Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.
Could Lost's Terry O'Quinn and Michael Emerson be headed back your televisions? If J.J. Abrams gets his way, they'll be reuniting for a drama project--tentatively entitled Odd Jobs--that Abrams, along with Josh Appelbaum and Andre Nemec, are pitching to the networks. Vulture's Josef Adalain is reporting that the drama, which will also contain a large amount of humor, revolves around "former black-ops agents." It's unknown whether the project is based on any part on the idea that Emerson and O'Quinn had floated a while back in which they'd play suburban hit men. But the fact that Abrams' Bad Robot--and possibly by association Warner Bros. Television--is behind Odd Jobs (or whatever it might eventually be called), is a good sign that the project will at least be picked up to pilot. (Vulture)
AOL Television's Maureen Ryan talks to Linda Hamilton about her role as Mary Elizabeth Bartowski on NBC's Chuck, where the former Terminator and Beauty and the Beast star says she wants to stick around as long as they'll have her. "Well, Mary Bartowski is the absentee mother of Chuck and Ellie and the most that I can really say about her is that ... she is not your ordinary homemaker," said Hamilton. "She comes back into Chuck's life with an agenda and you know, she is definitely a strong, forceful [woman] -- definitely a force to be reckoned with. It ain't all apologies and sentiment, that's for sure. She has her own agenda and it just kind of goes crazy from there. But we like crazy." (TV Squad)
Series lead Andy Whitfield has had to withdraw from Season Two of Starz's Spartacus due to a recurrence of cancer. "It's with a deep sense of disappointment that I must step aside from such an exceptional project as Spartacus‚ and all the wonderful people involved," said Whitfield in a statement. "It seems that it is time for myself and my family to embark on another extraordinary journey. Thank you sincerely for the support so far," said Whitfield. No immediate decision has been made about the fate of the series, which delayed production on the second season and instead shot a prequel series (Spartacus: Gods of the Arena)--set to air in January--in order to allow Whitfield the opportunity to undergo treatment. "Right now, we just want to extend our concern and support to Andy and his family," said Carmi Zlotnik, Managing Director, Starz Media, in the same press release. "We will address our programming plans at some later date." (Variety, Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)
NBC's Community is planning a stop-motion animated Christmas episode in the spirit of those classic Rankin/Bass specials like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. [Editor: I actually talked to Community creator Dan Harmon and the cast when I was on set last week.] The episode, written by Harmon and Dino Stamatopoulos (who also plays Starburns), will feature the Greendale crew getting animated after Harmon floated the idea for such an episode in an interview over the summer. "It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do but, I never anticipated having the ability to do it,” said Harmon. But “Jeff Gaspin at NBC woke up one morning and thought Community should do an animated episode. I was like, ‘Well, that’s weird, because that’s the kind of stuff I’m usually suggesting and guys like him veto.’” (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
ABC is developing a drama series based on James Cameron's 1994 feature film True Lies, which the Avatar director will executive produce. The project, from 20th Century Fox Television and writer/showrunner Rene Echevarria, has a sizable penalty attached to it. (Variety)
Showtime is said to be close to giving a pilot order to Homeland from Fox21 that's based on Israeli drama format Prisoners of War from executive producers Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa of FOX's 24. In this iteration, the project will revolve around "a U.S. soldier who was presumed killed in Iraq 10 years ago" who "returns home, but questions arise as to whether he truly was a wartime POW or a member of a sleeper cell sent to cause the next terrorist attack," according to The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd, who has an interview with Gordon about the project, likely the first to be ordered by newly minted Showtime entertainment president David Nevins. And Ben Affleck is said to be in conversations to direct the pilot itself. (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed, Variety)
Peter Coyote (FlashForward) has joined the cast of NBC's Law & Order: Los Angeles, where he will recur as the district attorney. (Deadline)
TVGuide.com's Denise Martin talks to Lone Star's leading man, James Wolk, about the new FOX ddrama, which launches tonight. "He's a con man who wants to go straight," said Wolk about his character. "He wants to do the right thing. This isn't a guy who leaves one of his wives and then calls his buddy and says, 'Hey man, you're never gonna believe it. I got two chicks.' That's not this guy. This guy really loves these girls. He fully believes that he is madly in love with them. So, he thinks he's fighting for love. I think that is what can make him sympathetic. Yes, he's a sociopath, clearly screws loose. But, nonetheless, someone who thinks he's doing the right thing." (TVGuide.com)
ABC has given a pilot order to Pan Am, a period drama pilot based on the now-defunct Pam Am that will be set in the 1960s and focus on the flight attendants and pilots of the airline. Project, from Sony Pictures Television, will be written by Jack Orman and will be directed by Thomas Schlamme. (Variety)
Callie Thorne (Rescue Me) will play the lead in USA drama pilot Necessary Roughness, about a female psychologist who is hired by a pro football team as their therapist. "After succeeding beyond expectations, she is sought after by other athletes, musicians, politicians and those living in the spotlight who all want her unique brand of tough love therapy," writes Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. Thorne's casting lifts the contingency on the project, which was written by Elizabeth Kruger and Craig Shapiro. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
Elsewhere, Rachael Carpani (Cane) has booked the lead in Lifetime drama pilot Against the Wall, where she will play cop Abby Kowalski, who "causes a rift with her three cop brothers when she decides to join the department’s Internal Affairs division." Project, from Universal Cable Prods., is written by Annie Brunner and will be directed by Dean Parisot. (Deadline)
The Hollywood Reporter's Stacey Wilson has an interview with Outsourced executive producer Ken Kwapis in which he responds to allegations of racial stereotypes in the new NBC workplace comedy. "A third of the writing staff is of Indian descent," said Kwapis. "But any story about a culture clash is going to deal with stereotypes on some level. The real question is: Are we trying to perpetuate stereotypes? Absolutely not, we're trying to explore them. We're trying to humanize these characters. This is all about putting a human face on the voice at the other end of the phone line. What frustrates me most is when I hear people who are angry about outsourcing and they hang the problem on the call-center workers themselves. As if the Indian call-center worker has the power to decide to bring jobs there! My hope is that for an audience, the show will allow you to basically go around the world and meet someone who, lo and behold, is fundamentally no different from yourself." (Hollywood Reporter)
TNT has renewed Memphis Beat for a second season, with ten episodes on tap for 2011. (via press release)
Hayden Panettiere (Heroes) will play Amanda Knox in an upcoming Lifetime telepic based on the real-life murder case. (Variety)
More Doctor Who Adventure games are on the way. The Beeb has commissioned a second series of Doctor Who: The Adventure Games, the online series of Who-centric games that feature the voices of series stars Matt Smith and Karen Gillan. (Broadcast)
Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.
TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck is reporting that former Lost co-star Henry Ian Cusick has signed on for a multiple-episode story arc on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, where he will play Erik Weber, a graphic artist. Cusick is expected to appear in at least two episodes of the procedural drama and will cross paths with Mariska Hargitay's Detective Olivia Benson. "There might be some flirtation," executive producer Neal Baer told Keck. "Erik meets Olivia when he comes to someone's aid. And then we'll see how it goes. Olivia is devoted to her job and knows that comes first." (TV Guide Magazine)
It's official: Academy Award nominee David Strathairn will star in Syfy's 90-minute action pilot Alphas, according to a network press release. In the pilot, written by Zak Penn and Michael Karnow and directed by Jack Bender, Strathairn will play the "unconventional, eccentric Alphas team leader" Dr. Leigh Rosen. Here's what the press release had to say about his character: "Though he comes across as somewhat of an absent-minded professor at times, he is also a cunning and manipulative power-player willing to bend the rules in pursuit of his objectives and in support of his team." Production begins next month in Toronto. (via press release)
Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that Luke Grimes (Brothers & Sisters) and Haley Bennett (Marley & Me) have been cast opposite Mary Steenburgen in FX's Nashville-set crime drama pilot Outlaw Country, which will be directed by Michael Dinner. Grimes will play Eli Larkin, described as "a half-cowboy, half-modern guy who tries to get out of the crime ridden life he has grown accustom to in order to help his siblings, however he finds out that it is much harder than he expected." Bennett will play Annabel Lee, described as "a gorgeous country singer who is living in the shadow of her overprotective mother (Steenburgen)." (Deadline)
SPOILER! Some Bones scoop for those of you deprived of the FOX procedural this summer, courtest of TVGuide.com's Mickey O'Connor and Adam Bryant. Asked about whether Booth and Brennan will be apart when Bones returns this fall, this is what the TVGuide.com editors had to say: "It's looking that way, particularly now that we know that Booth will meet his new love interest, a journalist, when she's embedded with his unit in Afghanistan. In a seemingly Grey's Anatomy-inspired Teddy-Owen-like twist, she'll follow Booth back to Washington, where they'll attempt to be together in the real world. And we all know how that goes. But don't blame Bones — she'll be nothing but supportive of the born-under-fire union." (TVGuide.com)
E! is getting into the dance business. The cabler has teamed up with Ryan Seacrest Productions to develop a pilot that will feature Lady Gaga choreographer Laurie Ann Gibson, along with a group of other choreographers and dancers, in Los Angeles. (Hollywood Reporter)
Torchwood fans, make sure you pick up a copy of the new Torchwood comic, which will make its debut at San Diego Comic-Con later this month. The first issue of the monthly will feature a story written by John Barrowman and will be available at the convention exclusively until it hits shelves on August 10th. (Digital Spy)
E1 has signed on to co-produce AMC drama pilot Hell on Wheels, which revolves around the "post-Civil War construction of the Transcontinental Railroad," with Endemol USA. Production on the pilot, written by Joe and Tony Gayton and directed by David Von Ancken, will begin in August in Alberta, Canada It's widely believed to be a lock for a series order. (Variety)
Recasting going on behind the scenes at NBC's upcoming comedy series Outsourced, where Aussie actress Pippa Black has stepped into the role of Tonya. Elsewhere, Maria Thayer has been upgraded to series regular on Cartoon Network's Eagleheart. (Hollywood Reporter)
Jane Kaczmarek (Raising the Bar) and Kim Dickens (Treme) have been cast in Lifetime telepic Reviving Ophelia, based on the nonfiction book by Mary Pipher, in which they'll play sisters who must help one another raise their teenage daughters. Project, written by Teena Booth and directed by Bobby Roth, will air later this year. (Variety)
Reveille is dipping its toes into the television animation business, signing a deal with Mechem Media to "create animated fare in the signature style of Hanna-Barbera." (Company is comprised of several former Hanna-Barbera executives.) First up is comedy The Gloomers, which will be pitched to networks in the next few weeks. (Hollywood Reporter)
FOX's animated comedy The Cleveland Show is heading into syndication and has locked up deals at Turner's TBS and Adult Swim, where the series will launch in fall 2013. (Broadcasting & Cable)
20th Century Fox Television has signed a talent holding deal with Wilmer Valderrama, under which he will star in and executive produce a new series project for the studio, reports Deadline's Nellie Andreeva. (Deadline)
More changes afoot at ITV Studios, where Lee Bartlett and Remy Blumenthal are stepping down from their posts following a reorganization that will see former Channel 4 director Kevin Lygo assume oversight of the studio. (Variety)
Elsewhere, former Universal Networks International executive Jon Farrar has been hired by BBC Worldwide Channels as VP, programming for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. (Variety)
Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.
The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd is reporting that Showtime has renewed Billie Piper-led dark comedy Secret Diary of a Call Girl for a fourth season, which would be the series' last. The series, which airs on ITV2 in the UK, is expected to return in early 2011 and the final season would likely focus on the relationship between Piper's Belle/Hannah and her best friend Ben (Iddo Goldberg). (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)
UPDATE: According to Showtime's press release, "Season Four, which will be comprised of eight, half-hour episodes, will follow Belle (Piper), an internationally successful author, torn between her career and her feelings for her best friend Ben (Iddo Goldberg). Additionally, Season Four will feature a storyline where the high-end London call girl visits New York City."
