Forgiveness and Folly: An Advance Review of This Week's Episode of "Modern Family"

In its few weeks on the air, ABC's warmly witty and imaginative comedy series Modern Family has quickly become one of the viewing highlights of my entire week, turning out some of the best crafted bon mots and well-constructed (if lovably flawed) characters on television.

In the hands of its supremely gifted cast, the tangled relationships of the extended Pritchett-Dunphy clan are not only humorous but also touchingly realistic. They squabble, they feud, they make up, and occasionally they hit one another in the face with remote-controlled airplanes. The subtle beauty of the humor makes repeat viewing a necessity (blink and you could miss some truly stunning nuance) as well as a pleasure, making the Pritchetts one family that you want to spend time with week after week. (And really, I can't think of another recent comedy family that that's true of, other than the Bluths.)

This week's hysterical episode of Modern Family ("The Incident"), which airs on Wednesday evening, ups the ante by bringing in comedy legend Shelley Long as the family's errant matriarch Dede Pritchett, the new agey ex-wife of Ed O'Neill's Jay. The Pritchett kids--Julie Bowen's Claire and Jesse Tyler Ferguson's Mitchell--already have a complicated relationship with their dad and Dede's arrival into the relatively placid family creates all manner of chaos. (Look for a major omen of doom at Jay and Gloria's house to signify something wicked is on its way.)

I don't want to spoil the titular incident (it's a doozy) but I will say that it stems from Dede's truly horrific behavior at Jay and Gloria's wedding and Dede needs to apologize for her awfulness so she can get on with her life, which includes moving to a "far and distant land" (read: Canada) with her new boyfriend Chaz. Her smooth manipulation of mama's boy Mitchell, against the wishes of Cameron (Eric Stonestreet), result in a major showdown between Dede and Gloria (Sofia Vergara) at a family dinner at the Dunphy's.

Likewise, the episode gives the audience an opportunity to take a closer look at the relationship between siblings Claire and Mitchell, who square off over their mother. Bowen and Ferguson are absolutely perfectly cast as brother and sister and this episode in particular plays to their strengths; it's easy to imagine their childhoods with Jay and Dede and both actors do a phenomenal job bringing those conflicts into focus here. (Not surprisingly, Mitchell--who accidentally refers to Dede as "mommy" in a Freudian slip"--is often her catspaw and typically cleans up her messes.)

As for Shelley Long, age hasn't dimmed the brightness of her star. The former Cheers actor proves that she's game for anything and everything, including some truly withering lines of dialogue and some deft and jaw-dropping physical comedy. Modern Family producers, I'm hoping that we haven't seen the last of Dede as she adds a nice dose of smothering malice to the mix here.

Additionally, there's a sly and surprising storyline in this week's episode about Sarah Hyland's Haley and her seventeen-year-old boyfriend Dylan (Reid Ewing) attending a concert together that will have you uncontrollably singing Dylan's song, entitled "In the Moonlight," for, oh, the next week or two. (Look for an iTunes release of the song after the episode airs.) I don't want to say too much here but not only is the song fantastic (and funny) but make sure you stick around for the episode's tag.

In fact, "The Incident" is so flawless, overflowing as it is with pitch-perfect reaction shots, hysterical throwaway lines, and genuine emotion, that my only complaint of Modern Family is that each installment is over far too quickly. In a time of diminishing viewer attention spans, an intelligent and scintillating series that has you craving more week after week is a true find. So do yourself a favor and tune in to Modern Family tomorrow night. Your funny bone and your heart will thank me.

Modern Family airs Wednesday night at 9 pm ET/PT on ABC.

This Is How You Make Your Horsey Go: ABC Picks Up Full Seasons of "Modern Family," "Cougar Town," "The Middle"

Oh happy day!

ABC has announced that it has ordered full seasons of three of its four new Wednesday comedies, including Modern Family, The Middle, and Cougar Town.

News comes after the third airing of Modern Family and Cougar Town and the second episode of Patricia Heaton-led family comedy The Middle; all have performed well in the ratings, even against tougher competition last night.

Noticeably absent from the pickups: Kesley Grammer's Hank, which kicks off ABC's new Wednesday night comedy block on Wednesdays.

It's a vote of confidence for a genre that ABC hasn't had a lot of luck with until this season and very well deserved, especially for Modern Family, regarded by many--including this jaded writer--as the best new series of the season.

News of the pickups quickly spread over Twitter this afternoon, following tweets from Modern Family's cast and crew.

Second Take: ABC's "Modern Family"

Second episodes of new series are always tricky.

While the pilot gives both the network and viewers an idea of what the series will be encapsulated into a single episode, second installments are often hit-or-miss as they represent the everyday norm of the series: they're produced on smaller budgets with less time to write scripts, rehearse, and shoot. So when they work just as well as the pilot, there's a sense of relief for all parties involved.

Last night's episode of ABC's hilarious and heartfelt comedy Modern Family ("The Bicycle Thief"), written by Bill Wrubel and directed by Jason Winer, didn't stray into the pitfalls of the second episode curse, instead delivering an episode that was overflowing with humor and heart and serviced the characters in beautifully touching ways.

