Game of Thrones: The Maester's Path

I have traveled to Pentos and the Inn at the Crossroads.

Thanks to HBO (and Campfire)'s new immersive experience The Maester's Path, I've accrued the first link in my maester's chain. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, then you haven't read George R.R. Martin's "A Game of Thrones," the first in the author's multi-volume novel series which is about to hit the airwaves next month as HBO's Game of Thrones.

Last week, I tweeted that I had received an ornate wooden box from HBO containing scrolls, vials of various scents (from incense and pear brandy to wood beams and salt harbor). Following the instructions (lovingly embodied in a series of hand-tied scrolls), I was directed to mix the scents to create two blends, each one embodying two locations within the world of Game of Thrones. Pear brandy, wooden beams, and crusty bread combined to form the heady perfume of the Inn at the Crossroads, while salt harbor, incense, and spice market formed Pentos.

Over at Cultural Learnings, Myles McNutt discusses his thoughts on the transmedia implications of sending out these immersive kits to critics, bloggers, and fansite webmasters, all "opinion leaders" whose experiences here all help to promote the series to their followers. Personally, I find it refreshing to receive a press kit that is thoughtful and which ties into the program on offer, rather than more junk to stuff away in a closet, free swag that's neither in keeping with the tone or tenor of the show it's meant to be promoting nor something you want to keep in your house. (American Idol TV tray, I'm looking at you.)

What HBO has done is create an expanding array of experiences to actively engage the user, transporting him or her to Westeros directly.

Rather than send an stock object, HBO's marketing team has commissioned a series of uniquely authentic experiences, each of which serves to bring the user into the world of Game of Thrones by engaging their various senses. This one, which comprises the first link in the maester's chain is meant to get the user to use their olfactory senses, to engage with the material in a way that goes beyond the normal screener and press notes. Instead, you're invited into the world itself, to participate in the atmosphere, to engage directly and perform proactive tasks: mixing perfumes, reading maps, deciphering clues.

The scent bottles each contained a specific symbol on the "aged" glass bottles. Fansites such as Westeros.org and Winter-Is-Coming.Net spent much of the last few days attempted to decipher clues in their meaning, or unlock hidden messages contained within the maps. Today, HBO unveiled its tie-in website for The Maester's Path, adding a further layer of interface to the user experience. Those symbols unlocked the first link in the maester's chain, as users had to use a rubric to match up the symbols to their scent blends for four locations in the kingdom of Westeros.

The site promises several more experiences yet to arrive, likely tied to each of the four remaining senses (I'm holding out hope for lemoncakes for the "taste" portion) and an opportunity to grab another link in the maester's chain each Monday. I'm curious to see just what turns up over the next few weeks on my doorstep. Will there be Dothraki verses to translate? Weirwood branches to touch? Lemoncakes to eat? (Pretty please?)

While I've been on board with HBO's Game of Thrones since I saw the original pilot last spring, events such as these serve to separate the series from the pack of numerous (and countless) offerings on television. Not because The Maester's Path is an inclusive experience, per se (it's not, unfortunately, due to the cost involved with sending out these custom-designed boxes), but because there's a thought to quality and overall satisfaction here.

This isn't just swag, but an opportunity to extend audience engagement beyond the linear broadcast, to get viewers to ask questions, theorize, discuss, and engage, all with the intention of pushing awareness of the show and its launch in April. It's both canny and informative, and it reduced even this jaded critic to the gleeful curiosity of childhood fascination.

(Meanwhile, you too can join the Maester's Path and play along as well. Click here to begin your own journey to Westeros.)

Game of Thrones premieres April 17th at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO.

Iron Throne: HBO Unveils New Game of Thrones Teaser Trailer

"My brother has his sword and I have my mind." - Tyrion

HBO has released its newest teaser trailer for its upcoming adaptation of George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones, launching April 17th. (Yes, I'm sure your calendars are marked. Get your lemon cakes ready.)

Unlike the staggering trailer that the pay cabler unveiled last weekend at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour--which I'm still hoping they release online soon--this teaser is more atmospheric than anything else, playing up the visual of the Iron Throne as a backdrop for the characters themselves, each of whom gets the chance to whisper a single line of dialogue that sums up their characters' inner struggles.

Provocative and eye-catching, yes, but it doesn't quite have the snap and sparkle of the one that HBO showed at their Game of Thrones session. I do love, however, that they looked to offer a primer on the diverse characters of the show, setting up the central conflicts and the general aura of intrigue and war. And that throne? Terrifying and dangerously uncomfortable, just as the Targaryens intended.

That said, I hope the next trailer is less style and more substance.

But don't take my word for it: you can watch the newest teaser in full below.



Game of Thrones premieres Sunday, April 17th at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO.

Winter Is Coming April 17th: HBO Announces Start Date for Game of Thrones

The date we've been waiting for is finally here.

HBO today announced a launch date for Game of Thrones, its adaptation of George R.R. Martin's novels.

That date? April 17th at 9 pm ET/PT.

(The pay cable network also announced the start date for its upcoming Kate Winslet-led miniseries Mildred Pierce, which will air its first installment on March 27th. The sizzle reel they showed made the mini look insanely amazing.)

As for Game of Thrones, I watched the 15-minute clip reel that HBO assembled and think that it looks extraordinary. Entire scenes have been reshot since the original pilot I saw last summer and several roles (in addition to the two major ones) have been recast. I also sat down with George R.R. Martin and David Benioff and Dan Weiss earlier today as a few of us joined the author and the series' executive producers for a series of roundtable discussions. More on that to come!

Stay tuned.

VIDEO: HBO's "Inside Game of Thrones" Special, Big Love, HBO 2010 Image, Mildred Pierce

No better time than Monday morning for a mega-video roundup.

In this case, you find below a roundup from last night's gorgeous selection of HBO goodies, including the 15-minute behind-the-scenes look at the pay channel's upcoming Game of Thrones, two trailers for Season Five of Big Love (including the somber "Winter" trailer with the wives and Bill in the snow), the teaser for Kate Winslet-led miniseries Mildred Pierce, and the HBO 2010 Imagine campaign, which itself has some scenes from their upcoming series.

Whew. Look at it as the perfect holiday present in video form.

Inside Game of Thrones



Big Love Season Five "Winter" Trailer



Big Love Season Five Tease



HBO 2010 Image



Mildred Pierce

Video: HBO Teases Game of Thrones

Winter is coming...

While the premiere of HBO's fantasy drama Game of Thrones might still be several months off, the pay cabler has continued to pique viewers' interest... as well as the obsessive zeal of the fans of George R.R. Martin's novel series on which the series is based.

Last night, HBO premiered a new teaser trailer--the second thus far--for Game of Thrones, which is set to launch early next year. I'm extremely curious to see the redone pilot and subsequent episodes as the original pilot--which I viewed back in May--knocked my socks off in the best possible way. Given some recasting and reshoots, I'm confident that the production team has taken the already fantastic pilot to even more dizzying levels of accomplishment.

Without further ado, here's the teaser trailer:

If that's not enough to strike your fancy, HBO also offered a behind the scenes featurette on the making of Game of Thrones, focusing on the production of the ambitious fantasy series.

In Production

Game of Thrones will launch in early 2011 on HBO.

TCA Diary: Game of Thrones to Launch Spring 2011 on HBO

HBO teased a fifteen-second clip of its upcoming George R.R. Martin series Game of Thrones to critics on the final day of the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour.

At the executive session earlier this afternoon, the pay cabler declined to name an exact launch date for Game of Thrones but indicated that it would premiere in Spring 2011, possibly as early as March.

"It's about a quest for power and a quest for the kingdom," said Michael Lombardo, HBO president of programming, about the series, which is based on Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series.

"It was an easy answer," said Richard Plepler about picking up the project to series, considering it's a genre that HBO isn't typically known for and which isn't usually a favorite of Plepler or Lombardo. "It wasn't the genre that we responded to, it was the storytelling," he continued.

In other HBO-related news:

• True Blood: Alan Ball's involvement in upcoming drama pilot All Signs of Death will not affect his role running True Blood. (Not that I ever thought it would.)
• Eastbound and Down: Season Two of Eastbound and Down seems like it's heading to Mexico...
• No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency: "We are talking to our friends at the Weinstein Company to do two movies." Project won't come back as a series but may be resurrected as a series of TV movies, if deals can be made and scheduling go through. [Editor: fingers crossed.]
• Mildred Pierce: The five-hour Mildred Pierce miniseries, which stars Kate Winslet, Evan Rachel Wood, and Guy Pearce, is based on the book rather than the film itself. There are narrative and stylistic differences.
• Curb Your Enthusiasm: "Whatever Larry David is happy to keep doing, we're happy to keep doing with Larry David," said Plepler. They're taking Curb season by season. But the upcoming season--filming in New York and airing in 2011--needn't be the final run.
• Entourage: Entourage will end after next season, which will likely be six episodes long. It may then segue into a film.