The Wrap's Hunter Walker has details on HBO's latest pilot, Tilda, the Diane Keaton-led comedy which may or may not be based on the life of notorious Hollywood blogger Nikki Finke. Walker cites one unnamed source, an executive, who describes the plot of the Bill Condon-scripted project as "a broken woman, alone in her apartment," while another maintains that the titular character doesn't have much of a resemblance to Finke. "A lawyer for the network said HBO's official stance on the show is that the Tilda character is a compilation of many Hollywood media personalities, rather than a straight-up caricature of Finke," writes Walker. "Right. And that guy Ari Gold on Entourage is a "compilation" of Hollywood agents." [Editor: I still need to read the pilot script, which is sitting on my hard drive here.] (The Wrap's The Box)
Missing NBC's Parks and Recreation and crushed that it won't be back on the air until midseason? You're not the only one. Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello recently visited the set of the NBC comedy series to talk about what's coming up for Season Three, their Emmy chances, and that decision to hold back the series rather than return it this fall. All this, delivered via three video interviews with the cast of the Universal Media Studios-produced comedy. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
ABC Family is developing espionage drama Shadows, about a secret Harvard-based program that recruits and trains young spies. Project, created by Jesse Peyronel and Rene Rigal, will follow the students and faculty of this shadowy program. Executive producers include Mal Young, George Tillman Jr., Matthew Pritzker, and Robert Teitel. (Hollywood Reporter)
E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos is reporting that Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Raising the Bar) will guest star on an upcoming episode of Showtime's Weeds, where he will play Jack, described as a "rough-around-the-edges local bar owner who serves Nancy more than just a drink (wink, wink)." Season Six of Weeds kicks off on August 16th on Showtime. Elsewhere at the pay cabler, Tommy Lee has signed on for a guest appearance on Californication, where he will play himself. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)
TVGuide.com's Michael Logan has details on James Franco's return to ABC daytime soap General Hospital, where his character, Franco (described as a "serial killer and performance artist") will launch an exhibition in an effort to win over Steve Burton's mobster Jason Morgan. The name of his new exhibit is 'Francophrenia: Dissolving the Boundary Between Illusion and Reality' — as, yes, that's Francophrenia as in schizophrenia," General Hospital head writer Bob Guza told Logan. "Franco will create this elaborate dog and pony show for Jason, and Jason's non-reaction to it will make Franco pull the ultimate trigger." (TVGuide.com)
Victor Nelli (Ugly Betty) has come aboard NBC's fall comedy Outsourced as a director and executive producer. (Variety)
TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck has an interview with Gabrielle Union, in which she discusses FlashForward (including what was really meant to happen to Zoey and John Cho's Demetri Noh) and her upcoming role on the untitled Army Wives spinoff, where she will play "asexual" Atlanta cop Gina Holt. "All the butts I wanted to kick on FlashForward and all of the bad guys I wanted to bring to justice, I'll now get to do as this new character — but with a sense of humor," Union told Keck. "Gina views these Army wives as extra-terrestrials. She has no concept of breast-feeding, sore nipples or child care." (TV Guide Magazine)
Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that Sean Hayes' Hazy Mills shingle has signed a two-year overall deal with NBC Universal, under which the company will develop projects for both broadcast and cable. "Hazy Mills already has a project in development at USA Network with writer Jeff Rake about a performer who enters into the world or organized crime," writes Andreeva. (Deadline)
Joe Earley has been promoted to President, Marketing & Communications for Fox Broadcasting Company, where he will continue to be oversee all FOX marketing functions, as well as entertainment publicity, corporate communications and talent relations, creative services, and internal corporate marketing, promotion and special projects. "Joe is the best marketing executive in the industry and richly deserves this promotion," said Peter Rice, Chairman of Entertainment for Fox Networks Group, in a statement. "His groundbreaking campaign for GLEE demonstrates Joe’s formidable combination of strategic, creative and leadership skills. We are all thrilled he will be here with us at FOX for many more years." [Editor: congratulations, Joe!] (via press release)
Elsewhere, CW publicity chief Paul McGuire has been named SVP of worldwide corporate communications at Warner Bros. Entertainment, where he will replace Scott Rowe (who himself is moving up to the top seat at the Warner Bros. Television Group). He'll report to Susan Fleishman and "will continue to serve as an adviser to the CW's communications team, working closely with his longtime lieutenants, such as Paul Hewitt and Pamela Morrison," according to Variety's Michael Schneider. (Variety)
The seventh season premiere of Bravo's Top Chef was 27 percent off from its 2009 season opener, luring 1.8 million viewers overall. [Editor: I would agree with The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd: the brand has definitely been diluted by the addition of spinoffs to the mix... and I don't think Bravo did the series any favors by rushing the flagship back on the air the week after Top Chef Masters wrapped.] (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)
Welcome to the unofficial first day of network upfronts 2010.
NBC this afternoon announced its plans for fall, ahead of its official upfront tomorrow, unveiling a schedule that includes several new scripted series, including dramas Undercovers, Chase, The Event, Law & Order: Los Angeles, Outlaw, Outsourced, Love Bites, Harry's Law, and The Cape, comedies Friends With Benefits, Perfect Couples, and The Paul Reiser Show, and reality series School Pride and America's Next Great Restaurant.
Having already made the bulk of their pickup announcements over the last two weeks, the word from the Peacock wasn't all that surprising in terms of new content, though the vast majority of the ordered series will sit on the shelf until midseason, with only Law & Order: Los Angeles, Undercovers, The Chase, The Event, Outsourced, Love Bites, and Outlaw earning spots on the fall sked.
What is surprising was that NBC would shift Law & Order: Special Victims Unit out of the 10 pm hour and would hold critical darling Parks and Recreation until midseason, rearranging the Thursday night comedy lineup to bump 30 Rock behind Community at 8:30 and giving new comedy Outsourced the post-Office slot at 9:30 pm, despite having gone into production on Parks and Rec's third season straightaway to accommodate Amy Poehler's pregnancy.
NBC also defied expectations by positioning J.J. Abrams and Josh Reims' new espionage dramedy Undercovers on Wednesdays at 8 pm ET/PT, rather than on Mondays, as had been the conventional thinking. (Though it's worth noting that the move splits up action-comedies Chuck and Undercovers, both produced by Warner Bros. Television, rather than stacking the similarly-themed programs on the same night.)
