NEWS: Steve Burton Opens Cleveland Beer Pub; Hatewatching a Legitimate Ratings Strategy?

Former Clevelander and soap opera star Steve Burton brings Cleveland Beer Cellars to University Circle
Burton portrays Dylan McAvoy, a war veteran who turns out to be Nikki's son on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS. He is also co-owner of Cleveland Beer Cellars, a new University Circle specialty beer pub that offers beer lovers a choice of more than 500 craft and specialty brews. Wine and other beverages are also on the menu, along with live entertainment.

“I know how to drink it,” he quipped in an interview with the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “I don’t know all the information on all beers; that’s why I hire experts.” Cleveland Beer Cellars’ servers help customers sift through the choices; they’ll even pull a generous amount of beer on tap for a tasting, he said.

Although it’s been open to the public for about two months, Cellars had a grand opening on Sunday, Dec. 8 dubbed Nashville Nights. Burton, along with his friend and former soap opera colleague Scott Reeves, put on an acoustic show featuring songs written by Burton, Reeves and Reeves’ daughter Emily Reeves.

Hatewatching is becoming a legitimate ratings strategy
"You could describe most recent Lifetime attempts – the Anna Nicole movie, the Lohan-as-Elizabeth Taylor one, and let’s not even talk about Bonnie and Clyde – as pioneers of the genre. And just as, back in the day, when the Lifetime insta-adaptation of true crime stories became a cultural phenomenon, the networks caught on and gave us dueling Amy Fishers from Drew Barrymore and Alyssa Milano, well, so it will go with the modern hatewatch. Now, they see that the thing is to take a beloved pop culture property and make it awful and watch people talk, on Twitter, about just how stunningly awful it is."

ARROW Casts PRISON BREAK's Robert Knepper as DC Villain [Spoiler]
Knepper has been cast in the plum role of DC Comics master criminal William Tockman aka "Clock King."

16 Female TV Characters Who Were Cyberbullied In 2013
From Skyler White to Dana Brody to Hannah Horvath, BuzzFeed looks at how these female characters were disparaged this year.

Texas Woman admits to sending ricin to President Obama
Shannon Guess Richardson, who played small guest roles on THE VAMPIRE DIARIES and THE WALKING DEAD, pleaded guilty so that she wouldn't serve more than 18 years in prison.

Emily Rios & Matthew Lillard Promoted To Regulars On FX's THE BRIDGE
The move also signals their characters’ increasing importance in the upcoming storyline. Rios and Lillard play El Paso Times reporters Ariana Mendez and Daniel Frye.

THE BRIDGE Season Finale Preview

Diane Kruger as Sonya Cross, Demian Bechir as Marco Ruiz.
Photo Credit: Byron Cohen/FX Network

The first season of THE BRIDGE concludes on Wednesday, October 2 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on FX Network.

In the season finale, "The Crazy Place," Sonya and Marco search for a missing girl. Charlotte meets someone who knows too much about her new business venture. Marco makes a decision that could change everything.

Watch a sneak peek below:

THE BRIDGE Renewed For Second Season

FX has ordered a second season of its critically acclaimed new drama series THE BRIDGE, placing a 13-episode order for season 2, it was announced today by Eric Schrier, President of Original Programming for FX Networks and FX Productions.

Starring Academy Award nominee Demian Bichir and Diane Kruger, THE BRIDGE is a present-day crime thriller exploring the tensions on the US-Mexico border. When an American judge known for her anti-immigration views is found dead on the bridge connecting El Paso and Juarez, Sonya Cross (Kruger) from El Paso PD must work with her Mexican counterpart from Chihuahua State Police, Marco Ruiz (Bichir), to catch a serial killer operating on both sides of the border. Marco understands the slippery politics of Mexican law enforcement, and while his police force slowly succumbs to the pressures and demands of the cartel, he's one of the last good men in the department. He's charming, but also cunning as he will do whatever it takes to get what he needs. This does not sit well with Sonya, who has Asperger's and strictly follows rules as well as protocol. Her candid and off-putting personality fuels an unforgiving drive for truth. The case quickly pulls them into a string of murders on the border, a scene already consumed by illegal immigration, drug trafficking, violence and prostitution.

THE BRIDGE "Vendetta" Preview

Indie Soap Award winner Diane Delano recurs on THE BRIDGE.
Photo Credit: FX

The first season of THE BRIDGE continues on Wednesday, August 28th on FX at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

In the episode, "Vendetta," Sonya (Diane Kruger) pursues a cold lead despite Marco's (Demian Bichir) insistence that it’s a dead end.

Charlotte (Annabeth Gish) finds out that Ray (Brian Van Holt) has jeopardized her ranch.

