Channel Surfing: TBS Axes My Boys, John Schneider to Wisteria Lane, Top Chef: Just Desserts, Terra Nova, and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

It's official: TBS has cancelled comedy My Boys after four seasons. News comes after series stars Jordana Spiro and Kyle Howard had to withdraw from pilots that had been ordered to series due to their first position on the TBS comedy, whose days many suspected were already numbered. According to Variety's Jon Weisman, roughly 14 months passed between the end of the third season and the beginning of the fourth season, which kicked off in July. One cast member--Jim Gaffigan--left between the seasons. Spiro's role on Love Bites was eliminated when she was unavailable as the show under went some retooling. (Variety)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that John Schneider (Smallville) has been cast in a multiple-episode story arc on ABC's Desperate Housewives this season, where he will play the father to Brian Austin Green's Keith, the new handyman/contractor overseeing the remodeling of the home of Marcia Cross' Bree. Schneider will make his first appearance in Season Seven's seventh episode. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

TVGuide.com's Gina DiNunno has an interview with Top Chef: Just Desserts host/judge Gail Simmons about the culinary competition series launching tonight (after the season finale of Top Chef). "Pastry chefs are so precise and so exacting [that] it really does come out in their personalities," said Simmons. "And they're artists, so with that comes a lot of drama. ... I mean, there's a lot of strategy and sabotage, and what's amazing is that desserts sort of lend themselves to that because they're so delicate and so fragile that you kind of have to guard them with your life or else it all could be lost." (TVGuide.com)

Entertainment Weekly's Lynette Rice has confirmed that Stephen Lang (Avatar)--reported by Deadline to be in talks to join the cast of FOX's Terra Nova--is indeed in talks to do just that. Lang would star opposite Jason O'Mara and Allison Miller in the project, which recounts the adventures of a family from the future who travels back to prehistoric times as part of a project to save the human race. Lang would play "the merciless leader of a prehistoric settlement." Series is slated to launch in fall 2011 after a sneak peek next May. (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

All is not well behind the scenes on Terra Nova, however. Executive producer David Fury--known for his work on 24 and in the Whedonverse--has exited the project, citing "creative differences." Fury had been serving as co-showrunner on the FOX project, alongside Brannon Braga, who will now become the series' sole showrunner. (Variety)

SPOILER! TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck talks to Bones star Michaela Conlin about just what she and Hodgins will be bringing back from Paris when the series returns on September 23rd. "Angela's pregnant!" said Conlin. "I have to be honest, at first I was a little hesitant. To marry this wild child off and get her pregnant had me worried that this would limit her, story-wise. But I now feel, getting in to the sixth season, it's going to be interesting to see her try to fit her wild life into this maternal situation." Look for Angela's pregnancy to have a major effect on Brennan meanwhile. (TV Guide Magazine)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Rachael Taylor (Transformers) has been cast in a multiple-episode story arc on ABC's Grey's Anatomy this season. "Taylor’s character is still being conceived—she’s not scheduled to debut until midseason—but a Grey’s insider confirms that she will be playing a (surprise!) doctor," writes Ausiello. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

MTV has ordered two scripted pilots: That Girl, a coming of age comedy about "a 15-year-old misfit who suddenly becomes the center of attention after the kids in school mistakingly believe she tried to commit suicide," from creator Lauren Iungerich; and horror comedy Death Valley, about a division of the LAPD that focuses on supernatural threats, from executive producers Austin Reading, Jilie Kellman Reading, Eric Weinberg, and Tim Healy. (Variety)

E! Online's Megan Masters has an exclusive first look at the tenth and final season of the CW's Smallville, which kicks off on September 24th. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

ABC is developing an untitled drama pilot about the vice president of the United States and his female chief of staff with writers/executive producers Sheldon Turner and Shaun Cassidy attached. "The drama, which comes with a strong dose of comedy, focuses on the underdog nature of the veep's team -- call it the political equivalent of Glee," writes Variety's Michael Schneider. "Untitled hour is less about politics and more about office dynamics, including a budding romance between the chief of staff and the veepee's son." (Variety)

