Channel Surfing: Quick Headlines Edition

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing. Today's briefing will be shorter than usual as I'm typing this on my iPhone, as my internet connection is down.

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that ex-Lost executive producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz are teaming up with co-creator Damon Lindelof to develop a drama pilot that's said to be "fairy-tale-themed" and will feature "a female lead." No other details are available, but it's thought that ABC Studios will be the studio behind the project as Kitsis and Horowitz have an overall deal there. Should the project get ordered to pilot, Lindelof would join the staff in a consulting capacity. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Vulture's Josef Adalian is reporting that NBC is developing an adventure/dating reality mashup that's being described as a blend of The Bachelor and Survivor. Project, currently being called Love in the Wild, hails from Endemol and revolves around "teams of two potential lovebirds, dropped into exotic outdoor environments, where they would get busy doing all sorts of challenges together." (Vulture)

Sigh. No Mark Salling hasn't quit or been fired from Glee. Entertainment Weekly's attempts to calm Gleek who are perturbed by Puck's absence from this week's episode: "Though I dunno whether his absence is a side effect of his decision work on music that isn’t in the genre of R&Glee, I do know that it’s only temporary. He’ll miss one more episode—the Oct. 26 Rocky Horror Picture Show tribute—but will be back on air in a big way in early November." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that ABC has given a script order to a period drama based on William Shakespeare's "Romeo & Juliet" with Catherine Hardwicke said to be in talks to direct the potential pilot episode, from writer Andrea Berloff. Project, from executive producers Todd Garner and Wyck Godfrey, "follows the famous love story while also pealing away the curtain on the impetuous, incestuous, bloody and violent relationships during the Renaissance in Verona." (Deadline)

Syfy is retelling the Sinbad myth with telepic Sinbad and the Minotaur, set to air in 2011 on the cabler. (Variety)

Spike has given a series order to docuseries Coal, following the stories of coal miners in West Virginia. Project, from Original Prods., is set to launch in April, with ten one-hour episodes. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: NBC Goes Undercovers, Lost Leaked Finale Pages, Evangeline Lilly on Kate, Katee Sackhoff Talks 24, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

NBC has given a series order to spy dramedy Undercovers, from executive producers J.J. Abrams and Josh Reims, the first series pickup for the 2010-11 season. Series, which revolves around the exploits of a married couple who both work in espionage, stars Boris Kodjoe, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Carter MacIntyre, Gerald McRaney, and Ben Schwartz. “Having J.J. on our creative team is a great reason for celebration,” said Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios, in a statement. “In Undercovers, J.J. and Josh have found a breakout couple that is rich in character and brimming with romance and action. We feel he’s found the perfect cast.” (Televisionary)

MEGA-SPOILER! I won't be clicking over to read these (and would ask that you not discuss them in any specific detail here) but Italian blog Macchianera has obtained six script pages from the Lost series finale, scheduled to air May 23rd on ABC. While neither ABC nor executive producers Damon Lindelof or Carlton Cuse have commented on their provenance, it's believed by many that the pages are authentic and they are ridden with spoilers for plot twists between now and the season finale. [Editor: again, WARNING, don't click if you don't want to be spoiled! I also have to wonder why no one in Lost's production thought to individually watermark these pages.] (Macchianera via The Onion's A.V. Club)

Vulture's Mike Ryan, meanwhile, talks to Lost star Evangeline Lilly about the imminent end of the mind-bending drama series. Among the many questions posed to Lilly, one was regarding whether the actress had wished she could rewrite a scene that had featured Kate. "There is this one scene that I stand by that if I could have chosen or written it, it definitely would have gone down differently: the scene where Kate watches Jack carry a meal over to Juliet at the survivors camp," said Lilly. "They sit down together and eat and they're laughing and talking, and then Kate subsequently goes to Sawyer's tent and lavishes him. I feel like it was a cheapening of the character. I feel like she was always an emotionally confused women between these two men, but she was never that manipulative sexually, I don't think. I feel like that was something that if I could have rewritten it — and I tried to work with the producers on that one; I tried to change so at least it wasn't a cut. It could have been Kate seeing Jack then maybe a couple scenes go by, time goes by, and then you see her go to Sawyer's tent. It ended up being a direct cut and that she literally went in a snit, and was in a pout, because Jack was playing with another girl and she went and seduced Sawyer. I didn't dig that. I would have rewritten that." (New York Magazine's Vulture)

SPOILER! Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello talks with Katee Sackhoff about last night's recent plot twist on FOX's 24, which saw Sackhoff's Dana Walsh murdered by Kiefer Sutherland's Jack Bauer. "She doesn’t have one redeeming quality," said Sackhoff of Dana. "I tried desperately to give her a redeeming quality. I really tried. The only thing I could come up with was that she didn’t crack when she was tortured... I kind of figured if I couldn’t give her a redeeming quality, I was just going to be the most ridiculously unsympathetic villain ever. I was going to try and make everyone hate her. That was my goal, and I think I succeeded." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

FX has renewed Justified for a second season. (Televisionary)

Deadline.com's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that Battlestar Galactica creator Ronald D. Moore has signed a two-year overall deal with Sony Pictures Television, under which he will develop projects for both broadcast and cable through his Tall Ships Prods. shingle. Moore had previously been based at Universal Media Studios. (Deadline.com)

TVGuide.com's Natalie Abrams talks to V showrunner/executive producer Scott Rosenbaum about what to expect from the final three episodes this season as he offers up eight hints about upcoming plotlines, ranging from V soldiers and alien babies to showdowns, attacks, and betrayal. (TVGuide.com)

Variety's Cynthia Littleton is reporting that NBC might order one or two other projects this week, ahead of its upfront presentations. The likely candidates include dramas The Chase, Kindreds, and The Rockford Files, with The Event and Love Bites also said to be in the mix. On the comedy side, the strongest players appear to be Outsourced, Perfect Couples, Next, This Little Piggy and possibly Beach Lane, which is said to require some reworking. (Variety)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Smallville executive producer Brian Peterson is "very optimistic" that Allison Mack will return to the CW superhero drama next season. "We’ve learned the hard way not to say [it's official] until everything is signed and dotted," Peterson told Ausiello. "So the best we can say is we’re really optimistic. And so is Allison." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Slightly better news for Party Down in its second episode; the Starz comedy scored a 129 percent increase week to week, bringing its ratings to 289,000 viewers. (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

Look for Adrian Grenier's Vince to cut his hair this season on HBO's Entourage, according to TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck. “It’s for a story line where Vince cuts his hair without telling the director of his new movie,” executive producer Doug Ellin told Keck, denying reports that it had been Grenier who had shorn his locks without telling the producers. “As always with our show, art imitates life.” (TV Guide Magazine)

20th Century Fox Television has signed a multi-year overall deal with writing partners Patrick Masset and John Zinman--who together worked on Friday Night Lights and Caprica--under which they will develop new projects for the studio and be placed on the staff of a new drama series, likely either Midland, Ride Along, or Breakout Kings. (Hollywood Reporter)

Newcomer Jeff Rosick has been cast as Buddy Jr. in Season Five of Friday Night Lights, where he will recur throughout what will likely be the final season of the drama series. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

History Channel has ordered reality series Stan Lee's Superhumans, which the comic book guru and Daniel Browning Smith, will host as the duo meet "people who have remarkable abilities because of being genetically different." The series will be joined by a slew of other new programming at the cabler, including Brad Meltzer's Decoded, Top Gear, The Kennedys, and Chasing Mummies, as well as specials Voices From Inside the Towers, Jefferson, President's Book of Secrets, and Reagan. (Hollywood Reporter)

Deadline.com's Nellie Andreeva offers a look at the rest of the development slate for nascent pay cabler Epix, which includes projects from Todd Field, Todd Holland, and Lawrence O'Donnell. (Deadline.com)

Spike has ordered reality pilot Weapon X, from executive producer Thom Beers, about "whether certain military battles could've been won if the losers had built a high-powered weapon that utilizes today's technology," and has ordered scripted drama pilot Rebel League, from writer Stephen Engel and executive producers Denis Leary and Jim Serpico, about the dysfunctional 1970s World Hockey Association. (Variety)

Syfy will air backdoor pilot (or, er, four-hour mini-series) The Phantom--starring Ryan Carnes--on a single night: Sunday, June 20th, beginning at 7 pm ET/PT. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Fringe Musical, Conan Heads to TBS, Ryan Devlin Checks into Grey's, Fred Willard, and More

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello has an exclusive first-look at the upcoming musical episode of FOX's Fringe, set to air April 29th. "We didn’t set out to do a musical," Fringe's executive producer Jeff Pinkner told Ausiello. "We set out to do an episode that explored Walter’s state of mind — he’s dealing with some very upsetting news. When we realized that the way Walter would deal with such news would be to try to anesthetize himself with copious amounts of marijuana, well, singing and dancing became a natural outcome." [Editor: Hmmm, just what could that "very upsetting news" be?] (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

A rather big speed bump has emerged during the ongoing talks between Conan O'Brien at FOX. Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd and Matthew Belloni are reporting that while the negotiations between the former Tonight Show host and FOX have been smooth, O'Brien won't commit to a late night talk show with FOX unless the network "can guarantee that stations will air his show in all or nearly all of the country." Which is a significant problem as some affiliates are less than excited by the idea of Coco taking over their late night timeslots, currently home to syndicated programming. The issue has so far prevented O'Brien from entering into "exclusive negotiations" with FOX, with his team continuing to look at other options outside of FOX, which wants to air O'Brien's new series weeknights from 11 pm to midnight. (Hollywood Reporter)

UPDATE! Hold the presses: O'Brien's team has opted not to sign with FOX and has instead concluded a deal with cabler TBS. Yes, you read that correctly. O'Brien's team has signed with TBS for a latenight talk show that will air between 11 pm and midnight on the basic cabler, a move that will push George Lopez's eponymous talker to midnight. "In three months I’ve gone from network television to Twitter to performing live in theaters, and now I’m headed to basic cable," said O'Brien in a statement released by TBS. "My plan is working perfectly." The move pushes the comedy-oriented TBS into a place of prominence. "Conan has been the comedic voice for a generation. TBS already has a huge audience of young comedy lovers, and Conan’s show will give these fans even more reasons to watch our network," said Steve Koonin, president of Turner Entertainment Networks. (via press release)

Ryan Devlin (Cougar Town) will guest star in the May 20th season finale of ABC's Grey's Anatomy, according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello, who reports that Devlin will play Bill, the husband of Mandy Moore's character Mary, who is a patient at Seattle Grace. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Entertainment Weekly's Mandi Bierly has an interview with the uber-talented Fred Willard, who will next been seen on Castle, Modern Family, and Chuck. Willard, set to reprise his role as Phil's dad on Modern Family, will guest star on Chuck as half of a super-spy couple. "That was an interesting one, because I play a part I’d always thought I was right for — a spy," said Willard about his upcoming turn on Chuck. "I’m with Swoosie Kurtz on that, we’re a bickering spy couple, kind of like Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers played [on Hart to Hart], and we’re showing the ropes to the young Chuck and his partner. And it’s like a real did we double-cross them or did we triple-cross them? That was a lot of fun." (Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch)

Delroy Lindo (Kidnapped) has been cast as one of the leads in Shawn Ryan's FOX cop drama pilot Ride-Along, opposite Jason Clarke and Jennifer Beals. Lindo will play "a longtime building magnate-turned-politician who is loved by his constituents, but there have always been whispers about possible ties to organized," according to Hollywood Reporter's Nellie Andreeva. (Hollywood Reporter)

NBC ordered a pilot for gameshow Secret Treasure, in which six contestants compete against one another as they answer trivia questions and try to steal one another's cash-laden "secret treasure boxes." Project, from ITV Studios, was created by Jeff Apploff. (Variety)

CBS, meanwhile, ordered a pilot for a revival of classic gameshow Pyramid, from Sony Pictures Television and Michael Davies (Who Wants to Be a Millionaire), which would replace As the World Turns in its daytime lineup. (Hollywood Reporter)

Starz is reportedly developing a series adaptation of culinary critic Gael Greene's 2006 autobiography "Insatiable: Tales From a Life of Delicious Excess," about her "gastronomic and erotic adventures" in 1970s and 1980s Manhattan. Starz will produce the potential one-hour drama series with Robert Lantos' Serendipity Point Films and Rob Lee's Bayonne Entertainment. (Variety)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Grey Damon (90210) has been cast in Season Five of Friday Night Lights as a series regular. He'll play Hastings Ruckle, described as a "sexy, laid back basketball player who ends up joining the Lions as a wide receiver." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Philip Seymour Hoffman and Emily Ziff's production company Cooper's Town is developing an HBO drama series based on Samantha Peale's novel "The American Painter Emma Dial," about a woman coming to terms with her identity crisis as she works within the Manhattan art world. Sarah Treem (In Treatment) will adapt. It's unknown whether the potential drama series would air as a half-hour or one-hour. (Variety)

