Bravo Announces Top Chef: All-Stars Cast, Launch Date

Last night, during Bravo's Top Chef reunion special, the cabler finally took the wraps off of one of television's worst-kept secrets: that next season of Top Chef would be an all-stars edition that would bring back 18 former contestants to battle it out for another chance at the title.

Top Chef All-Stars will launch December 1st at 10 pm ET/PT and will feature the return of Anthony Bourdain as well, as he segues from guest judge to full-on regular judge. (He'll rotate with Food & Wine's Gail Simmons.)

As for the contestants, they are some of the ones you would most expect would be in the running: Elia Aboumrad; Stephen Asprinio; Richard Blais; Jennifer Carroll; Tiffany Derry; Tiffani Faison; Carla Hall; Mike Isabella; Jamie Lauren; Dale Levitski; Antonia Lofaso; Spike Mendelsohn; Angelo Sosa; Dale Talde; Casey Thompson; Marcel Vigneron; Fabio Viviani; and Tre Wilcox.

Personally, I'm thrilled to see Jennifer Carroll and Richard Blais return to the kitchen. I can't wait to see the inevitable showdown between Richard, Angelo, and Marcel. It has all of the makings of a true molecular gastonomy battle royale, no?

The full press release from Bravo can be found below.

LET THE ULTIMATE FOOD FIGHT BEGIN – BRAVO’S ‘TOP CHEF ALL-STARS’ WILL PREMIERE DECEMBER 1st AT 10 PM ET/PT

Anthony Bourdain Joins As Series Judge And Carla Hall, Spike Mendelsohn, Marcel Vigneron, Fabio Viviani And More Past Chef’testants Return For A Shot At Redemption

NEW YORK – September 23, 2010 – They’re back and they’re ready for redemption – Bravo's "Top Chef" congregates a dream team of 18 past chef’testants who nearly won the title to return to see if they have what it takes for the premiere of “Top Chef All-Stars,” on Wednesday, December 1 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The 2010 Primetime Emmy Award-winning "Top Chef" returns to New York City for season eight with host Padma Lakshmi and head judge chef Tom Colicchio, alongside judges Gail Simmons and new this season, best-selling author and chef, Anthony Bourdain. The powerhouse of chef’testants going head-to-head include Carla Hall (season five finalist), Spike Mendelsohn (season four, top five), Fabio Viviani (voted fan fav, season five) and Marcel Vigneron (season two finalist), just to mention a few (full list below). For more information, visit WWW.BRAVOTV.COM. Follow us on Twitter at HTTPS://TWITTER.COM/BRAVOPR.

"With seven seasons of ‘Top Chef’ under our belt, the timing feels right for an All-Stars edition,” said Colicchio. “It has all the elements to be our best season yet. Getting Tony Bourdain to serve as a judge throughout the season was the icing on the cake."

"Top Chef" offers a fascinating window into the competitive, pressure-filled environment of world-class cookery and the restaurant business at the highest level. The series features aspiring chefs who compete for their shot at culinary stardom and the chance to earn the prestigious title of "Top Chef." To check out Andy Cohen’s cast announcement from the “Top Chef D.C. Reunion Special, go to: HTTP://WWW.BRAVOTV.COM/TOP-CHEF/SEASON-7/VIDEOS/TOP-CHEF-ALL-STARS-ANNOUNCEMENT

Following are the 18 "Top Chef All-Stars" chef'testants:

- Elia Aboumrad; Season two, final four

- Stephen Asprinio; Season one, top five

- Richard Blais; Season four finalist

- Jennifer Carroll; Season six, final four

- Tiffany Derry; Season seven, top five

- Tiffani Faison; Season one finalist

- Carla Hall; Season five finalist

- Mike Isabella; Season six, top seven

- Jamie Lauren; Season five, top seven

- Dale Levitski; Season three finalist

- Antonia Lofaso; Season four, final four

- Spike Mendelsohn; Season four, top five

- Angelo Sosa; Season seven finalist

- Dale Talde; Season four, top six

- Casey Thompson; Season three finalist and fan favorite

- Marcel Vigneron; Season two finalist

- Fabio Viviani; Season five final four and fan favorite

- Tre Wilcox; Season three, top eight

"Top Chef All-Stars" is produced by the Emmy Award-winning Magical Elves. Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz serve as executive producers.