Dylan Baker, Matthew Lillard, Amy Irving, and Jennifer Grey are all set to guest star on Season Seven of FOX's House, which kicks off on Monday evening. (Hollywood Reporter)

In other FOX casting news, Jamie Hector (The Wire, Heroes) will guest star in the third season premiere of Lie to Me, where he will play a character involved in a major bank heist. (Hollywood Reporter)

TNT is said to have renewed medical drama Hawthorne for a ten-episode third season, according to Deadline's Nellie Andreeva. Official word of the pickup will apparently come today. (Deadline)

Denise Richards has been cast in Season Two of Spike's Blue Mountain State, where she will play "the coach's contentious and meddling ex-wife Debra who adds to his troubles as he must deliver a winning season." (Hollywood Reporter)

BBC Two has renewed comedy Rev, created by and starring Tom Hollander, from Simon Pegg and Nira Park's Big Talk Prods. Series revolves around an inner city priest and is set to return for a second season in Fall of 2011, while the US cable networks are said to be sniffing around a potential American remake. (Deadline)

In other UK-centric news, Comedy Central has given a pilot order to a US remake of BBC Two's Time Trumpet, created by Armando Iannucci, which offers a take on the current news from the perspective of the future. Should it be ordered to series, the format would likely launch in late 2011 or 2012. (Hollywood Reporter)

Syfy has promoted three executives: Tim Krubsack has been upped to senior VP of alternative programming, Lucia Gervino to senior VP of production, and Erika Kennair will now serve as VP of original programming and development. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Javier Bardem Finds Glee, Brian Austin Green Circles Wisteria Lane, Amy Madigan Snares Fringe, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing. To those of you who celebrated the Fourth of July, welcome back to work after a long weekend. (Sigh.)

Javier Bardem (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) will guest star next season on FOX's Glee, according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello (and Dave Karger), who reports that the Academy Award-winning actor will appear as "a rock star who befriends Artie (Kevin McHale)." In fact, it was Bardem who approached Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy about dropping by the 20th Century Fox Television-produced musical-comedy when they worked together on Eat Pray Love. “We’re going to rock the house,” Bardem told Entertainment Weekly. “We’re going to do some heavy metal — Spanish heavy metal, which is the worst." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck writes that Brian Austin Green (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) is weighing a potential role on ABC's Desperate Housewives, according to sources close to the situation. Green would play Keith, described as "a single playboy who makes the women's jaws drop." Allegedly cast for next season: Lainie Kazan (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), who will play Maxine, a neighbor who befriends Susan and Mike in their new digs. (TV Guide Magazine)

SPOILER! Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Amy Madigan (Grey's Anatomy) has been cast in approximately four episodes of FOX's Fringe, where she will play the mother of Anna Torv's Olivia Dunham. Citing unnamed sources, Ausiello reports that Madigan will make her first appearance in the third season premiere, where Torv's Olivia will come face to face with her dead mother's alternate universe counterpart. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Making it the least kept secret in Hollywood: Reid Scott (My Boys) has joined the cast of Showtime's The Big C. The actor, who appeared in the revised pilot for the Laura Linney-led dark comedy, will play Cathy's oncologist Dr. Todd. So how was Scott able to take on another role while Jordana Spiro and Kyle Howard had to pull out of their respective network projects? "Scott is doing The Big C with TBS' blessing," writes Deadline's Nellie Andreeva. "What also helped him do the series while still under contract on My Boys is that his role on The Big C is technically recurring. Additionally, the smaller size of The Big C's order - 13 episodes - and its production schedule - it is now filming for an Aug. 16 premiere - would make Scott available in the unlikely event that My Boys is renewed for another season." (Deadline)

Sean Young is sticking around on The Young and the Restless, after all. Entertainment Weekly's Lynette Rice is reporting that Young, who appeared in five episodes of the CBS daytime soap, will return to the series on July 14th and remain on board Y&R through August. Young's attachment comes on the heels of a slew of celebrities recurring on soaps this year, including James Franco, Julianne Moore, Michael Nouri, and Vanessa Marcil, as well as David Hasselhoff and Eric Roberts. (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

