Multiple sources are reporting that Matthew Crawley’s real-life alter ego Dan Stevens has opted not to renew his contract for a fourth and fifth season of DOWNTON ABBEY. And while speculation has run rampant that Stevens — who is currently appearing on Broadway in a revival of The Heiress opposite Jessica Chastain — is hoping to parlay the success that comes with starring on a hit UK television show into more lucrative work Stateside, we’ve got two words for him: David Caruso. Or to be more specific: Television is an incredibly powerful medium that if used properly can open an endless amount of doors in Hollywood. Just ask SHERLOCK stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, both of whom savvily squeezed in work on some little side projects like Star Trek: Into Darkness and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey during downtime from their hit British export.
Earlier today, the Screen Actors Guild announced their 2013 nominations honoring the year in both movies and television. Unfortunately, if the list of nominees illustrated anything, it’s the the hard working men and women who make up the screen actors guild may-or-may-not actually watch the medium that pays the bills! Case in point, HAPPY ENDINGS, PARKS AND RECREATION and SUBURGATORY were inexplicably left out of the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series category in lieu of far less funny veterans like GLEE, NURSE JACKIE and THE OFFICE. While THE GOOD WIFE, GAME OF THRONES, THE WALKING DEAD and PARENTHOOD failed to be recognized in the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Category. And don’t even get us started on Betty White’s nod for her work on HOT IN CLEVELAND! Mainly because we don’t want to go on record as bashing a national treasure, but come on, isn’t it enough already?
In a recent article profiling Netflix’s decision to expand ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT’s episode order from the original 10 to 12-15, it was revealed that the streaming media company “plans to make all episodes available at the same time.” And while we’re the first to admit that the company responsible for popularizing legal online video streaming doesn’t really need our two cents worth of business advice, we do find this one decision curious based solely on the amount of money Netflix is potentially leaving on the table. Which is to say, despite the fact that enjoying a season’s worth of episodes is how the company’s customers are used to consuming their product, from a pure business perspective, staggering a season’s worth of episodes over the course of two or three months would mean more money in Netflix’s pocket. Money the company could be reinvested in saving or reviving future brilliant-but-canceled shows such as — dare we say it — FIREFLY.
After last night’s emotionally poignant roller coaster ride of an episode that may-or-may-not have left this TV Addict reaching for a box of kleenex, we simply have to ask NBC why on earth they refuse to expand this show’s episode order from a paltry 15? Or, at the very least, would it be too much for NBC to assuage our fears by preemptively picking up our favorite television drama for a fifth season already?
Tonight on ABC, Barbara Walters Presents her Annual 10 Most Fascinating People of 2012. There’s only one problem, when you factor in all five members of the band One Direction, Barbara Walters is actually presenting her 14 Most Fascinating People of 2012. Raising the slightly awkward albeit painfully obvious question: Whose in charge of titling these things? 