Bravo is a program service of NBC Universal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Bravo has been an NBC Universal cable network since December 2002 and was the first television service dedicated to film and the performing arts when it launched in December 1980. For more information, visit WWW.BRAVOTV.COM. Follow us on Twitter at HTTPS://TWITTER.COM/BRAVOPR.

Channel Surfing: Syfy Brings Caprica Back Early, No Heroes Movie, Office Succession Plans, Fringe, and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

I'm still not entirely sure what to make of the news that Syfy has bumped the premiere of the second half of Caprica's freshman season up by several months. While the series premiere aired this past January, Syfy surprised many by announcing that it would be a year later that the back half of Caprica's first season would launch. Cut to yesterday when Syfy seemingly reversed their decision, announcing a shocking soon launch date--Tuesday, October 5th, in fact--while Sanctuary, which was to have that timeslot, will now move back to Fridays this fall, where it will share the lineup with Friday Night Smackdown. “Though we initially announced the January return of Caprica, we still had hopes of finding a way to get the series back on the air sooner,” Syfy EVP Mark Stern told Deadline's Nellie Andreeva. “We’ve been able to successfully re-work our schedule, and are thrilled to bring the show back during what is traditionally Syfy’s most-watched time of the year." I can't help but wonder whether the move is intended to capitalize on Caprica or it's an effort to bury it among the slew of new network and cable series, given that there's now less than a month to get a promotional campaign off the ground. Hmmm... Meanwhile, still no word on a second season pickup. (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed, Deadline)

File this under "hardly surprising." Entertainment Weekly's Lynette Rice is reporting that NBC is not moving forward on a Heroes telepic that would tie up the loose plot points left dangling after the series ended this spring. Despite NBC's discussion of said film, series creator Tim Kring was less than hopeful that said film--like the ones discussed at HBO for Deadwood--would ever make it to air. Which means that the series finale of Heroes will remain just that: the finale, though Kring and Co. could in future again tap into the mythology of Heroes in some other fashion. [Editor: Was anyone really clamoring for a Heroes movie anyway?] (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd has a very long feature examining just how NBC will deal with the departure of Steve Carell at the end of the upcoming season of The Office and cites unnamed sources who say that "the final decision likely won’t be made until after the upcoming seventh season wraps," but "by season’s end, you will know who is getting Michael Scott’s job." According to Hibberd, the current strategy is to use the first half of the season to shine a spotlight on specific characters, giving them each a specific episode in which to be the focal point. The second half of the season will focus then on the issue of succession as Carell's Michael Scott makes his plans known for his departure, while NBC will launch online polls and the like designed to make the decision of his replacement interactive. "By season’s end, one character will have Scott’s job — but that person is not necessarily Carell’s replacement as the show’s star," writes Hibberd. "Sources say writers are tempted to have the character who becomes the Scranton branch's new boss fail in some spectacular manner, leaving the seat open again for another successor during Season 8. One radical notion being explored is the possibility of subtly shifting the show’s point of view so that a current character is the star instead of the boss." (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello has a first look at the Season Three cast photo for FOX's Fringe, which features Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, Lance Reddick, Jasika Nicole, and Blair Brown... and a shadowy figure lurking in an open doorway that looks suspiciously like the silhouette of an Observer to me. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

E! Online's Megan Masters talks to Life Unexpected creator Liz Tigelaar about Julia, the mysterious character that Jamie Ray Newman (Eastwick) will be playing on the CW series this fall. "We [introduce] Julia in the premiere, and then we let Cate and Ryan go on with their lives for a little bit. But her name starts coming up again, and Cate's confused about who this person is. We'll actually see some flashbacks of who this person is, and how she knows Ryan," said Tigelaar. "Julia's a person who was an integral person in Ryan's past. He's moved on and is with Cate, but in the course of season one she reappeared and there are repercussions of that. She's definitely lightly threaded into the first 13, and if we get a back nine, she'll be back. She be a character who's going to stir some stuff up for them." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

It's official: Jennifer Morrison (House) has joined the cast of CBS' How I Met Your Mother, where she will play Zooey, a new love interest for Ted Mosby. Morrison's Zooey, according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello, is "a rabble-rousing activist who’s hell-bent on saving the Arcadian, an old New York hotel that’s scheduled to be torn down to make way for the Goliath National Bank tower—which Ted just so happens to be designing." But this won't be another date-of-the-week for Ted, according to the show's producers. "This is going to be a big saga for Ted," Carter Bays told EW. "[It's] going to be a big overarching story that will take Ted on a journey that we’re really excited about." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

HBO has confirmed the launch of Season Three of therapy drama In Treatment, which will kick off with two back-to-back half-hour episodes on Monday, October 25th, and Tuesday, October 26th at 9 pm ET/PT. Subsequent episodes will follow the same scheduling. New cast members include Irrfan Kahn, Debra Winger, Amy Ryan, and Dane DeHaan. (via press release)

American Dad producer Bob Kushell has sold two comedy pitches, animated comedy Red Roofs to FOX and an untitled multi-camera comedy to NBC about a "blended family dealing with the death of the clan's patriarch (who had been living a double life)." (Variety)

Stay tuned.