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: James Tupper Heads to Grey's Anatomy, Game of Thrones, Tammy Blanchard Gets The Good Wife, Michael Emerson, and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that James Tupper (Mercy) has joined the cast of ABC's Grey's Anatomy, where he is set to recur as trauma counselor Andrew Perkins, who is "brought in to help Seattle Grace recover from that nightmarish season-ending bloodbath" and who will appear in at least two episodes next season. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan has some dish on the casting--and recasting--going on at HBO's upcoming fantasy drama Game of Thrones. "Varys, the calculating spymaster for the king of Westeros, will be played by UK actor Conleth Hill," writes Ryan. "The role of Waymar Royce has been recast due to a scheduling issue. Jamie Campbell-Bower had played the role in the pilot but when the producers decided to do reshoots of his scenes, Campbell-Bower was unavailable. The role of Royce will now be played by Rob Ostlere." (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Tammy Blanchard (Guiding Light) has been cast in a recurring role on Season Two of CBS' The Good Wife, according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. Blanchard will play a "fair-minded assistant state’s attorney who looks more like an indie-band drummer than a lawyer,” and who will serve as "one of Glen Childs’ underlings and a confidante to Cary (Matt Czuchry)." Meanwhile, Chris Saradon (Judging Amy) has been cast as Judge Goode; he'll recur throughout the season. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

E! Online's Megan Masters talks to former Lost star Michael Emerson about his desire to appear on HBO's True Blood, alongside his real life wife Carrie Preston. "When I see Alan, he always says 'We have to find something for you.' I'm delighted to hear him say it," said Emerson, who said he'd be up for anything on the vampire drama. "Yes, some new kind of supernatural creature," he tells us. "Or [I could play] just an everyday humanoid. I could be a pizza delivery man who's torn apart by werewolves... I would be more than happy to do something on that show if they have the right part and I'm available. It would be a treat." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

NBC yesterday announced their fall launch dates for new and returning series and you know what that means: we've got a return date for Chuck! Yes, Team Bartowski returns to the Peacock on Monday, September 20th at 8 pm ET/PT, joined by new dramas The Event and Chase, launching the same evening. The next night brings the returns of The Biggest Loser and Parenthood; Wednesday, September 22nd will see the launch of JJ Abrams' Undercovers as as well as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Los Angeles. Thursday, September 23rd brings Community, 30 Rock, The Office, Outsourced and The Apprentice. (Parks and Recreation sadly won't return until midseason.) Finally, on Friday, September 24th, it's School Pride, Dateline, and Outlaw's turn. (via press release)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that Criminal Minds's Kirsten Vangsness may pull double-duty and appear on the Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior spinoff in either a regular or recurring capacity, following a similar trend to Rocky Carroll on NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles. Vangsness would bring her Penelope Garcia to a cast that also includes Forest Whittaker and Janeane Garofalo. (Deadline)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello talks to Supernatural creator (and former showrunner) Eric Kripke about why he stepped down from overseeing the CW drama, which returns for a sixth season this fall, and what's coming up for the Winchester boys. "We were reaching the end of this five-year story line [so] I thought the timing was right," said Kripke of his decision. "I knew that we were closing this chapter and opening a new one. It felt like it was the right time to take a step back and focus on new projects, but still keep my grubby little mitts in the show. It was a lot about Sera and her enthusiasm and her ambition. I really think after five years of all of my crap, to have someone who has a fresh perspective and a fresh energy on these characters and this universe is healthy for the show. Supernatural has always been a show about reinvention. We try really hard not to do the same thing. I thought that Sera’s [increased] involvement really helped guarantee that this season is going to feel a little different, a little fresher. She has a different sensibility." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

FX has announced its fall launch dates: Season Three of Sons of Anarchy begins Tuesday, September 7th at 10 pm ET/PT, Shawn Ryan's dramedy Terriers launches Wednesday, September 8th at 10 pm ET/PT, Season Six of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia launches Thursday, September 16th at 10 pm, followed by the Season Two opener of The League at 10:30 pm. (via press release)

The Guardian's Data Blog has a breakdown of every Doctor Who villain the Time Lord has ever faced since 1963. A must see for Who fans. (The Guardian, h/t Dave Izkoff)

Good news for Mad Men fans who also happen to be AT&T U-Verse cable subscribers: Raindbow Media--which owns AMC, IFC, and WEtv--has successfully concluded a carriage deal with AT&T U-Verse to keep their channels on the cable provider's lineup. "We are happy to report that AMC, IFC and WE tv will remain on AT&T U-verse(R) TV," said AT&T in an official statement. "We're very satisfied that we were able to reach the fair deal we wanted for our customers - one that includes the right content, across platforms, at prices that are in line with the marketplace, and that helps us with important strategic content initiatives. We are very grateful to our customers for their support." (via press release)

Production has been pushed by roughly a week and a half on the start of NBC's Law & Order: Los Angeles, according to Deadline's Nellie Andreeva, who reports that producers need additional time to continue casting the project. At press time, there was only one talent attachment on the series as Skeet Ulrich signed on to play Detective Rex Winters, though four series regular roles remain uncast. (Deadline)

Veronica Mars, Pushing Daisies, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Nip/Tuck are all heading to Netflix Instant, following a streaming rights deal between Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and Netflix. Separately, Nip/Tuck will also go into off-net syndication on MTV's Logo. (Variety)

Broadcasting & Cable's Andrea Domanick has a great recap of the session for CBS' The Good Wife at NATPE's recent LATV Festival earlier this week. (Broadcasting & Cable)

Remember how the CW shut down its comedy department a while back? While they're not reopening the shuttered development division, the netlet has dipped its toe back in the comedy game, acquiring US rights to Canadian single-camera comedy 18 to Life, which will air Tuesdays at 9 pm this summer, beginning August 3rd. Project, created by Derek Schreyer and Karen Troubetzkoy, revolves around two eighteen-year-olds who get married. (It was originally a CBC-ABC co-production but ABC dropped out ahead of production.) Move comes as the CW looks for ways to slot first-run programming on during the summer and the series will join reality show Plain Jane on the lineup. (Variety)

EVP of current programming Marcy Ross is staying put at FOX, signing a deal that will keep her at the network for three more years... and seems to point towards the fact that FOX is committed to keeping its current programming department, unlike other networks, which have in recent years merged theirs with development. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Melina Kanakaredes Leaves CSI: NY, Game of Thrones Lands Aidan Gillen, Peter Weller Joins Dexter, True Blood, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

Another one bites the dust: Melina Kanakaredes is the latest star to leave their CBS drama series, following in the footsteps of A.J. Cook, Eddie Cibrian, and Liz Vassey. Kanakaredes, who has starred on CBS' CSI: NY for six seasons, has announced that she will not be returning for a seventh go-around as Detective Stella Bonasera. "We hoped Melina would return to CSI: NY for another season, but we respect her decision to move on," said CBS Television Network and CBS Television Studios in a joint statement released yesterday. "Her amazing talent and invaluable contribution to the success of the series are greatly appreciated and will not be forgotten. She will forever remain a friend to the network and studio and we wish her the very best." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Meanwhile, yesterday's rumor appears now to be a fact: Sela Ward is joining CSI: NY, following Kanakaredes' departure. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Aidan Gillen (The Wire) has signed on as a series regular for HBO's upcoming George R.R. Martin drama series Game of Thrones, where he will play Littlefinger, described as a scheming "adviser to King Robert who manipulates those in power to fit his own agenda." Production on Game of Thrones is set to begin later this month in Northern Ireland, with a launch expected in the first half of 2011. (Hollywood Reporter)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that Peter Weller (Robocop) has been cast in Season Five of Showtime's Dexter, where he is slated to appear in eight out of the twelve installments as "a troubled Miami Metro police officer who gets caught up in an internal affairs investigation." Season Five is set to premiere September 26th on Showtime. (Deadline)

MAJOR SPOILER! TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck is reporting that a panther will be appearing on the set of HBO's vampire drama True Blood, fueling speculation that Jason Stackhouse could be transforming into a werepanther at some point this season. "I've been working with the panthers and they're a lot cooler than the wolves," True Blood creator Alan Ball told Keck. "We have shot some scenes with actual panthers in the same way we have shot with actual wolves. But I won't say there are or aren't werepanthers on the show." [Editor: the reveal of the panther would fall in line with what Ball told me a while back for my True Blood set visit and feature for The Daily Beast: that someone's love interest this season is secretly a were. Hmmm...] (TV Guide Magazine)

