TwoCents and Five Questions with Matt Atkinson (Jane By Design)

atkinson

Matt Atkinson , Actor

Matt Atkinson plays the charming sports jock Nick Fadden on ABC Family’s Jane By Design. He’s a new comer to the television world – “Jane” is his first series regular role with some guest roles on Drop Dead Diva and One Tree Hill, but he seems to be fitting into this new role quite well. Atkinson shared some insight into the show and any hope for Jane and Nick in a recent conference call.

TheTwoCents: How happy are you with the way the storyline for your character, Nick, is progressing so for?

ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, TeleFutura, Telemundo and Univision Announce Plan For Online Rating Tools for Parents

tv ratings come online

Today the ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, TeleFutura, Telemundo and Univision broadcast networks announced a plan to provide additional ratings tools to give parents even greater decision-making power over their family’s media consumption.

Parents will now be able use the TV ratings system when children access broadcast television programs on the Internet. The networks are making the ratings information available for all full-length entertainment programs that stream on the websites that they control.

Each company will determine its own systems, and the networks have committed that the TV ratings will appear at the beginning of full-length video programs and also in the online programming descriptions. Network websites will also include or link to ratings system information. This commitment is effective for rated programming televised beginning December 1, 2012.

TwoCents And Five Questions with Keegan Allen (Pretty Little Liars)

is toby a good guy?

Keegan Allen, Actor

At the ripe old age of 22, Keegan Allen hasn’t had much acting experience on his resume thus far. He had a small part in a movie when he was 12 and then had a guest role on Big Time Rush as “Handsome Guy”. Last year he also guest starred on an episode of CSI. But his breakout role came in 2010 as Toby Cavanaugh on Pretty Little Liars, the ABC Family teen drama based on the series of books by Sara Shepherd. Now going into its third season, the show is the networks biggest hit. Keegan was happy to talk to us about his character’s future during a recent interview.

TheTwoCents: How did you manage to land your role in Pretty Little Liars?

Bunheads – Recap & Review – Pilot

photo: abc family

Bunheads
Pilot

Original Air Date: Jun 11, 2012

Melanie – TwoCents Reviewer
melanie@thetwocentscorp.com

Former Gilmore Girls fans like myself waited anxiously for the TV return of the shows creator, Amy Sherman-Palladino, with Bunheads. Would the story of dancers in a sleepy town present us with a taste of what we’ve been missing since the Gilmores left TV? Would we be able to buy Kelly Bishop as anyone other than society wife Emily Gilmore? And who is this Sutton Foster everyone is talking about?

I went into the premiere with hope, and ended it with a new summer favorite to look forward to week after week!

MasterChef – Recap & Review – Audition #3

photo: fox

MasterChef
Auditions #3

Original Air Date: Jun 11, 2012

JD – Sr. Staff Writer
jd@thetwocentscorp.com

Last night’s episode of MasterChef wasn’t particularly exciting. Of course there’s more auditioning to do before the judges can narrow all the hopefuls down to a group of 18, but it just started slow, and never seemed to make up for it to me. That said, it’s not as though this show is supposed to be high drama at this stage, so I enjoyed it anyway.

The episode started out with a few more solo auditions, which threw me because I was expecting that part of auditions was over. Then they omitted the usual tests of simple knife skills, which seemed a bit sloppy. I’m waiting for Tuesday night for the show to really start getting good. But now it’s time to talk about “Auditions #3”.

Hell’s Kitchen – Recap & Review – 16 Chefs Compete

photo: fox

Hell’s Kitchen
16 Chefs Compete

Original Air Date: Jun 11, 2012

Heather M – TTC Reviewer
heather@thetwocentscorp.com

The saga of Hell’s Kitchen continues tonight. Chef Ramsay is still waiting for his first perfect complete dinner service. Will tonight be the night that the chefs make Chef Ramsay proud? Read on to find out.

After the ousting of Chris, Barbie and Robyn continue their fight upstairs. Robyn believes that Barbie threw them all under the bus. Barbie insists that “cream rises to the top” and she is unstoppable. Hmmm, and here I thought that phrase meant that that person was the best of the best. I don’t think any of the chefs have proven that yet.

