Long-Running Cable Series Canceled

A cable series that has had a 13-season run has been canceled. The Hollywood Reporter’s Live Feed reports that A&E is giving up on “Intervention.”

The docuseries’ final five episodes will be televised starting June 13.

David McKillop, executive VP of programming at A&E Network and Bio Channel, said in today’s announcement: “As ‘Intervention’ comes to an end, we’re proud to have paved the way for such an original and groundbreaking series. We’re honored to have been a part of the 243 interventions since its premiere in March of 2005, leading to the 156 individuals that are currently sober to this day.”

THR adds that the final five episodes “will feature what the cable network dubs its most ‘intense’ and ‘gripping’ stories yet. During its run, ‘Intervention’ earned two Emmy nominations for outstanding reality series, taking home the statuette in 2009.”

The cancellation follows by a year A&E’s cancellation of another one of its signature reality shows, “Dog the Bounty Hunter,” which wrapped after eight seasons, the piece notes.

“The cancellation comes as A&E has found watercooler and ratings success with docuseries ‘Duck Dynasty,’ which in April topped ‘American Idol’ with its record-breaking finale ratings,” THR adds. “The season finale drew a record 9.6 million viewers and 5.5 million among adults 18-49.”

Video: Morgan Freeman Dozes Off During TV Interview

A TV interview featuring Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine promoting their new movie “Now You See Me” caught Freeman apparently catching a few Z’s, USA Today reports.

During the interview Wednesday on Fox's Seattle-Tacoma affiliate KCPQ-TV, Freeman, 75, appears to doze off while Caine, 80, is chatting with anchors Kaci Aitchison and Bill Wixey about the magic tricks featured in the movie.

“It didn't prevent Caine from merrily explaining the tricks in the film,” the story reports. “Freeman woke to nod now and then. And when he [was] asked the question: ‘What is the key to being a great narrator?,’ Freeman responded with, ‘Uh, probably just being a good reader.’"

Here’s the clip:

Shakeup for Broadcast Drama Series, With Co-Creator/Exec Producer/Co-Showrunner Exiting the Show

Changes are taking place behind the scenes of a broadcast drama series. Deadline.com’s Nellie Andreeva reports that co-creator/executive producer/co-showrunner Stephanie SenGupta has left the CW series “Reign.”

SenGupta’s departure leaves co-creator/executive producer Laurie McCarthy as the series’ sole showrunner, the report notes.

Andreeva adds: “The move is not completely unexpected as there had been chatter that the two didn’t quite see eye to eye. SenGupta, who I hear originally came up with the idea for ‘Reign’ many years ago, is moving on to focus on creating a new show on her own.”

SenGupta has recently worked as co-executive producer on the CBS drama “Hawaii Five-0,” and was previously involved in the “Law & Order” franchise.

“The CBS TV Studios-produced ‘Reign,’ a soapy reimagining of the teenage years of Mary Queen of Scots in the French Court, is one of the buzziest new CW series and landed the coveted post-‘Vampire Diaries’ slot on the fall schedule,” Andreeva notes.

Not Much to Cheer About for the Broadcast Nets on a Night of Season Finales

On a night of season finales, one show had its season premiere Wednesday night, and its numbers were down from a year ago, based on Nielsen overnights for the key 18-49 demo.

TVbytheNumbers.com reports that Fox’s “MasterChef” debuted with a 2.0 average in viewers 18-49, down 13% from its season premiere last year. The one-hour episode was followed by a second installment, which improved to a 2.2 average.

ABC’s three season finales had mixed results, with “Nashville” delivering a highlight: a 1.9 in the 18-49 demo, the series’ best number since Jan. 16 and a 12% improvement from a week ago. The finale of “Modern Family” was the top show of the night with a 3.6, although that number was down 12% from the year-ago finale, down 3% from last week and the show’s lowest-ever season finale.

ABC’s season finale of “The Middle” matched last year’s season finale with a 2.0 in 18-49, rising 5% from a week ago. Also on ABC, “How to Live With Your Parents” rose 10% from last week to a 2.2.

CBS’s two-hour season finale of “Criminal Minds” delivered a 2.7 average in adults 18-49, off 25% from last year’s season finale while rising 4% from a week ago. CBS filled out the prime-time schedule with repeats of “Two and a Half Men” (1.1) and “Mike & Molly” (1.2).

NBC aired two season finales, with “Law & Order: SVU” falling 20% from last year’s finale to a 1.6 average in 18-49, a 7% uptick from last week, while “Chicago Fire” lost 15% from a week ago for a 1.7. NBC opened prime time with “Dateline,” which rose 8% from a week ago to a 1.4.

Prime time overall was a virtual dead heat among three networks in the 18-49 demo, with CBS and ABC averaging 2.2 ratings and Fox keeping pace with a 2.1. NBC trailed with a 1.6 average. CBS won total viewers, averaging 9.0 million to ABC’s 6.9 million, NBC’s 6.3 million and Fox’s 5.2 million.

Jennifer Aniston Plays a Stripper in Her New Movie -- Here's the Trailer

“Friends” veteran Jennifer Aniston appears to be keeping in shape, which is important because she plays a stripper in her upcoming movie, “We’re the Millers.”

The racy comedy opens Aug. 9, but Warner Bros. has just rolled out the trailer. Here it is:

Veteran TV and Film Actor -- Who Coined a Catchphrase in a Popular TV Show in the '70s -- Dead at 87

An actor who carved out a long string of credits in both movies and television, winning a Golden Globe in 1954, has died. Steve Forrest, who starred as Lt. Dan "Hondo" Harrelson on the ABC series "S.W.A.T.," died May 18 in Thousand Oaks, Calif., according to The Hollywood Reporter. He was 87.

