Terra Nova: Dinosaurs Rule in Fox's Ambitious New Sci-Fi Saga

Anna Torv Send questions to askmatt@tvguidemagazine.com and follow me on Twitter!Question: Last year the TV season came and went without a breakout hit, and with more cancellations than usual. I'm interested in the strategy that the networks seem to be going for this year to make up for the extremely lackluster last season, especially over at Fox. I don't know exactly what Fox's expectations for The X Factor were, but I'm guessing that they're somewhat disappointed today. 12.5 million seems a bit of an underperformance, especially given that Two and a Half Men had double that many viewers. I was really surprised that New Girl (which I found absolutely delightful) not only matched Glee's numbers, but in fact did significantly better. Given that New Girl had been available online for several weeks prior, I'm surprised that so many people tuned in. This is perhaps a bit reminiscent of Fox's bold move in previewing the pilot of Glee in the spring after Idol, which paid off well (at least in its first season). I'll be interested to see where things go with Terra Nova, though I feel that the over-hype and delay could hurt it. Things were very interesting on CBS last Monday, with the insane amount of people that tuned in to see the revamped Two and a Half Men, the large number that stuck around for the delightful 2 Broke Girls, and the almost record number that watched How I Met Your Mother. Things look less optimistic at NBC, but that's hardly surprising. What do you think that the networks learned from last year's generally off year, and what do you think about the performance of the networks so far this season? - AlexMatt Roush: All in all, it was a good premiere week for network TV (unless you were NBC, which is still struggling most nights), with decent sampling for a number of new shows - New Girl and 2 Broke Girls in particular, but the back-to-back Modern Family episodes gave Revenge a bigger boost than I'd expected, and Up All Night is making a case for being rescued from NBC's Wednesday sinkhole. Yes, X Factor's opening week has to be seen as a disappointment for Fox, but I'm personally gratified to see comedies, dramas and reality being able to coexist on those nights, with the strongest of all of them drawing solid numbers. In terms of overall strategy for this season, you're seeing the networks taking bigger swings with shows like Terra Nova, Pan Am and Person of Interest (not a typical whodunit), to name a few, in reaction to last season being such a creative dud. And wait until you see some of the shows waiting in the wings for midseason: Awake, Smash and The River are very ambitious. They might not all work, but if they do, it will be almost as exciting as what happened two seasons ago when Glee, Modern Family, The Good Wife, The Middle and Cougar Town arrived the same season. I do think we have at least a few keepers this fall.Want more Matt Roush? Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!Question: I love Fringe and have been watching it faithfully from the beginning. I know you are a big fan as well. However, after watching the first episode without Peter, I have to admit to being thoroughly or almost thoroughly confused. I realize this is kind of playing out in a sort of It's a Wonderful Life way - Walter has difficulty staying grounded at all without Peter being there, etc. But other than understanding that, I didn't get what was happening with faux Olivia (is that what we called her and is she being kept confined somewhere?), and I thought Agent Lincoln Lee (now with glasses) had a double in the alternate universe as well, but am not sure. Any help or explanation is appreciated. If a fan like me is confused, I'm wondering about others who haven't seen the show at all? - FayeMatt Roush: This Friday's episode, which I'll preview in my weekend guide later this week, should give you a better sense of how the two worlds (and the various doppelgangers) are co-existing. And yes, alt-Lincoln was well established last season before we met "our" version, who I liked very much. But there's no question that Fringe isn't the easiest show to make sense of, so to address your last question, I think Fox and the producers have pretty much given up on the idea of growing the audience. (That's why Friday is as habitable a perch as the show can expect.)Question: I seem to remember that after last season's Mentalist finale that the writers promised that, yes, Patrick Jane really killed Red John. I personally like keeping the mystery alive, but I wish shows wouldn't make such grand statements and then reverse them on a whim. According to the season premiere, that is exactly what happened. Do you know what changed their mind? - DanMatt Roush: I'm fairly sure this twist is what they had in mind all along. It's possible the producers were purposefully misleading in some of their interviews after last season - how much do you want show-runners to reveal their hand, anyway? - but the way I understood the intent of the cliffhanger is that we were meant to believe that Patrick Jane in that moment believed he had killed the real Red John. It was only when Jane realized he'd been set up (with the missing gun, etc.) that he knew he'd been manipulated to kill the wrong fiend. I wouldn't call the producers' statements a lie (if in fact they did) as much as misdirection (which is what you should expect from people running a mystery series).Question: Wondering if others watched Prime Suspect Thursday night and found themselves slightly agog at its awfulness. Maria Bello is a good actress, but Jane Timoney is really, really, really hard to take. At least as she's written in the first episode. The original British series had the virtues of Helen Mirren as a fully human, sympathetic character. Ditto for the stateside gold standard Cagney & Lacey, which had the peerless duo of Sharon Gless and Tyne Daly. Certainly, Jane Tennison, Christine Cagney and Mary Beth Lacey "busted balls" when they had to, but those women also had charm, humor andtenderness (to varying degrees) in the character mix. Bello's Timoney is almost a cartoon of over-the-top aggressiveness and intensity. I can't imagine viewers wanting to tune into such hostile hard-assedness week after week. (And, let's be