Warner Bros. Television has signed a two-script deal with Miss Guided creator Caroline Williams--currently a consulting producer on ABC's Modern Family--under which she will develop two comedy projects for the studio, including a single-camera comedy project with executive producer J.J. Abrams. (Hollywood Reporter)

Chris Gethard (The Other Guys) will replace Jon Heder in the Comedy Central comedy series Big Lake. Series, ordered for ten episodes by the cabler, has an option for an additional 90 episodes. (Variety)

Showtime's Marc Wootton comedy La La Land is heading across the pond to BBC Three. (Broadcast)

Law & Order's Sam Waterston will guest star on the April 28th episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, according to TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck. "For the first time in Law & Order: SVU’s eleven year history, Sam will show up in the SVU squad room," executive producer Neal Baer told Keck. (TV Guide Magazine)

SPOILER! Taylor Momsen will be MIA when Gossip Girl returns next season. At least at first, anyway. Citing a source close to Gossip Girl's production, Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Momsen will be absent from the CW drama series for an unknown number of episodes but her temporary departure is for creative reasons. "When you watch the finale," the unnamed insider told Ausiello, "you’ll see that we’re doing something very big with her character." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Sony Pictures Television, Scott Free Television, Tandem Communications, and Peace Out Prods. is developing a four-hour mini-series based on Robert Harris' historical novel "Pompei." (Variety)

ABC will flip Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice on April 22nd, swapping the timeslots for each medical drama for one week. According to the Fuon Critic, "The Grey's/Practice swap... is simply to avoid having original episodes of FlashForward and Practice bookend a second run Grey's." (Futon Critic)

Holly Marie Combs (Charmed) has been cast in ABC Family's upcoming drama series Pretty Little Liars, where she will play the mother of Aria (Lucy Hale), one of four teenage girls who are bound together by a dark secret. She'll be playing opposite Chad Lowe, recently cast as Aria's father, who replaces Alexis Denisof. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

MTV has renewed reality series The Buried Life for a second season. (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

Elsewhere, Spike has renewed reality series 1000 Ways to Die for its fourth and fifth seasons. Move comes before the third season of the Original Prods.-produced series has even debuted. (Variety)

And NBC has renewed The Sing-Off for a second season. The Sony Pictures Television-produced musical competition series will return for eight episodes next season. (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Thomas Hayden Church Lands "Episodes," Starz Builds "Camelot," Recasting at "Game of Thrones," Conan and FOX, "Torchwood," and More

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.

Thomas Haden Church (All About Steve) will star opposite Matt LeBlanc, Claire Forlani, Kathleen Rose Perkins, and Stephen Mangan in Showtime's upcoming single-camera comedy series Episodes, where he will play Merc Lapidus, the network president who purchases the format for a British comedy series and then ruins it when he attempts to adapt it for American audiences. Church is slated to appear in six out of seven of Episodes', er, episodes. Series will air on BBC Two in the UK. (Variety)

Starz is heading to Camelot. The pay cabler has ordered ten episodes of romantic adventure series Camelot, a contemporary retelling of the Arthurian legends of Thomas Malory's "Morte d'Arthur" that will be written by Chris Chibnall (Torchwood) and executive produced by Graham King and The Tudors' Morgan O'Sullivan and Michael Hirst. Production on the series, originally developed at Showtime, is set to begin in June in Ireland, with Ecosse Films producing, for a 2011 debut. (Hollywood Reporter, via press release)

Michelle Fairley (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) will replace Jennifer Ehle as Catelyn Stark in HBO's upcoming fantasy drama series Game of Thrones, according to the Hollywood Reporter's Nellie Andreeva. "The blogsphere rumored that HBO had reservations about the way the Thrones pilot turned out -- though the network obviously liked the pilot enough to order a series," writes James Hibberd. "Sources say this change was more a behind-the-scenes issue and not a performance issue." (Hollywood Reporter, Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

FOX and Conan O'Brien have once again begun talks that could bring the former Tonight Show host to FOX's latenight. But there's a fly in the ointment as NBC has barred O'Brien from participating in FOX's upcoming Idol Gives Back special, slated to air April 21st. (O'Brien's contract does not allow for any television appearances prior to May 1st.) While no deal is in place for O'Brien to make a new home at FOX, should they be able to, O'Brien's upcoming comedy tour schedule would allow for him to be available for FOX's upfront presentation on May 17th and he would be able to meet with local affiliates in nine major markets, thanks to his tour route. (Hollywood Reporter)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello talks with Torchwood star John Barrowman--currently appearing on ABC's Desperate Housewives--about the potential US version of Torchwood, which Barrowman hopes won't make Captain Jack Harkness straight. "I hope wherever [the franchise] goes that the show stays the same," Barrowman told Ausiello. "The last thing I would want would be for Jack to become this heterosexual, straight hero. He’s an omnisexual guy. He likes men, women, aliens, whatever. I think we should continue going down that route." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Christian Slater (The Forgotten) and Trevor Moore (The Whitest Kids U'Know) have been cast as two of the leads in FOX's untitled Adam Goldberg comedy pilot (a.k.a. Security), about a group of geniuses who crack top-notch security systems. Slater will play Oz, described as "the charismatic renegade who runs the Titan Team, a gruff ex-military misanthrope with a checkered past." Moore will play Josh Armstrong, described as "the team's womanizing intelligence and reconnaissance head." (Hollywood Reporter)

Pilot casting news: Tate Donovan (Damages) has been cast in ABC superhero drama pilot No Ordinary Family; Caitlin Fitzgerald (It's Complicated) has been cast as the female lead in FOX comedy pilot Most Likely to Succeed, replacing Kaitlin Doubleday; Jennifer Ferrin (Life in Mars) has come aboard NBC vigilante drama pilot The Cape opposite David Lyons and Summer Glau; Sean Patrick Thomas (Lie to Me) and Lorraine Toussaint have joined the cast of CBS drama pilot The Line (also known as ATF), Billy Lush (Generation Kill) has been cast in Shawn Ryan's FOX cop drama pilot Ride-Along; and Flex Alexander (One on One) and Dylan Moore have been added to the cast of CBS' untitled Burgess/Green drama pilot (a.k.a. Reagan's Law) opposite Tom Selleck, Donnie Wahlberg, and Len Cariou. (Hollywood Reporter)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan offers an update on the long-gestating live-action Star Wars television series. "They are working with writers on scripts," a Lucasfilm representative told Ryan about executive producers George Lucas and Rick McCallum. "They won't set a production date [for Season 1] until the scripts are done." Ryan goes on to indicate that the writing of those scripts has been going on for two years now and that the series could--and that's a massive could--debut on a network as early as 2011. As of right now, however, there is no network attached to the project and Lucasfilm is keeping mum about when or where the Star Wars series will launch. (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

NBC has renewed daytime soap Days of Our Lives for the 2010-11 season, guaranteeing the series' 45th anniversary. Series has recently posted a 9 percent ratings increase, landing the soap with its best ratings in three years. (Variety)

The New York Times' Brian Stelter has an article about how Nurse Jackie's Dr. Fitch Cooper (Peter Facinelli) will be tweeting under the name @DoctorCoop, the latest in a series of Twitter appearances on scripted programming in the last few weeks. (New York Times)

Looks like Rosie O'Donnell could be heading back to daytime syndication... or cable. O'Donnell has teamed up with former Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution executives Rick Robertson, and Scott Carlin to form a new company and launch a new daytime talk show with O'Donnell hosting to arrive on the air in fall of 2011, the same time that Oprah Winfrey wraps her own series. O'Donnell's latest offering, however, wouldn't mimic her daytime talk show, which ran from 1996 to 2002; instead, it would focus on "the host's charitable and political pet causes." (Hollywood Reporter)

The Wrap's Josef Adalian takes a look at why Rosie O'Donnell's return to daytime could work and offers "three new rules for the new Rosie." (The Wrap's TVMoJoe)

Spike has pulled its comedy series Players from its schedule, effective immediately. series, which had aired three episodes, will be replaced with repeats of Blue Mountain State and repeats of Deadliest Warriors beginning April 6th. (Futon Critic)

TV Guide Network has teamed up with Curb Your Enthusiasm creator/star Larry David to offer never-before-seen extras that will air on the cabler in connection with its syndicated run of Curb. Hosted by Susie Essman, the extras, entitled Curb Your Enthusiam: The Discussion, will "feature a panel of high-profile guest stars, pundits and prominent social figures who will debate the moral implications of the behavior in each episode." (via press release)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: "Lost" Star O'Quinn Shops Hitman Series, "Caprica" Cylon and Enforcer Speak, "Doctor Who," Farina and Oritz Find "Luck," and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

This is a series I want to watch: Locke and Ben as cutthroat buddies. Well, sort of, anyway. TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck is reporting that Lost's Terry O'Quinn is shopping a bible for a series that would star him and fellow Lost cast member Michael Emerson, in which the duo would play suburban hit men who must balance their work and home lives. "I really hope this works out because Michael would be in his prime in this," O'Quinn told Keck. "We’d play kind of awkward partners." Michael Emerson, meanwhile, is more than open to working alongside Quinn again. "It’s very sweet of him," Emerson told Keck. "I’m all in favor of it. Any reason to work with Terry again." (TV Guide Magazine)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan has an interview with Caprica stars Sasha Roiz and Alessandra Torresani about what's coming up on the series and how their characters fit into the larger themes and storylines that the series is weaving together. "You can see the attraction [STO] has for the younger generation, because you can see how the [adult] generation has gone off the rails, morally," said Sasha Roiz, who plays Tauron mob enforcer Sam Adama. "There's a whole movement by the younger generation to create a new world and a new moral code." Look, meanwhile, for Torresani's virtual Zoe to mature over the next batch of episodes. "She's her own person," Torresani told Ryan about the avatar Zoe. "That's what you learn. She really grows up a lot on the show, compared to how she was in the pilot." (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

BBC America has announced an April 17th launch date for Season Five of British sci-fi series Doctor Who, starring Matt Smith and Karen Gillan. Among the locales the Eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond will be travelling to this season: "sixteenth century Venice, France during the 1890s and the United Kingdom in the far future, now an entire nation floating in space." (Televisionary)

Dennis Farina (Law & Order) and John Ortiz (Public Enemies) have been cast in David Milch and Michael Mann's HBO drama pilot Luck, set in the world of horse racing. Farina will play Gus Economou, the longtime chauffeur to Chester "Ace" Bernstain, a criminal who has his sights set on pulling off a complex plan involving the racetrack. Ortiz will play Turo Escalante, described as "a successful trainer with sordid reputation." Milch wrote the pilot script, which will be directed by Mann; they'll executive produce alongside Carolyn Strauss and Henry Bronchtein. (Hollywood Reporter)

Three former ER stars have landed projects this pilot season: David Lyons has been cast as the lead in NBC vigilante drama pilot The Cape, where he will play a disgraced cop who becomes a hero; Shane West will star opposite Maggie Q in the CW action drama pilot Nikita, where he will play the agent whose task is to apprehend the rogue Nikita; and Laura Innes has joined the cast of NBC drama pilot The Event. (Hollywood Reporter)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Jurnee Smollett (Friday Night Lights) has been cast in CBS legal drama pilot Defenders, where she will play new associate Lisa opposite Jim Belushi. "Smollett is expected to shoot the Defenders pilot before returning to Austin in April to begin work on FNL’s fifth and (sigh) final season," writes Ausiello. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Pilot casting roundup: Malcolm Barrett (Better Off Ted) has been cast as one of the leads in FOX comedy pilot Most Likely to Succeed; Ravi Patel (Past Life) has been cast as the lead in FOX comedy pilot Nirvana (formerly known as Nevermind Nirvana); Tommy Dewey (Roommates) and Suzy Nakamura (Men of a Certain Age) will star opposite Sarah Chalke in ABC comedy pilot Freshmen; Patti LuPone (Oz) has joined the cast of CBS comedy pilot Open Books; and Eloise Mumford (Crash) has been cast in FOX drama pilot Midland. (Hollywood Reporter)

Spike has renewed sports comedy Blue Mountain State for a second season of thirteen episodes. (Variety)

