THE BORGIAS Creator Neil Jordan Releases E-Book "The Borgia Apocalypse: The Screenplay"

Neil Jordan, creator of the SHOWTIME original series THE BORGIAS, has released a new e-book "The Borgia Apocalypse: The Screenplay," based on his original, two-hour finale script for the critically-acclaimed period drama.

Available via e-retailers now, the e-book provides fans with a final farewell to one of history's most infamous families. Released by InkWell Publishing, THE BORGIA APOCALYPSE: THE SCREENPLAY may be purchased at the following websites:

Amazon.com

BarnesandNoble.com

Smashwords.com

The epic saga of THE BORGIAS, starring Oscar winner Jeremy Irons in his Golden Globe-nominated role as Pope Alexander VI, concluded in June on SHOWTIME. The supporting cast also included Francois Arnaud, Holliday Grainger, Joanne Whalley, Lotte Verbeek, Sean Harris, Thure Lindhardt, Gina McKee, Peter Sullivan, Julian Bleach and Colm Feore. Creator Jordan also served as an executive producer, writer and director of select episodes. The third season was executive produced by Jack Rapke, Darryl Frank, John Weber, Sheila Hockin and James Flynn. THE BORGIAS was a Canadian-Irish-Hungarian Treaty co-production.

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NBC Nabs Futuristic Prison Drama From Seth Grahame-Smith & Greg Berlanti
PARADISE is set in the late 21st century in the city of Las Vegas which is now the world’s largest maximum-security prison, known as Paradise. Matthew Turner, M.D., is its newest inmate, convicted of a murder he didn’t commit. Desperate to get back to his family and prove his innocence, Matthew will have to find a strength he never knew he had, and stay alive long enough to do the one thing no inmate has ever done: escape.

Freddie Prinze Jr. joins WITCHES OF EAST END
Prinze will play Leo Wingate, a gallant and sweetly shy entomologist who falls head over heels for Wendy Beauchamp (Madchen Amick). The scholar is said to specialize in rare and exotic insects, and he soon begins to wonder whether Wendy is more interested in his body or his bugs. He is set to guest star in the fourth episode, with more episodes possible.

THE BORGIAS to Reach Its Grand Finale This Season on Showtime

The epic saga of THE BORGIAS, a complex, unvarnished portrait of one of history's most infamous dynastic families, is created by Academy Award-winner and Emmy nominee Neil Jordan (The Crying Game, Interview with the Vampire). The series will conclude with its final episode on Sunday, June 16th at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME. This expansive drama series stars Oscar winner Jeremy Irons in his Golden Globe-nominated role as Pope Alexander VI, the cunning, manipulative patriarch of the infamous Borgia dynasty, who builds an empire by bribing, buying and muscling his way into the papacy. THE BORGIAS cast also includes Francois Arnaud, Holliday Grainger, Joanne Whalley, Lotte Verbeek, Sean Harris, Thure Lindhart, Gina McKee, Peter Sullivan, Julian Bleach and Colm Feore.

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Bally’s hosts a Soap Opera Weekend with THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS Cast
Bally’s Atlantic City hosted a special Soap Opera Weekend last Saturday and Sunday, March 24-25, in its Park and Garden Ballrooms, which included a meet and greet with the stars of Y&R.

On hand to answer intimate questions about the show and their personal lives were Greg Rikaart (Kevin), Stephen Nichols (Tucker), Michelle Stafford (Phyllis) and Michael Muhney (Adam). Watch a video here.

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The new crime drama starring Dana Delany and Jeri Ryan filmed its first season in Providence, R.I., but uncertainty surrounding the small state's film tax credit program put California in play. Gov. Lincoln Chafee has recommended dismantling the state film tax credit program to balance the state's budget. The production has a crew of about 200 people.

Eden Riegel welcomes son
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Marnie Schulenburg in "South Pacific" starting June 15
Opening the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival's 20th anniversary season is Rodgers and Hammerstein's thrilling musical based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by James Michener. A young U.S. Navy nurse falls in love with an island plantation owner during World War II. The incredibly romantic score includes "Some Enchanted Evening," "Bali Ha'i," and "There is Nothin' Like a Dame." Winner of seven 2008 Tony Awards, "South Pacific" is appropriate for the entire family.

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Social gaming killed soaps? Audience shifts as viewers become gamers
While the soap audience has been shrinking for decades, driven by more women in the workplace and a 200-channel universe, the genre's decline appears to have accelerated over the past few years with the meteoric rise of social gaming. When Zynga–publisher of massively popular Facebook games such as FarmVille and CityVille–arrived on the scene in 2007, both ALL MY CHILDREN and ONE LIFE TO LIVE were averaging a 1.9 rating among women 25-54. By 2011 the two shows were averaging 1.3 and 1.4 ratings respectively in that key viewer group. The drop is even steeper for other demographics. Meanwhile, by April 2009, Zynga was reaching 40 million monthly active players on Facebook, according to comScore. These days, the game has over 47 million players each month while the more recent hit, CityVille, attracts a staggering 88 million active participants.

Experts believe that soap viewers, particularly stay-at-home moms, are increasingly finding the connection inherent to social games far more compelling than the goings on in Pine Valley.