And Chuck will stay put on Mondays at 8 pm ET/PT, where it will hold onto its timeslot come this fall. While NBC has only reportedly ordered thirteen episodes of the action-comedy, it's possible that the Peacock will revisit the episodic order later on in the game once it sees the numbers for the first part of Season Four.
“This new schedule brings NBC back to basics with its commitment to quality scripted programming,” said Jeff Gaspin, Chairman, NBC Universal Television Entertainment. “Our new shows are distinctive and feature a combination of the biggest talent, the brightest new stars and the strongest auspices in television. With this new schedule, we're poised to take the next step toward our long-term goals with a lineup that has stabilized and has been building solid momentum through the second half of the season.”
“Our team has been working tirelessly to achieve our ambitious goals and we are so pleased to see that these new series demonstrate tremendous upside for NBC,” said Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios. “We feel that this development season introduces shows that will become part of the great programming legacy of our network.”
UPDATED: NBC's full fall schedule can be found below, along with the official press release from the network and photos and descriptions for the new fall and midseason series.... and now video as well.
NBC's Fall 2010 Schedule (New series noted in bold.)
TUESDAY 8-10 pm: The Biggest Loser 10-11 pm: Parenthood
WEDNESDAY 8-9 pm: UNDERCOVERS 9-10 pm: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 10-11 pm: LAW & ORDER: LOS ANGELES
THURSDAY 8-8:30 pm: Community 8:30-9 pm: 30 Rock 9-9:30 pm: The Office 9:30-10 pm: OUTSOURCED 10-11 pm: LOVE BITES
FRIDAY 8-9 pm: Who Do You Think You Are?/SCHOOL PRIDE 9-10 pm: Dateline NBC 10-11 pm: OUTLAW
SATURDAY 8-11 pm: Drama Repeats
SUNDAY 7-8:15 pm: Football Night in America 8:15-11:30 pm: NBC Sunday Night Football
SUNDAY (beginning March 2011) 7-8 pm: Dateline NBC 8-9 pm: Minute to Win It 9-11 pm: The Celebrity Apprentice
New Series: Undercovers, Chase, The Event, Law & Order: Los Angeles, School Pride, Outlaw, Outsourced, Love Bites, The Cape, Friends With Benefits, Perfect Couples, Harry's Law, The Paul Reiser Show, America's Next Great Restaurant
Renewed: 30 Rock, The Apprentice, The Biggest Loser, Chuck, Community, Football Night in America, Friday Night Lights, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Marriage Ref, Minute to Win It, The Office, Parenthood, Parks and Recreation, Saturday Night Live, The Sing-Off, Sunday Night Football, Who Do You Think You Are?
Cancelled: Heroes, The Jay Leno Show, Law & Order, Mercy, Trauma
Scheduling Changes: Parks and Recreation, The Marriage Ref, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Midseason Launches: The Cape, Friends With Benefits, Perfect Couples, Harry's Law, The Paul Reiser Show, America's Next Great Restaurant
NBC UNVEILS 2010-11 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE ACCENTED BY FIVE NEW COMEDIES, SEVEN NEW DRAMAS AND NEW ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM
The New Fall Schedule Features All-Drama Lineups on Mondays and Wednesdays and All Comedies on Thursdays, Plus Unscripted Programming into Compatible Dramas on Tuesdays and Fridays
New Comedies Include “Friends With Benefits,” “Outsourced,” “Perfect Couples," “Love Bites” and “The Paul Reiser Show”
New Dramas Are “Undercovers,” “The Event,” “Chase,” “Law & Order: Los Angeles,” “Outlaw,” “The Cape” and “Harry’s Law”; And New Alternative Show “School Pride”
NEW YORK CITY -- May 16, 2010 - NBC announced today its 2010-11 primetime schedule that is highlighted by five new comedies, seven new drama series and one new alternative program, including shows from such innovative hit-makers as J.J. Abrams, Jerry Bruckheimer and David E. Kelley, among others.
The high-quality series include new comedies such as “Outsourced," "Love Bites," “Perfect Couples," "Friends With Benefits" and “The Paul Reiser Show." The new dramas are “The Cape,” “Harry’s Law,” “Outlaw,” “Undercovers,” “The Event,” “Chase” and “Law & Order: Los Angeles.”
The schedule features all-drama lineups on Mondays and Wednesdays and five comedies on Thursdays. Tuesdays will continue to combine the similar appeal of "The Biggest Loser" with "Parenthood," and Fridays will team "Who Do You Think You Are?" and the new series “School Pride” with "Dateline NBC" and the new legal drama "Outlaw."
NBC will also broadcast a 35th anniversary “Saturday Night Live” special that will celebrate the iconic late-night series’ long and eventful run on NBC since 1975.
The announcements were made by Jeff Gaspin, Chairman, NBC Universal Television Entertainment, and Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios.
“This new schedule brings NBC back to basics with its commitment to quality scripted programming,” said Gaspin. “Our new shows are distinctive and feature a combination of the biggest talent, the brightest new stars and the strongest auspices in television. With this new schedule, we're poised to take the next step toward our long-term goals with a lineup that has stabilized and has been building solid momentum through the second half of the season.”
“Our team has been working tirelessly to achieve our ambitious goals and we are so pleased to see that these new series demonstrate tremendous upside for NBC,” said Bromstad. “We feel that this development season introduces shows that will become part of the great programming legacy of our network.”
On Mondays (all times ET), NBC leads off with “Chuck” from 8-9 p.m., followed by two new and intense hour-long dramas - “The Event” (9-10 p.m.) and “Chase” (10-11 p.m.). Then on Tuesdays, NBC returns with its powerful stories from the hit alternative series “The Biggest Loser” (8-10 p.m.) and finishes the night with the acclaimed family drama “Parenthood” (10-11 p.m.).
NBC's Wednesday night features three hours of drama programming beginning with the new series “Undercovers” from J.J. Abrams (8-9 p.m.), “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (9-10 p.m.) and the new “Law & Order: Los Angeles” at 10-11 p.m. concludes the night.