It's official: Starz has cancelled struggling drama series Crash. The announcement was made yesterday on a conference call with investors as Starz confirmed that they will not go ahead with the series due to disappointing ratings. (Hollywood Reporter)

There are other suitors in the mix to host Comic-Con, whose contract with the San Diego Convention Center ends in 2012. Among the cities vying for the hosting rights: Anaheim, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas, along with San Diego itself, which has submitted a proposal to keep the convention there through 2015. "They know what the concerns are, and each proposal really tries to address those," said David Glanzer, director of marketing and public relations for Comic-Con Intl. "It's not about how big we want to see it grow," Glanzer said. "We just want to accommodate those who want to attend." (Variety)

Broadcasting & Cable's Alex Weprin is reporting that Animal Planet has renewed docuseries Pit Boss for a second season of fourteen episodes, set to launch this summer. As with Season One, series will follow former felon "Shorty" Rossi as he dedicates his life to rescuing pit bulls. (Broadcasting & Cable)

Gillian Zinser has been promoted to series regular on the CW's 90210, where she plays tomboy Ivy Sullivan. (Hollywood Reporter)

Variety's Stuart Levine is reporting that the Television Critics Association has locked in its date for the 2010 TCA Summer Press Tour, which will be held at the Beverly Hilton. Tour begins July 27th with the broadcasters (NBC is up first) before cable takes over between August 6-8th. (Variety)

BBC is likely to cut its US acquisitions by a third, according to a report in today's Times following a strategic review of the broadcasting corporation. "Director-general Mark Thompson wants to cut the corp.'s annual acquisitions budget of around £100 million ($152 million) by 25%, according to the Times, which has clearly seen a leaked document relating to the review," writes Variety's Steve Clarke. "Currently the BBC gains a lot of credibility from upscale auds by showing such U.S. fare as The Wire, Heroes and Mad Men. But in an effort to appease commercial media companies that have been hit hard by the economic downturn and the emergence of digital media, the BBC topper wants to trim coin spent on U.S. imports and re-invest it in 'distinctive' British shows." (Variety)

TV Land has renewed Joan Rivers' How'd You Get So Rich for a second season of six episodes. Series, executive produced by Mark Burnett, Barry Poznick, and John Stevens, will launch on the cabler on May 5th. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Ex-Castaway Returns to "Lost," NBC Targets "Nine Lives," Jay Harrington is "Nathan," CW Spies "Nomads," and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.

SPOILER! Entertainment Weekly's Jeff Jensen and Dan Snierson are reporting that Maggie Grace is set to reprise her role as Shannon Rutherford on ABC's Lost later this season in an unspecified number of episodes. "We’re really excited about having her back on the show," showrunner/executive producer Carlton Cuse told EW.com, "and we have a good story for her." Grace joins fellow former cast members Ian Somerhalder, Harold Perrineau, Cynthia Watros, and Rebecca Mader, all of whom are set to return to Lost this season. Sadly, Malcolm David Kelley will be the only original cast member not returning. [Editor: Grace has been the center of several conflicting reports about her possible return or non-return, so this confirmation should finally put those to bed.] (Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch)

Looks like Nine Lives found another one. The twelve-hour mini-series from executive producer Steven Spielberg and writer Les Bohem had been set up at Syfy back in 2007 but has now found another shot at NBC, where it will be rewritten as a direct-to-series project. Nine Lives, which will be executive produced by Spielberg, Bohem, Justin Falvey, and Darryl Frank, follows "a group of people who find a way to reunite with their loved ones in the afterlife through near-death experiences, but those journeys unleash an evil force." Could NBC be viewing this as a possible replacement for Heroes? Hmmm... (Hollywood Reporter)

Bad news for Better Off Ted fans: there's another nail in the series' potential coffin as series lead Jay Harrington has signed on to topline NBC comedy pilot Nathan vs. Nurture. Harrington will play the titular character, a heart surgeon who uncovers his biological parents and a group of low-aiming siblings. Project, from Sony Pictures Television, is written and executive produced by David Guarascio and Moses Port and directed by James Burrows. Harrington's casting is said to be in second position to Better Off Ted, but it's sadly thought unlikely that the ABC workplace comedy series will be renewed for a third season. (Variety)

The CW has ordered a pilot presentation for action-adventure drama Nomads from writer/director Ken Sanzel (NUMB3RS) and executive producers Ridley and Tony Scott. Project, which will be jointly produced by CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television, follows "a group of young backpackers who find a way to make some extra money by doing secret missions for the C.I.A." (Variety)

NBC has ordered single-camera romantic comedy pilot Friends with Benefits, which had previously been set up at ABC. Project, from 20th Century Fox Television, (500) Days of Summer writers Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber, and Wedding Crashers director David Dobkins, revolves around five friends in search of love who settle for friendships with benefits. (Variety)

Pilot casting round-up: Ben Rappaport has been cast as the lead on the NBC comedy pilot Outsourced; Donald Faison (Scrubs) has come on board CBS comedy pilot The Odds, where he will play a lead homicide detective; Autumn Reeser (Entourage) has joined the cast of ABC superhero drama pilot No Ordinary Family, where she will play a lab assistant; Todd Stashwick (The Riches) has been cast in ABC's untitled Dana Gould comedy, where he'll play a "former college football superstar now married with four kids and down on his luck"; and Natalie Martinez (Sons of Tucson) has joined the cast of ABC drama pilot 187 Detroit. (Hollywood Reporter)

Courtney Thorne-Smith has been cast in a multiple-episode story arc on CBS comedy Two and a Half Men. She'll play Lindsay, described as "a girlfriend for Alan (Jon Cryer) who is a deeply neurotic, recently divorced mother of a rotten 16-year-old boy." (Hollywood Reporter)

While Top Gear isn't heading to NBC, it could still be headed for US screens... on the History channel. History is said to be in talks to acquire the US format for the hit British series, according to The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd. (Hollywood Reporter)

Spike has ordered a pilot for single-camera comedy Back Nine, which will star John Schneider (Smallville) as a former U.S. Open champion who has hit rock bottom and "travels the country competing in small-time tournaments with Tiger, his sex-addicted longtime caddy, in order to qualify again for the PGA Tour." Project is written and directed by Jason Filardi and Mark Perez, who will executive produce with John Lynch. Miguel Nunez is currently in talks to come on board in the role of Tiger. (Hollywood Reporter)

Verizon FiOS subscribers will be the first to check out HBO's new online streaming service, HBO Go, which offers more than 600 hours of programming, while Comcast subscribers will be able to access the same programming via the cable provider's Fancast service. (Hollywood Reporter)

UK viewers will be able to finally see the Nathan Fillion-led ABC crime dramedy Castle, thanks to a deal between ABC Studios and UKTV crime channel Alibi, which has picked up the exclusive UK rights for the first two seasons of Castle. (Broadcast)

The CW is developing two reality projects, including an untitled docusoap from Ryan Seacrest Prods. that will follow celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson as she keeps celebrities fit. [Editor: While Anderson's client roster includes Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Hudson, and Courteney Cox, I'd be amazed if any of them opts to appear on screen.] Also in development: Lost Weekend, a scavenger hunt-style competition series from executive producers Brett Ratner and Justin Hochberg. (Hollywood Reporter)

Cable network TLC has reached an undisclosed settlement with Jon Gosselin for the breach of contract lawsuit they had brought against the former Jon & Kate Plus 8 star. (Gosselin later countersued the network.) The terms of the settlement are being kept confidential. (Variety)

Nickelodeon has ordered a second season of kid-focused game show BrainSurge, with 40 episodes on tap for this summer. (Variety)

More layoffs at Sony Pictures Television in the current department: VP Debra Curtis and manager Rose Lee have been let go as part of a corporate restructure under which 450 employees will be let go from across all of Sony Pictures Entertainment divisions. (The sole remaining current executive? John Westphal.) Many are taking the layoffs as a sign that the studio will shift current responsibilities to the development teams. (Hollywood Reporter)

The Daily Show's Stewart Bailey has been named the new executive producer of NBC's latenight talk show Last Call With Carson Daly. He replaces David Friedman, who has left to take a position with CBS' The Early Show. (Variety)

Warner Horizon has signed a deal with John De Mol's Talpa Media to develop reality series for US broadcast and cable networks that are based on the shingle's Dutch formats. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Richardson to Reign on "Tudors," Ty Pennington on "Great British Adventure" for ABC, Jamie-Lynn Sigler Gets "Ugly," and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Nip/Tuck's Joely Richardson has been cast in the fourth and final season of Showtime's The Tudors, where she would play King Henry VIII's final wife, Katherine Parr. The Tudors is set to return in Spring 2010 and Showtime would not comment on the casting. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

In a first, British channel UKTV has sold lifestyle special Ty's Great British Adventure to ABC. Special, which will air Sunday, August 2nd at 8 pm on ABC, features Extreme Makeover: Home Edition's Ty Pennington transforming the rundown Cornish beach down of Portreath, including commissioning a children's park, a sports shop, and walking routes, along with other improvements. (Broadcast)

Jamie-Lynn Sigler (The Sopranos) has joined the cast of ABC's Ugly Betty, where she will recur as Natalie, Daniel Meade's new assistant who is described as "sexy, spiritual, [and] funny," according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. Sigler's first appearance is set for the second episode of Season Three, which kicks off October 9th on ABC. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

ABC has ordered a third season of unscripted series Wipeout, which it will air next summer. The exact episodic order was unclear but producers say that they will be constructing a whole new course for Season Three. "We're planning a completely new course next year that's nothing like anybody has ever seen," executive producer Matt Kunitz told the Hollywood Reporter. "What keeps this show running is keeping the show's course fresh." (Hollywood Reporter)

E! Online's Watch with Kristin has an interview with Nurse Jackie's Peter Facinelli, in which the actor talks about Dr. Fitch Cooper's sexual Tourette's and what's coming up on the fantastically addictive Showtime series. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Also on E! Online, the Watch with Kristin crew has a new interview with Leverage's Christian Kane, in which he talks about his hair, Eliot's love life (and anger management issues), and why Kane does his own stunt work on the series. "It's gonna be fun over the course of this season" for both Eliot Parker, said Kane. "These two people don't have hearts, but Nate [Timothy Hutton] has given them a heartbeat again. It's a little uncomfortable for both of them because they are starting to care about people. But Eliot in a sense is still going to be the James Bond of the show...It's not so much about love, as it is about beautiful women." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Actress Mischa Barton is said to be "seeking treatment but making improvements," according to her spokesman Craig Schneider. It's still unclear what Barton's future will be with the CW's new fall drama series The Beautiful Life, but Schneider says that the actress plans to return to work. (Hollywood Reporter)

E! has renewed docusoap Kendra for a second season of twelve episodes (plus a one-hour special), set to launch in 2010. (Variety)

TV Guide Network has acquired off-network rights to ABC dramedy Ugly Betty, which it will strip weekdays beginning Fall 2010. Deal covers all existing and future episodes of the series and the cabler will repurpose episodes from series' upcoming fourth season, which it will begin airing this fall, airing new episodes within two weeks of their broadcast on ABC. (Episodes will also be available on Hulu and ABC.com after transmission on ABC.) (Hollywood Reporter)

Spike has renewed Deadliest Warrior for a second season of thirteen episodes, slated to air next spring. Cabler is also said to be discussing commissioning a stand-alone special that would air before the launch of Season Two that would pit champions from the first season against one another. (Variety)

Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek), Noel Fisher (The Riches) and Linda Emond (Julie & Julia) have been cast in CBS' holiday telepic A Dog Named Christmas, based on Greg Kincaid's novel. Project will be written by Jenny Wingfield and directed by Peter Werner. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Jared Harris Suits Up for Season Three of "Mad Men," ABC Offers "Christine" a Fallback, FOX Renews "Fringe," NBC Infront, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

Jared Harris (Fringe's David Robert Jones) has been cast in a ten-episode story arc on Season Three of AMC's period drama Mad Men, which is expected to launch in August. Harris will play Lane Pryce, the financial officer of Sterling Cooper Advertising Agency, in the series, which stars Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, January Jones, Vincent Kartheiser, Christina Hendricks, and "guest star" John Slattery. (Hollywood Reporter)

Should CBS opt not to renew comedy The New Adventures of Old Christine for a fifth season, ABC is willing to give the Warner Bros. Television-produced series, which stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus, a bailout, guaranteeing it a full 22-episode season on ABC. Move marks the second time ABC has organized a deal like this on behalf of Old Christine (network head Steve McPherson is said to be a huge fan), but it's thought rather likely that CBS will renew it in the end. (Hollywood Reporter)

