TV/STREAMING . . .

Grey's Anatomy cut a potential love interest for Meredith after a casting leak. Love has always been tricky for Meredith Grey. Even when McDreamy was alive and well, their relationship had its ups and downs. But after Derek died in season 11, love became even more complicated for the widow. And before she learned to love again with DeLuca in season 15, Meredith almost had another man in her life. According to Grey's Anatomy executive producer Krista Vernoff, they were looking to cast a potential love interest for the titular character in season 14. At least until the word got out. "[TVLine's] Michael Ausiello found out that we were casting a European scientist as a potential love interest for Meredith [Ellen Pompeo]," Vernoff tells EW. "When that got leaked, I went into the writers' room and said, 'That's not interesting to me anymore. What else could this character be?'" Just like that, Meredith's new man disappeared and was replaced with ... Marie Cerone? "That character became Marie Cerone [Rachel Ticotin], the old friend of Meredith's mom [Kate Burton]," Vernoff says. "It was a much more interesting story than some temporary love interest. We changed it because we wanted to thwart expectations." In other words, Marie Cerone owes her existence to a spoiler. (Entertainment Weekly)

Khloe Kardashian Reveals I\f She Still Loves Tristan Thompson on KUWTK. Best friends through thick and thin. Malika Haqq embodied this notion on Sunday's all-new episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians. Not only did the 36-year-old twin pay bestie Khloe Kardashian a visit in Cleveland, but the Dash Dolls alum got the KUWTK star to open up about her rocky relationship with Tristan Thompson. After Kim Kardashian told Malika all about Khloe's psychic reading with a Bali-based medium, Haqq decided it was time to check in with her BFF. "Khloe has always been really good at a brave face, but it's also really important for me to know what's going on with her on the inside," Malika noted in a confessional. "I don't want there to be a massive elephant in the room that no one's addressing. I will be the person that she can open up to... even if she tells me to shut up, been there before." Even though Kardashian told Haqq that "everything's fine," Malika decided to address the topic once more. Of course, the Sky High actress was eager to give the Revenge Body star "an opportunity to speak her heart or go off." Instead of tiptoeing around the issue, Malika decided to ask Khloe point blank if she was happy. "Do you know that they say, 'Check in on your strong friend!'" Haqq relayed to the mother of one. "You're happy, right? You and Tristan are okay?" Understandably, this line of questioning had Kardashian on the defensive, noting that daughter True Thompson was her main priority. While Khloe acknowledged that "it's really hard to regain trust," she refused to let the relationship drama affect her maternal responsibilities. "Are you still in love?" Malika further pressed. "I am in love. I know I love him," the KUWTK star expressed. "But, still I'm not gonna act like nothing's wrong." Still, the Good American boss suggested Tristan was eager to move on from the betrayal. "He counts, 'It's been 7 months' and this," Khloe added. "I'm like, 'So it's been 7 months?' I'm allowed to do things when I want to do it." Although Kardashian felt that Tristan's actions almost "demolished" their 3-year-long relationship, she confessed he had pursued "self-help and therapy" -- an action she was "really grateful" for. "He knows that I'm still trying. I don't have to come here," Khloe continued. "That's a huge responsibility and a weight on my shoulders to come back and forth. And if I didn't feel anything I wouldn't be here." In fact, Khloe optimistically assured her best friend that her relationship would get to "the next phase." Nonetheless, the E! personality appreciated Malika's open ears and understanding attitude. "Malika is always really wonderful with how she checks in on me and she also knows how I am and I how I deal with things," Khloe shared with the KUWTK cameras. "I don't know, I've just always been someone that's like don't sit in your sorrow. It is what it is, so let's just face the facts and move on." Ultimately, Khloe ruled that her relationship was simply a "work in progress." (Eonline)

Discovery Acquires 'Killing Michael Jackson' Documentary (Exclusive). The new feature explores the circumstances around the music superstar's death, reuniting the three detectives who led the original investigation. Ten years after the death of Michael Jackson, Discovery Networks International has picked up a documentary exploring the circumstances around the incident for a number of international territories. Killing Michael Jackson from U.K. TV banner Zig Zag Productions was acquired by the TV giant for its channels in Italy, Germany and the Nordics. Discovery will also launch the film on its Quest Red channel in the U.K. Elsewhere, the doc was also picked up by Polsat Television in Poland, TVNZ in New Zealand and Medialaan in Belgium. The hour-long film features the three U.S. detectives who led the original investigation into the controversial singer's death in 2009. Reunited onscreen for the first time since the trial of Doctor Conrad Murray who was subsequently jailed for the involuntary manslaughter of Jackson Orlando Martinez, Dan Myers and Scott Smith will re-examine the case a decade later and reveal to viewers the extraordinary detail of their investigation. The doc promises to show the detectives as they reopen their official Los Angeles Police Department case files and provide new revelations, fresh perspectives and exclusive audio-taped interviews with both Murray and witnesses. Killing Michael Jackson will also explore Jackson and Murray's co-dependent relationship and examine the extent of Murray's culpability over the death of the singer. It will also reveal in exhaustive detail the minutes running up to Jackson's death, his actual passing and the immediate aftermath through the eyes of the detectives and eyewitnesses who have never told their story on TV. "We are delighted that this documentary has been picked up in territories across the world," Matt Graff, managing director of Zig Zag Productions. "This film focuses on the intriguing circumstances surrounding Michael Jackson's death giving audiences a fascinating insight into the final moments of the pop star's life and the criminal process that lead to the arrest and conviction of Dr Conrad Murray." (Hollywood Reporter)

TV Ratings: NBA Finals Stay Low, Dominated Rerun-Filled Sunday. Early numbers for ABC's coverage of the game are off about 20 percent versus the second game of the 2018 series. Game 2 of the NBA Finals dominated Sunday's ratings, but like Thursday's opener, it was down significantly year to year. The Golden State Warriors' 109-104 win over the Toronto Raptors delivered a 10.2 household rating in overnight metered markets. That's up a tick from the 10.1 for the opening game Thursday but off about 20 percent from Game 2 in 2018 (12.7). Game 1 ended up with an audience of 13.31 million viewers, off 23 percent from the 2018 opener. Since Nielsen doesn't measure ratings in Canada for U.S. networks, ABC's numbers are likely to be down throughout the series. Canadian viewers are, however, tuning in. Game 1 of the series drew 3.5 million viewers in the country, a record for an NBA game. ABC had the night mostly to itself Sunday, as CBS, Fox and NBC all aired reruns in primetime. NBC's repeat of the America's Got Talent premiere led the non-sports offerings among adults 18-49 with a 0.6 rating. CBS had the most-watched show aside from the NBA game with 60 Minutes drawing 6.83 million viewers. The only original show on the other networks Sunday was Burden of Truth on The CW, which opened its second season with a 0.1 in adults 18-49 and a little under 500,000 viewers. ABC averaged a 3.4 rating among adults 18-49 in primetime, pending updates. That's more than the combined total for NBC (0.5), Univision (0.4), CBS (0.3), Fox (0.3), Telemundo (0.2) and The CW (0.1). (Hollywood Reporter)

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