honest, the fedora is a silly affectation.) What's your take? - CathyMatt Roush: No one seems to like Jane's hat, and judging from last week's ratings, few seemed compelled to check Prime Suspect out at all. I'm OK with Maria Bello's toughness in the role, but they've softened the character in so many other ways: for instance, making a joke of her trying to quit smoking, as opposed to the career-threatening alcoholism of the peerless Jane Tennison of the British original. (Which, by the way, is available on DVD from Acorn Media, and well worth seeking out.) I was more put off by the cartoonish sexism of the goons she works with. You can hardly blame this Jane for putting up a combative shell. But I can see where it could all be off-putting.Question: I'm sorry if I missed you saying anything on American Horror Story. It originally looked interesting, fun and scary. Plus, I do like Connie Britton and Dylan McDermott. My question is, have you seen any episodes and do you think Ryan Murphy will pull a Nip/Tuck on us (now that I've read a bit more on it) and get more disgusting as it goes along? Or are we there already? Is this just going to be too gross, weird and sexual for most peopleto stomach? - ConnieMatt Roush: My review of FX's American Horror Story will be in this week's TV Guide Magazine (part of a horror combo including BBC America's Bedlam, which premieres this Saturday), and I'll be posting a review online closer to its Oct. 5 premiere. I did write about it after this summer's TCA screening, and looking at it again recently, my opinion didn't really change. It's a hot mess of a show, berserk and overstuffed to a fault, sometimes truly frightening and often gruesomely unnerving but just as often crossing the line from scary into silly - and this being Ryan Murphy in his Nip/Tuck psychosexual mode, it will be seen by many as grossly graphic in its attempt to be sexually provocative. (And I can't imagine what people are making of its poster, which instead of selling the haunted house premise is showcasing the surreal kinky image of a rubber-suited ghoul looming over a half-naked woman.) That said, there are moments when I felt I was watching a Hollywood Gothic classic, especially when Jessica Lange shows up as a loony and possibly sinister neighbor. I give Horror Story high marks for originality - there's nothing on TV quite like it, and FX is unquestionably a perfect home for it - but if only it didn't feel like it had been edited by a Cuisinart. This show will almost certainly be one of the fall's hot topics. I just wish it were one of the fall's best shows.Question: [From Twitter] Do you think that Rosie's unsolved murder hurt The Killing's Emmy chances? - SamMatt Roush: I'm sure it didn't help. But six nominations for the first season is a very strong showing, including lead and supporting actress, plus writing and directing nominations. It's another indication of AMC's reputation within the industry that The Killing could be taken this seriously, even with the controversy over the non-resolution of the season finale. But even if we'd learned who killed Rosie Larsen, it probably wouldn't have affected the results. The competition in these categories was very strong, and as much as I admired Michelle Forbes' work (to single one out), I was thrilled to see that Emmy go to Justified's Margo Martindale on behalf of an overall much stronger series.Question: So I thought Mad Men had lead actor, writing and drama all wrapped up with "The Suitcase" episode. I was thrilled that Friday Night Lights and Kyle Chandler was able to break up the party a little bit (though not enough to steal Drama Series away from Mad Men); however, "The Suitcase" will remain, in my mind, one of the best-written hours of TV for some time.But I want to ask you about the Emmy telecast. How can it be so chronically terrible? This is a show on television dedicated to celebrating the best shows on television, and we are very lucky to have so much good television abounding right now, from the networks to basic cable to premium cable. Yet it is consistently just a horrible awards show. I know the Tony Awards are a different beast (they try to promote Broadway as much as present awards), but I still have this year's Tony telecast on my DVR. The "Not Just for Gays Anymore" opening number and Neil Patrick Harris's closing rap make it just too hard for me to delete it. I live far from NY, I haven't seen any of those shows, and I doubt I'll make it to NY before those shows close, but I enjoyed that program immensely. Conversely, I watch TV (some might say too much TV) on a highly regular basis, my friends and family ask me what they should be watching, and I enjoy the stories that can be told only on TV as opposed to less expansive media. I should be the ideal Emmy viewer. Yet I had to turn the Emmys off after only an hour because it was so horrible. Is there hope for the Emmys, or should I, in the future, just plan to watch Sunday Night Football and wait for the winners to show up on the web? - ErinMatt Roush: First, "The Suitcase" episode of Mad Men. It's impossible not to exult over Friday Night Lights' come-from-behind victories this year after so many seasons of being shunned - I got quite a lot of mail (and a fair amount of re-tweeting) over Kyle Chandler's win, especially - and it's likely the case that a series finale as well executed as FNL's has an emotional power that overshadows even a brilliant piece of writing like "The Suitcase." So I'm at peace with the way the Emmys went, especially since Mad Men took the Best Drama prize (sharing the wealth), and it's not as if "The Suitcase" was lacking in acclaim.As for the Emmys show: It is a paradox that a ceremony intended to celebrate TV so frequently proves to be nearly unwatchable. The bells and whistles this year (the EmmyTones, the horrendous announcer) were especially annoying. But to be fair, the best-produced awards shows tend to be those that honor and showcase live performances, such as the Tonys and the Grammys. Like you, I've kept this year's Tonys in my permanent collection, and regardless of the network, I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't make Neil Patrick Harris their go-to host these days. (Well, he or Hugh Jackman. Their duet at the Tonys was pretty amazing as