So much for that Eastwick finale. The Futon Critic is reporting that ABC has scuttered plans to air the final two unaired installments of supernatural drama Eastwick, instead using the Saturday timeslot to air repeats of the second episodes of both Scoundrels and The Gates on July 10th. (Futon Critic)

E! Online's Megan Masters talks to 90210 star Tristan Wilds about the finale that never was. I hope that nobody was upset," Wilds told Masters. "I just think it left some more for the next season so you guys can tune in and watch.... Some of you guys were upset, but you'll get to see what happens next season. You know, we gotta keep the fans thirsty." As for the departure of Rob Estes from the CW drama's cast, Wild said that the change of focus will shine a light on another element of society. You'll see another part of American culture. It's the plight of the single mom," said the former Wire star. "You get to see what she goes through and how she copes with dealing with two kids and still trying to find a job and keep a house et cetera, et cetera. It'll be a very different dynamic, but it's still very, very true to life." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Chiwetel Ejiofor (Endgame), Christopher Eccleston (Doctor Who), Sir Antony Sher (The Wolfman) and Stephen Rea (The Crying Game) have been cast in BBC Two's noir thriller The Shadow Line, from writer/director Hugo Blick (Sensitive Skin). Here's how Auntie Beeb is positioning the six-hour drama: "From the cop with a bullet in his brain, whose amnesia leaves him doubtful of his own moral compass; to the drug-lord driven by a profound personal tragedy, risking it all on one last deal; to the brilliantly lethal puppet-master who gradually emerges from the shadows to bring the story to its shocking climax – The Shadow Line explores the morality of these characters as they negotiate the repercussions of [drug baron Harvey] Wratten's death and attempt to navigate the fine line between right and wrong." (BBC)

In other BBC-related news, BBC Worldwide is set to launch more television channels within the US to complement BBC America, reports Variety's Steve Clarke. [Editor: While no details were given about the potential new digital offerings, one can't help but remember that the division wanted to spin off its BBC World News into a 24-hour news network and allow BBC America to focus solely on entertainment. Whether that is still part of the plan remains to be seen.] (Variety)

Comedy Central's Ugly Americans and Secret Girlfriend are heading across the pond to Fiver. (Variety)

Season Four of Hannah Montana--subtitled Hannah Montana Forever--will feature a slew of guest stars including Sheryl Crowe, Iyaz, Ray Liotta, Christine Taylor, Dr. Phil McGraw, Jay Leno, and Kelly Ripa. The final season begins July 11th. (Hollywood Reporter)

Disney Channel has slated telepic Den Brother, about a teenage hockey star who is suspended from play and then must step in as substitute leader for his younger brother's scout troup, for an August 13th debut, though the film will be available via Disney Channel on Demand beginning August 6th. Project is written by Jim Krieg (with story by Mike Horowitz) and directed by Mark Taylor. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Dexter Lures Miller, Jordana Spiro Out at Love Bites, Greenblatt Exits Showtime, Gene Hunt, and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

Showtime's Dexter is on a casting role. Variety's Stuart Levine is reporting that Jonny Lee Miller (Eli Stone) is the latest to board the serial killer drama, signing on to appear in a multiple-episode story arc on Season Five of Dexter. Miller will play "a mysterious man who ends up tangled in a storyline with Julia Stiles, who is beginning her first season on the skein." (Variety)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Jordana Spiro has exited NBC's midseason romantic anthology series Love Bites. Spiro's participation in the series was always in second position to her role on TBS comedy My Boys, which returns for its fourth season next month. "Although the odds appear slim that TBS will renew the show for a fifth season (season 4 premieres July 25), it was a risk NBC apparently wasn’t willing to take," writes Ausiello. "It’s unclear if her role will be recast." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Elsewhere, E! Online's Jenna Mullins has an interview with Spiro about Season Four of My Boys. "PJ has to deal with moving on to the next level with her relationship. She and Bobby start living together," said Spiro. "When you start getting a little too comfortable with your significant other, the new video game becomes more exciting than the new piece of lingerie." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

