Channel Surfing: Alan Ball Brings Charlie Huston to HBO, Wire Star Heads to Fringe, Glee Circles Britney, Doctor Who, and More

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.

True Blood's Alan Ball is furthering his relationship with HBO. Ball, who created the pay cabler's vampire drama (based on the novels by Charlaine Harris), has signed on to direct and executive producer noir drama pilot All Signs of Death, which is based on Charlie Huston's novel "The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death." Huston himself will pen the pilot script, with production set to begin next month in Los Angeles... though there are no current cast attachments on the project, which will revolve around "a knockaround twentysomething who discovers he has a knack for being a crime scene cleaner, and his life gets messy from there." (Variety)

Bubs Alert! Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Andre Royo (The Wire) has been cast as a guest star in the third season premiere of FOX's Fringe, citing unnamed sources. Royo will reportedly play Henry, described as "a soulful taxi driver who is unexpectedly forced into a tense situation with Olivia (Anna Torv)." Will Henry be the one to put the red hat on the alternate universe interloper posing as our Olivia Dunham? [Editor: yes, I love Wire-based humor.] (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Let's take a look at the current state of Glee rumors: we now know for certain that Javier Bardem won't be appearing on the FOX musical comedy... and neither will Britney Spears either, despite a campaign launched by her manager to bring the scandal-prone singer to the set of the Ryan Murphy-executive produced series. However, Ryan Murphy has confirmed that there will be a Britney tribute episode next season. "We are writing a Britney Spears episode," Ryan told Entertainment Tonight late last week. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin, Hollywood Reporter)

[Editor: in other Glee-related news, actress Amber Riley will sing the national anthem at the 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.]

SPOILER! Doctor Who head writer/executive producer Steven Moffat has teased details about this year's Doctor Who Christmas Special, which will feature Michael Gambon and singer Katherine Jenkins, appearing alongside Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, and Arthur Darvill. "Oh, we're going for broke with this one," said Moffat. "It's all your favorite Christmas movies at once, in an hour, with monsters. And The Doctor. And a honeymoon. And... oh, you'll see. I've honestly never been so excited about writing anything. I was laughing madly as I typed along to Christmas songs in April. My neighbors loved it so much they all moved away and set up a website demanding my execution. But I'm fairly sure they did it ironically." (BBC)

In a move that will surprise no one, Peter Serafinowicz has been promoted to series regular on FOX's upcoming comedy series Running Wilde, reports Deadline's Nellie Andreeva. Serafinowicz, who appeared in the pilot as wealthy scion Fa'ad Shaoulin (the nemesis of Will Arnett's Wilde), will now serve as a regular on the Lionsgate-produced series, which launches this fall. He'll join Will Arnett, Keri Russell, Stefania Owen, and Jayne Houdyshell, while the role of Migo Salazar is currently being recast. (Deadline)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Taylor Kinney (Trauma) will join the cast of the CW's Vampire Diaries in a recurring capacity. Kinney will play Mason Lockwood, the younger brother of the late Mayor Lockwood, according to unnamed sources. He's slated to make his first appearance on the second season opener of Vampire Diaries, airing September 9th. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Mark your calendars now: HBO will launch its new Prohibition-era drama Boardwalk Empire--from executive producers Martin Scorsese and Terence Winter--on Sunday, September 19th. [Editor: while the announcement is all over the place, this story links to an older piece that offers a look at Boardwalk's set.] (Los Angeles Times' Show Tracker)

Looks like now is not a good time to be an AT&T U-Verse subscriber. The cable provider is in the midst of a carriage dispute with Rainbow Media Holdings... which means that subscribers are in danger of not being able to watch the Season Four launch of AMC's Mad Men, which premieres in less than two weeks. The two sides have been locked in negotiations that have lasted more than six months without any indications of reaching a conclusion and now U-Verse has threatened to drop AMC, IFC, and We from its lineup. (Vulture)

Despite the fact that the actor options have expired, the CW's medical drama pilot HMS is said to still be in contention for a series order. "There is still no final word from the CW but I hear producer Warner Bros. TV is not giving up and is still hoping for a series order for the project, written/executive produced by Amy Holden Jones, co-executive produced by Hayden Panettiere and directed by Mark Piznarski," writes Deadline's Nellie Andreeva. "The actors are aware of the studio's efforts and appear willing to return if there is a pickup soon." (Deadline)

Fancast's Matt Mitovich talks to The Closer's Jon Tenney about Season Six of the TNT drama series as well as the relationship between Fritz and Kyra Sedgwick's Brenda. "In the very first episode, there’s a scene I love where they’re ostensibly discussing a case that she has, and we’re talking about having affairs," said Tenney. "But we’re play-acting, so we’re also sort of feeling each other out a bit… There’s this Nick and Nora sort of banter about the issues of work and personal life and commitment to both of those. That comes to the forefront this season for Brenda and Fritz." (Fancast)

Disney Channel has renewed comedy Good Luck Charlie for a second season as well as greenlighting an original telepic based on the series. (Hollywood Reporter)

Universal Media Studios has signed a two-year overall deal with former Scrubs executive producer Tad Quill, under which he will develop projects for the studio as well as come on board NBC's comedy Perfect Couples. (Deadline)

Former TNT executive Susan Oman Gross has been hired by GK-TV as EVP of television, where she will report to Craig Cegielski and oversee all business and legal affairs for the company. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: HBO's Miraculous Year Lands Lee Pace, Team Darlton Talk Lost, Friday Night Lights, and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

According to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello, HBO's drama pilot Miraculous Year, from executive producer Kathryn Bigelow just got even more miraculous. The project, which is described as "an examination of a New York family as seen through the eyes of a charismatic, self-destructive Broadway composer," just signed a slew of stars to round out its cast, including former Pushing Daisies star Lee Pace, Linus Roache (Law & Order), and Stark Sands (Generation Kill)... who will join the already high-wattage cast of Eddie Redmayne, Hope Davis, Frank Langella, and Patti LuPone. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

E! Online's Megan Masters spoke to former Lost showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse about the ABC drama's Emmy nominations now that the series has wrapped up its six-season run... and why they chose to break their radio silence. "Every year after the finale we've always gone into radio silence just because we're pretty sick of ourselves, so we can't even imagine what everybody else thinks of us," said Lindelof. "And we've always broken our radio silence at Comic-Con, and this year we're obviously not going to Comic-Con because it's about promoting something to come. The idea of looking back on the show is not something we were particularly interested in, looking back at ourselves. But around a week ago, Carlton and I had both been on vacation and received an email from someone at ABC asking [if we would] be willing to do some press. And that was our first contact with each other where it was like, alright, of course. If the show gets recognized, it feels totally appropriate for us to express out feelings about how awesome that is. There's no reason to not talk about Lost ever again, it's just not in our DNA. Had the show not been nominated for anything, I'm sure Carlton and I would have emerged at some appropriate time over the summer to talk about—" "To begin begging for work at Starbucks," Cuse cut him off, laughing. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Elsewhere, Deadline's Nellie Andreeva also caught up with Team Darlton to discuss the 12 Emmy nominations that Lost racked up yesterday and on the divisive series finale. "I do feel we spent so much time talking about how we were gonna end the show (we started getting questions about that right after the pilot) so the fact that we ended it on our own terms makes us feel absolutely no regrets," said Lindelof. "We acknowledge that it was always a polarizing show that created many theories and made fans passionate about it. It wouldn’t be Lost if everyone loved the finale, but we’re pretty pleased." (Deadline)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello caught up with Friday Night Lights's Connie Britton, who received an Emmy nomination alongside her co-star Kyle Chandler yesterday and who thought that "there must be some mistake." (Aw.) Asked whether she had received an interesting phone calls after the nomination, Britton replied, "I just had a really fun phone call with our executive producer Sarah Aubrey. She works with Peter Berg and has been involved with Friday Night Lights since the movie, and is arguably one of the most passionate people ever about this show. She was like, 'I was doing Pilates and I just unabashedly started jumping up and down!' It’s just exciting. We’re about to wrap the show—we’re two weeks away from wrapping the show—and it’s been really melancholy. I’m just feeling it. I’m feeling it approaching—the end is near. So this just feels like such an unexpected surprise and present." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Remember the rumor floating about the other day that the star of Vicky Cristina Barcelona would be dropping by Glee as a rock star who befriends Artie? Apparently, there's no truth to that story whatsoever, according to Los Angeles Times's Maria Elena Fernandez. A 20th Century Fox Television spokesperson has denied reports that Javier Bardem--and Snoop Dogg--would be appearing on FOX's Glee next season. (Los Angeles Times' Show Tracker)

With Steve Carell set to leave NBC's The Office at the end of next season, one of the show's producers has her sights on his replacement. Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello talks to co-executive producer Mindy Kaling about her pick to take over as the boss in Scranton. "I’d love to see Rainn Wilson in that position,” said Kaling. “Dwight has become so nuanced — you actually care about him now. I think if [we did a good job laying the groundwork] this coming season, he would be a fantastic boss... But that’s my dream. It certainly hasn’t been approved by people that are more powerful than me and who make those kinds of decisions." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

ABC has announced premiere dates for all of its new and returning fall series (except, that is, for Body of Proof and Secret Millionaire):

September 20th:
Dancing with the Stars
Castle

September 21st:
Detroit 1-8-7

September 22nd:
The Middle
Better With You (formerly known as Better Together)
Modern Family
Cougar Town
The Whole Truth

September 23rd:
My Generation
Grey's Anatomy
Private Practice

September 24th:
20/20

September 26th:
America's Funniest Home Videos
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Desperate Housewives
Brothers & Sisters

September 28th:
No Ordinary Family
Dancing with the Stars Results Show

You'll notice that while ABC did change the the title of one of its series, that series isn't Cougar Town, which will keep its title going into its sophomore season after all. (via press release)

Comedy Central has ordered a script for multi-camera comedy Brothers From Another Mother, which will feature comedians Ralphie May and Lavell Crawford as long-time friends who discover that, despite their racial differences, they are actually brothers when their father dies and leaves them his barbeque business. (Hollywood Reporter)

Lewis fans, take heart: ITV has ordered a fifth season of Lewis, comprised of four episodes. (Broadcast)

File under litigious: Hayden Christensen is using USA, claiming that the network stole his idea about a concierge doctor who makes house calls to his wealthy patients and turned it into its dramedy series Royal Pains, now in its second season. Christesen and his brother Tove filed the lawsuit in New York District Court. "The brothers allegedly brought the idea for a concierge doctor show titled Housecall to USA and met with Alex Pepiol, who at the time was manager of original scripted series programing at the network," writes The Hollywood Reporter's Eriq Gardner. "They say they also sent him materials including a treatment, character biographies and show ideas." (Hollywood Reporter)

Season Four of reality series LA Ink will kick off on TLC on Wednesday, August 11th at 10 pm ET/PT. (via press release)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Lost Alum Heads to SVU, David Strathairn Signs on to Alphas, Outlaw Nation Lands Its Cast, and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck is reporting that former Lost co-star Henry Ian Cusick has signed on for a multiple-episode story arc on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, where he will play Erik Weber, a graphic artist. Cusick is expected to appear in at least two episodes of the procedural drama and will cross paths with Mariska Hargitay's Detective Olivia Benson. "There might be some flirtation," executive producer Neal Baer told Keck. "Erik meets Olivia when he comes to someone's aid. And then we'll see how it goes. Olivia is devoted to her job and knows that comes first." (TV Guide Magazine)

It's official: Academy Award nominee David Strathairn will star in Syfy's 90-minute action pilot Alphas, according to a network press release. In the pilot, written by Zak Penn and Michael Karnow and directed by Jack Bender, Strathairn will play the "unconventional, eccentric Alphas team leader" Dr. Leigh Rosen. Here's what the press release had to say about his character: "Though he comes across as somewhat of an absent-minded professor at times, he is also a cunning and manipulative power-player willing to bend the rules in pursuit of his objectives and in support of his team." Production begins next month in Toronto. (via press release)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that Luke Grimes (Brothers & Sisters) and Haley Bennett (Marley & Me) have been cast opposite Mary Steenburgen in FX's Nashville-set crime drama pilot Outlaw Country, which will be directed by Michael Dinner. Grimes will play Eli Larkin, described as "a half-cowboy, half-modern guy who tries to get out of the crime ridden life he has grown accustom to in order to help his siblings, however he finds out that it is much harder than he expected." Bennett will play Annabel Lee, described as "a gorgeous country singer who is living in the shadow of her overprotective mother (Steenburgen)." (Deadline)

