TV NEWS ON SEPTEMBER 25

http://blog.sitcomsonline.com/2012/09/fox-fall-pilot-review-ben-and-kate.html Ben and Kate - Tuesdays 8:30PM ET/PT on Fox Premieres Tuesday, September 25, 2012 at 8:30PM ET/PT What happens when an exuberant dreamer who always says “yes” moves in with his overly responsible little sister to help raise her five-year-old daughter? Ben and Kate, a new single-camera ensemble comedy, follows a pair of odd-couple siblings and their friends as they push each other out of their comfort zones and into real life. Kate Fox (Dakota Johnson) followed the rules all her life…until she got pregnant in college and dropped out just shy of graduation. After the birth of her daughter, Maddie (Maggie Elizabeth Jones), Kate put her 20s on hold. Now working as a bar manager to make ends meet and maximize her time with Maddie, she's uber-prepared for every possible catastrophe – except for the arrival of her older brother, Ben Fox (Nat Faxon). Ben likes trouble a lot more than his sister does. His infectious energy makes everyone want to follow him into any number of bad ideas. He'll totally screw up their lives, but somehow, they'll feel good about it. Where Kate is all about planning and preparing, Ben is big on spontaneity and out-of-the-box ideas. But don't let the Velcro wallet fool you – he'll probably be a millionaire someday. When Ben comes to crash on Kate's couch for a few days, he finds a sad state of affairs. For the first time in their lives, Kate needs Ben's help, and he's determined to bring some much-needed chaos into her overly stable world. He starts by looking after Maddie so Kate can get back to making mistakes, since the one real "mistake" she’s made turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to her. Always there to help with Ben's crazy schemes is his partner-in-crime, Tommy (Echo Kellum), who worships Ben like a hero and nurses a serious crush on Kate. Kate's British best friend, BJ (Lucy Punch), is a cocktail waitress at the bar and an all-around hot mess who would do anything for Kate, even if it's questionable or illegal. Cast Details: • Dakota Johnson as Kate Fox * Nat Faxon as Ben Fox * Maggie Elizabeth Jones as Maddie Fox * Lucy Punch as BJ * Echo Kellum as Tommy Dakota Johnson (Kate Fox) is quickly making a name for herself as an up-and-coming actress in Hollywood. She was most recently seen in the feature comedies The Five-Year Engagement, opposite Jason Segel and Emily Blunt; 21 Jump Street, opposite Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum; as well as the Academy Award-nominated drama, The Social Network, opposite Justin Timberlake and Jesse Eisenberg. She will next be seen on the big screen in the comedy Goats, opposite Vera Farmiga, David Duchovny and Minnie Driver. The film premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and is scheduled for a 2012 theatrical release. Additionally, she played opposite Paul Dano in For Ellen, which also premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Other credits include Theo, opposite Mira Sorvino; and the comedy Gay Dude, opposite Sarah Hyland and Megan Mullally. Nat Faxon (Ben Fox) has appeared in numerous films, including recent releases The Babymakers, opposite Olivia Munn, Aisha Tyler and Paul Schneider; Bad Teacher, with Cameron Diaz, and directed by Jake Kasdan; and Zookeeper, with Kevin James. Additional film credits include Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and Orange County, both directed by Jake Kasdan; and Beerfest. In addition to acting, Faxon is an Academy Award-winning writer in the category of Best Adapted Screenplay for the 2011 film, The Descendants, which he co-wrote with writing partner Jim Rash and director Alexander Payne. He has also made his mark in television with roles on the series Happy Hour and Grosse Pointe. Faxon's other television credits include Up All Night, Are You There, Chelsea?, Happy Endings, Mad Men, Party Down, NCIS and recurring roles on Joey and Reno 911!. After appearing in numerous print campaigns and commercials, Maggie Elizabeth Jones (Maddie Fox) had the opportunity to audition for film and television work. She first booked a role in a television pilot and soon got another break when she was cast alongside her sister in the film Footloose. When director Cameron Crowe was searching for a young actress to play Matt Damon’s daughter in We Bought a Zoo, Jones’ taped audition was so impressive that it led to a face-to-face meeting. Shortly thereafter, she was cast in the role of Rosie, which earned her outstanding critical reviews. Jones most recently shot the feature film Identity Thief, working opposite her sister, as well as Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy. Lucy Punch (BJ) most recently was seen in Bad Teacher, alongside Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel and Justin Timberlake; Dinner for Schmucks, with Steve Carell and Paul Rudd; Woody Allen’s You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, with Naomi Watts, Anthony Hopkins and Josh Brolin; and A Little Bit of Heaven, alongside Kate Hudson, Kathy Bates and Gael Garcia Bernal. Punch began her feature film career working opposite Geoffrey Rush in 2004's The Life and Death of Peter Sellers. This was followed by the family fantasy, Ella Enchanted, with Anne Hathaway. In 2006, Punch was chosen as the British Shooting Star by the Berlin Film Festival for her work in Being Julia, opposite Annette Bening and Jeremy Irons. She has also appeared in St. Trinian's and Edgar Wright's British action comedy Hot Fuzz. Punch worked with Topher Grace and Anna Faris in Take Me Home Tonight and starred in the musical dramedy Untitled, alongside Adam Goldberg and Marley Shelton. In 2007, Punch was featured in the comedy series The Class, alongside Lizzy Caplan, Jason Ritter and Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Echo Kellum (Tommy) grew up on the Southside of Chicago and began acting as a kid, booking his first regional theater tour at the age of 13. After spending a few years doing theater and commercial work in Chicago, he made the move to Los Angeles where he soon developed a passion for improvisational comedy. Kellum began taking improv classes at the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) Theatre, iO West and The Groundlings. He now performs regularly around Los Angeles. He is a member of the iO West headliner sketch team, “Pilot”; the UCB Harold Night show Winslow; and the UCB Maude Night show New Money. Kellum can also be seen on television in various national commercials.