SPOILER! Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello has some major dirt on a huge plot twist planned in the "game-changing" second season opener of CBS' The Good Wife, as the series' law firm, Lockhart & Gardener "will be in the midst of merging with another firm," according to Ausiello. "Everyone [will be thrown] for a loop,” Good Wife executive producer Robert King told Ausiello, “[especially partners] Will [Josh Charles] and Diane [Christine Baranski]. And Alicia [Julianna Margulies], who thought she was [in the clear], once again has to prove herself in new surroundings." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

MAJOR SPOILER! TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck reports that Booth and Brennan will finally get to close the book on the murderous Gravedigger, Heather Taffet (Deirdre Lovejoy), this season on FOX's Bones... but the same episode that features Heather's final appearance will introduce a new nemesis for the team who creator Hart Hanson said is "someone much worse, who will dog us for the season." What else did Keck manage to get out of Hanson about this new big bad? ""It's someone highly motivated to do great harm to our people — a personal vendetta," said Hanson. "One of our characters will be a victim." (TV Guide Magazine)

Not only did TVGuide.com's Denise Martin moderate last night's Glee event at the Paley Center but she also has an exclusive interview with co-creator Ryan Murphy about the second season of the musical-comedy in which he confirms that the upcoming Britney Spears tribute episode will in fact revolve around Heather Morris' addled cheerleader Brittany, who will sing two of the pop singer's songs. (TVGuide.com)

Fancast's Matt Mitovich is reporting that former Melrose Place star Shaun Sipos is joining the cast of the CW's Life Unexpected, where he will recur as Eric, a new teacher at the high school where Lux attends. (Fancast)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello and Andy Patrick are reporting that Arielle Kebbel (Gilmore Girls) and Amy Price-Francis (The Cleaner) have joined the cast of the CW's Life Unexpected, where they will play respectively Paige, described as "the new hottie in town who may well wind up tending more than bar for Baze (Kristoffer Polaha)," and Kelly, described as "a conservative author/chatterbox who becomes a partner on the radio show that Cate (Shiri Appleby) and Ryan (Kerr Smith) front." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

File this under random recastings: Timm Sharp ('Til Death) has been cast in HBO comedy series Enlightened, where he will play the new boss of Laura Dern's formerly self-destructive character who returns to work after a spectacular meltdown. Sharp replaces Mos Def, who exited the series due to "deal issues," according to Deadline's Nellie Andreeva. Production began yesterday on the project, from executive producers Dern and Mike White. (Deadline)

The title for the season opener of ABC's Grey's Anatomy? “With You I’m Born Again," according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

In a move that will surprise absolutely no one, ABC has renewed its Canadian summer drama series Rookie Blue for a second season. (Hollywood Reporter)

Among the actors lending their voices to Adult Swim's Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III: Zac Efron, Donald Glover (Community), and Mike Henry (The Cleveland Show), who will join an already burgeoning voice cast that includes Seth Green, Matthew Senreich, Breckin Meyer, Seth MacFarlane, Dan Milano, Abraham Benrubi, Donald Faison, Rachael Leigh Cook, Adrianne Palicki, Eden Espinosa, Hugh Davidson, Bob Bergen, Keith Ferguson, Tom Kane, Zeb Wells, Anthony Daniels, Billy Dee Williams, and Ahmed Best. The special will air December 12th. (Variety)

Reveille and Jack Black's shingle Electric Dynamite Prods. have jointly optioned the rights to A.J. Jacob's non-fiction book "My Life As An Experiment," with the aim to adapt the work as a half-hour comedy series. (Deadline)

Joe Jonas will guest star on TV Land's Hot in Cleveland, where he will play the son of Valerie Bertinelli's character. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Sony Pictures Television has promoted James Canniffe to SVP of US alternative development. He will report to Holly Jacobs. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: ABC to Revamp Edgar Floats, Undercovers Recasts, Weatherly to Return to NCIS, Criminal Minds Cuts Female Cast, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Rand Ravich's ABC drama pilot Edgar Floats, which recently received an order for six additional scripts, will be completely reconceived, with nearly all of the original cast--including series leads Tom Cavanagh and Alicia Witt and supporting players Derek Webster, Alex Solowitz, and Raoul Trujillo--getting the axe. (Only Robert Patrick will remain.) Deadline's Nellie Andreeva, meanwhile, has some further insight into the decision made by ABC. "People have been divided on Cavanagh's performance, while Patrick has been almost universally hailed as the pilot's scene stealer," she writes. "I hear ABC brass like the idea of Edgar Floats and the central character but the project is being re-conceived, with the six additional scripts still being written." [Editor: seeing as Edgar Floats was my favorite broadcast pilot of the development cycle, I'm gutted by this news.] (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files, Deadline)

Mekia Cox (90210) has been cast in JJ Abrams and Josh Reims' upcoming NBC drama series Undercovers, where she will play Lizzy, the sister of Gugu Mbatha-Raw's Samantha, who is unaware of her sister's professional capacity as a CIA agent. Cox replaces Jessica Parker Kennedy, who appeared in the role in the pilot. [Editor: while I have nothing against Kennedy, per se, I did think that Lizzy and the catering company was the weakest and most labored part of Undercovers pilot.] (Hollywood Reporter)

It's official: Michael Weatherly has closed his deal to return to CBS' NCIS next season, following a successful renegotiation for Season Eight of the crime procedural. Of the four actors who went into the summer without a deal in place--Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Michael Weatherly, and Sean Murray--only Murray has yet to finish renegotiating, however, Deadline's Nellie Andreeva said that the two sides are "optimistic" that a deal can be reached. (Deadline, Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that CBS' Criminal Minds is gutting most of its female cast for financial reasons, opting not to pick up the option of series regular A.J. Cook, while Paget Brewster will be appearing in a "reduced number of episodes next season." Cook may reprise her role as Jennifer Jereau next season so that the writers can wrap up her storyline, though no deal has been made. Move means that Kristen Vangsness will be the only female cast member to appear in all episodes next season. (Deadline)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Adrianne Palicki and Taylor Kitsch have signed on to appear in multiple episodes of Season Five of Friday Night Lights. Ausiello, citing unnamed sources, writes that Palicki will guest star in the final two episodes of the season (likely the series' end), while Kitsch will appear in the final four. (Also set to return, at least for one episode: Scott Porter, Zach Gilford--who will be in four installments--and likely Jesse Plemons.) (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Brian Kirk (Dexter) will direct two episodes of HBO's upcoming fantasy drama Game of Thrones. Production is slated to begin July 26th in Northern Ireland. (Hollywood Reporter)

Christopher Eccleston has broken his silence about why he left Doctor Who after just one season in a new interview with Radio Times. "I was open-minded but I decided after my experience on the first series that I didn't want to do any more," said Eccleston. "I didn't enjoy the environment and the culture that we, the cast and crew, had to work in. I thought if I stay in this job, I'm going to have to blind myself to certain things that I thought were wrong." (BBC News)

SPOILER! TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck is reporting that Fringe producers are looking to cast the role of the mother of Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv), who would appear in a story arc that would last roughly three or four episodes next season. "The character is described as loving, stable and sweet," writes Keck. "She dotes on Olivia since her other daughter died at birth." [Editor: I would assume that this role would be taking place "over there," in the other dimension, since Olivia's sister Rachel is, uh, alive and well in "our" world.] (TV Guide Magazine)

Faran Tahir (Star Trek) is set to guest star in two episodes of Syfy's Warehouse 13 this summer, as the series returns for its second season. Tahir will play Regent Adwin Kosan, described as "one of the mysterious and powerful Regents, the shadowy governing body charged with keeping the Warehouse safe," who turns up at the Warehouse in the midst of a crisis. (via press release)

In other Warehouse 13-related news, TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck has more details about the role that former Bionic Woman Lindsay Wagner will be playing when she guest stars on the Syfy dramedy as Dr. Vanessa Calder. "She's the official doctor for Warehouse agents. She is quite worldly and knows lots of secrets," Wagner told Keck. (TV Guide Magazine)

Stay tuned.

Winter is Coming: HBO Unveils New Teaser Trailer for Game of Thrones

HBO last evening unveiled a new teaser trailer for its upcoming fantasy series Game of Thrones, based on the novels of George R.R. Martin.

The series, which is expected to debut in 2011, stars Sean Bean, Lena Headey, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Peter Dinklage, Mark Addy, and Kit Harington, among many, many others. Production is slated to begin next month on the series, with reshoots expected on the original pilot after two roles were recast.

The Hollywood Reporter, meanwhile, is reporting that the series now may not debut until spring or early summer of 2011. However, as HBO has not commented on a launch date (other than just "2011"), I'd advise that fans sit tight until the pay cabler officially announces a firm start date for the David Benioff and D.B. Weiss-executive produced series.