SPOILER! Some Bones scoop for those of you deprived of the FOX procedural this summer, courtest of TVGuide.com's Mickey O'Connor and Adam Bryant. Asked about whether Booth and Brennan will be apart when Bones returns this fall, this is what the TVGuide.com editors had to say: "It's looking that way, particularly now that we know that Booth will meet his new love interest, a journalist, when she's embedded with his unit in Afghanistan. In a seemingly Grey's Anatomy-inspired Teddy-Owen-like twist, she'll follow Booth back to Washington, where they'll attempt to be together in the real world. And we all know how that goes. But don't blame Bones — she'll be nothing but supportive of the born-under-fire union." (TVGuide.com)

E! is getting into the dance business. The cabler has teamed up with Ryan Seacrest Productions to develop a pilot that will feature Lady Gaga choreographer Laurie Ann Gibson, along with a group of other choreographers and dancers, in Los Angeles. (Hollywood Reporter)

Torchwood fans, make sure you pick up a copy of the new Torchwood comic, which will make its debut at San Diego Comic-Con later this month. The first issue of the monthly will feature a story written by John Barrowman and will be available at the convention exclusively until it hits shelves on August 10th. (Digital Spy)

E1 has signed on to co-produce AMC drama pilot Hell on Wheels, which revolves around the "post-Civil War construction of the Transcontinental Railroad," with Endemol USA. Production on the pilot, written by Joe and Tony Gayton and directed by David Von Ancken, will begin in August in Alberta, Canada It's widely believed to be a lock for a series order. (Variety)

Recasting going on behind the scenes at NBC's upcoming comedy series Outsourced, where Aussie actress Pippa Black has stepped into the role of Tonya. Elsewhere, Maria Thayer has been upgraded to series regular on Cartoon Network's Eagleheart. (Hollywood Reporter)

Jane Kaczmarek (Raising the Bar) and Kim Dickens (Treme) have been cast in Lifetime telepic Reviving Ophelia, based on the nonfiction book by Mary Pipher, in which they'll play sisters who must help one another raise their teenage daughters. Project, written by Teena Booth and directed by Bobby Roth, will air later this year. (Variety)

Reveille is dipping its toes into the television animation business, signing a deal with Mechem Media to "create animated fare in the signature style of Hanna-Barbera." (Company is comprised of several former Hanna-Barbera executives.) First up is comedy The Gloomers, which will be pitched to networks in the next few weeks. (Hollywood Reporter)

FOX's animated comedy The Cleveland Show is heading into syndication and has locked up deals at Turner's TBS and Adult Swim, where the series will launch in fall 2013. (Broadcasting & Cable)

20th Century Fox Television has signed a talent holding deal with Wilmer Valderrama, under which he will star in and executive produce a new series project for the studio, reports Deadline's Nellie Andreeva. (Deadline)

More changes afoot at ITV Studios, where Lee Bartlett and Remy Blumenthal are stepping down from their posts following a reorganization that will see former Channel 4 director Kevin Lygo assume oversight of the studio. (Variety)

Elsewhere, former Universal Networks International executive Jon Farrar has been hired by BBC Worldwide Channels as VP, programming for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Steve Carell Confirms Office Departure, Janeane Garofalo Circles Criminal Minds, Being Human Lands Sam Witwer, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

Steve Carell has confirmed that he will leave NBC comedy The Office following the conclusion of next season, the series' seventh. "I just think it's time," Carell told E! Online's Kristina Guerrero while promoting his new film Despicable Me. "I want to fulfill my contract. When I first signed on I had a contract for seven seasons, and this coming year is my seventh. I just thought it was time for my character to go... It doesn't certainly mean the end of the show. I think it's just a dynamic change to the show, which could be a good thing, actually. Add some new life and some new energy... I see it as a positive in general for the show." Carell pointed to the series' ensemble cast and the strength of the writers and didn't seem to feel that his departure would negatively affect The Office at all. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Wait, what? Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Janeane Garofalo (24) is in talks to join the cast of CBS' Criminal Minds spinoff, currently entitled Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, where she will play an agent in the FBI's Behavior Analysis Unit overseen by Forest Whitaker's Sam Cooper. Garofalo had previous been attached to star in the untitled Hannah Shakespeare/John Wells medical drama pilot, which failed to receive a series order at CBS. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

In other casting news, Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Sam Witwer (Smallville) has signed on to star in Syfy's US adaptation of Being Human as vampire Aidan. Meanwhile, Meaghan Rath (The Assistants) is said to have reportedly signed a deal to play Molly, the flat's resident ghost, while Sam Huntington (Cavemen) is "up for the role of werewolf Josh." (Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello)

ABC Family has ordered twelve additional episodes of nighttime teen soap Pretty Little Liars, bringing the episodic commitment this season to 22 installments. (Variety)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva talks to Robert Greenblatt about his future plans following the end of his contract as president of entertainment at Showtime. "I had been wrestling with [the issue] for the last couple of months until I came to the decision that it was the time to move on,” said Greenblatt. "I don’t have any specific plans, I’m not in negotiations on anything, and I don’t have anything lined up." But don't look for Greenblatt to segue back into producing again. "Producing is a lonely, difficult work, and I’m not sure that’s where I’m headed. I’m leaning more towards an executive job at the moment," he said. "It’s all about innovating, building or rebuilding something. I don’t feel like walking into a place that needs a new head. It needs to be a place where I have to rethink the whole system; I’m very entrepreneurial.” (Deadline)

[Editor: meanwhile, Variety's Cynthia Littleton also has an interview with Greenblatt about the legacy he leaves behind at Showtime. "The degree to which we were able to break through the clutter with some programming that people seem to really love," said Greenblatt when asked about his major achievements at the pay cabler. "I've always tried to be innovative, going back to the Fox days (as a programming exec), and certainly as a producer. To be given this platform to reinvent it the way I saw fit was just such an extraordinary gift. And then to see the shows embraced the way they have been is just the icing on the cake."]

Variety's Cynthia Littleton also talks to inbound entertainment president David Nevins and chairman/CEO Matthew Blank about the transition. "With a tremendous batch of new stuff coming over the next year, David has the luxury of getting involved with those shows and looking around for the best new material that would take us forward in a way that is tune with his sensibility," Blank told Littleton. "One of the luxuries of the premium TV business is that we don't have a development season per se. David doesn't have to be ready to go with X number of pilots by any particular date." (Variety)

A&E is said to be in talks with 20th Century Fox Television to order thirteen episodes of FOX pilot Breakout Kings, which revolves around a federal fugitive apprehension program that is staffed with convicts. Project is created by Matt Olmstead and Nick Santora. (Variety)

Meanwhile, Deadline's Nellie Andreeva reports that FOX has ordered two additional scripts for comedy Breaking In, after the network passed on ordering the Christian Slater and Bret Harrison-led pilot to series. Studio Sony Pictures Television will extend the options on the actors, which--as Andreeva points out--will prevent Harrison from being in the running to take over the male lead on NBC's Perfect Couples, which is recasting. (Deadline)

TVGuide.com's Gina DiNunno has an interview with Louis C.K. ahead of tonight's premiere for his new FX comedy, Louie. "It's kind of like an autobiographical fiction," said C.K. of the new series. "It's like I'm playing myself, but none of these things have happened to me. Like I have a brother on the show, but I don't in reality. I just thought it would be interesting to have a one for a little while." (TVGuide.com)

SPOILER! TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck talks to Calista Flockhart and Brothers & Sisters executive producer David Marshall Grant about what the future holds for Flockhart's widowed Kitty. "It will be a little challenging for her," said Grant, who indicated that the action will begin a year after the death of Rob Lowe's Robert. "She might be seeing the kinds of guys that she didn't normally date, and I'm sure she'll have a date from hell." Flockhart added that she's sad to lose Lowe but said that Kitty won't be siting at home alone. "I don't think Kitty will be single for that long," she told Keck. "She'll have lots of guys — at least I hope." (TV Guide Magazine)

Executive shuffle: former ABC Studios executive Morgan Wandell has left Berlanti Television after two years, following the conclusion of his contract with the company. He will remain an executive producer on ABC's No Ordinary Family and will continue to develop projects. His responsibilities will be taken over at Berlanti Television by Melissa Berman. (Deadline)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Judy Greer Finds Mad Love, David Strathairn Circles Alphas, Gossip Girl, True Blood Twist, and More

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.

Judy Greer (Miss/Guided) is heading to CBS. The actress--whose voice appeared this season on FX's animated comedy Archer--has signed on to star in CBS ensemble comedy Mad Love, which has been picked up for thirteen episodes and will launch in midseason. Greer replaces Lizzy Caplan, who had only signed on to appear as a guest star in the pilot, and will star opposite Sarah Chalke (who herself replaced Minka Kelly), Jason Biggs, and Tyler Labine (who replaced Dan Fogler). Project, from writer/executive producer Matt Tarses, revolves around a group of Manhattan friends looking for love. (Variety, Deadline)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that David Strathairn (Matadors) is in talks to topline Syfy's action-adventure pilot Alphas, which revolves around a team of people with extraordinary abilities. Strathairn would play the "the overseer/team leader/prescribing doctor and all around mother hen to the team: an eccentric, absent-minded professor at times, who is also a cunning and manipulative power-player willing to bend the rules in pursuit of his objectives." Ryan Cartwright (Mad Men), meanwhile, would play a team member with Asperger's Syndrome who is able to receive wireless transmissions. (Deadline)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Katie Cassidy (Melrose Place) has signed on to a multiple-episode story arc on the CW's Gossip Girl next season, where she will play "a student at Columbia and a love interest for fellow undergrad Nate (Chace Crawford)" who will cause trouble for the well-heeled set of the CW drama series. Her first appearance is slated to air during the fourth season premiere this fall. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

POTENTIAL SPOILER E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos has an interview with Mariana Kleveno--who plays vampire Lorena on HBO's True Blood--about the disturbing final-act twist in last night's taut installment. "[That scene] was actually the most shocking thing that I've ever read in a television script," Kleveno told E! "My jaw dropped on the floor when I read it and thought, 'Oh my god, I actually have to do that?!" Kleveno also goes on to say that filming the pivotal scene was "kind of uncomfortable." [Editor: when I interviewed Stephen Moyer a few weeks back, we discussed the scene and he referred to it as "f---ing gnarly."] (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Remember those rumors circulating last week that the Beeb was considering resurrecting Philip Glenister's Gene Hunt character from Ashes to Ashes and Life on Mars? Looks like--thankfully--there is absolutely no truth to them whatsoever. Ashes co-creator Matthew Graham has denied the report, originally published by The Daily Mirror, stating in no uncertain terms that Gene's story was done. [Editor: Whew! As much as I love Gene and Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes, it had the perfect ending.] (Den of Geek)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that A.J. Cook will be returning to CBS' Criminal Minds this fall... at least for a "brief stint to tie up JJ's storyline." Additionally, Paget Brewster will also be returning for another season, having successfully concluded a contract renegotiation that will see her return in the fall for "a significant number of episodes," according to an unnamed Criminal Minds insider. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Lolita Davidovich and Kathleen Quinlan have joined the cast of of HBO telepic Cinema Verite, which revolves around the making of the landmark reality series An American Family. (Also cast: William Belli and Nick Eversman.) Elsewhere, Steve Hytner (Hung) has been cast in CMT's comedy pilot The Hard Life, where he will star opposite Matthew Lillard and Gillian Vigman, appearing in flashbacks to the 1970s. (Deadline)

SPOILER! TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck has some dirt on the Season Seven opener of FOX's House, which finds Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) taking Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein) away for an "idyllic day." "Anywhere other than Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital is an easier place for them to be together in a relationship," House executive producer Katie Jacobs tells Keck. "That's where we start — 'What if we only have each other?' As their day goes on, Cuddy will learn that the locales they visit hold a secret significance... It would be impossible for Cuddy to spend every day as if her child and her professional life don't exist; a little easier for House, since he is somewhat of a child himself. But what's cool about Season 7 is that House is going to try to stay off drugs and have a meaningful relationship. We don't rush through this. It's taken six years to get there, so this is not a story that's going to be done in three episodes." (TV Guide Magazine)

Marvel Entertainment has created a television division and named scribe Jeph Loeb (Heroes) to head up the new sector. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Loeb will "oversee the translation of Marvel’s popular characters and stories to the television medium, in both live-action and animation formats" as well as "the development and distribution of live-action, animated and direct-to-DVD series." (Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision)

Peter Horton (Grey's Anatomy) will direct and executive produce FOX's upcoming con man drama Lonestar, signing a deal with 20th Century Fox Television and FOX that will also secured him a premium script commitment. He'll also direct a pilot for the studio and network next season. Horton will direct the first episode of Lonestar after the pilot episode, which was directed by Marc Webb. (Variety)

Former Dexter showrunner Clyde Phillips has signed a two-year overall deal with Lionsgate Television, under which he will develop programming for the studio. Anything that is ordered to pilot (or series) would be shot on the East Coast, where Phillips lives with his family. (Deadline)

Emily VanCamp (Brothers & Sisters) has been cast in CBS' upcoming Hallmark Hall of Fame telepic Let Them Shine, where she will play a novice teacher who makes a difference in the lives of several homeless students. Project is written by Camille Thomasson and directed by Jeff Bleckner. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

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

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Cynthia Nixon Heads to The Big C, Glee Comic-Con Mystery, Entourage Cast Teases New Season, and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.