FOX has officially renewed sci-fi drama series Fringe, from Warner Bros. Television, for a second season. (Televisionary)

NBC unveiled some of its plans for the 2009-10 season to advertisers yesterday, which include new programs such as Parenthood, "event" series Day One, Mercy, Trauma, and comedies 100 Questions and Community. Still no official word, however, about the fate of Chuck, My Name is Earl, Medium, or Law & Order, though the Peacock will make further announcements and share its primetime schedule on May 19th. (Televisionary)

... And NBC also shared the fact that it had canceled crime drama Life and would not be bringing it back for a third season. (Televisionary)

SCI FI Wire talks to Fringe co-star Jasika Nicole, who plays Agent Astrid Farnsworth on the FOX sci-fi drama. Nicole promises that the writers will explore Astrid's past, just not this season. "They've been working on that for a really long time, and they want to make sure that it's perfect," Nicole told SCI FI Wire. "That's why we haven't seen it yet. So I'm hoping that it's going to come in Season Two. We will not get that episode in Season One, but I'm pretty sure that it will happen in Season Two, and I can't wait to find out what's in it, let me tell you." (SCI FI Wire)

Once again, CW is looking to get out of programming Sunday evenings, traditionally the netlet's lowest rated night of the week. At this time last year, the netlet had unveiled an unconventional plan to hand over its Sunday night block to Media Rights Capital, a deal which did not work out. Now CW is said to be in discussions with its affiliates to give up five hours of network time on Sundays so that it can focus on programming the rest of the week. Most of these affiliates are rumored to be talking with MGM about a movie package "on a barter advertising basis." (Variety)

SPOILER: Many Heroes fans are wondering whether Zachary Quinto will be leaving the ensemble drama now that he's donned those rubber ears to play Spock in J.J. Abrams' new Star Trek. Rest assured though that Sylar isn't going anywhere. "We can absolutely assure you that Zachary Quinto is coming back next season," writes Team Watch with Kristin. "We're hearing that Sylar is present in what's described as 'a very Fight Club-esque way.' Care to interpret what that means?" (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Paul Iacono (Human Giant) has been cast as the lead in MTV comedy pilot Hard Times, about a well-endowed geek who becomes popular after accidentally exposing himself during a sporting event. Pilot is written by Seth Grahame-Smith and will be directed/produced by David Katzenberg. (Hollywood Reporter)

Lionsgate Television has tapped Amazing Race creators Bertram Van Munster and Elise Doganieri to serve as executive producers on its new reality series Instantly Rich, described as "a lottery-style game show in which contestants enter to play via text message," which is being pitched to networks now as a one-hour primetime reality series. (Broadcasting & Cable)

Spike has now closed a deal for off-network rights to all 78 episodes so far of HBO's Entourage, as well as the sixth and any future seasons of the series for roughly $600,000 per episode. The cabler also negotiated the right to create a second window for the series on a sister network, most likely Comedy Central. (Hollywood Reporter)

Six Fox Television Stations will offer an eight-week test-run of half-hour reality series Beyond Twisted, a user generated content series from Telepictures Prods. and Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution that will feature commentary from the series' production staff. Unlike the studio's TMZ, it will steer away from celebrity-based clips. (Variety)

Mark Burnett has signed a deal to create programming based on the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame. The first project under the deal will be a special celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Hollywood institution, which will be pitched to networks very soon. Burnett, meanwhile, is getting his own star on the Walk of Fame later this year. (Hollywood Reporter)

Disney XD has renewed action series Aaron Stone for a second season and handed out a series order to live-action comedy Viper Slap, starring Logan Miller as a teen who gets to lives his dream when he lands a gig as the new lead guitarist of his favorite 80s band and helps them step back into the spotlight. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Olyphant to Star in Elmore Leonard Pilot for FX, Sneak Peek at 100th Episode of "Lost," Enver Gjokaj Talks "Dollhouse," and More

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.

Timothy Olyphant (Damages) has been cast in FX's untitled Elmore Leonard project, which is based on a short story by Leonard entitled "Fire in the Hole." Olyphant will play U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens who returns to his hometown in Kentucky. "He has a certain jaggedness, but he also loves his job," said creator/executive producer Graham Yost. "He is like an anachronism: He wears a hat, cowboy boots and a holster on his hip. It's a little bit like he was born 100 years too late." Project, from Sony Pictures Television and Timberman/Beverly Prods., will be directed by Michael Dinner and will start shooting at the end of May. (Hollywood Reporter)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan has a sneak peek at three scenes from Wednesday evening's 100th episode of ABC's Lost, entitled "The Variable." (Gee, does that title remind you of another famous installment?) All I can say is that this episode looks to pack quite a punch. (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Dollhouse star Enver Gjokaj talks to E! Online's Jennifer Godwin about his character, Victor, and about what's coming up on the FOX drama, created by Joss Whedon. "We know he has a military background and that something bad happened," said Gjokaj about Victor. "Joss and I have talked briefly about that, but nothing is official." As for why Victor and Sierra (Dichen Lachman) seem to be propelled towards each other, Gjokaj said, "Pheromones? I'm not sure, but we know it's something deeper, more instinctual than liking her personality, because we don't really have those as dolls. I personally think Joss is asking, "What if there is such a thing as true love?" Something more than a pat psychological answer. What if two souls are attracted to each other even in the absence of memory?" (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Pamela Adelon (Californication) will star opposite Adam Carolla in CBS comedy pilot Ace in the Hole, where she will play the wife of Carolla's character, a nurse and mother of two. Should Ace in the Hole be picked up to series, Adelon would depart Showtime's Californication. Meanwhile, Leslie Bibb (Iron Man) has left NBC's untitled Justin Adler comedy pilot, following a creative shakeup that also saw Adler, the pilot's writer leave the project. Bibb's role is currently being recast. (Hollywood Reporter)

ABC announced several additions to its summer schedule, including three installments of news magazine Primetime, Primetime: Family Secrets, Primetime: Crime, and Primetime: The Outsiders, while Primetime: What Would You Do will return for another run. Series will air on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10 pm ET/PT throughout the summer. The network also has four-hour mini-series Diamonds and Impact, special J.K. Rowling: A Year in the Life, and a slew of reality series, including Great American Road Trip, which will now air Tuesdays at 8 pm beginning July 7th, and America's Got Talent, which will kick off with a two-hour opener on June 23rd. (Variety)

Spike is said to be close to signing a deal to acquire off-network cable rights to HBO comedy Entourage, possibly in conjunction with another channel in MTV Networks' stable, likely Comedy Central. Series will become available in 2010. (Broadcasting & Cable)

AMC's Mad Men took home the top prize yesterday at the BAFTA TV awards in London, where it won the trophy for best international series, beating out fellow nominees The Wire, Dexter, and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, while Kenneth Branagh drama Wallander beat out Doctor Who, Shameless, and Spooks for the continuing drama prize. (Variety)

The New York Times talks to King of the Hill creator Mike Judge about the long-running FOX animated series wrapping its run after 13 seasons. Judge, who says that he wanted to stop working on the series six or seven years ago, says that there won't be a finale per se. "I’m not sure there will be a final episode this time around," he told the Times' Kathryn Shattuck. We did a final episode back in the first year we thought we were canceled. I was really proud of that last episode, and then when we didn’t get canceled, we had to kind of tweak it and do these different things to make it not seem so final. And I’m not sure there will be any kind of story arc. The thing I think we do well is kind of keeping it the same. I’m a big fan of just classic TV — the old Bob Newhart Show, Leave It to Beaver, The Andy Griffith Show. There was something kind of comforting in that, episode after episode, they didn’t change that much." (New York Times)

NBC is bringing back axed reality competition series The Chopping Block to the schedule. The series, which was pulled from the Peacock's lineup last month, will return on Friday, June 19th at 8 pm and air the five remaining episodes of the series. (Futon Critic)

Jon Hamm (Mad Men) and Jennifer Westfeldt (Kissing Jessica Stein) have set up production company Points West Pictures, which they hope will develop projects that will place them in front of and behind the camera. Company is in development on three projects, two of which are being written by Westfeldt. (Hollywood Reporter)

William Morris Agency and Endeavor are expected to vote today on a potential merger that would create a major new player on the talent representation scene. The combined joint entity, WME Entertainment, would offer 300 agents, one of the top client rosters, and an annual revenue of roughly $325 million. "The deal could trigger a new wave of consolidation, putting pressure on other smaller agencies to combine or find larger partners," writes The Los Angeles Times' Dawn C. Chmielewski and Meg James. "The last significant talent agency merger was in 2006 when International Creative Management bought the smaller Broder Webb Chervin Silbermann Agency in a move to inject new life into ICM's television business." (Los Angeles Times)

ABC Family has yanked freshman comedy Sophie off of its schedule effective immediately. The cabler will air back-to-back new episodes of fellow first-year comedy Roommates in the 9 pm hour and 10 pm hours on Monday nights beginning tonight, wrapping up its run now on May 4th, rather than June 15th. (Futon Critic)

MTV has given a series order to reality competition series The Stylist, which will pit fashion stylists against one another for a contract with a major agency, from Bunim-Murray. The cabler also ordered 80 additional episodes of dating series Parental Control, bringing the series' six season total to 200 installments. (Hollywood Reporter)

Style has renewed eight series, including Ruby, The Dish, How Do I Look?, Clean House, Split Ends, Clean House Comes Clean, Dress My Nest, and Whose Wedding Is It Anyway. The cabler has several new series in the pipeline including Mothers and Daughters of Dallas and Guiliana & Bill, a docusoap following former Apprentice winner Bill Rancic and his wife Guiliana, an anchor on E! (TV Week)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Evan Rachel Wood Bites into "True Blood," Mary-Louise Parker Not Leaving "Weeds," "Lost" 100th Episode to "Flash Forward," and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.

Evan Rachel Wood (The Wrestler) has been cast on HBO's True Blood, where she will guest star in two episodes as Sophie-Anne, a 500-year-old French vampire who is the Queen of Louisiana. Woods will turn up towards the end of Season Two, which kicks off on June 14th, but is expected to reprise her role should True Blood be renewed for a third season. Her character, Sophie-Anne, is described as "who is charming, wily, ruthless and wise. She's a consummate diplomat who has (or had) many of history's most famous people on speed dial." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Nancy Botwin may have left Agrestic behind but Weeds' Mary-Louise Parker isn't going anywhere. "No. That's not true," said series creator Jenji Kohan when asked whether Parker would leave Weeds now that Jennifer Jason Leigh had been cast in the series. Leigh's character will appear in just a handful of episodes in Weeds' upcoming season. "Right now we've written two that she's in, but as we write, we'll see where she fits in and if she wants to come back and play," said Kohan. "She's doing a movie, so her schedule is kind of crazy right now. It's a great piece of guest casting. We love having Jennifer here; we'd love her to do as many as she wants to do, but by no means does it edge out Mary-Louise." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

ABC hasn't yet ordered sci-fi pilot Flash Forward, starring Joseph Fiennes, Sonya Walger, and a host of others, but the network will be giving viewers of Lost's upcoming 100th episode, set to air next week, a sneak peak at the project via a "stealth promo campaign" that will actually be spots for Flash Forward, "part of an elaborate marketing campaign for the drama, which has not been officially picked up to series but is quietly being positioned on ABC's schedule for next season." (Hollywood Reporter)

ABC has acquired thirteen episodes of Canadian co-production Copper, a cop drama from studio E1 Entertainment. Series, which revolves around five rookie cops, will be executive produced by Ilana Frank, Tassie Cameron (Flashpoint), John Morayniss, and Noreen Halpern. Series will air on Canwest Global in Canada. (Variety)

Elsewhere at the Alphabet, ABC has announced that it will return game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, hosted by Regis Philbin, for a special eleven-night run to celebrate its tenth anniversary, beginning Sunday, August 9th. (via press release)

Chuck creator Josh Schwartz is still hoping that the series' rabidly loyal fanbase can keep the series afloat for another season. Speaking at NAB, Schwartz said that he "had a good meeting with NBC about Chuck's future, but he would not speculate on whether the show would survive" and pointed to some fan-based efforts such as continually mentioning Chuck on Twitter and organizing an effort to buy Subway sandwiches on Monday (the sandwich chain was recently featured on the series). Of the latter, Schwartz said, "It shows a real sophistication on the part of the viewer." (Los Angeles Times' Show Tracker)