[UPDATE: The Hollywood Reporter is now back-pedaling a bit, stating that "it's unclear if the new start date on the series will impact its premiere plans." In other words: I was right to advise caution.]

The teaser trailer for Game of Thrones, which aired prior to the Season Three premiere of True Blood, can be viewed in full below.

Winter Is Coming

Game of Thrones will premiere in 2011 on HBO.

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.

Channel Surfing: Chuck Renewal Prognosis Improved, Sarah Wayne Callies Hunts The Walking Dead, Conan, Castle, and More

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.

Could it be that things are looking up for Chuck? Deadline.com's Nellie Andreeva breaks down the current on the bubble series at the broadcast networks, including NBC's Chuck. "Last year, NBC’s Chuck got an 11th hour reprieve, clinching a partial 3rd-season order on Sunday afternoon before upfront week," writes Andreeva. "This time around, its fate will be decided earlier if the show’s producers get their way. Several days ago, creators Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak pitched NBC their vision for Season 4 and producing studio Warner Bros asked the network for a quick resolution so the series could keep its writing staff. Even with NBC brass happy with their drama development, the spy dramedy’s chances of renewal are considered very good -- and certainly a lot better than last year when a sponsorship deal with Subway sealed the renewal. With the show rising in the ratings this week and fans staging rallies tomorrow, Chuck may be one solid ratings performance... away from an early renewal." [Editor: in other words, tune in tonight in huge numbers and LIVE.] (Deadline.com)

Meanwhile, today marks the day for the multi-city Chuck flash mobs, but if you're not in one of the cities participating, don't fret: you can still show your support for a fourth season of Chuck by participating in the Twitter mob scheduled for today between noon and 1 pm Pacific Time. Sample tweets include: "@NBC – We want more #CHUCK! Give us another season of flashes and fun. The world’s safety depends on it! #FlashChuck" or "#CHUCK rules! @NBC show your love for CHUCK and the fans will show their love back. We want a 4th season! #FlashChuck" (ChuckTV.net)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that former Prison Break star Sarah Wayne Callies has been cast as the female lead in AMC's upcoming drama series The Walking Dead, based on Robert Kirkman's comicbook series. Callies has been cast as Lori Grimes, described as "the slowly-unraveling wife of the show’s hero, Rick (Andrew Lincoln)." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

The New York Times's Bill Carter talks to Jeff Gaspin's efforts to pull NBC's schedule "out of a long, precipitous slide," the network's development slate, and the C-word: Conan. "Late night’s not my problem anymore," said Gaspin, referring to Conan O'Brien's move to TBS. "I don’t have to worry about Conan anymore. Whereas if he was on Fox we’d all be, you know, what’s it going to do? That’s all over. The Conan story is gone for me." (New York Times)

Meanwhie, did you miss last night's Conan O'Brien interview on CBS' 60 Minutes? You can watch the full video of O'Brien's chat below.


Watch CBS News Videos Online

E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos talks to Nathan Fillion about the upcoming season finale of his ABC procedural drama Castle. "Beckett has set her eyes on another man, and it's really getting to Castle," Fillion told her. "He's really not having an easy time with it, so we're getting to a point in time where she's gotta make a choice. And he's gotta make a choice! There's gonna be a choice made. An emotional choice. It's an emotional cliffhanger." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

In other Castle-related news, co-showrunner/executive producer Rene Echevarria has left the series after he was unable to reach a new deal with studio ABC Studios. Creator Andrew Marlowe, who shared showrunning responsibilities with Echevarria, will now serve as the series' sole showrunner when it returns for a third season this fall. (Deadline.com)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan has a brand new interview with "A Song of Fire and Ice" novelist George R.R. Martin, whose fantasy novel series is the basis for HBO's upcoming series Game of Thrones. (The series itself is undergoing some cast changes at the moment: Jennifer Ehle was replaced by Michelle Fairley and Tamzin Merchant--who played Daenerys Targaryen--will be replaced as well.) "I knew that the limitations of budgets and the censorship limitations," said Martin about possible television homes for "A Song of Fire and Ice," ruling out the broadcast networks. "I know it’s loosened up some since I was active in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s, but I can still remember the fights with Standards and Practices and censors about the sex and violence. And the books are full of sex and violence. I didn’t want some watered-down, bowdlerized version of this... [HBO] had done shows like Deadwood and Rome and The Sopranos and that was the kind of thing I saw this as." (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Showtime has announced its summer launch dates, which includes Season Eight of Penn & Teller: Bullshit and new series The Green Room with Paul Provenza on Thursday, June 10th from 10-11 pm ET/PT, The Real L Word on Sunday, June 20th at 10 pm ET/PT, and Season Six of Weeds and the launch of The Big C on Monday, August 16th at 10:30 pm ET/PT. (via press release)

Zoe Kravitz--the daughter of Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet--has been cast in a six-episode story arc on the upcoming season of Showtime's Californication, where she will play Zoe, a "wild child" musician who looks to recruit Becca (Madeleine Martin) for her all-girl band. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

E! Online's Megan Masters has an interview with Vampire Diaries star Matt Davis, in which the former Damages co-star talks about why his Alaric is in need of some steamy sex scenes on the CW supernatural drama series. "We decided that the best way to reconcile them is a ménage à trois," Davis said, joking, about the return of Alaric's wife Isobel. "No, it's shocking. To see this missing wife of his after so long. Not only is it shocking, but those moments never go the way you expect them to. His whole life changed when she vanished, and he's been searching for her ever since. [To] finally confront the thing he's been looking for? That would turn your life upside down, and it will definitely be a big moment for Alaric." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Barry Sonnenfeld is heading overseas. The Pushing Daisies director/executive producer has teamed up with Fluent Media Group and Resonant TV to develop a supernatural drama series Beat the Devil that will be pitched to foreign networks ahead of the US. "Five years ago, it was unthinkable of a U.S. studio acquiring a scripted format from another country," Gonzalo Cilley, head of Resonant TV, told Hollywood Reporter. "We want to have Barry involved from Day 1 so he can use all of that experience and information when he pitches the American version." (Hollywood Reporter)

Nascent pay cabler Epix is said to have signed a deal with Oliver Stone and author Bruce Wagner to develop Los Angeles-based drama series Still Holding, based on Wagner's novel, which revolves around three people living in the City of Angels. (Variety)

20th Century Fox Television has signed an two-year overall deal with Bones writer Karyn Usher, under which she will develop new projects for the studio and remain aboard Bones as a co-executive producer. (Variety)

Sony Pictures Television has signed a new two-year deal with producer Jamie Tarses. (Deadline.com)

Britt Robertson (Life Unexpected) has been cast in Disney Channel original telepic Avalon High, where she will play a high school transfer student who discovers that her fellow classmates are actually the reincarnations of King Arthur and his round table. Project is based on a Meg Cabot novel. (Variety)

Megan Park (Secret Life of the American Teenager), David Charvet (Melrose Place), and Boti Bliss (CSI: Miami) will star in Lifetime original telepic The Perfect Teacher. Elsewhere, Michael Badalucco (The Practice) will be recurring on HBO's upcoming period drama series Boardwalk Empire. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: HBO Renews Treme, Damages May Be Dead, Jared Harris Promoted on Mad Men, 24, and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

It took just one episode, apparently, before HBO ordered a second season of New Orleans-set drama series Treme, from creators David Simon and Eric Overmyer. "We would have picked up this show last week," HBO president Michael Lombardo told The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd. "We've seen the first nine episodes it's as strong as any show we've seen. Much like The Wire, the audience is so passionate and so invested. We're about servicing our subscriber base and I believe that people will become addicted to this show. We have to be a place where this kind of excellence is giving space to continue." According to Lombardo, Season Two of Treme is being targeted for a spring 2011 debut, where it will likely be paired with the first season of fantasy drama Game of Thrones. "They should be ready about the same time," said Lombardo. "[Game] looks beautiful, the compelling scripts are just fantastic, we're doing reshoots but nothing major. The show is there." Production on Treme's second season will begin this fall. (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

The Wrap's Josef Adalian, meanwhile, talks to Lombardo in a Q&A-style interview about the Treme renewal. "The first season of True Blood we picked up in the first week. Whether it was after the first day, I don't recall," Lombardo told Adalian. "But I must be candid: We knew we were picking this up (before the premiere). We were actually trying to arrange a phone call with David before we got numbers, but because of David Mills' funeral, that was just impossible. We were sure early on in a way that was unique." (The Wrap's TVMoJoe)