In surprising news, Robert Greenblatt has stepped down from his role as Showtime Networks president after a seven-year run and will be succeeded by former Imagine TV partner David Nevins. "Though the executive shuffle came down just this week, sources portrayed Greenblatt's decision as a long time in the making," writes The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd. "It's unclear if the network's corporate communications chief, Richard Licata, who's worked with Greenblatt for 16 years, will opt to continue at the network in the wake of the entertainment president's departure." (Variety, Hollywood Reporter)

Could the Beeb be resurrecting Philip Glenister's Gene Hunt once more? According to The Daily Mirror, the BBC is contemplating whether to develop a new series that would be set in the present day and revolve around Glenister's fiery Gene Hunt character from Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes. No word on whether the rumors are in fact true or just that: rumors. [Editor: personally, I thought given the perfection of the ending of Ashes to Ashes, that Gene's storyline was nicely tied up. But...] (via Digital Spy)

Vulture's Emma Barker has a speed round with Party Down and Parks and Recreation star Adam Scott in which he discusses everything from prosthetic penises (cough, Tell Me You love Me, cough) to Matthew McConaughey-esque catch phrases, all in his inimitable style. (Vulture)

Digital Spy's Catriona Wightman is reporting that Doctor Who head writer/executive producer Steven Moffat has asked Russell T Davies to pen an upcoming episode of Doctor Who. But will it happen? "He's pretty adamant that he's not going to," said Moffat. "He did an awful lot of Doctor Who for an awful lot of years, and I think he's finding it in a way hard, because he's done a Doctor Who story in effect for Sarah Jane Adventures. So I think he probably wants to get away from it for a bit. I can understand that, because he did a hell of a lot. But I'd love to get him back, it would be just joyous to get him back because I miss him." (Digital Spy)

No surprise: Andy Richter will be making the move with Conan O'Brien to TBS this fall. "I'm doing the TBS Conan show because I went back to work for Conan on The Tonight Show," Richter told Variety's Michael Schneider. "But that story ended unnaturally... I didn't want them to end that story of me and Conan getting back together. I had come back to work with a friend." (Variety)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello talks to Weeds star Mary-Louise Parker about the departure of Elizabeth Perkins from the cast of the Showtime dark comedy series when it returns for its sixth season on August 16th. "It's really sad -- really said," Parker told Ausiello. "I just can’t think of a single negative thing to say about Elizabeth Perkins. I’m sure there are many because she’s a human being, but I worked with her for [five] years and she was a wonderful person in the morning and she was a wonderful person when you worked an 18-hour day." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Rob Lowe (Parks and Recreation) has teamed up with reality shingle 44 Blue to produce a new unscripted series that is set in Washington, D.C. and which will focus on "real-life aspiring politicos as they look to move up the ranks of power in the nation's capital." (Variety)

TLC has ordered eight episodes of an untitled reality competition series spinning off of its successful Cake Boss franchise in which ten aspiring cake makers will compete for an apprenticeship at Carlo's Bakery. Production on the series, from High Noon Entertainment, is slated to begin in September. (via press release)

VH1 has ordered a pilot for Office Bonus, in which "office workers battle for a $50,000 bonus" as they are locked in their workplace for 72 hours and must convince their co-workers to give them the cash bonus. Project, from 3 Ball, is executive produced by JD Roth, Todd Nelson, and Adam Greener. (Hollywood Reporter)

A&E has given an pilot order to unscripted series The Incurables, which will focus on British self-help guru Paul McKenna as he attempts to help people with severe psychological or physical problems. Project, from Ryan Seacrest Productions and McKenna Media, will be executive produced by Ryan Seacrest, McKenna, and Sam Mettler. (Variety)

TV Land is developing an untitled docusoap that will revolve around George Hamilton, his adult son Ashley, and his ten-year-old son George, as they move in together in Los Angeles. (Hollywood Reporter)

Turner Broadcasting has promoted two publicity executives, bumping Jeff Matteson to SVP/strategic communications officer and Misty Skedgell to SVP of corporate communications. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Natalie Morales Joins "Parks and Recreation," Jane Espenson to Write "Game of Thrones" Script, FOX Close to Coco Deal, and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