Given my feverish love for this series, I was curious to see just how the second episode would affect me and I'm happy to report that I am just as completely enamored of Modern Family after seeing the second installment as I was after watching the pilot, oh, about ten times. (It's worth noting, however, that "The Bicycle Thief" wasn't intended to be the second episode of the season. I'm not sure when we'll see the original second installment, entitled "Coal Digger," down the line.)

This week's episode once again juggled several storylines at the same time, with Jay attempting to spend time with step-son Manny as he talks about his Superman-like dad, Cameron and Mitchell taking Lily to a play group and attempting to fit in, and Phil attempting to teach Luke a lesson about bicycle ownership.

First off, I have to heap praise onto Ty Burrell. His Phil could be a stereotypical "cool" dad type but Burrell imbues him with just enough self-awareness to make him beautifully realistic and never strays too far into cartoon territory. Here, Phil finds himself captivated by a gorgeous new neighbor (much to the dislike of Claire) and learns a valuable lesson about not letting your eyes or bicycle wander. (The entire thievery lesson was hilarious and recalled George's life lessons on Arrested Development, albeit without the use of a one-armed man.) The way that Phil attempted to get one over on Luke came back to haunt him in several, hysterical ways, not least of which was when he had to grovel to the store clerk for insurance, run away from some vengeful youths, or explain to Claire just what he was doing in his beautiful neighbor's bedroom... or why he lied about it in the first place.

Once again, the brilliant Eric Stonestreet and Jesse Tyler Ferguson manage to steal the show, with a storyline in which they attempt to fit in with the straight parents in Lily's new playgroup by toning down their flamboyance. (Or, okay, with Cam dialing down his dramatic personality.) The look of genuine fear on Mitchell's face as he realizes that Lilly isn't "grabbing and scooting" added a layer of additional poignancy to this lovingly crafted series as it perfectly captured that abject terror or parental anxiety. Contrasting Mitchell's panic was Cameron's gleeful and jubilant dance at the end of the episode when he let go of his "straight dad" facade and became himself again, dancing with joy and showing us all how he makes his horsey go.

Fatherhood in its many incarnations was the underlying theme of the episode and the most emotional moment came between Ed O'Neill's Jay and Rico Rodriguez's Manny. After exchanging some heated words after their Gloria-enforced quality time went awry, Jay learns that Manny's father isn't turning up to take him to Disneyland but can't tear himself away from the craps table. Knowing that Manny will be gutted, given his undying love for his allegedly mythical and heroic father, Jay tells him that he won't be coming but does the noble thing: he pretends that Manny's father sent a limo for them and that, rather than going to Napa with Gloria, they all head to Disneyland together. It's a selfless act of paternal love that proves more than anything that, despite their differences, Jay does love Manny and will protect him, even from finding out that his father is a deadbeat. If that isn't a testament of love I don't know what is.

Best line of the evening: "I just stole a baby's intellectual property." - Mitchell

All in all, a beautifully realized episode of the best new series on television that continues to mine the rich tapestry of familial life for both laughs and genuine moments of emotion. As Phil might say, Modern Family, I tip my cap to you.

What did you think of this week's episode of Modern Family? Did it live up to your expectations from the pilot? And how soon will it be before ABC gives us what we want and picks up the back nine? Discuss.

Next week on Modern Family ("Come Fly with Me"), Jay reluctantly takes son-in-law Phil out to fly his new model airplane -- that is until a maneuver goes awry; Gloria volunteers to take Alex dress shopping; Claire has an unexpected heart-to-heart with step-brother Manny.

Channel Surfing: J.J. Abrams Back in Spy Game, Aylesworth Briefed for "Damages," FX Orders "Terriers," "Lights Out" to Series, and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.

The Wrap's Josef Adalian is reporting that J.J. Abrams is returning to the spy business with a new potential series project with writer/executive producer Josh Reims (Felicity, Dirty Sexy Money) and executive producer Bryan Burk that is the subject of a heated bidding war with several broadcast networks including ABC, NBC, and CBS. The untitled project, from Warner Bros. Television and Bad Robot, follows a husband and wife who work as spies. According to Adalian, the script is described as a "fun romp" in the style of classic television spy adventures. (The Wrap)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Reiko Aylesworth (24, Lost) has been cast in Season Three of FX's legal drama Damages in a recurring role. Details about who Aylesworth--who starred in the original pilot for ABC drama series The Forgotten--will be playing are being kept firmly under wraps. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

FX has given series orders to dramas Lights Out and Terriers, ordering thirteen episodes of each series. Fox21's Terriers, which stars Donal Logue as a former cop who launches an unlicensed private eye firm with his best friend (Michael Raymond-James), is set to debut in Summer 2010. It was created and will be executive produced by Ted Griffin and Shawn Ryan. Lights Out, from Fox Television Studios and FX Prods., stars Holt McCalleny as a former boxing champ who tries to support his wife and children. Series, from creator Justin Zackham, executive producer/showrunner Warren Leight, and executive producers Phillip Noyce and Ross Fineman, will launch in late 2010. That series will undergo some casting changes from the pilot episode, which had been tweaked by Leight. (Hollywood Reporter)