Christopher Gorham (Harper's Island) will reprise his role as Henry on ABC's Ugly Betty in the May 21st episode, which marks a two-hour season finale for Betty. Gorham's Henry will run into Betty while with his new girlfriend Chloe (Gossip Girl's Dream Walker) and they end up on a double date with Betty and her new boyfriend Matt (Daniel Eric Gold). "As Henry and Betty reconnect, it could potentially threaten her relationship with Matt," Ugly Betty creator Silvio Horta told Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. "Chris has always been, and will always be, part of the Ugly Betty family." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

NBC is expected to announce that it has cut back on the episodic order for Heroes next season, with aims to produce only 18-20 episodes rather than 25 installments, as the series did this current season. The network is also expected to run those episodes closely together and try to avoid interruptions in the storyline. [Editor: look for the timeslot to be most likely filled during the series' hiatus by Jesse Alexander's sci fi project Day One.] (Advertising Age)

Comedy Central has given a pilot presentation order to an untitled half-hour sketch comedy starring blue-collar comedian Ron White. Project, executive produced by White, Eddie Feldmann, John MacDonald, Michael Pelmont, Brian Volkweiss, and Barry Katz, will feature White as he shares stories from the heartland of America. (Hollywood Reporter)

VH1 has renewed Celebrity Rehab for a third season and has handed out an eight-episode series order for Sex Rehab With Dr. Drew, in which the titular Dr. Drew tackles everyday people's sex compulsions and its "destructive effect on those who suffer from it." Also on tap at the cabler: Gotti's Way 2 and New York Goes to Work, both of which will launch May 4th. (Variety)

Style has given an eight-episode series order to docusoap Mothers and Daughters of Dallas, which will follow four mother/daughter socialites in Texas as they strive to maintain their position in society. Project, from executive producers Allison Grodner, Peter Tartaglia, Sarah Weidman, and Merah Chung, will launch this fall. (Hollywood Reporter)

Spike has renewed 1000 Ways to Die, which will return with thirteen episodes, and MANswers, which got a ten episode pickup, while the cabler has also ordered a 1000 Ways to Die spin-off entitled 1000 Ways to Lie. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: FOX Terminates "Sarah Connor," Amanda Tapping Reprises "Stargate" Role, "24" Moves to Manhattan, and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that FOX will not be renewing sophomore drama series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles for a third season. While the network has declined to comment on a cancellation, saying that they won't be announcing their fall schedule until May 18th, Ausiello has several unnamed insiders stating that the series is dead. "It's done," said one source. "Everyone has pretty much known for a couple of weeks." Ausiello was told by one network insider, "Consider it canceled." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

As previously reported, Richard Dean Anderson, Michael Shanks, and Gary Jones will reprise their roles from various Stargate franchise series in Sci Fi's upcoming series SGU: Stargate Universe. Also joining them in providing a guest starring role on the first season of the spin-off series is Amanda Tapping, who will reprise her role as astrophysicist Samantha Carter. Also on board for SGU are Christopher McDonald (The House Bunny) who will play Senator Alan Armstrong, the head of the International Oversight Committee and father of Chloe (Elyse Levesque); singer Janelle Monae will play herself and perform two songs; and Carlo Rota (24) will play Carl Strom, the head of the International Oversight Advisory. (Hollywood Reporter)

24's Day Eight will relocate its plot to New York City, after six seasons in Los Angeles and one based in Washington D.C. Day Eight also sees the return of CTU to the mix, with Mary Lynn Rajskub returning as Chloe and three new characters, as yet uncast, including CTU head Brian Hastings. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

HBO is developing comedy pilot Women's Studies, about a famous author who, after a turn as a feminist "it" girl, becomes a professor at a small liberal arts college. Project, which will be written by Theresa Rebeck (NYPD Blue), is being viewed as a potential vehicle for actress Julie White, who will co-write the story with Rebeck and Ben Karlin (The Daily Show). (Hollywood Reporter)

Nicolette Sheridan has lashed out at Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry following the demise of her character, Edie Blitt. "I think that whoever Edie represented in Marc’s life was somebody he didn’t like," Sheridan told TV Guide magazine. "And he had a very difficult time distinguishing between fact and fiction." To his defense, Cherry says that the decision to kill off Edie was story-based as well as financial. "There has been tremendous pressure put on me to find ways to cut costs," said Cherry. "The network is saying to all the shows: 'The company is really hurting financially. You must find a way to produce these shows more cheaply.'" (TV Guide)

Bravo is developing two scripted original series, a first for the network, entitled Blueprint and 30 Under 30. Blueprint, from writer Laurence Andries (Six Feet Under) and Alloy Entertainment, is a serialized dramedy that follows the lives of two best friends--one straight, the other gay--who run an architecture and interior design firm in Manhattan. 30 Under 30, from executive producers Jonathan Prince (American Dreams) and Alana Sanko, follows twenty-something power players in Manhattan, including a gossip blogger, a real estate agent, and an artist. The cabler also unveiled a slew of new reality projects, including American Artist, Design Sixx, Kell on Earth, Launch My Line, and The Fashion Show. (Hollywood Reporter)

A&E has yet to renew drama series The Beast, which stars Patrick Swayze and Travis Fimmel, for a second season. While the cabler is waiting to see how the final two segments of the freshman season perform, A&E president Bob DeBitetto said much of the decision rests on Swayze's shoulders and if he is willing to reprise his role for another season. "As has been the case from day one, it is all about Patrick — in a lot of ways," said DeBitetto. "It is about his condition, and when and whether he would be up for another grueling production schedule." (USA Today)

BBC One has cast Leonora Crichlow (Being Human), Dervla Kirwan (Doctor Who), and Michael Landes (Love Soup) in new six-part romantic comedy series Material Girl, about "a young fashion designer battling an evil ex-boss, a sexy but devilish business partner and snobby fashionistas to get her break in work and love." Series, produced by Carnival Film and Television, is set to air on BBC One later this year. (BBC)

TBS has ordered ten episodes of animated comedy Neighbors From Hell, about a family from Hell who moves into a suburban neighborhood in order to prevent people from spending eternity among fire and brimstone. Project, written by Pam Brady (South Park) and executive produced by Brady, Mireille Soria, and Jeffrey Katzenberg, will be produced by 20th Century Fox Television and DreamWorks Animation. (Variety)

Sony Pictures Television has signed a blind script deal with Nick Bakay (Paul Blart: Mall Cop), under which he will develop and write a comedy pilot script that will be produced through Happy Madison. (Hollywood Reporter)

The Los Angeles Times' Scott Collins wonders if things have finally turned around for NBC, which last week saw successful launches for new series Parks and Recreation and John Wells' Southland. Collins says that the network has remained flat in terms of audience retention year to year (while other nets have all decreased) and the audience for NBC has gotten younger: to a median age of 47.2 this year. (Los Angeles Times' Show Tracker)

Disgraced former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich will participate on NBC's upcoming reality competition series I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!, though the network was waiting for the judge overseeing Blagojevich's case to loosen travel restrictions as the series will be shot in Costa Rica. (TV Week)

Jailed former NFL player Michael Vicks, serving time for dogfighting conspiracy, is said to be in talks with producers for a reality series that would follow him after his release from prison in July and show him "make amends for his past." As for where such a series could end up, the article points to several unnamed insiders who point towards A&E and Spike as logical first pitches. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: TNT Cans "Trust Me," Showtime Passes on All Pilots, Adam Scott and Zak Orth Get "Wonderful" for HBO, and More

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.

TNT has officially canceled freshman drama Trust Me, starring Eric McCormack and Tom Cavanagh. The Warner Horizon-produced series, which launched with 3.4 million viewers and quickly lost much of that viewership, will not be returning for a second season. McCormack himself has already signed on to another project, ABC's untitled Tad Quill comedy pilot. The cabler, meanwhile, has three new series in the works: Ray Romano dramedy Men of a Certain Age, medical drama Hawthorne (formerly known as Time Heals), and Deep Blue (formerly known as The Line). (Hollywood Reporter)

Showtime is now zero for four. The pay cabler has now opted not to order any of its four pilots to series in the last month, deciding over the weekend not to hand out a series order to Tim Robbins-created drama Possible Side Effects, staring Josh Lucas as a pharmaceuticals family scion. Previously, the network had shelved pilots Ronna and Beverly, The L Word spin-off The Farm, and The End of Steve. (Variety)

Adam Scott (Party Down) and Zak Orth (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) will star opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar, Molly Parker, and Nate Corddry in HBO single-camera comedy pilot The Wonderful Maladays. Orth will play the playwright husband of Mary (Parker) who is described as "the confident moral center of the family." Scott, meanwhile, will play the businessman ex of Alice (Gellar). (Hollywood Reporter)

Elsewhere at HBO, Lake Bell (Boston Legal) has joined the cast of comedy series How to Make It in America, starring Bryan Greenberg and Victor Rasuk, as a series regular. And Ed Quinn (Eureka) will recur on Season Two of HBO drama series True Blood, where he will play Stan, a powerful Texan vampire. (Hollywood Reporter)

FX president John Landgraf told TV Week's Jon Lafayette that he believes that cablers are developing too many original series and ultimately the quality will suffer. "I’m of a different opinion than some of my competitors, in that I think that if you try to compete with them in terms of volume, you’re inevitably going to suffer erosion in terms of quality," said Landgraf. "When was the last time you had a broadcast network that had eight original dramas on the air and you thought they were all good? If a broadcast network can’t do it, then I think a basic-cable network’s never going to be able to do it." (TV Week)

Ashes to Ashes star Philip Glenister has hit out at critics of his co-star Keeley Hawes, whom he believes has suffered undue nastiness on the part of critics. "What I objected to most was the personal nature of some of the attacks and the utter lack of appreciation of what a fine actress Keeley is, a woman with this incredibly impressive range of emotions and almost uncanny ability to cry on cue," said Glenister in an interview with The Daily Record. "Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I actually thought some of the remarks made about Keeley, and her acting, were utterly inexcusable. What I objected to most was this idea, this totally bogus idea, that she was somehow lightweight, that she wasn't a key part of the show. She was central to it. There wouldn't have been an Ashes To Ashes without her. So, this time round, I hope that the comments about Keeley's contribution are a little more considered." (The Daily Record)

E! Online's Natalie Abrams talks to 90210 showrunner Rebecca Rand Kirschner Sinclair about what to expect at the end of the freshman season, including some tather tantalizing tidbits about "sex, drugs, alcohol, and murder," which co-star Rob Estes teased at last week's Paley Festival panel. "There are some rash actions at the end of the season, where one of the characters makes some decisions that may have very serious consequences, life and death consequences, if you will," said Kirschner Sinclair. "A lot of stuff happens during prom. There's love that's finally fulfilled and yet, because of various circumstances, potentially destroyed forever. There's love, there's death, there's heartache, heartbreak." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Food Network has ordered eight episodes of culinary/travel series Extreme Cuisine With Jeff Corwin, which will follow Corwin as he travels the world in search of exotic foods and local culture. Series is expected to launch this fall on the basic cabler. (Hollywood Reporter)

Keith Allen will not be returning for Season Four of BBC One drama Robin Hood (which airs in the States on BBC America), should the network decide to order another season of the drama. "I doubt I'll go back for a fourth series if they do one," Allen told The South Wales Evening Post, "it's boring to work on now. I've done three series, and I'd like to move on to something else." Series star Jonas Armstrong had already made it clear that the current season would be his last. (Digital Spy)

Spike has ordered a pilot for docuseries Pirate Hunters: USN, which will follow the members of the U.S. Navy's anti-piracy unit in the Gulf of Aden. Project, from 44 Blue Prods. and executive producers Rasha Drachkovitch and Adam Friedman, will focus on the same region where Somali pirates took American sea captain Richard Phillips hostage and commandeered his cargo ship. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Charlotte's "Lost" Timeline; Krause and Tierney Find "Parenthood," Silverman Talks "Parks and Recreation" Testing, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

Still scratching your head about the apparent confusion surrounding the age of Lost's Charlotte Staples Church, played by Rebecca Mader, who was allegedly born in 1979 but then turned up as a kid on the island in 1974? You're not the only one. In executive producer Damon Lindelof and Carlton's Cuse's latest podcast, they placed the blame for the mixup about Charlotte's age squarely on Mader, saying that she changed her character's age from 37 to 28. Mader then shot back on her Facebook page, blaming Team Darlton for the error.