well.)Question: While watching the Emmys, it occurred to me that the only cable channels represented were AMC & HBO. Quite honestly, I find the AMC shows a bit boring after a few episodes and I don't have HBO so have never seen their shows. TNT, Lifetime, USA, even sometimes FX & TBS all have shows which are good quality, worthy of Emmy consideration. Are they just not eligible? The committee should really consider them, as some of us are not on the "Mad Men/Game of Thrones/Sopranos" bandwagon as it were. And you know what, those of us with basic cable actually watch more television than those with the premium. - JenMatt Roush: Not wanting to sound elitist - because I enjoy a number of USA and TNT shows, and FX for the record does occasionally crack into the Emmy ranks (with Justified, Damages, The Shield and assorted others) - but what's boring to you is seen as richly and deeply satisfying to others. Given the current strength of this remarkable season of Breaking Bad, look for that show to have a major comeback next year. The Emmys obviously isn't a popularity contest - if it was, formula procedurals like NCIS would dominate - and the best analogy I can make is to look at book awards, which rarely go to popular genre fiction, favoring works that aspire toward literature. I would argue, and have for years, that shows like Mad Men, Breaking Bad, the best of HBO and the channeling of Elmore Leonard we see on Justified qualifies as TV literature.Question: Alphas was my new favorite summer show. I especially enjoy the Gary character. He portrays an autistic person very well in my opinion. Does the show have an autistic person as an advisor? - GayleMatt Roush: Gary really is the breakout character on this show, isn't he? (Alphas, by the way, airs its season finale tonight, following a daylong marathon of the entire first season.) According to Syfy, the show does have an autism consultant advising production: Dr. Susan Bookheimer, a professor of cognitive neurosciences at UCLA. Ryan Cartwright also did research of his own to help him develop the character.Question: I'm usually content just to read the questions of others, but I'm getting very tired of seeing complaints everywhere about the continuous "teasing" on How I Met Your Mother. Does no one else understand that the show isn't *really* about the mother? The mother gimmick is just a way to give an interesting and unique purpose to the story, but the story itself is the point of the show. The day we find out who the mother is, the story will be over and the show will have to end. I would understand the impatience if this were a drama, and the "tease" was something that actually mattered to the plot, but the mother isn't all that important in the grand scheme of things. The show is about five friends and their journey. And actually, HIMYM is better than most TV shows when it comes to tying up loose ends. When a random comment is made about a goat, or an argument, it's always explained later. We know the answers will come before it's over, so why not enjoy the feel-good, comedic ride for as long as it lasts, instead of obsessing about a character who ultimately will only be a very small part of the whole? Am I crazy? - StephanieMatt Roush: You're right up to a point, but Mother is now in its seventh season, and I can't blame people for thinking we've all treaded water long enough. If Ted's dating misadventures were even the least bit compelling anymore, that would be another story. But the season of Zoey and The Captain is best forgotten. And now they're teasing us about the identity of Barney's bride? It's all just too coy for my tastes. But wow, the halo effect of Two and a Half Men's comeback last week resulted in some mighty powerful ratings for this show. So maybe you're just too fixated on the haters, because someone besides you must still be enjoying it. Although I'm not convinced that once we know who the "mother" is, that's the end of the show. I'd like to think we'd get at least a bit more of the journey to let us know just what it is that makes this woman the one.Question: If Shonda Rhimes' idea of Meredith and Derek acting like grown-ups is Derek running off and pouting every time these two have an argument, then Shonda needs her head examined! This is nuts. Why is it that only the women can screw up on Grey's Anatomy, but the men can do whatever they want? Derek breaks the rules and all he gets is a slap on the wrist and a "Don't do that again" and yet Meredith gets fired? What gives? If my husband verbally abused me every time he got angry, I would be gone. Meredith is expected to forgive him and just go on with her life. Yet Derek can hold a grudge like there is no tomorrow. Now it appears they lose Zola and I am sure Derek will find a way to blame her for that too. If this is how they are going to treat their actors, I hope Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey run after this season and don't look back. It's an insult to not only the fans but the actors the way they treat these characters! - NancyMatt Roush: Seems to me that Alex paid a pretty steep price for ratting on Meredith in terms of his friendships, so it doesn't always come down only on the women. (Although did they have to make April such a ninny on her first day as chief resident?) Everyone on this show makes mistakes, and usually, they pay for it somehow. I'm a big believer in dramatizing consequences, and it was pretty clear that once Meredith messed with Derek's trial, even for the best of reasons (Adele), it was going to blow up badly. It's called conflict, and Grey's Anatomy is a romantic melodrama, so there's always going to be something rocking everyone's world. And if this couple didn't have some problems, I'd be hearing just as many complaints about how boring they've become. These days, Meredith and Derek's main arena of conflict has been the workplace, and she threatened his professional reputation by damaging his trial, so he's got a right to be upset. But there's no question that watching him get in a pouty snit every time he saw Meredith for the entire two-hour opener was no fun to watch.That's all for now. Keep sending your comments and questions to askmatt@tvguidemagazine.com, and in the meantime, follow me on Twitter!Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