Former White Collar co-star (and The Middleman star) Natalie Morales has landed a recurring role on NBC's Parks and Recreation, according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. Morales has signed on to Parks for a multiple-episode story arc in which she will play Lucy, described as "a smart and funny busgirl at a local Pawnee bar." [Editor: Hollywood Reporter's Nellie Andreeva, meanwhile, indicates that Morales will be appearing "in at least two episodes," the same ones that are set to feature guest stars Rob Lowe and Adam Scott.] (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files, Hollywood Reporter)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan is reporting that Caprica executive producer Jane Espenson--who previously wrote for Battlestar Galactica and Buffy the Vampire Slayer--will write a script for HBO's upcoming fantasy drama series Game of Thrones, based on the George R.R. Martin novel series. According to Ryan--and confirmed by HBO--Espenson will write the sixth episode of Games' first season as a freelancer. She'll be joined by script coordinator Bryan Cogman, who is writing the fourth episode, and Martin himself. The other episodes will be scripted by executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Los Angeles Times' Meg James is reporting that FOX is thisclose to finalizing a deal with Conan O'Brien that would restore the former Tonight Show host to latenight this fall or in January, should the deal close. "Key Fox executives, including Rupert Murdoch, are on board with the plan and would like to finalize a deal in coming weeks so they can make a splash on May 17 when the network unveils its fall lineup," writes James. "Several significant issues remain and the Fox talks could fall apart, according to people close to the negotiations who asked anonymity because the discussions were meant to be private." (Los Angeles Times)

Screenrant is reporting that James Marsters (Caprica) has been cast in CBS' drama pilot Hawaii Five-O, citing a report on Marsters' official Facebook page. Marsters is said to be guest starring in the drama pilot, where he will play Victor Hesse, the nemesis of Alex O'Loughlin's Jack McGarrett, who is described as "an international arms dealer and human trafficker." (Screenrant)

Cabler Syfy unveiled its slate of new and returning series yesterday at an upfront held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and announced a new Thursday night reality programming block comprised of Paranormal Investigators and Mary Knows Best, a docusoap about a psychic and her Italian-American brood, both of which will launch on July 15th. Other pickups include Ghost Hunters Academy and Beast Legends, while the network also has additional seasons of Warehouse 13, Eureka, Stargate Universe, Sanctuary, Ghost Hunters, and Destination Truth, as well as additional episodes of Caprica. New scripted series include Haven and the US version of Being Human. (Variety)

Syfy also unveiled a slew of other reality programming, including Marcel's Quantum Kitchen, Force of Nature, The Latimer Project, Mr. Impossible, Paranormal Files, Face Off, The Dome Experiment, and an untitled artifact search series. (via press release)

Tom Selleck (Magnum P.I.) is said to be close to signing a deal that will have him star in CBS' untitled Burgess/Green cop drama pilot (formerly known as Reagan's Law) opposite Donnie Wahlberg and Len Cariou. Selleck would play Michael, described as "the handsome, confident and highly commended chief of police for the NYPD who lives in Brooklyn with his father, Patrick (Cariou), the ex-chief who struggles to find a balance between the political demands of the mayor's office and doing right by his fellow cops." (Hollywood Reporter)

Pilot casting roundup: Goran Visnjic (ER) is in talks to star opposite Katee Sackhoff and the newly cast Nia Long (Big Shots) in ABC drama pilot Boston's Finest; Dougray Scott (Desperate Housewives) and Molly Parker (Swingtown) will star in CBS drama presentation Quinn-Tuplets; Josh Henderson (Desperate Housewives) has landed the lead in CW supernatural drama pilot Betwixt; Randall Park (Dinner for Schmucks) has joined the cast of FOX comedy pilot Tax Man; and Omid Abtahi (Sleeper Cell) has been cast in FOX drama pilot Pleading Guilty. (Hollywood Reporter)