Watch a sneak peek below:

THE BRIDGE "Destino" Preview

Photo Credit: FX

The first season of THE BRIDGE continues on Wednesday, August 21st on FX at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

In the episode, "Destino," the EPPD corners their prime suspect.

Charlotte questions Ray’s true intentions.

Linder crosses the border and takes on his most difficult case yet.

Watch a sneak peek below:

THE BRIDGE "ID" Preview

Photo Credit: FX

The first season of THE BRIDGE continues on Wednesday, August 14th on FX at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

In the episode, titled "ID," Sonya (Diane Kruger) bonds with a key witness from the case. Marco (Demian Bichir) uncovers Sonya and Hank's (Ted Levine) past.

Meanwhile, Charlotte (Annabeth Gish) calls on an old friend for help.

Watch a sneak peek below:

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Alex Fernandez on His Busy Year On TV in DEVIOUS MAIDS, DALLAS, THE BRIDGE & KILLER WOMEN

Alex Fernandez

It has been hard to miss Cuban actor, Alex Fernandez, on television lately. He's played roles in Lifetime's hot new dramedy DEVIOUS MAIDS, TNT soap opera DALLAS, FX police drama THE BRIDGE, and will be featured in the highly anticipated new ABC series KILLER WOMEN in January.

Fernandez played a key role in the second season of DALLAS: Roy Vickers, the sleazy drug henchman who was set-up by Drew Ramos (Kuna Becker) for drug possession and arrested. In the season finale, Harris Ryland (Mitch Pileggi) had him executed to keep him from sharing secrets about his drug operation but not before he tipped off Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) about Cliff's involvement.

In DEVIOUS MAIDS, Fernandez brings comic relief as Pablo Diaz, the loudmouthed husband of Judy Reyes' Zoila Del Barrio. The husband and wife team navigate raising their daughter together in Marc Cherry’s newest twist-filled drama, which follows Latina maids with ambition and dreams as they work for the rich and famous in Beverly Hills.

In THE BRIDGE, Fernandez stars as FBI Agent Richard Heller, as he investigates a serial killer menacing Mexico and The Unites States along the Texas-Mexico border. The investigation is complicated by the rampant corruption and general apathy among the Mexican authorities and the violence of the powerful borderland drug cartels.

ABC drama KILLER WOMEN is set to premiere mid-season and is produced by MODERN FAMILY's Sofia Vergara. The series follows Fernandez as Texas Ranger commander, Lt. Luis Zea, the leader and confidant of Molly Parker (Tricia Hefler), a recently divorced woman, former beauty queen and a daughter of a sheriff, who rises to the top ranks of one of the most elite and male-dominant law enforcement establishments around, the Texas Rangers. Fernandez's character sticks by her side, despite the notorious boys-only club of The Texas Ranger force.

When not in front of the cameras, Fernandez directs a theater company in Los Angeles and is an accomplished screenwriter. In addition, he is noted for his acclaimed voice over work, in video games, especially: as the lead in Final Fantasy X, James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing, Quantum of Solace, Splinter Cell: Double Agent and Mercenaries 2: World in Flames.

We Love Soaps recently spoke with Fernandez about his career and busy year on TV. Read our exclusive interview below:

THE BRIDGE Sets Time-Shifted Viewing Record for FX

Photo Credit: FX

The series premiere of FX's critically acclaimed new drama series THE BRIDGE has posted a record time-shifted viewership increase for any FX series premiere ever posting respective gains of +88% in Adults 18-49 and +67% in Total Viewers over its Live+Same Day delivery on July 10.

Inclusive of Live+7 ratings, the series premiere episode of THE BRIDGE delivered 5.07 million Total Viewers and 2.17 million Adults 18-49. That is an addition of just over 2 million Total Viewers and just over 1 million Adults 18-49 from the Live+Same Day delivery.

Demián Bichir Cast As Lead In FX Pilot THE BRIDGE

Academy Award® nominee Demián Bichir has reached an agreement to play the male lead in the FX drama series pilot, THE BRIDGE, which begins production next month.

Based on an international hit series, the pilot for THE BRIDGE was adapted for American television by Meredith Stiehm (HOMELAND) and Elwood Reid (HAWAII FIVE-0). Adapted from the Scandinavian series I BRON, THE BRIDGE centers on two detectives from the United States and Mexico who must work together to hunt down a serial killer operating on both sides of the American-Mexican border. The Bridge is executive produced by Stiehm and Reid, alongside Carolyn Bernstein, Lars Blomgren and Jane Featherstone. THE BRIDGE is a co-production of Shine America and FX Productions. Gerardo Naranjo will direct the pilot episode.