Variety's Stuart Levine is reporting that Monday night's season finale of FX's Damages may wind up being the series finale, after all. "Despite a meeting in the next two weeks between Sony Pictures Television and DirecTV to discuss the possibility of the Glenn Close skein changing networks, insiders say it doesn't look as though the drama is a good fit for the satellite provider," writes Levine. "Sony, of course, wants to see Damages continue, but the studio would have to take a substantial license-fee reduction. With what would be the fourth year of the show, and cast and crew expecting salary increases, it would likely be difficult -- though not impossible -- to cut costs." If Sony was able to broker a deal with DirecTV, their Channel 101 would want to take the first window of Damages' fourth season, which could be a problem for FX, which co-produces the legal drama. [Editor: I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that something could be worked out but in the meantime, I'm going to enjoy the finale as much as I possibly can.] (Variety)

Good news for Mad Men fans: Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Jared Harris has been promoted to series regular for Season Four of the period drama, which returns to AMC this summer. "Harris joined the Emmy-winning drama in Season Three as Lane Pryce, Sterling Cooper’s new financial officer (installed by UK parent company Putnam, Powell, and Low)," writes Ausiello. "In the finale, he became a founding partner in SCDP alongside Don Draper, Bert Cooper, and Roger Sterling." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Elsewhere, Ausiello also has a spoiler-laden interview with 24 executive producer Howard Gordon about this week's shocking twist... which I won't spoil here, but I will say that Gordon is candid about the decision they made and much more. "It was an incredibly emotional day," said Gordon about the final day of shooting on 24. "I’m just so incredibly proud to be a part of it... This has been an incredibly strong season. I can [only] judge it in terms of what my own opinion is of the show and what I hear about it anecdotally from the people who are friends and family, but I feel very proud of this year. Kiefer is very proud of this year. People are happy to be ending with such creative vigor." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Sophia Bush (One Tree Hill) has been cast in ABC comedy pilot Southern Discomfort, where she will play Haley, described as "a recent Harvard graduate who returns to her Texas hometown to reunite with her old boyfriend." She'll star opposite Don Johnson and Mary Steenburgen in the pilot, which hails from Sony Pictures Television, Tantamount, and ABC Studios. Bush's casting is said to be in second position to her role on the CW's One Tree Hill, which has yet to receive a pickup for another season. (Hollywood Reporter)

Elsewhere, Ben Browder (Stargate SG-1) has joined the cast of the CW's drama pilot presentation Hellcats, where he is set to play football coach Red Irvine. (Deadline.com)

More wrestling is coming to Syfy, following the conclusion of a multi-year deal between cabler Syfy and World Wrestling Entertainment to bring Friday Night Smackdown to the sci-fi channel beginning October 1st. As part of the move, Syfy will shift its traditional Friday night programming block of originals--which includes Caprica, Stargate Universe, and Sanctuary, among others--to Tuesdays. "WWE is the ultimate in imagination-based sports entertainment," said Syfy programming president Dave Howe. "The fantastical thrills of Friday Night SmackDown provide an ideal addition to the Syfy slate, as it targets the younger male and female demographics, which are the fastest-growing categories for WWE." Syfy's current wrestling series, NXT, will wrap up its run in October. (Hollywood Reporter, Variety)

Naren Shankar is said to be leaving CBS' CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, stepping down from his role as executive producer/co-showrunner on the procedural drama in order to focus on his development deal with CBS Television Studios. (Deadline.com)

Kevin Eubanks will depart NBC's Tonight Show on May 28th and will be replaced, beginning June 6th, by American Idol's Rickey Minor, the musical competition series' music director. (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed, Variety)

Looks like Glee star Lea Michele injured her knee while filming an upcoming episode that features the music of Lady Gaga. (Specifically, it was the glee club's take on Gaga's "Bad Romance.") "I'm directing that episode and I did more coverage on that song then we've ever done in the history of the show," co-creator Ryan Murphy tells told E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos. "It's a big number. It's like, big and athletic and hard. And those girls and Chris [Colfer] I think did it for six hours straight." As for Colfer, he too was amazed that he wasn't injured shooting the show-stopping number. "I almost died just trying on my getup," Colfer told Dos Santos. "Literally, I probably almost died because I wear 10-inch heels and those take some getting used to. They're like stilts walking around. They're platform, stick stiletto heels. And I had to dance my ass off in them [laughs.]" (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

In other Glee-related news, FOX has released the Sue Sylvester "Vogue" video from next week's "Power of Madonna" episode of Glee. The video, a shot by shot remake of Madonna's "Vogue," can be seen in its entirety below:


BBC has confirmed that it will not be going ahead with a third season of post-apocalyptic drama series Survivors. "The BBC is committed to making a broad range of varied and ambitious drama, but in order to achieve this we do have to move on from some pieces in order to allow new work to come through," said a BBC spokesperson. "After two series, Survivors will not be returning." (Daily Telegraph)

Deadline.com's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that Wizards of Waverly Place showrunner Peter Murrieta will depart the Disney Channel comedy should it be picked up for a fourth season. (Deadline.com)

Arthur Smith and Kent Weed's reality shingle A. Smith and Co. is developing a reality series based around Aussie magician James Galea and will pitch the project--which mixes comedy, illusion, and sleight of hand--to networks. (Variety)

Looks like Carrie and Co. will be walking in their Manolos over to E! and Style, according to a report by Alex Weprin in Broadcasting & Cable. Comcast Entertainment Group has signed a deal to acquire off-net and ancillary rights to all 94 episodes of HBO's Sex and the City beginning in January 2011. (Broadcasting & Cable)

Warner Bros. Television has hired ICM agent Tom Burke as SVP/head of casting for the studio, where he will oversee all casting both for WBTV and offshoot Warner Horizon. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

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

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Natalie Morales Joins "Parks and Recreation," Jane Espenson to Write "Game of Thrones" Script, FOX Close to Coco Deal, and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

Former White Collar co-star (and The Middleman star) Natalie Morales has landed a recurring role on NBC's Parks and Recreation, according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. Morales has signed on to Parks for a multiple-episode story arc in which she will play Lucy, described as "a smart and funny busgirl at a local Pawnee bar." [Editor: Hollywood Reporter's Nellie Andreeva, meanwhile, indicates that Morales will be appearing "in at least two episodes," the same ones that are set to feature guest stars Rob Lowe and Adam Scott.] (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files, Hollywood Reporter)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan is reporting that Caprica executive producer Jane Espenson--who previously wrote for Battlestar Galactica and Buffy the Vampire Slayer--will write a script for HBO's upcoming fantasy drama series Game of Thrones, based on the George R.R. Martin novel series. According to Ryan--and confirmed by HBO--Espenson will write the sixth episode of Games' first season as a freelancer. She'll be joined by script coordinator Bryan Cogman, who is writing the fourth episode, and Martin himself. The other episodes will be scripted by executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Los Angeles Times' Meg James is reporting that FOX is thisclose to finalizing a deal with Conan O'Brien that would restore the former Tonight Show host to latenight this fall or in January, should the deal close. "Key Fox executives, including Rupert Murdoch, are on board with the plan and would like to finalize a deal in coming weeks so they can make a splash on May 17 when the network unveils its fall lineup," writes James. "Several significant issues remain and the Fox talks could fall apart, according to people close to the negotiations who asked anonymity because the discussions were meant to be private." (Los Angeles Times)

Screenrant is reporting that James Marsters (Caprica) has been cast in CBS' drama pilot Hawaii Five-O, citing a report on Marsters' official Facebook page. Marsters is said to be guest starring in the drama pilot, where he will play Victor Hesse, the nemesis of Alex O'Loughlin's Jack McGarrett, who is described as "an international arms dealer and human trafficker." (Screenrant)

Cabler Syfy unveiled its slate of new and returning series yesterday at an upfront held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and announced a new Thursday night reality programming block comprised of Paranormal Investigators and Mary Knows Best, a docusoap about a psychic and her Italian-American brood, both of which will launch on July 15th. Other pickups include Ghost Hunters Academy and Beast Legends, while the network also has additional seasons of Warehouse 13, Eureka, Stargate Universe, Sanctuary, Ghost Hunters, and Destination Truth, as well as additional episodes of Caprica. New scripted series include Haven and the US version of Being Human. (Variety)

Syfy also unveiled a slew of other reality programming, including Marcel's Quantum Kitchen, Force of Nature, The Latimer Project, Mr. Impossible, Paranormal Files, Face Off, The Dome Experiment, and an untitled artifact search series. (via press release)

Tom Selleck (Magnum P.I.) is said to be close to signing a deal that will have him star in CBS' untitled Burgess/Green cop drama pilot (formerly known as Reagan's Law) opposite Donnie Wahlberg and Len Cariou. Selleck would play Michael, described as "the handsome, confident and highly commended chief of police for the NYPD who lives in Brooklyn with his father, Patrick (Cariou), the ex-chief who struggles to find a balance between the political demands of the mayor's office and doing right by his fellow cops." (Hollywood Reporter)