Farewell…Frank Cady

cady

Frank Cady, Actor

The actor most well known as Sam Drucker on the TV sitcom “Green Acres,” Frank Cady, died Friday at his home in Wilsonville, Oregon, according to the Los Angeles Times. He was 96.

Cady played the general store proprietor of Hooterville in “Green Acres,” from from 1965 to 1971, but also played the same character in episodes of “Petticoat Junction” and “The Beverly Hillbillies.” He even reprised the role for the 1990 TV movie “Return to Green Acres.” Cady also had a recurring role as Doc Williams on “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.”

You will be missed Mr. Cady.

Season 5 of “Mad Men” Most Watched Season To Date

photo: amc

Last night, AMC concluded season five of “Mad Men,” which resulted in the most watched season to date with an average of 2.6 million viewers increasing 15% over last season’s average. Last night’s finale marks the highest finale in the series history with a 2.0 HH rating and 2.7 million viewers. Among the core demo of Adults 25-54, “Mad Men” delivered 1.4 million viewers marking an increase of +13% versus the season four finale. “Mad Men” is a top 3 original drama series each week among Adults 25-54 on basic cable.

“Matthew Weiner and his remarkable team have again delivered a season of television beyond compare. We couldn’t be more proud of this program and the brilliant writers, cast and crew that bring it to life,” said Charlie Collier, AMC’s president. “As in each season prior, season five is now ‘Mad Men’s’ most-watched season, an uncommon television growth record and a testament to the ongoing quality and uniqueness of this rare property. I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that the record live-same-day Nielsen ratings that gain so much attention are only a small part of the ‘Mad Men’ success story. Congratulations to the entire ‘Mad Men’ team on another terrific season.”

Celebrate with USA’s Sizzling Summer Prize Pack

Congratulations to Lysette L. (aka bn100) for winning this contest!!

With the return of Royal Pains on June 6 and the upcoming season premieres of Burn Notice, White Collar, and Covert Affairs, TheTwoCents is wondering who your favorite Character is on USA! One lucky commenter will win an awesome USA prize pack worth $291!

The prize pack contains:

– Royal Pains Season 3 DVD (Season 4 premiered Wednesday, June 6 at 9PM! Facebook Page)

– Burn Notice Season 5 DVD (Season 6 Premieres Thursday, June 14 at 9PM! Facebook Page)

– White Collar Season 3 DVD (Season 4 premieres Tuesday, July 10 at 10PM! Facebook Page)

– Covert Affairs Season 1 + 2 DVDs (Season 3 Premieres Tuesday, July 10 at 9PM! Facebook Page)

– USA Network Custom Magnet Set
– USA Network Logo T-Shirt
– USA Network Baseball Hat

Just leave a comment and tell us who your favorite Character on a USA show is and why. The winner will be chosen on Monday, July 16, 2012.

Also check out our Suits & Style Contest!!

The prize was provided by USA Network, but USA Network is not a sponsor, administrator, or involved in any other way with this giveaway. Contest open to US residents only.

TwoCents and Five Questions with Sutton Foster (Bunheads)

foster

You may or may not recognize her name, but if you’ve seen a Broadway musical in the last decade by the name of “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” “The Drowsy Chaperone,” “Young Frankenstein,” “Shrek: The Musical,” or “Anything Goes,” you’ve probably seen Tony Award®-winning actor Sutton Foster.

The Broadway beauty is moving from the bright lights of the great white way to our television screens in the new ABC Family series “Bunheads.” It’s a return to TV for Executive Producer Amy Sherman-Palladino, creator of Gilmore Girls and I’m excited. The new series follows Michelle (Foster), a Las Vegas showgirl who impulsively marries a man and moves to his small coastal town named Paradise. Here she meets and takes an uneasy role in her new mother-in-law’s (played by Emily Gilmore Kelly Bishop) dance school. In a recent interview, Foster had a lot of say about her move from theatre to TV, studying ballet and her adoration for Sherman-Palladino and Gilmore Girls.

TheTwoCents: You’ve done a lot of small TV work here and there—we’ve seen it in Law & Order, Flight of the Conchords—but here it’s really your first really big lead role. How are you feeling taking this step? It could be a huge shift I’m sure.