Rumors swirled yesterday that Comcast was in talks to acquire part or all of NBC Universal for $35 billion, but Comcast was quick to shoot down a report on The Wrap, saying that it was "inaccurate." (Editor: not untrue but inaccurate. Hmmm.) What is clear, however, is that the two companies are in talks of some kind as the deadline looms in the next few months for former Universal owner Vivendi to decide what to do with its remaining 20 percent ownership stake in the company, said to be in the neighborhood of $4 billion. Stay tuned on this one. (Broadcasting & Cable, Variety)

USA has given a cast-contingent pilot order to legal drama Facing Kate about a divorced lawyer in San Francisco who leaves her job as an attorney to become a mediator. Project, from Universal Cable Prods., is written by Michael Sardo, who will executive produce with Steve Stark and Russ Buchholz. (Hollywood Reporter)

E! Online's Megan Masters speaks with Modern Family star Ty Burrell about what's coming up on the ABC comedy series, including this little doozy: "Jay likes to fly model airplanes, so Phil goes out to fly [them] with him, and Jay gets fed up with Phil yacking on, so that goes sour." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Bravo is developing three new series around some of its most memorable stars, including Real Housewives' Bethenny Frankel, Project Runway's Christian Siriano, and Top Chef's Fabio Viviani. Frankel's as-yet-untitled series, from Shed Media, will follow her as she looks for love and grows her business as a natural foods chef. Siriano's series will follow the flamboyant designer as he opens a shop and promotes his clothing line. Viviani will star in Fabio: A Catered Affair, which will follow him and his business parter Jacopo Falleni as they look to "expand their restaurant and catering business in Los Angeles." The latter two projects hail from Magical Elves. (Variety)

Guest stars aplenty for ABC's Ugly Betty. E! Online's Megan Masters is reporting that Christie Brinkley will join the cast of the dramedy this season as rival fashion editrix Penelope Graybridge while Shakira will guest star as herself in a November episode of Ugly Betty that finds the Mode staffers overseeing a photo shoot in the Bahamas. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

ABC Family has given pilot orders to two comedies. The first, an untitled multi-camera comedy starring Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence, will see the duo play a "a political dynasty wild child-turned-politician who takes in her teenage niece and pre-adolescent nephew when her sister goes to prison and her brother-in-law flees. She turns for help to Jack (Lawrence), who, desperate for a job, moves in and becomes the family's "manny.'" (Whew.) That project is from writers Bob Young and David Kendall, who will executive produce with Melissa Joan Hart, Paula Hart, and Joey Lawrence. The second greenlight went to an untitled single-camera comedy from writer/executive producer Michael Jacobs about a father who gets laid off from his architecture firm who "begins to mentor his underdog middle daughter, while his veterinarian wife shares a closer bond with their Type A older daughter." (Hollywood Reporter)

CBS Studios International has closed deals to bring several of its new series to the UK, with rights deals in place for NCIS: Los Angeles at Sky1 and The Good Wife and Accidentally on Purpose at Channel 4. Sky1 will launch NCIS: Los Angeles on October 21st while The Good Wife will bow on on More4 and Accidentally on Purpose on E4. (Broadcast, Variety)

R.J. Cutler's reality single Actual Reality has signed a co-production deal with Evolution Media under which Evolution will co-produce the nonscripted projects that the company has at MTV, Bravo, TruTV, and Sony Pictures Television and will have a first-look option at any new projects that Actual Reality develops. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Talk Back: Series Premiere of ABC's "Modern Family"

I hope all of you tuned in last night for the launch of comedy Modern Family on ABC.

I've been praising Modern Family for months now (you can read my original advance review of the pilot episode here) but now that the series has launched, I'm extremely curious to find out what all of you thought of this remarkable and hysterical new series. It's hands down my pick for the season's best new show, a fantastically taut series about the trials and tribulations (and humor) of family life in the new millennium.

Did you enjoy the series' heady mix of deadpan humor and emotional heart? Did you like the mockumentary aspect? (I thought it worked better than, say, The Office has for the last few seasons.) Did the entire cast--from Ed O'Neill and Sofia Vergara, Eric Stonestreet and Jesse Tyler Ferguson, to Julie Bown and Ty Burrell (not to mention those kids!)--win you over with their overwhelming charm?

Did you roar with laughter to Cameron's Lion King homage? Or from Mitchell's request to take Jay's "multi-colored jacket and bejeweled cap"? Were you pleasantly surprised to learn that they are all one big, somewhat happy family?

And, most importantly, will you tune in again next week?

Talk back here.

Next week on Modern Family ("Coal Digger"), tension mounts when the entire family is invited to Jay and Gloria's for some barbeque and football following an incident at school between Manny and Luke, leading to some nasty words between Gloria and Claire.

Tune-In Reminder: ABC's "Modern Family"

Just a quick and impassioned reminder to be sure to tune in to the series premiere of ABC's first-rate comedy Modern Family tonight.