Pilot casting roundup: Goran Visnjic (ER) is in talks to star opposite Katee Sackhoff and the newly cast Nia Long (Big Shots) in ABC drama pilot Boston's Finest; Dougray Scott (Desperate Housewives) and Molly Parker (Swingtown) will star in CBS drama presentation Quinn-Tuplets; Josh Henderson (Desperate Housewives) has landed the lead in CW supernatural drama pilot Betwixt; Randall Park (Dinner for Schmucks) has joined the cast of FOX comedy pilot Tax Man; and Omid Abtahi (Sleeper Cell) has been cast in FOX drama pilot Pleading Guilty. (Hollywood Reporter)

Production resumed again yesterday on CBS' Two and a Half Men, following the shutdown necessitated by star Charlie Sheen's rehab treatment. Warner Bros. Television has yet to comment on reports that the the studio and network had opted to reduce the number of episodes this season. (Variety)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Michaela McManus (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) has joined the cast of CW's drama pilot Nomads, which revolves around a group of CIA trainees who pose as backpackers. McManus will play "a brave and resourceful Army Brat determined to earn a place in the CIA" who finds herself caught between attractions to her handler (Warren Kole) and another agent (Scott Porter). (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Nascent pay cabler Epix has signed a deal for Larry Charles to oversee the script for comedy pilot Icon, which will be written by Dan Lyons and is described as a "savage satire centering on a fictional Silicon Valley CEO whose ego is a study in power and greed." Charles will also direct the pilot. (Variety)

Marco Sanchez (Dollhouse) is set to recur on CBS' NCIS, where he will play Alejandro Rivera, an agent with the Justice Department in Mexico who is in Washington to assist in the creation of an international law enforcement task force. (Hollywood Reporter)

TV Land has concluded a deal to have Betty White star in ten-episode scripted comedy Hot in Cleveland, which will launch in June. White will play Elka Ostrovsky, described as the "property caretaker of the home that co-stars Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves and Wendie Malick rent after their plane makes an emergency landing in Cleveland and they decide to stay. Series is written by Suzanne Martin (Frasier) and executive produced produced by Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner. (via press release)

Zap2It's Korbi Ghosh is reporting that Rachael Harris has joined the cast of TBS' My Boys for its fourth season, set to launch on Sunday, July 25th. Harris will play Marcia, a love interest for Jamie Kaler's Mike. Meanwhile, Jim Gaffigan will leave the comedy series in order to concentrate on his stand-up career. "His character will be written out with a move overseas, which of course leaves the door open for Mike to masquerade as a grown man who owns his own four-bedroom pad," writes Ghosh. "But apparently this Marcia chick digs that kind of trickery, because she seems to be sticking around." (Zap2It's Korbi TV)

TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck is reporting that Gregory Itzin will reprise his role as ex-President Charles Logan in the April 12th episode of FOX's 24, when he will advise Cherry Jones' Allison Taylor about her crumbling peace-treaty talks. "I have an old relationship with the Russians, so [her chief of staff] Ethan brings me in against her better judgment," Itzin told Keck. "She’s not pleased to have to deal with this character." (TV Guide Magazine)

Tracy Morgan (30 Rock) will return as host of Syfy's Scare Tactics, which has been renewed for a fourth season that will debut this fall. (Hollywood Reporter)

Hallmark Channel has expanded its deal with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, which will now provide the cabler with a seven-hour programming block beginning Monday, March 29th. (Variety)

MTV has ordered twenty episodes of unscripted series MTV Hired, which will follow recent college graduates as they struggle to find employment in the current economy. Series, executive produced by Jessica Chesler, Sam Simmons, Noah Scheinmann, Matt Westmore, Marshall Eisen and Dave Sirulnick, will air on weekday afternoons along with Silent Library, which the cabler picked up for a third season. (Variety)

FOX has ordered a third season of Gordon Ramsay-led reality show Kitchen Nightmares. (via press release)

Daytime talk show The Wendy Williams Show has been renewed in 80 percent of the country and through the 2011-12 season in FOX owned-and-operated stations in the top markets. (Variety)

NBC has announced that its upcoming reality series Losing It with Jillian, featuring The Biggest Loser's Jullian Michaels, will launch on Tuesday, June 1st at 10 pm ET/PT before setting into its regular timeslot of Tuesdays at 8 pm ET/PT on June 8th. (via press release)

Former FOX executive Susan Levison has been hired as EVP of creative affairs at Fishbowl Worldwide Media, where she will oversee development for film, television, and digital. (Variety)

Elsewhere, former TV Guide Network development executive Kristin Peace has been hired as SVP of creative affairs at Trifecta Entertainment. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Winter is Coming: HBO Orders "Game of Throne" to Series

It's official: HBO is in the George R.R. Martin business.

The pay cabler today announced that it had given a series pickup to Game of Thrones, a fantasy drama based on Martin's bestselling novel series "A Song of Ice and Fire." Project is executive produced by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, who wrote the pilot episode, which was directed by Tom McCarthy.

The series--which will star Sean Bean, Jennifer Ehle, Mark Addy, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage, and Jamie Campbell-Bower, among many, many others too numerous to list here--is expected to launch next spring. Production gets back underway in June in Northern Ireland.

In the meantime, you can check out the first official photo from the production above.

Are you as bloody excited as I am about this news?

Game of Thrones' first season will debut in spring 2011 on HBO.

Channel Surfing: CBS Renews "Good Wife" and "NCIS: LA," "Game of Thrones" Likely a Go, "Damages" Snares Uncle Junior, "Treme," and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

CBS has given second season renewals to freshman dramas The Good Wife and NCIS: Los Angeles. "Two great new series, fronted by talented stars on one big night of television," said Nina Tassler, President, CBS Entertainment in a statement. "We're proud of these shows and what they've accomplished on Tuesday night." The renewal news comes on the heels of pickups for fellow froshers Glee at FOX and Modern Family, The Middle, and Cougar Town at ABC. (via press release)

While still in the pilot stage, buzz continues to build for HBO's fantasy project Game of Thrones, based on George R.R. Martin's series of novels. HBO programming czar Michael Lombardo indicated at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour yesterday that Game looks very likely to get a pickup and that the dailies look "fantastic." "I would be surprised if it doesn't (get a green light)," Lombardo said following HBO's session. "It has everything going for it." [Editor: fingers crossed.] If ordered, the series could be on the air as early as March or April 2011. (Hollywood Reporter)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that former Sopranos star Dominic Chianese has signed on to FX's legal drama Damages in a multiple-episode story arc this season. Chianese is set to play "a shady associate of the Tobin family, the clan at the center of Patty’s new case" and will make his first appearance in the third season's sixth episode. In other Damages casting news, Craig Bierko (Boston Legal) has also joined for a multiple-episode arc, where he will play Terry Brooke, described as "a character with ties to Frobisher (Ted Danson)." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

HBO has set a launch date for David Simon (The Wire) and Eric Overmyer's New Orleans drama series Treme, which will bow on April 11th. "This is a city essential in the American psyche," said Simon at yesterday's Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour. "It's coming back on its own terms as best as it can." Treme stars Wendell Pierce, Clarke Peters, Khandi Alexander, Kim Dickens, Melissa Leo, John Goodman, and Steve Zahn and is set three months after Hurricane Katrina. (Variety)

While confirmation of a Conan exit agreement might come as early as today, The Wrap's Josef Adalian reports that his likely agreement may include a clause allowing him to begin a talk show at a rival network as early as this fall. "One scenario being floated would have O'Brien able to launch a new show as early as the fall," writes Adalian, "most likely late August or September -- a seven-month cooling-off period." (The Wrap's TVMoJoe)

ABC has given a pilot order to an untitled multi-camera romantic comedy from writer Shana Goldberg-Meehan (Friends). Project, from Warner Bros. Television, revolves around two sisters, one of whom is in a long-term relationship and one who must marry her boyfriend when she gets pregnant. (Variety)

The Wrap's Josef Adalian is reporting that last night's Jamba Juice shout-out on NBC's 30 Rock wasn't a case of product placement. "Whenever 30 Rock has a product, people seem to think it’s automatically a deal, but tonight is a good example of the other way," executive producer David Miner told Adalian. "I'm sure our writers felt that to use a fake name in this context would have been distracting and ultimately just less funny." (The Wrap's TVMoJoe)

TVGuide.com's Natalie Abrams spoke to Grey's Anatomy star Kevin McKidd about last night's shocking Cristina-Teddy-Owen plot twist on Grey's. (TVGuide.com)