Cynthia Nixon (Sex and the City) has signed on to appear in four episodes of Showtime's upcoming dark comedy The Big C, which stars Laura Linney as Cathy, a suburban teacher whose life is thrown off track by a terminal cancer diagnosis. Nixon will play Rebecca, Cathy's "flaky, long-lost college roommate who re-enters her life and shakes things up in a wild way," according to the official press release from Showtime. Nixon's casting follows on the heels of that of ex-Wire co-star Idris Elba. The series, created by Darlene Hunt, stars Linney, Oliver Platt, and Gabourey Sidibe. (via press release)

Wondering why none of the main cast members of FOX's Glee will be heading to Comic-Con next month despite 20th Century Fox Television's announcement that there will be a Glee panel at San Diego Comic-Con? Entertainment Weekly's Andy Patrick is reporting that half of the Glee cast wasn't asked to participate, as they had already journey down to the con last year. Last year, we brought down Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Matthew Morrison, and Dianna Agron," said an unnamed studio spokesperson. "Because we have such a large cast and we can’t bring everyone every year, this year we decided to bring down some of the cast who didn’t get to go last summer. So this year, Chris Colfer, Amber Riley, Jenna Ushkowitz, Kevin McHale, Mark Salling, Heather Morris, and Naya Rivera will get to experience the convention, as well as co-creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk." [Editor: Weakest. Excuse. Ever.] Meanwhile, Jane Lynch reportedly had a scheduling conflict, so she too will not be appearing at the convention, despite her character--Sue Sylvester--being one of breakout stars of Glee. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

E! Online's Megan Masters talks to the cast of HBO's Entourage about what lays ahead for Vince and Co. during Season Seven of the Hollywood-set comedy series. "Vince has always been a very even-keeled guy, but that doesn't mean there's not a lot going on underneath," said Adrian Grenier. "It's been a great season for me as an actor because Vince is getting into trouble. He needs help. Like there's an emotional side to Vince that comes out with a fury." The cast also has some dish on complications for Eric and Sloan this season, as well as Ari and Mrs. Ari, Turtle's new love interest (played by former Heroes star Dania Ramirez), and Drama. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Paula Patton (Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire) is in talks to join the cast of NBC's Law & Order: SVU as the new ADA, replacing Sharon Stone who last held the position for a four-episode story arc this spring. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

NBC's new thriller The Event is heading to Comic-Con next month and the Saturday, July 24th panel--which will feature stars Jason Ritter, Blair Underwood, Laura Innes, Zeljko Ivanek and Ian Anthony Dale, and producers Evan Katz, Steve Stark, Jeffrey Reiner, Nick Wauters, and Jim Wong--will be moderated by E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Lifetime has ordered three new cop drama pilots, including Jeff Bell's Exit 19 (which had been shot as a pilot presentation at CBS during the 2008-09 season), an untitled drama from Josh Berman (Drop Dead Diva) about a female police detective who may have to raise her two children on her own, and Against the Wall, from Annie Brunner (Huff), about a female cop who is placed in the internal affairs division of the Chicago PD, a fact that doesn't sit right with her two cop brothers. (Variety)

AMC is said to nearing a deal to develop drama The Wreck, from writers Graham Gordy and Michael Fuller and executive producer John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side), which would revolve around the head coach of a struggling college football team who is given one last chance to turn the team's fortunes around. (Hollywood Reporter)

The Futon Critic is reporting that NBC will swap the timeslots of Persons Unknown and Last Comic Standing, effective immediately. The former, produced by Fox Television Studios, will move to 9 pm ET/PT for at least the next two weeks. (Futon Critic)

Syfy has unveiled the cast for its latest Saturday night creature feature, Mega Python vs. Gatoroid and it's... Debbie Gibson and Tiffany?!? Yes, the former 1980s pop icons will star in the project, from writer Naomi Selfman and director Mary Lambert, which is slated to air next year on the cabler. "Gibson will play a fanatical animal-rights activist who frees illegally imported exotic snakes from pet stores, sending them into the Everglades, where they grow to mega sizes," writes The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd. "Tiffany will play an overzealous park ranger who uses dangerous methods to save endangered alligators. In the script, the pair brawl at a party, then take matters outside into the swamp." [Editor: Just... wow.] (Hollywood Reporter)

ABC Studios has signed a new overall deal with Jessika Borsiczky (FlashForward), under which she will develop new programming for the studio and may join the staff of a new or existing ABC series. Elsewhere, the producer has set up single-camera comedy House of Lies at Showtime; project, from writer Matt Carnahan, "looks at the woes of corporate America." (Variety)

In other deal-related news, Denis Leary and Jim Serpico's Apostle shingle has signed a two-year overall deal with Fox Television Studios, under which they will develop new cable programming for the studio, while in talks with CBS Television Studios about a separate deal that would have them developing for broadcast networks, according to Deadline's Nellie Andreeva. Apostle was previously based at Sony Pictures Television, until the studio opted not to renew its deal (along with several other high-profile pod deals). (Deadline)

Broadcasting & Cable's Paige Albiniak is reporting that CBS is developing Say It Now, a live daily daytime talk show to possibly fill the void left in the schedule by the cancellation of long-running soap As the World Turns that features actress Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland) and Aussie talk show host Rove McManus. Other contenders to take the timeslot include game shows Pyramid and Password and a female-skewing talk show a la The View that would star Julie Chen, Sharon Osbourne, Holly Robinson Peete, and Leah Remini. (Broadcasting & Cable)

Disney Junior has started production on animated series Doc McStuffins, which will revolve around a "6-year-old girl who communicates with and heals stuffed animals and toys." Project, from creator/executive producer Chris Nee, will launch in 2011 on the Dinsey Channel. (Variety)

AMC has hired Marci Wiseman as SVP of business affairs. She will be based in Los Angeles and will report to Charlie Collier. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Leigh and Morissette Return to Weeds, Jamie Foxx Preps TV Pilot, Sarah Drew Talks Grey's, Doctor Who, and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Jennifer Jason Leigh and Alanis Morissette will return to Weeds for the Showtime dark comedy's sixth season, set to launch August 16th. Leigh will reprise her role as Nancy's sister Jill in one episode, with Morissette due to appear in two episodes as Andy's girlfriend Audra Kitson, who also happened to be Nancy's doctor. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that Jamie Foxx has shot a trailer for a potential television project entitled Tommy's Little Girl, which features Paul Sorvino, Selma Blair, James Russo, and Tony Sirico. Project would revolve around the relationship between a mobster (Sorvino) and his daughter (Blair) and will be pitched to cable networks. (Deadline)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello has an interview with newly promoted Grey's Anatomy series regular Sarah Drew, in which they discuss her "polarizing alter ego" April, among other topics. " I definitely had that feeling," said Drew when asked if the season finale pushed April together with the rest of the Seattle Grace crew. "April has been kind of annoying this past season. [Laughs] Just neurotic and really insecure, and this was the first time she was able to band together — both with Cristina and Meredith — to help solve a [crisis]. Most of my stuff before was with Patrick [Dempsey] and fawning over him awkwardly. So this was the first opportunity to actually bond in a positive way with them. They say tragedy brings people together, so I guess that’s what happened." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

MAJOR SPOILERS! UK paper The Daily Mirror has an interview with Doctor Who head writer/executive producer Steven Moffat about the season finale of Doctor Who, which brings an end to the first season under new Doctor, Matt Smith, and finds the Time Lord in a bit of a bind. "The doctor is trapped inside a prison from which even he can't escape," said Moffat. "Amy Pond is dead. Rory is plastic. River Song has been blown up in the Tardis, which has been blown up and destroyed every sun in the universe. I think any other hero would be in a pickle but I think the Doctor can take it... I really do think episode 13, the episode we'll see on Saturday, is a story only Doctor Who can do - no other show could have come close to a story like this." The finale will air Saturday night in the UK on BBC One and in two weeks on BBC America in the US. (via Digital Spy)

Vulture's Josef Adalian is reporting that FOX will not go ahead with its unscripted Glee spinoff, which would have depicted the search for actors to play three new roles on the musical-comedy. "Though they collected the tryout videos, Murphy and Fox execs have since quietly agreed to kill the on-air competition after it became clear that working on the reality show would mean less time for planning season two (and the recently announced season three)," writes Adalian. "As it is, Murphy and his team have already had their schedules crowded by such extracurricular events as the brief Glee live tour, multiple hit soundtrack albums, a trip to the White House, and, of course, Oprah." (Vulture)

TVGuide.com's Gina DiNunno talks to Tom Colicchio about Season Seven of Bravo's Top Chef and weighs in on the change at the judges' table, where master chef Eric Ripert has taken over for Toby Young. "For me, I like having him there," Colicchio told DiNunno. "I liked working with Toby [Young], but he didn't have the most authoritative voice when it came to the food. Toby is more of a scene critic when it comes to restaurants — or at least that's my understanding of it. He did know a good amount about food though. Having Eric judging the food has a little bit more weight than Toby judging your food. But you're not going to get the one-line zingers that we got out of Toby. [Laughs]" (TVGuide.com)

[Editor: elsewhere, The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd has an interview with Top Chef executive producers Jane Lipsitz and Dan Cutforth, in which they talk about why this season is Obama-less, the reason behind the name Magical Elves, how they pick the cities for Top Chef, and the status of other projects in development, including spinoff Top Chef Jr.)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that Jon Cassar (24) has come board FOX's upcoming adventure series Terra Nova as an executive producer/director. He joins a staff that includes former 24 executive producers Brannon Braga and David Fury and will direct multiple episodes of the series. (Alex Graves is set to direct the pilot episode.) (Deadline)

The Futon Critic is reporting that Project Runway will return to Lifetime on Thursday, July 29th at 9 pm ET/PT, right before half-hour spinoff series On the Road With Austin & Santino. (Futon Critic)

V star Elizabeth Mitchell has indicated that she's open for a possible romance between her character on the ABC sci-fi series, Erica Evans, and Charles Mesure's Kyle Hobbes. “He’s awesome, isn’t he? When he first came on, I said to [exec producer Scott] Rosenbaum, 'You need to make this guy a deal, now,'" Mitchell told Fancast's Matt Mitovich, though she added that Erica could fall for either Hobbes or Joel Gretsch's Father Jack. "Maybe it’s just because I’m a woman, but I’m up for a little romance!" (Fancast's The Big Tease)

TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck has the dish on the upcoming two-parter on USA's Royal Pains, in which Mark Feuerstein's Hank heads to Cuba. The two-episode arc will feature guest stars Tony Plana (Ugly Betty) and Ana de la Reguera (Cop Out), the latter of which will be a potential love interest for Hank. The actress will also appear on Season Two of HBO's Eastbound and Down, where she is set to recur all season as the new love interest for Danny McBride's Kenny Powers. (TV Guide Magazine)

ABC's reality series Shark Tank will return to the lineup this summer... for one episode (a shelved installment from last season) on July 15th at 8 pm ET/PT, while ABC will repeat several other episodes during July and August. There's been no official word on the fate of the Sony Pictures Television-produced series. (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer will produce the 83rd Academy Awards telecast, which is slated to air Sunday, February 27th on ABC. Mischer will also serve as the director for the awards telecast. (via press release)

In other Oscar-related news, Deadline's Nikki Finke is reporting that Board of Governor members have discussed moving the annual awards telecast to January, which could lead to conflicts with NBC's Golden Globes. "The awards season is too long currently. This will shorten and reduce the amount of campaigning," an unnamed studio head told Finke. "Also, it will make the Oscars the definitive awards show again. The Globes can't move a lot earlier as all the movies wouldn't be released yet. The only potential downside is how do people see all the films in time to vote for nominations?" (Deadline)

Lifetime has hired Discovery executive Gena McCarthy as SVP of reality and alternative programming at the cabler. She will report to JoAnn Alfano. (Variety)

Tyra Banks' production company Bankable has hired former Warner Music International chairman/CEO Patrick Vien as president/COO, effective immediately. He'll be based in New York and will report to Banks. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Starz Developing US Underbelly, Tim Kring Talks Heroes' Movie Chances, Charice Heads to Glee, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

Vulture's Josef Adalian is reporting that Starz is developing a US adaptation of Aussie crime series Underbelly, which has aired Stateside on DirecTV's Channel 101, following a deal to acquire the U.S. rights to the gritty crime drama, which some have likened to Australia's answer to The Sopranos... which Starz topper Chris Albrect himself oversaw when he headed up HBO. "Albrecht is clearly hoping Underbelly’s phenomenal success in Australia (its 2008 premiere drew more viewers there than any other non-sports broadcast, and the show won the country's equivalent of the Emmy for best drama) can be replicated here," writes Adalian. "Since the show is based on real events that took place in Australia starting in the 1970s, Starz can't simply film the original scripts using American actors. But the network is currently researching various American crime families that they can build effective story arcs around...just as long as the clans aren't from New York or New Jersey, which would invite calls of Sopranos copycatting." Should Starz be able to find the right setting and characters, a pilot script could be ready before next year and unnamed sources have indicated to Adalian that Albrecht would likely go straight to series rather than shoot a pilot. (Vulture)

Entertainment Weekly's Lynette Rice talks to Heroes creator Tim Kring about his new project--interactive content for Nokia that's "meant to inspire social change"--and about the future of the NBC superhero drama. "No decision has been made," said Kring about a potential Heroes movie. "But the Heroes brand is an extremely broad premise. It was a premise about ordinary people, an undisclosed number of people all over the world, who were waking up to these extraordinary abilities. Any number of stories could happen around that. We never posited a single ending or a single premise. It wasn’t about getting off of an island or stopping something from happening. We told stories in volumes that had a beginning, a middle, and an end. Those volumes could go on and on and on with many different characters. As a result, that Heroes universe is something that can be tapped into again in many ways. Certainly, a movie is a way to do that and clearly, there is an entire world and a number of platforms that this property could live in. Movies sometimes need a little distance from the television show." (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

It's official: Charice is heading to Glee. Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that the international pop star has signed a deal that will have her recur on the FOX musical-comedy, where she will play a foreign exchange student who quickly becomes a bitter rival to Lea Michele's Rachel. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

[Editor: meanwhile, E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos reports that there's no truth--as of yet, anyway--to those rumors that Justin Timberlake will be appearing on Glee.]

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva reports that Mary Steenburgen (Curb Your Enthusiasm) is the first casting attachment for FX drama pilot Outlaw Country, which is being described as "a crime thriller/family drama set against the backdrop of southern organized crime and Nashville royalty 'where music and love, hope and tragedy collide.'" She'll play a country music icon who attempts to protect her daughter Annabel. Project, from Fox Television Studios and FX Prods., is created by Josh Goldin and Rachel Abramowitz, who will executive produce with Art Linson and John Linson. (Deadline)

E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos is reporting that Kristin Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies) would like to reprise her role on FOX's Glee next season after appearing twice as April Rhodes. She's also aiming to land her own series next season as well. "I'm working on my album with Sony," Chenoweth told E! Online. "So I'll be doing a tour and going back to Glee a little bit and also doing my own TV show." No details were immediately available about her in-development project. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

FOX has lowered the age requirement on American Idol, allowing kids as young as 15 years old to audition for the musical competition series. "A lot of young, talented people are now seeking careers and representation before they turn 16," said FremantleMedia North America's Cecile Frot-Coutaz, executive producer of Idol. "Lowering the age limit allows us to tap into this talent pool." (Hollywood Reporter)

It's official: all five of NCIS's renegotiating actors--Sean Murray, Michael Weatherly, Rock Carroll, Pauley Perrette, and David McCallum--have signed new deals that will bring them back to the CBS crime procedural next season, following the successful conclusion of Murray's deal, a new multi-year contract that will keep him aboard NCIS. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Jane Krakowski has teased some details about the next season of NBC's 30 Rock, telling E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos, "Will Forte will be coming back as Jenna's shman." But he's not the only love interest slated to make a return appearance next season. "I do believe Matt Damon is going to come back," Krakowski told E! Online. "He is scheduled to make some return appearances if we can work them around his schedule and availability." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that The Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan will produce and host an unscripted series about the Velux 5 Oceans 2010-11 race, which "features skippers from all over the world sailing alone for 30,000 miles around the globe on high powered racing yachts and video recording their journeys." No US network is current attached to the project. (Deadline)

Syfy's drama pilot Alphas is set to shoot in Toronto at Cinespace Film Studios. Project, which revolves around a team of individuals with exceptional abilities who work as vigilantes, is written by Zak Penn and Michael Karnow and directed by Jack Bender. (Hollywood Reporter)

Elsewhere at Syfy, the cabler is giving fans of its Saturday night movies the chance to oversee each and every aspect of the production of one of its upcoming creature features, according to The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd. "The network is launching a production site, B Movie Mogul, where fans can vote and pitch ideas for the film, from title, creatures, wardrobe, dialogue and character deaths to promotional taglines," writes Hibberd. "The resulting 'script' will be shot as a two-hour Syfy original movie to be released next year." (Hollywood Reporter)

ABC is said to be mulling the possibility of reinstating its current programming department, according to Variety's Michael Schneider. The division had been axed last year, when programming operations at ABC and ABC Studios were merged into a single unit reporting to Steve McPherson. "With a slew of new series on the fall docket -- not to mention aging staples that might need a little more attention -- the network began to reconsider," writes Schneider. "There's nothing firm in the works yet, and no exec has been identified for the gig. But the return to a current department would come after a similar decision by NBC. The Peacock recently reinstated its current department under exec VP Vernon Sanders. CBS and Fox have maintained current programming departments." (Variety)

Warner Bros. Television has signed a blind script deal with Michael Markowitz (Becker), who will team up with executive producers Tom Werner and Mike Clements. (Hollywood Reporter)

Endemol has come on board as the international distributor for TV Land's comedy series Hot in Cleveland and will be taking the series to market at MIPCOM this fall. (Deadline)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Jason O'Mara Signs on to Terra Nova, Marina Klaveno Talks True Blood, Happy Town Yanked Again, and More

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.

It's official: former Life on Mars star Jason O'Mara has signed on to topline FOX's new action-adventure series Terra Nova, following the successful close of his deal, according to Deadline's Nellie Andreeva. Series revolves around a family from the future who travels back in time to the Earth's prehistoric past in order to save mankind. O'Mara will play Jim Shannon, described as "a devoted father with a checkered past who guides his family through this new land of limitless beauty, mystery and terror." (The role was reportedly offered to Friday Night Lights star Kyle Chandler prior to O'Mara.) Alex Graves (Fringe will direct the pilot. (Deadline)

Back Stage's Jessica Jardine has an interview with True Blood's Mariana Klaveno, who plays Bill's maker, the devious vampire Lorena. "That's one of the really brilliant things about the show," said Klaveno. "[The writers] show how vampires relate to humans, and vice versa: What parts of humanity do they maintain, and what parts do they not? And obviously some do so more than others. Bill fights really hard to maintain some of his humanity, and someone like Lorena doesn't. There's parts of her that are just not there anymore, nor does she want them to be, because that's part of her human life, and that's dead and gone now. But it's interesting to me that love seems to be something that stays with them. Love and jealousy and greed and lust—-those all carry into your vampire life." (Back Stage)

Say goodbye to Happy Town... again. ABC has yet again yanked the low-rated mystery series from its schedule after the network began to burn off the remaining episodes on Wednesday evenings this summer. ABC will instead use the timeslot to house Castle repeats and a Jimmy Kimmel special, though the network does intend to air the final two installments of Happy Town this summer as it will burn them off on a Saturday night in July. Meanwhile, ABC will bring back the final two episodes of The Forgotten on Saturday, July 3rd and the last two installments of Eastwick on Saturday, July 10th. (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed, Futon Critic)

TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck has details on just who Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty) will be playing when she drops by Wisteria Lane this fall. Keck, citing unnamed sources, reports that Williams, who is set to join the cast of ABC's Desperate Housewives, will play Renee Filmore-Jones, described as "an old college chum of Lynette Scavo" (Felicity Huffman) and bitter rival of Lynette's back in the 1980s. "Renee has been married for years to a handsome, hunky man (likely an athlete) named Keith Jones (I'm so picturing NYPD Blue hunk Henry Simmons in this role, though it's yet to be cast)," writes Keck. "They have no kids, meaning Renee has spent all these years just being a housewife supporting her man. But she's reached a time in her life when she wants to do more. Oh, one last thing: she has a secret." (TV Guide Magazine)

SPOILER! Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello has a spoilery image from the season premiere of House, one that depicts House and Cuddy getting, uh, cuddly on the beach. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that Patrick Fugit (Almost Famous), Shanna Collins (Swingtown), and Caitlin Custer have joined the cast of HBO's telepic Cinema Verte, based on the groundbreaking 1970s reality series An American Family, which stars Tim Robbins, Diane Lane, James Gandolfini, and Thomas Dekker. Elsewhere, Alex Wolff (The Naked Brothers Band) has signed on for a multiple-episode story arc on HBO's In Treatment, where he will play the son of Gabriel Byrne's Paul. (Deadline)

Richard Dean Anderson (Stargate: SG-1) will appear in at least five episodes of USA's upcoming Sarah Shahi-led legal dramedy Facing Kate, where he will play David Smith, described as "a charismatic but secretive man who enters Kate’s life shortly after the death of her father." (Fancast)

HBO's Eastbound and Down is slated to return to the schedule on September 26th, with the launch of its second season. (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

Warner Bros. Entertainment is said to be in talks to purchase UK production entity Shed Media, which produces Supernanny and Who Do You Think You Are? and itself owns a number of shingle including Wall to Wall, Ricochet, and Twenty Twenty. No deal has been reached but the two sides were said to be in talks. (Variety)

Matthew Lillard (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) and Gillian Vigman (Defenders) have landed the leads in CMT single-camera comedy pilot The Hard Life, from creator/executive producer Bill Diamond. Lillard and Vigman will play a married couple who attempt to be great parents and spouses but who find it difficult to juggle everything in their lives. (Deadline)

Paul Hewitt has been promoted to SVP of network communications at the CW, replacing Paul McGuire, who has been moved into Warner Bros. corporate communications. He'll report to Dawn Ostroff. [Editor: congratulations, Paul!] (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Kevin Spacey Pitching Series, HBO Delves into Hemingway & Gellhorn, Ricky Gervais on His New Project, and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