I've been raving about this series since I first saw the pilot in May (you can read my advance review here) and I can't help but shout from the rooftops about this remarkable gem of a television series. (Hell, it gives me hope about the relevance of broadcast television and that's no mean feat.)

I was interviewed recently by USA Weekend and asked which series I was most excited about this fall and Modern Family topped that list.

"Hands down, this is my favorite new series so far," I said about Modern Family, which "has a winning combination of quirkiness, witty banter and heart. It explores how the post-nuclear family ticks and how universal bonds of love and frustration keep it all together."

And it's delightfully funny to boot. So do yourself a favor and be sure to tune in tonight. You'll thank me in the morning.

Modern Family launches tonight at 9 pm ET/PT on ABC.

USA Weekend: "Which new TV shows are worth watching?"

You can check out my interview by USA Weekend's Thomas J. Walter about the fall season here.

I was interviewed along with The Futon Critic's Brian Ford Sullivan and Ain't It Cool News' Herc about which series were we most looking forward to this fall. Not surprisingly, two of the series I touted were ABC's Modern Family and V.

Of Modern Family (which launches on Wednesday night), I said, "Hands down, this is my favorite new series so far," and that the series "has a winning combination of quirkiness, witty banter and heart. It explores how the post-nuclear family ticks and how universal bonds of love and frustration keep it all together."

And V I described as "Gripping and electrifying in equal measure... With engaging leads such as Elizabeth Mitchell and Joel Gretsch, it's difficult not to get swept up by the action and the analogies for our changed world."

The piece can be read in full here.

Channel Surfing: Ed Norton Drops By "Modern Family," Bryan Fuller and Bryan Singer Team Up at NBC, Anna Camp Heads to "The Office," and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Ed Norton will guest star on an upcoming episode of ABC's new comedy series Modern Family. Norton will play "the bassist of a famous band whom Claire (Julie Bowen) hires as an anniversary surprise for husband Phil (Ty Burrell)," writes Ausiello. His episode is slated to air in November. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Pushing Daisies' Bryan Fuller and Bryan Singer are teaming up to develop SelleVision, a comedic one-hour adaptation of Augusten Burrough's novel, which is set behind the scenes at a home shopping network. Fuller will write the pilot script while Singer is attached to direct; both will executive produce with Mark Bozek and Russell Nuce. Universal Media Studio is behind the adaptation. "We were all big fans of Augusten and the book, and we all got along great," Fuller told Variety. "So we decided to get into bed together... I love the world of home shopping -- it's such a rich world," he said. "There are those great metaphors of consumerism, buying happiness, all of that chasing material thing." Elsewhere at NBC, Fuller also has a half-hour workplace comedy pilot script called No Kill, which revolves around the employees of a no-kill animal shelter. Project, from Universal Media Studios and BermanBraun, will be executive produced by Fuller, Gail Berman, and Lloyd Braun. And there's still the Pushing Daisies comic book. "Fuller is still working on a comicbook adaptation of his late ABC series Pushing Daisies," writes Variety's Michael Schneider. "Fuller said he remains hopeful that the 12 issues of the comicbook will eventually serve as a blueprint for a Pushing Daisies movie.(Variety)

True Blood's Anna Camp has been cast as a guest star in an upcoming episode of NBC's The Office this season. Who's she playing? E! Online's Megan Masters has the scoop: Camp, who very memorably played Sarah Newlin on the HBO vampire drama this summer, will play Penny, the sister to Scranton's Pam Beesley (Jenna Fischer) on the October 8th episode that features the wedding of Pam and Jim (John Krasinski). (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Ellen DeGeneres has been named the fourth judge on FOX's American Idol, filling the seat left vacant by the departure of Paula Abdul. "I've been dealing with this for the last couple of weeks, and I've been dying to tell everyone," DeGeneres announced to the audience of her eponymous daytime talk show. "It's been so hard to keep it a secret." DeGeneres will join the judges in January and will continue to also host to her Warner Bros. Television-produced daytime series through 2014. (Variety)

Peggy Lipton (Twin Peaks) has been cast in a multiple-episode story arc on Starz's drama Crash, where she replaces Valerie Perrine, who has dropped out due to surgery. Lipton will play Suzy Fields, the ex-wife of record producer Ben Cendars (Dennis Hopper) who is now married to author Owen Fields (Keith Carradine). (Hollywood Reporter)

The BBC has teamed up with Ecosse Films to develop a mini-series adaptation of Kate Atkinson's 1999 novel "Behind the Scenes at the Museum." Written by Brian Fillis (The Curse of Steptoe) and executive produced by Lucy Bedford (Mistresses), the four-hour Behind The Scenes At The Museum is slated to air in 2010 on either BBC One or BBC Two. "I’ve loved the book for ages but was conscious that it is a very difficult adaptation," said executive producer Lucy Bedford. "It’s structurally complex because there are multiple timeframes and the sweep of the story is enormous." (Broadcast)

