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Get ready for racier television

"Southland" is an American cop show that premiered on NBC. Unlike normal cop shows, NBC wanted to offer something that got into the gritty world of police officers, with foul language and adult situations. NBC cancelled the show after its first season.

Soon after, TNT picked up the show, airing the original first season, six episodes from the cancelled second season, and announcing a ten episode third season. While FCC standards didn't appear to be the issue, TNT is not under the same regulations as NBC.

Things are about to change for the networks.

The FCC's regulations on indecency were struck down by a federal appeals court that said they were "unconstitutionally vague", opening up the ability to use profane language on the small screen.

So, get ready for some hot and heavy scenes on "Friends With Benefits" on NBC, Kathy Bates smoking pot on "Harry's Law" and a CBS sitcom based on the blog/book "$#*^ My Dad Says"

Many individuals working in standards say this is a good thing. Dozens of cases are pending. This decision, if upheld, will limit the FCC. Just wait for the F-bomb to be unleashed.

Cable, unregulated by the FCC, has been taking huge bites out of the ratings for the networks. Shows like "Rescue Me", "Saving Grace", and "The Shield" offer more provocative plots and situations.

Reality TV has pushed the envelope. While it can be censored, real people aren't as easy to control as content creators.

MGM's problems persist, for 6th time

MGM has won its sixth debt extension, but money problems continue. That's not so good for you fans of "The Hobbit" or James Bond films.

Bond films are put on hold indefinitely as the studio tries to figure out a way to make some cash. The Lion plans on remaining on film productions sidelines while issuing catalog releases for home entertainment and licensing new video games. Currently, Activision has the upcoming "GoldenEye".

Many are calling for the Bond franchise to go to the highest bidder, and some say the same about MGM's share of "The Hobbit". Warner Bros. holds the other half of "Hobbit".

Century Studio debtholders have given MGM until Sept. 15 to pay up. The Lion has about $4 billion of debt. Summit Entertainment, Spyglass, and others are circling the bleeding Lion with their own ideas on how to restructure. MGM tried to find a buyer for their studio, but Warner Bros.'s offer of $1.5 billion was considered too low.

Soundtrack of the Week: Moulin Rouge

Moulin Rouge! was a defining movie of 2001. Based not-so-loosely on the opera La Traviata, new interpretations of modern songs were woven into to the plot. While the film was nominated for eight Oscars, it only received two.

Several songs on the soundtrack broke into the mainstream during Moulin Rouge!'s run. Fatboy Slim's "Because We Can", a manic, high energy electronic piece, was probably most commonly heard in spin classes around the nation, but did have some radio play.

The song that really broke out was "Lady Marmalade", performed by P!nk, Lil' Kim, Christina Aguilera, and Mya. "Lady Marmalade" became the song of the summer.

A second volume of music was released in early 2002, nearly a year after the first. While Moulin Rouge! Vol. 2 did not do as well as the first soundtrack, it featured remixes, instrumentals, and music from the film that had not been included in the original movie.

George R. R. Martin's "Game of Thrones" on HBO

HBO has seen success from adaptations before. True Blood, adapted from Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse novels, has received rave reviews as well as a loyal fan base.

The popular fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin has its own rabid fan following. For quite some time, these fans have demanded some sort of visual medium for their loyalty. Considering the depth of the books, a television series is best. And, considering the high levels of blood and violence, only HBO can deliver.

And, deliver it shall.

The series is named after the first book, Game of Thrones. The pilot has been in the can since last year. However, after some new casting, it looks as though the pilot is ready for a reshoot. HBO has ordered an additional nine episodes to premiere next spring.

During True Blood, HBO premiered a teaser trailer for the series. While the trailer leaves something to be desired, it's still something to look forward to.

Trailer of the Week: Watchmen

Before Muse was bundled into the Twilight phenomenon, they were still making great music. In the Watchmen trailer, the song "Take a Bow" was featured from the album Black Holes and Revelations.

"Uprising", from the album The Resistance, was featured in the TV spot for Night and Day.

Muse is a progressive rock band from the UK. They have appeared on all three Twilight soundtracks.

Comic-Con schedule announced

The 2010 San Diego Comic-Con has announced its schedule.

Thursday morning, composer Danny Elfman will discuss his 25-year collaboration with Tim Burton. Elfman has a long list of soundtracks under his belt, including Beetlejuice, Batman, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. If you thought Tim Burton's movies were eerie, they wouldn't be nearly as chilling without the music.