Vulture's Josef Adalian is reporting that Kevin Spacey is in attached to star in Rod Lurie's drama pilot The Crux, about a charismatic cult leader, which is currently being pitched to various networks. (Should the project go forward, Spacey would executive produce with Lurie, Dana Brunetti, and Marc Frydman.) While Adalian reports that talks have begun between Spacey's camp and Showtime (as well as possibly HBO), Deadline's Nellie Adreeva adds that the project is currently being pitched to Showtime, HBO, FX, and Starz, with all four said to be in the running to land the much buzzed project from Lurie (Commander In Chief), who will write the script. Timing, however, may be a key factor. "One stumbling block could be Spacey's schedule," writes Adalian. "In addition to various film roles, a big chunk of Spacey's day planner is filled fulfilling (and tweeting about) his obligations as artistic director for London's Old Vic Theatre." (Vulture, Deadline)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that HBO has given an order to telepic Hemingway & Gellhorn, which will star Clive Owen and Nicole Kidman as literary couple Ernest Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn. Project, executive produced by James Gandolfini (along with Alex Ryan, Barbara Turner, Philip Kaufman, and Peter Kaufman), will be written by Barbara Turner and Jerry Stahl and directed by Philip Kaufman. Production on the telepic, which will follow the romance between Hemingway and Gellhorn as they meet in 1936 and later wed before traveling to report on the Spanish Civil War, is expected to get underway next year. (Deadline)

Ricky Gervais has offered some new details about his new BBC One pilot (co-created with Stephen Merchant) Life's Too Short, which will--hopefully!--be headed Stateside and appear on HBO. “It’s the funniest thing we’ve done,” Gervais said at the Banff World Television Festival of the series, which will star Warwick Davis as a show business dwarf and is based around many of the actor's own real-life experiences, although they transformed Warwick into a manipulative and seething character. "He runs this company called Dwarves For Hire but he’s stealing all the other dwarves’ jobs,” said Gervais. (The Globe & Mail)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Brian Benben will be promoted to series regular on ABC medical drama Private Practice. Benben has recurred on the series as resident psychiatrist Sheldon Wallace at Pacific Wellcare, the rival clinic to Oceanside. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

SPOILER! TVGuide.com's Natalie Abrams talks to True Blood's James Frain about his upcoming turn as vampire Franklin Mott on the HBO drama series. "Franklin Mott is a private eye," said Frain. "We learn later in the season that he works for Russell [Denis O'Hare], who is the King. He's been sent on a mission to dig up information on Bill. His attention is completely distracted by the charms of Tara [Rutina Wesley]." (TVGuide.com)

Bravo's The Real Housewives of D.C. will launch on August 5th... and will include notorious White House gate-crashers Michaele and Tareq Salahi among the cast. Bravo's Andy Cohen, meanwhile, defended the inclusion of the Sahalis in a post at The Huffington Post. "It is the job of the legal system to decide if and how the Salahis may have broken the law," wrote Cohen. "But our decision to include them in the series speaks to a very basic programming mandate, which is to present real people as they exist within their universe. Meaning, we do not editorialize on their actions, how they raise their kids, live their lives, spend their money or treat their friends. We show them as they are, with awareness but without judgment. We let them be themselves, and let the audience draw their own conclusions, and -- like with real relationships -- sometimes the way people feel about a Housewife changes throughout the season. Whatever the feeling, we leave it to the viewer to decide." (Los Angeles Times, Huffington Post)

Randall Einhorn (The Office) will direct his first pilot, FX comedy Wilfred, which is based on the Aussie comedy of the same name. (Deadline)

SPOILER! TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck is reporting that HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm will head to New York City for roughly half of its upcoming eighth season. Keck goes on to recount some of the colorful characters that Larry will be encountering over the course of his Manhattan-based misadventures. (TV Guide Magazine)

FOX has ordered a pilot for game show The Money Drop, based on British format The Million Pound Drop. Project, from Endemol USA, will revolve around a group of contestants who are "given a wad of cash and then asked a series of multiple-choice trivia questions. They then place their bets on a trap door that represents their choice. If their answer turns out to be wrong, the trap door opens -- and their money is gone. Contestants keep playing until all their money has fallen down the "drop." Contestants play through eight questions -- and get to keep whatever's left of their cash if they answer that final question right." No executive producer or host has been named; production is slated to get underway in August. (Variety)

Lawrence O'Donnell is set to host his own primetime weeknight show on MSNBC. The analyst and former West Wing writer had subbed in for Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann,, and Rachel Maddow in the past. No launch date was announced for his upcoming series. (Hollywood Reporter)

More details on the cast changes afoot at CBS' Criminal Minds. Deadline's Nellie Andreeva, who broke the story, is now reporting that the network made the decision to axe several female cast members because of creative, rather than financial, reasons, as an effort to "refresh a veteran drama." A new female series regular will be brought on the crime procedural. (Deadline)

Warner Bros. Television has promoted two key communications executives, Tammy Golihew and Scott Rowe. Golihew will move into SVP of publicity, reporting to Scott Rowe and Peter Roth. Rowe, meanwhile, will step into the newly created role of SVP of worldwide communications and report to Lisa Gregorian. [Editor: congratulations, Tammy!] (Hollywood Reporter, Variety)

Craig Ferguson will host Discovery Channel's programming pod, Shark Week, which launches on August 1st. (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that John Miller, the 28-year NBC marketing veteran, will step down from his post as chief marketing officer for NBC Universal Television Group at the end of the year. (Deadline)

The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd has an interview with Tony Robbins about his upcoming NBC primetime series, Breakthrough with Tony Robbins, which is set to launch on the Peacock on July 27th. "The reason I wanted to do something was all hell was breaking loose in the world, there was such enormous levels of stress. And when you go to reality shows, the majority of them are about humiliation," said Robbins. "I thought people need inspiration, but not fake inspiration. Watching real people in extremely stressful real life experiences and watching them over a period of time, 30 days, really transforming their life." (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

Meredith Ahr has been promoted to SVP of alternative programming and development at NBC/Universal Media Studios. She will report to Paul Telegdy. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Glee Finale Secrets, USA Gets Common Law, Sarah Drew Promoted on Grey's Anatomy, and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.

E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos caught up with Glee's Jane Lynch, co-creator Brad Falchuk, and executive producer Dante Di Loreto to discuss five secrets from the Glee season finale, including the fact that the smooch between Will (Matthew Morrison) and Emma (Jayma Mays) wasn't scripted ("Her reaction is totally real," he said), no tear enhancers were used, Jonathan Groff and Idina Menzel may return next season, the writers deserve an Emmy (according to Lynch), and Sue Sylvester won't be turning all mushy next season. [Editor: personally, I thought the Glee season finale was pretty weak, coasting by on sentimentality rather than genuine--or earned--emotion. But I've found that to be true throughout the first season.] (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

USA has given a cast-contingent pilot order to buddy/cop comedy Common Law, which revolves around two LAPD officers--Wes and Travis--whose once-strong friendship has fractured, leading their captain to send them to couples therapy. Project, from CBS Television Studios and Junction Entertainment, is written/executive produced by Cormac and Marianne Wibberley (National Treasure), and executive produced by Jon Turteltaub. "If you're going to do a cop show, it better be something special, and we believe this one is," said Jeff Wachtel, USA's EVP of original programming. (Variety, Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Sarah Drew has now been bumped to series regular on ABC's Grey's Anatomy next season, following the successful closing of her deal. Move comes after fellow rookie Jesse Williams was upgraded earlier this week. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos talks with John Stamos about his upcoming role on Season Two of Glee, catching up with him while he was at the gym. "I'm singing and dancing every day. All day," Stamos told Dos Santos. "So I hope they let me sing and dance a little. I started watching the show when they goofed on me and fell in love with Glee. I find it to be a celebration of diversity and I'm proud to be joining that whole extremely talented team." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

AMC's upcoming zombie drama The Walking Dead is headed for the international marketplace, following a deal between the cabler at Fox International Channels, which secured the rights to distribute the series outside of the US and Canada as well as home video rights. "We look at The Walking Dead as an amazing opportunity to serve as both the network and the studio," AMC president Charlie Collier told Variety. "We think there's a universality to this type of story, plus the genre travels well and has a longevity to it that makes it a really good business opportunity." (Variety)

Director Leslie Linka Glatter (Mad Men) has joined the staff of FOX's midseason cop drama Ride-Along as a co-executive producer/director. Elsewhere, Deadline's Nellie Andreeva reports that Brad Turner (24) has joined the staff of CBS' Hawaii Five-O as co-executive producer/director and David Amann (Without a Trace) has joined returning ABC drama Castle as an executive producer. (Variety, Deadline)

Oprah Winfrey's nascent cable network OWN is said to be developing projects revolving around celebrity chef Cat Cora and fashion expert Carson Kressley and a reality series that focuses on a mediation program from executive producer Tom Forman. (Hollywood Reporter)

ABC Studios has singed a two-script deal with 100 Questions creator Christopher Moynihan (who also starred on NBC's ill-fated US adaptation of Coupling years ago), under which the projects will be co-produced by Tagline Pictures. (Deadline)

CBS has hired Louis Boyd as VP, alternative programming. He will report to Jennifer Bresnan. (Hollywood Reporter)

Oxygen Media has promoted Jason Klarman to President, effective immediately. He will report to Lauren Zalanick, President of NBC Universal Women & Lifestyle Entertainment Networks. (Deadline)

Style has ordered a third season of reality series Giuliana & Bill, which will launch either later this year or at the beginning of 2011. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Sarah Chalke in at Mad Love, BTS at Parks and Rec, Jason O'Mara in Talks for Terra Nova, and More

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.

There is major recasting underway at CBS' comedy Mad Love, which is allegedly thisclose to scoring a thirteen-episode midseason order from the network. According to Deadline's Nellie Andreeva, Sarah Chalke (Scrubs) is said to be in talks to come aboard the comedy, where she would replace Minka Kelly (Friday Night Lights) as Kate on the Sony Pictures Television and CBS Studios-produced project. Meanwhile, Lizzy Caplan (Party Down) has backed out of the project after she couldn't commit to the series and her role, Connie, will also be recast. (It's the second wave of recastings on the pilot as Dan Fogler and Ashley Austin Morris were previously replaced by Tyler Labine and Lizzy Caplan respectively.) (Deadline)

Hollywood Reporter's Carita Rizzo offers an insightful behind-the-scenes look at NBC's critically acclaimed comedy Parks and Recreation, which recently wrapped its second season, by spending the day with the talented writing staff of the Universal Media Studios-produced series as the team--which includes Mike Schur, Greg Daniels, Emily Spivey, Dan Goor, Katie Dippold, Norm Hiscock, Aisha Muharrar, Harris Wittels, Alan Yang, and Emily Kapnek--attempts to break a script. (Hollywood Reporter)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that Jason O'Mara (Life on Mars) is said to be in talks to star in FOX's upcoming prehistoric/time-travel drama Terra Nova, which revolves around a family from the future who travels back to pre-historic times in an effort to save the human Race. O'Mara would play Jim Shannon, who is described as "a devoted father with a checkered past who guides his family through this new land of limitless beauty, mystery and terror." Andreeva reports that two actors were previously offered roles on the series but neither negotiation got off the ground. Pilot episode will be directed by Alex Graves (Fringe). (Deadline)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Pauley Perrette has signed a new multi-year deal to remain aboard CBS' NCIS. Pertte's successful contract renegotiation now means that only two actors--Michael Weatherly and Sean Murray--have yet to close deals to return to the procedural drama, however Ausiello's unnamed source indicates that both are likely to close deals soon. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Variety's Michael Schneider is reporting that a stalemate has been reached between CBS and 20th Century Fox Television over the fate of the Brett Ratner-executive produced action series Chaos, which had originally been given an eight-episode series order from the network (which 20th turned down) and then ordered a thirteen-episode order, albeit at a reduced license fee. "That may still be a difficult go for 20th, however, as the studio has already reduced costs on the project, including shooting it in Dallas, where the studio already built the tax incentives into the show's budget," writes Schneider. "From the Eye's perspective, the network doesn't really need Chaos, given that it already has a jam-packed schedule, including the net's previously announced midseason Criminal Minds pickup. What's more, the humor-laced Chaos is a departure for the net, which airs mostly straight-ahead procedurals like the CSI, NCIS and Criminal Minds franchises." If the two sides can't reach a deal over Chaos, CBS could still opt to grant a series order to the John Wells and Hannah Shakespeare-executive produced medical drama Gimme Shelter... or it may not order anything else. (Variety)

