit the Hollywood Bowl on September 12th, 13th, and 14th for three special shows hosted by Simpsons cast member Hank Azaria — the man behind every Springfieldian from Apu Nahasapeemapetilon to Moe Szyslak — and a number of special guests.

Apart from the category specifically set aside for them (NHL player of the year), hockey failed to win any major awards at Wednesday night's ESPYs, but all was not lost. Hockey still had a chance to take home a major sports award this week, with several NHLers up for accolades at the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Sports Awards, which aired right after the season finale of Sam & Cat.

Henrik Lundqvist was probably hockey's best hope. No way was a hockey player winning "sickest moves" over a basketball player, and the "best save" category was locked up by Tim Howard's World Cup performance. But Lundqvist was a frontrunner, in our opinion, for "King of Swag". He's very swaggy.

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal, 27, will only decide his future once he returns from holiday this week, with Manchester United and Real Madrid waiting in the wings. Daily Telegraph

Liverpool are now in prime position to sign QPR striker Loic Remy, 27, after Tottenham reportedly followed Arsenal in pulling out of contention. Metro
Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure, 31, has turned down a move to Manchester United. Daily Star

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Celtic legend Henrik Larsson has warned the club's manager Ronny Deila that he must live up to the high expectations of fans, and that includes reaching the Champions League group stage. (Scottish Sun)

Former Rangers stars, including Richard Gough, Michael Mols and Alex Rae, have backed a fans' group's protest march to Ibrox as they bid to secure assurances over the club's stadium and training ground. (Daily Record)

Brendan Rodgers is ready to make a marquee signing for Liverpool FC after selling Luis Suarez, according to the Daily Mirror .

Rodgers is happy to keep spending and wants to add a world class player to his midfield, with Juventus' Arturo Vidal and Paul Pogba on his hitlist.

He is also interested in Dortmund attacker Marco Reus.

REPORTED Stoke City target Paulinho is expected to seal a move to Al Arabi ... although it is believed he was never on the Potters' hit list.

Mark Hughes has been linked with dozens of potential new front men during the summer but stories suggesting Paulinho was a wanted man, like Andriy Yarmlenko, appear to have been figments of over-active imaginations.

Everton FC are interested in Lyon playmaker Clement Grenier, according to the Daily Express.

Lyon are ready to sell their prized midfielder as the 23 year old looks for a big move.

Grenier, who has been subject to heavy interest from Newcastle and Arsenal in the past, only missed out on this Summer's World Cup through injury.

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) today reported 6.26 per cent decline in consolidated net profit at Rs 210.57 crore for the first quarter ended June 30, 2014-15, due to fall in other income.

The company had reported consolidated net profit of Rs 224.64 crore in the same period of the previous fiscal.

This is the kind of day Microsoft’s having: first, the company announced it was laying off 18,000 employees, most of those from the company’s recently purchased Nokia division.

Now, in the wake of that bombshell, the company says it’s closing Xbox Entertainment Studios, its nascent interactive entertainment wing formed in 2012 to create original television content for the company’s Xbox Live online service. On the chopping block are roughly 200 jobs in California and British Columbia (it’s not clear if all 200 are layoffs, or whether some of those jobs will wind up reshuffled within the company).

Rob Marciano is exiting “Entertainment Tonight” and returning to the weather beat for ABC News, a network spokesperson confirms to TVNewser. Marciano will join ABC as senior meteorologist in early September.

"The Voice" contestants who lean toward country tunes are going to want to really impress coach Blake Shelton during their blind auditions. That's because not only will the members of Team Blake get to work with the country superstar, they'll also get advice from Little Big Town. NBC announced Thursday that the Grammy-winning country quartet will be the mentors for Shelton's team in season seven.

"It's a huge honor," LBT's Kimberly Schlapman told Access Hollywood. "We love the show. We have always watched it."

"I mean, if you are a country music fan, you already love them," Shelton told AH of the group, which also includes Karen Fairchild, Phillip Sweet and Jimi Westbrook. "But if you are not necessarily someone who listens to country radio all the time, you are gonna find out who they are, and it's gonna be a big deal."

Anheuser-Busch In Bev has appointed Lucas Herscovici to oversee the brewer's U.S. sports, entertainment, media and digital marketing, replacing Blaise D'Sylva.

Herscovici previously was vice president of digital marketing in the U.S. for A-B InBev, whose North American headquarters is based in St. Louis. In April, A-B announced internally that Herscovici was appointed to the newly created role of vice president of consumer connections, according to spokeswoman Lisa Weser. D'Sylva's departure from A-B was more recent, Weser said in an email, but the company declined to comment further on the executive changes.

