“Louie” renewed for a fourth season: “‘Louie’ has been renewed for a 13-episode Season 4, FX president John Landgraf announced at his Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour executive session Saturday. ‘There are not enough superlatives in the English language to bestow on “Louie” or the work Louis C.K. is doing,’ Landgraf boasted. ‘With this series, he has changed the form and is doing truly groundbreaking, landmark work that is inspiring a whole new generation of artists. Simply put, he is making one of the best shows anywhere on television.'” HUFFINGTON POST
Jeff Probst dismisses talk of his Emmy snub: “‘Honestly, I’m so grateful for the Emmy love I’ve had,’ Probst says in response to a question about the awards — then changes direction when he sees the way the questioner reacts. ‘OK, this is what’s fascinating. I wish you were a guest on my talk show, because the minute I start that answer, you wave me off like, “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” as if to imply my answer is not worthy or insincere,’ he tells the reporter who asked the question. ‘Any journalist who’s interviewed me knows I speak as candidly as possible. I say things I should never say.'” ZAP2IT
Matt Smith wants Tony-winner James Corden to reprise his “Doctor Who” role: “The actor – who is the 11th star to play the Time Lord – was joined by the funnyman for the series five episode ‘The Lodger’ and last year’s ‘Closing Time’ and Matt would love to work with James again, if the Tony Award winner can find time. Referring to James’ recent award win for ‘One Man, Two Guvnors‘ and becoming a father for the first time, Matt told Entertainment Weekly magazine: ‘We’d love him to return, but he’s pretty busy being a Tony award-winning actor on Broadway and having a baby. But we’d love to get James back.'” THE LIST
Miniseries are back in fashion: “Largely abandoned by the major networks, the miniseries format did resurface after its heyday, notes TV historian Tim Brooks, popping up on cable channels throughout the late ’90s and early 2000s. The number of productions had dwindled so much, however, that the TV academy voted last year to merge miniseries and movies into a single category. The one-two punch of [‘Hatfields and McCoys‘] and the costume drama juggernaut “Downton Abbey,” which pulled in 5.4 million viewers for its Season 2 finale in February and has reclaimed widespread cultural relevance for PBS’ venerable ‘Masterpiece’ franchise, has people wondering whether they spoke too soon. Ratings such as these have clearly put the miniseries back on the agenda. What’s less clear is, what is a miniseries?” LOS ANGELES TIMES
The Olympics opening ceremony tops this year’s Grammys and Oscars and all previous opening ceremonies in the ratings: “An opening ceremony from the mother country with a Beatle, a queen and Mr. Bean proved irresistible for viewers in the United States, with a record-setting 40.7 million people watching NBC’s first night of summer Olympics coverage. The Nielsen company said Saturday that London’s opener was the most-watched opening ceremony of any summer or winter Olympics. It topped the previous mark of 39.8 million people who watched the 1996 games in Atlanta begin, and the 34.9 million who watched the colorful first night from Beijing four years ago.” ASSOCIATED PRESS
“Modern Family” cast reaches salary agreement with 20th Century Fox: “The stars of ‘Modern Family’ have reached new contracts to keep working on the Emmy-winning comedy, ending a dispute that had threatened to spill over into a courtroom. A 20th Century Fox spokesman confirmed Friday evening that the deals had been reached and that shooting on the ABC series’ fourth season will begin Monday. The deals cover stars Sofia Vergara, Ed O’Neill, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Eric Stonestreet and Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Five of the actors sued Fox on Tuesday, asking a judge to rule their contracts on the hit show are illegal and should be invalidated. O’Neill joined the case later in the week.” ASSOCIATED PRESS