Could Disney be putting ABC on the block? The Hollywood Reporter's Elizabeth Guider takes a look at the current rumors, which have Disney mulling its options over whether to keep ABC in its portfolio or attempt to find a buyer for the broadcast network. "The wearying recession also has reshaped the thinking at media companies, making everyone with decision-making roles more ruthless in, or resigned to, cutting loose whatever doesn't appear to be easily or consistently monetizable," writes Guider. (Hollywood Reporter)

Cabler Nicktoons is resurrecting classic 1980s animated series Voltron, ordering 26 half-hour episodes of Voltron Force, which will focus on "five space explorers who pilot robotic lions that combine to form Voltron, an invincible guardian sworn to defend the Universe." Further more, Variety's Marc Graser indicates that the series will "remain faithful to the old show, while introducing new recruits to fight alongside the original characters." (Variety)

Broadcasting & Cable's Melissa Grego has an interview with 20th Century Fox Television chairmen Dana Walden and Gary Newman in which the duo discuss a number of topics, including Simon Cowell, Ryan Murphy, and how they are positioning Glee in order to avoid overexposure, as they feel it is destined to become television's highest-rated series. "I don't worry that the novelty is going to wear off quickly," said Walden. "We are careful and sober about the potential shortcomings of something that's burning this brightly. As brand managers on this particular show, we turn down a lot of opportunities. It might not seem like it, but you can only imagine [it] if you see the opportunities that we have exploited so far. We have a truncated tour. There was an opportunity to take this show around the country, right now, and sell out arenas... [Ryan has] already pitched out the next 13 episodes of the next season, and the storytelling and the characters and the new characters that are being introduced to keep things feeling fresh. He's a very contemporary storyteller, and that's one of reasons why I think the show is connecting with audiences, that these stories accelerate at a very quick pace. There's no navel-gazing. This is not soap opera of years before where one moment is mined over several episodes. It's how a younger demo consumes content and he's tapped into that." (Broadcasting & Cable)

Katalyst Media has signed a new two-year overall deal with Warner Horizon Television, under which they will develop and produce new unscripted programming for the studio arm. (Hollywood Reporter)

Disney XD has renewed animated series Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil for a second season, set to launch next spring. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Amy Ryan Nabs In Treatment Role, Jessalyn Gilsig Talks Glee, Sanaa Lathan Spies Tilda, and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that Amy Ryan (The Office, The Wire) has landed a role on Season Three of HBO's psychiatric drama In Treatment, where she will play the new therapist for Gabriel Byrne's Paul. That role was formerly supplied by Dianne Wiest's Gina, who was Paul's mentor/psychotherapist for the first two seasons. (Wiest has departed the series.) [Editor: it's about high time that Ryan had a regular gig on a series. She's been a favorite since her turn on The Wire as Beadie, so it's only fitting that she returns to HBO for In Treatnment.] (Deadline)

E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos has an interview with Glee's Jessalyn Gilsig, who plays Will's scheming ex-wife Terri. So will Terri be returning for Season Two of Glee? And just what was up with her potentially inappropriate interest in Finn (Cory Monteith)? While Gilsig admits that she hasn't yet received her official pickup from FOX for next season, she did discuss what happened with Finn in this week's episode ("Funk"). "What happened was completely by accident," Gilsig told E! Online about Terri's relationship with Finn. "She sees in Finn so much of what she saw in Will when she first met him because he's the same age as Will was. It's her way of remembering happier times—when she used to be kind to Will. And she realizes, here's a chance to be supportive of this kid." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Sanaa Lathan (Nip/Tuck) is the latest actor to board HBO's comedy pilot Tilda, which stars Diane Keaton, Jason Patric, and Ellen Page, according to Deadline's Nellie Andreeva. Lathan will play Sasha Litt, described as "a mysterious new head of operations that RMG head Andrew Brown (Jason Patric) brings in to work at the studio." Production on the pilot, written by Cynthia Mort and directed by Bill Condon, is slated to get underway soon in Los Angeles. (Deadline)

ABC won't be coming to the rescue of cancelled CBS comedy series The New Adventures of Old Christine after talks broke down between ABC and studio Warner Bros. Television. "The network had showed strong interest in picking up Old Christine for the past three years," writes Deadline's Nellie Andreeva. "But when the show finally became available this year, a deal proved impossible to make as ABC was said to be unwilling to pay the high license fee needed to keep the veteran comedy series going." Which means that the Old Christine episode that aired May 12th will in fact serve as the series finale. (Deadline)

SPOILER! Leonard Nimoy has hinted that he might be returning to FOX's Fringe, despite the fact that his character, William Bell, appeared to have died in the season finale. "Do I think William Bell is really dead?" said Nimoy in a video on the official website. "This is science fiction. I have died in science fiction many times and somehow magically or scientifically come back. Given that he has disintegrated, what happens in the future remains to be seen." [Editor: his conjecture would also cast doubts upon Nimoy's "retirement" from acting as well.] (via Digital Spy)

What, was the title Conveyor Belt of Doom already taken? Chris Jericho will serve as host of ABC's "extreme game show" Downfall, set to air launch June 22nd. Series, which has been ordered for six episodes, will feature "contestants try to answer questions while on the roof of a Los Angeles high-rise. Meanwhile, 'the largest conveyor belt ever seen on TV' will send potential winnings (cash and prizes), the player's personal possessions and even friends and family over the side of the building." (Hollywood Reporter)

NBC Universal has signed a two-year overall deal with writer Lisa Zwerling (FlashForward), under which she will join the staff of NBC's upcoming drama series The Event as a consulting producer and develop new projects for Universal Media Studios. "Lisa is a breath of fresh air, so smart and passionate," said NBC Entertainment/Universal Media Studios drama exec VP Laura Lancaster told Variety. "We're impressed with her creative range and feel so fortunate she's decided to make UMS her home." (Variety)

"Sword of omens, give me sight beyond sight!" Cartoon Network has ordered a new animated series of ThunderCats (based on the much beloved 1980s animated series) from Warner Bros. Animation. "The update will combine swords and science with high-stakes battles as good and evil clash for the Stones of Power," writes The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd. News comes after Cartoon Network gave a series order to animated superhero project Green Lantern. (Hollywood Reporter)

BBC Worldwide America has hired former Nickelodeon executive Herb Scannell has the new president of U.S. operations, where he will oversee digital channel BBC America as well as BBC Worldwide America's US-based studio and production entity. "I would assume (BBC America) has more original shows launching than any other channel in cable TV," Scannell told Variety. "That's just by nature, given the number of shows coming from the BBC that haven't aired here in the States. I do have an interest in supplementing that with made-in-America shows that kind of have the three major attributes that make a BBC show: That they're smart, innovative and irreverent. Those are the key building blocks to think about programming wise and in branding." (Variety)

After nearly 40 years, the axe has fallen on Roy Clarke's long-running British comedy series Last Of The Summer Wine, which will end its run after more than 30 seasons this year, BBC One confirmed. "Last Of The Summer Wine has been part of BBC One for nearly 40 years," said Jay Hunt, Controller, BBC One, in a statement. "This wonderful final series is a fitting farewell to these much loved characters and I am delighted some of the channel's other heritage brands will be helping to say goodbye in style." (BBC)

Frances Berwick has been promoted to president of Bravo, filling a position that has been empty since Lauren Zalaznick was promoted to president of NBC Universal Women & Lifestyle Entertainment Networks in 2008. [Editor: congrats, Frances!] (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Hugh Laurie's House Contract to Expire Next Season, Tilda Nabs Cast, Diane Farr to White Collar, 90210, and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

Hugh Laurie's contract on FOX's medical drama House will expire at the end of next season, according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello, who talks to Laurie about the crossroads coming up. He claims that he's "open" to working past Season Seven but also feels that there's an ideal time to end a series and he hopes that moment becomes clear ahead of time. "I only hope we’ll know when the time is right [to close up shop]," said Laurie. "When people blunder on for five years after [they should have called it quits]… it gets taken out of your hands. Someone will say, 'That’s it.' But for now, I’m immensely proud of the things we did this season." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Loads of casting on HBO's upcoming comedy pilot Tilda, which may or may not be based on the life of infamous Hollywood blogger Nikki Finke. (Ahem.) Jason Patric (The Losers) has been added to the cast, where he will play Andrew Brown, the nemesis of Diane Keaton's titular character, who is described by Deadline's Nellie Andreeva as "the mastermind behind the media empire RMG, which Tilda is trying to expose the inner workings of." Also joining Keaton, Patric, and Ellen Page in the comedy pilot, a trio of actors: Wes Bentley (Ghost Rider), David Harbour (Royal Pains), and Leland Orser (24). (Deadline)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Diane Farr (Rescue Me, Desperate Housewives) will guest star in an upcoming episode of USA's White Collar, which returns in July for its second season. Farr will play Gina De Stefano, described as "a waitress Mozzie (Willie Garson) has a crush on. She drops a hint early in the episode that she’s in trouble and needs his help." [Editor: I'd love it if Farr could stick around White Collar for more than just one episode, personally.] (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

E! Online's Megan Masters takes a look at the season finale of the CW's 90210 and why it didn't feature the "juicy" twists that the series' stars had promised it would deliver, including the identity of who hit the homeless man at the end of Season One. "But come finale night, the only thing remotely left fieldish was the complete exclusion of said reveal. How do you explain that one, CW?!" writes Masters. "According to our reliable 90210 source, some story changes were made post-production (and post-press tour in Trevor's case), and the rumored "real" killer twist was canned. In the end, Annie made peace with her crime, largely due to an encouraging chat with Liam (Matt Lanter), and solemnly wandered home to confess everything to the 'rents. And that's it. If you're hoping to see more of Annie's hit-and-run issues in season three, don't. The Powers that Be are leaving the story as is from here on out: Annie was in fact the drunk driving guilty party." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Jason Priestley (90210) has been cast in a multiple-episode story arc on ABC's upcoming summer drama series Scoundrels, where he will play "a prolific TV personality who is immediately smitten with Leven Rambin’s aspiring actress character, Heather," according to Ausiello. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

E! Online's Megan Masters talks to Life Unexpected stars Shiri Appleby, Kris Polaha, and Kerr Smith about what's coming up on Season Two of the CW drama. "Cate and Ryan are now married, and there are going to be some obstacles they're going to have to work through," Appleby tells Masters. "And Cate's job might be up in the air at some point... All I will say is that it's very common knowledge that the first year of marriage is very difficult. We are going to put that to the test. Just because she married him doesn't mean she doesn't still have feelings for Baze." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

ABC single-camera comedy pilot How to Be a Better American will get a second shot at placement on the schedule as it has received an order for a new pilot, with major recasting expected on the ABC Studios-produced project. (Deadline)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Liz Vassey will not be appearing on CBS' CSI next season after the network opted not to renew her contract for another year. "The show is going in a different creative direction in its 11th season," an unnamed source told Ausiello. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

NBC has finally scheduled its reality series Breakthrough with Tony Robbins, slating the premiere for July 27th at 8 pm ET/PT. The series, which features self-help guru Robbins, is described as an "inspirational, hour-long series starring Robbins and his team of experts who will help participants and their families overcome complex challenges and personal obstacles, and turn their lives around." Project is executive produced by Robbins, Howard T. Owens, Mark Koops, Shauna Minoprio, and Tom Forman. (via press release)

A&E has moved the premiere of its upcoming drama series The Glades from July 13th to July 11th at 10 pm ET/PT in order to avoid direct competition with TNT's Tuesday night drama Memphis Beat. (Deadline)

The remaining episodes of ABC's Wife Swap and Primetime: What Would You Do? may be held over until next season, according to The Futon Critic. Seven episodes of Wife Swap remain unaired at this point, along with three of Primetime: What Would You Do?. (Futon Critic)

Warner Bros. Television has promoted Clancy Collins White to SVP of drama development, while Stephanie Groves will now serve as SVP of current programming. Meanwhile, Lisa Roos was promoted to VP of drama development, Adrienne Turner as VP of comedy development, Odetta Watkins promoted to VP of current programming, and Matthew King has been hired as VP of drama. "We have tremendous strength throughout the executive ranks at our company, and I am pleased to announce these very deserving new appointments and promotions which reward the dedication and accomplishments of this outstanding team," said Peter Roth, president of Warner Bros. Television. (Variety, Hollywood Reporter)

