Ryan Murphy: 'American Horror Story season two completely different'

Ryan Murphy has said that the second season of American Horror Story will be completely different from the first.

The creator opened up about the show's 17 Emmy nominations, saying that normally the show's success would cause him to feel pressured about the upcoming season.

"Normally, [the Emmy love] would [add extra pressure]," Murphy told TV Line.

"But it doesn't because it's a completely different thing," he continued. "It's a completely different story, a completely different period, and a completely different look. It's like doing a new project. It can't be compared to the first season."

He went on to speak about shooting season two, describing the process as almost surreal.

"Everyone looks so different," Murphy said. "People who were enemies last year are allies this year. The sets are amazing. It's 1964, so everything looks very different."

American Horror Story star Dylan McDermott recently admitted that he is excited about the show's revamp for season two.

Showtime Chief David Nevins Talks Emmys, 'Revitalized' 'Dexter'

"Homeland" made a breakthrough with Thursday's Emmy nominations, and Showtime entertainment president David Nevins says his network has more good news to come.

The domestic terror drama was the only new show to enter the Outstanding Drama Series category. (The other new entry in the category, "Downton Abbey," competed previously as a miniseries.)

It scored a lead actor nod for Damien Lewis and lead actress nomination for Claire Danes, making it the only drama besides Emmy-magnet "Mad Men" to land nods for its male and female leads.

Showtime also earned a nomination in each of the lead acting categories -- the only network to do so -- and five nods in the lead acting categories, the most of any network. Besides Lewis and Danes, Don Cheadle was nominated for lead comedy actor for "House Of Lies," past winner Edie Falco is up for best comedic actress for "Nurse Jackie," and "Dexter" star Michael C. Hall (above) is competing with Lewis for best dramatic actor.

But there were drawbacks for Showtime in Thursday's nominations: While "Homeland" joined the best drama competition, "Dexter" was dropped from the category. Showtime also remains far behind its premium cable competition HBO, which scored 81 nominations to Showtime's 22. Still, Showtime narrowed the gap from last year, when it had 21 nominations and HBO had 104.

We talked briefly with Nevins about the Emmys, why he thinks the network will have more actors in competition next year, and a "revitalized" upcoming season of "Dexter."

Congratulations. Do the nominations today reflect a particular strategy for Showtime paying off?
Nevins: Thank you. The strategy is simple: to make great television that's provocative and not boring. There's no grand strategy beyond that. ... "Homeland" is a show that's very personal to me. It feels like we've really broken through. It's great to be recognized in all the big categories.

Were you surprised by Don Cheadle's nomination?
I was hoping for Don Cheadle. That was the big one. I wasn't really surprised. I kind of looked at that category and thought he had a real shot.

How much do nominations help you?
It's important for these first year shows. We're in 21 percent of the homes in the country. It's hard to get our younger shows noticed. ... We build from here. "Homeland" and "House of Lies" are going to be mainstays for the foreseeable future for this network.

And we've got two new shows we're really excited about, "Masters of Sex" and "Ray Donovan." We're about great acting and great writing, and creating roles for actors. Maybe you'll see ["Ray Donovan" leads] Liev Schreiber or Jon Voight or ["Masters of Sex" leads] Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan getting nominations.

Was it bittersweet to have "Homeland" make it into the Outstanding Drama Series race only to have "Dexter" exit the category?
"The great thing was that Michael C. Hall still gets nominated among the six best actors on television. ... The upcoming season the show is I think completely revitalized. I expect it's going to rock some people when it comes out in the fall. The next two seasons of "Dexter," it's on a pretty ferocious path.

Beyoncé's dad's new girl group reach 'X Factor' Boot Camp

Beyonce's dad's MTV girl group From Above have reached the Boot Camp stages of this year's X Factor UK.

From Above appeared with Matthew Knowles on the MTV fly-on-the-wall series Breaking From Above, which featured the girls being put through hardcore physical, vocal, media and choreography training by the US music exec and manager.

Knowles was famously the manager of Destiny's Child and worked as a producer and executive producer on many of the group's projects.

He previously claimed that his new five-piece reminded him of his daughter's multi-platinum group.

From Above have survived the cull of contestants from this year's X Factor, which reportedly featured 60 acts being booted off the show before even singing at Boot Camp.

The group have been allowed to audition for the ITV1 talent show following the change of rules from Simon Cowell, which now allows signed acts, or acts with management, to audition.

Aaron Sorkin's 'The Newsroom' Undergoes Writer Turnover

"The Newsroom" is undergoing a big staff change. But don't worry -- Will McAvoy will still be at the fictional cable news network ACN.