Production resumed again yesterday on CBS' Two and a Half Men, following the shutdown necessitated by star Charlie Sheen's rehab treatment. Warner Bros. Television has yet to comment on reports that the the studio and network had opted to reduce the number of episodes this season. (Variety)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Michaela McManus (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) has joined the cast of CW's drama pilot Nomads, which revolves around a group of CIA trainees who pose as backpackers. McManus will play "a brave and resourceful Army Brat determined to earn a place in the CIA" who finds herself caught between attractions to her handler (Warren Kole) and another agent (Scott Porter). (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Nascent pay cabler Epix has signed a deal for Larry Charles to oversee the script for comedy pilot Icon, which will be written by Dan Lyons and is described as a "savage satire centering on a fictional Silicon Valley CEO whose ego is a study in power and greed." Charles will also direct the pilot. (Variety)

Marco Sanchez (Dollhouse) is set to recur on CBS' NCIS, where he will play Alejandro Rivera, an agent with the Justice Department in Mexico who is in Washington to assist in the creation of an international law enforcement task force. (Hollywood Reporter)

TV Land has concluded a deal to have Betty White star in ten-episode scripted comedy Hot in Cleveland, which will launch in June. White will play Elka Ostrovsky, described as the "property caretaker of the home that co-stars Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves and Wendie Malick rent after their plane makes an emergency landing in Cleveland and they decide to stay. Series is written by Suzanne Martin (Frasier) and executive produced produced by Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner. (via press release)

Zap2It's Korbi Ghosh is reporting that Rachael Harris has joined the cast of TBS' My Boys for its fourth season, set to launch on Sunday, July 25th. Harris will play Marcia, a love interest for Jamie Kaler's Mike. Meanwhile, Jim Gaffigan will leave the comedy series in order to concentrate on his stand-up career. "His character will be written out with a move overseas, which of course leaves the door open for Mike to masquerade as a grown man who owns his own four-bedroom pad," writes Ghosh. "But apparently this Marcia chick digs that kind of trickery, because she seems to be sticking around." (Zap2It's Korbi TV)

TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck is reporting that Gregory Itzin will reprise his role as ex-President Charles Logan in the April 12th episode of FOX's 24, when he will advise Cherry Jones' Allison Taylor about her crumbling peace-treaty talks. "I have an old relationship with the Russians, so [her chief of staff] Ethan brings me in against her better judgment," Itzin told Keck. "She’s not pleased to have to deal with this character." (TV Guide Magazine)

Tracy Morgan (30 Rock) will return as host of Syfy's Scare Tactics, which has been renewed for a fourth season that will debut this fall. (Hollywood Reporter)

Hallmark Channel has expanded its deal with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, which will now provide the cabler with a seven-hour programming block beginning Monday, March 29th. (Variety)

MTV has ordered twenty episodes of unscripted series MTV Hired, which will follow recent college graduates as they struggle to find employment in the current economy. Series, executive produced by Jessica Chesler, Sam Simmons, Noah Scheinmann, Matt Westmore, Marshall Eisen and Dave Sirulnick, will air on weekday afternoons along with Silent Library, which the cabler picked up for a third season. (Variety)

FOX has ordered a third season of Gordon Ramsay-led reality show Kitchen Nightmares. (via press release)

Daytime talk show The Wendy Williams Show has been renewed in 80 percent of the country and through the 2011-12 season in FOX owned-and-operated stations in the top markets. (Variety)

NBC has announced that its upcoming reality series Losing It with Jillian, featuring The Biggest Loser's Jullian Michaels, will launch on Tuesday, June 1st at 10 pm ET/PT before setting into its regular timeslot of Tuesdays at 8 pm ET/PT on June 8th. (via press release)

Former FOX executive Susan Levison has been hired as EVP of creative affairs at Fishbowl Worldwide Media, where she will oversee development for film, television, and digital. (Variety)

Elsewhere, former TV Guide Network development executive Kristin Peace has been hired as SVP of creative affairs at Trifecta Entertainment. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: FX Cancels "The Riches," "Pushing Daisies," Ratings Dim for "Friday Night Lights," "Ashes to Ashes," and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing. While everyone is buzzing about last night's presidential debate, there are more than a few television-related news tidbits to discuss as well.

