'Girls' Will Be On Forever
There's a rumor floating around based on something that Judd Apatow said in an interview that the HBO show he executive produces, Lena Dunham's Girls, has already been renewed for a third season, before the second season has even begun airing. What he said exactly: "We’re about to shoot the third season of Girls." So... that sounds pretty definitive. We are going to get a third season of Girls, in which Hannah and her friends go on a wacky and wild trip to Abu Dhabi and meet some cool men driving dune-buggies. Or, wait, no, that's too far. Girls season three will be when Hannah is going to do Aquaman? Who knows. Maybe they all just become seapunks and complain about Saturday Night Live on Twitter. Whatever might happen, we shouldn't be speculating so much, as HBO kinda sorta denied the rumor, saying "We’re looking forward to the launch of season two and hope to have good news shortly thereafter." Which basically means yes — why would they cancel such a talked-about show — but of course isn't definite. So don't go planning Hannah and Aidan wedding party just yet. [Vulture]
RELATED: 'Girls' Gets Human
Oh phew. Speaking of important TV renewals, E! has announced that it has ordered a second season of its truly harrowing (psychologically and a little physically) reality series Married to Jonas. In case you haven't seen this show, it's about oldest and homeliest Jonas Brother Kevin and his new beard wife getting used to married life and the frequent intrusions of in-laws. It's a pretty disturbing show on a lot of fronts — Kevin's seemingly latent proclivities, his preening brother Nick's cold sociopath stare and need for attention, the family's creepy spiritual adviser — but that makes it pretty entertaining and def worth a watch. So we applaud this decision, E!. It will likely be the death of the marriage, but hey, they signed up for it. So bring on the misery. [Deadline]
RELATED: 'Girls' Doesn't Quite Run the World
OK, back in the world of actually good TV news, HBO has announced that it's teaming up with best-comedian-alive (according to some) Louis C.K. to air a standup special sometime next year. Yeah, none of that $5 online download bullsh-t this time around. This is a regular, old-fashioned, American standup special on HBO, like it should be. It's not clear when it will be airing, some time next year it seems, but whenever it does it hopefully will tide over diehard C.K. fans who are trying to grapple with the prospect of no Louie until spring 2014. A special is only about an hour and a half, but it's still something. For everyone else, meaning non-comedy podcast-listening regular people, please continue going about your lives as if nothing has changed. [The Hollywood Reporter]
RELATED: Yet Another Take on 'Girls: Other Species Have Female Friendships, Too
Ooh la la. CNN hottie boombalottie Rob Marciano, who's done weather and reporting and guest-anchoring for the network for almost a decade, has been announced as the new male cohost of showbiz newsdump (as opposed to this fine column) Entertainment Tonight. He's taking over from Mark Steines, who's finishing up a 17-year run, and will be working opposite the indefatigable Nancy O'Dell. So from slightly newsy work on the East Coast to the really cushy stuff out in California. It didn't work for Thomas Roberts, but maybe it will for Rob Marciano. And hey, now Jeff Smith has no competition for the Cutest Weather Guy On TV News Awards, held in our apartment, so Jeff Smith ought to be be happy about that. [Deadline]
RELATED: HBO Likes 'Girls'
Though it arrived with something of a befuddled whimper here in the States, the much-ballyhooed Cloud Atlas might do a bit more business at the international box office. At least that's what producers and investors hope based on early returns. Opening in the first of its international markets over the weekend, the Wachowskis/Tom Tykwer film earned a sturdy $9.7 million in Russia and Ukraine. So that's a good sign! "It was a tremendous marketing achievement. Personally, I'm extremely pleased that a brainy movie like this one has done so well in Russia," said the guy who's head of the Russian distribution company. Which, well, OK, good that it's done well and all, but I don't know that I would exactly call this movie "brainy." It's certainly, hm, complicated? Ornate? But not necessarily brainy. Ah well. Point is, all is not lost for Cloud Atlas. There could still be life in her yet. Weird, scattered, sloppy, sometimes wonderful but mostly kinda messy life. [The Hollywood Reporter]
RELATED: What We Learned from the First Season of 'Girls'
Remember a little while back when we saw that photo of Daniel Radcliffe and Jon Hamm in a bathtub together and Team Hamcliffe was officially born, but of course it was really only a still from an upcoming British miniseries in which they play different-aged versions of the same bloke? Well, there's a trailer for that miniseries now, and here it is. Basically this is just a silly comedy about a bumbling young doctor, nothing serious. That includes Jon Hamm's British accent which is, well, pretty silly. But that's fine. He does enough drama. And so does Daniel Radcliffe. Let them be silly. Have at it, gents. Make like Hushpuppy and enjoy the bathtub.