FX teams with Audi for short

'Unititled Jersey City Project'FX Network is riding along with Audi of America to produce "Unititled Jersey City Project," an original 16-minute short-form drama that revs up Sunday and will air during the cabler's Sunday primetime movies broadcasts.The branded entertainment project revolves around stories of fame, power, money and death, and is set amidst the fast-developing Jersey City waterfront.Installments of the series will air as eight, two-minute episodes over four consecutive weeks.Episodes were developed to appear as fragments of a television series or film, with each supplying a piece of a puzzle involving men working for an architectural firm who are hiding a dark secret.It's also available online at www.untitledjerseycityproject.com, where viewers can explore the interactive world of Jersey City and find clues to piece together the mysteries from the shorts through new storylines and characters -- and suggest titles for the project.FX and Audi jointly produced the series, which was teased during the Emmys broadcast on Fox and through ads in theaters. Audi is the official automotive partner of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.Audi's Studio Progress Films banner produced the "Jersey" project, with Daniel Minahan, who has helmed episodes of "True Blood" and "Game of Thrones," directing.Naturally, the drama showcases Audi's vehicles, namely its new A6 sedan, and its high-tech features.The "Jersey City" project isn't Audi's first foray into producing entertainment. Company produced a feature-length docu on the 24-hour Le Mans race, and followed that up with a docu about the U.S. Olympic ski team that aired on NBC. This year, it also produced a series of comedic shorts that featured Joel McHale teaching Melissa McCarthy on how to read the Emmy nominees and Jeremy Piven, Kristen Chenoweth, Megan Mullally and Jackee Harry on what life is like after winning an Emmy trophy."Since our inception, Audi has embraced creativity, innovation and new ways of thinking," said Scott Keogh, chief marketing officer of Audi of America. "What better way to engage with our progressive audience than through forward-thinking entertainment." Contact Marc Graser at marc.graser@variety.com