Now Darlton have cleared up the confusion and apologized to Mader. "Rebecca is absolutely right and we apologize to both her and the entire fan community for screwing up the story," said the duo in an email to Michael Ausiello (click through to read the full statement). "Our first mistake was the timeline gaffe, but the much more significant one was wrapping Rebecca up in this when she had nothing to do with it. Not her fault on any level. It was our bad. One hundred percent. We will say as much in a very special "Eating Crow" edition of our Podcast tomorrow. Speaking of which, what a wonderful world we live in where we can make a comment in a Podcast that triggers a response on someone's Facebook page and that triggers a mea culpa on someone else's blog. Ah, technology." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Peter Krause (Dirty Sexy Money) and Maura Tierney (ER) have signed on to star in NBC drama pilot Parenthood, based on the 1989 feature film. Krause will play Adam Braverman, a married man with two kids who seems normal but is a raving madman underneath his calm exterior, while Tierney will play his sister Sarah, a single mother to a rebellious 16-year-old daughter (Mae Whitman). Craig T. Nelson and Dax Shepard are also in talks to join the cast of the Unviersal Media Studios/Imagine TV project. (Hollywood Reporter)

NBC's Ben Silverman has hit back after news of the poor testing for the Peacock's new comedy series Parks and Recreation, launching April 9th, were made public yesterday. Silverman claims that such findings aren't unusual for a new series. "All of the research we do around initial rough cuts is negative," Silverman told Entertainment Weekly's Tim Stack. "If you had seen the initial research on all of ours and our competitors' successful shows, it tends to be like that."(Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

John C. McGinley (Scrubs) has been cast in CBS drama pilot Back, opposite Skeet Ulrich and Sherry Stringfield. In the project, about a man thought missing after 9/11 who comes home and must reconnect with his family, McGinley will play Tom, a firefighter who is now married to the former wife (Stringfield) of the missing man (Ulrich). (Hollywood Reporter)

Amanda Bynes (What I Like About You) has landed the lead in ABC comedy pilot Canned, about a group of friends who all lose their jobs on the same day. Bynes will play Sarabeth, a "naive Midwesterner who's being exploited by her boss and doesn't realize it." Project, from ABC Studios and Brillstein Entertainment Partners, is written/executive produced by Kevin Etten and executive produced by David Rosenthal and Peter Traugott. Already cast in the project: Tim Peper, Stephanie Lemelin, and Baron Vaughn. (Variety)

Elsewhere, a whole string of pilot casting alerts: Jacqueline Bisset (Nip/Tuck) will play one of the leads in CBS drama pilot The Eastmans, about a family of doctors, where she will play the family matriarch, an ER nurse; Steve Howey (Reba) has been cast as the male lead in NBC comedy pilot State of Romance (also cast: Zoe Lister Jones and Grace Rex); Andrea Parker (Less Than Perfect) will star in ABC comedy pilot presentation This Little Piggy; and Lourdes Benedicto (Cashmere Mafia) has been cast in ABC drama pilot V. (Hollywood Reporter)

Kiefer Sutherland said that he is committed to FOX drama 24 and likened his relationship to the drama series to a romantic one. "If I was going to liken 24 to a girlfriend, 24 has been really good to me. And I need to be really good back," said Sutherland said. "There are plays I want to do. There are so many different things I would like to do, but I was so fortunate to be part of something like 24 that my focus is still on that right now. [...] The real pressure is placed on the writers. It's a real question about how much they feel they can give and what they can do." (Associated Press)

Jennifer Beals (The L Word) has been cast in a multiple-episode story arc on FOX drama Lie to Me, where she will play Zoe Landau, the ex-wife of Cal Lightman (Tim Roth) and mother of their daughter, Emily (Hayley McFarland). Zoe, an assistant U.S. Attorney, will hire Cal to investigate an arson case though it will become clear that these two have unresolved feelings for one another. Beals' first episode is slated to air April 29th. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

E! Online's Jennifer Godwin is reporting that some fans of One Tree Hill have caught star Chad Michael Murray talking about the future on the CW series... or, more specifically, his future on the series. "I won't be back," he told stunned onlookers who captured the disclosure on video. It's not yet known if Murray was kidding in his remarks about One Tree Hill, which has already been renewed for a seventh season on the CW. "They don't want me," said Murray, speaking about the series' producers. "I'm not joking." CW has yet to issue an official comment denying or supporting Murray's comments. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Chelsea Handler has signed a three-year deal that will keep her as the host and executive producer of E!'s latenight talk show Chelsea Lately through 2012 and also have her produce new series for Comcast's portfolio of channels, which includes G4, Style, and Fearnet through her production company, Borderline Amazing Prods, with Comcast getting a first look at any projects emanating from the shingle. (Variety)

Robert Wuhl (Arli$$) is developing an untitled comedy series for HBO about a father and son who run a New York sports arena. Wuhl will co-write the pilot script with Seth Greenland as well as direct and executive produce. (Hollywood Reporter)

Nikke Finke has confirmed that Laurence Fishburne is being paid more than $14 million for his role on CBS' CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. (Deadline Hollywood Daily)

Spike has acquired rerun rights to HBO's period drama Band of Brothers, which the cabler will launch in third quarter 2009. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Jennifer Esposito Gets "Burn Notice," Chevy Chase Finds "Community" Spirit at NBC, "Top Model" Riot, and More

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.

Samantha Who?'s Jennifer Esposito has been cast in a multiple-episode story arc on USA's Burn Notice, where she will play Michelle Paxon, "a Miami PD detective who becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth about Michael." Esposito is expected to first turn up at the start of Season Three of Burn Notice, scheduled to debut in June. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Chevy Chase, who'll be seen later this season on NBC's Chuck, has been cast as one of the leads in NBC's comedy pilot Community, where he will play a community college student who has been married five times, opposite Joel McHale. Pilot will be directed by Joe and Anthony Russo (Arrested Development). (Hollywood Reporter)

Richard Dreyfuss (Tin Man) and Jason Biggs (The Pleasure of Your Company) will star in CBS comedy pilot Happiness Isn't Everything, about adult siblings and their parents who are "overinvolved" in each other's lives. Dreyfuss will play the family patriarch while Biggs will play one of the sons, along with Ben Schwartz. Project, from Sony Pictures Television and CBS Paramount Network Television, is executive produced by Mitch Hurwitz. (Hollywood Reporter)

Pilot casting news: Beau Garrett (Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer) and Mike Vogel (Cloverfield) will star in ABC drama pilot Empire State; Sophie Winkleman (Peep Show) will play the titular character in NBC comedy pilot 100 Questions for Charlotte Payne; Matthew Lillard (Scooby Doo) and Janet Varney (Chocolate News) will play the leads in ABC's untitled Jeff Strauss comedy pilot; Paul Campbell (Battlestar Galactica) has landed the lead role in ABC's US remake of comedy No Heroics; Warren Christie (October Road) and Denzel Whitaker (All That) have joined the cast of CBS drama pilot House Rules; Tim Peper (Carpoolers), Stephanie Lemelin (Cavemen), and Baron Vaughn (Teachers) will star in ABC comedy pilot Canned; Lindsey Broad (Ghost Whisperer) has snagged the female lead on NBC drama pilot State of Romance; Jaime Lee Kirchner (Just Legal) will star in NBC medical drama pilot Mercy; Rachel Nichols (Alias) and Laz Alonso (One on One) have joined the cast of CBS' untitled U.S. Attorney drama pilot; Archie Panjabi (Life on Mars) will co-star in CBS' drama pilot The Good Wife; and Larry Joe Campbell (According to Jim) has been added to ABC comedy pilot The Law. (Hollywood Reporter)

Former pro football player Michael Strahan has been cast in FOX comedy pilot Brothers, where he will play a retired NFL player who returns to his hometown and reconnects with his wheelchair-bound brother (Daryl "Chill" Mitchell), injured after a car accident. Project, from Sony Pictures Television and Tantamount. is written by Don Reo and will be directed by Ted Wass. (Variety)

Spike has ordered twelve episodes of sports-themed comedy Blue Mountain State, about three freshmen who attend a football powerhouse state university and have to "adapt to college life while juggling football, women, classes and nonstop hazing." Series, from Lionsgate Television and Varsity Pictures, is set to launch this summer, along with Matt Walsh comedy Players, and stars Darin Brooks, Chris Romano, Sam Jones III, Ed Marinaro, Alan Ritchson, and Gabrielle Dennis. (Hollywood Reporter)

In a bizarre twist, auditions over the weekend for the next cycle of CW's America's Next Top Model turned into pandemonium, with six women receiving medical treatment and three people arrested on charges of inciting to riot and disorderly conduct. Reuters cited a report from a local radio station, which reported that "chaos erupted outside a midtown Manhattan hotel after a car belching smoke pulled up near the line of women late in the afternoon, leading to a cry of "fire" that sparked panic. Witnesses told the station the situation was compounded when a man leapt from a car and began grabbing women's purses." (Reuters)

NBC will once again meet with advertisers before the traditional upfront period at the end of May, scheduling meetings with advertisers on May 4th and 5th in New York, Chicago on May 7th, and Los Angeles on May 12th. The Peacock will not be offering another multi-media NBC Experience as it did in 2008 and is said to be looking at its plans for the actual upfront week, beginning May 18th. (Variety)

The Los Angeles Times looks at the current crop of midseason replacement series and stresses that, besides for highlights like FOX's Lie to Me, the networks have some major problems with this year's offerings both scripted (Castle, Dollhouse) and unscripted (Chopping Block, True Beauty). "Executives can talk all they want about time-shifting and competition and retention levels," writes Scott Collins, "but what the networks really need are hits." (Los Angeles Times)

Tandem Communications has teamed up with Stanley M. Brooks and Jim Head to produce two telepics based on novels of Patricia Cornwell's "At Risk" and "The Front" for Lifetime; move marks the first time that Cornwell's work will be adapted. Telepics will be written by John Pielmeier (Capture of the Green River Killer). (Variety)

The Los Angeles Times talks with Portia de Rossi, the star of ABC's new comedy series Better Off Ted, which launches on Wednesday, about Proposition 8, her new series, and those motherhood rumors. (Los Angeles Times)

Kimberley Nixon (Cranford) has denied reports that she will star in the fifth season of Doctor Who, saying that she hasn't even auditioned. "Absolutely nothing [is happening with Doctor Who]," Nixon told Metro. "They film in my home town so it would be good from a convenience point of view. I haven't heard anything - just what I've read in the papers. I haven't even auditioned." (Digital Spy)

Turner Classic Movies has ordered ten-hour documentary series Moguls and Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood, which will depict the lives of such early Hollywood figures as Darryl Zanuck, Carl Laemmle, Samuel Goldwyn, Louis B. Mayer, and the Warner brothers. Series, written and produced by Jon Wilkman, is scheduled to air next year. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Terry O'Quinn and Reiko Aylesworth Talk "Lost," Eddie Cibrian Suits Up for "Washington Field," Super Dave Returns, and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

The Los Angeles Times talks to Lost's Terry O'Quinn about the reveal that his character, John Locke, wasn't quite as dead as it initially seemed in a very interesting interview that peels back some of the layers of motivations behind the enigmatic character. "Well, it appears to be at least a version of living," admitted O'Quinn. "It's interesting that I find post-death Locke up to this point much more relaxed and confident. I guess dying does that to you. I don't think he's too worried anymore. I think he might believe that he has the answers he's been looking for." (Los Angeles Times)

In other Lost-related news, TV Guide talks to new cast member Reiko Aylesworth (24) about what to expect on this week's episode, entitled "LaFleur." "There are so many reveals in this [episode]," said Aylesworth. "This episode opens up many cans of worms... [and] leads into the whole shift in the storyline. But then the end is very cool, too. It widens the scope of the show even more, which is hard to believe! It's game-changing." (TV Guide)

Eddie Cibrian (Invasion) has been cast as the male lead in CBS drama pilot Washington Field, about a husband and wife pair of experts who travel the world responding to various crises as part of a FBI task force charged with safeguarding America's interests. Cibrian will play Tommy, the "evidence response team coordinator and hazmat expert" who is married to Teri Polo's character. Cibrian was most recently seen on ABC's Ugly Betty and USA's The Starter Wife. (Hollywood Reporter)

Elsewhere, Jennifer Finnigan (Close to Home) has been cast to star in ABC drama pilot Inside the Box, where she will play the new White House press secretary who has an affair with a news anchor (Jason George); Lucy Davis (The Office) has been cast opposite Lauren Graham in ABC comedy pilot The Bridget Show (formerly known as Let It Go); Jon Bernthal (The Class) and Johann Urb (Dirt) have joined the cast of ABC supernatural drama pilot Eastwick; and Morris Chestnut will star in sci-fi pilot V... where he will play Ryan, the boyfriend of a Homeland Security agent who is concealing a secret: that he's actually a member of the alien Visitors and a key member of a resistance force. [Editor's note: this would mean that Wolf will not be playing Ryan, as reported by Michael Ausiello, but will be playing a news anchor, indicated by the Hollywood Reporter.] (Hollywood Reporter)