Science Channel has unveiled six-part documentary Rebuilding Ground Zero, which will air in 2011. Project, from DreamWorks Television, is executive produced by Steven Spielberg and created by architect Danny Foster and director Jonathan Hock. It will focus on the reconstruction of the former World Trade Center site in lower Manhattan. "Doc, shot in 3D and high def, will examine the partnership of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, politicians and various construction crews and engineers in putting the pieces together for a project of such a large magnitude," writes Variety's Stuart Levine. (Variety)

TNT has given dramedy Men of a Certain Age a second season renewal, with ten episodes on tap. (Hollywood Reporter)

BBC One has commissioned eight episodes of futuristic space drama Outcasts. From creator Ben Richards (Spooks) and Kudos Film & TV, Outcasts is follows the lives of a group of people who are survivors from Earth that are looking to start anew on another home planet. "Set in 2040, Outcasts begins on the day the last known transporter from Earth arrives, prompting great excitement on the new planet: Who is on board? Friends and loved ones? Important supplies and news from Earth? But also many questions: Will the new people bring the problems of Earth with them? Will the mistakes that destroyed Earth be repeated? Will the arrival of a new, would-be leader, rock the fragile and precarious equilibrium of our fresh, unified and courageous new world?" (BBC)

Los Angeles Times' Matea Gold has a fantastic interview with Golden Globe-nominated Nurse Jackie star Edie Falco. "I tried comedy," Falco told Gold, referring to her guest turns on 30 Rock and Will & Grace. "I have never been further out of my comfort zone. I fall to the ground in reverence to the people who do that stuff, because I can't. I couldn't find the muscles." (Los Angeles Times)

HBO has ordered an untitled documentary from filmmaker Spike Lee that will serve as a follow-up to the 2006 Emmy-winning documentary When the Levees Broke, which will debut this summer, the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. (Hollywood Reporter)

Discovery and Hasbro have announced the name for their joint-venture children's network: the Hub. "A hub is a place where great things come together," said president/CEO Margaret Loesch at yesterday's Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour of the joint venture cable channel, set to launch this fall. (Variety)

IFC's culinary-themed block of programming--which includes episodes of Dinner With the Band and new series Food Party--will air on Tuesday nights beginning April 27th at 10 pm ET/PT. (Variety)

Former New Line Cinema executive Kent Alterman is heading back to Comedy Central, where he will oversee the cabler's original programming and production. Alterman will be based in Los Angeles but will oversee the development teams on both coasts and will report to Michele Ganeless. (Hollywood Reporter)

E! has ordered eight episodes of docusoap Holly's World, which will follow Girls Next Door star Holly Madison as she heads to Las Vegas. Series, from Prometheus Entertainment, Alta Loma Entertainment, and Fox Television Studios, is expected to launch this summer. (Hollywood Reporter)

CKX has signed a deal with American Idol creator Simon Fuller under which he will remain on board Idol as executive producer (as well as So You Think You Can Dance and upcoming online series If I Can Dream), while also launching an production company and consulting for 19 Entertainment parent company CKX. (Variety)

Brooke Burke will host Season Three of TV Land's reality competition series She's Got the Look. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: "Castle" Gets Full Season, Showrunner Marc Guggenheim Departs "FlashForward," Jason Momoa Ascends to HBO's "Thrones," and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

Good news for Castle fans: ABC has picked up the Nathan Fillion procedural drama series for a full season of 22 episodes after the series has performed well in its Monday night timeslot against tough competition from CBS. The news comes on the heels of ABC picking up first year series Modern Family, Cougar Town, The Middle, and FlashForward for full seasons, leaving only Hank, Eastwick, and The Forgotten the only new series that haven't received back nine pickups. (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

I wonder if he saw this in his flashforward... Co-showrunner/executive producer Marc Guggenheim has stepped down from his position on the ABC sci-fi drama series FlashForward, leaving sole showrunning duties to co-creator David Goyer. "Because of Goyer's limited hands-on TV series experience, Eli Stone co-creator Guggenheim was brought in after the FlashForward pilot to help with the launch of the mystery drama based on Robert Sawyer's novel," writes the Hollywood Reporter's Nellie Andreeva. "After learning the ropes in a co-showrunner capacity on the original 12-episode order of FlashForward alongside Guggenheim, Goyer will fly solo for the series' back-nine order." (Hollywood Reporter)

Former Stargate Atlantis star Jason Momoa has been cast in HBO's fantasy pilot Game of Thrones, based on the George R. R. Martin novel series "A Song of Fire and Ice." Momoa will play "horse lord Khal Drogo," according to the Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan. Also confirmed: The Prisoner's Jamie Campbell-Bower as Waymar Royce, Joseph Mawle as Benjen Stark, Richard Ridings as Gared, Ron Donachie and Ser Rodrik Cassel, Donald Sumpter and Maester Luwin, and Ian McNeice as Ilyrio Mopatis. Filming on the pilot has just gotten underway this week in Northern Ireland. (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Judy Greer (Miss Guided) has attached herself to a comedy project based on Elaine Szewcyzk's novel "I'm With Stupid." Project, which has a script order at ABC, will star Greer as Kas Sienkiewicz, "a Manhattanite who has a fling with a park ranger while on safari in South Africa. She returns home -- and the ranger tracks her down in New York." Szewcyzk will write and co-executive produce the ABC Studios-produced project, with Allan Loeb, Steve Pearl, and Richard Lewis attached as executive producers. Elsewhere, the network gave out a script order plus penalty to comedy We Are Here, about four friends who met at the University of Texas but all still live in Austin and deal with adulthood in different ways. Project, from Sony Pictures Television, is written by Hilary Winston (Community), who will executive produce with Anthony and Joe Russo. (Variety)

NBC is developing an untitled sitcom from writer/star Paul Rust (I Love You, Beth Cooper) that is based on his experiences working at Wal-Mart after college in his small Iowa hometown. Project, from Conaco Prods and Universal Media Studios, will be written by Rust, who is attached to star as himself in a fictional version of his own experiences. (Variety)

ABC has given a script order plus penalty to single-camera comedy Boyfred, about six twenty-somethings who keep in touch via a Web site created by the titular Fred, a web designer whose girlfriend has gone overseas. Project, based on a $6000 presentation, is written by Alan Schmuckler, Michael Mahler, Blake Silver, and Jarrod Zimmerman and is executive produced by Thomas Schlamme. The Sony Pictures Television-produced project is said to be music-intensive, with several tunes written by Schmuckler and Mahler. (Hollywood Reporter)

Comedy Central has acquired off-network rights to FX comedy series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which the cabler will begin airing next summer. FX has already committed to a sixth and seventh season of Sunny, bringing the eventual total to 84 episodes. Deal marks the first time that a basic cable channel has purchased off-network rights to another basic channel's property. (Variety)

HBO has given a script order for an untitled drama to star Stanley Tucci as a "brilliant, one-time powerful politician struggling to rebuild his career and relationships with his family and friends after being brought down by a scandal." Project, from Lionsgate and Olive Prods., the shingle set up by Steve Buscemi, Stanley Tucci, and Wren Arthur, will be written by Stu Zicherman (Six Degrees). Elsewhere, the shingle has received a script order for animated family comedy Good and Evel at TBS; that project, written by Daria co-creator Glenn Eichler, "revolves around twin brothers Jack Good and Bo Evel [who were] stolen by gypsy cab drivers at birth and taught how to behave and drive badly; Bo is a career petty criminal, and Jack bends over backward to mend his brother's ways and help his dysfunctional family." (Hollywood Reporter)

The Wrap's Josef Adalian is reporting that GSN has given a series order to docusoap Carnie Wilson: Unstapled, which will follow Wilson's life as a "gameshow host, media personality, and wife/mother." Series, produced by World of Wonder, is slated to premiere January 14th. The move comes as GSN looks to broaden the scope of their lineup. (The Wrap's TVMoJoe)

Nat Geo will unveil its first global tagline, "Live Curious," on November 15th across all of its channels in 165 countries and 34 languages. The cabler also announced a seven-hour mini-series Great Migrations, which will explore animal migrations around the planet "using advanced camera technology." (Hollywood Reporter)

George Stephanopoulous is said to be in discussions to replace Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America when Sawyer leaves to anchor World News, according to Broadcasting & Cable's Marisa Gurthrie, citing multiple sources within ABC News. (Broadcasting & Cable)

iCarly co-stars Jerry Trainor and Jennette McCurdy have been cast in Disney Channel telepic Best Player, where they will play "two online game addicts who encounter each other on and off the computer." Project, slated for a 2010 premiere, is written by Rich Amburg and Justin Ware and will be directed by Damon Santostefano. (Variety)

Scott Sternberg Prods. and Weinberger Media will produce reality series Legal Ease, in which lawyers from Manhattan law firm Tacopina Siefel & Turano will give advice to ordinary people. It's still unknown whether the series will be pitched to cable networks or is intended for first-run syndication. (Hollywood Reporter)