FOX has ordered a pilot script (with a penalty attached) for a comedy Texts From Last Night, based on the website of the same name, to be written by Steve Holland (The Big Bang Theory). Site invites users to submit embarrassing text messages they sent while drunk or tired. Project, from Sony Pictures Television and Happy Madison, will focus on "he whole idea of racy -- and sometimes embarrassing -- communication, particularly among the twentysomething set." (Variety)

Adam Rodriguez (CSI: Miami) will appear in at least five episodes of ABC's Ugly Betty this season. According to TVGuide.com, Rodriguez will play Bobby, a high school boyfriend of Betty's sister Hilda. "He's an old high school boyfriend, and [he comes] back into their lives," Rodriguez told TVGuide.com. "A little romance buds, and there's some drama to go along with it." (TVGuide.com)

CBS has renewed reality series Big Brother for a twelfth season, slated to air next summer. (Hollywood Reporter)

Season Two of Canadian soap Being Erica will air Stateside on SOAPNet beginning on January 20th. The cabler has also announced that it will repeat the entire first season beginning October 17th. (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

The Wrap's Josef Adalian takes a look at the "disappointing" premiere ratings for the CW's Melrose Place (about half of that of the series premiere of 90210) and investigates whether or not a further drop-off would spell doom for the nighttime soap. "It will be at least a month before CW programmers have a clear sense of just how well or poorly Melrose is actually doing," writes Adalian.
"The big mystery: Will Melrose suffer the same massive week two dropoff experienced by 90210 last fall? That show lost 30 percent of its premiere audience in week two, and was down to just over 2 million viewers by its finale. If Melrose slides another 30 percent next week, then it could very well be curtains for the show, since it's starting from a much smaller premiere base." Still, cautions Adalian, it's too soon to call the series dead. (The Wrap's TVMoJoe)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: "Sex and Murder" in the "Dollhouse," Same-Sex Snog for "Gossip Girl," Quinn Finds "Beautiful Life," and More

Welcome to your Wednesday television briefing.

E! Online's Jennifer Godwin has a look at what lies ahead for FOX's Dollhouse as she catches up with the Joss Whedon-created series' stars to get some dirt on what's going on inside the Dollhouse next season. "They have a connection," said Tahmoh Penikett of Echo and Paul Ballard next season. "It's not a physical attraction, but I hope it's something that we explore a lot more this season. You're not quite sure what it is. There's a past, there's a history, there's an understanding between them that's very different. I think the audience is really going to like it and be really curious about where we're going in the first few episodes." As for that other would-be couple, Sierra and Victor, Enver Gjokah said, "Sierra and Victor are definitely still involved. They're going to explore that relationship more. They explore the Sierra-and-Victor love as dolls, but then also they're going to go into the backstory of both of them." Lots more detail in the piece, which also hints at just what Season Two is about ("sex and murder"). (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Ed Westwick's Chuck Bass will lock lips this season on Gossip Girl with another man, namely Neal Bledsoe's Josh Ellis, NYU's head of freshman affairs. So what spurs the kissing exactly? "Since Josh is tasked with selecting an incoming student for the honor of delivering the freshman speech, he’s, shall we say, a person of interest to Blair," writes Ausiello. "In fact, she’s so determined to snag the slot that she goes so far as to pimp out her boyfriend to the gay guy in charge." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Ed Quinn (True Blood, Eureka) has been cast in the CW's upcoming fall drama series The Beautiful Life, where he will play the husband of Elle Macpherson's Claudia Foster, a former supermodel who now runs an elite modeling agency. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Beau Bridges (Stargate SG-1) will guest star in an episode of TNT's The Closer next season, where he will play George Andrews, the former partner of G.W. Bailey's Provenza, who "returns to help close a case that has been turned over on appeal." (TVGuide.com)

Paula Abdul will host VH1's VH1 Divas, which returns to the network on September 17th and features performances from Leona Lewis, Adele, Jordin Sparks, Miley Cyrus, and Kelly Clarkson. (Variety)

Zap2It's KorbiTV has a first look at ABC's new promo for Season Six of drama series Grey's Anatomy. (Zap2It)

ABC has given a pilot script order with a penalty to an untitled multi-camera comedy from writer/executive producer Garland Testa (King of the Hill). Project, from 20th Century Fox Television, revolves around a young couple with children who try to balance the adult responsibilities of parenthood with their own youth. (Hollywood Reporter)

Kids cabler Nickelodeon has ordered two live-action comedy series, Victorious and an untitled Scott Fellows project, that will be co-produced with Sony Music and will feature original songs. Twenty episodes apiece were ordered for both series, with the untitled Scott Fellows project, about a boy band that wins a reality television competition, set to launch this fall and Victorious, about a girl who enrolls at a performing arts high school, on tap for January 2010. (Variety)

A&E is moving forward with Jackson family docuseries Jackson Family Dynasty, which will follow Michael Jackson's brothers dealing with their grief over his death and their own issues. A&E plans to launch the series, from executive producer Jodi Gomes, later this year. (Hollywood Reporter)

Sky1 has acquired UK rights to ABC comedy Modern Family, which will launch on the pay satcaster in October. (Broadcast)

