Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
By Rachel Bennett
Television Editor & Columnist
Every Friday, Rachel recaps the week’s major TV-related news, announcements and gossip!
***
TOP STORIES
• The results are in: 65.6 million people watched the town hall-style debate between President Barack Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney on Tuesday. The first presidential debate drew around 67.2 million viewers.
• The sun is shining. The sky is blue. The flowers are in bloom (just go with it). Everything is perfect because Tina Fey (NBC’s 30 Rock) and Amy Poehler (NBC’s Parks and Recreation) are hosting the 2013 Golden Globes.
• NBC canceled its new comedy Animal Practice, starring Justin Kirk (Showtime’s Weeds). NBC’s sophomore comedy Whitney will take its place Wednesday nights starting Nov. 14.
• Barbara Walters announced that she will interview Lindsay Lohan for the Nov. 16 episode of ABC’s 20/20. The actress-turned-tabloid headline is promoting Lifetime’s upcoming Elizabeth Taylor biopic Liz & Dick.
• After a lengthy search, Mario Lopez and Khloe Kardashian will co-host this season of Fox’s The X Factor.
SHOW BIZ
• The third season debut of AMC’s The Walking Dead attracted 10.9 million viewers and a 5.8 18-49 demo rating. It’s the largest adult rating that any entertainment series, including broadcast programs, received this season.
• HBO’s Girls and Enlightened will return for new seasons Jan. 13.
• TNT ordered six episodes of the drama L.A. Noir, which marks Frank Darabont‘s return to TV since being fired from The Walking Dead. The crime series is set in 1940s and 1950s Los Angeles and stars The Walking Dead actors Jon Bernthal and Jeffrey DeMunn.
• Fox renewed its animated comedy Bob’s Burgers for a fourth season. “We love Bob’s,” says Fox Broadcasting Co. entertainment chairman Kevin Reilly. “We are really proud of the way the show has grown over the past three seasons — without losing the unique voice at its core — and we know that the best is yet to come for Bob’s Burgers and its fans.”
• In her increasing efforts to turn OWN into an endless episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, which ended in 2011, Oprah Winfrey revealed she’s doing “Oprah’s Favorite Things” as a two-hour special Nov. 18.
• NBC is working on a series inspired by Lewis Carroll‘s Alice in Wonderland. It is the second network, along with The CW, to do so for the upcoming TV season.
• NBC’s midseason comedy Next Caller, starring Dane Cook, will no longer air on the Peacock network. The series “wasn’t moving in the direction the network desired.”
• USA Network is giving its drama Suits a third season. “Quite simply, Suits is as good as it gets,” says USA co-presidents Jeff Wachtel and Chris McCumber. “Sophisticated storytelling, sharp dialogue and award-worthy performances make this show a cornerstone of our original programming lineup.”
• The CW’s America’s Next Top Model will come back for a 20th season and finally include male models. Maybe now I’ll watch?
COMINGS AND GOINGS
• ABC’s S.H.I.E.L.D. pilot, co-written by Joss Whedon, has its first cast member. Clark Gregg, who played agent Phil Coulson in this summer’s The Avengers, will reprise his part in the TV spinoff.
• Fox’s Raising Hope is planning an episode based on Back to the Future, and the series has recruited none other than Christopher Lloyd for the half-hour.
• TV’s MVP Donal Logue (FX’s Terriers) will guest star on this season of FX’s Sons of Anarchy. My dreams are (kind of) coming true!
• All-around awesome person George Takei (NBC’s Star Trek) will appear on an episode of CBS’s Hawaii Five-0.
• Katie Cassidy (The CW’s Arrow) is returning to The CW’s Gossip Girl for the series finale.
• The family reunion continues on FX’s American Horror Story: Asylum: Dylan McDermott will appear in the series’ second season alongside other season one actors Jessica Lange, Eric Stonestreet, Zachary Quinto and Evan Peters.
• TBS’s My Boys star Kyle Howard is getting between June (Dreama Walker) and Chloe (Krysten Ritter) on this season’s eighth episode of ABC’s Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23.
• Olympic gold medal winner Missy Franklin will appear on ABC Family’s Pretty Little Liars. She joins several other Olympians, including gymnasts Gabby Douglas and McKayla Maroney, who landed TV guest spots since returning from London.
RUMOR MILL
• AMC’s Mad Men is filming what is believed to be the sixth season premiere in Hawaii. It’s being described as “a secretive two-day shoot.”
• Bette Midler agreed to guest star on Fox’s Glee , but who knows if it will happen (Just ask Anne Hathaway…).
• Shocker: ABC’s The Bachelorette couple Emily Maynard and Jef Holm called it quits. Also, the racial discrimination lawsuit made against the reality series was dismissed.
• In other Gossip Girl news, former cast members Taylor Momsen and Connor Paolo appear to be returning for the drama’s swan song.
COMING UP
• Still upset that NBC’s Mockingbird Lane isn’t going to series? Here’s a trailer of The Munsters reboot, which is airing as a Halloween special Oct. 26.
• Look no further for ABC’s Suburgatory spoilers.
• Check out the trailer for Cinemax’s new drama Banshee. The series, which Alan Ball (HBO’s True Blood) is co-executive producing, bows Jan. 11.
• Happy Halloween from The CW’s Hart of Dixie!
• Here’s a sneak peek of the Science Channel’s 10th anniversary special for Fox’s Firefly.
• Is Robin Sparkles making a comeback on CBS’s How I Met Your Mother?
• The first real look at season four of NBC’s Community is here!
FRIDAY FUN:
• Horror series as Goosebumps book covers. Halloween is less than two weeks away!