Another big event on Thursday is the Entertainment Weekly sponsored discussion with J.J. Abrams and Joss Whedon. The two visionaries will discuss how technology, gaming, and the global culture have changed the way we consume stories. Joss Whedon is the mind behind Firefly and Buffy the Vampire Slayer while J.J. Abrams is behind Lost, Cloverfield, and the upcoming Super 8. See the trailer below.

Glee dominates Emmy nominations

"Glee" has picked up 19 Emmy noms, including Best Comedy Series, Best Actor in a Comedy Series for Matthew Morrison, and Best Actress in a Comedy Series for Lea Michele.

"30 Rock" has won the category the last three years and is nominated again this year. Another big contender in the comedy category is "Modern Family". We'll see if "Glee" or "Modern Family" can knock out the reigning champ.

"Saturday Night Live" was nominated for 12 Emmys this season and has

now surpassed "ER" as the most nominated show. "SNL" has been nominated for 126 Emmys in its 35 year run.

While the late night talk show battle has cooled, the Emmys have given Conan O'Brien's "Tonight Show" received a nomination for Best Variety, Music, or Comedy Series. Jay Leno and David Lettermen were left out of the category.

Here's the full list.

Soundtrack of the Week: Hocus Pocus

Hocus Pocus came out in 1993, a live-action Disney movie about three witches from colonial Salem returned to life in modern New England. Max Denison, the new kid from California, must defeat the witches before they suck the youth from all the children in town, including his eight-year-old sister.

Hocus Pocus gets some play every Halloween, mostly on the Disney Channel, but the real gold lies in the soundtrack.

Composed by John Debney, this elusive score was only released promotionally. If you want to find one, the best you can do is eBay. Soundtrack.net values the soundtrack at $225. You can also listen to samples from the soundtrack on their website.

If you do mosey on over to take a listen, you might find the music familiar even if you've never seen the movie. The main titles for Hocus Pocus crop up almost once a year in trailers.

The list includes Nanny McPhee, and Night at the Museum. Though the soundtrack is hard to find, it is a great add to any fan of the genre.

Casting News: Virginia Madsen and Elisabeth Rohm

Virginia Madsen has joined the cast of Red Riding Hood as Amanda Seyfried's mother. Seyfried plays Red.

The movie is re-imagining of the classic children's story. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke of Twilight fame, Seyfried plays a girl in a medieval village being terrorized by a werewolf.

Speaking of werewolves, Taylor Lautner has a mother for his new project.

Abduction. A youth discovers the people raising him are not his real parents after all, causing him to run for his life.

Elisabeth Rohm is known from "Heroes" and "Law & Order".

Trailer of the Week: Showtime

Showtime has been on a role. Shows like Dexter and The Tudors have attracted major followings, even amongst the population that does not have the channel. Their line-up also includes the acclaimed Weeds and Tracy Ullman's most recent project, State of the Union.

The music featured in this promo is from Apparat. The track is called "Hailin' from the Edge".

Apparat is a German electronic musician who started on the club scene and worked his way into ambient beats.

Though I haven't seen any other trailers using Apparat's sound, the sound does well in establishing a tone. Keep an eye out for more trailers featuring Apparat.

The new Soundtrack Channel

Say hello to the new Soundtrack Channel.

New Sound Media has announced the acquisition of the Soundtrack Channel. The new owners plan on expanding the Soundtrack Channel's offerings while still giving viewers access to the movie music they love.

Over the Fourth of July weekend, Soundtrack Channel will broadcast the best of South by Southwest for the last four years.

SXWS is an annual festival in Austin, TX that celebrates music and film. The festival unites original music and independent films with emerging technologies.

Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher

Every year, Meryl Streep does two movies. One for fun; one for Oscar.

This year seems to be no exception as Streep pursues the roll of Margaret Thatcher. Portraying a real-life individual is almost a sure way to be nominated.

The new biopic Thatcher is being developed by Pathe and BBC Films. Margarat Thatcher served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990. She was also the leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990, the only woman to hold both positions.

The film would focus on the two month Falklands War, after which Thatcher's approval rating doubled.

Jim Broadbent is rumored to be in talks as Thatcher's husband, Denis.

Meryl Streep is a wonderful actor, portraying a wide variety of roles. Her appearance as Julia Child shows her dedication when portraying characters based on real people.