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This story contains full spoilers for the first season of WandaVision so far . As a comic book character, Wanda Maximoff has an origin story too convoluted to get into here. As a member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she has an origin that can be boiled down to a simple idea: She is a child of television. Last week’s penultimate episode of Disney+’s WandaVision flashed back to our heroine’s younger years. While their native country of Sokovia is ravaged by war, the Maximoffs are a happy and tight-knit unit, gathering at night to watch classic American sitcoms via the DVDs that Wanda’s father Oleg sells to pay the bills. On this night, Wanda picks her favorite episode of all: “It May Look Like a Walnut” from The Dick Van Dyke Show , where Rob and Laura Petrie each have nightmares inspired by their viewing of a Twilight Zone -esque sci-fi series. Just as young Wanda beams at the image of Mary Tyler Moore tumbling on a river of walnuts into the familiar … [Read more...] about ‘WandaVision’ Is a Love Letter to TV — And a Reminder of How to Do It Right

UPDATE WEDNESDAY 10:45AM : AMC just issued a statement confirming “that there will be changes to the writing staff” of The Walking Dead . EXCLUSIVE TUESDAY 5PM: I hear The Walking Dead writer/ executive producer/ director Frank Darabont has let go of the writers on the hot freshman AMC series, which has already renewed for a second season. That includes Darabont’s No. 2, writing executive producer Charles “Chic” Eglee . Writer turnover on series between seasons is commonplace but wholesale overhauls are unusual. What’s more, I hear Darabont is looking to forgo having a writing staff for the second season of Walking Dead altogether and assign scripts to freelancers. Darabont, who hails from the feature world with The Young Indiana Jones as the only series credit before Walking Dead , ended up writing 2 of the first season’s 6 episodes of Walking Dead – the pilot and the second episode – and co-writing/rewriting the other 4. Two of those 4 were written by … [Read more...] about ‘The Walking Dead’ Lets Go Of Writers; Considers No Writing Staff For Season 2

EXCLUSIVE: This is a quite a bombshell — I have learned that Frank Darabont, the creator, executive producer and director of AMC ’s smash hit The Walking Dead , is stepping down as showrunner of the series, which is now in production on its upcoming second season. The news is even more surprising given the fact that Darabont was on hand for Walking Dead’ s Comic-Con panel just this past Friday alongside fellow executive producers Robert Kirkman, on whose graphic novel the series is based, and Gale Anne Hurd and appeared excited about Season 2. There is speculation that Darabont might be off the show completely, but I hear talks are still ongoing about him possibly staying on in some capacity. Darabont, who spent five years trying to get a TV version of the zombie saga off the ground and wrote and directed the AMC pilot, hails from the feature world, and I hear that he never quite adjusted to the daily grind of producing a TV series. Last December, he considered forgoing a … [Read more...] about ‘WALKING DEAD’ SHOCKER: Frank Darabont Steps Down As Showrunner

Game of Thrones set the blockbuster table this week with its record-breaking season debut but today The Walking Dead served up its 100th episode premiere date just before Comic-Con kicks off. With a Rick Grimes vs. Negan face-off graphic, AMC announced Wednesday that Season 8 and the 100th episode of the zombie apocalypse blockbuster will hit the air on October 22. Along with that date, the cabler released key art for both TWD and spinoff Fear The Walking Dead . Both Robert Kirkman executive produced shows have big Hall H panels on July 21. Today’s announcement and key art unveiling comes just two days after TWD resumed production on its eighth season following the on-set death of stuntman John Bernecker on July 12. With TWD cast flying in and out of SDCC quickly this year, the revealing of the new season premiere date is a departure for the AMC series. In past years, the new debut date has been made public along with a new trailer at … [Read more...] about Comic-Con: ‘The Walking Dead’ Reveals Season 8 Premiere Date With SDCC Key Art

ITV is doubling down on masked entertainment shows. Following the soaraway success of The Masked Singer in the UK, the commercial broadcaster has ordered The Masked Dancer . Bandicoot Scotland will make a seven-part series based on the spin-off show for late spring, meaning it will help fill a giant Britain’s Got Talent -shaped hole in ITV’s schedule after the Simon Cowell talent series was abandoned this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Twelve celebrities will perform unique dances, while covered from head to toe in extravagant, colorful costumes and masks, leaving viewers and a star panel to guess their identities. Those doing the guessing in the studio will include Jonathan Ross, Mo Gilligan, and Davina McCall, who already feature on The Masked Singer . They will be joined by Strictly Come Dancing star Oti Mabuse. Comedian Joel Dommett hosts. The Masked Dancer has been commissioned by ITV head of entertainment Katie Rawcliffe and commissioner … [Read more...] about ITV Orders ‘The Masked Dancer’ Following The Success Of ‘The Masked Singer’