Primetime Thursdays feature wall-to-wall comedy as this season’s freshman sensation “Community” continues at 8-8:30 p.m. followed by the Emmy Award-winning “30 Rock” (8:30-9 p.m.). The Emmy-winning “The Office” continues 9-9:30 p.m. and will be followed by the new comedy “Outsourced” (9:30-10 p.m.). Now NBC’s comedy fans get an extra round of laughs when the new, hour-long comedy “Love Bites” debuts at 10-11 p.m. “Parks and Recreation” will return to Thursdays later in the season to give the night more original programming.
Fridays come alive with a fresh mix of reality, news and a new scripted drama as the popular “Who Do You Think You Are?” returns at 8-9 p.m. where it shares the time period with “School Pride” -- a new, proactive and inspiring series about rebuilding a community’s schools. “Dateline NBC” continues at 9-10 p.m. with its compelling personal stories. The workweek ends with “Outlaw,” a new courtroom drama featuring Emmy winner Jimmy Smits as a former U.S. Supreme Court justice.
The wildly successful “NBC Sunday Night Football” reigns supreme again on Sundays (8:15-11:30 p.m.) preceded by “Football Night in America” (7-8:15 p.m.).
Sundays beginning March 2011, the popular competition series "Minute to Win It" returns (8-9 p.m.) followed by "The Celebrity Apprentice" (9-11 p.m.)
The new series “The Cape,” “Friends With Benefits,” “Perfect Couples,” “Harry’s Law" and “The Paul Reiser Show" will premiere later in the season along with a new version of “The Apprentice” “The Marriage Ref” and the new series “America’s Next Great Restaurant” -- starring acclaimed celebrity chef/restaurateur Bobby Flay.
Series Descriptions:
New Dramas
‘THE EVENT’ -- "The Event" is an emotional, high-octane conspiracy thriller that follows Sean Walker (Jason Ritter, "The Class"), an Everyman who investigates the mysterious disappearance of his fiancée, Leila (Sarah Roemer, "Disturbia"), and unwittingly begins to expose the biggest cover-up in U.S. history. Sean's quest will send ripples through the lives of an eclectic band of strangers, including: newly elected U.S. President Martinez (Golden Globe nominee Blair Underwood, "Dirty Sexy Money"); Sophia (Emmy Award nominee Laura Innes, "ER"), who is the leader of a mysterious group of detainees; and Sean’s shadowy father-in-law (Scott Patterson, "Gilmore Girls"). Their futures are on a collision course in a global conspiracy that could ultimately change the fate of mankind. Ian Anthony Dale ("Daybreak") and Emmy winner Željko Ivanek (“Damages”) also star in the ensemble drama. “The Event” is a production of Universal Media Studios and Steve Stark Productions. Stark (“Medium,” “Facing Kate”) serves as executive producer, Nick Wauters ("The 4400," "Eureka") is creator/co-executive producer and Jeffrey Reiner (“Friday Night Lights,” “Trauma”) is the director/executive producer; Evan Katz (“24”) also is an executive producer.
‘UNDERCOVERS’ – Acclaimed writer/producer/director J.J. Abrams (“Star Trek," "Fringe," "Lost," "Alias") serves as co-writer, executive producer – and also directs – his first direction of a TV series pilot since “Lost” in “Undercovers” with executive producer/writer Josh Reims (“Brothers and Sisters”). “Undercovers” is a sexy, fun, action-packed spy drama that proves once and for all that marriage is still the world's most dangerous partnership. Outwardly, Steven Bloom (Boris Kodjoe, “Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Family Reunion,” “Soul Food,” "Resident Evil: Afterlife") and his wife, Samantha (Gugu Mbatha-Raw, “Doctor Who,” “Bonekickers”), are a typical married couple who own a small catering company in Los Angeles and are helped by Samantha’s easily frazzled younger sister, Lizzy (Jessica Parker Kennedy, “Smallville”). Secretly, the duo were two of the CIA’s best spies until they fell in love on the job five years ago and retired. When fellow spy and friend Nash (Carter MacIntyre, "American Heiress") goes missing while on the trail of a Russian arms dealer, the Blooms are reinstated by boss Carlton Shaw (Gerald McRaney, "Deadwood") to locate and rescue Nash. The pair is thrust back into the world of espionage as they follow leads that span the globe -- and Steven and Samantha realize that this supercharged, undercover lifestyle provides the excitement and romance that their marriage has been missing. Also starring is Ben Schwartz (NBC’s “Parks and Recreation”). "Undercovers" is from Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Bad Robot Productions and Warner Bros. Television. The pilot was written by J.J. Abrams & Josh Reims and directed by Abrams. Abrams, Reims and Bryan Burk ("Fringe," "Lost, "Alias") are the executive producers.
‘THE CAPE’ – "The Cape" is a one-hour drama series starring David Lyons ("ER") as Vince Faraday, an honest cop on a corrupt police force, who finds himself framed for a series of murders and presumed dead. He is forced into hiding, leaving behind his wife, Dana (Jennifer Ferrin, "Life on Mars") and son, Trip (Ryan Wynott, "Flash Forward"). Fueled by a desire to reunite with his family and to battle the criminal forces that have overtaken Palm City, Faraday becomes "The Cape" his son's favorite comic book superhero -- and takes the law into his own hands. Rounding out the cast are James Frain ("The Tudors") as billionaire Peter Fleming -- The Cape's nemesis -- who moonlights as the twisted killer: Chess; Keith David ("Death at a Funeral") as Max Malini, the ringleader of a circus gang of bank robbers who mentors Vince Faraday and trains him to be The Cape, Summer Glau ("Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles") as Orwell, an investigative blogger who wages war on crime and corruption in Palm City; and Dorian Missick ("Six Degrees") as Marty Voyt, a former police detective and friend to Faraday. "The Cape" is a Universal Media Studios and BermanBraun production from executive producer/creator Thomas Wheeler (“Empire”), executive producer/director Simon West (“Con Air”), the executive producing team of Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun (NBC’s “Mercy), and executive producer Gene Stein (“Accidentally on Purpose”).