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SAG re-decides Ken Howard as leader

HowardKen Howard has won another two-year term as leader from the Screen Stars Guild after investing yesteryear 2 yrs pushing for any merger beteween SAG and also the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists.Howard defeated a trio of relative unknowns for that presidency -- David Hillberg, Asmar Muhammad and Sharon Rubin. Official outcome was likely to be introduced by Thursday evening.Howard's running mate, secretrary-treasurer Amy Aquino, won re-election without opposition because the heads from the Unite for Strength faction.Howard won this year's election with 47% from the election over Anne-Marie Manley with 33% and Seymour Cassel with 18% while Aquino narrowly beat incumbent Connie Stevens. Unite for Strength candidates, who've stressed merger and pragmatism, have centered in recent elections within the self-styled progressives of Membership First.UFS won 10 from the 11 national board seats aside from the chair held Scott Bakula. The faction all won basically a couple of the 22 Hollywood/National Alternate seats, that have been won by Valerie Harper and Esai Morales.Unite for Strength spokesperson Ned Vaughn stated, "If you are in tune using what people need and wish, they'll support your leadership - that is what happened today. The leaders who've been spending so much time to create SAG and AFTRA together were extremely re-chosen within Hollywood and across the nation. We are likely to continue that vital work by The month of january, In my opinion we'll possess a solid arrange for it's to examine.The very first two formal conferences between reps from the AFTRA and SAG have started exercising particulars from the merger plan included in the official procedure for delivering a merger plan by next The month of january.An associate election could occur by mid-year through the 120,000 people of SAG and also the 70,000 people of AFTRA -- with 45,000 people owned by both. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

Emily Deschanel Welcomes Selecting

FIRST Launched: September 22, 2011 9:59 AM EDT La, Calif. -- Its a boy for Bones star Emily Deschanel and husband David Hornsby. The actress, 34, as well as the Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia star had their first child on Wednesday, Henry Hornsby, the actress repetition confirmed to people. Emilys Bones co-star TJ Thyne congratulated the completely new mother on Twitter on Wednesday. CONGRATULATIONS EMILY D!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay yay yay!!! he Tweeted. After Emily introduced she was expecting in April, sister and New Girl star Zooey Deschanel expressed her excitement inside the pregnancy news, Tweeting, I am super excited being an aunt! Emily, who apparently stuck with a vegan diet throughout having a baby, married David in September 2010. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All rights reserved.These elements is probably not launched, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Dancing's Tom Bergeron to Chaz Bono Experts: Relax