Adam Shankman and Bill Mechanic will produce the 82nd Academy Awards, replacing Bill Condon and Laurence Mark. The awards show is slated to air March 7th on ABC. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Benjamin Bratt Heads for "Modern Family," Amy Sherman-Palladino Sets Up Project at HBO, "Game of Thrones" Lures Another, and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

Benjamin Bratt (The Cleaner) has been cast as a guest star on ABC's Modern Family, where he will play the ex-husband of Sofia Vergara's Gloria. Bratt is currently slated to appear in one episode of the ABC comedy series, where his character has been mentioned but not yet seen. Look for some friction between Bratt's character and Ed O'Neill's Jay. (Hollywood Reporter)

Great news for Gilmore Girls fans. Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino will write and executive produce an untitled dramedy project for pay cabler HBO about the "complicated relationship between three adult sisters, all writers sharing the same upper east side apartment building, and their mother, a domineering literary lioness who reserves most of her affections for their ne'er-do-well brother," according to Hollywood Reporter's Nellie Andreeva. The project marks the first time that Sherman-Palladino has worked in cable. (Editor: I am keeping my fingers crossed for this one!) (Hollywood Reporter)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan is reporting that child actor Isaac Hempstead-Wright has been cast in HBO's fantasy pilot Game of Thrones, which starts production on October 24th. Ryan also notes that Jamie Campbell Bower (The Prisoner) is currently speculated to have been cast as the pilot's Waymar Royce but has not been able to confirm the rumor. (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

FOX has given a script order to an untitled drama pilot from writer/executive producer Ben Watkins (Burn Notice) about an undercover female investigator of mixed heritage who questions her own identity, having been adopted as a baby. "This is a character who has never truly felt like she belongs anywhere," the bi-racial Watkins told Variety. "The coping mechanism that she developed as a kid makes her able to fit in anywhere." Project, from 20th Century Fox Television, will be executive produced by Mike Tollin. (Variety)

SPOILER! E! Online's Jennifer Godwin talks to Melrose Place star Katie Cassidy about the upcoming "major character death" on the CW soap that will be a "turning point of the season so far." According to Cassidy, "Everyone's going to be surprised. [The death] is a shocker, but at the same time, it's really good." Cassidy also teases some scoop about what's coming up on Melrose. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Todd Stashwick (The Riches) has been cast in a recurring role on NBC's Heroes, where he will play Eli, a member of the traveling carnival who has "close ties to the carnival's evil ringleader Samuel (Robert Knepper)." (Hollywood Reporter)

In other Heroes-related news, E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos is hinting at the possible, er, departure of one of the series' regulars. No concrete information is provided but Dos Santos writes that the character is male. Read into that whatever you will. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Steve Harris (The Practice) has joined the cast of Friday Night Lights in a recurring role, according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. He'll play Vernon Merriweather, "an ex-football star and the father of East Dillon newbie Jess (Jurnee Smollett)," and is slated to appear in about seven episodes. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

TVGuide.com's Natalie Abrams has an interview with Scrubs star Sarah Chalke about the upcoming season of the medical comedy series, which is undergoing a transformation this season. Chalke is slated to appear in several episodes this season with her Elliot undergoing some transformations of her own... (TVGuide.com)

The Wrap's Josef Adalian is reporting that ABC has landed the untitled Matthew Perry/Jamie Tarses project that was announced yesterday. (The Wrap's TVMoJoe)

FOX has announced a November 8th airdate for primetime special Family Guy Presents: Seth and Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show, which will feature Seth MacFarlane and Alex Borstein stepping in front of the camera for a commercial-free half-hour special that will feature "marketing messages" for Microsoft's Windows 7. The special will feature both animated and live-action sketches. (Variety)

Bravo is getting back into the Jackie Warner business as it develops a new reality series entitled Thintervention with Jackie Warner, which will see the Warner help participants to lose weight in their "day-to-day environment rather than in a Biggest Loser-style fat camp." The cabler was originally developing a concept where Warner would help struggling gyms get back on their feet financially but the weight-loss concept has now replaced that project. Project, from Shed Media, will have Warner "kick butt and inspire drastic lifestyle changes for her overweight clients who are struggling to lose weight and get healthy for good." (The Wrap's TVMoJoe)

20th Century Fox Television has signed a two-year overall deal with Family Guy executive producer David Goodman, under which he will remain on the animated series (while no longer serving as showrunner) and will develop animated and live-action projects for the studio, including an animated comedy pilot presentation from writer Jason Ruiz entitled Fathers and Son. (Variety)

SVP Christina Davis will oversee drama development at CBS following the departure of the department's co-head Robert Zotnowski. The Eye has also promoted Yelena Chak and Bryan Seabury. (Hollywood Reporter)

Australian viewers will get the chance to see BBC's period drama series Desperate Romantics, created by Peter Bowker (Blackpool), following a deal between BBC Worldwide and ABC TV. (Broadcast)

3 Ball Entertainment has hired Brant Pinvidic as EVP of development and promoted Dan Snook to VP of development. The former will report to JD Roth and Todd Nelson. (Variety)

Warner Bros. Entertainment has hired former Yahoo executive Dave Dickman as SVP of digital media sales for Warner Bros. Television Group. (Hollywood Reporter)

Annual market and conference NATPE will move its home from Las Vegas to Miami's South Beach in January 2011. "Miami Beach is easily accessible to our attendees from the U.S., Europe and Latin America," said NATPE President/CEO Rick Feldman. "The entire hotel with its new ocean view suites and a floor marketplace will be ours alone. NATPE will be under one roof in an environment that will provide unlimited possibilities for business being done in a most efficient and enjoyable manner." (Broadcasting & Cable)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Lena Headey Crowned for "Thrones," HBO Goes to the Mattresses for "Boardwalk Empire," Pam Gets New Mom on "Office," and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan is reporting that former Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles star Lena Headey has signed on to star in HBO's fantasy drama pilot Game of Thrones, based on the novel series by George R.R. Martin. Headey, who toplined the now-canceled Terminator, would play Cersei Lannister, described by Ryan as "a woman of royal blood who is every bit as smart, cunning and devious as the powerful men around her." She joins a cast for the pilot (directed by The Visitor's Tom McCarthy) that includes Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Sean Bean, Peter Dinklage, Mark Addy, Jennifer Ehle, and a slew of others. Headey's character is the sister of Jamie Lannister (Coster-Waldau) and the wife of King Robert (Addy). (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Elsewhere at HBO, the pay cabler has given a series order to period drama Boardwalk Empire from executive producers Martin Scorsese and Terence Winter (who also created the series). Twelve episodes (including the pilot) have been ordered and are expected to air late next year, with production starting this fall in New York. Set in the 1920s, the series follows the life of politico/gangster Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) during the growth of Atlantic City. Buscemi will be joined by Kelly Macdonald, Michael Shannon, Michael Pitt, Shea Whigham, Dabney Coleman, and Stephen Graham. (Variety)

Linda Purl (Bones) has been cast as the mother of Pam Beesley (Jenna Fischer) on NBC's The Office, where she will appear next month at Pam and Jim's wedding. Purl replaces Shannon Cochran, who guest starred as Pam's mom in a Season Two episode of The Office. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

AMC has ordered a fourth season of period drama Mad Men. (Televisionary)

ABC has signed two separate talent holding deals with Martin Henderson (Inside the Box) and Leah Remini (The King of Queens). Under the deals, Henderson will star in a drama pilot for the network, with Henderson meeting with writers shortly to discuss potential properties. Remini, who appeared in ABC's comedy pilot Married Not Dead this past development cycle, will appear in a comedy pilot. (Hollywood Reporter)

Debi Mazar (Entourage) has been cast in a recurring role on ABC's Castle, where she will play Paula Haas, Castle's book agent. Her first appearance is set for October. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

20th Century Fox Television has signed two separate overall deals with Family Guy writers Mark Hentemann and Steve Callaghan. Under the terms of the deals, Hentemann and Callaghan will become executive producers and showrunners on Family Guy (following the decision made by David Goodman and Chris Sheridan to step down as showrunners on the FOX series) and will also develop new projects for the studio. (Variety)

Saturday Night Live will add at least two new female cast members to its roster, hiring The Groundlings' Nasim Pedrad and UCB's Jenny Slate for next season, which kicks off September 26th on NBC. (The Wrap's TV MoJoe)

A. Smith and Co. have acquired the US rights to Japanese game show Pressure Study, in which seven contestants are forced to work together in order to complete seven rounds of questions that will test every facet of their combined knowledge. Series, which will be retitled Under Pressure, is currently being pitched to networks. (Variety)

Stay tuned.