‘CHASE’ – “Chase” is a fast-paced drama from Emmy Award-winning executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer (“CSI” franchise, “The Amazing Race,” “Pirates of the Caribbean” films) and executive producer Jennifer Johnson (“Cold Case”) that drops viewers smack into the middle of a game of cat-and-mouse as a team of U.S. marshals hunts down America's most dangerous fugitives. Kelli Giddish (“Past Life”) stars as U.S. Marshal Annie Frost, a cowboy boot-wearing deputy whose sharp mind and unique Texas upbringing help her track down the violent criminals on the run. Cole Hauser (“K-Ville”), Amaury Nolasco (“Prison Break”), Rose Rollins ("The L Word”) and Jesse Metcalfe (“Desperate Housewives”) also star as members of Frost’s elite team. “Chase” is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc., in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Warner Bros. Television. Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman (“CSI” franchise, “The Amazing Race,” "Cold Case”) and Johnson serve as executive producers, while KristieAnne Reed is co-executive producer. David Nutter (“The Mentalist,” “Without a Trace” “The X-Files”) directed and is executive producer of the pilot that was written by Johnson.
‘OUTLAW’ -- Starring Emmy Award winner Jimmy Smits ("NYPD Blue," "The West Wing"), "Outlaw" is a new drama from executive producer John Eisendrath ("Alias," "Felicity," "Playmakers"). Cyrus Garza (Smits) is a U.S. Supreme Court justice who abruptly quits the high-level position. A playboy and a gambler, Garza had always adhered to a strict interpretation of the law until he realized the system he believed in was flawed. Now that he’s quit the bench and returned to private practice, he’s determined to represent “the little guy” and use his inside knowledge of the justice system to take on today’s biggest legal cases -- and he's making plenty of powerful people unhappy along the way. Jesse Bradford ("The West Wing"), Carly Pope ("24"), Ellen Woglom ("Californication") and David Ramsey ("Dexter") also star. “Outlaw” is a Universal Media Studios production along with Conaco productions. Eisendrath is executive producer along with Terry George ("Hotel Rwanda," "Reservation Road"), Conan O'Brien, Jeff Ross and David Kissinger ("Andy Barker, P.I."). "Outlaw" is written by Eisendrath and directed by George.
‘HARRY’S LAW’ – Emmy Award-winning creator David E. Kelley (“The Practice,” “Boston Legal”) brings his unique storytelling to “Harry’s Law,” a series about fate and the people it brings together, starring Academy Award winner Kathy Bates (“Misery,” “About Schmidt”). Harriet (Bates), Matthew (Ben Chaplin, “Me and Orson Wells”) and Malcolm (Aml Ameen, “Kidulthood”) couldn’t be any more different. Harriet is a curmudgeonly ex-patent lawyer who, having just been fired from her cushy job, is completely disillusioned with her success and looking for a fresh start. Her world unexpectedly collides with Malcolm’s -- a young man trying to figure out life. When he finds out Harriet is a lawyer, he begs her to represent him in an upcoming criminal case. Matthew, a dreamer at heart and also recently fired from his job as a high school teacher, is introduced to Harriet through Malcolm, a previous student of his. When these three cross paths, they realize they’re all looking for a fresh start. Now, the most unlikely of people are starting a law practice in the most unlikely of places--a rundown shoe store. “Harry’s Law” also stars Brittany Snow (“Hairspray”) as Harriet’s assistant, Jenna Backstrom and Beatrice Rosen (“Dark Knight”) as Eve, a high school French teacher. “Harry’s Law” is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with David E. Kelley Productions and Warner Bros. Television. David E. Kelley (“Boston Legal,” “The Practice”) and Bill D’Elia (“Boston Legal,” “The Practice”) serve as executive producers. D’Elia also is the director.
‘LAW & ORDER: LOS ANGELES’ – The new “Law & Order: Los Angeles” is a procedural crime drama that will follow the theme and storylines similar to the “Law & Order”-brand series on the streets of Los Angeles. The series, from executive producer Dick Wolf and Blake Masters “(“Brotherhood”), is a Wolf Films production in association with Universal Media Studios. Casting and pre-production work are continuing.
New Comedy Series ‘PERFECT COUPLES’ -- “Perfect Couples” depicts the misadventures of three engaging couples as they struggle to find out what makes the ideal relationship -- and how to maintain it through humorous trial-and-error. The series explores their heroic journey in search of the perfect relationship without destroying each other in the process. Dave (Kyle Howard, “My Boys”) and Julia (Christine Woods, “Flash Forward”) are the relatable, normal couple, but Julia's hope of remaining the cool, low-maintenance chick is tested by Dave’s attempts to keep both his wife and his needy best friend Vance (David Walton, “Heist”) equally happy. Vance, along with the neurotic Amy (Mary Elizabeth Ellis, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”), are the high-passion, high-drama couple who bring out the best and worst in each other. The third duo features Rex (Hayes MacArthur, “She’s Out of My League”), a reformed party guy, and, and his wife, Leigh (Olivia Munn, “Attack of the Show”), who considers herself as the group’s mother hen. Believing that they are relationship experts, Rex and Leigh have attended every class and seminar on relationships -- and regard themselves as the “perfect couple.” Jon Pollack (“30 Rock”) and Scott Silveri (“Friends”) are the executive producers while Andy Ackerman (“Seinfeld,” “The New Adventures of Old Christine”) is the director. The series is produced by Universal Media Studios.
