Archive for September, 2017

On newsstands September 27, 2017

Must-See TV: Our No. 1 Fall Pick ‘Will & Grace’ Returns to NBC After 11 Years Off the Air

The cast of Will & Grace is downright giddy about reviving the seminal NBC sitcom. And so, it seems, is the studio audience filling Stage 22 in Burbank. “It was like Oprah!” Megan Mullally says of the first taping in 11 years. “You’d think we’d given them cars!” Eric McCormack adds.

The excitement is no surprise. Will & Grace 2.0 is easily the most hotly anticipated show on the fall schedule. So how did this dream team get back together? Last September, the cast of the Emmy-winning hit—which explored the friendship between gay lawyer Will Truman (McCormack), his straight interior designer roommate, Grace Adler (Messing), and their pals Karen Walker (Mullally) and Jack McFarland (Hayes)—reprised their roles in a video encouraging Americans to vote. The clip went viral (it currently has more than 7.5 million views on YouTube) and, according to series creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan, the pieces fell quickly into place for a revival. “It really feels like we took a month off and then just started again,” Mutchnick marvels.

But what to do about that 2006 finale in which Will and Grace became estranged for 20 years? Well, it’s scrapped. “We never would have gone in that direction if we weren’t ending the show,” Mutchnick told critics in August. That means no time apart, no spouses and no kids. Will and Grace’s apartment has had only a minor facelift, and Jack still regularly bursts in from across the hall, leaving things much the same as in the first 194 episodes (now streaming on Hulu).

Back in Burbank, the foursome are still on a high after filming their first episode, which reveals how the besties end up living together again. Messing, McCormack, Mullally and Hayes sat down to give us the scoop. Oh, honey, it’s good.

Also in this issue:

  • The Orville: Step inside the huge ship in Seth MacFarlane’s intergalactic hit.
  • Curb Your Enthusiasm: Larry David chats about his return to the HBO series, talking dirty and how he reacted to his show being leaked online earlier this year.
  • Great News: Executive producer Tina Fey joins the NBC workplace comedy for an arc as the CEO of cable news network MMN’s parent company.
  • Plus: SEAL Team star David Boreanaz looks back on his 20 consecutive years in primetime television in our guest column, the secrets behind 60 Minutes as the series turns 50, Madam Secretary delves into Elizabeth’s home life, a Real Housewives star is welcomed on The Middle, Crown Media launches a third Hallmark channel and the best of movies, streaming, sports and more.
On newsstands September 13, 2017

‘Outlander’ Joins 60 Other Returning Favorites in TV Guide Magazine’s Biggest Issue of 2017

Flames leap up into the dark winter sky above a narrow cobblestone street in Old Town Edinburgh, Scotland. An out-of-breath Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) burst through the crowd of terrified onlookers and rush toward the burning building. Yes, fans, the sexy soulmates reunite—setting off serious sparks of their own—in Season 3 of Outlander. Then, of course, they get swept right back into danger.

“Their reunion is big, but so much happens to them even before that,” says a soot-smudged Heughan on set during a break in filming.

The buildup is indeed as good as the super steamy payoff. So far, the time-traveling nurse and her beloved Highland warrior have tried and failed to change history, repeatedly rescued each other from sadistic British army captain Black Jack Randall (Tobias Menzies) and left a trail of tangled bedsheets in their wake­.

This season the canvas gets even bigger. “We cover more time periods, and there’s more complexity in sets, costume, hair and makeup,” says executive producer Ronald D. Moore. “It has such scope and spectacle.” (This from a show that in Season 2 re-created the opulent French Court at Versailles!)

The supersize production, based on the nearly 900-page third book in Diana Gabaldon’s bestselling series, is why the show’s devoted 5.2 million viewers had to suffer a 14-month Droughtlander. After shooting in Scotland on sets new (like the grimy Ardsmuir prison, where Jamie is held for treason) and old (Lallybroch), the cast and crew headed to South Africa for three months, using ships from former Starz series Black Sails, for the pair’s stormy, game-changing journey to Jamaica.

Also in this issue:

  • Outlander: The Droughtlander is over! Join us for an on-set exclusive behind Season 3 of Starz’s sexy sci-fi sizzler..
  • Television Industry Advocacy Awards: A look at the nine decorated TV stars—including Keegan-Michael Key, Regina King and Robert Herjavec—receiving top honors in 2017.
  • Returning Favorites: Read about dozens of your favorites and what new storylines are on tap, including Leah Remini joining her King of Queens hubby Kevin James on Kevin Can Wait, Supergirl has a new foe, NCIS‘s nail-biting premiere episode, Kiefer Sutherland on Season 2 of Designated Survivor, the Empire/Star crossover, the reset of The Good Place and Larry David is back to wreak more havoc on Curb Your Enthusiasm.

    • • Plus: Megyn Kelly opens up about her new morning show, we chat with new late-night star Jordan Klepper, how to watch the just-ended Twin Peaks in just four hours, American Horror Story: Cult‘s Billy Eichner shares his TV go-tos, Tom Bergeron forecasts the Dancing With the Stars Season 25 ballroom luminaries, David Bianculli weighs in on 10 years of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, and the best of movies, streaming, sports and more.