Entertainment NOW

January 17, 2015

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TV Media Weekly | January 17 - 23, 2015 By Adam Thomlison TV Media Q: I just enjoyed "Red Band Society." I understand it's go- ing on hiatus. Will it be back? A: In the typically commitment- phobic terms of network television, Fox hasn't officially canceled "Red Band Society," it just doesn't want any more episodes. In fact, it may not even want all the episodes it has. Fox declined to order more than the 13 episodes of the fresh- man series that it has already pro- duced, but then it pulled the show from its schedule even earlier, with the final three episodes yet to air. Whether and when those last three will air is yet to be decided. Fox may burn them off in the low- interest, late-winter weeks or in the summer. Or it may not air them at all and leave fans without even the tiny bit of closure that would have come from finishing a season. Fox also has a third, middle-of- the-road option: It could just put them online. ABC did it with its re- cently canceled "Selfie," putting the final six episodes of the series on ABC.com and the video-stream- ing site Hulu.com. The series, a dramedy about a group of teenagers living in a hos- pital ("red band" refers to the bracelets worn by hospital in-pa- tients), drew a fair bit of buzz early on, thanks in large part to the peo- ple who made it. It stars Oscar- winner Octavia Spencer (of the 2011 film "The Help") and is pro- duced by a guy you may have heard of named Steven Spielberg. Q: What happened to the show "Nashville"? Will it re- turn? A: "Nashville" will return, but it's important to not get too excit- ed. The show went on mid-season hiatus in mid-December, and the rest of season 3 will air starting on Wednesday, Feb. 4. However, it hasn't yet been renewed for a fourth round. That said, it's too early to worry yet. Last year's renewal didn't come until May, just a few days be- fore the season finale and well af- ter most other shows got their pickups. Showrunner Dee Johnson told "The Hollywood Reporter" that she tries to ignore renewal specu- lation, and that her team is always writing as if the show will go on. "We're definitely moving forward like we've got more to come." Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. Per- sonal replies will not be provided. Hollywood Q&A By Andrew Warren TV Media Y ou have been chopped! Since 2007, those words have been ut- tered by host and TV personality Ted Allen each time a contestant is eliminated from competition in "Chopped," the Food Network's reigning star of cooking competitions. Since last year, though, someone else has been speak- ing them, too. "Chopped Cana- da" could have been, some would say should have been, a disaster. An almost identical carbon copy of the American version, but with an aging actor as host and a far, far smaller pool of potential contestants from which to choose, this "Chopped" from the Great White North sounded like a di- saster in the making. Instead, it ended up being a breath of fresh air. The Dean McDermott-hosted "Chopped Canada" launched its second season on Thursdays on the Food Network here in the U.S. last week, and this season is shaping up to be just as re- freshing as the first. What is it about "Chopped Canada" that makes it so re- freshing? It's hard to say. Struc- turally, the show is identical to its American parent. Four chefs are given baskets of mystery in- gredients, which they must then transform into beautiful dishes for a panel of judges who, one by one, chop the worst-perform- ing chefs from competition. Perhaps it's the judges that make the difference. Some of the Canadian judges will be fa- miliar to American foodies — acclaimed Toronto chef Susur Lee, most notably — but the fresh faces and new commen- tary definitely stand out from the usual rotating "Chopped" crew. Maybe it's the host? Allen has professional training in the culinary arts, and is a well- known food and wine connois- seur. He's great for providing up-to-the-minute commentary on what techniques the com- peting chefs are doing, and of- ten has fascinating facts about some of the more unusual in- gredients that they've been saddled with. But McDermott's only culi- nary claim to fame before "Chopped Canada" was win- ning "Rachael vs Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off's" second season — not necessarily the biggest ac- complishment, considering some of the competition. Still, he's obviously no slouch when it comes to the kitchen, and when he comes across gaps in his culinary knowledge, he's not afraid to defer to the judges and their combined de- cades of expertise. Whatever it is that makes it feel so fresh, "Chopped Cana- da" is a surprise treat on the Food Network. Foodies who don't like "Chopped" probably won't find much to like here, but to the legions of "Chopped" fans out there, this Canadian spinoff is truly a de- light. "Chopped Canada" airs Thursdays on Food Network. Rob Thomas, Bryan Simmons, Erin Harris and Jack Demers as seen in "Chopped Canada" The Great White Chop 'Chopped' heads North for a second season 10 | Cooking this week Kokomo Honda 2 x 2" Martin Bros. 2 x 2" Henderson Insurance 2 x 3" Martin Brothers TV & Appliance 175 E Main St Russiaville 765.883.5551 Monday - Friday 9am - 6 pm Saturday 9am - 5pm Simple to Use, Dependable, Commercial-grade Construction Free delivery & Hook-up (see store for details) Free Delivery & Hook-Up (see store for details) Erik Chevrol 6 x 2" Your Weekly Guide to TV Entertainment weekly The cast February 1 - 7, 2014 YOUR CH 10% OFF A *Up to $75 Maximu with any other sp 11 30-13. Ca 2/28/14. 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