The 21% VAT placed on entertainment tickets in Spain has caused a dramatic slip in attendance figures leading to business closures and job losses.

That’s according to the heads of Spain’s entertainment associations, which sent an open letter to the country’s Prime Minister saying that the VAT increase from 8 to 21% two years ago “has led to frustration, anger and deep concern on the part of the entertainment sector”.

I have no idea how it happened, but somehow Phil Mickelson shot a 70 in the second round of the 2014 British Open.

Mickelson was all over the park -- in the brush, off the grandstands, in backyards -- and somehow pieced together a round of 2 under to get back to even par for the week, which should be pretty decent after what figures to be a rough day weather-wise at Hoylake.

LONDON (AP) — Glum news for "Glee" — Britain's High Court ruled Friday that the musical TV show must change its name because it breaches the trademark of a chain of comedy clubs.

A judge told Twentieth Century Fox that it had to re-name the series in Britain, though the order won't take effect until an appeal has been heard.

July 18

• David Nickerson has headlined clubs all over the world. A veteran with more than a decade's worth of experience as a professional comedian, David has been recognized throughout the comedy scene as an elaborate story teller with a sharp edge reminiscent of the old school favorites.Showtimes: 9 p.m. today-Sunday. $20. Off the Hook Comedy Club at House of Brewz Taps and Tapas, 10045 Gulf Center Dr. E110, Fort Myers, 389-6901. offthehookcomedy.com/

Boy, is it hot! It’s so hot that all the Brooklyn punks are steam punks. It’s so hot that the governor’s office is asking all hot chicks to frump themselves up for the next few days. It’s so hot I’m wearing slacks made entirely out of Swanson frozen dinners. And this weekend the comedians are hot in our local comedy clubs. Check ’em out, because comedy is cool.

A Jim weekend at Uncle Vinnie’s

Skip the gym this weekend and see the Jims: Florentine and Graham. They’re yucking it up just for you live at Uncle Vinnie’s in Point Pleasant. Friday and Saturday, it’s the irreverent local fave Jim Florentine, and Sunday, Jimmy Round Boy Graham’s brand of fast-paced, high-caloric abrasive comedy rounds out your weekend.

Whenever I sit down to write something about war, particularly about the lust for war so often found in the halls of Congress, I have to stop myself from utilizing phrases such as "hard to believe" or using words like "inconceivable." As the United States has not waged a successful military campaign of greater than a few weeks in almost 60 years, I continue to choke on these thoughts, but, time and again, military force, with all its attendant death, loss and ineffectiveness, is promulgated by members of both political parties as a remedy for overseas ills, real or imagined. The repetition of Washington's call to arms manifests as a form of black comedy: it is funny until you realize its horror.

EXCLUSIVE: Rob Schneider is teaming up with comedian pal Max Amini to direct the LA-based stand up’s hourlong special Max Amini: Authentically Absurd. Amini is set to perform two live shows this month at the Wallis Annenberg Theater in Beverly Hills, with filming slated to take place during the sold-out Saturday July 26 show. The comedy special marks the latest indie venture for Schneider, who ventured out back in January with his DIY comedy series Real Rob, which he co-created, financed, directed, and starred in.

Hey, who's up for a "half-hour comedy about being miserably in love"? Anyone? Anyone?

Admittedly, I wasn't sold on the tagline for FX's Married. But once I started watching the series, which premieres tonight, I found myself laughing more than I expected and enjoying its twisted sensibility.

CLEVELAND -- A local comedy festival is raising money in memory of Jim Brennan.
The Big Little Comedy Festival will donate ten percent of the funds raised by ticket sales to the Jim Brennan Fund.

Show times are 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Thursday night through Sunday, July 20 at The Kennedy's Theater at Playhouse Square.

BAD NEIGHBOURS
DIRECTOR: Nicholas Stoller
CAST: Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron, Dave Franco, Lisa Kudrow, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
CLASSIFICATION: 16 DLS
RUNNING TIME: 97 minutes
RATING: ***

SETH Rogen and Zac Efron make for amusing alter-egos in Bad Neighbours, a shaggy, baggy collegiate comedy that is less a coherent movie than a loosely assembled series of lewd jokes and punishing slapstick routines.

For news about comedy and humor, including critical commentary: nytimes.com/arts. A searchable guide to these and other shows is at nytimes.com/events.

Erik Bergstrom (through Saturday) Mr. Bergstrom, a deep-voiced master of one-liners, concludes his week of headlining at the Week at the Creek series. At 7 p.m., the Creek and the Cave, 10-93 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, Queens, 718-706-8783, creeklic.com; free. (Elise Czajkowski)

Haywards Heath-based Danny’s Comedy Club has something of a coup for its venue at the Birch Hotel next Friday, July 25 – El Baldiniho, star of BBC1 comedy sketch show, John Bishop’s Britain.