CW pilot helmer alert: Christian Duguay (Coco Chanel) will direct drama pilot The Beautiful Life; Scott Winant (Californication) will direct drama pilot Body Politic; and Marcos Siega (Dexter) will direct supernatural drama pilot Vampire Diaries. (Hollywood Reporter)

USA released its summer programming plans, which includes the launch of Season Eight of Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Season Two of In Plain Sight on April 19th; new drama series Royal Pains will be paired with Burn Notice on Thursday nights beginning in June; and Monk and Psych will return on Friday nights, but the cabler did not release any premiere dates for the latter two series. (Variety)

The creators of How I Met Your Mother may just very well solve the mystery of the series' title by the end of the season, reports Michael Ausiello. "At the end of the season, we will address the title of our show," said Bays, who told Ausiello that the last four episodes will feature "big events in the lives of our characters -- specifically Ted (Josh Radnor). We're going to wrap up some things that have been left dangling... I will say at the very least that the season will end with a complete sentence. We've left some sentence fragments dangling in past seasons, but this year, there will either be a period, a question mark or an exclamation point. We will be giving the audience that." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Lifetime has ordered a pilot for an untitled multi-camera comedy about the life of comedian Sherri Shepherd (30 Rock), which had been previously developed at the CW during the 2007-08 season. Project, written by Dave Flebotte and executive produced by Nina Wass and Gene Stein, is about a woman who discovers her husband fathered a child with another woman and invites both the kid and his mom to move in with them. (Hollywood Reporter)

Following a standoff between MTV Networks and The Sarah Silverman Program executive producers, Comedy Central in partnership with sister cabler Logo have renewed the series for a third season. Under the terms of the co-financing agreement, the episodic budgets on The Sarah Silverman Program will actually increase, rather than suffer the twenty percent reduction that MTV had threatened. The third season is expected to launch on both Comedy Central and Logo in early 2010. (Hollywood Reporter)

Spike has ordered four half-hour episodes of mockumentary comedy Super Dave Osbourne to air this summer and creator Bob Einstein will write the scripts and executive produce with Lee Kernis and Alan Blythe. (Variety)

Should Warner Bros. Television be able to close the previously reported multi-year renewal deals with CBS for Two and a Half Men and The Big Bang Theory, creator Chuck Lorre has said that all of his key cast members from each series will be returning. "It’s a remarkable thing to have happen," Lorre told TelevisionWeek. "Everyone involved in the show gets to think long-term as opposed to year-to-year. It allows people to plan a life when you get this kind of support." (TV Week)

MTV will launch six-episode reality competition series The Phone on April 21st at 10 pm ET/PT. The unscripted series, from Fremantle Media North America, follows four strangers who receive a phone call inviting them to participate in a game and then follows them as they embark on a series of mental and physical challenges in order to win a $50,000 cash prize each week. (via press release)

Disney Channel will begin production on High School Musical 4 later this year, with the telepic expected to air on the cabler in 2010. Story will follow a "love triangle set against the cross-town rivalry between the East High Wildcats and the West High Knights" and will feature a brand-new cast. (TV Week)

Sony Pictures Entertainment will eliminate roughly 300 jobs or four percent of its workforce through layoffs and the cutting of open positions. The workforce reductions could come as early as next week and is said to be related to "slumping DVD sales and a worsening economy." (Los Angeles Times)

Noah Oppenheim has been named head of unscripted development at Reveille after overseeing the development of a reality series starring self-help guru Tony Robbins for NBC. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: FX "Powers" Up with Comic Adaptation, Zarek Speaks Out About Coup, Pratt Hangs Out for "Parks and Recreation," and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

Cabler FX is developing a series adaptation of Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming's comic series Powers, about two police detectives in the homicide division assigned to cases involving super-powers. “Powers is in active development as a pilot at FX,” Bendis told MTV. “I just handed in a draft to the network and we’re getting our notes from the network as soon as this thing is over. So next week I’ll get the notes, and as long as they don’t involve sock puppets and some sort of orgy scene that I’m not interested in, then hopefully it will go in the right direction.” (MTV's Splash Page)

More discussion about Tom Zarek's motivations during the recent two-episode arc on Sci Fi's Battlestar Galactica, this time from Richard Hatch himself, who eloquently commented on Maureen Ryan's thread about the most recent episode ("Blood on the Scales") over at the Chicago Tribune's site. "First, having played Zarek for the past four years I would like to say that never did I play this character as a villain nor did I think he was one and I still feel that way," wrote Hatch. "After paying the price of 25 years in prison for standing up for human rights and seeing both his family, friends and cohorts killed by a supressive government on his home planet he had every right to distrust the powers that be on Galactica that seemed to think that only they had the right to make decisions for the people." Definitely worth a read. (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Anne Heche (Men in Trees) will replace Kristin Bauer in HBO's ten-episode comedy Hung, from creators Dmitry Lipkin and Colette Burson and director Alexander Payne. Heche will play the ex-wife of Thomas Jane's Ray, a well-endowed high school basketball coach. Scenes with Bauer, who played the role in the pilot, will be reshot using Heche. It's thought that HBO will launch the series in June; production is slated to begin in March. (Hollywood Reporter)

Noel Fisher (The Riches) has been cast in at least four episodes of NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, where he will play a "rookie crime scene sleuth, a nerdy, eager beaver-type who is in awe of Benson and Stabler." Fisher's first appearance is slated to air in April. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Looking for an update about the possible Veronica Mars feature film? Look no further. (Televisionary)

NBC has given a cast-contingent pilot order to ensemble comedy 100 Questions for Charlotte Payne, about a woman trying to figure out the dating scene in New York City. Project, from Universal Media Studios and Tagline, is written/executive produced by Chris Moynihan and executive produced by Ron West and Kelly Kulchak. (Variety)

Chris Pratt (Everwood) has been cast in NBC's midseason comedy Parks and Recreation, starring Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, and Aziz Ansari. In the project, Pratt will play Andy, the unemployed musician boyfriend of Jones' Ann, a well-intentioned nurse. Having read the script, I can say that Pratt is perfectly cast as lazy boyfriend Andy and his role is a pivotal one in the pilot. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Helmer alert: Stephen Hopkins (Californication) will direct FOX drama pilot Maggie Hill; Mark Pellington (Cold Case) will direct CBS drama pilot Back; and Todd Holland (Malcolm in the Middle) will direct FOX comedy pilot Sons of Tucson. (Hollywood Reporter)

Cartoon Network has renewed animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars for a second season and plans to launch Season Two next fall. (Variety)

Aaron Tveit (Ghost Town) and Holley Fain (Lipstick Jungle) have been cast in two episodes of the CW's Gossip Girl, where they will play Nate's wealthy cousin Tripp Vanderbilt and his fiancée, Maureen respectively. (TV Guide)

ABC Family has ordered 24 episodes for Season Two of The Secret Life of the American Teenager and plans to launch the sophomore season this summer. (Hollywood Reporter)

PaleyFest09 has announced panels for FOX's Dollhouse and Dr. Horrible. (Televisionary)

Spike has ordered ten episodes of half-hour comedy Players, about a man who co-owns a sports bar with his uptight brother. Project, from writer/executive producer Matt Walsh, stars Walsh and Ian Roberts. Production begins this month in LA and Players is slated to air this summer. (Variety)

Kelsey Grammer will direct Lifetime multi-camera comedy pilot Alligator Point, starring Cybill Shepherd, Lauren Stamile, Brian Patrick Wade, Robyn Lively, Leslie Jordan, Joel McCrary, and Charlie Robinson. Project, written by Robert Peacock and executive produced by Grammer and Steve Stark, revolves around a quirky group of Florida residents who hang out at an oyster bar owned by Shepherd's Mae and whose lives are changed when they are joined by a Yankee (Stamile). Project was originally developed for NBC in 2002-03 and starred Nathan Fillion, Jaime Pressley, Paula Marshall, and Joel McCrary (who reprises his role in the pilot). (Hollywood Reporter)

NBC has ordered eight episodes of an untitled reality series from Reveille which will follow life coach Tony Robbins as he helps participants face various challenges in their lives. Project will be executive produced by Robbins, Howard T. Owens, Mark Koops, and Bruce Beresford-Redman. (TV Week)

Nick Cannon has replaced Jerry Springer as the host of Season Four of NBC's America's Got Talent. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Chenoweth Gets "Mad" for David E. Kelley, HBO Orders Two Comedy Series, "Office" Stars Moonlight on Pilot Scripts, and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing. I spent last night watching the first three brilliant episodes of HBO's Big Love, kicking off next month, and was up all night thinking about the series. At least the weekend's finally here, right?

Pushing Daisies' Kristin Chenoweth has been cast as the female lead in David E. Kelley's new NBC legal drama, Legally Mad, from Warner Bros. TV. Chenoweth will play Skippy Pylon, a brilliant lawyer who is often mistaken for being a teenager who goes to work at her father's firm; Skippy is "relentlessly cheerful" but suffers occasional bouts of psychosis. "I could only picture Kristin playing this role," said Kelley. "I've wanted to work with her for a long time and can't wait to reveal her as someone who's completely mad." It's a perfect part for Cheno (I'll be reading the pilot script this weekend) and I'm happy to see her land on her feet after the cancellation of Pushing Daisies. (Hollywood Reporter)

HBO ordered two comedy series late yesterday: Bored to Death, which stars Jason Schwartzman, Ted Danson, and Zach Galifianakis, and How to Make It in America, starring Bryan Greenberg, Victor Rasuk, and Shannyn Sossamon. Both series were given eight-episode orders. Bored to Death, from creator/executive producer Jonathan Ames, follows the life of an alcoholic (Schwartzman) who, after being dumped by his girlfriend, decides to be more like the heroes of his favorite Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett novels and open a detective agency. How to Make It in America, from executive producers Stephen Levinson and Mark Walberg, writer Ian Edelman, and director Julian Farino, charts the lives of two 20-somethings who hustle their way through Manhattan in order to find the American dream. No word yet on the fate of HBO's other pilots, including Washingtonienne, Suburban Shootout, and Treme. (Hollywood Reporter)

The Office stars Rainn Wilson and Jenna Fischer have set up pilot scripts through Universal Media Studios. Wilson and Adam Braff will write and executive produce single-camera comedy Hump Tulips, about a lawyer who follows the woman he loves to a small Washington town. Jenna Fischer will serve as a non-writing executive producer on an untitled one-hour dramedy about a lumber salesman who becomes a private investigator. (Variety)

Cold Case creator/executive producer Meredith Stiehm will write the pilot for HBO drama pilot Cocaine Cowboys, about the early days of cocaine trafficking in Miami. Project, from Warner Bros. Television, is based on Billy Corben's 2006 documentary of the same name. (Hollywood Reporter)

In a ripped-from-the-headlines twist, FX and former The Shield star Michael Chiklis are developing House of Cards, a drama pilot about the operator of a Ponzi scheme. Chiklis will not appear in the project, should it be ordered, but will executive produce; he was inspired after he and his wife were the victims of a Ponzi scheme last year. (Variety)

Spike has ordered football-themed comedy pilot Blue Mountain State, about freshmen at a Midwestern college football powerhouse who must juggle classes, girls, football, and hazing. Project, from Lionsgate Television and Varsity Pictures, will be executive produced/directed by Brian Robbins and written by Chris Romano and Eric Falconer. Cast includes Ed Marinaro, Darin Brooks, Sam Jones III, Gabrielle Dennis, and Alan Ritchson. (Hollywood Reporter)

Daniel Eric Gold (Charlie Wilson's War) has been cast in a recurring role on ABC's Ugly Betty, where he will play Matt, a new love interest for America Ferrara's Betty whom she meets at YETI. However, Matt allegedly is hiding a secret that will impact Betty's life in a major way. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

A slew of pilot-related castings: Charlie McDermott (Sex Drive) has joined the cast of ABC comedy pilot The Middle, about a middle-class Midwestern family, where he will play Axel, the oldest child; Desi Lydic (Pepper Dennis) will star in CBS comedy pilot The Karenskys, about an eccentric family, where she will play Bernadette, the sister of Sasha Alexander's Emily Atwood, who returns home after time away from her family; and Susan Ward (Sunset Beach) and Zachary Burr Abel (CSI) have joined the cast of ABC Family drama pilot Perfect 10. (Hollywood Reporter)

Russell T. Davies has suggested that Doctor Who's The Doctor could be played by a woman in the future. "I think the more it's talked about, the more likely it is to happen," said Davies, speaking at a press conference. His choices? Catherine Zeta Jones or Lesley Sharp. (Digital Spy)

GSN has ordered 40 episodes of a modern remake of classic reality dating series The Newlywed Game, from executive producer Michael Davies, Sony Pictures TV, and Embassy Row. Series will begin shooting in February in New York for a spring premiere on the cabler. (Hollywood Reporter)

BBC America has acquired the third season of British culinary series Gordon Ramsay's F Word, which the digital cabler will launch on Wednesday, January 14th at 3 pm ET/PT. Scheduling marks a departure for the series, which typically aired in an early evening timeslot on Sundays. (via press release)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Addison Returns to Seattle Grace, Ricky Gervais Considers "Office" Drop-in, "Knight Rider" Gets Retooled, and More

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing. I hope you all tuned in to the launch of HBO's new comedy series Summer Heights High; I've already seen the series several times but tuned in once again (it's just that funny) and also caught upon Skins (how cute was Chris' drawing of him and Jal?) and The Amazing Race.