The Dead Walk: AMC Announces Halloween Launch Date for The Walking Dead

Be prepared to be scared.

AMC has announced an official launch date for its upcoming zombie series The Walking Dead, which is based on Robert Kirkman's comic book series.

The Walking Dead, which stars Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Sarah Wayne Callies, Laurie Holden, and Jeffrey DeMunn, will launch with a 90-minute series premiere on Sunday, October 31st at 10 pm ET/PT.

The official trailer for The Walking Dead can be viewed below. "Stay focused."



The full press release from AMC can be found below.

AMC LAUNCHES NEWEST ORIGINAL DRAMA “THE WALKING DEAD”
WITH A 90-MINUTE PREMIERE EPISODE ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31, 10PM

Series Stars Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Sarah Wayne Callies,
Laurie Holden, Jeffrey DeMunn and others

Written, Directed and Executive-Produced by
Frank Darabont, Executive Produced by Gale Anne Hurd
New York, NY – August 2010 – AMC's newest original series, “The Walking Dead,” will premiere on Halloween night, Sunday, October 31 at 10 PM ET. The Sunday night series will debut with a 90-minute premiere episode, airing at 10 PM, October 31st. Subsequent episodes will be one-hour long presentations.

In conjunction with the announcement, today AMC released a four and a half-minute trailer, previewing the series, as was seen at this year’s Comicon. The trailer can be viewed on www.amctv.com.

The series will premiere during AMC's Fearfest, the network's annual blockbuster marathon of thriller and horror films. Fearfest is celebrating its 14th year by airing 14 consecutive days of themed programming with more than 50 films.

“The Walking Dead” is AMC's first wholly-owned original series.

“The Walking Dead” is based on the comic book written by Robert Kirkman and published by Image Comics. The six-episode series tells the story of life following a zombie apocalypse. It follows a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes, played by Andrew Lincoln (“Love Actually,” “Teachers,” “Strike Back”), traveling in search of a safe and secure home. Jon Bernthal (“The Pacific,” “The Ghost Writer”) plays Rick’s sheriff’s department partner before the apocalypse, Shane Walsh, and Sarah Wayne Callies (“Prison Break”), is Rick's wife, Lori. Supporting cast include Laurie Holden (“The Shield”), Jeffrey DeMunn, Chandler Riggs and Steven Yeun.

Three-time Academy Award-nominee Frank Darabont (“The Shawshank Redemption,” “The Green Mile”) serves as writer, director and executive producer. Chairwoman of Valhalla Motion Pictures, Gale Anne Hurd (“The Terminator,” “Aliens,” “Armageddon,” “The Incredible Hulk”), creator of the original comic series, Robert Kirkman, and David Alpert from Circle of Confusion serve as Executive Producer. Charles “Chic” Eglee (“Dexter,” “The Shield,” “Dark Angel”) and Jack LoGiudice (“Sons of Anarchy,” “Resurrection Blvd”) are Co-Executive Producer.

For more information, visit AMC’s press website, http://press.amctv.com .

About AMC
AMC reigns as the only network to ever win the Golden Globe® Award for Best Television Series - Drama three years in a row and the only basic cable network to win back-to-back Primetime Emmy® Awards for Outstanding Drama Series. Whether commemorating favorite films from every genre and decade from the most comprehensive library or creating acclaimed original productions, the AMC experience is an uncompromising celebration of great stories. AMC's original stories include the Emmy® Award-winning dramas “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad,” and insightful non-scripted programming such as “AMC News.” AMC further demonstrates its commitment to the art of storytelling with curated movie franchises like AMC Hollywood Icon and AMC Complete Collection. Available in more than 95 million homes (Source: Nielsen Media Research), AMC is a subsidiary of Rainbow Media Holdings LLC, which includes sister networks IFC, Sundance Channel, WE tv and Wedding Central. AMC is available across all platforms, including on-air, online, on demand and mobile.