Dwts, Tom Bergeron If there's one guarantee every Dwts season, it's this: There's always a backlash against one contestant."They are losing it about Bristol Palin. They are losing it about Kate Gosselin. They are losing it about Nicole Scherzinger. Now, it's Chaz [Bono]. Choose a season, choose a freakout," Tom Bergeron informs TVGuide.com. "Just relax already. It is a ballroom show, for God's sake! I've no clue why Chaz standing on is a concern. I kind of expected there to become a reaction, but nothing this large. Relax.InchDrop Preview: Get scoop in your favorite coming back showsStill, it isn't the huge hostile reaction to the transgendered activist's participation that's probably the most shocking towards the Bergeron, but instead the casting department's capability to snag Bono to begin with. "I am constantly impressed, and impressed with Deena Katz at this time, six many 13 seasons in," the fast-witted host states. "They still have the ability to develop casting bulletins that generate buzz and press and interest."This season's crop is among the most eclectic ever. Others striking the hardwood include David Arquette, Ricki Lake, Elisabetta Canalis (also known as George Clooney's ex-girlfriend), Hope Solo, Nancy Sophistication and Ron Artest - "or regardless of the hell he's calling themself now.Inch Ryan O'Neal was said to be on too before shedding by helping cover their a knee problem, but Bergeron hopes he'll return next season."I had been really very happy to learn about Hope since it was this type of timely booking following this summer time [using the World Cup]," Bergeron states. "David Arquette, I had been surprised to listen to about. Ricki, I understood, because I'd recorded her pilot on her talk show and she or he explained then. Nancy Sophistication surprised me. I'd never met her and also the first factor she stated in my experience in the announcement throughout rehearsals was, 'I would like to get this taken care of: I am a large fan of America's Funniest Videos!' I am unsure if she was buttering as much as the host!"Fall TV: Obtain the lowdown about this season's must-see new showsThe cast also features three new pros, Maksim Chmerkovskiy's brother, Val, and last season's troupe people, Peta Murgatroyd and Tristan MacManus. However the greatest fresh face might not be human whatsoever - you will see a completely new set. "It's just like a logical growth of our original set," Bergeron states. "It's bigger, better, but nonetheless recognizably Dwts.InchBergeron confesses he loved that old set the actual way it was, but thinks the modification-up - combined using the cast - will reinvigorate the show and it is ultimately necessary throughout an extremely stacked fall. "It's nice to freshen the fresh paint, specially when you are entering a powerful, competitive season using the X Factor and also the Sing-Off [which airs opposite Dancing]," he states. "You will find lots of reality shows everywhere, so it is a good time for you to brighten our look. I am not likely to sneeze at improvement."Using the focus, as well as money, starting revamping the set, Bergeron does not anticipate the show altering the set drastically to mirror the weekly styles like they did last season. But you may expect theme days to stay - and possibly see newer and more effective ones too.Dancing's Cheryl Burke: Take advantage of Kardashian is preferable to Kim"They have always labored well for all of us,Inch he states. "The producers have always broadened the plethora of the show and keep the essence intact. Such as the classical week last season - I had been so concerned about that! My dear God! I had been calling it Discover the Remote Week! However I am wrong about this and that i was pleased to be. Everything was top-notch. The development values were just as much stars as other people within the cast. I really hope which will be back this year. We always perform a couple of brand new ones every year, so I am sure you will see individuals too.InchThere's one Dancing tradition he thinks, or higher precisely hopes, has ended: Chmerkovskiy pinching his butt. (Chmerkovskiy demands in the TVGuide.com blog it most certainly isn't over.) "Maks stated the time of the butt-pinch allegedly ended last season, so I am removing the Kevlar under garments," Bergeron states. "We'll see what goes on. That could be an awful idea!InchDance premieres Monday at 8/7c on ABC.

ABC Offers Fred Savage Happy Being

Fred Savage Fred Savage is placed to direct and guest-star within an episode of Happy Being, Entertainment Weekly reviews. The Question Years star will helm the 2nd episode of ABC's sophomore comedy making a cameo as themself. Particulars about the plot are scarce, and reps for that series didn't immediately react to TVGuide.com's request comment, but EW states he'll connect to Alex (Elisha Cuthbert). Exclusive Start Looking: Obtain a large taste of Happy Endings' second season The 35-year-old actor has directed instances of It Certainly Is Sunny, Modern Family, My Boys, Ugly Betty and Party Lower, among comedy series. Happy Being returns Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 9:30/8:30c.