Elsewhere, Bob Tuschman has been promoted to general manager of Food Network. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: ABC Circles Alias Reboot, True Blood Werewolves, ABC Passes on Ghost Whisperer, Chuck, Doctor Who, and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

Could ABC be dipping its toes back in the Alias well? According to a story by E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos, ABC Studios is said to be considering a reboot of J.J. Abrams' Alias, which starred Jennifer Garner as superspy Sydney Bristow. "It's only very initial talk at this point, but I'm told that the development folks over at the Alphabet network are considering doing a new version of Alias that would borrow some elements of the original series," writes Dos Santos. "But the series would most likely not include any sort of complex mythological throughline such as the Rambaldi prophecy (a storyline that lost some of the fans). According to this source, ABC is hoping to hold onto its lost Lost audience with a re-envisioned J.J. Abrams series, in light of FlashForward not working out so well. (It was canceled last week.)" [Editor: Interestingly, ABC seems slow to get back into the superspy game, with NBC's Chuck already on the air and J.J. Abrams' own Undercovers heading to the network this fall. I also question the wiseness of rebooting a series that only ended a few seasons back and which is closely associated with a particular lead actress.] (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

UPDATE: The Wrap is reporting that the potential Alias reboot would be for first-run syndication (a la Legend of the Seeker) rather than for primetime broadcast on ABC. "Network stressed to TheWrap that the talks are in very early stages, and that Jennifer Garner would not be in any way involved," writes The Wrap's John Consoli. (The Wrap)

USA Today's Bill Keveney has an interview with the cast of HBO's True Blood about the third season of the vampire drama, which launches next month and brings a slew of werewolves to Bon Temps.It's just another element added to the supernatural craziness of it all," said Anna Paquin. "There's no way you can ever get bored on a show like this. When you think you've seen it all and done it all, something weirder and wilder comes out of the woodwork." (USA Today)

It's time for Ghost Whisperer to fade into the afterlife. Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that the CBS supernatural drama--which starred Jennifer Love Hewitt--will not be picked up by ABC. "After five wonderful seasons and over 100 episodes, we are disappointed to announce Ghost Whisperer will not be returning for a sixth season," said Ghost Whisperer executive producers Ian Sander and Kim Moses in a statement. "We’ve had an incredible experience and owe a debt of gratitude to everyone involved. We continue our relationship with ABC Studios and look forward to developing many more successful projects together in the future." ABC later confirmed the report via Variety's Michael Schneider. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files, Variety)

Jeffster! The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan has an exclusive full-length look at the latest music video from Chuck's Jeffster, their hilariously low-rent version of Jon Bon Jovi's "Blaze of Glory." (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Doctor Who executive producer Steven Moffat has teased details about the two-part finale of his first season of Doctor Who to Doctor Who Magazine, which concludes with the provocatively titled two-parter "The Pandorica Opens"--which will feature a cliffhanger for the Time Lord (Matt Smith) and his latest traveling companion (Karen Gillan)--and "The Big Bang." "It's not just the cliffhanger for Episode 12," Moffat told Doctor Who Magazine. "It's like the cliffhanger for every single episode up until that point. This is where the wheels come off. Everything the Doctor is running from lands on his head today." (via Digital Spy)

Entertainment Weekly's Lynette Rice is reporting that Alex Graves (Fringe) has signed on to direct the pilot for FOX's upcoming time travel/prehistoric drama Terra Nova, from executive producers Brannon Braga, Peter Chernin, and Steven Spielberg. (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

Little Britain creator/stars David Walliams and Matt Lucas are heading back to BBC One, with a new sketch comedy entitled Come Fly with Me, which will be set an airport and feature the comedy duo in a variety of guises. "It's thrilling that Matt and David's next big show will be on BBC One," said Jay Hunt, controller of BBC One. "They are uniquely talented comic writers and performers and Come Fly With Me is a wonderfully exciting idea." (BBC News)

Cartoon Network is prepping weekly animated series Green Lantern: The Animated Series. No information was immediately available other than the fact that the series will follow popular DC Comics character Green Lantern and will launch after this July's direct-to-DVD animated Green Lantern movie. (Hollywood Reporter)

Former Top Chef contestant Marcel Vigneron is heading to sci-fi territory. Syfy has announced that it has given series orders to three unscripted series, which it will launch later this year: Marcel's Quantum Kitchen, Paranormal Witness, and Face Off. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Lost DVD Epilogue, Diane Keaton and Ellen Page Land Tilda, Julia Stiles in Talks to Join Dexter, Skins, and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing. (Is it just me or does it feel like this week will never end?)

E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos is reporting that there's still more Lost to come, including an epilogue that depicts the time that Hurley (Jorge Garcia) and Ben (Michael Emerson) spent on the island after the events of the series finale. Emerson spilled the dirt on the sequence on G4's Attack of the Show, where told Kevin Pereira about the bonus footage on the complete series DVD. "For those people that want to pony up and buy the complete Lost series, there is a bonus feature," said Emerson. "Which is um, you could call it an epilogue. A lost scene. It's a lot; it's 12 or 14 minutes that opens a window onto that gap of unknown time between Hurley (Jorge Garcia) becoming number one and the end of the series... It's self-contained. Although, it's a rich period in the show's mythology that‘s never been explored, so who knows what will come of it." Dos Santos, for her part, wonders if it's that sequence that will also connect to the producers' promises that we'd see the story of Walt (Malcolm David Kelley) resolved as well. "Whatcha wanna bet that during Hurley and Ben's adventures on the island, they run into Walt a few years into the future, when he's oh, 18 and looking just as Malcolm David Kelley looks now?" ponders Dos Santos. [Editor: Hmmm....] (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

It's official: Diane Keaton is heading to HBO, where she will topline the pay cabler's half-hour comedy pilot Tilda, which revolves around Tilda, a powerful Hollywood blogger. (You know, the one who may or may not be based on Nikki Finke.) Keaton will be joined by Ellen Page (Juno), who will play Carolyn, described as "a morally conflicted creative assistant caught between following the corporate culture of the studio she works for and following Tilda, who has taken a keen interest in her." Project is executive produced by Cynthia Mort (Tell Me You Love Me) and Bill Condon (Dreamgirls). (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Julia Stiles (The Bourne Ultimatum) is in talks to join the cast of Showtime's Dexter for its fifth season. Details on who Stiles would play, should a deal be reached, are remaining firmly under wraps, though Ausiello reports that it's unlikely that she would be the season's Big Bad, citing comments made by executive producer Chip Johannessen several weeks ago. "We’re not going to have a single Big Bad this season," Johannessen said at the time. "We don’t want to try and top John Lithgow, so we’re going to change up the forces that Dexter’s going to be dealing with." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

UK's Channel 4 and Film4 are moving ahead with a feature film version of teen drama Skins, which will be directed by Charles Martin and will feature characters from both "generations" of the hit series. No word yet on who those characters will be--although this editor is hoping for Sid and Cassie to be in the mix!--though production is slated to begin in September, with a Summer 2011 release being eyed. (Deadline)

Say goodbye to SOAPnet, soap fans. The cable-based soap network will go dark as Disney/ABC Television Group will use the network to instead launch pre-school-oriented cable network Disney Junior in 2012. "The launch of Disney Junior in the U.S. is the next step in our global preschool strategy, which began 10 years ago with the premiere of our first dedicated preschool channel in the UK," said Anne Sweeney, co-chair, Disney Media Networks and president, Disney/ABC Television Group, in a statement. "The decision to ultimately transition SOAPnet to accomplish this was not arrived at lightly. SOAPnet was created in 2000 to give daytime viewers the ability to watch time-shifted soaps, before multiplatform viewing and DVRs were part of our vocabulary. But today, as technology and our businesses evolve, it makes more sense to align this distribution with a preschool channel that builds on the core strengths of our company." (via press release)

I can now officially announce what I've known for quite some time: Chuck writer/producer Phil Klemmer will be working on NBC's new espionage dramedy Undercovers, from executive producers J.J. Abrams and Josh Reims, next season.

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that CBS has offered drama pilot Chaos an eight-episode midseason order, but there is no guarantee that the series will ever make it air as talks continue between CBS and studio 20th Century Fox Television, the latter of which seems less than encouraged by the short-run and has not accepted the offer. Elsewhere, CBS is said to have passed on medical drama pilot Gimme Shelter (formerly known as Untitled Hannah Shakespeare Medical Drama), though they may revisit it, given the situation with Chaos. Creator Hannah Shakespeare, meanwhile, has signed on to ABC's drama series The Whole Truth, but it's said to be in second position to her CBS pilot. (Deadline)

BBC America has teamed up with ITV Studios American to produce ten episodes of a US version of hit British culinary competition series Come Dine with Me, which features New Yorkers "competing for the title of ultimate dinner party host, bringing together four amateur chefs who take turns cooking up their idea of the perfect evening." The series will debut in early 2011 on BBC America and around the world on various BBC lifestyle networks. Meanwhile, the digital cabler has also acquired the original UK format and will air 22 episodes of the series beginning in July on BBC America. (Hollywood Reporter)

USA has given a script order to half-hour comedy Driven, the first time in decades that the cabler has developed a half-hour comedy. Project, from Linda Bloodworth and Harry Thomason, will star Ron White as an unemployed Texan who starts a limousine business. (Variety)

E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos has a video interview up with the stars of the CW's Vampire Diaries, Paul Wesley, Nina Dobrev, and Ian Somerhalder, in which the trio discuss Season Two, love triangles, and more. "The dynamic is going to change between the three of us," said Somerhalder of Season Two of Vampire Diaries. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

TBS has announced an airdate of Sunday, June 27th for its upcoming special, Team Coco presents Conan's Writers Live, which will feature Andy Richter, Reggie Watts, and several of Conan O'Brien's writers. (via press release)

Lifetime is developing two new unscripted series that are connected to acquired reality franchise Project Runway. The first is an untitled makeover show, from executive producer Rich Bye, featuring former Runway contestants Santino Rice and Austin Scarlett as they travel the country and transform women. The other is an untitled unscripted series (working title: Love's Divine) featuring Heidi Klum and her husband Seal as they travel the country offering guidance and counseling to couples. (Variety)

RDF Rights has hired former Shine executive J.C. Mills as VP of US acquisitions. He will be based in Los Angeles and report to Jane Millichip. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: ABC Clarifies Lost Wreckage Shots, Julie Benz to Return to Dexter, Friday Night Lights Heads to ABC Family and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

The Los Angeles Times's Maria Elena Fernandez is reporting that the final shots of the Oceanic Flight 815 wreckage that accompanied the closing credits of the series finale of Lost were not placed there by Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, but rather by ABC executives who wanted to "soften the transition from the moving ending of the series to the 11 p.m. news and never considered that it would confuse viewers about the actual ending of the show," according to Fernandez. ABC went on to release a statement to confirm this fact. "The images shown during the end credits of the Lost finale, which included shots of Oceanic 815 on a deserted beach, were not part of the final story but were a visual aid to allow the viewer to decompress before heading into the news," said an ABC spokesperson in a statement. [Editor: I am hoping this finally puts an end to the misread of the series' ending, as some have taken to believing that the passengers of Oceanic Flight 815 died in the initial plane crash, despite the presence of some lengthy exposition from John Terry's Christian Shephard that spelled out about the nature of the purgatory that they had created... and stated that everything that happened on the island, happened in real life.] (Los Angeles Times' Show Tracker)

[Editor: elsewhere, Movieline attempts to solve as many of the 100 "unanswered" questions from Lost, as raised by a recent College Humor video called "Unanswered Lost Questions."]

