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TV Media Weekly | September 17 - 23, 2016 By Adam Thomlison TV Media Q: Why is "The Vampire Dia- ries" not being renewed after season 8? A: To hear the creators tell it, it was their idea to end the show. But of course they would say that — just like in a breakup, you never want people to think you were the one who got dumped. It started with a stray quote by "The Vampire Diaries" star Ian Somerhalder ("Lost") back in April, when he told a fans gathered at a convention that, "We have decid- ed to do one last season to really do the story justice." He later back- tracked, saying that it was up to CW, which hadn't yet made a deci- sion about the show's fate. But the news was confirmed at the San Diego Comic-Con event in July, when creator and showrunner Julie Plec, reportedly nearly in tears, made the official announce- ment, calling it "bittersweet and emotional." Then, at the Television Critics As- sociation press tour in August, CW President Mark Pedowitz said that, "Peter Roth [president of Warner Bros. Television, which produces the show], Julie and I, we collec- tively came to the same place — actually Julie got there before Peter and I did — that this was the right time to end the series." It's also possible that Plec and co-creator Kevin Williamson want- ed to avoid all the uncertainty they went through this past year. Plec said they were unsure of even get- ting renewed for this eighth sea- son, so they had to write in a little closure at the end of season 7, in case it was their last chance. This means that the new season will feature an all-new villain, played by former "UnREAL" star Nathalie Kelley. "It's a new take on villains for us," Plec said at Comic-Con. "It's definitely something that's rooted back all the way to ancient times." In other casting news, former star Nina Dobrev, who left the show after its sixth season, is re- turning for the final season, which will premiere on Oct. 21, and con- sist of 16 episodes (instead of the usual 22). Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Hollywood Q&A By Andrew Warren TV Media Q uick, it's time for a pop quiz: what sweet baking ingredient do you get if you com- bine carbon, hydrogen and oxy- gen in just the right way? If you answered "sugar," congratula- tions! You have a sweet mind and at least some knowledge of organic chemistry. If not ... well, who said that TV can't be educational? Mind you, "Sugar Show- down" on Cooking Channel isn't exactly an educational program; instead, it's a heck of a fun one. The latest season of this oh-so-sweet baking com- petition got underway last week, and this week's new epi- sode airs Wednesday, Sept. 21. In a format that's inspired by other popular cooking competi- tions, each episode of "Sugar Showdown" brings together three expert bakers who, under the watchful eyes of a panel of judges and bearded host Josh El- kin, must bake up the most delec- table confections that they can pull off within the tight time limit. Of course, there's a bit more to it than just that. In the first round of tooth-tingling compe- tition, they're given a mystery ingredient that must be fea- tured in their confections: the confectioner who is least suc- cessful at incorporating it, de- cided by the judges' sweet teeth, is sent packing. The second and final round does things a bit differently. There's no must-use ingredient: instead, the two remaining bakers are given a theme on which to base their cakes, tart, pies and cupcakes. This week's episode, though, is shaking up that formula a bit. Instead of three individual bak- ers facing off, there's three teams of two: couples who love to bake as much as they love one another. In the first round, the happy couples are forced to use grapefruit in their baking — an ingredient about as deli- cious as they come. Once one couple has been sent home, it's on to the final round. This week's theme: breakfast-in-bed cakes. It's a fun theme for a couples challenge, and it's only the sec- ond episode of what's shaping up to be a fun-filled season of "Sugar Showdown." Catch a new episode of this sweet, sweet baking action Wednes- day, Sept. 21, on Cooking Chan- nel. Josh Elkin hosts "Sugar Showdown" Isn't that sweet Couples face off in the latest season of 'Sugar Showdown' 10 | Cooking this week Friendship Haven 2 x 2.5" Noah's Ark 2 x 2" 2nd Shift Plumbing 2 x 1.5" 24/7 Complete Sewer & Plumbing Service Call Someone Who Gives a Shift! callsomeonewhogivesashift.com PC#10500764 (765) 863-8522 ! NO EMERGENCY FEES!

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