Thursday’s terrorist bombings in London sent news networks in this country into wall-to-wall coverage mode and caused at least one broadcast network, ABC, to rearrange its prime-time schedule.
ABC pulled the movie “Reign of Fire” from its Thursday night schedule in the wake of the attacks. The film depicts a near-future London that’s been devastated by dragons and includes scenes of explosions in the Underground subway system – scenes that would have been a little too reminiscent of Thursday’s real-life events in the British city.
The network has replaced “Reign of Fire” with the comedy “Big Fat Liar.” The network is also devoting its Thursday newsmagazine “Primetime Live” to coverage of the bombings, which hit a double-decker bus and three subway stations.
London police have confirmed that 37 people died in the blasts, although other estimates say at least 40 were killed. More than 700 people suffered injuries. A group that says it’s affiliated with al-Qaida has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
The story dominated the day on the cable news networks, with Fox News, CNN and MSNBC all devoting the vast majority of their airtime to the attacks, reaction to them and a raised terror alert in the United States.
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The new UPN series “Sex, Lies & Secrets” is doing away with some of the deception and adding a little affection.
The show, about a group of friends living in the L.A. neighborhood of Silver Lake, has dropped the “Lies” from its title and changed its name to “Sex, Love & Secrets.” The network says the new title – aside from possibly deflecting comparisons to Steven Soderbergh’s movie “sex, lies and videotape” – better reflects “the direction, tone and pacing” of the series.
“I am delighted with the new title,” executive producer Jonathan Axelrod says. “I’ve always felt we had more love than lies in the show. … But just in case, we still have plenty of lies.”
Indeed, there are at least three plot-driving lies in the pilot, including one extremely big one revealed at the end of the episode.
“Sex, Love & Secrets” revolves around the intertwined relationships among friends in Silver Lake, the hipster enclave between Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles. The show stars Eric Balfour (“Hawaii”), Denise Richards (“Wild Things”), Lauren German, Omar Benson Miller (“8 Mile”), Tamara Taylor (“Party of Five,” “Hidden Hills”, James Stevenson and Lucas Bryant.
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The writers of “Las Vegas” will have a new card to play in the show’s coming season: former “Twin Peaks” and “The Practice” star Lara Flynn Boyle.
The actress is set to join the cast of the NBC series, playing the “flamboyant” (NBC’s word) new owner of the Montecito Hotel and Casino. It’s her first series-regular role since she left “The Practice” in 2003.
“We’re excited to have someone with the style and panache of Lara Flynn Boyle as we head into a season of transition for “Las Vegas,”‘ series creator Gary Scott Thompson says. “She will add even more story potential and star power to what is already a super-charged cast playing against the backdrop of a dynamic city.”
New ownership for the hotel was alluded to at the close of last season, but viewers were left hanging as to who would win the bidding. Several characters also faced uncertain futures, but as of now all the regulars are set to return.
Boyle earned an Emmy nomination in 1999 for playing prosecutor Helen Gamble on “The Practice.” Her other credits include “Red Rock West,” “Wayne’s World” and “Men in Black II.” She also appeared in several episodes of Showtime’s “Huff” last season and starred in a UPN pilot called “Crazy” this spring.
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