FOX Bumps Terra Nova to Fall 2011, Slates Sneak Peek for May

As expected, FOX has delayed launching time travel drama Terra Nova--from executive producers Steven Spielberg, Peter Chernin, Brannon Braga, David Fury, Jon Cassar, Aaron Kaplan, Katherine Pope, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Craig Silverstein and Kelly Marcel--until fall of 2011.

The series, which stars Jason O'Mara (Life on Mars), will have a Glee-style preview next May before the official series launch later in the year. The pilot, which will be screened at that time, will be directed by Alex Graves, who previously helmed the pilots for Journeyman and Fringe.

The full press release from FOX about the scheduling can be found below.

NEW EPIC FAMILY ADVENTURE “TERRA NOVA” TO PREVIEW IN MAY
PRIOR TO PREMIERING ON FOX IN FALL 2011

Series Executive-Produced by Steven Spielberg, Peter Chernin,
Brannon Braga, David Fury, Jon Cassar, Aaron Kaplan, Katherine Pope,
Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Craig Silverstein and Kelly Marcel

Alex Graves To Direct Pilot Episode
With Series Set to Film On Location in Australia

Jason O’Mara Confirmed in Lead Role
TERRA NOVA, the new family adventure drama series executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, Peter Chernin, Brannon Braga and David Fury, will preview in May 2011 on FOX prior to its series premiere in the fall.

Jason O’Mara (“Life on Mars”) has been cast in the lead role of JIM SHANNON, the patriarch of the show’s central family. As previously announced, Emmy Award winner Alex Graves (FRINGE) will direct the pilot, and Emmy Award-winning executive producer and director Jon Cassar (“24”) has joined the series as an executive producer and series director.

“TERRA NOVA will be one of the most visually stimulating and dramatically grand series to air on network television,” said Kevin Reilly, President of Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company. “It deserves to have an equally unique launch to distinguish that the show is unlike any other, and the spring promotional platform will give us the perfect opportunity to introduce this bold show to audiences.”

TERRA NOVA, an epic family adventure 85 million years in the making, follows an ordinary family embarking on an incredible journey back in time to prehistoric Earth as a small part of a massive experiment to save the human race. In the year 2149 the world is dying. The planet is overdeveloped, overcrowded and overpolluted. Knowing there is no way to reverse the damage to the planet, a coalition of scientists has managed to open up a fracture in the space-time continuum, creating a portal to prehistoric Earth. This doorway leads to an amazing world, one that allows for a last-ditch effort to save the human race…possibly changing the future by correcting the mistakes of the past.

The series centers on the Shannon family as they join the tenth pilgrimage of settlers to TERRA NOVA, the first colony of humans in this second chance for civilization. JIM SHANNON (O’Mara), a devoted father with a checkered past, guides his family – wife ELISABETH and children JOSH and MADDY – through this new land of limitless beauty, mystery and terror. In addition to blue skies, rolling rivers and lush vegetation, TERRA NOVA offers new opportunities and fresh beginnings to its recent arrivals, but the Shannons have brought with them a familial secret that may threaten their citizenship in this utopia. These adventurers soon discover that this healthy, vibrant world is not as idyllic as it initially appears. The areas surrounding TERRA NOVA are filled with dangerous dinosaurs and other prehistoric threats, as well as external forces that may be intent on destroying this new world before it begins.

TERRA NOVA is produced by 20th Century Fox Television, DreamWorks Television, Kapital Entertainment and Chernin Entertainment. Steven Spielberg, Peter Chernin, Brannon Braga, David Fury, Jon Cassar, Aaron Kaplan, Katherine Pope, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Craig Silverstein and Kelly Marcel serve as executive producers. Alex Graves will direct the pilot episode.

FOX Announces Fall Premiere Dates

FOX today announced the launch dates for its new and returning series this fall.

House and Lone Star will be the first two scripted series to launch on the network this autumn, with their respective seasons kicking off on Monday, September 20th. The following night brings the second season premiere of Glee and the launches of new comedies Raising Hope and Running Wilde on Tuesday.

Hell's Kitchen takes over the two-hour block on Wednesdays, beginning September 22nd and Bones and Fringe return Thursday, September 24th, followed the next night with Human Target and The Good Guys.

The full press release from FOX can be found below.