Described as a comedy magician and general goofbag, El Baldiniho hits Danny’s Comedy Club with his latest set of under-rehearsed magic japes.

IT'S no laughing matter, as the top-rated show by comedian Mario Rosenstock has been "delayed" and won't be returning to our small screens this year.

Despite pulling in impressive reviews for the station, his satirical show won't feature on RTE's autumn schedule launch.

The renowned impersonator (43) has also been in talks with TV3 as he keeps his options open, saying that "nothing is set in stone". Meanwhile, his rival Oliver Callan's new comedy sketch show has moved into the 'Late Late Show' slot on RTE One for a six-week run.

“Fast & Furious” action muscle man Vin Diesel is driving fast to 50.

The blockbuster star turns 47 today.

Looking good, Vin!

Some interesting facts:

He was born Mark Sinclair Vincent in New York City. His mother was an astrologer/psychologist and adoptive father was an acting instructor.

Ex-EastEnders actress Sophie Thompson, model Jodie Kidd and adventurer Charley Boorman will battle it out in their bid for the Celebrity Masterchef final

After 17 stars were given the chop, the pressure is reaching boiling point tonight for the three finalists of Celebrity MasterChef.

Ex-EastEnders actress Sophie Thompson, model Jodie Kidd and adventurer Charley Boorman will battle it out in their bid for the title .

Will show bosses now persuade former TOWIE star Lauren Goodger to reconsider her offer?

Former TOWIE star Lauren Goodger rubbished claims she will be in the next run of Celebrity Big Brother.

But, with Kelly Brook's other half David 'Tornado' McIntosh now reported to be ready to join the show after initially rejecting it, could she also change her mind?

Justin Bieber slammed an ice-cold beer and in the process put the hottest celebrity nightclub in Hollywood -- co-owned by David Arquette -- in jeopardy.

Justin and Chris Brown partied at Bootsy Bellows in West Hollywood. The club is permitted to admit people under 21 because it serves food ... but it CANNOT serve booze to anyone under 21.

From the ridiculous and fashionable to bizarre and fascinating - there's more amazing photos from the land of showbiz!

Well well well, can you believe these celebrities have shocked us once again with their daily antics?

Former Gladiator was said to have turned down earlier offers but now 'on the verge' of signing contract

Tornado by name, tornado by nature it seems as former Gladiator is set to appear on the next Celebrity Big Brother, according to a newspaper report.

BROWSE through our celebrity gallery of the day and see what the stars have been up to in the past 24 hours.

NEW babies, old pictures and launch parties - the world of a busy celebrity never stops and Friday is no different.

Olympic athlete Jessica Ennis-Hill became a new mum this week and has shared a picture of her son, Reggie.

Microsoft’s Xbox Originals, a series of original television projects, only debuted in June, but they’re already the casualty of CEO Satya Nadella’s new restructuring. Recode reports that Microsoft will shut down its Xbox Entertainment Studios, cutting positions as part of the 18,000 job eliminations planned over the next 12 months. Microsoft had big plans for its Xbox Entertainment Studios, including a much-anticipated Halo series that Steven Spielberg is executive producing. In an internal memo to Xbox employees, Xbox chief Phil Spencer notes that the Halo series will continue, alongside Signal to Noise, but Microsoft will not produce future projects.

Like the characters on The Strain, TV shows have to fight for their survival. Will this new FX series be a success in the ratings and survive? Will it live to see a second season or will it be cancelled instead? Stay tuned to find out.

Fans can't wait for the return of their favourite TV shows such as "Revenge," "Once Upon a Time," "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D," and "Castle" and many more. ABC has finally announced its fall line-up and premiere dates of its returning blockbuster TV shows. Here are top 5 must watch shows in Fall 2014. Head inside to find out the details including airdates and what to expect when the show returns. [Warning: Spoilers Alert!]

Lately the people at TV headquarters have grown tired of having their shows turned into profitable movies and have turned the tables. Now the trend is to have TV shows serve as prequels to popular films. Hannibal and Bates Motel fill us in on the early exploits of the killers from Silence of the Lambs and Psycho, and soon we'll have Gotham to tell us about young Bruce Wayne's stomping grounds.

Where will it all lead? We are glad you asked! Here are several more TV show prequels to movies that are currently in the works. Watch for them soon on your nearest television set or Hulu device or Netflix machine.

Last year, The Bridge had a strong start in the ratings but the numbers fell quite a bit over the course of the first season. Will the ratings improve in season two or will they get worse? Will it be renewed for season three or will this FX show be cancelled instead?

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