SPOILER! Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Julie Benz is set to reprise her role as Rita in the first episode of Season Five of Showtime's Dexter but that Benz won't be playing Rita as a ghost. Confused? "We’re not going to do some ghostly thing with her," said executive producer Chip Johannessen. "We reserve those for Harry," executive producer Sara Colleton told Ausiello. "If you have too many things like that it becomes gimmicky." So just how will the writers bring her back from the dead? That's them mystery, although a Showtime spokesperson told Ausiello that Rita's presence will "help Dexter deal with his newfound feelings of loss and grief — emotions he has never really felt before." So interpret that as you will. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Looks like Friday Night Lights is heading to ABC Family. The cabler has acquired basic cable rights to all five seasons of Friday Night Lights, which airs on DirecTV's Channel 101 (and has a second window on NBC), and plans to launch repeats of Season One in September. "Friday Night Lights is a perfect fit for ABC Family's sensibility for the modern day family program," said Bruce Casino, senior vp of cable sales at NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution, in a statement. "ABC Family will introduce this award-winning show to a whole new audience segment where the series can thrive in its new environment." (via press release)

TNT has ruled out saving Law & Order, according to a statement released to The Los Angeles Times. "We are not in current talks, and we are not interested in a Season 21," said the cabler in a prepared statement. News comes even as creator Dick Wolf attempts to find a savior for the cancelled NBC procedural drama. (Los Angeles Times's Show Tracker)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that ABC drama Castle will relocate to Wednesdays this summer, a temporary move before it reclaims its Monday night timeslot this fall. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Brett Davern (Desperate Housewives) and Beau Mirchoff (Case 219) have been cast in MTV drama pilot That Girl, about a high school student who becomes the center of attention when she's involved in an accident that everyone believes was a suicide attempt. (Hollywood Reporter)

Variety's Cynthia Littleton takes a look at MGM's television business, which includes the twelve-episode order for drama Teen Wolf at MTV and its This TV movie channel. (Variety)

CBS has announced launch dates for several of its summer series, including Big Brother (July 8th), Flashpoint (June 4th), and the burn-off of medical drama Three Rivers (June 5th). (Hollywood Reporter)

Meanwhile, international co-production The Bridge, which stars Battlestar Galactica's Aaron Douglas, will premiere on CBS on Saturday, July 10th at 8 pm ET/PT. (via press release)

UK's Channel 4 has commissioned a fifth season of comedy The IT Crowd as creator Graham Linehan prepares to assemble a team of writers. (Broadcast)

Style Network has given a series order to docuseries Too Fat for 15, which will center on "four extremely overweight teens and one preteen whose parents bring them to Wellspring Academy, a weight-loss boarding school in North Carolina." Series will debut in August. (Hollywood Reporter)

Warner Bros. Television has expanded the oversight of executive Lisa Gregorian, who will now serve as both chief marketing officer and EVP. The former title was created specifically for Gregorian. (Variety)

Elsewhere, former Channel 4 executive Simon Andreae has been hired as West Coast SVP of development and production for Discovery Channel. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: White Collar Nabs Hilarie Burton, Natasha Henstridge Gets Drop Dead Role, Jim Parsons on Big Bang Move, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

Fancast's Matt Mitovich is reporting that former One Tree Hill star Hilarie Burton has signed on to appear in a six-episode story arc on Season Two of USA's White Collar, where she'll play Sarah Ellis, a new love interest for Matthew Bomer's Neal Caffrey, who is described as "an insurance investigator-slash-white collar bounty hunter who has a bit of a score to settle with Neal." Bomer's Neal will quickly find himself enmeshed in a game of cat and mouse with Sarah. Season Two of White Collar is set to launch Tuesday, July 13th at 9 pm ET/PT. (Fancast)

Former Eli Stone star Natasha Henstridge is heading back to the courtroom, according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello, who reports that Henstridge has signed on to a multiple-episode story arc on Season Two of Lifetime's legal dramedy Drop Dead Diva, which returns June 6th. She'll play the "heretofore-unseen partner at Harrison & Parker," according to Ausiello. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

E! Online's Megan Masters talks to The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons about the CBS comedy's move to Thursdays next season and Sheldon's new love interest, played by Mayim Bialik. "I am optimistically excited about it," said Parsons about Big Bang Theory's new scheduling. "We all know the world of television is unpredictable...but I do feel hopeful about it. It will be very exciting to be a part of a new night of comedy, a new section of comedy, whatever it turns into. My initial reaction was slight disbelief because I didn't see it coming, but as the day wore on I felt like this could be good. It will certainly keep things exciting and interesting. CBS has always been with us. From really very early on they've done these moves like this that made you realize that they have a lot of faith in the show." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

SPOILER! (If you haven't seen last night's 24 series finale) Entertainment Weekly's Lynette Rice has an interview with 24 executive producer Howard Gordon about the series finale, which aired last night. "Yes, that was very much designed from the beginning," said Gordon when asked if he knew early on that the season would end with Jack going off the rails. "How it would end, however, was something that was really unknown. I saw a little bit further ahead than I generally do, and we wanted to knit Jack and Renee together, only to take them apart, and for that to have a really profound effect on Jack. That’s about as far as we knew in the broad strokes. How that was going to happen, and how it would impact Allison Taylor and Chloe — those were late-to-the-party additions that I think helped bolster that initial idea." (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos has the skinny on the fake spoiler that Lost showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse attempted to put out into the ether, one that the series ending with a wedding between Sun (Yunjin Kim) and Jin (Daniel Dae Kim). "But this wedding, unlike the Kwons' first one (with special guest Jacob), was actually a red herring planted by producers to throw off any spoiler hounds trying to sniff around finale storylines," writes Dos Santos. "According to reliable sources close to the show, a fake call sheet was sent out to the entire cast and extended crew detailing a Jin and Sun wedding scene for the finale. The 'spoiler' never leaked." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that ABC has put five drama scripts into development for spring, hoping land two pilot orders from the pack of new projects. These include the Sony Pictures Television-produced reboot of Charlie's Angels, from Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, and Javier Grillo-Marxuach's Department Zero, and three projects from ABC Studios: Ghostworld, from Ian Sanders and Kim Moses (Ghost Whisperer), Behind the Blue, from executive producer Taye Diggs, and medical drama Island of Women, from Matthew Gross. These are on top of the six more scripts ordered for Rand Ravich's quirky bounty hunter drama Edgar Floats. (Deadline)

E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos talks to Gossip Girl's Chace Crawford about the fact that Crawford's Nate Archibald desperately needs a new love interest on the CW drama series... and that it likely won't be Taylor Momsen's Jenny. "I always thought [Nate and Jenny] was a little weird," Crawford admitted. "There's the age gap, she's still in high school..." Meanwhile, Crawford indicated to Dos Santos that the shocking season finale might point to a darker Nate next season. "That may be where they're going," Crawford said. "It'd be fun to play. Who knows, maybe I'll be the one getting shot next year." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

SPOILER! Elsewhere, Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Gossip Girl producers are casting the role of Eva, described as " an utterly gorgeous female in her 20s or 30s who boasts a warm heart and an authentic French accent." Eva will be the new love interest for Chuck, natch, as shooting gets underway in New York and Paris in July. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Jace Alexander (Burn Notice) will direct the Syfy action-adventure drama pilot Three Inches, which is said to focus on "an underachiever who develops a unique 'super' power after being struck by lightning — the ability to move any object by 3 inches using his mind – and is soon recruited by a covert team of superheroes." (Deadline)

Meanwhile, Nellie Andreeva also reports that Ken Sanzel (NUMB3RS) is in the process of closing a deal to come aboard new CBS drama series Blue Bloods as showrunner. (Deadline)

Overall deal roundup: Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that Greg Malins, newly installed as executive producer/co-showrunner on ABC comedy Better Together, has signed a two-year overall deal with Warner Bros. Television... and Zach Reiter (CSI: NY) has signed a two-year overall deal with CBS Studios, which will keep him aboard the crime procedural and develop new projects for the studio. (Deadline)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Glee Gets Third Season, Mystery of Eko-Less Lost Finale Solved, Smallville Creators Get Charlie's Angels

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.

FOX has given a major vote of confidence to musical-comedy Glee, which it renewed for a third season... before the first season has even wrapped. News of the pickup was broken by Entertainment Weekly's Lynette Rice. "Everything about Glee – from the concept to the characters to the marketing – has been innovative and risky, but with [series creator] Ryan Murphy tapping into the zeitgeist, the risk has paid off with this truly remarkable series," said Kevin Reilly, FOX Entertainment President. "Glee has one of the most active, devoted fan bases I’ve ever seen, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to give Gleeks a third season of their favorite show." The upside for FOX and studio 20th Century Fox Television are obvious: "Not only does it help cut production costs over the long haul, it allows Murphy and his writers a chance to plan ahead (if not breathe a much-needed sigh of relief)," writes Rice. "Most important, it gives the studio a head start in taking the episodes out into the syndication marketplace." (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

Wondering why Mr. Eko wasn't in the Lost finale? E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos has learned that Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje turned down an offer to appear in the series finale of Lost. "According to ABC and Lost insiders, Adewale was offered a hearty sum to do one scene in the last hurrah, but the actor wanted five times the amount that was offered," writes Dos Santos. "It didn't work out." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Dos Santos also answers questions from attendees at last night's E! Online Lost finale screening, including some heretofore unrevealed elements of Lost's mythology, such as the true name for the Man in Black. Watch the video to find out! (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

[Elsewhere, Entertainment Weekly's Lynette Rice reports that the Lost finale featured more than 45 minutes of commercial and promotional time, roughly 107 on-air spots.]

Smallville creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar have signed on to write the pilot script for ABC's Charlie's Angels pilot, which will be produced by Sony Pictures Television and is being eyed for a possible midseason launch. The duo replace Josh Friedman, who had originally been hired to develop the project, which will be executive produced by Drew Barrymore, Leonard Goldberg, and Nancy Juvonen. (Hollywood Reporter)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan is reporting that British actress Emilia Clarke (Doctors) has stepped into the role of Daenerys on HBO's upcoming fantastic series Game of Thrones, replacing Tamzin Merchant, who left the project. Production will begin in July with reshoots scheduled for the pilot episode, which featured several actors who have since left the project, including Merchant and Jennifer Ehle. [Editor: I watched the original Game of Thrones pilot last week and was blown away. HBO has knocked it out of the park with this one.] (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Lost director/executive producer Jack Bender has signed on to direct the 90-minute pilot for Syfy drama Alphas, written by Zak Penn and Michel Karnow. "We are very excited that Jack has chosen to be part of Alphas," said Mark Stern, Executive Vice President of Original Programming, Syfy and Co-Head of Content for Universal Cable Productions, in a statement. "His vision and expertise are perfectly suited to this project, and will truly elevate it." Here's how Syfy is positioning Alphas: "Alphas follows a team of ordinary citizens who possess extraordinary and unusual mental skills. Using physical feats and uniquely advanced mental abilities, this unlikely team takes the law into their own hands and uncovers what the CIA, FBI and Pentagon have not been able or willing to solve. These gifted individuals must balance their quirky personalities and disparate backgrounds with their not always visible powers as they work to solve crimes, stop the ticking time bomb and catch the enemy." (via press release)

SPOILER (if you haven't watched the Bones finale yet): Bones executive producer Stephen Nathan has promised "big changes" next season for the series in a new interview with Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. "The start of the season will have Booth and Brennan meeting [12 months later] at the coffee cart, and the series will start again… though on very different footing," Nathan told Ausiello. "There will be big changes." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that Rand Ravich's ABC drama pilot Edgar Floats, which stars Tom Cavanagh, Robert Patrick, and Alicia Witt, is still alive and has received a order for six additional scripts, which means that the project is still in contention for a midseason slot on ABC's schedule. [Editor: having watched the pilot over the weekend, I can say that this is very good news indeed. Edgar Floats was a fantastic script and the best pilot I've screened so far this season.] (Deadline)

Paula Abdul is heading to CBS. According to The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd, Abdul is set to sign on to CBS' upcoming dance competition series Got to Dance, where she will serve as "lead judge, executive producer, creative partner, mentor and coach" on the series, which is produced by ShineReveille and based on the British competition series of the same name. (Hollywood Reporter)

ABC has signed a three-year deal which will see the Miss America Pageant head to the Alphabet. (Variety)

MTV has promoted Lauren Dolgen to SVP of MTV series development, West Coast, where she will report to Liz Gateley. (Deadline)

Stay tuned.