Kate Walsh's Addison Montgomery will return to Seattle Grace... at least as part of a multiple-episode crossover story between Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice that's scheduled to air during February sweeps. (TV Guide)

FOX has delayed the start of animated comedy The Cleveland Show, a spinoff of Family Guy, until next fall. But the network has also ordered an additional nine episodes for Cleveland, bring its episodic total to a full 22 for the 2009-10 season. If that weren't enough Cleveland-centric news, Arianna Huffington has been added to the cast. (Variety)

Less than four months after premiering, NBC's Knight Rider is already undergoing some major retooling, beginning with its tenth episode, scheduled to air in January. Among the changes to the series, look for original cast members Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Yancey Arias, and Bruce Davison to depart; the troika's options were not picked up beyond the original 13-episode order and the series will focus instead on the five core characters (Mike, Sarah, Billy, Zoe, and KITT). "It's a reboot," said executive producer/showrunner Gary Scott Thompson. "We're moving away from the terrorist-of-the-week formula and closer to the original, making it a show about a man and his car going out and helping more regular people, everymen." (Hollywood Reporter)

Ricky Gervais said he would like to appear in the American version of The Office and has suggested that he play Extras' struggling actor Andy Millman. (TV Guide)

Showtime and BBC are developing a contemporary retelling of Camelot with Michael Hirst and Morgan O'Sullivan (The Tudors) writing an executive producing Camelot with Douglas Rae. Showtime and BBC are co-financing the development of the scripts and, should the project be ordered to series, it would be produced by Eccose Films and Octagon Filmes. (Variety)

ABC has announced the return of Lost. Season Five will kick off on Wednesday, January 21st in a special three-hour event, with Lost premiering in its new official timeslot of 9 pm ET/PT the following week. (Televisionary)

Tori Spelling will reprise her role as gossip columnist/liquefying villain Linda Lake on CW's Smallville and is said to be in "preliminary talks" to reprise her role as Donna Martin on 90210. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Michael Rapaport (Prison Break) has signed a development deal with CBS under which he will develop, star in, and produce an untitled drama project for the network. Said project, to be written by Bryan Goluboff (Basketball Diaries) and executive produced by Denis Leary and Jim Serpico, follows the lives of NYC social workers. Sony Pictures Television and CBS Paramount Network Television are behind the project. (Hollywood Reporter)

Tiffani Thiessen (Beverly Hills 90210) has been cast in USA's drama pilot White Collar opposite Matthew Bomer and Tim DeKay; she'll play Debbie, the "intelligent and supportive" wife of the head of FBI's white collar crime unit (DeKay) who works as an accountant. Elsewhere, Matthew Marsden (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen) has been cast as the lead in Spike's two-hour backdoor pilot Madso's War from MGM; project follows the Irish mob in Boston; Marsden will play a thief with links to Boston racketeers who tries to leave the game when two of his men are murdered, only to realize that he's next on a hit list. Also cast: Kevin Chapman (Brotherhood). (Hollywood Reporter)

TV Guide talks to Jordana Brewster, who joins the cast of Chuck beginning tonight in a multiple-episode story arc where she plays iconic character Jill, Chuck's Stanford girlfriend who broke his heart. (TV Guide)

NBC has ordered a full season of crime procedural Life, bumping the sophomore series to a full 22 episode order. (Televisionary)

TV Land has ordered six episodes of hidden-camera reality series Make My Day, based on a successful British Channel 4 format that is being executive produced by Michael Davies (Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?) and Sony Pictures Television. Series follows people who are unknowingly put through a series of strange surprises and coincidences set up by their family and friends. Series is set to launch in 2009. (Variety)

FX has opted not to renew unscripted series 30 Days from executive producer Morgan Spurlock. The series, the last remaining reality title on the cabler, wrapped its third and final season this July. (Broadcasting & Cable)

FremantleMedia has signed a deal with Spike for the worldwide financing, marketing, and distribution of three upcoming series, including Jesse James Is a Dead Man, Deadliest Warrior, and Surviving Disaster, all set to launch in 2009. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: "Star Trek," Will Arnett, "The Mentalist," David E. Kelley Briefs NBC, and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.

While not totally TV-related, you can see a sneak peek of the cover of the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly (which hits newsstands tomorrow) to the right, depicting Heroes' Zachary Quinto and Chris Pine as Spock and Kirk in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek. The issue also features an in-depth interview with Abrams, in which he talks about Star Trek, his YouTube-fueled feud with William Shatner, and also features quotes from Leonard Nimoy and Quinto about the new film.

Are you GOB Bluth? FOX is said to be in final negotiations for a talent/development deal with Will Arnett (Arrested Development); under the deal, FOX would develop a comedy vehicle for Arnett or cast him in a pre-existing project at the network. Arnett, who is currently recurring as Devon Banks on NBC's 30 Rock, also stars (or his voice does, anyway) in FOX's upcoming animated comedy series Sit Down, Shut Up. (TV Week)

Not such good news, however, for another Arrested Development alum. Jessica Walter has been downgraded from series regular to recurring status on CW's 90210, where she plays boozy faded actress Tabitha. The rationale is said to be budget-related, though Jessica Lowndes (who plays irritatingly shrill Adrianna) has been promoted to regular. As much as I love Walter, I have to say that her talents are being tragically wasted here and I hated the way that the writers trotted her out to utter a few humorless lines every couple of episodes. Let's hope she finds some more challenging material quickly. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

CBS has handed out a full season order to Warner Bros. Television's drama The Mentalist, this season's top new drama in viewers and adults 25-54. Series, which stars Simon Baker, Robin Tunney, Tim Kang, Owain Yeoman, and Amanda Righetti, has averaged 16.14 million viewers so far. (Futon Critic)

NBC has issued a series order for a new untitled legal drama from David E. Kelley and Warner Bros. Television (Kelley moved to a new deal at Warners earlier this year), the first scripted deal that Kelley has struck at NBC since LA Law in the 1980s. Series will be "set in a Chicago law firm and revolves around an aging partner and his daughter who works with him as well as a host of eccentric characters around them." Should the pilot not go to series, NBC is on the hook with what's said to be a multi-million dollar penalty. (Variety, Hollywood Reporter)

In other Peacock news, NBC has ordered three additional scripts for midseason drama Medium, which is slated to return to the lineup this winter. However, insiders have indicated that Medium may return as soon as this fall. (Hollywood Reporter)

James Strong will direct the Doctor Who Easter Special, slated to air in the UK in 2009. The Easter Special was co-written by Russell T. Davies and Gareth Roberts. Strong has previously helmed several episodes of Doctor Who, including "The Impossible Planet," "Daleks In Manhattan," "Voyage Of The Damned," and "Partners In Crime." (Digital Spy)

Jason Priestley will guest star on an upcoming episode of My Name Is Earl, where he'll play a character named... Brandon, "Earl's better-looking and more successful cousin, whom we first meet in a flashback to Earl and Joy's first wedding anniversary. On that memorable day, viewers will learn, Earl discovered that prior to his marriage, Joy had a steamy affair with his cousin." (TV Guide)

In other casting news, Olympic gymnast Nastia Liukin will guest star on CW's Gossip Girl, where she won't play herself but rather created specifically for her by the series' writers. Liukin wasn't sure whether her character would be appearing in just one episode or in several. (Reuters)
Desperate Housewives' Gale Harold is in critical condition following a motorcycle accident yesterday but is expected to recover. Harold plays Susan's boyfriend Jackson on the current season of Desperate Housewives. Executive producer Marc Cherry acknowledged that some rewrites would have to be done in light of Harold's accident. (New York Times)

Spike has renewed reality series DEA and ordered two new series: nine-episode Deadliest Warrior, which features computer-rendered bouts between historical fighters from Morningstar Entertainment, and ten one-hour episodes of Surviving Disaster, in which former Navy SEAL Cade Coutley offers viewers tips on how to survive various disasters such as earthquakes, terrorist attacks, and plane crashes, from Wall to Wall Media. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Starz Orders New Rob Thomas Series, Doherty Returns to "90210," More "Gossip Girl,"

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing. I hope you all tuned in to watch the third episode of Chuck last night as well as a pretty soggy installment of Gossip Girl in which the laws of college applications, logic, and, well, sense of any kind sort of went out the window. But at least the kids looked fabulous, right?

Rob Thomas is proving himself to be quite prolific, in the post-Veronica Mars universe. Pay cabler Starz has ordered ten episodes of half-hour comedy series Party Down, written by the Veronica Mars creator, who is set to executive produce with John Enbom, Paul Rudd, and Dan Etheridge. (Enbom will act as the series' showrunner.) Series follows the lives of six Hollywood wannabes as they attempt to pursue their dreams while trying to get by day by day with their shared catering company. Party Down will likely launch in March 2009. (Variety)

Brenda will be returning to 90210. Yep, Shannen Doherty has agreed to appear in two additional episodes of the teen soap, with the possibility that she will return for more installments at a later time. Look for Brenda to cross paths with Jennie Garth's Kelly in the series' 11th and 12th episodes, set to air next month. (Los Angeles Times)

Prince Charles has turned down an invitation to appear on Doctor Who, a fact that made outbound Doctor Who showrunner Russell T. Davies very unhappy. (Davies called HRH "a miserable swine" for turning his nose up at the offer.) (New York Times)

Production has been shut down on Easy Money and Valentine, Inc., the two hour-long dramas produced by MRC for the CW's Sunday night block. Both series will go on a "planned" hiatus for four to six weeks in order to "give writers time to catch up on scripts." Both series are, however, expected to fulfill their 13-episode commitments and shooting will continue on the eight segments already written. (Hollywood Reporter, Variety)

Andy Richter will guest star on the current season of Bones in an episode, slated to air in January, that will follow Brennan and Booth as they work undercover as a "knife-throwing team named Buck and Wanda" at the circus. Richter will play the circus' owner and ringmaster. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Jason Jones and Samantha Bee (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart) will co-write and star in an untitled CBS comedy series about the behind-the-scenes world of a celebrity chef (Jones) and the two women (one of whom will be played by Bee) who run his culinary empire. The duo have signed separate talent holding deals with CBS and CBS Paramount Network Television. (Variety)

CW has ordered two additional episodes of Gossip Girl, bringing its season total to 24 episodes. If you feel like you've read this item before, it's because the CW had ordered 24 episodes this season back in May... but then allegedly changed their mind and only ordered 22 segments but seemingly have changed their minds again. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Showtime has ordered a pilot for dark comedy The End of Steve, written by and starring Matthew Perry (Friends). Project, from Sony Pictures Television, revolves around an egomaniacal talk show host who is forced to work on an afternoon series in Rochester and seeks personal and professional redemption. (Variety)

Jonathan Prince (Cane) has signed a two-year first-look deal with CBS Paramount Network Television to develop series for cable, network, and new media. Prince already has set up an untitled medical drama at CBS about college grads who enroll in a medical school that throws its students into a teaching hospital rather than have them study. Project was co-created with Elle Johnson (Ghost Whisperer) and Fred Einsman (Private Practice). (Hollywood Reporter)

Spike has ordered six half-hour episodes of Worldwide Biggie's videogame-spoofing comedy MoCap, LLC, a mockumentary about a motion-capture studio. The network plans to launch the series--based on a series of web shorts--in January. (Variety)

Sci Fi has promoted Thomas Vitale to EVP of programming and original movies. (Variety)

Stay tuned.