Forrest was often cast as the leading man or "heavy" during his 60 years of acting, and had a special affinity for Westerns, taking on guest-starring roles in TV classics such as "The Virginian," "Bonanza" and "Gunsmoke."

He won a Golden Globe Award as most promising male newcomer for the feature film “So Big” in 1954. He went on to a starring role opposite Anne Baxter in “Bedevilled” in 1955, worked with Elvis Presley and Barbara Eden in “Flaming Star” in 1960, and had a big role in the Faye Dunaway vehicle “Mommie Dearest” in 1981, among many other film roles.

His role as Harrelson on the 1970s series "S.W.A.T.," produced by Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg, endeared him to American TV viewers, especially with his catchphrase, "Let's roll!," the report notes. His character was often seen with a bullhorn shouting out the signature phrase.

He played the title role in the 1960s U.K. series “The Baron,” appearing as the show’s “Baron” John Mannering during its one-season run.

Forrest resurfaced in a cameo as the van driver in the 2003 film version of “S.W.A.T.,” which starred Samuel L. Jackson and Colin Farrell.

Steve Forrest

Legendary Guitarist -- Who Wrote 'We Will Rock You' -- Says Why 'The Voice' Doesn't Rock Him, Calling It 'the Ultimate Insult to Music'

A famous rock guitarist served up a scathing appraisal of the singing competition format “The Voice,” calling it "absolutely the dullest, dumbest, most depressing program on TV” and “the ultimate insult to music and to performers.”

Brian May, who earned “legend” status as the guitarist for Queen, shredded the show in a recent blog post. May, who composed songs including "We Will Rock You" and “Fat Bottomed Girls” and is ranked on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, wrote that the show makes him "feel sick."

May’s critique was aimed at the U.K. version of the show, which stars singer Tom Jones. May added, "I hate seeing the great Tom Jones shoehorned into this scenario … it seems to deprive everyone who takes part of their dignity."

May continued, "It brings singing down to the level of a stupid obstacle course. ... This is not -- NOT -- what music is about.”

May also wrote: "When we sing, or play, for real, we are NOT screaming at the top of our lungs trying to persuade someone to notice us. We have messages, we have subtle emotions, we have beauty, which can only be shared by a performer in front of an audience whose whole attention is already freely given. The performance is all about EVERYTHING the performer gives … in voice, in sound, in body language, in facial expression, in intimate eye contact. This stupid, stupid idea that someone can JUDGE a singer by turning his back on him, and missing out on proper contact, is, to me, a fatuous nonsense. And actually poisonous to the growth of young performers."

He added that he hopes the show "dies a natural death very soon."

Brian May

'Arrested Development' Creator Mitch Hurwitz's Urgent Message to Show's Fans: Forget What He Said Before

When the new episodes of "Arrested Development" were conceived, creator Mitch Hurwitz said viewers would be able to watch the installments on Netflix in any order they wanted, but now he has an urgent message for fans: Scratch that, reports New York Magazine.

The new episodes go live on Netflix on Sunday at 12:01 a.m. PT, the story notes.

"I’m really doing everything I can to put out that misconception that it can be watched in any order,” Hurwitz told the publication. “Although I really did have that ambition at one point.”

He added: "Not only will the episodes be available at the same time on Netflix, but they also cover the same period of time in the characters’ lives. So it seemed like, yeah, you should be able to jump in in any order and see George Michael’s episode and then maybe Buster’s episode, if you want, and see what each of them is doing.”

In post-production, though, he realized that ambition wouldn't work, because the gags that unroll across episodes wouldn't work if they weren't viewed in the right order, the story says.

"Our brains like to make stories out of things, and that requires order," Hurwitz said. "I pretty quickly realized everything here is about the order of telling the stories, that there will be shows where you find out a little bit of information and then later shows where you revisit the scene and you find out more information -- and that’s not fun in reverse. To get more information first and then less information isn’t as interesting. I thought, OK, this may not be up for debate.”

Young Actress -- Part of a Famous Family of Actors -- Joins 'American Horror Story'

The latest addition to FX’s "American Horror Story: Coven" will be a young actress who is part of a famous acting family. TVLine.com reports that Emma Roberts, the daughter of actor Eric Roberts and the niece of Julia Roberts, is close to a deal to join the drama series.

The news comes after Fox passed on Roberts’ pilot "Delirium." In “Coven,” Roberts, 22, will play Madison, a party girl who's into herself. With the casting, she will play opposite her real-life boyfriend, actor Evan Peters.

"Coven" will include returning actors such as Jessica Lange and Frances Conroy, as well as new stars including Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett and Patti LuPone.

Emma Roberts

Why CBS Just Renewed One of Its Annual Specials, Despite the Fact That the Most Recent Edition of the Show Had Its Lowest Ratings in 21 Years

Believe it or not, sometimes it is NOT all about the ratings. 

For example, CBS just renewed an annual special it has been airing for 35 years, despite the fact that the last time the special aired its ratings hit a 21-year low.

The annual special that CBS has just renewed through 2018 its the Tony Awards, reports The New York Times.

The announcement comes just three weeks before CBS's telecast June 9 of the annual theater awards ceremony, which will feature one of the network’s stars, Neil Patrick Harris, returning to host the event.

"For CBS, the Tony Awards show is much more of a prestige item for its summer programming schedule than a potential ratings boon,” The Times reports. “Last year’s edition, with Mr. Harris, hit a 21-year low in the ratings, drawing only about 6 million viewers."