Following several months of discussions, FX has confirmed that it will not be renewing drama series The Riches for a third season, due to falling ratings for the drama. In its second season, which was shortened to seven episodes due to the writers strike, viewers dropped 44 percent in the key 18-49 demo. The move is hardly a surprise: showrunner Dmitry Lipkin is currently working on his HBO pilot project Hung and I had assumed for a while now that The Riches would sadly not be returning to the cabler. (Variety)

TV Guide talks to Pushing Daisies star Lee Pace about what to expect for Season Two, a certain game of "slap jack" between Ned and Chuck that never made it to the screen, and the Pie Maker's family. (TV Guide)

Sadly, there might not have been a new episode of Fringe last night but you can still get some hints about The Pattern and what's going on with Walter, Olivia, and Peter in this handy video from Fringe's executive producers Alex Kurtzman, Jeff Pinkner, and Roberto Orci. (FOX)

Only 400,000 viewers tuned in to watch the third season opener of Friday Night Lights, which debuted on DirecTV's The 101; series will run exclusively on the satellite provider for four months before launching its third season on NBC in February. Granted, DirecTV only counts 17.1 million subscribers overall but that's still extremely low, as Friday Night Lights only ranked in 7th place among all basic cable programs available to its subscribers. (New York Times)

Writer/executive producer David E. Kelley and Warner Bros. are shopping a spec script for a new one-hour legal drama. CBS and NBC said to be extremely interesting in picking up the project, which is expected to land a significant commitment. (Hollywood Reporter)

Fire up the Quattro. Filming has begun on Season Two of BBC One's Life on Mars spinoff sequel Ashes to Ashes, which stars Keeley Hawes, Philip Glenister, Dean Andrews, Marshall Lancaster, and Montserrat Lombard. In the second season, Alex (Hawes) will discover that she may not be the only one in 1982 in her, uh, predicament. (BBC)

TBS has renewed comedy My Boys for a third season, with nine episodes set to air in early 2009. (Variety)

HBO has cast Bryan Greenberg (October Road) and Victor Rasuk (Stop-Loss) as the leads of its single-camera comedy pilot How to Make It in America, from writer Ian Edelman and executive producers Stephen Levinson and Mark Wahlberg. Project revolves around two twenty-something NYC hustlers who are determined to grab a slice of the American dream. Julian Farino (The Office) will direct the pilot. (Hollywood Reporter)

Jack Kenny (Book of Daniel) has joined the staff of Sci Fi's upcoming drama series Warehouse 13 as showrunner/executive producer, a move that reunites Kenny with his former Book of Daniel colleague David Simkins. Warehouse 13, which stars Eddie McClintock, Joanne Kelly, and Saul Rubinek, is set to launch in July 2009. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

"Boys" of Summer: TBS Orders Additional Episodes of Freshman Comedy

Looks like PJ will be hanging with her boys for some time to come.

Basic cabler TBS has ordered nine additional episodes of its freshman comedy My Boys, the network's first original series.

Series, from Sony Pictures Television and creator Betsy Thomas, will resume production after the New Year and the newly ordered episodes will air sometime during summer 2007.

The back nine order bumps My Boys' episode count to 22 episodes.

News comes as the original 13-episode order for My Boys wraps next week, with TBS scheduling no less than five original episodes just after Christmas Day. The series' ninth and tenth episodes will air back-to-back on Tuesday, December 26th at 10 pm ET/PT, with episodes 11 and 12 popping up on December 27th from 10-11 pm ET/PT, and the final episode will air the following night (that would be December 28th) at 10 pm.

For the uninitiated, My Boys follows the travails on tomboy PJ Franklin (Jordana Spiro), a sportswriter looking for romance, but she discovers that just being one of the guys has its downfalls: namely preventing her from achieving an actual love life. Series costars Jim Gaffigan (Ed) as PJ's married brother, Kyle Howard (Related, Grosse Point) as the object of PJ's affections, Reid Scott (American Dreams) as her best friend, Kellee Stewart (Guess Who?) as her only female friend, and Michael Bunin (Scrubs) and Jamie Kaler (The Family Stone).