‘OUTSOURCED’ – “Outsourced” is a comedy where the Midwest meets the exotic East in a hilarious culture clash. The series centers on the all-American company Mid America Novelties that sells whoopee cushions, foam fingers and wallets made of bacon -- and whose call center has suddenly been outsourced to India. Todd Dempsy (Ben Rappaport, off-Broadway's “The Gingerbread House”) is the new company’s manager who learns that he’s being transferred to India to run the operation. Overwhelmed, Todd discovers that his new staff needs a crash course in all things American if they are to understand the U.S. product line and ramp up sales from halfway around the world. But as strange as America seems to his eclectic sales team, Todd soon realizes that figuring out India will be more than a full-time job. Rizwan Manji (“Privileged”), Sacha Dhawan (BBC’s “Five Days II”), Rebecca Hazlewood (BBC’s “Doctors”), Parvesh Cheena (“Help Me Help You”), and Anisha Nagarajan (Broadway’s “Bombay Dreams”) also star as members of Dempsy’s off-shore team; Diedrich Bader (“The Drew Carey Show”) and Jessica Gower (Network Ten’s “The Secret Life of Us”) additionally star. “Outsourced” is produced by Universal Media Studios. Robert Borden (“The Drew Carey Show” and “George Lopez”) is executive producer/writer. Ken Kwapis (“The Office”) developed the project through his company, In Cahoots, and serves as executive producer/director. Alex Beattie serves as co-executive producer.
‘THE PAUL REISER SHOW’ -- “The Paul Reiser Show” is a new single camera comedy from Emmy and Golden Globe nominated comedian-author-producer-actor Paul Reiser (“Mad About You”) and writer-producer Jonathan Shapiro (“Life”). The show stars Paul Reiser as…Paul Reiser. It's been a few years since Paul's hit TV series went off the air. Since then, he's been enjoying the quiet life at home with his lovely wife and kids and generally minding his own business. Lately, however, Paul has been thinking that it's time he did something new, something meaningful. As to what that next thing might be, he has no idea. In his quest to figure it out, Paul is helped and hindered by his new "friends." Like most men his age, Paul didn't choose these friends. They're the husbands of his wife's friends, the dads of kids that his boys go to school with. Thrown together by circumstance, Paul and his friends form an unlikely comradeship -- and a horrible basketball team. In addition to Reiser, Ben Shenkman (“Angels in America”) stars as Jonathan, Omid Djalili (“The Infidel”) as Habib, Duane Martin (“All of Us”) as Fernando, Andrew Daly (“MADtv”) as Brad, Amy Landecker (“A Serious Man”) as Claire, Brock Waidmann as Zeke and Koby Rouviere (“Greenberg”) as Gabe. The pilot is executive produced and written by Reiser and Shapiro, produced by Craig Knizek (“Mad About You”), Merri Howard (“Cold Case”) and Peter Safran (“Heist”), and directed by Bryan Gordon (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”). “The Paul Reiser Show” is a production of Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Nuance Productions and Warner Bros. Television.
‘FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS’ -- From Oscar and Emmy winner Brian Grazer (“A Beautiful Mind,” “Arrested Development”), “Friends With Benefits” is a half-hour comedy revolving around a group of twenty-something singles as they navigate the difficult, and often confusing, world of dating. Ben Weymouth (Ryan Hansen, “Party Down”) is on the hunt for the perfect woman who meets his unique set of standards, while his best friend, Sara Maxwell (Danneel Harris, “One Tree Hill”), is just looking for a man to settle down with and raise a family. Ben and Sara have fallen into the habit of turning to each other for moral and physical support as they wait for Mr. and Ms. Right to arrive. Their friend Aaron (Fran Kranz, “Dollhouse”), a romantic at heart, doesn’t approve of Ben and Sara's complicated friendship, but he, along with womanizer Hoon (Ian Reed Kesler) and straight shooter Riley (Jessica Lucas, “Cloverfield”), are all distracted with their own dating trials and tribulations. David Nevins (“Lie to Me,” “Arrested Development”) joins Grazer as executive producer for Imagine Television. Also serving as executive producers are David Dobkin (“Wedding Crashers”), who directs the pilot, writers Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber (“(500) Days of Summer”), and Jeff Kleeman. “Friends With Benefits” is a production of 20th Century Fox Television, Imagine Television and Big Kid Pictures.
New One-hour Comedy Series ‘LOVE BITES’ – From Emmy Award-winning writer-producer Cindy Chupack (“Sex and the City”), “Love Bites” is an hour-long romantic comedy anthology series featuring three loosely connected, modern stories of love, sex, marriage and dating. Each episode contains multiple vignettes, all illuminating the theme of love with an edgy, irreverent spin. Becki Newton (“Ugly Betty”) stars as Annie and Jordana Spiro (“My Boys”) stars as Frannie, the last two single girls standing after all of their friends get married. Annie is an infectiously bubbly optimist and Frannie is an always-a-bridesmaid realist. Their story will anchor the series, while other romantically-challenged characters will come and go each week. The pilot's guest cast includes Jennifer Love Hewitt (“Ghost Whisperer”), Greg Grunberg (“Heroes”), Craig Robinson (“The Office”), Jason Lewis (“Sex and the City”), Lindsay Price (“Lipstick Jungle”), Larry Wilmore (“The Daily Show”), Charlyne Yi (“Knocked Up”), Pamela Adlon (“Californication”), Stacy Galina (“Hidden Hills”), Brian Hallisay (“Privileged”), Kyle Howard (“My Boys”) and Steve Howey (“Bride Wars”). “Love Bites” is a production of Universal Media Studios and Working Title Television, which is a new division of Working Title Films (the U.K. production company behind box office hits including “Love Actually,” “Bridget Jones's Diary” and “Four Weddings and a Funeral”). Chupack is creator, executive producer and writer. Emmy Award-winning producer-director Marc Buckland (“My Name Is Earl”) also is executive producer and directs the pilot. Eric Fellner, Tim Bevan and Shelley McCrory from Working Title Television are executive producers. “Love Bites” is Working Title Television’s first U.S. commission.
New Alternative Series ‘SCHOOL PRIDE’ – From executive producers Cheryl Hines ("Curb Your Enthusiasm") and Denise Cramsey ("Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and "True Beauty"), “School Pride" is a proactive, alternative series that tells the stories of communities coming together to renovate their aging and broken public schools. While transforming the school, the community also restores its sense of value and school pride. The cameras follow students, teachers and parents as they roll up their sleeves and rebuild their own schools, concluding with the unveiling of a brand new, completely transformed school. They are motivated by a quartet of community organizers and personalities -- SWAT Commander Tom Stroup, interior designer Susie Castillo (“House of Payne”), comedian and former substitute teacher Kym Whitley (“Til Death”) and political correspondent Jacob Soboroff ("AMC News”). Together, the team of experts will lead the community through the makeover process. Months later, cameras will revisit the school to discover the lasting effects of the transformation -- a renewed sense of school pride and an increase in student achievement scores. "School Pride" is produced by Horizon Alternative Television.