The Aaron Sorkin-created HBO drama is undergoing an upheaval in its writing staff, with Sorkin replacing a number of writers on the staff.

The extent of the turnover is not known. According to one report, Sorkin is replacing all but one writer, Corinne Kingsbury. However, an individual familiar with the situation told TheWrap that the report is exaggerated, and that Kingsbury isn't the only holdover.

HBO confirmed to TheWrap that changes are being made to the "Newsroom" writing staff, telling TheWrap in a statement, "Every year each show reassesses the needs of its writing staffs. This process is nothing out of the ordinary."

The series, which premiered June 24, has been picked up for a second season.

Though "The Newsroom" has received lukewarm reaction from critics, the series has performed well on the ratings front, grabbing 2.1 million total viewers with its premiere airing, and topping those numbers with its third episode.

'Geordie Shore': Rebecca Walker is latest cast member to leave show

Rebecca Walker has become the latest cast member to depart MTV reality series Geordie Shore.

The "feisty fittie", who joined the show in series two, announced the news on Twitter earlier today.

"I'm leaving Geordie Shore! I've had a mint time - Cancun was crazy and I'm glad to be going out on a high. Big thanks to all my fans," said Walker.

"You haven't seen the last of me, looking forward to future projects."

Her co-star James Tindale tweeted back: "You will be a miss Becca, all the best for the future."

Charlotte-Letitia Crosby added: "[Rebecca is] an amazing gorgeous and strong little fire cracker. Never a dull moment, love her rants, she has me in stitches. Not going to be the same being in a room and you not being there. It's always been me, you and Holly in our tip of a room eating Big Macs in bed."

Walker's departure follows the announcement that original cast member Jay Gardner will also be leaving the show.

MTV confirmed earlier this year that it was recruiting new stars for the fourth run of the show, which will be filmed during the summer.

Geordie Shore: Chaos In Cancun is currently airing on Tuesdays at 10pm on MTV.

Al Franken's Former 'SNL' Partner Tom Davis Dead at 59

Tom Davis, one half of the comedy team Franken and Davis that also included comedian-turned-Minnesota senator Al Franken, died Thursday at his Hudson, N.Y. home of throat and neck cancer, the New York Times reports. Davis was 59.

Franken and Davis grew up in Minnesota together and performed skits in high school. They later served as some of the earliest writers for "Saturday Night Live," joining the show in 1975, also appearing occasionally in skits on the series. The pair contributed to some of the most memorable moments in the series' nascent days, helping to craft the Coneheads characters. Davis also worked with Dan Aykroyd on the latter's famous imitation of celebrity chef Julia Child, during which Aykroyd-as-Child bleeds to death after a grave kitchen injury.

The pair also wrote the screenplay and appeared in the 1986 comedy "One More Saturday Night," and had cameos in "Trading Places" and "The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash."

Though Davis was overshadowed by Franken, he won his share of accolades, including three shared Emmys for his work on "SNL," and another for his work on 1977's "The Paul Simon Special."

Davis originally wrote for "SNL" from 1975 to 1980, and returned for another run that lasted from 1986 to 1994. Though he retired in the mid-1990s, he occasionally continued to write for the show as late as 2003.

In addition to his work for the big and small screen, Davis also penned a memoir, “Thirty-Nine Years of Short-Term Memory Loss: The Early Days of SNL From Someone Who Was There,” which was published in 2009.

Davis is survived by his wife, Mimi Raleigh, as well as his brother Robert and mother Jean Davis.

Plan B criticises 'X Factor' celebrity and image focus

Plan B has taken a swipe at Simon Cowell's The X Factor, criticising it for being about image and celebrity rather than making great music.

The 'ill Manors' singer ruled out ever appearing on the ITV1 reality show, claiming that he would be "neglecting" his musical gift if he were to use the show as a platform.

"No disrespect to anyone involved in those shows, but all they do is boost your profile as a celebrity," he told Shortlist.

"There are a lot of pop acts with just a pretty face and a half-decent voice. They don't even write their own s**t. I'm lucky enough to have a gift that allows me to create things from nothing: music, films, fictional characters. Others don't have that, so their work goes into their image as a celebrity.

"So, if I have a gift like this, wouldn't I be neglecting it if I appeared on a show like The X Factor?"

Plan B also claimed that the reason he turned down the chance to work with Jay-Z was because it had been set up by industry people rather than personally by the US rapper.

"I want people like [Jay-Z] to come to me and say, 'I like what you're doing, let's collaborate'. Otherwise, I'd just be licking their arse," he said.

"Music should be a personal thing, the minute you start thinking, 'Who can I get in with?' you're basically saying you don't give a f**k about artistic expression. You only give a f**k about money."