FOX ANNOUNCES FALL PREMIERE DATES
FOR THE 2010-2011 SEASON

NEW DRAMA “LONE STAR” DEBUTS MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

NEW COMEDIES “RAISING HOPE” AND “RUNNING WILDE” TO PREMIERE
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

Award-Winning Drama HOUSE Checks In Monday, September 20;
GLEE Begins Sophomore Season Tuesday, September 21;
Gordon Ramsay Serves Up New Season of HELL’S KITCHEN
Wednesday, September 22;
BONES and FRINGE Return to Thrill Thursday, September 23;
HUMAN TARGET and THE GOOD GUYS Premiere Friday, September 24;
ANIMATION DOMINATION Kicks Off Sunday, September 26

FOX has set the fall premiere dates for its new and returning series. The 2010-2011 season on FOX will kick off with a special premiere week beginning Monday, Sept. 20. HOUSE and the Princeton Plainsboro team return for a seventh season Monday, Sept. 20 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) followed by the series premiere of the sophisticated and provocative drama LONE STAR (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). This fall, Tuesdays feature a night of pitch-perfect comedy beginning Sept. 21 with the highly anticipated return of GLEE (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) and the series premieres of new family comedy RAISING HOPE (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT) and new romantic comedy RUNNING WILDE (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT) starring Will Arnett and Keri Russell. On Wednesday, Sept. 22, things heat up for Gordon Ramsay in the two-hour premiere of the eighth season of HELL’S KITCHEN (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). The thrill is on Thursdays when BONES (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) and FRINGE (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) return beginning Sept. 23.

Action-packed weekends kick off Fridays with the return of HUMAN TARGET (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) and the time period premiere of THE GOOD GUYS (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on Sept. 24. Saturdays are still the most arresting night of television with the season premieres of COPS (8:00-8:30 and 8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT) – celebrating its milestone 800th episode – and AMERICA’S MOST WANTED (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on Sept. 11. Sundays are side-splittingly funny when ANIMATION DOMINATION makes its return Sept. 26 with the season premieres of THE SIMPSONS (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT), THE CLEVELAND SHOW (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT) and a one-hour special installment of FAMILY GUY (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). AMERICAN DAD will mark its milestone 100th episode with its season premiere Sunday, Oct. 3 (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT). In addition, LIE TO ME continues to reveal the truth Wednesday, Nov. 10 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT).

Premieres of new and returning series are listed below in chronological order.

Saturday, Sept. 11
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT COPS (Season Premiere, 800th Episode)
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT COPS (Encore Episode)
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT AMERICA’S MOST WANTED (Season Premiere)

Monday, Sept. 20
8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT HOUSE (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT LONE STAR (Series Premiere)

Tuesday, Sept. 21
8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT GLEE (Season Premiere)
9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT RAISING HOPE (Series Premiere)
9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT RUNNING WILDE (Series Premiere)

Wednesday, Sept. 22
8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT HELL’S KITCHEN (2-Hour Season Premiere)

Thursday, Sept. 23
8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT BONES (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT FRINGE (Season Premiere)

Friday, Sept. 24
8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT HUMAN TARGET (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT THE GOOD GUYS (Fall Premiere)

Saturday, Sept. 25
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT COPS (All-New Episode)
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT COPS (Encore Episode)
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT AMERICA’S MOST WANTED (All-New Episode)
11:00 PM-Midnight ET/PT LONE STAR (Encore Episode, Time Period Premiere)
Midnight-12:30 AM ET/PT RUNNING WILDE (Encore Episode, Time Period Premiere)

Sunday, Sept. 26
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT THE SIMPSONS (Season Premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT THE CLEVELAND SHOW (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT FAMILY GUY (1-Hour Season Premiere)

Sunday, Oct. 3
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT THE SIMPSONS (All-New Episode)
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT THE CLEVELAND SHOW (All-New Episode)
9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT FAMILY GUY (All-New Episode)
9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT AMERICAN DAD (Season Premiere, 100th Episode)

Wednesday, Nov. 10
8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT LIE TO ME (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT HELL’S KITCHEN (Time Period Premiere)

Showtime Announces Launch Dates for Shameless, Episodes and Californication

Showtime today announced launch dates for its two newest series Shameless, Episodes and the return of Californication.

The absolutely fantastic US adaptation of British drama series Shameless will kick off on Sunday, January 9th at 10 pm ET/PT.

The following evening, Showtime will launch the fourth season of Californication at 10 pm ET/PT, immediately followed by the launch of the Matt LeBlanc-led comedy series Episodes.