J.J. Abrams espionage dramedy Undercovers is about to get some company.
NBC today announced three more series orders for this fall, issuing greenlights to thriller The Event, romantic anthology Love Bites and comedy Outsourced. All three were much-buzzed about pilots the last few weeks with NBC widely expected to order all of them to series.
"Each of these three series reflects a unique point of view and distinct style of quality that fits perfectly with NBC’s dedication to rebuilding the schedule," said Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios, in a statement. "These series showcase excellent writing and casting, and represent the kind of scripted programming our network and studio are committed to producing."
[Editor: having read all three scripts, I'm scratching my head the most about The Event, which I found to be a ludicrous thriller with an unsurprising "surprise" twist at the end of the first hour. Did they not learn their lesson with Day One? Or are they desperate to find a replacement for Heroes?]
The full press release from NBC can be found below, along with descriptions and casting for each of the three new series, all of which will join the 2010-11 schedule.
NBC PICKS UP THREE NEW SERIES FOR 2010-11 SEASON WITH ‘THE EVENT,’ ‘OUTSOURCED’ AND ‘LOVE BITES’
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – May 7, 2010 – NBC has given series pickups for its 2010-11 season to the dramatic thriller "The Event," the comedy "Outsourced" and the romantic anthology series "Love Bites."
The announcement was made today by Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios.
"Each of these three series reflects a unique point of view and distinct style of quality that fits perfectly with NBC’s dedication to rebuilding the schedule," said Bromstad. "These series showcase excellent writing and casting, and represent the kind of scripted programming our network and studio are committed to producing."
"The Event" is an emotional high-octane conspiracy thriller that follows Sean Walker (Jason Ritter, "The Class"), an Everyman who investigates the mysterious disappearance of his fiancée, Leila (Sarah Roemer, "Disturbia"), and unwittingly begins to expose the biggest cover-up in U.S. history. Sean's quest will send ripples through the lives of an eclectic band of strangers, including: newly elected U.S. President Martinez (Blair Underwood, "Dirty Sexy Money"); Sophia (Emmy Award nominee Laura Innes, "ER"), who is the leader of a mysterious group of detainees; and Sean’s shadowy father-in-law (Scott Patterson, "Gilmore Girls"). Their futures are on a collision course in a global conspiracy that could ultimately change the fate of mankind.
Ian Anthony Dale ("Daybreak") and Emmy winner Željko Ivanek (“Damages”) also star in the ensemble drama.
“The Event” is a production of Universal Media Studios and Steve Stark Productions. Stark (“Medium,” “Facing Kate”) serves as executive producer, Nick Wauters ("The 4400," "Eureka") is creator/co-executive producer and Jeffrey Reiner (“Friday Night Lights,” “Trauma”) is the director/executive producer.
“Outsourced” is a comedy where the Midwest meets the exotic East in a hilarious culture clash. The series centers on the all-American company Mid America Novelties that sells whoopee cushions, foam fingers and wallets made of bacon -- and whose call center has suddenly been outsourced to India. Todd Dempsy (Ben Rappaport, off-Broadway's “The Gingerbread House”) is the new company’s manager who learns that he’s being transferred to India to run the operation.
Overwhelmed, Todd discovers that his new staff needs a crash course in all things American if they are to understand the U.S. product line and ramp up sales from halfway around the world. But as strange as America seems to his eclectic sales team, Todd soon realizes that figuring out India will be more than a full-time job. Rizwan Manji (“Privileged”), Sacha Dhawan (BBC’s “Five Days II”), Rebecca Hazlewood (BBC’s “Doctors”), Parvesh Cheena (“Help Me Help You”), and Anisha Nagarajan (Broadway’s “Bombay Dreams”) also star as members of Dempsy’s off-shore team; Diedrich Bader (“The Drew Carey Show”) and Jessica Gower (Network Ten’s “The Secret Life of Us”) additionally star.
“Outsourced” is produced by Universal Media Studios. Robert Borden (“The Drew Carey Show” and “George Lopez”) is executive producer/writer. Ken Kwapis (“The Office”) developed the project through his company, In Cahoots, and serves as executive producer/director. Alex Beattie serves as co-executive producer.
From Emmy Award-winning writer-producer Cindy Chupack (“Sex and the City”), “Love Bites” is an hour-long romantic comedy anthology series featuring three loosely connected, modern stories of love, sex, marriage and dating. Each episode contains multiple vignettes, all illuminating the theme of love with an edgy, irreverent spin.
Becki Newton (“Ugly Betty”) stars as Annie and Jordana Spiro (“My Boys”) stars as Frannie, the last two single girls standing after all of their friends get married. Annie is an infectiously bubbly optimist and Frannie is an always-a-bridesmaid realist. Their story will anchor the series, while other romantically-challenged characters will come and go each week.
The pilot's guest cast includes Jennifer Love Hewitt (“Ghost Whisperer”), Greg Grunberg (“Heroes”), Craig Robinson (“The Office”), Jason Lewis (“Sex and the City”), Lindsay Price (“Lipstick Jungle”), Larry Wilmore (“The Daily Show”), Charlyne Yi (“Knocked Up”), Pamela Adlon (“Californication”), Stacy Galina (“Hidden Hills”), Brian Hallisay (“Privileged”), Kyle Howard (“My Boys”) and Steve Howey (“Bride Wars”).
“Love Bites” is a production of Universal Media Studios and Working Title Television, which is a new division of Working Title Films (the U.K. production company behind box office hits including “Love Actually,” “Bridget Jones's Diary” and “Four Weddings and a Funeral”). Chupack is creator, executive producer and writer. Emmy Award-winning producer-director Marc Buckland (“My Name Is Earl”) also is executive producer and directs the pilot. Eric Fellner, Tim Bevan and Shelley McCrory from Working Title Television are executive producers. “Love Bites” is Working Title Television’s first U.S. commission.
Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.
