ESPN is moving forward on “Tilt,” a new scripted drama set against the backdrop of the World Series of Poker. The series, which follows in the footsteps of ESPN’s football expose “Playmakers,” will premiere Jan. 13.

Set in Las Vegas, “Tilt” tracks the events leading up to a World Series of Poker showdown, looking at the sometimes glamorous and sometimes dangerous lives of some of the players. The action will take place at the tables and in the hotels and backrooms.

“Tilt” comes from Brian Koppelman and David Levien who will executive produce as well as writing and directing the pilot. Koppelman and Levien know the poker terrain, having written the Matt Damon vehicle “Rounders.” They wrote and directed “Knockaround Guys” which starred Barry Pepper and Vin Diesel.

“The launch of our next drama underscores ESPN’s commitment to scripted entertainment,” says Mark Shapiro, ESPN executive vice president, programming and production. “Capitalizing on the incredible popularity of the World Series of Poker and “Playmakers,’ “Tilt’ promises to put the audience at the table and into the lives of the characters.”

New ‘Bachelor’ offers big twists on ABC

There will be twists and turns aplenty when ABC’s reality franchise “The Bachelor” returns for its latest installment Sept. 22 with a two-hour premiere.

There will be familiar faces among the lucky ladies, a high profile musical guest and, in the biggest twist of all, the show will begin with not one, but two Bachelors.

In the very first episode, the 25 Bachelorettes will take the upper hand. The ladies, who range in age from 26 to 39, will get to present the first rose as they select between two different possible Bachelors on the first night.

Byron Velvick is a 40-year-old professional bass fisherman. The two-time US Open fishing champion, Byron was once an English major at the University of California at Irvine, but the outdoorsman decided to follow a different dream. He has been married once before, but for now the only woman in his life is his dog Sabrina.

Vying with Byron for the ladies’ attention is 40-year-old Jay Overbye, a New Jersey native who spent time in publicity, advertising and modeling before his current gig selling residential real estate.

Fans of the show will notice that these are the two oldest Bachelors yet, though perhaps that greater level of maturity will help Byron or Jay break the relationship curse that has plagued the former Bachelors.

TCM honors recently deceased composers

The past few weeks have been rough on the film music community with the deaths of Jerry Goldsmith, David Raksin and, on Wednesday, Elmer Bernstein. The trio, who combined for more than 30 Oscar nominations and multiple wins, will be honored by Turner Classic Movies with a mini-marathon Sept. 3.

Although all three composers will be saluted with movies, much of the focus will be on Bernstein, who died at the age of 82. TCM will show six of the films Bernstein scored, highlighting his Oscar nominated work on “Hawaii” and “The Magnificent Seven.” Also featured are “Kings Go Forth,” “Birdman of Alcatraz,” “The Hallelujah Trail” and “The Carpetbaggers.”

Bernstein won his only Oscar for 1967’s “Thoroughly Modern Millie.”

TCM will show 1975’s “The Wind and the Lion,” for which Goldsmith earned an Oscar nomination for original score. Although he wrote scores for some of cinema’s greatest movies, including “Chinatown” and “Patton,” Goldsmith’s lone Oscar was for the 1976 film “The Omen.” He died on July 21 at 75.

Raksin died on Aug. 9 at the age of 92. Perhaps best known for the haunting score to Otto Preminger’s “Laura,” he earned an Oscar nomination for 1958 film “Separate Tables,” which will air on TCM.