Here's how Showtime is positioning these two new series:

SHAMELESS, a new drama series from John Wells (“ER,” “The West Wing,” “Southland”) and Paul Abbott (“State of Play,” “Touching Evil”) is based on the long-running hit UK series and stars Emmy® Award winner and Oscar® nominee William H. Macy (Fargo, Pleasantville, The Cooler) and Emmy Rossum (The Phantom of the Opera, Mystic River). Macy plays a far-from-stellar working class patriarch of an unconventional Chicago brood of six motley kids (headed by eldest sibling Rossum) who keep the home afloat while he’s out drinking and carousing. SHAMELESS is from Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with John Wells Productions and Warner Bros. Television. Wells and Abbott are executive producers; Andrew Stearn (“The West Wing,” “Southland”) is co-executive producer.

New comedy series EPISODES stars Matt LeBlanc (“Friends”) and is executive produced and created by David Crane (“Friends”, “The Class”) and Jeffrey Klarik (“The Class”, “Mad About You”). The series focuses on a British couple whose hit, erudite UK show is turned into an Americanized sitcom starring LeBlanc (as himself). Jimmy Mulville executive produces through his successful Hat Trick production company ("Whose Line Is It Anyway?," "Worst Week"). EPISODES is a co-production of SHOWTIME and the BBC.

The full press release from Showtime can be found below.

SHOWTIME ANNOUNCES JANUARY PREMIERE SCHEDULE
 SHAMELESS, EPISODES & CALIFORNICATION Kick off 2011
 
LOS ANGELES, CA – (July 12, 2010) – SHOWTIME® will bring in the New Year in a most spectacular way with the premieres of new drama series SHAMELESS (Jan. 9th at 10pm) with William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum; new comedy series EPISODES starring Matt LeBlanc (Jan. 10th at 10:30pm); and the fourth season premiere of the hit comedy series CALIFORNICATION starring David Duchovny (Jan. 10 th at 10pm).
 
SHAMELESS, a new drama series from John Wells (“ER,” “The West Wing,” “Southland”) and Paul Abbott (“State of Play,” “Touching Evil”) is based on the long-running hit UK series and stars Emmy® Award winner and Oscar® nominee William H. Macy (Fargo, Pleasantville, The Cooler) and Emmy Rossum (The Phantom of the Opera, Mystic River). Macy plays a far-from-stellar working class patriarch of an unconventional Chicago brood of six motley kids (headed by eldest sibling Rossum) who keep the home afloat while he’s out drinking and carousing. SHAMELESS is from Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with John Wells Productions and Warner Bros. Television. Wells and Abbott are executive producers; Andrew Stearn (“The West Wing,” “Southland”) is co-executive producer.
  
New comedy series EPISODES stars Matt LeBlanc (“Friends”) and is executive produced and created by David Crane (“Friends”, “The Class”) and Jeffrey Klarik (“The Class”, “Mad About You”). The series focuses on a British couple whose hit, erudite UK show is turned into an Americanized sitcom starring LeBlanc (as himself). Jimmy Mulville executive produces through his successful Hat Trick production company ("Whose Line Is It Anyway?," "Worst Week"). EPISODES is a co-production of SHOWTIME and the BBC.
 
Finally, SHOWTIME will premiere the fourth season of hit comedy series CALIFORNICATION, starring David Duchovny in his Golden Globe®-winning role as hedonistic novelist Hank Moody who struggles to raise his teenage daughter Becca (Madeleine Martin), with on-again, off-again girlfriend Karen (Natascha McElhone). This season, Hank will have to deal with the fall-out from his one-night stand with then-underage pseudo step-daughter Mia (Madeline Zima) going public. His epic legal troubles force him to enlist the aid of hot, high-powered defense attorney Abby (Carla Gugino) to keep him out of the big house. Rob Lowe (“Parks & Recreation”) special guest stars. Guest stars include  Michael Ealy (“Flash Forward”), Zoe Kravitz (“Twelve”) Stephen Tobolowsky (“Glee”), Callie Thorne (“Rescue Me”), Addison Timlin (“Cashmere Mafia”) and rocker Tommy Lee. Duchovny executive produces alongside creator and EP Tom Kapinos.
 
Premiere Schedule is as follows:
 
Sunday, January 9th
SHAMELESS (10pm)
 
Monday, January 10th
CALIFORNICATION (10pm)
EPISODES (10:30pm)
 
All times Eastern/Pacific