Rumors are swirling that Hulu might be close to a deal with ITV in the United Kingdom, under which the terrestrial channel would retain a sizable stake, said to be around 25 percent, in the UK version of the online streaming media player. (Variety)

Broadcasting & Cable's Claire Atkinson is reporting that top executives Maria Grasso and Nina Wass have now left OWN in order to pursue other opportunities; the network, owned by Oprah Winfrey and Discovery Communications, has yet to launch. Move comes after the network hired former NBC executive Jamila Hunter as head of programming. (Broadcasting & Cable)

Former ABC executive Jocelyn Diaz has been hired by HBO as the head of drama development and production at HBO Entertainment. Elsewhere at the pay cabler, Casey Bloys has been promoted to SVP of comedy, where he will oversee development and production on HBO's comedy series, including Hung and Bored to Death. (Variety)

The Real Housewives are coming to daytime. NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution has signed a deal with NBC's owned TV stations for a one-hour daily syndicated strip of The Real Housewives that will launch in Fall 2010. Terms were based on an all-barter basis for the more than 100 episodes of the series. (Broadcasting & Cable)

FremantleMedia Enterprises has acquired international rights to Australian teen drama Slide, which will launch with an online prequel before debuting a linear series on pay television channel Foxtel in April. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: "Deadwood" Vet Gets "Lost," Syfy Expands "Warehouse," Shelley Long Gets "Modern Family," "Party Down," and More

Welcome to your (very early) Thursday morning television briefing.

John Hawkes (Deadwood) has been cast in Season Six of ABC's Lost, where he will play Lennon, described by The Hollywood Reporter's Nellie Andreeva as "the scruffy, edgy and charismatic spokesperson and translator for the president of a foreign corporation who is far more powerful than it seems from his position." Just what that means remains to be seen... (Hollywood Reporter)

Syfy has ordered a second season of sci-fi dramedy Warehouse 13, with thirteen episodes currently on order for next year. However, Syfy was quick to point out that that number could increase in later seasons. "We took a look at doing 20 episodes, but for logistic and financial reasons," Syfy's Dave Howe told Variety, "it didn't make sense to do that right now, but I wouldn't rule it out." (Variety)

Holy comedy casting news! The Wrap's Joe Adalian is reporting that comedy legend Shelley Long has been cast in ABC's Modern Family, where she will play the ex-wife of aged newlywed Jay (Ed O'Neill). Modern Family, created by Steve Levitan and Christopher Lloyd, is already one of the most buzzed about new fall series. Long's casting comes on the heels of the recent announcement that Elizabeth Banks will guest star on the 20th Century Fox Television-produced comedy. (The Wrap)

Starz has quietly announced via Twitter that Season Two of comedy Party Down will launch in April. (Twitter)

Cabler FX has handed out series orders to two half-hour comedies: The League and Louie. The League, about a group of suburban male friends who participate in the same fantasy football league, received a six-episode order. Louie, about a single dad who attempts to raise his two daughters in New York, is a vignette-style comedy series starring Louis CK and was picked up for thirteen episodes. Both projects hail from FX Prods. and pilots for the two series were shot quietly under the radar. It's believed that The League may be paired this fall with the new season of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and share its timeslot with the already ordered comedy Archer. Louie is expected to be held under 2010. (Variety)

The Los Angeles Times' Denise Martin is reporting that, despite reports to the contrary, Paula Abdul is definitely not in talks with FOX or American Idol producers about returning to the series. Abdul's manager David Sonenberg told LA Times' Show Tracker exclusively that there have been "no discussions whatsoever about Idol" and that Abdul's plans for the future do not involve the FOX musical competition series and the former host is fielding multiple offers. "She loves Idol," Sonneberg told Martin about his client. "She feels she was a large part of the reason it is what it is. I can tell you her focus right now is speaking to all the other networks. The only one we haven’t talked to, because of recent events, is FOX. But perhaps we would be speaking to FOX about shows in the near future." (Los Angeles Times' Show Tracker)

Nick Zano (The Final Destination) has been cast in a recurring role on ABC's upcoming comedy series Cougar Town, where he will play Courteney Cox's first boyfriend. Elsewhere, Gal Gadot (Fast & Furious) has been cast in CW's modeling drama The Beautiful Life. (Hollywood Reporter)

Jenna Dewan (Step Up) has been cast in a multiple-episode story arc on the CW's Melrose Place next season. According to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello, she'll play "a young movie studio exec who takes a liking to wannabe Tarantino, Jonah (Michael Rady)" and is slated to appear in at least two episodes. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Lifetime has ordered a second season of dramedy series Drop Dead Diva, with thirteen episodes on tap for 2010. (Hollywood Reporter)

In other Diva-related news, Devon Gummersall (My So-Called Life) will guest star on the October 11th season finale of Drop Dead Diva, where he will play "a man from Jane's past whose unexpected arrival throws Jane for a loop." (USA Today's Pop Candy)

Michael Mosley (The Proposal) and Kerry Bishe (Virtuality) have been cast as series regulars on ABC's Scrubs next season opposite Dave Franco. Mosley will play Drew, an older medical student who is attempting to complete his training after a meltdown ten years earlier at Harvard Medical School. Bishe will play first-year med student Lucy who hails from a family of fishermen. (Hollywood Reporter)