Seidler, Katims take Humanitas awards

"The King's Speech," "Friday Evening Lights" and "Modern Family" were one of the those who win revealed Friday in the 37th annual Humanitas Prize kudos.The honours recognize TV and have film authors whose work states the dignity from the human person, probes this is of existence and enlightens using human freedom.For his script of "The King's Speech" -- a entertainment from the dilemma King George Mire faced in attempting to overcome his stuttering -- David Seidler won for feature film. Jason Katims required the 60-minute TV category for his focus on the series finale episode of "Friday Evening Lights." Within the 30-minute category, Abraham Higginbotham required top honors for his "Modern Family" script entitled "The Hug."George Stevens Junior. won for 90-minute TV script for his on-screen adaptation from the play "Thurgood," which went on Cinemax and starred Laurence Fishburne.Within the Sundance feature film category, Thomas McCarthy was chosen perfect for his script "Mutually Beneficial.Inch In children's animation, Jonathan Groff and Jon Pollack won for "Kung Fu Panda."Greg Jacobs and Jon Siskel won the docu award for "Even louder Than the usual Explosive device." Robert W. Morton won the David & Lynn Angell fellowship in comedy writing for any spec script of "Modern Family" entitled "Existence Is Beautiful," and USC's Amy Ripley won a student drama fellowship on her original script from the "Inklings" pilot.Gary David Goldberg, founding father of Ubu Prods. and creator of Michael J. Fox sitcom "Family Ties" received the Kieser Award, named after Rev. Ellwood "Bud" Kieser. Kudo has additionally been succumbed previous years to Bill Moyers, Fay Kanin, Frank Pierson, Colin Callender and Ray Gelbart. Contact Stuart Levine at stuart.levine@variety.com

'Harry Potter' Author J.K. Rowling to provide Evidence in Phone-Hacking Inquiry

LONDON -- Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, Sienna Burns and Hugh Grant is going to be among 46 "core participants" who'll have the authority to give evidence personally in the Judicial inquiry into phone-hacking and media invasion, The almighty Justice Leveson's inquiry stated Wednesday.our editor recommendsFormer News around the globe Controlling Editor Stuart Kuttner Arrested in Phone-Hacking InquiryFormer NOTW Journalist Who Adopted Prince William, Kate Middleton in L.A. Arrested in Phone-Hacking Inquiry Murdochs Summoned to look Before MPs in Phone-Hacking Inquiry Rowling, Burns and Grant is going to be among several celebs, politicans, athletes and people from the public who've been selected to provide evidence regarding their connection with press invasion, a lot of whom happen to be sufferers of phone-hacking through the News around the globe and potentially other newspapers. The Leveson Inquiry was setup by British Pm David Cameron within the wake from the phone-hacking crisis at Rupert Murdoch's News Worldwide. Its remit is to check out the larger issues of media ethics and practices, such as the associations between newspapers, law enforcement and political figures which have been central in news reports Worldwide criminal analysis. Other witnesses includes Gerry and Kate McCann, mom of missing toddler Madeline McCann, the mother and father of killed schoolgirl Milly Dowler and PR expert Max Clifford. Institutions including News Worldwide, the Metropolitan Police, Protector News & Media and Connected Newspapers may also be known as later in to the inquiry. Another criminal inquiry is ongoing right into a criminal activity at News Worldwide, where 16 former professionals and staff happen to be arrested. The Leveson Inquiry is anticipated to summon evidence from Rupert Murdoch, James Murdoch and Rebekah Wade later on. Related Subjects Worldwide Phone Hacking Scandal

Quebec films hit Hollywood

Quebec has taken over Hollywood, with the first festival devoted to showcasing French-Canadian talent from film to music and food running to Sept. 25. The celebration ends with the Sept. 25 premiere of "Iris" from Cirque de Soleil, which brought its first show outside Canada to Los Angeles in 1986. Yanick Godout of L.A.'s Quebec government office said the fest is the largest Canadian-focused event ever organized in California. The Quebec government, which provides substantial support to the arts, is hoping to help open doors for Quebec creatives to network with their Hollywood counterparts. Godout said studio execs and tech pros have been invited to the film, fashion and music events to meet with Canuck talent. The film portion of the fest kicks off Friday with a red-carpet premiere at the Egyptian Theater of Quebecois comedy "Starbuck," with Canuck talent such as William Shatner, Donald Sutherland and Jason and Ivan Reitman expected to attend. Up-and-coming Canadian thesps like Jessica Pare and Emily VanCamp are also set to appear. Saturday's Egpytian screenings are "A Sense of Humor" and "Funkytown," and Sunday's are "The Salesman" and "Curling." The pics selected topped the Quebec box office this year, and were picked for their remake potential.In addition to a clutch events focused around Quebec cuisine and fashion, a Quebec night Thursday at the Comedy Store will feature stand-up Sugar Sammy. The hub of the event is the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, which hosts Quebec-themed happy hours each evening until Sunday. "There's a big buzz around the arrival of 'Iris,'" said Godbout, "It's part of their mentality to support Quebec culture." Contact Pat Saperstein at pat.saperstein@variety.com

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