20th Century Fox Television has signed an exclusive deal with (500) Days of Summer director Mark Webb to direct a pilot in the upcoming development season. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Mystery Man in Black from "Lost" Talks, FX Aims for Hit with "Archer," "Harper's Island" Doomed, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

TVGuide.com talks to Lost's Titus Welliver, who played the mysterious man in black seen in the fifth season finale (that many of us are referring to as Esau). "The way that I interpreted it, on a biblical level, is that it's a sort of Cain-and-Abel scenario," said Welliver of the showdown between Jacob and his character. "So by destroying Jacob, what does that prove — that [the man in black] can ultimately have power over the island? Do the castaways become solely his playthings? And why was it so important that he find the loophole to be able to kill Jacob? That moved me in the direction of thinking that if he needs this loophole, there's a greater power than the two of them that they're answering to." (TVGuide.com)

FX has ordered six episodes of animated comedy Archer (working title), about the eccentric employees of an international spy agency, from writer/executive producer Adam Reed. Project, which will launch this fall and be paired with It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, features the voices of Jon Benjamin, Jessica Walter, Chris Parnell, Aisha Tyler, and Judy Greer. Says Variety's Michael Schneider, "Benjamin plays Sterling Archer, a suave spy who goes by the code name Duchess. Walter plays his mother, while Tyler is his ex-girlfriend, Agent Lana Kane. Greer plays his secretary; Parnell is the spy agency’s comptroller." (Variety)

Entertainment Weekly's Lynette Rice is reporting that there's no hope for CBS' Harper's Island, citing unnamed insiders who "insist" that there won't be a second season of the serialized slasher series. CBS, meanwhile, wouldn't comment officially on the likelihood of a cancellation. Series was originally intended to be an ongoing franchise where each season would introduce a new killer and a new batch of victims. (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

Steven Weber (Brothers & Sisters) and newcomer Ben Schnetzer are in talks to come aboard ABC midseason drama series Happy Town, where they would respectively replace Dean Winters and John Patrick Amedori, who appeared in the original pilot. (Which I reviewed here.) Weber will play John Haplin, scion of the town's founding family who is distraught after the kidnapping years earlier of his daughter by the mysterious "Magic Man." Schnetzer will play John Haplin's son who is himself enmeshed in a star-crossed romance with a girl from the wrong side of the tracks. (Hollywood Reporter)

Modern Family director Jason Winer has signed a new multi-year overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television, under which he will remain on board ABC's single-camera comedy Modern Family as a director and co-executive producer. He'll direct six additional installments from the series' initial thirteen-episode commitment as well as develop new series for the studio with his writing partner Ryan Raddatz. (Variety)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan talks to Torchwood: Children of Earth star John Barrowman about the event season of the Doctor Who spin-off series. "I say this with my hand on my heart: If I were only asked to be Captain Jack for the next 10 years, I would do it," said Barrowman. "I'm definitely up for [Season] 4, 5, 6, whatever. For as long as they want to do it, I'm there." (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Former Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Smallville scribe Drew Z. Greenberg has joined the writing staff of Syfy's Battlestar Galactica prequel series Caprica, according to showrunner Jane Espenson. (Twitter)

Ryan Seacrest has signed a new contract that will pay out $15 million a year for the next three years that will keep him on board as host of FOX's American Idol through 2012 and make him exclusive to 19 Entertainment/CKX. Simon Cowell is already in the midst of renegotiating his own contract and Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, and Kara DioGuardi are all said to be "expected to ink new deals to return next year." (Variety)

Taryn Manning will guest star in the third episode of the CW's Melrose Place, where she will play a singer whose latest music video is directed by Jonah (Michael Rady). (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Los Angeles Times' Liesl Bradner profiles ubiquitous actor Patrick Fischler, who has appeared on the small screen this past year on such high-profile series as Lost, Mad Men, and Southland. "After Mad Men I got a lot of 'How dare you speak to Don Draper like that?'" Fischler said. "People -- mainly women -- were mad at me that I told Don off. I took it as a compliment." (Los Angeles Times)

Showtime has ordered six episodes of half-hour variety series Live Nude Comedy, described as a "mix of stand-up comedy and modern-day burlesque." Project, from Salient Media and The Collective and executive producers Gary Binkow and Michael Green, is hosted by Shannon Elizabeth and will launch on Thursday at midnight ET/PT on the pay cabler. Format will include an audience-participation sketch with Elizabeth, followed by two comedians and two dancers. (Variety)

E! Online's Watch with Kristin is reporting that Michelle Trachtenberg will fulfill her guest turn on the CW's Gossip Girl this fall, despite NBC shifting her midseason medical drama series Mercy to the fall. "Our sources tell us that Michelle Trachtenberg won't miss a beat of Gossip Girl," wrote Team Watch with Kristin. "She's doing everything she was expected to do as of last spring, and Georgina's episodes are good!" (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

HBO and Cinemax have joined Comcast's TV Everywhere initiative, allowing the cable operator to stream its series, movies, and other premium content to 5000 subscribers in the Philadelphia area in a pilot program to start in several weeks' times. The pay cablers join TNT, TBS, and Starz in the test program, which if it is successful, will be made available to Comcast subscribers around the country at no additional cost. (Hollywood Reporter)

It's official (finally!): CBS has announced that Neil Patrick Harris will host the 61st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, to be broadcast live on September 20th. (Variety's Emmy Central)

Cabler VH1 has ordered four episodes of concert series Live and Loud Fridays from Live Nation. Series, which will feature rock performances from venues around the country, will launch this week with Poison and Def Leppard. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Pilot Inspektor: An Advance Review of ABC's "Modern Family"

I have to say that ABC may have offered the most memorable upfront presentation in recent years, not because of the self-deprecation comedy stylings of Jimmy Kimmel but because they pulled off what many thought was impossible: they showed an entire pilot to advertisers and press. At the upfront itself.

Yesterday's upfront presentation, masterfully overseen by Anne Sweeney and Steve McPherson, led up to this groundbreaking moment by first showcasing the entire first act of its new drama series Flash Forward (a treat in itself) but then ABC went one step further by screening the full pilot episode of its new comedy Modern Family.

Modern Family, from creators/executive producers Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan (who most recently collaborated on FOX's short-lived comedy Back to You), tells the story of three very different families living in suburban America. Told in a mockumentary style that's clearly influenced by the work of director Christopher Guest, Modern Family seeks to shine a light on just how neurotic and idiosyncratic--and at the same time how reassuringly normal--every family is, no matter what its makeup.

This winning series follows the lives of three diverse families: there's Jay (Ed O'Neill), an older man who has taken a younger bride in Gloria (Sofía Vergara) and become a reluctant father to her idealistically romantic young son Manny (Rico Rodriguez). There's a traditional nuclear family, overseen by Phil (Ty Burrell), a dad who's far less cool than he believes himself to be, and Claire (Julie Bowen), a mom who struggles to keep her family moving in a straight line. Their kids, Haley (Sarah Hyland), Luke (Nolan Gould), and Alex (Ariel Winter) are a motley bunch, prone to getting their heads stuck in banisters and accidentally shooting one another with BB pellets. (In the pilot episode, 15-year-old daughter Haley brings home a high school senior and chaos--and painful hilarity--ensues.) Finally, there's gay couple Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and the doughy Cameron (Eric Stonestreet) who return from Vietnam with an adopted baby daughter Lily in tow.

I have to say that I was completely captivated by the pilot episode, directed by Jason Winer, which offered a nice blend of character introduction, comedic timing, and a nice twist ending that neatly ties the action together.

The cast is a real treat, with each of the actors perfectly cast in their roles. The role of Cameron could have been a stereotypical gay role but Stonestreet plays it (no pun intended) straight, offering a performance that's as naturalistic as it is nuanced, even as Cameron retains his sense of a dramatic entrance. (Cue the soundtrack to The Lion King.) The same holds for the talented Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who gives Mitchell an uptight, severe personality that's at odds with the messiness of real life he's about to encounter as a new parent; yet Ferguson's Mitchell never comes off as unlikable, despite a rant on an airplane about cream puffs. Sofia Vergara is hilarious as the sexy Gloria, who tosses off random facts about her past life and previous husband without filtering herself. Ty Burrell and Julie Bowen are welcome additions to any cast and they are well balanced as a married couple whose mission in life seems to be raising their kids so that they don't get pregnant or shoot anyone. (Seeing Burrell's solution to son Luke's inadvertent shooting of his sister is hilarious.) Additionally, it's fantastic as well to see the curmudgeonly Ed O'Neill back as a series regular; here, his gruff demeanor and caustic comments belie a, well, gruff interior as well.

Unlike NBC's Parks and Recreation, which doesn't quite know how to use the mockumentary format to its advantage, Levitan and Lloyd employ the usual tricks of the trade: hand-held cameras, talking heads, etc. but they use them significantly better here than the writer/producers of Parks and Recreation. As it's the pilot installment, the talking heads--in which the couples are paired together, talking about themselves and their families--serve to introduce the characters and explore their relationships, but the reveals are always based in humor and never feel overtly expositional. (One rather humorous example: Gloria recounts the small village that she hails from, turning to her husband to remind her how to say in English what her town was number one in. "Murders," he says succinctly. "Ah, yes, the murders," purrs Gloria, who later recounts how she and her former husband fell out of a window while making love.)

Modern Family is one part of ABC's new comedy strategy on Wednesday evenings, where it will launch a two-hour block of half-hours that also includes fellow family comedies Hank and The Middle, which separately boast Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton, both of whom worked with Levitan and Lloyd on Back to You. Despite the marquee names of Modern Family's lead-in series, I can't help but root for Modern Family after falling for this series' winning combination of biting wit, subtle humor, and heart. Ultimately, this is one family I'm more than happy to spend time with each week.

Modern Family airs Wednesdays at 9 pm ET/PT this fall on ABC.